IT DON’T MATTER Chapter 14 Women are Smarter

Busy in the Kitchen
courtesy photobucke.com

 

Perhaps it was a bit strange the way the day started.  In reality it should have been just like every other day but this morning began with me still in bed but awake.  

I could hear Nan stirring around in the kitchen and both babies demanding attention.  I was laying in the bed still but in my mind’s eye I could vision what was going on.  The mush was cooking on the stove for Matt and eggs, a biscuit and jam for Bessie.  

Nan would be wearing the night gown she wore to bed and thy frying pan was about finished with its task.  The smell of the ham was lifting me up out of the bed almost as if it had a power of its own.  

While sitting on the edge of the bed I thought six months ago I was a single man with women desiring me for a number of reasons the least of which was love.  It was as Pa used to say “The smell of money is the driving force in this world.”

The fact the family and I were well off attracted many from all walks of life.

Today, this day I have a wife and two children with another on the way.  The beautiful woman I married is getting bigger around the waist and I can feel a new life within her.  Soon her more than adequate breasts will poor forth sustenance for the new born.

What a pleasant picture was formed in my mind as I sat there.  

 

While the wedding vows are a bit vague, I remember some of the words the preacher said; “Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife,” and the man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.

I found those sayings in the bible shortly after the wedding and read them often to remind myself how blessed I am.

It has only been six months but I’m almost ready to agree with Elle and Ma “Women are smarter than men” for Nan is a woman of wisdom.  I surly stuck in my thumb and brought out a plum from the pudding of life.

In the mist of my musing a voice spoke to me; “Come my handsome man and feast upon thy bounty.” 

“You are the only bounty I want to feast upon my wife.”  I felt I had to say something to her adulation.

As I scarfed up the breakfast she had prepared for me I was amazed that she being young as she was could already cook as well as Ma.

Bessie was able to carry on a conversation now and she had heard Nan call me different things.  She now began calling me “My handsome man.”

Since hearing Bessie call me that, the men I have to do with call me “My handsome man” behind my back.

I suppose there is no harm done as long as it is in the spirit of fun.  Almost anything can be turned into something derogatory by people of a base nature.  

I needed to go downtown so I decided to take Bessie with me.  She was confident that she could walk all the way there and back.  As we passed the general store she said, “Can we go in there?”

I said, “Why, do they have something we need?”

She said, “Most assuredly.”  I have no idea where she picked up that expression unless it was from her mother for she uses phrases like that sometime.

After hearing that I said, “Yes we most assuredly need to go in there.”

The main grocery man named Sam said, ‘Who do we have here?”

I said, ‘This is… this is my daughter Bessie.”  I just realized this was the first time I called her my daughter out in public. 

He said, ‘Well Bessie I’m glad to meet any daughter of your Papa.”

He looked at Bessie and said, “What can I help you with?”

She said, ‘Two of the stick candy please and put it on account.”

I had to laugh at that and said, ‘Do as the young lady says.”

We went on and took care of my business and headed home.  When we were about half way there Bessie said, “You can carry me now.”

“You said you could walk all the way there and back.”

She said, “Things change sometime don’t they?”

I said, “Yes but…”

She said, “Bend over and pick me up, my arms are getting tired from reaching up to you.”

 
I picked her and told her that she and the candy were too heavy for me to carry.  

She said, “I will hurry and eat them then I won’t have them any longer and then you can carry me.”

I could see right now she will rule the roost as far as I’m concerned for she is a woman (Or will be) and women are smarter than men.

Later that day I had to go out to see Pa and Ma who always insisted that I don’t come unless I bring Nan and the kids.

On the way there we met two men riding horses and after we passed them they turned and started to follow us.  After a bit it began to unnerve me. They came along side of us and told me to stop.  They got off their horses and one took hold of the team.

The other one spoke to Nan and said,  “You better get down missy, and let me take a look at you.”

At that remark, I looked directly at the man who spoke and said, “You must be new

around here or you wouldn’t be so foolish to endanger your lives this way.”

I told Nan to cover Matt up and hold your hands over Bessie’s ears for when I shoot these fools there will be a lot of noise.

The one who was holding the horses said, “We didn’t mean any harm mister and released the horse’s bridles.  As they both prepared to get on their horses and I said, “My folks will soon be after you and you will pay a high price for your unwise act.”

They mounted and were gone at a fast gallop.  

I thought to myself, “Jake’s place is just a short distance from here and I will let him handle it.”

When we stopped at Jake’s I quickly explained to him what we experienced.  

Jake and his men took after the Bad Men
courtesy photobucket.com

He called a couple of his hands and said, ‘We will try to catch them.”

I said, “It won’t be much trouble for at the rate they were riding those horses will be worn out.  Their horses were way too fat and they haven’t been ridden much lately, so they will tire quickly.  

I’ll see you later and you can tell me what happened.  We will spend the night at Ma’s so come by if you have time.”

Bessie said, ‘You can uncover my ears now Mom for the bad men are gone.”

Nan had been quiet all this time and when she spoke she said, “I was scared back there weren’t you?”

“The truth is I was a nervous for you because I didn’t want you and the kids see me kill those men.  They didn’t know how close they came to dying.”

She said, “Do you have a gun on you?”

“Always,” I answered, “When I’m out with you.”

She said, “I didn’t know you had one, where do you keep it?”

I slipped it out of my coat and showed it to her.  I had my hand on it all the time for a man has to protect his family.  She was quiet for some time and then just said, “Goodness.”

Pa heard us coming and told one of the young boys to unhitch the team, rub them down and water and feed them.  One thing Pa taught us was to always take care of your stock.

A few hours later Jake came by and said, “The matter has been taken care of.”  He said, “It is good you told me for they were up to no good and looking for some one to take advantage of.  We caught them out at Miner’s place doing some things they shouldn’t have been doing.  It’s a shame when women aren’t safe at home or on the road.”

I had to ask, ‘Will they bother any else?”

He said, “Absolutely not, never again.”

Ma said I wish I knew what you boys are jabbering about maybe Nan can tell me.

I whispered to Nan and said “It don’t matter” if you tell her, does it?