We escaped another major snow event over the weekend. Things had been thawing out nicely with much of the snow dwindling down to respectable levels. It seems now that the warm up was just a tease, a mere brush with spring. With the return of below twenty degree temperatures my resolve and sanity is being tested to the max! I liken it to past conversations with my Pap concerning the River.
When I had limited time, my ability to return to the River was dictated by the rule of life. Work, family, household chores and raising small fruit kept me busy… too busy. In June I would be picking flats of sweet red strawberries, harvested from early morning dew. My kitchen was infused with the aromatic flavor and the phone rang. “Hello Mike, This is Russell LaDue… you know your father? I was wondering if you are coming up this weekend? You cannot believe how calm the River is. Not a ripple, just some waves from fishermen out enjoying the day.”
“Pap, you know that the berries are on and that I have to keep after them. I have two more rows to harvest and a few deliveries to make. After that I will be on my way up to see you.” Now his conversations on the phone tended to be a bit drawn out, once he got a hold of me he did not like to let go. “Berries are on? Are you getting a lot of em? Do you think that you will have enough to bring me a few quarts? You know they freeze real nice and that I would enjoy them all summer.” “Yes Pap, I’ll bring some for you and the Renders too. Mrs. Render wants to make a batch of jam.”
“Mike, while I have you on the phone, are the cherries ready yet? It seems with the warm weather that they will be on soon, if not now. You should check to see if any are turning yet. You know that cherries are my favorite.” “Pap, I’ll take a look, you might be right, if there are some ready I’ll pick them too.” “Good, hey if yours aren’t ready maybe you will see some at the roadside stands on the way up. I’ll take a few quarts of them too if you find some. Boy that river is calm, as calm as I have seen it in my life!”
“That’s great Pap… I’ll be up as soon as you cut me loose from this phone line. I can’t be in two places at once and the longer you gab the longer it will be before you get some fruit!” He let out an exhaustive sigh; “That’s your trouble your always in a hurry and never take time to enjoy the day. How long before you get here? I’ll be looking for you by noon, with the way you drive on that expressway. That’s another thing; you are always going so fast that you don’t even get to enjoy the scenery. Do you remember the trips we used to make together? I always took my time and gave you the chance to see new things. You should slow down a bit; it would be good for you.”
“You’re probably right Pap. Just as soon as I get there I will get out on that flat River and take in all that it has to offer.” Three hours later and after a few stops, I pulled into our drive to see the River with white capped waves. Pap was standing in the drive looking down towards the River; “Did you remember to bring the berries? You won’t believe it but that river was calm right up until twenty minutes ago. Maybe it will settle by night fall, it usually does.”
I handed him a quart of strawberries and he indulged in proper fashion. He packed them away until his bristled chin turned red from the sweet juice. About half way through the depleting quart, he began to poke around in search of his beloved cherries. “Ahh… there they are, hand em over!” I held out the quart and he lit into them as if he had not had a thing to eat all day long. “Pap, you know what I think. I think that River has been rolling like that since I talked to you on the phone. I think you were casting out the bait, knowing that I would expedite my efforts, for your own selfish gain.”
The corner of his juice covered mouth rose a bit at my accusation. “Now… do you really think that I would be capable of devising such an elaborate scheme for a few berries… really?” YES!
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