Buddies (18 page)

“Well, if yore gonna tell Mama, then I reckin you really do have re-ward money, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do Ernie; I ain’t a-lyin’ to you. Shurff Jamison brung me the money ‘cause I told him the truth about why Banker Tolbert got killed.”

Mrs. Brown stopped breaking the beans and looked at Joey Frank as he continued to say, “I told him that nobody didn’t kill him, the ole fool killed hisself when he tried to kill me an’ you.”

At that moment Joey Frank realized what he had said. He looked over at Mrs. Brown and apologized to her, saying, “Scuse me, Miss Brown, for callin’ Banker Tolbert that bad name, but Icouldn’t help it; it just slipped out. Ever’time I thank about what he tried to do to me an’ Ernie, I git so mad that I forgit an’ sech words just comes outta my mouth.”

Mrs. Brown quickly got up from the table and went over to the boys, saying, “Banker Tolbert tried to kill you? What on earth was his reason for doing such a thing?”

“I’ll tell her why, Joey Frank,” Ernie spoke up. “You don’t hafta; I can tell that yore commencin’ to git nervous so I’ll tell her for you.”

Ernie told his Mama the whole horrible story of what happened that day, and he apologized for not telling her sooner. He said he was afraid if he had told her sooner, then she wouldn’t ever let him spend another day away from home with Joey Frank.

Mrs. Brown shed some tears of happiness as she hugged each of the boys and told them how fortunate they were that Banker Tolbert didn’t harm them. She told Ernie that she was sorry he had been afraid to tell her what happened. She assured him that she would never be guilty of keeping him away from his buddy to roam the countryside or to spend the day fishing at the river.

Joey Frank gave Mrs. Brown a smile of appreciation for being so kind and understanding. He reached out and took Ernie’s hand and said “Here’s the money Ernie; untie the hankychief an’ feel it, an’ if you want to, you can hold it for a spell. But then, yore gonna hafta give it to yore Mama to let her an’ yore Pa look atter it, ‘cause you an’ me are still too young for doin’ sech.”

Ernie’s Mama placed a hand on his shoulder and watched as he untied the knot on the handkerchief. His slim fingers trembled a bit as he rubbed them across the bills, and he had some doubt that what he was feeling was actually money until he put it up to his nose to smell it. He smiled with the knot of tobacco that stuck out on his jaw as he looked toward Joey Frank saying, “Yeah, it’s money alright, an’ it shore does smell good. I reckin we’re rich now; Joey Frank, ain’t we? A fella could git a heap of thangs with this much money, about anything he wants.”

“Yeah, he shore could, Ernie. What do you wanna buy with it?”

“I don’t know right off, less’n it’s tobacker an’ some new fish hooks. I guess Mama an’ Pa’ll buy me some new clothes ‘cause I heard them say the other day that I wuz gonna hafta have some before I went off to that boardin’ school.”

“You’ll done be thought of some more thangs by the time we git to the river Ernie. If yore ready, we’ll git started. By the time we git there them fish oughta be ready to commence abitin’.”

“Yeah, I reckin so,” Ernie said, getting up from the chair with his hand out for Joey Frank to take. “Don’t forgit my lunch pail that yore Mama packed, an’ git that can of bait a-sittin’ down here by the chair too.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
 

It seemed like such a long time since the boys had made a trip to the river. Joey Frank held on to Ernie’s hand and led him through the difficult places, but once they were out in the open fields, he would let go, because Ernie demanded it. He walked on his own, but he cautioned Joey Frank to be on the lookout for gopher holes, explaining he surely didn’t want to step in one. He said being blind was bad enough and didn’t want a broken leg added to his troubles.

“Have you ever caught yoreself a gopher, Ernie?”

“Heck no, an’ I ain’t gonna; wudn’t have one of them thangs. I cain’t stand to look at’m.”

“Why?”

“’Cause they look just like big rats, that’s why.”

“You skeered of rats, Ernie?”

“Heck no, I ain’t skeered of’m. I ain’t skeered a-nothin’. I just don’t like’m, never have since the time that one got in the bed with me an’ bit me on the foot. The danged ole fool caused my dog to git killed that night too.”

“How did he cause sech?”

“Well, my Pa’s awful skeered of rats, an’ there ain’t no way he’ll git close to one, so instead of him pickin’ up somethin’ an’ clobberin’ the rascal, he goes an’ gits the rifle. When he shot the ole rat that wuz all sulled-up in the corner, the bullet went through the floor an’ hit my dog. I thought a heap of him, too. He wuz a birthday present from my Gran’pa Herman when I wuz five years ole. Had him for nearly two years, I did. He never would sleep nowhere except under my bedroom floor.”

When the boys got to the river, Joey Frank led Ernie over to the spot where they had done most of their fishing in the past. He didn’t dare offer to help bait his hook, because he knew if he did, then Ernie would fly mad, and he surely didn’t want that to happen and spoil this happy day.

As they relaxed and waited, hoping to land a big one, Ernie spoke up, “Joey Frank, if you happen to spot a turtle out yonder somewhere, do you reckin you could jump in and ketch’m?”

“Heck no, I cain’t do sech. We’ll just hafta leave himbe.”

“Well, I’ll shore do it if you’ll go in with me an’ lead me over to where he’s at. I’ll straddle his hide. You just let me know if you happen to see one out there.”

Joey Frank was glad to hear Ernie say he wasn’t dreading going away to boarding school for the blind in Atlanta. He told him he wanted to go on and get it over with and learn whatever blind people should know to help them get along better in the world.

He reminded Joey Frank of the promise he had made to him just a few days before. “Joey Frank Cooper, when I go out yonder to that school in At-lanta an’ be a-learnin’ what I gotta know, then you’d better be at Mr. Pearson’s Blacksmith Shop ever’ Saturday from sunup ‘til sundown a-learnin’ ever’ thang you can pick up in that brain of yores. When I’m through out there, you’d better know a heap about that blacksmith work. You said that you’d do sech, an’ I’m d’pendin’ on you to do it.”

“I’m gonna do it, Ernie. I’m gonna be there ever’ Saturday. When you come back, I’ll done be learnt a heap about that stuff, you’ll see.”

The breeze that had been cool and pleasant was changing now into warm puffs. The smothery air garnered Joey Frank’s attention, as he looked up to see a mass of black clouds rising quickly. He got up from the riverbank and began to wrap the fishing line around his cane, saying, “Ernie, bring yore hook in ‘cause there’s a storm comin’, an’ it’s movin’ fast. We’d better hurry an’ go git under that ole bridge down yonder”.

Ernie did as he was told, trusting Joey Frank’s judgment. He stood up from the riverbank and was waiting when Joey Frank rushed over and took his hand to lead him to safety.

Joey Frank looked back over his shoulder at the swirling clouds that had changed color from black to a greenish-purple. Lightning begins to strike closely, and the thunder rumbled hard, shaking the earth. He was frightened; because he worried they weren’t going to make it to the bridge for cover.

Joey Frank gripped Ernie’s hand tighter, saying, “Ernie, we gonna hafta speed up. It’s right here on us. Don’t worry about runin’ into somethin’ ‘cause I won’t let you do sech.”

Without a word Ernie ran hard in the darkness alongside Joey Frank, trusting that he was going to look after him. He stared helplessly ahead, holding on to his fishing pole, following his directions, and listening to the strong wind blow around them.

There had not been a time since Ernie’s blindness that he felt like he was a burden to Joey Frank. Now he did and for the first time he begin to realize just how much Joe Frank meant to him and how much he must mean to Joey Frank.

Suddenly it grew even darker and deathly still, leaving the trees standing with not a leaf rippling. The chirping birds and the boys’ pounding footsteps running breathlessly to get to the bridge made them feel as if they were in a world all by themselves. In a moment there came a loud continuous roar. Joey Frank looked back and saw an ugly black funnel reaching for the earth. He said while gasping for breath, “Ernie, there’s a tornado a-comin’. We ain’t gonna have time to make it to the bridge. It’s movin’ too fast. We’ll hafta take cover over yonder down behind that washout.”

The wind begin to pick up its speed once more; rain and balls of hail hammered against the frightened boys, making it almost impossible for Joey Frank to see his way clearly. Large trees began to snap like tiny twigs, cluttering the ground around them, while hindering their way to safety.

The two boys were nothing more than dragonflies against the strong wrestling winds as it lifted them from the ground and sailed their bodies through the air as though they were rag dolls.

When finally the raging storm finished its course, Ernie was left face down in a cornfield that had been stripped by the powerful winds. He got up onto his feet and began to holler, “Joey Frank! Joey Frank! Where are you, Joey Frank! Are you alright?”

Ernie took a few steps with his arms outstretched. He stopped and hollered for Joey Frank again. He listened carefully for an answer, but all he could hear was his own voice echoing back at him. Now there was a gentler wind blowing.

Ernie continued to take short steps, feeling his way as he went-on calling Joey Frank’s name, hoping to get within hearing distance of him. He could smell the sap from the twisted corn stalks and realized he was in a cornfield. He continuously walked on and on, over terraces and through the flooded furrows that filled his brogans with water and mud, causing his feet to become heavy.

After what seemed an eternity of calling and searching, Ernie finally heard what he was hoping for, his buddy’s faint voice calling out to him. “Ernie-e-e-e! I’m away down here, but I cain’t git up ‘cause my leg’s hurt. I thank it’s broke. Are you alright?”

Ernie cupped his hands around his mouth to make his voice carry better. He yelled, “Yeah, I thank I am. I ain’t feelin’ no pain nowhere.”

“Do you reckin you could find yore way over here where I’m at?” Joey Frank hollered back.

“Yeah, I’ll try. Your commence to whistlin’ an’ I’ll foller the sound.”

“Okay, here I go.”

Joey Frank began to whistle and Ernie began to walk toward the tune with his arms outstretched. He stumbled a time or two as he made his way over the broken-down corn stalks. He walked toward his buddy who also had his arms outstretched waiting for him.

When finally the boys were within reach of each other, Joey Frank took Ernie’s hand and Ernie knelt down beside him. The brave and strong Ernie Brown, who Joey Frank had seen barely cry only once, burst into tears. He threw his arms around his friend and they cried together. As they sat there embracing each other, Ernie managed to say between sobs, “Joey Frank, we just like to a-been gonners. That dang thang just like to a-got us.”

“Yeah,” Joey Frank sobbed, “it shore did, Ernie.”

Some time lapsed and the boys finally let go of each other, Ernie said, “Joey Frank, do you reckin you could stand up an’ try to walk? We need to git home if we can.”

“I cain’t do sech, Ernie. I already tried.”

“Well, if that tornado didn’t git Mama an’ Pa, I’m shore they’ll come out an’ look for us. They’ll know we’re somewhere close to the river.”

“That tornado didn’t git yore Ma an’ Pa, an’ it didn’t get Mama an’ Gloria neither, ‘cause it went through them woods down yonder away from our folks. There’s a path cut through them woods a half-mile wide. Lordy, Lordy, we’re lucky, Ernie.”

After a time of waiting and hoping help would arrive soon, the boys heard a noise in the distance that sounded like a wagon approaching. Joey Frank said, “Ernie, that might be yore Pa a-lookin’ for us. You better stand up where he can see you an’ commence a-hollerin’, too. We don’t want’m to miss us.”

Moments later, Joey Frank could see the wagon. The driver apparently saw Ernie waving his arms and heard him hollering to the top of his lungs, because he came straight to them. It was a farmer who had come out to check on his corn crop and found what he feared most; his crop was destroyed.

He told the boys that the storm was the worst he had seen since he was a lad. He said that the tornado had narrowly missed his home with his wife and small children inside. The storm had also blown a tree down on his milk cow and had broken her back. Tears came to the farmer’s eyes when he told the boys how he had to shoot the animal to get her out of her misery. The kind gentlemen checked Joey Frank’s leg and told him it wasn’t broken. He said it was probably just a bad sprain and that he would be as good as new in a few days.

The farmer carefully helped Joey Frank to his feet and onto the wagon. He took the time to fold a horse blanket several times and place it under Joey Frank’s injured leg so he would be more comfortable on the bumpy ride home. Joey Frank whispered to the farmer about Ernie’s blindness, so he helped him also into the wagon to sit beside Joey Frank.

The farmer took his seat on the wagon and started the horse on its way through the demolished cornfield. Joey Frank looked at him and saw tears streaming down the side of his face as he viewed the leveled crop. The heartbroken man looked up at the sky and cursed the winds that blew against his tear-stained face and the clouds that lingered from the deadly storm.

Later he took a wrinkled handkerchief from the bib of his overalls and wiped away his tears. “Boys, I’m sorry I used that kind of language in your presence,” he said. “I should be thankin’ the Good Lord for sparing me and my family.”

“Yes sir, mister,” Ernie spoke up. “Me an’ Joey Frank understand how you feel. When I got shot an’ went blind, I was mad as all-git-out, but I ain’t mad no more ‘cause I know there ain’t nothin’ I can do about it nohow. I went an’ learnt somethin’ today. I know now that I can do somethin’ that I was skeered an’ couldn’t do before.”

“What did you learn, Ernie?” Joey Frank asked.

“I learnt that if I really set my head to do somethin’ I can do it, no matter what!”