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Life In A Small Town

By: woodmanone



There are no graphic sex scenes in this story, sorry.

This story is based on a true life experience. I have embellished the facts a little, but not as much as I normally have to. Thanks to my wife for her help in keeping me grounded and somewhere in the realm of reality. 

Constructive comments are requested and welcome. My email is shown on the web site. Thanks for reading my story. Enjoy.



Things change. A statement of fact. As you grow older your aims, goals and dreams change. Your philosophy will change as you're shaped by the experiences in your life. In my case, once I became an adult, I have had two philosophies or creeds that have stayed constant.

One: You, and I, are responsible for our actions and for the consequences of those actions.

Two: Before you criticize me, walk a mile in my shoes. And if you still don't like what I'm doing, then deal with it. I'm not likely to change.

Basically your opinion of me or my actions doesn't matter. I answer to God, my loved ones, my friends, and myself. I don't want or need and will not accept judgment by a bunch of do gooders, politically correct phonies, and hypocrites. They can judge me; I just won't pay any attention to them.

Well, let's get on with the story. You can't understand all this talk about philosophies without knowing the circumstances behind them.

My name is William Ambrose Connelly, please don't ever call me Ambrose, I am named after two of my ancestors. I answer to William or Will, but not to Bill or Willie. At the time of my story, I had just turned 25 and was full of myself. As with most young men, I knew everything and was smarter than everyone else. I was young, strong, and invincible; that is until life jumped up and slapped me in the face.

There was a family reunion being held at the lower end of Johnson Shut-Ins State Park in Missouri. The Shut-Ins are an area of granite rock and boulders thrust up by volcanoes, millions of years ago. The Black River flows through these rocks creating water slides, deep pools, and great swimming holes. These rocks sort of "shut in" the river and turned the waterway into a play ground. Hence the name Shut-Ins. It's a nice area and a beautiful place to play in the water, climb the rocks surrounding the river and just generally have a good time. 

The reunion was a big deal lasting seven or eight days and my family was there in force. Dad, Mom, my two younger brothers and an older sister went to the reunion. The whole family, including my grandparents, drove down from St. Louis on Wednesday and planned to stay until Sunday. I wasn't able to go as I was working. 

After high school I had knocked around for two years trying to decide what I wanted to do. Now I was a journeyman mechanic working at a motorcycle dealership. My best friend Ron and his family owned the shop and Ron got me the job. It was a way for me to make money for college or until I decided what I wanted to do with my life; I was still there after five years. Ron worked in the front office and in sales after working his way up. 

When I started at the shop, there was some natural resentment from the other mechanics toward me. I was a friend of the owner's son and they didn't think I would pull my own weight. They found out different within the first few months. Not only did I work on the bikes, but I did clean up around the shop and grounds, helped with stocking of parts, and any other job that needed to be done. It wasn't long before they knew that I was one of them and not just a freeloading friend of the owner's son. 

The family reunion was scheduled at a very busy time of the year for the motorcycle shop because the new models were arriving. They had to be taken out of the crates, assembled, tuned, and gotten ready for the sales floor. Getting these bikes ready was part of my job as the junior man at the shop. Because of this influx of new bikes, I wasn't able to go to the family reunion until the weekend. I planned on leaving very early Saturday morning for the three hour ride.

I guess the other mechanics had accepted me because two of them gave me a hand getting the new bikes ready. They even stayed after hours on two nights to help me. Because of their help I planned to leave work at noon on Friday and ride my Harley to the reunion. I never made it.

Friday morning at 2:45 A.M., the Taum Sauk Reservoir Dam broke. It sent over a billion gallons of water rushing downstream through Johnson Shut Ins Park. My whole family was killed in the flood. We had a radio on at the shop during the morning and heard the news bulletin about the catastrophe. The state had set up a hot line for information on the victims. I called and found out about my family. At 25, I was all alone.

There were arrangements to be made and it was up to me to do them all. I organized the funerals for my parent's, my brothers and sister. It was a service that encompassed the five of them. Then I had to do it again for my grandparents. My dad had been their only child and I was the only family member left to handle those things for them too. I matured very quickly during this period. I may have only been 25 physically but mentally I felt like an old man.

Several times at both of the funerals, people came up to talk to me. In addition to expressing their condolences a lot of them would tell me I could be my dad's twin when he was my age. I had never thought much about looking like my dad, but according to those people I did.

Dad and I were both about 6 feet 3. He weighed a bit more than my solid 200 pounds. Even though his hair was more salt and pepper now, I had the same dark hair he had when he was younger. The only difference between us was my blue eyes.

A month later, my dad's attorney told me I was the sole heir to my parent's estate. Estate is a legal term; it didn't mean I was independently wealthy. I was left with a house with no mortgage, two substantial bank accounts, some personal items, and a broken heart. My folks had been my rock, always there for me and always on my side no matter what. 

I sold the house for a little less than it was worth, but I wanted a quick sale. All I wanted was to get away, away from the grief and away from being reminded that my family was gone. I rented a storage unit and packed everything I wanted to keep into it. My dad's guns, some pictures, and a few heirlooms that my mother had, went into storage. I paid a year's rental on the unit. The rest of the contents of the house; the clothes, furniture, and the items I didn't want were donated to charity.

A few days before I closed on sale of the house, a lawyer came to see me. He wanted me to sign a class action suit against the Ameren Utility Company. They were the ones that built and ran the Taum Sauk electric dam. The lawyer said I could possibly end up with two million dollars.

As I listened to him and saw the greed in his face, I asked, "Can I have my family back instead?" 

He just looked at me, shook his head, and started to talk about money again. It was a big mistake on his part to continue to talk about getting money from my family's death. Did you know that lawyers fly pretty good when propelled by a boot in the ass? He must have gone 8 or 10 feet before he touched down. Needless to say, that was the last time I was contacted by him or any other shyster.

After the house sold, I put the money into an account at the bank; I packed a few things, and hit the road. There was no reason to stay in St. Louis anymore. My Harley, a Heritage Softail Classic, and I headed south. It wasn't until I was half way to my destination that I realized where I was going. Back to my roots I guess you could say, back to the area of my family's heritage. A little town in south east Missouri named Van Buren.

Van Buren is a small town of about a thousand residents about three to four hours south and a little west of St. Louis. It is sort of nestled in a valley among the mountains of the Ozarks. At one time it was just a farming community, but the biggest income producer has become the tourist trade. Current River, a spring fed, clear, and clean stream that separates the north and south side of town is the reason for the rise of the tourist industry.

Jack's Fork was another river in the area that brought the tourists. The Ozarks region covers southern Missouri and down into northern Arkansas. It is an area of hills or mountains, deep valleys, and beautiful clear waterways. This is the area where I grew up.

My Harley and I cruised through Van Buren on Main Street and noticed a few changes since the last time I was there four years ago. There were more tourist type shops, a new bridge and highway spanned Current River and some of the houses on the south side had been torn down because of the new roadway. I had spent every summer and every school holiday in this small town from the age of 10 until I turned 17. By the time I turned 17, I had my driver's license and I was too cool to return to that little hick town. I wanted to stay in the city with my friends. 

During those summers I spent a lot of time running up and down Current River in a john boat and knew the river well. My friends and I would also take long float trips using inner tubes that would last four or five hours. I learned to stay off the river after heavy rains or during the spring rains and thaw. The stream was fast moving and dangerous in places, especially for the novice boater. But it was my playground. Other kids played ball, I ran the river.

Now, that little "hick" town and the area around it was just what I needed. The death of my family left me adrift and I needed to reconnect with who I was and where I came from. I could do that in Van Buren and the surrounding area. It's was full of wonderful memories of when I was growing up. I spent the night at Smalley's Motel. The motel had been there longer than I have been alive. It wasn't fancy, no internet, no cable T.V.; no T.V. at all because reception is so bad in the valley. All you got was a comfortable bed, a roof over your head, and the best breakfast ever. After eating, I climbed on my bike and headed out of town on Highway 60 to a certain farm about 20 miles northwest of town.

This farm and the people that own it were part of my past, my heritage, and my family. Uncle Lewis and Aunt Mary had lived on their farm for what seemed forever. They were actually my grandfather's Aunt and Uncle. I was 10 when I started staying with them during the summer breaks from school. Even at 10, I was expected to help with the farm and do my share of the chores. 

It was the best education I could have received. Uncle Lewis was the one that helped instill discipline and responsibility in me. I learned many things during those summers, from driving a mule team to running a tractor and a lot in between. Feeding the stock, gathering eggs from the chicken pen, cleaning the horse stalls and working in the fields were all part of my education. They had only one child, a son who lived on the west coast and got back when he could. Luckily he hadn't been able to come back for the family reunion. I never learned why Lewis and Mary didn't go to the reunion.

The most important things I learned were about how to be a good person and a good man. I don't mean a goody two shoes type of guy. I mean I learned to keep my word, to work until the job was done, and to be responsible for my actions. It was a great period of my young life; I just didn't know it at the time.

I thought I would surprise Lewis and Mary with my visit. As I pulled up next to the house, I saw Uncle Lewis sitting on the porch. Lewis was in his early seventies and had worked on the farm since he was 12. Nearly 60 years of hard work on the farm had marked him. His face was weathered like an old piece of leather and his hands were gnarled and creased with scars. One hand was missing the first joint of his pinkie and ring finger. When asked what happened he always said he froze them off picking strawberries. That was what most people who knew him well called him, "Strawberry". Working a farm for close to seventy years is hard on a man. He never stood up and waited as I shut down the bike and walked over to him.

"Wondered when you would show up, what took you so long?" There was no how are you? Sorry to hear about your folks or what are you doing here? Just what took you so long? "I knew you would come here to heal up."

I sat down on the porch swing with him and said, "Had things to take care of before I could leave."

Uncle Lewis had always treated me like a grown man, even when I was 10. He had never talked down to me, and treated me like an equal. For one of the few times he showed physical affection to me. He reached over, squeezed my shoulder and said, "I am sorry as hell about your folk's boy. You're welcome here as long as you need to be here."

I almost lost it. Aunt Mary came out to the porch saying, "Lewis did I hear someone drive up?" Then she saw me and rushed over to me and took me in her arms. Then I did lose it, tears started running down my face. I hadn't cried at my parent's and sibling's funeral, or at my grandparent's services, so I guess I let it all out sitting there with them. 

It's funny, Mary was only about 5 feet 4 but even at 6 feet 3, I felt like a young boy again as she held me until I finished grieving. Aunt Mary was almost as wide as she was tall. She was the stereotypical grandmother figure. The years on the farm had been hard on her too and she was getting close to eighty. Mary was almost as weathered as Lewis but she had love enough for the whole county. If there has ever been a finer woman, I've never met her. It was close to five minutes before I could gather myself and resume talking to them. Uncle Lewis wanted to know if I had any plans.

"Well, I want to run the river for a day or two and then I thought I might get a job at the saw mill or catch on with a farm that needs someone with a strong back and not much experience." I laughed a little at my last statement.

"William, this place hasn't been more than a hobby farm in ten years, but we could start it up again, if you've a mind to. I've got the tractor and all the equipment we would need. It would be a hard road, but any profit would be all yours," Uncle Lewis offered. He was in his seventies and should be resting from his years of hard work, but was ready to work like a dog by my side if I needed him. That's the type of man he was and the type of man he taught me to be.

"I don't think I know enough to run a farm. Be better off being told what to do. Besides I don't need a lot, just enough for a trip to town twice a month or so and gas for the bike." I really didn't want Lewis to overextend himself at his age. Lewis had been almost 6 feet tall in his prime; the years of working dawn to dusk and age had shrunk him to about 5 feet 10. He was whipcord slim at 165 pounds.

"Lewis, what about Molly? She needs a hand with her place," Aunt Mary suggested. He nodded his head, agreeing with her. Aunt Mary continued, "Molly Swanson and her husband bought the old Bailey place and were going to farm it. I guess her husband decided he didn't want to be a farmer about six months after they moved onto the property, and he left her. They are divorced now and she needs help with the farm. She hasn't been able to hire anyone. I can guess why." Mary didn't elaborate as to the why.

"If she knows what needs doing, I can do it. And the Bailey place is only five miles or so; it wouldn't be far to ride every day. Think we might call her in a day or two?" Now I had a plan and an idea of what to do with myself. At least for the next few months.

"We'll go over after chores on Monday morning, honey," Aunt Mary said. "You can give me a ride on that motor sickle thing of yours. Always wanted to ride on one of those." She laughed at the surprise on my face.

The next morning was a trip back in time for me. I gathered eggs with Aunt Mary and slopped the hogs and fed the horses and mules with Uncle Lewis. Just like the summers when I was younger. Then I went to Current River and spent the rest of the day playing in the water. The second day on the river I ran into Jim Barnes, one of the boys that I ran with when I was younger. If I was a river rat, Jim was a water dog. He knew the river better than I did, and that's saying a lot. When no one else could catch anything, Jim would always come home with a stringer full of fish.

We greeted each other and caught up on what had been going on in our lives. I told him I was going to live with Lewis and Mary for awhile and why. I mentioned to him that I hoped to get a john boat to cruise the river with before too long.

"No need to buy one," Jim said. He tossed me a padlock key and told me, "My boat is down at the Chicopee swimming hole. Remember where it's at? Use the boat as much as you want, just refill the gas tank." 

Chicopee was a wide part of the river with sort of a small bay and the favorite swimming hole of the kids on the south side of Van Buren. I got Jim's boat and spent the rest of that day running up and down the river. I went to some of the old fishing holes, checked out some of the white water, and had a great time. It was getting dark by the time I brought Jim's boat back after filling the gas tank.

Around 9:00 on Monday morning, Aunt Mary came out to where I was waiting by my Harley. She looked like one of the women in the old pictures of people riding in a Model T. Aunt Mary had on this big wide brimmed hat tied down with a scarf and a long full skirt. I saw her and laughed until my sides hurt. I don't think she understood what I found so funny.

"Aunt Mary, that hat will last for about two minutes and that skirt will get caught in the wheels," I told her still laughing. "Why don't you put on a pair of jeans or work pants? I've got a hat in my saddle bags or you can wear my helmet."

She was changed and back in five minutes. I gave her my helmet to wear and we took off for Mrs. Swanson's. We had been on the road for just about two minutes when Mary started laughing and screaming at me to go faster. I think I had made a convert to motorcycles out of her.

I took the long way around to Mrs. Swanson's because Aunt Mary was having such a good time. It was an hour's ride around the mountain, but I had nowhere else to go. We pulled into the yard of the old Bailey farm and I shut the bike down. I had to help Aunt Mary off the bike; she had gotten a little stiff on the hour ride.

A woman I assumed was Mrs. Swanson came out to meet us. I was checking over the bike and putting the helmet away and didn't see her until she had already started talking to Aunt Mary. 

Aunt Mary said, "Molly this is my nephew William, William this is Molly Swanson." I stood up and turned to meet the lady and almost tripped over my feet. Mrs. Molly Swanson was a very good looking woman.

I had pictured someone around 50 and sort of a farmer's wife type. Molly couldn't have been more than 31 or 32 years old, actually I found out later she was 30. She was tall about 5 feet 9 with a slender figure. Light brown hair shading to blond and the greenest eyes I have ever seen. I saw all this in just a few seconds as I tried to keep from falling all over myself.

"Hello William, it's nice to meet you," Molly said.

"Lik ...Lik...Likewise Mrs. Swanson," I said, being the silver tongued devil that I am.

"Oh please, just Molly is good enough for neighbors."

I nodded and Aunt Mary began her selling job. She told Molly that I was going to be living with her and Uncle Lewis for the foreseeable future and could use a job. She said I was a hard worker and not too dumb so I could be taught anything I didn't already know. (Thanks Aunt Mary)

Mary told her that I had thought about the saw mill but would rather work with the land if I could. "He worked for us and we never had any complaints, even if he is family. William would give you an honest day labor, Molly."


Life In A Small Town



"Oh yeah, it's beautiful."

"Give me a dollar," Lewis ordered. As he said this Aunt Mary joined us and had a big smile on her face.

I didn't know what he was up to but I handed him a dollar. He took the money and tossed me a set of keys.

"You just bought yourself a truck, boy," Lewis said and laughed at my reaction. "I heard you say something about the gravel roads dinging up your bike and thought this truck would be better for everyday use. Besides now you can take Mary into town to shop and I won't have to take her." That was a big joke because he seldom took Mary anywhere. If she wanted to go to town or visiting she would jump in the car and go. She always said Lewis could tag along if he wanted to.

"You didn't have to do this, you've been letting me stay here and........." I tried to tell them.

"It's a done deal boy. You paid me for the truck and it's yours. Not going to back out on a deal are you?"

"No sir," I replied meekly. "Thank you both. I walked over and gave both of them a hug.

"No need to get all mushy, boy. Title and bill of sale are on the kitchen table. You'll have to get a new title and register it in your name. Y'all can take off part of Friday and get it done in town. It's late, let's eat."

The next morning I parked my Harley in the garage and drove my new truck for the first time. It was sweet. Molly had gotten in the habit of having coffee made and we would have a cup together before starting work. She came out onto her front porch when I pulled up in the truck because she didn't know who it was. I told her about "buying" the truck from Lewis.

I planned on going into town on Friday afternoon and invited Molly to go with me. I told her I had to register the truck and do some shopping for Aunt Mary. "You might as well go with me; it will save you a trip on Saturday."

Molly looked at me, a little sadly I thought, and said, "I don't know if that's a good idea Will. People aren't real friendly to me and if you're with me it might rub off on you."

I was still young and got all puffed up. "The hell with em, I'll tell everyone where to go if they get out of line with me," I bragged.

"I'll go with you, it would be a big help. But you have to promise me you won't bust somebody's head if they make a snide remark. Can you do that Will?" 

"Yes' em, I promise," I told her. Smooth move Will, acting like a punk kid. That sure will impress Molly. 

Friday afternoon Molly and I went to town. We did all the shopping, had lunch together and stopped at the ice cream place to get a cone to eat on the way home. I heard some murmurings too low to understand and some sideway looks and a couple of people stared right at us. But no one got in my face or said anything out loud.

I don't know if the town folk decided that it wasn't Molly's fault than her ex-husband was a jerk, or cut her some slack because she was with me because I'm sort of a local, but there were no incidents. Of course they may have behaved because of the wild look in my eyes and the way I held myself. I was primed for anyone to do or say something and it showed. Anyway there was no trouble and we had a good time.

It became a ritual, every Friday afternoon, Molly and I would go to town. If our shopping list was for non perishables we would sometimes eat a late lunch and catch an afternoon movie. Or we went to the ice cream parlor and ate our treats there instead of on the way home. It was something to look forward to after a hard week; at least it was for me.

It must have been the fifth or sixth Friday that Molly and I went to town that people began to give us both the cold shoulder. The people at the stores in town had never been real friendly with Molly but usually treated me fine. Not today. I don't know what made them change but none of the clerks said any more to us than they absolutely had to. It was like dealing with a robot that only answered direct questions and then with one or two word responses.

Molly and I took our packages, stowed them in the truck and started home. When we got back to Molly's we sat on her sofa together and talked for a while. About an hour into our discussion, Molly leaned over to kiss me on the cheek as a thank you I guess. I gave her back a kiss on the cheek and then a light kiss on the mouth. That turned to a longer kiss and so on and so on. Things became hot and heavy very quickly after that. 

The way people shunned us in town seem to bring us closer together. Personally I think it was two people who realized how much each one cared for the other. I didn't make it back to Uncle Lewis' until almost daylight. Thank god it was Saturday. 

I was still in bed at 10:00, an unheard of time not to be up and working. Uncle Lewis came into my room and woke me up. "You can't sleep all day, son. Time to get up, you gotta take Mary to town."

After getting dressed I splashed some water on my face. As I came into the kitchen, Aunt Mary hugged me and handed me a cup of coffee. I took a big drink and almost choked, she had put a slug of Lewis' home brew in it.

"I thought you could use a little extra pick me up, this morning. I mean since you "worked" all night," Mary said laughing at me.

As I was eating breakfast and Mary was getting ready, Uncle Lewis said, "Okay, now why didn't you get home before daylight boy?" He had an evil grin on his face.

"Uncle Lewis, I love you. But it's none of your business now is it?"

I knew that Mary normally went to town by herself, but if she wanted me to take her I was all for it. We hadn't been on the road for five minutes when she let me know that this was more than a shopping trip.

"William, you're a good boy but I need to talk to you about Molly. I want to know if it's just a roll in the hay or is it something more? Molly is a good woman and deserves to be more than a casual fling."

"Aunt Mary, I think I love her. I know it sounds dumb with her being older than me, but I don't care. I'm happy when I'm with her and can't wait to get back to her if we're apart. I don't know if that's love, but it will do until something better comes along."

"Good for you son. You both deserve a little happiness after the things life has thrown at you. Treat her like a lady and love her to death and things will work out. Now drive faster or we'll never get to town."

After Mary and I got back home, I jumped on the bike and rode to Molly's. I had been driving the truck so much, that the Harley was getting jealous. Molly was on the front porch when I rode up. As I walked to her she started to say something about being sorry about last night. That she let things get out of hand, and we shouldn't have let ourselves lose control and a bunch of other garbage.

I went to her, picked her up and kissed her. She started to giggle the minute I picked her up. I decided that either she wanted me as much as I wanted her, or she didn't. Turns out she did, want me I mean.

We continued our Friday jaunts into town, but added some Saturday nights too. It wasn't always doing something special, but it was always together. We spent a lot of time on the river in Jim's boat and I taught Molly how to fish. We used the boat so much that I bought one of my own. I gave a key to Jim and told him if he ever had need of it just go ahead and use it. Other times we would just sit on her porch and watch the night. We also spent several Sundays riding the Harley all over the country side. Exciting huh? 

It suited us because we were together. Several Saturday nights we had dinner with Lewis and Mary. The ladies would put their heads together and exclude Uncle Lewis and me entirely. Good times, at least to my way of thinking. After our first night together, I never thought about her being nine years older than me. We were just two people enjoying each other.

Molly and I had been "dating" for about three months and one Sunday afternoon we were just getting ready to take a bike ride. Before we could ride off, a car pulled into her yard in front of the house. It was a new Mercedes and her ex-husband got out. 

Molly got off the bike and went to meet Gerald Swanson as he got out of the car. They were about 40 feet away and I couldn't hear everything they said. I did hear Molly say no to something and Gerald say some about talking in private. Then I heard her say no very loudly. I had been leaning against the bike but stood up when Molly raised her voice.

I sort of ambled over to them as they were talking. Gerald looked over at me and said, "This doesn't concern you boy. Go away and give us some privacy." Gerald was about 37 or 38, so I guess he thought he could call me boy.

He obviously didn't know me very well. Never did take orders too good. "Nope, don't reckon I will. If Miss Molly wants me to leave I will, but you don't have no say over me." I was playing up the county hick just to piss him off.

"Now see here you.............." He started and Molly cut him off.

"He's right Gerald. It's up to me whether he stays or not and he has more right to be here than you do. Now say what you wanted to say and leave," Molly was getting mad.

Turns out Gerald wanted Molly back. Gerald told her he still loved her and realized he had made a terrible mistake and would make it up to her. He told her they could get remarried in St. Louis and go back to their home and get on with their life together.

Molly looked at him in total disbelief. "You ran off and left without so much as a good bye and now you want me to come running back to you. You made a mistake you say, the only one that made a mistake was me, marrying you in the first place. I have a man who loves me for me, not for my social standing. You're trespassing Gerald, you've 30 seconds to get off my property or I'll have William throw you off."

Swanson stepped forward and grabbed Molly's arm, "Come on, we're going into the house and discuss this. I won't stand in the yard like some hayseed. And I won't talk in front of some country bumpkin." He started to try to pull her toward the house.

I intervened by stepping in front of him, grabbed his throat and started to exert pressure. He let go of Molly and tried to pry my fingers off his throat. After a few seconds, Molly put her hand on mine and told me to let him go. 

When I released him she leaned against me and put her arm around my waist. Gerald sputtered a little but took one look at my face and decided to leave. Molly was all worked up and I heard her say things like can you believe that and what a nerve.

"Will, you looked like you were going to break his neck? Your eyes went all steely gray and you looked like a big cat getting ready to attack. Would you have continued to choke him if I hadn't stopped you?

"I'm not sure Molly. Normally I don't like to fight; it's too much trouble and usually doesn't solve the problem. But if someone I love is threatened, well God have mercy on them because I won't."

"You love me?" Molly asked. She had picked up on that statement. I nodded my head yes and she said, "I love you too. We hugged and kissed and then the bike ride was sorta forgotten. Another night that I didn't get home until almost daylight.

When I finally got up Sunday morning, Uncle Lewis was waiting for me in the kitchen. "When are you going to marry that gal? You keep waking me up stomping in at all hours of the night." He was grinning from ear to ear. Lewis was a character and never talked serious when a little kidding could get the job done.

"Hush Lewis," Aunt Mary ordered smiling at him. "William, this silly old man is right. You need to make things more permanent. I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business, but people will really start to talk."

"You and Uncle Lewis are my family and you guys are the only ones that I care to listen too. The rest of the people in the valley can go to hell or as someone once suggested, they can piss up a rope."

Lewis was drinking coffee and sprayed it over the table when I said that. He was coughing and trying to laugh at the same time. I gave him a big grin and laughed with him. Mary didn't understand what was so funny and I explained the joke to her.

Then I got serious again, "I want to marry her Aunt Mary, but I don't know if she can get over the age thing. If she turns me down, I can't keep working for her. It would be too hard. I can't let things continue like they are now either. So I guess it's sorta an all or nothing situation."

"William, tell Molly about me being 7 years older than Lewis. That seems to be working out so far. If she knows you love her and she loves you she won't let age stop her. Molly's too smart to let it stop her," Aunt Mary reassured me.

"I'm going back to Molly's and we are taking a ride on the bike this afternoon. I guess I'll find out today how Molly really feels about me and if we stay together. I'll let you know what happens."

Uncle Lewis had never said anything to me about my situation with Molly, except to kid me about her. He just didn't presume to give advice of that kind and he normally would never make suggestions as to what I should do. But he did now. 

"Son, don't push her into a corner she can't get out of. If she doesn't want to get married right now, give her some time. She just got a divorce not too long ago; she may need some time to think about being married again. Remember when you're huntin' it's the slow stalk that gets the game."

I nodded and went out to my Harley. On the ride to Molly's, I had two thoughts that kept bouncing around in my head. I felt that I couldn't continue to "date" Molly if we weren't going to take the next step. In fact if she turned down my marriage proposal, I couldn't keep working for her. It would hurt too much; seeing her every day and thinking about what could have been.

On the other hand, Lewis' advice made sense too. Molly had gotten divorced within the last year. She may have doubts about getting married again, at least so soon. She might say no to marriage for right now and want to keep our relationship status quo. 

As I rode into Molly's yard, I racked the pipes on the Harley. It had become a habit to do the pipes, sort of like a noisy hello. Molly came bouncing out to meet me with a big smile. I got off the bike and greeted her with a gentle kiss and a tender hug. It could be the last time, I thought.

All the thinking and debating in my head on the ride over and it wasn't until I saw Molly coming to me that I made a decision. I decided that if Molly didn't want to marry me, we were through. I know that most men in my situation would have just kept dating her, being with her, and making love to her. Normally I would too, except I fell in love with her. That was my problem. To me she was more than just a hot divorcee to run around with. 

Molly leaned back after the hug and looked at me with a question in her eyes. She could tell that something was bothering me. Molly started to ask me about it but I told her wait a little while. 

"Let's ride for awhile." I suggested.

We rode for an hour and finally I took her to some place new, new to her anyway. It was my special place, somewhere that I used to go where I could get my thoughts together. Someplace to go when I needed to be alone. Someplace where I could think until I came to an understanding or made a decision. Someplace that never failed to bring me peace.

"Black Bluff" is a black granite cliff rising almost a hundred feet above Current River. It was thrown up when the earth was being shaped millions of years ago. At the base was a circular depression about fifty feet deep. It was filled with water from at least two underground springs and the overflow joined the river. The bluff was about 17 miles upstream from the town which put it about six miles from Lewis' place. It was a remote area and not many people went there.

This is the special place that I took Molly to. We hiked about a hundred yards from the logging road across to the edge of the cliff. You could see forever from up here. We sat and looked at the view for a time and held hands.

"What's wrong William? I know something is bothering you. That kiss and hug you gave me was so tender; it was almost like it's the last time," Molly said. I guess she was more perceptive than I thought.

I smiled lovingly at her, but didn't answer right away. Things were still buzzing around in my head and I wanted to be sure before I said anything.

"Is that it? You're going to break up with me. You've had enough of your "older woman" and are ready to move on," she said a little sadly. 

"No Molly, that's not it. The moving on part I mean, at least I hope not."

"Huh, what does that mean? You're scaring me William."

"Molly I love you. I have since the night of the barn dance when you said we could go and piss off all the old busy bodies. The more I'm with you, the more I love you. I guess I should be thankful for what I've got, but it isn't enough for me." I stopped for a minute, looking out over the country side to gather my thoughts.

"A lot of men would just keep on with what we have, but I can't. I love you Molly, and I want to be your husband. Will you marry me?" There I finally got it out.

"Marry you? " Molly hesitated for ten or fifteen seconds and continued, "I don't know Will; I'm so much older than you and......."

"You can't jump on me one minute when you thought I was leaving for a younger woman and then use age as an excuse to say no the next minute. Either you love me or you don't. 

"I do love you, but I need some time to think about this. Please understand Will, I'm not saying no, I just need some time."

It hurt. I hoped she would say yes and we could get on with our lives. Instead the suspense would continue and I didn't know for how long. I stared at the view as I had so many times in the past, trying understand. As in the past looking over the valley of the Current River helped me make my decision.

I nodded and stood up. Helping Molly up, I gave her another tender hug and led her back to the bike. She tried to talk to me, to ask me questions a couple of times. But I just shook my head no and kept walking. Once on the bike it was too noisy to talk. 

Molly got off the bike in front of her place and said, "Will talk to me. Can you understand how I feel? Please say something, don't just ride off."

"You want time to think; well I guess that's only fair. I've been thinking about this since our first night together. At first I thought it was maybe just lust and not really love. But every time I'm with you I dread having to leave. When I'm not with you, I'm can't wait to be with you again. I don't mean in bed, I mean just being in the same room, the same house, hell on the same farm. I had to stop for a minute; I was getting too worked up.

"Molly, you want some time to think? Okay, you have until the corn and other crops are harvested. That'll take about a week to ten days. I don't want to pressure you, but I can't stand being around you if I can't have you forever. Understand? 

"What do you mean you can't stand being around me? Can't we just continue with what we have?"

"I'll come and get the crops in, it's my job. After that if you can't or won't marry me, I quit. I can't continue to work with you, see you, or be around you. It would hurt too much. See you tomorrow Molly." I fired up the Harley and got out of there before she could say anything more.

It wasn't really late when I got back home, just coming on to dark. But I was surprised to see both Lewis and Mary sitting on the porch waiting for me. I sat in one of the rockers and Lewis handed me the jug again. "I figured from the look on your face you could use a pull on this," Lewis said to me. Good old Uncle Lewis, he had a unique talent of cutting through the bullshit.

I took a big hit on the jug and it went down a little easier this time. Then Mary took the jug and drank from it, then handed it to Lewis. He was more surprised than me at Mary's action.




Life In A Small Town



"Damn boy, now you got Mary drinking because of all this foolishness over a woman," Lewis told me. "I can't make enough shine for the both of you." He wasn't trying to be cruel; he was trying to make things easier on me with a little humor.

I talked for about an hour, telling them what happened that evening. My words, Molly's words, where I took her and finally the ultimatum I gave Molly; I told them the story and my feelings about everything. 

Lewis remarked, "Well if you've done your scouting, ten days is a slow enough stalk boy. "

"Hush Lewis, this isn't one of your hunting stories, this is about William's happiness." Mary was almost crying.

"I'm talked out, going to bed. See you in the morning." I felt like I had worked plowing all day. I guess tension will do that to you.

The next morning I went into the kitchen to make coffee. Lewis and Mary were both there which was a little unusual. Normally, I don't see Lewis until I come home and Mary is just getting up as I leave for work. This morning Mary was flitting around the kitchen cooking breakfast. The coffee was already made and Lewis was drinking a cup.

Mary was cooking enough food for six or seven people and smiling and Lewis had a "canary that ate the cat" grin on his face. Something was going on, but I couldn't get a handle on what.

"Bout time you got up, you're burning daylight boy," Lewis said with an evil smile.

"How can I be burning daylight? Its 4:20 and still dark outside. What's got you two up so early?

"Nothing special, just thought we would watch the sunrise this morning," Uncle Lewis answered. Again the evil grin on his face. 

Now I knew something was going on. Lewis and Mary both had watched a lot of sunrises running this farm for all those years. Why would they decide to watch a sunrise now? I filled my travel mug with coffee and told them good bye. "I'll be home for supper, Aunt Mary. Don't want to stay at Molly's until I get an answer, and maybe not then. Anyway see y'all tonight."

I left the kitchen to go to my truck and could hear Lewis and Mary follow me into the yard. What the hell is going on, I thought? As I looked out at my truck, my question was answered. Molly, with a cup of coffee, was leaning against the front fender of my truck.

Molly smiled a little and said, "I thought you were going to sleep all day Will. I wanted to talk to you about rebuilding the barn with new siding. If you do the work, we'll only have to spend about five thousand for materials. And when we get married, I can quit paying you $300 a week and will be able to pay for the materials real quick. What do you think?"

I was speechless. The old silver tongued devil couldn't think of anything to say except..."What? Barn? Married?"

"You do still want to marry me, don't you? I mean you did give me ten days to make up my mind but I didn't think I had to wait the whole ten days. I can wait until then if you want me to," Molly kidded me. 

In a more serious voice Molly continued, "I was trying to tell you yes I wanted to marry you last night, but I couldn't talk over the noise of the pipes on your bike and you rode off before I could get you to stop." My answer was to grab her and hang on for my life. It took us better than five minutes to get to a point that we could let go of each other. 

We went back to the house and as we walked into the kitchen, I saw Lewis and Mary kissing too. They let go of each other, Lewis reached down and patted Mary on the rear. It gave me hope to see a couple that were that old, (they are both in their seventies) and that have been together for so long to still have feelings of love like that.

Maybe there has been a better breakfast at sometime or somewhere but I don't believe it. The combination of a great country breakfast, my family, Lewis and Mary, and Molly sitting by my side made this the best meal ever. After the food was put on the big kitchen table, Aunt Mary and Molly started making plans for the wedding. Flowers, dresses, who to invite, and all the other things that only a woman could think of. 

While the women were planning, Lewis and I talked about important things. Did the tractor need engine work, what should we plant after the corn was in, and maybe we should hire a neighbor boy to exercise the horses and mules, since we didn't have the time to do so. A lot of real life things that are important to a farm. Even to a hobby farm.

After breakfast and the planning session by the women, I suggested that Molly and I head back to her place. We needed to get a start on getting the corn and other crops harvested before the fall rains came. Molly followed me back me to her farm in her truck. She must have gotten to Lewis and Mary's while I was in the shower because I hadn't heard her drive up. 

As far as any real work, there wasn't much done that day. Molly and I spent the day affirming our love for each other, discussing future plans, and just being together. No crops were harvested that day. It meant we would have to work harder over the next few days, but we didn't mind. This time spent together was worth the extra work we would have later.

I was informed that "we" wanted an outdoor wedding, so next June, the Saturday after the Memorial Day weekend, was the projected date for the ceremony. Our lives didn't change very much for the next few months. The major difference was that I moved in with Molly on a permanent basis. I would go from our place to Lewis', help with the chores there and come back to Molly's.

Other than the change of residence things were pretty much the same. Molly and I still made trips to town on Fridays and took the Harley for rides on Sunday.

There was one trip that I made by myself. One Friday I took a day trip on the Harley to Poplar Bluff, about one hundred miles round trip. The "Bluff" is a "city" of about 17 thousand and the biggest town in the area. Van Buren is a very nice place, but it doesn't really have a jewelry store. We had decided to have plain gold bands as our rings but I wanted an engagement ring for Molly, hence the trip to Poplar Bluff.

The accounts that I inherited had been transferred to Southern Missouri Bank in Van Buren. I chose Southern Missouri because Uncle Lewis was a long time customer and I didn't know anyone at the only other bank in town. I had added the money from selling the house to the account, so the total amount was about two hundred thousand dollars. I wouldn't be getting married with just the shirt on by back. After stopping to get cash, I rode to Poplar Bluff.

I didn't have a need for the money until now. Living with Uncle Lewis and Aunt Mary free of charge as it were and the salary I got from Molly had met all my needs up till now. There were several repairs, renovations, and additions to "our" farm that I wanted to make and I plan to use my money to make them. Molly brought the land to the marriage; I would bring the operating capital.

After checking out several jewelry stores I finally found a beautiful ring. My business completed, I headed back home. On my way back, I thought about the small changes in town toward Molly and me too I guess. People seemed to thaw a little toward us. Not everyone, but enough to notice the change. Molly had always remained polite, courteous, and friendly toward the town people she dealt with or saw on the streets and in the stores. Me, I had adopted an attitude of "screw you" when they continued to give us a hard time.

Either Molly's efforts at being pleasant and friendly were turning the tide or the fact that she was going to marry a local guy, me, made the difference. Maybe me toning down my in your face attitude helped too. I wasn't sure what the reason, but it made it a little easier on Molly, and I was all for that. Maybe I should adjust my attitude toward those people and be more friendly too.

On our normal Sunday ride, I took Molly back to Black Bluff. We hiked up to the overlook and I got down on one knee and again asked her to marry me, as I put the ring on her finger. She grabbed me, looked at the ring and started to cry a little. All and all, it was the best Sunday ride we have ever taken.

During the later fall, winter and early spring we did the jobs on the farm that the weather allowed us to. Molly and I split our time between our place and Lewis and Mary's. They just couldn't keep up with everything on their farm and I wouldn't allow them to hire someone to help. No need for that as long as I was around.

Around the beginning of April I was in town with Molly and ran into Jim Barnes, my old running buddy. Molly continued shopping, leaving Jim and I to visit and talk about old times. We went to the only tavern in town to have a couple of beers. Jim mentioned that the people in town were warming up to Molly a little, but there was still some resentment or whatever against her

. 

I invited him personally to our wedding and told him I would let him know the details as to when and where as soon as I found out. We laughed and joked about men only having to show up on time dressed properly and that women took care of everything else. He made a comment that it was too bad the rest of the town couldn't see our commitment to living here. We finished our beer, said good bye and I went to join up with Molly.

On the drive home I was thinking about what Jim said about showing our commitment to the area.

An idea was beginning to take shape but I needed to bounce it off someone that knew the people around here and that I trusted. Uncle Lewis, who else would I turn to?

Molly and I stopped at Lewis' on the way home. I left Molly with Aunt Mary and asked Uncle Lewis to join me in the barn. He always kept a small wood stove going in the winter to make it more comfortable for the animals and it would be a warmer place to talk than out in the weather. We got to the barn and Lewis dug out a jug, just to help with the chill.

After warming up with the jug, I told Uncle Lewis my idea and plan. "What'da ya think Uncle Lewis? Will it work?"

He thought about it for a minute and answered, "It just might work. If nothing else it sure will be interesting." Then he laughed real loud and said, "Hell boy, it will be the biggest challenge this little town ever saw. Go for it."

Lewis said he would get Mary to put her wedding plans on hold until I had a chance to talk to Molly. If Molly agreed they could start planning according to my idea. Now for the hardest part, I had to convince Molly that my idea was a good one. 

Molly was a non confrontational type of person. She wasn't weak or a coward, she just didn't see the need to fight with people all the time. Molly was a fighter, but she picked her battles. She was more subtle and would work behind the scenes as it were. My idea was a big in your face offer of friendship and the hell with you if you don't accept it to the town. 

After supper we sat in the living room with our coffee and discussed the day and the plans for the next day as we usually did. A few minutes of silence from me and she asked if anything was wrong. That I had been quiet since we left town.

I looked at her and smiled, "Molly I have an idea for the wedding that is really off the wall. I think it will accomplish much more than just getting us hitched. Will you listen with an open mind?"

She agreed to hear my idea without interrupting. I out lined my idea, the thought process to get there and what I hoped would happen if we did what I planned. Molly listened to everything I said, asked a few questions and thought for a few minutes.

"William, this will be a great way to show people that we are here for the long haul. Let's do it."

My plan was simple, if somewhat strange. Molly, Mary and I began put everything together. As the proposed wedding day approached, we obtained our marriage license, permits, set up flowers and all the other things involved in staging a wedding. Then I contacted the last player necessary for my plan. The Current Local newspaper.

The Current Local is the local newspaper and is published once a week. It is printed on Monday and distributed the next day. Everyone in the general area either reads this paper or talks to people who do read it. Our wedding was to be on the Saturday after the Memorial Day weekend and I was going to buy a full page ad for the four weeks prior to the wedding. I would have the paper print a letter on the front page from Molly and me to all the people in the area. The ones that didn't get the paper would hear about it from those that did. If the people didn't warm up to Molly and me after this, then they could all go to hell. Molly and I would still have each other.

This is the letter I had printed on the front page of the Current Local:

TO THE PEOPLE OF VAN BUREN AND THE NEARBY FARMS,

Hi, my name is Will Connelly. I'm the grand-nephew of Lewis and Mary Connelly. Some of you remember me from the summers I spent here as a boy and young man. I have heard from several people that I am considered a "local" because of those summers and because of my kin here. It's nice to be thought of that way.

Most of you have been polite, courteous, and friendly to me since I came back to live with Lewis and Mary. Some of you haven't been that glad to see me, but that's okay. You are all entitled to your opinion and we all have our likes and dislikes. It's only human nature.

The reason for this letter is some of you haven't extended the same welcome to my fiancée, Molly Swanson. Most of the people she has dealt with in town have been at best begrudgingly polite but never friendly. As far as I can see she has been nothing but nice to everyone she has met.

I know some of you hold it against her because she was born up north, a Yankee in your mind. Molly and her husband bought one of the farms and it must not have set right with you that a Yankee owned property here. To make things worse, Molly's husband made it clear he didn't like it here and insulted the whole town. It wasn't Molly that voiced those insults, but many of you held her guilty by association. 

Molly loves this area so much that she gave up her marriage because she didn't want to leave her farm. Her husband left her and divorced her. Now she is a divorced woman and you don't like her because of that. Molly had three strikes against her and some of you didn't give her a chance to show what a good neighbor she can be. To those that didn't give her the benefit of the doubt, shame on you. To those of you that were open minded enough to give her a chance; bless you.

To all of you: The people that gave Molly a chance and to those that didn't, to the ones who like me and the ones that dislike me, and to all of those people in between, Molly & I extend an invitation.

Molly and I are going to be married on June 3rd in the town square on the court house steps. You are all invited to join us for the ceremony. Come to meet us, come to help us celebrate, or come to sneer at us, but please come. 

There will be a reception on the court house grounds after the wedding. If you come to the party, please bring a dish as it will be sort of a pot luck dinner. Molly and I will provide the hamburgers, hot dogs, soda, tea, and beer. There might even be a jug of "shine" hidden somewhere.

Give us a chance to show you that we are here for the long haul. Molly and I are here to stay. 

With your friendship or without it, we are here to stay. 

Thanks and y'all come to the party.

Will & Molly.

Molly and Aunt Mary thought I had been a little harsh in some places in the letter. Uncle Lewis didn't think I got on the gossips and busy bodies enough. 

"Tell them all to go to the devil boy, you and Molly don't need those kind of idiots," Lewis said. "You have Mary and I and a few others. The hell with the rest of them."

"If it were just me, I would Uncle Lewis. But Molly and I plan to stay here and hopefully have a family. It would be too hard on Molly and our kids to have to put up with that stuff. This is the only way I could think of to get to all the people," I replied to him.

  *****************



Five years have gone by since our wedding. Uncle Lewis was my best man and Aunt Mary, Molly's matron of honor. The wedding was a big success and many friendships have developed with the people that attended.

According to the last census there are less than nine hundred residents in Van Buren. Add another seventy five to one hundred from the surrounding farms and that still is less than one thousand men, women, and children in the area. As close as we could count there were close to twelve hundred people at the wedding and the reception. 

Some of them came to see the idiot that would write and print such a letter, some came to meet and get to know us and some were friends that came to help us celebrate. 

If you didn't have a good time or if you went home hungry, it was your own fault. We had a regular cornucopia of food and drink. Enough to feed everyone three times over. Three of the men brought their guitars and a fiddle so we had music and dancing. Uncle Lewis presided over the jugs of shine and every time someone came for a taste he would say, "This shine is compliments of William and Molly." Then he would laugh that huge laugh of his and take a drink himself. Sheriff Steele helped Mary get him home; he was in no shape to walk much less drive.

The attitude of most of the town people changed toward Molly and me after the wedding. There were still some people that didn't care for us but that's okay, you can't please everyone. My plan worked and showed everyone that we want this to be our home. Consequently the attitudes in town were better. Things didn't change overnight, but they did steadily improve.

About two months after the wedding, Molly and I made a trip to St. Louis to get the things I had put in storage after my parent's death. 

Everything was brought back to the house to be assimilated into our home. We were resting after the last item was unloaded from the truck when the phone rang. I answered with my usual "Hello."

"Who's this?" I heard.

"Who's this?" I replied. I knew it was Molly's ex, but I wanted to yank his chain a bit.

"This is Gerald Swanson," he replied with a self important tone in his voice. "Let me speak to my wife."

"You ain't got no wife here Gerald." I couldn't help but put on the hayseed act just to wind him up a little.

"Where else would she be? There's nothing to do in that god forsaken place. I insist that you put my wife on the phone at once," Gerald ordered.

"Gerald, Molly ain't your wife anymore. You ran off and left her and then had divorce papers served on her. You didn't even have the guts or decency to do it in person."

"Now see here................" Gerald started.

"Shut up and listen. Molly is my wife now. If you ever call here again with the lack of respect you've shown tonight, I will personally come to whatever hell hole you live in and rip out your tongue. Do you understand me, Gerald?"

There was silence and finally after almost a minute, I heard, "Yes I understand. I'm sorry."

Molly had been listening to my side of the call and was trying to keep from laughing as I handed her the phone. I left Molly and Gerald to talk and went out onto the porch for my one cigar of the day. I had been sitting in a rocker with my cigar and a cup of coffee for about fifteen minutes and Molly came out to join me. I pulled her down onto my lap and we watched the lightning bugs for a few minutes.

"Don't you want to know what that was all about Will?" Molly couldn't understand my lack of interest in her phone call.

"Figured you'd tell me if I needed to know," I answered. "Didn't think it were my business."

"Don't play the country bumpkin with me William Ambrose Connelly," Molly said a little perturbed.

When I started laughing, she realized that I was playing with her. "I was going to wait about ten more minutes and then start the interrogation," I said with a grin.




Life In A Small Town



Then Molly told me what Gerald had called about. He wanted her to help bankroll a new development he was working on. He said he needed about a half a million dollars to get the investment off the ground and wanted her to sign over the house and land Molly's parents had left her when they passed away. He said he could use the property as collateral on a loan.

Molly said that Gerald would give her a one third interest of the investment if she would front the money he needed. Gerald told her that he had a temporary cash flow problem and that's why he came to Molly.

"He's always got a cash flow problem," Molly told me. "Just before we came here he was in debt up to his ears. I think he thought he could hide out here for a while. You know how well that worked."

I sat with my coffee and cigar and didn't say anything more. Molly was on my lap but kept leaning back to look at me. She was obviously waiting for me to make some comment about what to do. 

"Well, what do you want to do Will? Should we make the investment? If it pans out we could make a lot of money. I mean go to hell type money."

"Not my place to say, it's your inheritance and your decision Honey." I had no intention of getting into the world of high finance. "It's not my money; I shouldn't have an opinion about it."

"No, it's our decision and it's your money too. Remember, "With this ring I thee wed, and all my worldly goods I thee endow?" That was part of our vows too," Molly reminded me. "That goes both ways you know."

"Good old Gerald doesn't have the greatest track record with his investments. I will say one more thing and then I'm out of it. Do we really need all that money? We're doing fine without it."

The next morning Molly called Gerald and turned him down. Smart girl. She did get rid of the house and land though. Molly donated the house and three acres to be used as a shelter for battered and abused women. It was a cause that her parents had been involved in. Then she sold the land to one of Gerald's rivals; it was sort of a poke in the eye for good old Gerald. Our savings account got a lot larger very quickly. 

   ****************



Molly and I now have two sons, Lewis and William with a third child due in five months. Uncle Lewis only lived for two years after we were married, but he was with us long enough to see his namesake born. Aunt Mary followed Lewis less than a year later. There wasn't anything really wrong with her; I just don't think she wanted to continue without Lewis. Two wonderful and loving people that we will miss very much. We were lucky to have them in our lives. 

Lewis and Mary's son, Joseph came back for both funeral services. After the service for Aunt Mary, he suggested that we buy the farm that Lewis and Mary had lived on for many years. We did and moved into their house and will raise our children there.

As time progressed, Molly and I have become very active in helping to preserve the heritage of Van Buren. So much so that Molly is now on the board of supervisors for that organization. 

I guess that clearly says we have been accepted as locals by those who matter. 

Quote: Life goes on