Woodcutter's Revival (3 page)

Chapter Four

A
s Stewart was quietly fixing breakfast, he could hear Michael restlessly stirring, attempting to find a comfortable position. “How is your leg this morning?”

I don't know if it hurts less or if I am just getting used to the pain. Any position hurts after a little while.”

“Breakfast is about ready. You are awake earlier than the first few days.”

“That's why I'm awake. How could I sleep with the smell of your biscuits, ham and coffee? I think I am getting more rested, too. I wish I could go hunting with you today.”

“I wish you could go too. I'm sure there are some things you could show me about mountain living.”

“For a flatlander you are doing all right. Besides, I am in no condition to complain. Where did you learn your doctor'n?”

“On the farm, we had to learn to take care of almost any emergency on our own. If we could get a doctor or a vet, by the time they would get there, we pretty much had to have the situation under control.”

The two enjoyed each other's company. Stewart had, as yet, not even learned Michael's last name. There had not been much time to talk at first. Michael spent most of the day either sleeping or eating light meals, when he was awake. When Stewart was not cooking, cleaning or caring for Michael, he was spending his free time learning to hunt and trap. He had no choice. His life and another's depended upon his ability to learn survival. Oh, he had hunted rabbits and birds on the farm, but that was recreational compared to hunting larger game in the mountains. Down below, he never had to worry about becoming the hunted.

Michael told Stewart how to make biscuits right in the top of the flour sack. He added the egg and mixed the ingredients until the mixture had the right consistency. He placed the lump on the cutting board to roll it out into noodles or biscuits. Michael was enjoying Stewart's cooking. He was also enjoying seeing the growth in Stewart. Michael loved seeing people motivated toward growth and learning just for the sake of enlightenment.

Stewart was beginning to gain some momentum in the management of daily tasks. He felt he could even coast a little now. He had put some game away and now did not have to spend all his waking hours finding and preparing food or caring for Michael. He even found time and energy after the chores were finished each day, while Michael was sleeping, to begin reading some of Michael's book collection.

Although they had not had much time to talk, Stewart was amazed how quickly Michael could get to the heart of the matter in conversation. Stewart was musing, while the biscuits were baking, how he looked forward to the moments when he had all his chores done and he could steal a few moments to converse with Michael. Stewart had never known a person with so many thoughts – thoughts that made Stewart's ears warm from thinking.

As they were finding more time to talk, the conversations seemed to have a great impact upon Stewart. Their congeniality was a combination of several factors. Michael had been alone for some time. Stewart did not know exactly why Michael lived alone.

Michael had obviously experienced much in his life and had time to think. Stewart had not been around an older person who had the time to just talk. Back on the farm, he knew his dad and gramps had many deep thoughts, too. But they did not have a lot of time to talk on the farm. He could remember when there would have been time to talk, it was better spent sleeping.

Stewart, even though he worked as hard as the older men, seemed to have a little energy left for reading at the end of the day. He read whatever he could get his hands on – which was more limited than he liked. Michael had a surprising number of books. From the appearance of the collection, they had been well read and had probably gone through some jostling to get them to the cabin.

Another factor that seemed to add to their growing relationship was the total dependence Michael felt for Stewart. He did not feel a sense of the dependency so much as a humbling feeling of being placed in the position of allowing another person to do the necessities he had always done for himself. For Stewart the feeling was like a type of bonding a doctor might feel for a patient. Stewart had never been in a position in which another person totally depended upon him.

Stewart did not mind being needed. He thought how he would have chosen to not be here with a stranger, if he had a choice, serving his needs and not being able to leave. He would have chosen to be closer to Wellspring by now, ready to get settled, meet new people and find opportunities.

He became philosophic about the situation and wondered how many of life's circumstances which are chosen for us are better than the choices we might have made for ourselves. He would not have known Michael. He also felt that he had to grow more from the unexpected experience in a few short weeks than he had previously in his whole life.

When breakfast was ready, Stewart placed the plate and flat ware on a board and took them to Michael's bed. He liked to eat with Michael and see the old man enjoying the fruits of his labors. “If it rains or looks like rain today, I will be back early.”

“That would be good. You could get lost or sick in a heavy storm. Besides you're getting the food supply back up to normal.”

Stewart enjoyed the mountain air and gathering from the earth without having to plant or harvest. As he walked, he thought back on the hard work of farm life. He could also remember how he and his family had labored too hard to make things work. He was glad his younger brother Nathaniel could take over for him while he chose to try a different life. In spite of the endless toil and hardship, Stewart missed the family. He also had a habit of mostly remembering only good things about a situation. He still had to remind himself that he missed Gramps because he had died, rather than just being home with the others.

While he was musing, he noticed the mountains seemed to take on a different appearance today. The rain clouds had always been welcome on the farm, outside of planting and harvesting time. Up here, they seemed to hover as a black menacing veil that at any time could release their burden. In spite of the awesome beauty of the clouds and the ruggedness of the mountains, the elements today were depressing. Stewart's thoughts bounced from good times on the farm to the warm fire and pleasant company waiting for him back at Michael's cabin.

Mountain life was hard in a different way. The actual work was not as long and tedious as farm work. There was a variety of tasks, none of which took all day long like planting and harvesting, but still had to be done. There were no neighbors up here to rely upon and no store to run to for food or any other necessities.

Last week he had to butcher a deer. After hanging the meat to age for a couple of days, it either had to be smoked or made into jerky. He had to stick with the task until it was completed or the meat would be lost. He was glad there was not as much meat as there was in butchering a full grown steer. At least with the steer, there were several people working on the project. There were more options with the steer in what could be done with the meat, too.

All of a sudden the dark rolling clouds began to pour down rain. Stewart had to decide whether to find a temporary shelter or attempt to get back to the cabin. If he got soaked, he would need the fire to prevent the chills. He moved in under a pine tree with heavy foliage. Close to the trunk, the rain was not yet reaching the ground. Rather, it was deflecting off the upper branches.

If Stewart stood in the right place, he only had to dodge a couple of trickles running down near him. As soon as he had time to position himself, the rain turned to a mix of rain and sleet. The rocks were becoming covered with a thin layer of ice. Walking on the ground would be safe, except where he had to climb through a small rock ledge.

While waiting Stewart thought how life in the mountains was dependent upon sacrifice. The animals ate grass, roots berries or smaller animals. If man lived there, he had to live on mostly animals, especially during the winter. Except for a little stronger taste, a leaner composition, and fewer trimmings, the food was really not much different than the food on the farm. However, on the farm, the animals were raised for the purpose of supplying man. Up here only the unfortunate animals supplied the needs of man or other animals.

Whichever way one chose to live, life depended upon death. The animals did not seem to mind belonging to the food chain as long as they were the predator and not the prey. With that thought he noticed the sleet had stopped and the rain was diminishing. He hoped by the time he reached the pass, the rocks would be clear of ice. He decided not to be one of the eaten.

As he inched his way along the trail, the rain stopped altogether. The sun began to peek through the clouds. That's the way it was in the mountains. One minute the sun was shining. The next it was raining and icy. Then the sun came out again. Stewart could see the rocks standing out in the sunlight. By the time he reached them they were almost dry. As he held on to the upper rocks and looked down at the narrow footing and shear rock face below, he was extremely thankful the rain had stopped and the thin ice had melted. He climbed through with relative ease.

As he entered the cabin, he could see Michael was asleep. He stirred the fire and added more wood, and Michael awoke. “I am glad you're back. I honesty became worried when I heard the sleet hitting the cabin roof.”

“I was all right. I found a tree with good ground cover. I only suffered a few drips.”

“You are learning these mountains well.”

Stewart agreed, “I am starting to feel pretty comfortable up here.”

“You want to be careful about getting too comfortable. Just when you get overconfident, something happens to set you back. Like this weather, fortunes can change in an instant.”

Stewart responded, “My fortunes changed when I met you on the trail.”

“So did mine – not just the fact that you saved my life, but you are helping me get though the autumn. This is the only time I get lonely. The dark clouds remind me winter is not far behind.”

Stewart added, “I didn't mind winter on the farm. There were still things that needed to be done. We kept busy, but it seemed we were forced to be inside and together more during the winter. We found more time to read by a cozy fire.”

Michael responded, “Oh, I don't mind the winter up here, if I have plenty of food and firewood. It's just these days when leaves have already changed color and begin to fall. Everything looks like death.”

“Gramps always said, “Winter is not as bad as the anticipation of it.'”

“You know,” said Michael, pensively, “That's true of most of what life deals us.”

“Yeah, once winter gets here, the snow makes things seem secure. You don't have to worry about being somewhere else or doing something else. You couldn't if you wanted to. Even the animals that hibernate have no choice in the matter.”

Stewart continued, “The snow on the farm reminded me of an egg shell – secure but within a delicate balance – vulnerable. We had already been through the depressing days of fall, after the harvest. The snow would then come and seal everything in, but you knew under the snow cover, life was beginning to form and would soon be out for the next year.”