rebel
02-03-2009, 07:31 PM
Old Homesteader
(C) Copyright 2007 LaMar Alexander
The fancy SUV pulled up in front of the old homesteaders cabin and
out stepped a young city kid. "Hello old timer" he yells. "I sure
like your cabin." The old man rocking on the front porch nods
suspiciously and goes back to whittling. "I've always wanted to to
live like you." the young man goes on "I'd love to give up my 9 to 5
rat race and get back to my homesteader roots." The old man spits
and says "Well come on up here and sit a spell and I'll tell you
what yer in for."
"You see, this cabin was built with my own two hands. No power tools
or chainsaws, every log, every nail, and every cuss word was put
here by me. You see that smoke out of the chimney there ? Well that
don't come free. Each morning I have to lug in wood that I chopped
the day before. Sometimes the fire starts and sometimes it dont. If
it dont then I'll be cold and so will my coffee and porridge".
You see that little shack out there in the toolies, well thats my
outhouse. No indoors plumbing here now son. In the night its a
mighty cold run from the cabin to the john and in the summer always
check the seat for spiders. Its put down there so's the smell don't
drive away the skunks. Over yonder you see my trickle well. Thats my
sink and tub. Each day I haul in buckets of water to wash my dishes
and my face. If you want it hot well you better bring in more wood.
Now back behond the cabin is my garden full of taters, corn, and
squash. To tell the truth, I hanker for one of them big mac
sandwiches I heard about. Those rows get mighty hard to hoe and the
weeds get tougher every year. theres no fridge or freezer so things
spoil 'fore there et'. In that shed over there is my tractor that
won't run 'cuz lack of gas. Theres wild chickens running round and
if I find there stash I can have an egg. I've raised cows but they
take pasture and hay which I aint got. Hogs are easier but you gotta
have good pens or they'll be gone one morning. In the winter I
survive off what I put away in the season. In good years I get by
and in bad years I go hungry. I can't afford a car no more 'cuz
nothing left to sell and I haven't seen the town in 20 years now.
Theres no lights 'cept for candles and the sun when it shines. No tv
or radio and no newspapers come my way".
"So if your really interested- I'll gladly make a deal. You trade
me your house in town and you can have this cabin today ?"
The old man stops talking to see the dust flying from the rear of
the SUV tearing down his old dirt lane.
"Well I'll be darned!" he says, and goes back to whittling with a
smile on his face.
(C) Copyright 2007 LaMar Alexander
The fancy SUV pulled up in front of the old homesteaders cabin and
out stepped a young city kid. "Hello old timer" he yells. "I sure
like your cabin." The old man rocking on the front porch nods
suspiciously and goes back to whittling. "I've always wanted to to
live like you." the young man goes on "I'd love to give up my 9 to 5
rat race and get back to my homesteader roots." The old man spits
and says "Well come on up here and sit a spell and I'll tell you
what yer in for."
"You see, this cabin was built with my own two hands. No power tools
or chainsaws, every log, every nail, and every cuss word was put
here by me. You see that smoke out of the chimney there ? Well that
don't come free. Each morning I have to lug in wood that I chopped
the day before. Sometimes the fire starts and sometimes it dont. If
it dont then I'll be cold and so will my coffee and porridge".
You see that little shack out there in the toolies, well thats my
outhouse. No indoors plumbing here now son. In the night its a
mighty cold run from the cabin to the john and in the summer always
check the seat for spiders. Its put down there so's the smell don't
drive away the skunks. Over yonder you see my trickle well. Thats my
sink and tub. Each day I haul in buckets of water to wash my dishes
and my face. If you want it hot well you better bring in more wood.
Now back behond the cabin is my garden full of taters, corn, and
squash. To tell the truth, I hanker for one of them big mac
sandwiches I heard about. Those rows get mighty hard to hoe and the
weeds get tougher every year. theres no fridge or freezer so things
spoil 'fore there et'. In that shed over there is my tractor that
won't run 'cuz lack of gas. Theres wild chickens running round and
if I find there stash I can have an egg. I've raised cows but they
take pasture and hay which I aint got. Hogs are easier but you gotta
have good pens or they'll be gone one morning. In the winter I
survive off what I put away in the season. In good years I get by
and in bad years I go hungry. I can't afford a car no more 'cuz
nothing left to sell and I haven't seen the town in 20 years now.
Theres no lights 'cept for candles and the sun when it shines. No tv
or radio and no newspapers come my way".
"So if your really interested- I'll gladly make a deal. You trade
me your house in town and you can have this cabin today ?"
The old man stops talking to see the dust flying from the rear of
the SUV tearing down his old dirt lane.
"Well I'll be darned!" he says, and goes back to whittling with a
smile on his face.