Regrouping
The foothills that two weeks earlier had been green from spring rains were quickly turning brown. Except for the occasional thunderstorm, there would be little moisture until fall. In the low flat country, the miracle of irrigation provided water for crops. Where irrigation was missing, the dryland wheat would be dependent on what moisture the soil had retained. The fourteen-year-old kid was looking at the countryside with new eyes. In less than a month, the transition was complete - this city boy was pure country, and loving every minute of it.
As we rolled along I-84 through the suburban areas and into Boise itself, I thought about the friends I'd made. Austin and Andy were my brothers, and Rusty ... well, the thought of spending more than a day away from Rusty was one I didn't want to entertain. I was happy this was a one-day trip.
"A penny for your thoughts." Dad's comment woke me out of my reverie.
"I'm homesick, and we've only been gone an hour."
Dad smiled. "I'm glad you've connected so well with your new world."
"When you and Mom decided to move out there, not knowin' what it would be like scared me. Country boys were these strange creatures with horses, tractors, and monster pickups who would eat city kids for breakfast. Now I think city kids are as shallow as a mud puddle."
Dad laughed. "I can see how you feel that way, but be careful not to generalize too much. You had some good opportunities in the city."
I thought a minute. "Yeah, I had a good education and opportunities like the swimmin' pool, but the pool doesn't compare to the swimmin' hole at the rock quarry."
"So how did the city boys compare to Rusty?"
"Well, I didn't have any close friends back then, so... " Dad had a smirk on his face. "Dad! Not you, too!"
"Well, your mom and I did compare notes, and we both think he's a keeper for sure. In more ways than one."
I was blushing again. I crossed my arms and looked out the window. "Next time, my thoughts are gonna cost ya a lot more than a penny."
Dad pulled into the parking area below his office building and found a spot near the elevator. I'd never been to his office before, a large corner room of the fourteenth floor. The huge windows gave a breathtaking view of the city and the hills rising to the north.
Dad gathered what he needed and loaded it onto a cart. While he conferred with his partners, I took the cart back down the elevator and loaded his things into the car. When I took the cart back up, he was ready to go.
The next stop was the state capitol building. The legislature wasn't in session, so there were few people in the rotunda as we entered. Our footsteps echoed as we walked across to the west wing. Looking up into the dome, I suddenly felt very small and insignificant.
Dad gathered the few items that he needed from his small office and put them in a box on his desk. He looked at his watch.
"Good, we're right on time. Come with me, Toby. There's someone I want you to meet."
We entered a nearby suite of rooms. The receptionist smiled at us. "Hi, Don. Governor Adams is expecting you. Go right in."
Governor Sally Adams was at her desk and stood as we entered. A petite woman of indeterminate age, the governor exuded friendliness, toughness, energy, and a completely no-nonsense approach to life all at the same time. Coming around her desk to meet us, she shook Dad's hand.
"Don, it's good to see you. How are things going back home?"
"I think we're getting them under control. Thanks for your efforts in the case."
"I'm glad to help, and who is this?"
"This is my son, Toby."
Governor Adams held out her hand. "Toby, I'm pleased to meet you. I've heard a lot about you over the last several years. I understand you stirred up a nest of hornets out there in the country, a nest that needed to be stirred."
I took her hand, and she squeezed mine gently and firmly. "I'm pleased to meet you, too, Governor. I can't take credit for the discovery. It was laid out right in front of me by a friend who I hope eventually gets credit for what he did."
Governor Adams smiled. "I have every confidence that justice will be served appropriately in the end, and I'll have both you and your father to thank for that."
I should have been overwhelmed about then, but I wasn't. Governor Adams was too warm and sincere for one to feel uncomfortable in her presence. I smiled. "Thanks for your confidence in us, Governor. I'm sure we'll both do our best."
"I'm sure you will. Now, I know you both have a lot more to do today. Don, good luck with your work with the victims and witnesses. If you need anything, contact me."
"Thanks, Governor. I appreciate your support."
Our next stop was a supermarket to stock up on food and supplies. As we approached the WinCo Foods store, I saw my favorite swimwear shop and had an idea.
"Dad, could I go to the Swim and Sun Shop while yer gettin' groceries. There's somethin' I wanna look for."
"Works for me. Meet you in WinCo or back at the car."
As much as I liked my black leather thong, I also liked the white speedos that Austin and Andy wore. The white showed off their tan very well, and the speedo was more practical for swimming, too. I looked around the store to see if I could find exactly what they had. I was just about to give up when I passed the markdown section. Lying there was what I wanted, marked down thirty percent with an additional one-day special of buy-one-get-one-free. That was too good to pass up. I bought one each for Rusty, Jason and myself, and took the extra one in my size. I could always use a spare.
I joined Dad at the supermarket, and we spent an hour stocking up on food and supplies before heading out of town. I was looking forward to getting home.
"Thanks for introducin' me to Governor Adams, Dad. I appreciate you settin' that up."
Dad smiled. "You need to know that meeting was at her request. She asked me to bring you by."
I looked at Dad with surprise. "Yer serious."
"Yes, I am. She knows integrity, responsibility, and loyalty when she sees it. She'll be keeping an eye on you."
I thought about that for the next ten miles. Having the attention of the governor of the state was awesome, and intimidating. I hoped I would live up to her expectations - and Dad's, too.
Friday dawned clear and cool and without so much as a faint breeze. By ten o'clock, the temperature was rising rapidly. It was a perfect day for baling hay. Perfect for the hay, that is.
As I pulled into the ranch compound, I saw the equipment for the day lined up. The John Deere tractor was pulling a New Holland baler which in turn pulled a large trailer. Nearby, a second borrowed trailer stood waiting.
Gramps was ready to go. "Good morning, Toby. Are ya ready for a long hard day?"
"I'm lookin' forward to it Gramps."
A kid my age came around the corner. "Good. I want you to meet your co-worker for the day. Toby this is Nate. Nate, this is Toby."
I shook Nate's hand and didn't bat an eye. "Happy to meet ya, Nate. Have ya done this before."
"A few times, here and elsewhere. Logan and I did the bale-buckin' here last year."
"Good, I'll need advice. It's my first time."
Gramps outlined the project for the day. "Okay, we'll start with both of you on the trailer in the field. Toby, this baler will interest you. The hay is gathered and fed into the front. It is packed into what we call a square bale. When the bale is the right size, twine is tied around it, the bale moves onto the back end of the baler, and the bale is catapulted onto the trailer. Nate will show you where to stand so you don't get hit by a bale. Once the bale is on the trailer, you stack it and wait for the next bale."
"After the trailer is full, we'll unhitch the baler and pull the trailer to the hay shed. Nate will unload the trailer while you and I go out for a second load. The two of you will take turns, and after unloading you'll get a break until the next trailer comes in. Lucy will have food available at the hay shed, and there will be water both there and on the trailer. We'll break for lunch about one o'clock and for dinner about five o'clock. I hope to be done shortly after that. Toby, if you have questions, ask Nate or me. Nate knows what to do."
Nate and I rode in the trailer on the way to the hay field. As we pulled into the field, I stood and pulled off my shirt.
Nate grinned at me. "Ya don't wanna do that, Toby. Unless ya want that smooth body covered with red welts. Yer gonna be up close and personal with hay bales all day, and the bales are rough. Hayin' is an itchy, scratchy job." I put my shirt back on.
It seemed easy at first. The bales weighed around forty to sixty pounds each. But as the bales accumulated and the stack grew taller, each bale seemed to weigh more than the last. I was glad for the break when we took the first load to the shed.
Filling the second trailer was worse. Now I was stacking every bale rather than every other one. I was glad I'd built up my muscles lifting and carrying pipe. No one who worked on a ranch needed weight-lifting equipment.
We stopped for lunch at one o'clock at the hay shed. Grams had delivered a pile of sandwiches suitable for an army, along with apples and a variety of home-made cookies. Nate and I sat on adjacent hay bales, munching on sandwiches and getting acquainted.
"How long have ya lived here, Toby?"
"All of a month. And you?"
"Been here all my life."
"I envy you. I'm so happy to be livin' here instead of Boise."
"I suppose it's better than livin' in the city, but it ain't a bed of roses."
"I'm sure of that. I've learned that there's a lot of hard work to be done on a ranch."
"That's true... Are you the guy who found the evidence?"
He didn't need to elaborate more than that. "Yeah, it was me."
"I'm glad ya did. Things were goin' on that needed to be stopped."
This wasn't an extended lunch with a mandatory half-hour break. The food was gone, and we went back to work.
It was my turn to unload. I took my time stacking the bales, and then sat down on one of them with a glass of water. I texted Dad that I was working with Nate so I wouldn't forget to tell him later. I wondered how much Nate knew or suspected about what I knew. I wasn't about to say a thing - I couldn't say a thing. It would be up to him to reveal what he wanted to.
Sometime during the afternoon, I got my second wind. A rhythm developed, and everything became easier. We stopped for dinner. This time we went to the house and had a sit-down meal.
Gramps spoke up. "Toby, you probably didn't even notice it, but I was going a little faster in the afternoon. That pushed the two of you a little harder, but in another couple hours we'll be done. I think we'll be finished by seven. That'll be good, since I'm not supposed to work you fourteen-year-olds more than nine hours."
Nate responded. "I suspect both Toby and I would have turned a blind eye to an extra hour or so."
Gramps grinned. "It's been done before, but today we'll be legal."
Finishing just before seven o'clock, Nate and I sat on hay bales while Gramps went into the house. I was dead tired, barely able to move. More experienced, Nate seemed to be in much better shape.
I spoke up. "I'm dead tired, and my whole body itches. All I wanna do is go home, take a shower, and go to bed."
Nate smiled. "I know how ya feel, but I got a better idea. Do ya know where the swimmin' hole is at the quarry."
"Yeah, I've been there a couple of times."
"You live in the house a half-mile up the road, right?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
"If ya wanna, we can go swimmin' and get rid of the hay that way. Yer gonna want a change of clothes though - ya don't wanna put those back on. So if ya give me a ride home on yer four-wheeler, we can go by yer place to get clean clothes, stop by mine on the way to do the same, and then you can drop me off on the way back. Does that sound like a plan?"
"It sounds like an excellent plan. I'll borrow a helmet from Gramps."
Gramps returned with cash to pay Nate for the day. I would get paid at the end of the week, like usual. While they were talking, I texted Dad: "Nate and I are going swimming to wash off the hay. I'll be by for a change of clothes shortly." I wanted to give him a heads up. Showing up with a friend was one thing. Showing up with one of his clients was another.
The response was immediate: "Sounds fine."
When we arrived, Mom and Dad were sitting in the swing on the back porch sipping lemonade. We dismounted and removed our helmets. Dad walked over to meet us. Recognition and surprise showed on Nate's face, along with a smile.
"Hi, Nate. How are you doing?"
"I'm doin' fine Mr. Collins, how are you?"
I left them and went to get my change of clothes. When I returned, Dad was walking back to the porch, and Nate was waiting with his helmet on.
We were alone at the quarry. Having stripped off our work clothes, we dove naked into the clear water of the swimming hole and swam to the back of the pool. Never had water felt so good. On the way back to the front, I stopped and washed my hair thoroughly. Bits and pieces of hay spread out around me on the surface of the water. Back at the front of the pool, Nate and I sat dangling our legs in the water.
"This was a great idea, Nate. Thanks for suggestin' it."
Nate grinned. "It's what I always do after a day in the hay field."
Nate paused for a few moments. "I didn't know Mr. Collins was yer dad."
"Yeah, since we're new here, it's not surprisin' ya hadn't made the connection."
"Did ya know he was my lawyer?"
"Dad usually doesn't share that information, but I saw ya at the prosecuting attorney's office after my interview day before yesterday. When we went out, he went back in to meet with a client. I put two and two together."
"I think maybe ya put more than that together. You know I'm one of the asshole's boys."
"It seemed like a logical conclusion."
"But ya knew for sure, didn't ya?"
"We're gettin' into subjects I can't talk about."
"I thought so."
There were tears in his eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder to comfort him, but he stiffened at the touch and pulled away from me.
"Sorry about that reaction, Toby. I can't stand human touch right now, even my parents. Like my counselor says, it's gonna take a lot of time."
We swam a little more, but Nate was now quiet. He was quiet on the way home, too. When we got to his house the conversation was short.
"Thanks for the ride, Toby. I hope we can get better acquainted another time."
"I hope so, too. It was fun workin' with ya today. Thanks for all of the advice ya gave me, startin' with keepin' my shirt on. Takin' it off would have been a serious mistake. Yer welcome to swing by anytime ya wanna hang out."
"Thanks, Toby, I had a fun day, too. I hope to see ya soon. Have a good night."
"You too."
Nate paused before he got to the door. He looked back at me for a moment before walking back over.
"Toby, could I get yer number? Ya know, in case I go swimmin' again and need a buddy."
We exchanged phone numbers, and he went back to his house.
I had lots to think about on the way home. I liked Nate, and he'd been great to work with. I hoped I could be his friend eventually, but like he'd said, it was going to take a lot of time.
I was watching TV with my parents when Rusty showed up around nine o'clock to stay overnight. Both he and I were enjoying this nightly parentally-approved nightmare-reduction therapy. After the usual greetings, I had a request.
"Hey Rusty, how good are you at givin' a massage? I'm hurtin' from buckin' bales all day."
"Well, I've never done it, but it can't be that hard."
"Wanna give it a try?"
"Sure!"
We went down to my room. After the usual out-of-sight-of-the-parents greetings, I stripped and lay down on the bed. Rusty tried a few things standing beside me, but that wasn't working, so he stripped, straddled my legs, and began to work me over from my shoulders down.
Rusty looked for some feedback. "How does it feel?"
"Perfect. A little more to the left. Oh, yeah!"
"You've got a knot in yer back there. Let me work it out."
"I wonder which of the two thousand bales I lifted caused that one. Yer probably gonna find several more of those. I had a fun day helpin' Gramps, but it was a bitch, too."
There was a chuckle from behind me.
"What's so fuckin' funny?"
"Suck it up, Toby. It's just another day in the life of a ranch boy. And I'm sure ya had help, or you'd still be at it tomorrow. Who was the other bale-bucker?"
"A kid named Nate. Do ya know him?"
The massage stopped momentarily, and then resumed.
The voice was very subdued for Rusty. "Yeah, I do. He's a good friend. He may turn out to be one of yer Dad's clients. That's all you and I had best say about it."
The fallout from the abuse was hitting close to home.
Fifteen minutes later, I was feeling much better. I rolled over on my back, my rigid boner pointing at my navel. Rusty's was rising prominently out of his red bush.
"That was super. You have a great future as a massage therapist."
Rusty had a twinkle in his eyes. "Wanna try an internal massage now?"
I grinned up at him. "If you insist. I know you've never done it, but it can't be that hard."
"Yeah, I might have to try several different things and take a lot of time to get it right."
"We've got all night."
Sometime early in the morning, we decided he'd had enough practice.
*** If you enjoy this kind of story, please donate to Nifty to ensure that this free resource can continue. ***