He makes the best of things

After Sunday they take Monday off, although sometimes his brother will still call in the morning and manage to get him on the tractor by noon and then she ends up driving out to the field with supper. He leans on the truck while she sits in the cab. They eat in silence, the buzz of insects and the heady smell of tilled soil turning sandwiches and soup into a meditation on origins. She drives off with the dishes, leaving him a thermos of something cold, milk or iced tea, she never tells him and he likes the surprise.

She likes to shop at the MCC Thrift store in town. Says that if you're going to buy something, you might as well get it for less if you can. They're not open Mondays, and by Tuesdays they've restocked the shelves, so it's early in the morning to town for her. She drags him along. Just enough time to make a pot of coffee and she's dragging him to the truck so they get there on time for opening. One of these days, in the middle of summer, he sees the fresh produce, in white plastic bags sitting on the floor by the counter, organized by variety. Out of gardens all over and around town, gardeners donate our of their abundance. He looks through the bags and picks up a bag of peas and a bag of beans.

He's already paid the two bucks per bag before she complains to him that her garden at home is full of peas and beans and what do they need more for? He shrugs. When they get home he sits down to hull the peas and cut the beans. It takes him a couple of hours. "You're not fast, eh?" she says. He finishes in silence. Blanches and bags them himself. Puts them in the freezer despite her protests that there won't be space for what's in their garden.

"Do you mind?" he says. "It's a simple thing," and walks away leaving her to stare after him. They are too early in the marriage to really get into it, so she leaves it, but stews for an hour or two before she can forget it. By Sunday it takes her a moment to recognize what's what when he carries out a couple of grocery bags of frozen peas and beans and loads them into the truck.

"They'll thaw," she says.

"Then they'll have to eat them today," he says.

"Who?" she says.

"Who do you think?" he says, to which she shrugs and shakes her head and gets into the truck.

When they get to church, with her mother, he helps them get into the building and up the elevator onto the main level. Then he turns and heads back out. She watches for a moment, then turns back.

Outside he takes the bag of frozen produce out of the truck and makes his way around the parking lot, putting one freezer bag of beans or peas on top of the trunk of each of the vehicles parked there, at least he does this until he runs out. Then he walks back into the church, finds her pew and stands beside her while they sing "There's a Wideness in God's Mercy". She elbows him as he steps into the row. He looks down at her frowning and smiles. He holds up his end of the hymnal and reads along while the rest of them sing, "If our lovewere but more simple, We should take Him at His word."

Ride in:         6'C Wind SSW 12 ks

Ride home:   12'C Wind SE 14 ks