Return to the Land

Roger became well enough known that the local farmers meeting at the café would nod and speak occasionally but not well enough known to be considered a friend. Roger did not want to be anyone's friend. He especially did not want to be anyone's boyfriend. He avoided any entanglements with the few waitresses and other local ladies that tried to visit with him. He became a favorite topic of conversation with those women. They began to try and find out where he lived, what he did and most of all if he was married for he was a fine specimen of a man.

Prineville was on a large river and there were a lot of fishing camps, resorts and canoe rental businesses all along the river from Steelville to Prineville. The river that ran beside his land was slow moving and just three miles downstream it opened into a beautiful lake. Most of the outfitters were small operations and family operated. Roger remembered many times in his youth when he floated and fished in the river. Those were pleasant times, fun times. He decided that next summer he would purchase a canoe or better yet, a Jon boat and take some trips instead of renting as he had the few times he went on the river this summer. He would also have a large garden and perhaps get a few cattle so he could be self sufficient as possible. This year all he had time for was to build his home and prepare for the winter.

The summer passed slowly yet much too rapidly. Building a house inside a pole barn didn't lend itself to a beautiful exterior but the interior could have been in any high-end condo in New York. There were tile floors in the bathrooms and kitchen, deep carpets in the other rooms and solid wood paneling. The kitchen had stainless appliances and granite counter tops. In short, pure luxury yet it did not cost an outrageous amount because Roger did most of the work himself. He built a covered porch across the end of the building and down both sides. On the east side where the master bedroom was Roger glassed in the portion of the porch beside the master suite. He placed a hot tub within so he could have a hot tub to use year round.

During this time Roger continued to take days off so he could canoe the local stream. He occasionally rented a boat and fished on the local lake but he much preferred the stream. Roger became friendly with many of the people who rented canoes and boats along the river. There was one man in Prineville who he just could not warm too however. Apparently not too many people could though as he nearly always had canoes to rent. He was always the last place one went to rent a boat because he was so mean spirited and his place was dirty. He had two young women working for him and he treated one of them like crap. She was skinny and always wore ratty clothes. He made her do the dirtiest most difficult work while the other woman wore nice clothes and did the cleaner work.

Roger asked around and found out the nicer looking older woman was the mans sister and was married to the brother of the younger skinny girl. They had taken the girl into their home when her parents died. At the present time the brother was in Iraq with the army.

Roger was not stupid. He asked around, he watched people and it was not long before he concluded the young girls brother's wife was sleeping around. She was a flirt and an adulterer. She reminded Roger of a country example of his girlfriends from New York. It was obvious she and her brother cared little for either of the siblings. Since the whole town seemed to know Vicky was cheating on Allen he figured a divorce was in the offing. He felt sorry for Allen and for Cassandra, the young girl.

Cassandra was a breath of fresh air to Roger. She was always friendly, most always smiling when he talked to her unless Jared or Vicky had been harassing her once more. Even then she was nicer than Roger could have been. He was also impressed because she was a hard worker. When he found out she was not getting paid Roger was more impressed with her and more disgusted with Jared and Vicky. No wonder Cassandra's clothes were ratty and she looked unkempt. She had no money to purchase things for herself.

Roger began to go to Jared's marina first just so he could talk to Cassandra. He hated to give them the money but that was the only way he could talk to Cassie. Since she was the driver that took the canoes to the put in point on the river he got to talk to her during the rides also. If he was really lucky he was the only customer in the truck and he could sit in the cab with her. He found himself taking more float trips than he would have just so he had an excuse to talk to Cassie. He always made sure to give her a larger tip so she would at least have some money. At first she had tried to refuse it but when he started leaving it in her seat after she left the truck she finally agreed to take it. She was always slightly embarrassed to take it but very appreciative.

He did not normally see Cassandra in town but when he did Roger usually tried to get her to have either a coke or coffee with him. Many times she would. Finally the summer drew to a close and it became too cool to canoe. Roger found himself working more and more in the woods cutting and splitting wood to burn for his winter heat. He had placed a wood stove in his new home and planned to heat with it as much as possible—mostly because he preferred the wood heat. He had cut some wood shortly after he arrived so it could season and dry enough to burn well in the winter. Now he was working on his next years supply and really enjoying himself.

Roger was working near the stream when he heard a yell. He looked up and saw Cassandra in a canoe paddling toward the bank upon which he stood. She beached the canoe and trotted up to him. She was smiling and asked, "Hey Roger. What're you doing here cutting wood? I hear some rich dude from New York owns this land and doesn't want anyone on the place. Old Hiram runs his cattle here and chases off everyone he can catch on the place."

Roger started to tell her he owned the place then changed his mind. After all, he really didn't know her well even though he enjoyed flirting with her when he went canoeing. "Oh, I have an in with Hiram. I keep the place clean and get to take the wood home to burn when I cut it. What're you doing out on the river when it's this cold out?"

"Jared made me come out and check for any of his stuff renters lost. I'm also taking down some of his signs and stuff to put away for the winter. He charges for lost items then when they come back in if they get found he doesn't refund the customers money. He makes a lot selling lost used stuff for new prices. I get to come out here and get all wet and freeze my ass off while he and Vicky sit home in a warm room and swill beer. I sure wish I could get away from the asshole. Allen says when he gets back from Iraq we'll move away from the Bastard and his Bitch. He's trying to file for divorce on the cheating skank but doing it long distance is impossible. She gets a cut of his pay in an allotment then uses it to support Jared and her lovers. I could just kill the bitch!"

"Yeah, been there, done that and got the T-Shirt. That's why I moved back here from New York. I"

Roger saw Cassie's head jerk up and stare at him when he said that then she started to speak. He spoke first, saying, "Shit. Guess I'm busted now aren't I? I was engaged to a damn Skank like Vicky. She stepped out on me for I don't know how long. Finally, just six weeks before the wedding she left me in Miami and ran off with her current lover. I know how your brother feels."

Cassandra was staring at Roger with an angry look on her face. She said, "Why were you trying to make me believe someone else owned this place. Why're you hiding here?"

"Well, I guess I really don't have a good reason. I just...Hell, I don't know Cassie. I'm sorry. I guess I just wasn't thinking. In the City it's so dog eat dog that information is power and you try to keep it all to yourself. I guess I really haven't gotten all that slime and deceit out of my system yet. I'm sorry."

"Oh, I suppose that's cool. I really don't have any business putting my nose into your affairs anyway. So, what ya gonna do with the place? Last I heard the house burned down and all that was left was an old pole barn."

Roger looked at Cassie a moment then said, "Come on with me and I'll show you." He turned and picked up his tools putting them into the back of his truck. It was only about an eighth of a mile to the house but he drove so he could haul back some of the wood he had cut.

Roger opened the truck door and said, "Hop in Cassie. I won't bite. Hell I've ridden with you enough you should know I'm safe."

Cassandra grinned and jumped into the cab of Roger's truck. She looked around and said, "Wow. These new SuperCrews are really nice aren't they? So, where we goin'?"

Roger pointed through the windshield at the barn/house and said, "Oh, just up there. I guess we could have walked but I was about ready to quit so wanted to take my load of wood and tools back when we went."

Roger pulled the truck into the back part of the building and parked it near a large stack of already split wood. He got out and waited for Cassie then led her to the door that led into his Utility room then from there into the kitchen from the barn/garage part of the building.

When Cassie stepped into the kitchen she stopped and stared. She whispered, "Oh my gosh. This is beautiful. What ever made you think of turning part of a barn into something this nice?"

Cassie walked straight into the kitchen. She ran her hands lovingly over the granite counter tops as she stared at the stainless appliances. After another loving look at the kitchen she walked into the living area and stopped once more. She turned in a circle, her eyes glowing. She faced Roger and said, "Oh, Roger this is perfect."

Roger gave her a guided tour of the entire house, showing her the master suite then the upstairs. He explained how he could drain the water in the upstairs bathroom and close off those rooms when he did not want to heat or cool them. After the tour he took her to the enclosed hot tub area. She seemed really impressed with the wood-heating stove Roger had in that room, especially when he explained how it was ducted into the household heating system to heat the entire house. They sat in chairs at a patio table drinking iced tea and talking.

All at once Cassie looked at her watch. She jumped up and screamed, "Oh, Damn. I was supposed to be at the take out point in fifteen minutes for Jared to pick me up. Even paddling as hard as I can it will take me almost an hour to make it. I have to go. Thanks for the tour and the drink. I'll see ya in town I guess." Cassandra turned and ran out the door toward the stream and her beached canoe. Roger just stared as she disappeared in a rush.

Throughout the winter Roger kept track of his investments, buying and selling stock as he planned his next year. He knew he wanted a large garden for his own use and since he enjoyed working in the garden he decided to plant extra and see if he could sell it. He ordered his seeds and talked to the local garden center to make arrangements for them to start the variety of tomato and pepper plants he wanted to grow.

From time to time Roger saw Cassandra in town and they talked. He found out her brother's unit had been extended in Iraq and would not return to the states until mid summer. Cassie said her life with Jared and Vicky was getting worse. Vicky never did any work now and Jared did very little. Of course not much needed to be done in the winter except maintenance. Things were tight for her now.

In late March people began to return to the river on nice days to enjoy the spring from the canoe. Of course that meant Cassandra began working more. One nice day Roger decided to take a float trip himself before he got bogged down in the spring and summer's work. While she was delivering him and his canoe to the put in point Cassie and he visited.

Roger said, "I don't suppose I will get to see you much now for a while. I'm going to put in a large garden, maybe even enough to have a vegetable stand. I think I am going to buy my own canoe or Jon boat too."

Roger was looking at Cassandra as he talked and he saw a flit of sadness cross her face. She said, "I'm going to miss talking to you. Maybe I'll get to see you in town still though. I've really liked to talk to you."

The next Tuesday Roger was working in his garden plot when he heard the sound of a paddle hitting the side of a canoe. A little later he heard someone calling his name from the riverbank. He turned toward the sound and saw Cassie walking toward him from where she beached her canoe. One look at her and he could tell she was angry. He had never seen her face look as stormy as it was this day.

Roger walked toward her and said, "Hello Cassie. It's good to see you. Why don't we go over to the chairs (Roger had some comfortable lawn chairs under a tree beside the river) and rest a while?" As he walked past it Roger picked up the cooler he always took to the garden or woods with him.

When they got to the chairs he sat down and opened the cooler. He turned to Cassie and said, "I have water, Pepsi or beer. What'll ya have?"

After they began drinking their beverages Cassie began to talk. "Roger I'm sorry to bother you but I just had to get away for a while and you were the only one I could think of to talk to. That Skank has moved a boyfriend in with her and they play kissy face or fuck when there's work to be done."

"It's terrible what she's doing to my brother and I get so damn angry! Sometimes I think she is making more noise than she normally would just to make sure I know she's getting fucked again. I just can't take the way she is rubbing my face in her affairs knowing there is nothing my brother or I can do about it. Besides that Jared has been letting his hands roam more than usual. I've been trying to find a job but no one's hiring and I don't have the money or a way to get to the city where I might have a better chance. Besides, who'd hire someone with only a high school education now?"

"I'm sorry to unload on you but you've been so kind in the past I sort of think of you as a friend. You might be the only friend I have in this town." Cassie broke down crying then with an effort she pulled herself back together. She wiped her eyes and looked over at Roger. She took a deep breath, licked her lips and then continued. "I was thinking last night. You told me a while back that you were thinking about buying a canoe or Jon boat for yourself and I got an idea."

"Roger, you're not too far out of town here and...well, I was thinking if you bought a dozen canoes and a couple of Jon boats...I mean if you had that much money, well I could rent them for you and handle that part of the business. I know where we can get a trailer to haul the canoes on and we can get an ice machine and sell drinks and stuff too. I, I could help you in the garden and keep the house..."

"Well, Roger, I really, really want to get away from those assholes and I think we could make money. I wouldn't need much cash if I could just maybe live in your garage while we worked..."

Roger sat there in shock as he watched the emotions play across Cassandra's face. He opened his mouth several times to speak but no words came out. Finally Cassandra grimaced and he saw fresh tears run from the corner of her eyes. She said, "Bad idea huh? I'm sorry. I was just hoping because I want to get away so bad." She sighed and said, "Well, guess I better go. I'll have to paddle back upstream and that's a long pull. Sorry I bothered you."

Cassandra had stood and started to walk away before Roger could find his voice. He finally croaked out, "Wait. Cassie, uh, come back a minute. I'm sorry. You just surprised me so much I just didn't know what to say for a moment. I think I can maybe help you. Let's talk about it."

Cassandra came back to the shade and sat once more. She watched Roger in amazement. Her eyes were sparkling and her grin couldn't get any wider. She squeaked out, "REALLY" in an excited tone of voice.

Roger's face became very serious. He bit his lip and furrowed his brow as he thought. He looked so serious, almost predatory. Cassandra had never seen an expression like the one he got on his face. It was almost frightening in intensity. She shuddered and thought she really didn't want him to ever be angry with her.

Finally Roger began to speak. He said, "Cassie I had never considered anything like that. I never intended my garden to be much more than a hobby and a way to get food for the winter. I like fresh homegrown and home preserved food more than what I can buy in the store. I enjoy growing it and know how to can and freeze food so I decided to grow my own and preserve what I think I will need for the winter."

"I decided to grow some extra to sell on the spur of the moment. I really don't know why I did that because I don't need the money. Do you know what it would cost to buy the canoes and boats? What else would we need? What would the life jackets, paddles and so forth cost? I know we would need insurance, an office building and maybe a small building or room to sell drinks and store the gear. Hell, I guess I could even put in a large cooler for the garden items."

"As for you sleeping in my garage, NO. I can't have you sleeping in my garage. That just wouldn't be right. Even if we don't get boats and canoes though I can use your help around here. I'll figure out a fair wage and you can sleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I'll have to buy a bed for you but..."

Cassie broke in and said, "NO. I appreciate your help but I won't take a wage. My room and board is enough. I'll help and work beside you for my food and a place to sleep but..."

Roger broke into her sentence and said loudly, "NO Cassie. I'll not have you work for free. That's not right. I didn't like it when Jared did it to you and I'll be damned if I'll do the same thing. We will figure out a fair wage and I'll pay it."

Cassandra looked at him as if he had grown horns then she started in once more. She said, "NO. I'll go back to Jared before I let you pay wages for someone to do something you didn't intend to hire anyone to do before I showed up here today."

She sat and looked at Roger for a moment then she continued, "Tell ya what Rog. I'll do all the housework, cooking and so forth for the room and board and I'll let you give me one-fourth the profits from the garden and marina for my work there. That's my final offer."

Roger sat for a moment in shock then he felt himself begin to laugh. He laughed until he cried but he managed to say, "Ok, you win. I've never had to force anyone to take money before. I guess I can live with that."

Cassie grinned and held her hand out. "Shake partner," she said. When can I come out here and get started?"

"Any time you're ready I suppose. I have already turned the amount of land I was going to plant but if I'm going to have help I suppose I need to plow more up. At least this field by the river had wheat in it a couple of years ago and I don't have to till sod. We'll talk more about the Canoes and boats later."

Cassie looked at Roger then she asked, "Can we take your truck and get my stuff now? And take asshole's canoe back too? I really don't have much and I really want to get out of that shack of his."

Over the next three weeks Roger discovered several things about Cassandra. Not the least of which was she was a much harder worker than he had ever imagined and she could cook better than anyone he had ever known. One evening he asked her how she had learned to cook as well as she did.

Cassandra looked up at him and smiled. She said, "My parents operated a nice restaurant for years. From the time I was old enough I had to help on the busy days if I was not in school. At first I was a bus girl then I began helping in the kitchen. By the time they sold out I had learned almost all of their recipes. I even tried to get work in some food service establishments but all they wanted to talk to me about was being wait staff. I tried that before I came to live with Jared but I couldn't pay rent even on a slum hovel and still buy everything else I needed."