The Path Chapter Three
© 2014 by John Kenney
We went past the garden and I got a better look at it as we did. All of the rows were so perfect, very few weeds, so it was clear this was a well tended to garden. It takes time, effort and diligence to keep a garden looking this good. I know because dad and I work together all the time to keep the crops healthy and strong. Yes this garden was never ignored.
Up the path a ways we crested a gentle hill and there in a clearing was a small corral and a few even smaller buildings. The closer we came to the clearing I made out they were coops. Then I saw Mr. Alvin’s Belle, a well fed but only about half the size of a hereford cow. Brown in color and gentle in disposition.
‘She ’s a good looking cow sir, smaller than the ones I’ve been around.’
‘She a Dexter.’ He said
‘They tend to be smaller for smaller needs, but she does the job and like I said is a pretty decent listener.’
I noticed the chickens walking around, 4 or 5 of them, though there may have been more.
‘Well you are set for eggs, that’s for sure.’
‘Indeed I am, indeed I am.’
‘What about foxes?’ I asked
‘Any problems up here with them?’
‘Not really.’ he replied
‘There is a family of four that live over there.’ He pointed off to the side into the thickets.
‘They have their own area where they hunt and there is plenty for everyone up here. They cross through on there journeys sometimes, but it’s mostly in the winter when the hunting is better farther down the mountain.’
I was learning so much about life in the forest that I had never known before. I do remember thinking if I am quiet he will fill in the blanks. Young boys can be a bottomless pit of questions sometimes.
Dad told me once.
‘You have two ears and only one tongue for a reason, so listen twice as much as you speak and you will find most of your questions answered in half of the time.’
I tried hard to remember that, but it was no small task!
We walked on past the clearing and I realized we were taking this well worn path when it occurred to me Mr. Alvin has been here a very long time. Yet I had not heard a single word of this kindly old gentleman living up here. We live in a very close community of families and friends, surely someone had met him before.
Just then three does crossed the path just ahead of us with two fawn following closely behind. Mr.Alvin stopped, tipped his hat and politely said.
‘Good afternoon ladies.’
The deer looked over but barely broke stride and continued their walk at the same pace as before he spoke. This too was odd to me as anyone knows the skittish nature of deer.
The pace Mr.Alvin set never wavered. His walking stick in perfect rhythm with his stride which by now was causing my legs a bit of aggravation.
‘ What is up ahead?’ I managed to ask trying not to fall behind.
‘Oh something I think you will enjoy quite a bit.’ He answered immediately.
‘Would you like a bit of a rest for a moment young Nathan?’ He inquired.
‘No sir I am fine, I was just wondering.’ Though I don’t believe I carried that statement off very well. I’m certain I heard another of his muffled chuckles after my reply.
‘Almost there’ he said finally.
He stopped ahead of me and knelt on a slight rise. As I caught up I found we were on a ridge overlooking the entire valley. It was breath taking.
‘Wow! I didn’t realize we were climbing so high sir.’
‘Look! There is the farm!’
‘Is this where you have seen it from?’
‘Yes here and a couple of other spots, but this is the best view of all.’
Looking out you could see the farms below. Ours and several neighbors as well.
The old dirt road that leads to the highway was clear, and if you followed the highway you could make out part of the town.
‘Look, look, there is dad going into the barn.’
‘Dad! dad! up here…’
As I was waving my arms above my head. Mr. Alvin chuckled.
‘He won’t hear you from way up here son.’
‘You really can see just about everything from up here can’t you?’
‘Most everything that truly matters.’ He replied
‘I never knew you could see so very much all at the same time.’
‘I mean look, over there is the McMillan’s place, and there, thats where Johnny Wallace and his family live. Johnny has been sick, he wasn’t in school the last couple of weeks.’
‘Oh my, is he getting better now?’ Mr. Alvin asked
‘I don’t know, I should check when I get home, it slipped my mind.’
Mr. Alvin just nodded, and suddenly I didn’t feel like much of a friend. Johnny and I were close. We always went fishing together, he even pulled me out of the pond when I slipped in then dove in to find my pole, but what with final tests and then vacation coming up. I simply forgot to find out even how sick he was. I really felt bad at that moment. I felt a light pat on my back.
‘Don’t fret Nathan, just take care of it when you get home.’
‘But sir….its not right…’
Mr. Alvin stopped me in mid sentence with a strong but caring look.
‘We all forget, and we all make mistakes, it is part of life, the important thing is learning the lesson in less and less tries. Mistakes will happen. Now if you make the same ones over and over well then they will become habits. That is the thing you need to make certain doesn’t happen.’
He paused a moment and looked out over the valley and said softly.
‘I wish I had known that sooner than I did.’
There was a silence between us then. Just the sound of the wind coming up the ridge. A couple of red tailed hawks riding the thermals.
‘Sir?’ I asked ‘Did you make a lot of mistakes when you were younger?’
Again that hearty laugh rang out.
‘Son…’
He paused a moment laughing and looking off a bit.
‘If I sat down and thought about every mistake I have made, I’m pretty sure I’d miss dinner for a few weeks.’
‘but a man once said it isn’t how many times you fall, it’s how many times you get back up.’
He winked and stood.
‘Grownups have a way of answering questions that just make new ones in my head sometimes.’ I remember thinking.
*Right about then I noticed a ruckus in the woods behind me and it was getting louder. I remember it shook me from my thoughts like when the sunlight peeks through the window onto your eyes as your dreaming ends. It was Dime, barking her fool head off in a fashion reserved for chasing a rabbit out in the field. I can’t say I came out of my daydreaming at that moment in a good mood.
‘What is your problem Dime?’ I shouted with impatience filling my tone.
‘Easy son, the dog is perturbed.’ Mr. Alvin said
I settled immediately and realized Dime was indeed being more than excited.
She charged up and stopped just short of where I sat and barked like there was no tomorrow. Looking me straight on. No question this was meant for me, but what?
‘What is it?….what?’
‘We best go see.’ said Mr. Alvin
As soon as we both stood up Dime was gone, charging into the woods hell bent for leather still barking the whole time. We looked at each other and followed her down into the forest. Dime would run then turn run a few steps toward us then turn again and run farther down the path.
‘She has something important on her mind Nathan.’
‘Oh she just gets excited sometimes sir its probably nothing.’ I said
‘I told you straight off when we met, that is a very smart dog, I sense this is nothing to ignore.’
Mr. Alvin sounded different. Concerned, almost a bit worried. I went from chagrinned to embarrassed straight into fretful in the course of twenty yards going down that path. If this has his attention it must be something important.
Dime was racing down the path staying in sight but never stopping in her barking or turning to make sure we were still following. I had not ever seen her do this before. Now I was getting anxious.
I’ve had Dime since she was a pup….there is very little anymore that she does that is a surprise to me. She was bitten once by another critter she must have teased a bit too much and I could almost feel how it hurt when she limped back home. She was a good dog and a friend I shared my deepest secrets with. Always knowing when something was wrong with me. When I was sick she wouldn’t leave my side, waiting at the end of our road everyday for the school bus to drop me off. All these thoughts raced through my head as I was going down the path.
Mr. Alvin was surprisingly nimble going down the path….I didn’t have to slow my pace at all. I am remembering that part now but at the time I could only think to find out what all the fuss was about.
When we got to the house Dime was still barking like crazy. I turned to Mr. Alvin and said.
‘I better go see what this is about sir, I’ll be back as soon as I can, if thats ok.’
‘Son you go tend to this….you know where I am and you are always welcome here.’
I have to laugh right now because he shook my hand and never stopped smiling.
It was sort of a blur at the time….I had gotten a little worked up with all these thoughts going through my head as we came down the path. I don’t even remember passing the cow and chickens.
‘Take the path straight down and turn right at the fork, you will end up where you came in son.’ he said
‘Yes sir, and thank you, gotta go now, bye.’
