Three Strikes And A Home Run

"Well sort of. I got hired at Wal-Mart for the Christmas season. They said I might get to stay on full time after if things work out. I'm supposed to start next week. Sorry."

Between Tammy, the old woman in town and a couple of friend's wives I managed to take care of my child care needs through the holidays and until early March. I was having trouble juggling helpers though. Some of them wouldn't come to the farm to sit with the kids. Some of them didn't have transportation to pick them up or bring them home so I had to stop what I was doing and go deliver the kids to the sitter in the afternoon. Then I would have to go pick them up after I was finished working. Sometimes that was really late. Sometimes I had to stop working before I was ready to do so because none of the sitters was willing to have the kids at their home late in the evening.

In early March I was working in the shop repairing some machinery when I heard a car drive up. I walked to where I could see the driveway and saw a sheriff's car in the drive. I looked toward the house and saw Jackie walking back toward her car. I smiled and yelled, "Hi Jackie. What brings you out here into the boonies? Did they finally find the body where I left it?"

"NOT funny Dean. Dean I've got a little problem and I thought you might be able to help me solve it. Have you found someone to watch your kids yet?"

"Well sort of. I have half a dozen people who watch them some of the time. I have to miss a lot of work hauling them around and sometimes I have to stop working before I'm ready so I can pick them up at night. I still haven't found anyone who can be on call all the time and watch them here at the house. Why?"

Jackie looked embarrassed and said, "Well that dumb ass sister of mine is just about as poor a picker of husbands as you are of wives. She caught her husband cheating on her two three weeks ago and kicked him out. She filed for divorce and needs work. This is the second husband she's caught cheating on her. She had been a stay at home mom and you know how the job market is right now. She thinks she's going to lose the house too. They've been renting ya know. Anyway Jack and I told her they could stay with us for a while but she still needs a job. Her asshole hasn't got a very good job as it is and he is being a butthead about sending her any money so far. How about it?"

I sort of remembered Jackie's sister. Jackie had been a couple years behind me in school and Crystal was a couple years behind her. "Jackie that would be a lot of driving for her. What is it about twenty five miles from your place to mine? "

"Yeah but she really needs the work Dean."

"Well I don't know. Some days I wouldn't need her but three hours or so. Some days I would need her some in the morning and later in the evening. Would she want to stay here all day and if she did would she expect to be paid for the time she was waiting on the kids? After tax and gasoline she wouldn't make more than five dollars or so on the short days. Are you sure she really wants to do the work for that?"

"I don't know Dean but she needs something. And other days she'll probable get twelve or fourteen hours when you're planting or harvesting so things will even out won't they?"

"Yeah but I might not even need her some days also. Say, she has kids too doesn't she?"

Jackie nodded her head yes.

"Well who's going to watch? Oh! She'll be bringing her kids down here with her won't she? Or are they in school yet? How will she handle that? Hell that would help her right there if they aren't in school wouldn't it? They could all eat here as part of the deal and she wouldn't have to worry about child care."

Jackie said the children weren't in school yet and I relaxed. This might really work out. I smiled and said, "Tell ya what. Have her come visit with me and we'll see what happens."

Jackie and I visited for a few more minutes and she left. Said she needed to get back on patrol. Must be nice to be a Deputy Sheriff and just drive around the biggest part of the county with no worries.

Two days later just after I got the kids on the school bus a ratty old Mustang pulled into my drive. I was afraid I would have to give whoever it was driving it a gallon of oil before they could leave it was burning so much.

I watched as a pretty but ran down, pale looking young woman climbed out of the old beat up car. Two young children were inside bouncing around trying to see out. I was once again in the shop. I walked toward the woman wiping grease off my hands as I went. She looked slightly familiar and I was pretty sure this would be Jackie's younger sister Crystal.

I smiled as I got closer to the woman. She looked hesitant and a little frightened when I walked up. "You must be Crystal unless I miss my guess. Jackie told me you would be coming to visit with me. I don't think I would have recognized you if I hadn't been expecting you to come out."

Crystal gave me a tentative smile and nodded her head. "Yeah. I hate to bother you like this Dean, uh, Mr. Thomas but I'm really desperate. My husband doesn't send me enough money to get the kids what they need sometimes and I just can't ask Jackie and her husband to furnish everything for us. I feel like such a worthless freeloader as it is."

"First things first Crystal. You had it right the first time. My name is Dean and whether you work for me or not that is what I want you to call me. Now, why don't you come on in and we'll see what we can work out."

Crystal looked at me a moment then turned to the kids with a scared expression on her face. She walked to the door of her car and said, "Now you two sit still and don't touch anything. I have to go talk to Mr. Thomas for a few minutes then we'll leave."

I stopped walking toward the house and turned back to Crystal. "Whoa there missy. I didn't mean for you to leave your babies out here in the heat. Bring them on in too. It isn't right to leave kids alone in a vehicle. They can't get into anything my kids haven't been into time after time ya know."

Crystal looked up at me in surprise I thought. I got a weak smile from her then she turned and said, "Ok you two. Get out of the car and come with me. Now I don't want you running around and causing trouble either you hear me?"

I watched as a little boy maybe four years old jumped down from the front seat. His mother tried to catch him under the arms and succeeded somewhat. He looked up at her disgustedly and said, "I can do it myself mamma. You help Sissy."

While Crystal was helping Sissy from the child seat in the middle of the small back seat the little fellow marched up to me and said, "Hi Mister. I'm Timmie and I'm this many (he held up 4 fingers). I get to go to school next year.

"Timmie I told you to be good. Now don't bother Mr. Thomas. I looked up from where I was squatting in front of Timmie to see Crystal coming toward me with a little princess sitting on her hip. The little girl was chewing on her finger as she gave me the once over. "Dean as he has already told you this is Tim, my son and this little angel is Celeste, my daughter but I'm afraid we call her Sissy most of the time."

"Hi Sissy," I said. "If it's ok with your mother would you and your brother like some juice when we get into the kitchen?" Sissy grinned at me and nodded her head before trying to hide it in her mother's shoulder.

When I got my guests into the house I asked about drinks and seated us all at the kitchen table. I put a cookie jar in the center and gave everyone their drink and a napkin. Crystal and I talked about what I needed in a babysitter and what I could afford to pay. She agreed on $35 a day for watching my kids, no hourly limit if she and the kids could eat with us every day. She even agreed to do some of my housework and cooking the days she was here. She also agreed to stay around most days instead of driving back and forth. That would save her money on gasoline since many school days I only needed her in the mornings and evenings.

I showed her around the house so she could see where things were. She agreed to begin working the next day. To my surprise Howard and Stacy took to her and her children right off. They had been somewhat unhappy with some of the women I had caring for them in town. I began working longer and longer hours with my spring planting. I had about a third of my tillable ground in winter wheat and the rest, about 600 acres I would split between corn and soy beans. I had sixty brood cows and 300 acres for them to graze on or set aside for hay for them. I also had a few chickens and hogs to round out my operation. Spring and fall were my busiest time of year.

During the first week, to my surprise, Crystal completely cleaned my house. She had started in the kitchen, and then moved to the bathrooms and on to other rooms. I sat at the table the third day she was there and said, "Crystal I feel bad about some of the things you are doing here. I hired you to watch the kids not to be a house cleaner. This place looks great but I don't want you to think you have to do this too."

Crystal looked upset and said, "I thought you said light cleaning could be part of my job too when I was here. I'm sorry if I upset you. I was just trying to help Dean. I'll stop if you want me to. I just hate to sit here all day reading and watching the kids play. OH!" She pulled her hands to her mouth and her eyes got big. "I'm sorry. I won't charge you for it. I know it would be a lot to pay for all the hours I'm not watching the kids and all. I just feel like I need to do more."

"NO, NO Crystal. That's not the problem. I just don't want you to make a habit of working yourself to death. Relax some. I appreciate all you've done and you do but you don't need to be running yourself to death all day every day."

Several times over the next week I would walk into the house and find Crystal sitting watching her children play while she read. Every time I came into the house and she was resting Crystal would look guilty and begin working. Finally one day I got myself a beer and walked into the room where she was working and said, "Crystal I need to talk to you for a few minutes. Would you please come into the kitchen with me?"

Crystal looked up from her dusting and said, "I'm sorry Dean. I was just resting for a moment."

I sighed and walked to Crystal. I pulled the dust rag from her hand. I led her to the couch and sat then pulled her down beside me. I turned to her and said, "That is sort of what I want to talk to you about. Crystal have I ever said I was unhappy with what you do around here for us?" Crystal bit her lip and shook her head no.

"Well Crystal if I'm not unhappy and I haven't complained to you about things and I haven't yelled at you for not doing something then why do you always jump up when I come in and begin working again? You make me feel like an ogre, like you're scared of me or something. I've told you and told you I don't expect you to work all the time and don't want you to do that."

"But Frank always said no house could be too clean and he got upset when he came in from working hard and I was resting. I"

"Whoa there again Crystal. Do I look like Frank? Do you see me resting from time to time? Have I ever said or done anything that made you think I cared if you read a book or played with your kids? Dammit woman I hired you to watch my kids and told you that it was ok to just stay here during the day while you weren't working. You were the one who offered to do some cooking and light housework for me in addition to that." I smiled and continued, "I would take it as a personal favor if you would just chill a little and relax around me. Ok?"

Crystal gave me a tentative smile and nodded her head yes. "I'll try but I don't know if I can do that Dean."

Over the next couple of days Crystal got better about jumping up and beginning to work when I came in. Sometimes if I stayed in the house for long she couldn't stand it and came to do something but she was better. One afternoon I had just begun working after a ten minute stop for lunch when my damn planter broke. A wheel bearing froze up and this of course stopped the wheel from turning correctly. I was screwed. I unhitched the tractor and tore off for the shop and my tools. Crystal was in the yard watching her kids play on the swing set when I came roaring into the lot. She watched as I dove off the tractor and headed for the house. I was already on the phone when she followed me into my office.

Crystal stood listening while I explained my problem to the implement dealer. I was leafing through my planter manual while I talked. We got all the preliminaries out of the way and he checked to see if they had the necessary parts in stock so I could make the repairs. I told him I would be in as soon as I could.

I hung up and was muttering to myself about the damn two hour drive there and back and the time I was going to lose on the repair. I felt and heard Crystal walk up behind me. She put her hand on my shoulder. I jumped at her touch and turned toward her. This was the first time I had been touched by a woman in almost three months. It surprised me and was strangely comforting at the same time. Crystal said, "Dean I heard what you said to the implement dealer. I can drive into town and pick up the part for you if you want me to. That way you can begin tearing the damaged part out and maybe you can get back to work faster."

I looked into Crystals eyes and saw the worry there. I also felt myself relaxing a little at the little reduction of pressure on my time. Hell, why not I thought. I can pay her for the trip and she can use my truck. It would save me at least two or three hours on the repair. I felt myself smiling and said, "Sure, why not. Thank you Crystal. That would be a big help. I need you to take my truck though since this is farm business. When you get back could you bring it across the stream to where I'm working? When you get through the band of trees you will be able to see the machinery in the field from there."

Crystal smiled and said, "No problem Dean." She turned back to the kitchen door and said, "Kids come on. We have to go to town for Mr. Thomas. Hurry now. We have to hurry and get a part for his planter so he can get back to work."

Much to my surprise Crystal and the kids had their child seats moved from her old rattle trap mustang to the rear seat of my Super Crew and were driving down my lane before I had my repair trailer hooked to the tractor. I was on my way back to the field to begin my repairs less than thirty minutes from breaking down.

When I got to the field I began disassembling the planter for the repair. I found a weld that had broken and I rewelded it. I had some trouble getting the wheel and old bearing off. The race had gotten so hot it had partially welded itself to the shaft. I had only been done with the disassembly a few minutes when Crystal came driving into sight. I had heard her roaring through the stream and was worried because I had forgotten to ask her if she knew how to put the truck into 4 wheel drive. Many times you needed to do that because the rocks were slick and the bank steep coming out.

When Crystal got to me she jumped out of the truck and reached into it for the parts. She turned toward me and smiled. She had a bag from the parts store in one hand and a large 44 oz insulated cup with ice tea in the other. I reached for the parts and she shook her head, "Uh, UH," She said. You look like you need a drink right now. It won't take you too long for some tea then you can get back to work."

I smiled and took the drink. I downed it in less than a minute then she handed me the bag of parts. I turned to work. I had been working for a couple minutes when I felt a presence beside me. I looked up and little Tim was squatting beside me watching. He didn't say a word. I smiled and returned to my task. I felt another shadow this time and looked up again. Crystal was standing behind Tim with Sissy on her hip watching me also.

I worked on. My audience didn't say a word or move. Finally after almost two more hours I tightened the last bolt and stood. Crystal moved back and Tim stood to watch me. I was followed back and forth as I replaced the tools in my tool box on the repair trailer.

I had told Crystal three times she didn't have to stay but she had. She had only returned to the house once and that was to pick up my kids when they got back from school. I looked at my audience and then turned to crystal. "I'm going to take off down the field and see if it works ok. Would you mind waiting a minute for me to get back?"

She nodded her head and I continued. "If everything's ok can you take the trailer back to the shop if I hook it up for you?"

"I suppose I can try but I wouldn't want to break it. I've never pulled a trailer before."

"It's pretty easy Crystal. Just park the truck in front of the shop and I'll put it away when I get back. Just go slowly when you go through the creek and it'll be ok."

I worked through supper that night and kept on until almost midnight. I had finished planting my corn and took off for the house. Tomorrow I would begin preparing the field for the soy beans I would plant later.

I pulled up to the house and almost all the lights were on in the kitchen and living room. I just pulled the tractor into the shed and left it hooked to the planter. I started the truck and pulled it in beside the tractor. I would unhook everything in the morning.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Crystal standing by the stove. She was standing there in an old T-shirt. From the way she moved I didn't think there was anything but her under it either. She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled. "Why don't you go clean up? I'll have your supper warmed up when you get back Dean."

"Crystal you didn't have to do this. I'm sorry I worked so late. I forgot you have to drive all the way back to Jackie's. Everything was going so well I just kept on pushing to get done."

Crystal smiled and said, "Don't worry about it. I could have come and got you if I needed to leave. I called Jackie and told her you were still in the field." She looked a little unsure of herself for a moment then continued, "I told her if you didn't mind I would just sleep here on the couch tonight since it is so late? I really hate to wake the kids up and everything."

"Well I do mind Crystal. I was thoughtless and I don't want you sleeping on my couch tonight."

I stopped when I saw the shocked look on Crystal's face. "OH SHIT! Crystal I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant I was sorry I worked so late and I wanted you to sleep in my guest room instead of the couch. There's no reason for you to sleep on the couch when you can use the bed. Oh, I bet you put your kids in there didn't you?"

Crystal almost whispered, "No. They all wanted to sleep with your two so I put Tim in bed with Howard and Sissy with Stacy. That's ok isn't it?"

I grinned and took a step toward Crystal then stopped. "Yeah that's fine Crystal. I'm sorry I said what I did earlier. It's fine if you stay here tonight and any other nights I get a wild hair and work too late again." I turned and walked to my Master Bath to clean up.

When I came back to the kitchen I found Crystal dishing up one of my favorite meals. She had made a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and whole kernel corn. It looked wonderful and tasted even better. Of course a two day old road kill skunk would have been good about then. I hadn't eaten anything since a sandwich at lunch.

The weeks flew past. My work was going better than it had in years. Crystal became almost indispensable. She seemed to almost take over the house and yard. She even began caring for the chickens and doing some of the work around the hog pen. I lost track of how many trips she made into town for me to get parts or seed or something. She was more help than any of my wives had been and two of them had grown up on a farm. Many nights I worked late she and the kids would sleep over. After they began staying so often I suggested she leave some of their clothes at the house so they would have them if they needed them.