Читать книгу Watershed - Mark Barr - Страница 18

CHAPTER TEN

ON MARKET DAY, WHEN HE WAS IN TOWN, THE RED-HAIRED boy would sometimes drift down to the big elm where the other young people gathered while waiting for their families to finish the day’s errands.

Kids that were older than him, teenagers mostly, would sit against the tree to smoke and talk. Most often their discussions were about Memphis, where things happened, where there was nightlife and excitement. In their talk it was a given that they were missing out on something, that their lives in Dawsonville were a cheaper version of what they could be in the city. Memphis was out there through the trees, across the river. They would spit towards the road, studying it, as if it held some secrets by merit of it winding its way west to where the buildings grew up tall and the night shone with electric light. He was too young to fully understand the draw, but he felt it in a vicarious sort of way when the older boys talked of it. He wanted to understand.

“After the harvest is in,” one of them said, “I’m taking my pay and going. My parents can’t stop me. I’m old enough now.”

“You think there’s work to be had?” another asked.

“Shoot, I’ll do anything, as long as it’ll keep a roof over my head. No city job can be as tough as farming.”

The red-haired boy glanced around at the others. The younger boys made no attempt to hide the awe on their faces. Could it be done?

“’Sides,” the plotter continued, “I’ll find me one of the career women that lives by herself. I’ll slip in there and have her cooking for me and paying half the rent, too.”

“Hell,” another one said, grinning. “Those city girls will chew you down to a nub. They’re different than these we have here.” The others laughed at this.

A third spoke up. He was small for his age, with brown hair that hung in his eyes. “Electricity ain’t going to make this place no Memphis.” He scowled. “But at least y’all will have electricity. My pa says he’ll take his gun to the man that tries to wire up our place. He says he don’t trust ’em.”

And they all nodded at the truth of it.