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| Back Row: Cindy, Alice, Oma, Ann Front Row: Fielden and Chap |
I imagine they were quite a bit younger than they are in this photo,
and for a reason we'll never know,
Chap and Fielden were sent to town
to pick up something at the store for their mother.
It was hot summer's day,
the walk was long on a dry dusty road,
and they were looking forward
to getting home, delivering the goods,
and heading off to the creek to do some fishing.
Chap's legs were longer and Fielden struggled to keep up,
but didn't complain.
He loved tagging along with his older brother.
He grinned as he listened to Chap's story
about the bully whose britches Chap had stolen
at the swimming hole a few days earlier.
Chap had climbed that tree and hung those pants,
way up high,
then scrambled back down and hid
before he was ever seen.
That mean old boy had to climb that tree buck nekkid
to get his pants.
What a sight that must have been!
Fielden bet that knocked him down a notch or two!
The early morning sun beat down on the boys
even though it was barely 9 am,
and the dust poofed up between their toes.
After a bit, they heard the clip-clop-clip-clop of hooves,
and turned around to see a wagon coming up behind them,
drawn by two young mules.
A man sat on the plank board seat,
reins loosely held in one hand,
a cigarette dangling off his lips
and a stubborn look in his eyes.
He wore overalls and an old wool hat.
There were some sacks in the back of the wagon;
a good soft seat for two young boys.
He knew these boys.
They belonged to that Cato widow,
and that older one was known for causing trouble!
He wasn't about to slow down for them two.
The boys picked up their speed
and hailed the driver.
"Hey there, mister! Can we git a ride to town?"
They ran behind the wagon,
ready to hop in.
"You boys git away from there!"
the man barked, "You ain't gittin' no ride nowheres!
Now git away or I'll box yer ears!"
And the wagon picked up speed,
leaving the two boys in a cloud of dust.
"Man, oh man! You'll be sorry!" Chap muttered.
"He'll be sorry, Fielden, don't you worry!"
Kicking the dirt,
Chap didn't say much the rest of the way into town,
but Fielden could see the steam coming out of his ears,
and his brain a'crankin' and he knew that man had made a BIG mistake!
When they arrived at the store,
the wagon was right there in front,
the mules tied to the post,
the driver's seat empty.
Quickly and quietly, Chap loosed the reins a bit,
then the two walked up the steps,
onto the wooden porch and into the store.
He gathered the items his mom had asked for,
and paid for them, buying a little something extra for himself.
He carefully distributed his mom's groceries
between the two small gunny sacks they'd brought along,
and gave Fielden the lightest one.
They stepped out onto the porch,.
The wagon was still there,
the mules waiting patiently
for the man inside.
Chap told Fielden,
"Just wait right here and watch this!"
Chap took something out of his pocket.
Then, as he walked over to the mules,
Fielden's heart skipped a beat!
It all happened so fast,
he didn't have time to protest!
Chap struck a match and held the fire to a string
coming out of his other hand.
Then he tossed the bundle under the legs of those mules
and hollared to Fielden,
"RUN!"
The firecrackers began to go off in sharp succession,
and the mules went absolutely crazy!
They reared, pulled the loose reins off the post,
and the wagon almost tipped over as they pulled it up and over a corner of the porch. Then off up the road they went, headed the other direction out of town at a dead run!
The grouchy old man came running out, along with several customers,
and hollared at the mules, "Stop! Stop!"
Chap and Fielden threw their gunny sacks over their shoulders,
and hit the road in the other direction toward home.
They ran and they ran and they ran, until they couldn't run anymore!
Fielden thought his legs would fall off, he ran so hard.
Hitting the safety of the woods, the boys dropped their bags,
fell to the ground, and held their sides, choking with laughter!
Tears were streaming down their faces.
Chap said, "Did you see his face!?"
He mimicked the man, 'Stop! Stop!" - waving his hands in the air.
Fielden started laughing again and thought he'd never catch his breath.
Ohhhhh Buddy!
They were gonna pay for this!
Chap had done it again!
You didn't cross his big brother without paying a price.
He chuckled as they picked up their loads
and headed off through the woods for home.
"What a mess that old guy was, running after them mules!"
It made a picture in his head he'd never forget!
And 80 years later, the tears streamed down his face,
as both men choked with laughter,
as they told me this story,
remembering that man and those mules
like it had happened yesterday.
"Did you get in trouble?" I asked them, "Did Grandma find out?"
They looked at each other and started laughing again.
Uncle Fielden slapped his knee and said,
"Oh yeah!
She HAD to!
He came and told on us, and Mama promised to tan our hides good!
She took a switch to Chap and me and striped our legs til we danced.
But Chap and I started giggling just talking about it,
telling how Chap had thrown those firecrackers under those mules,
and how that old guy had run down the road chasing them,
and what his face looked like,
and after a while, she was laughing too!
It was worth it!
Oh, it was worth it!"
And they both started laughing again!
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