Harley's Story Chapter 65

Telling His Folks About the Money

Harley was up early, thinking he would make coffee for everyone else. When he got to the kitchen, Mike was there already and had the coffee pot on the stove. He decided to talk to Mike about the money. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he hoped Mike would understand.

Harley began, “Mike, I have something I have to tell you before my parents get out here. It’s pretty bad, but just hear me out, please.”

Mike looked at him with surprise. “Did you kill someone?”

Harley whipped around where he stood and asked, “Are you crazy? How do you figure I killed someone?”

“Well,” asked Mike, “you said it was bad. I just figure killing someone is pretty darn bad.”

“Believe me, I did not kill anyone. But someone killed my dream of college for right now,” Harley explained.

“What? How’s that?”

“Mike, I had $325.00 I earned at my uncle’s ranch. He bought me a ticket to Sacramento to see my mother’s Aunt Polly. I had the money in my suitcase, and it was stolen on the train trip to see her. It happened at one of the stops and by the time I discovered it was gone, it was too late. The thief had gotten off the train at that stop and there was no way to locate him. All of my money for the University of Iowa is gone. There is no way I will ever see that money again, and I have no idea how to tell my mother and father. No idea…what am I supposed to do?” Harley pleaded with his friend.

“Heck, that won’t be easy,” Mike agreed. “It’s going to be rough on them, buddy. Are you going to tell them this morning? Do you want me to hang around or do you want me to go? I could just go start the chores; you could come and get me when you are done. Your mother’s is going to be walking out here any minute.”

“Thanks, Mike, I was thinking you would be heading home with your dad’s car. It would be super if you could stay.” Harley hesitated, then suggested, “I kind of want to do it alone, but I really want to talk to you some more about this. Could you start the chores and I’ll holler down to you? I want to get this over with first thing this morning, okay?”

“Absolutely, Harley,” Mike agreed. “And I want to hear more about your trip. More about the rails, the ranch, everything. I’ll head down to the barn and you go wake up your folks, or just start the sausage. That always wakes up your father!”

“Thank you, Mike. Really, thanks a lot,” Harley said as he took the sausage from the icebox.

Mike went down to the barn and Harley started the sausage. He heard his father making his way down the hall to the bathroom with his cane. Harley smiled as he thought about how his father had beat the doctors’ predictions that he would never walk again. As he took the eggs from the ice box he marveled at the parents he had, at the personal trials they had survived: the fire and rebuilding the farmhouse, his father riding the rails to the wheat fields, and his father’s stroke. His mother and his father had overcome all of those things. It was terribly hard times all over the country, and especially for farmers, but his folks still had their farm and each other, and they believed there had to be better times ahead.

Harley also knew that his parents planned on him being an important part of those better times. He was supposed to go to college and have an easier life than Lena and Charley. Even as he was thinking that, a bolt of optimism hit him. He would be going to college! He was going to have to tell his parents about the theft, but then he was going to find a way. He was!

“Harley, is that you out there in the kitchen?” Lena’s voice came from the back of the house.

“Yes, Mother. I have the coffee and sausage started. Dad is in the bathroom,” he answered.

“Don’t start the eggs yet, son. Sometimes your father is in there for a while,” Lena informed him.

Harley poured himself a cup of coffee and turned off the sausage. It could wait in the pan. As Harley sipped his coffee and waited, he gradually realized that he was now looking forward to telling his parents about the money. Yowzah, that was a strange feeling! He couldn’t wait to tell them! He thought for a moment and figured out what was going on in his head. It had to be the beginning of the answer to his problem. He would tell his parents and then go into town with Mike. He wanted to see Mr. Flynn, who had told him to let him know if he ever needed anything. Harley needed advice! Mr. Flynn knew how to make money, and Harley needed to learn how right away! Surely Mr. Flynn would have some ideas. His parents might have some ideas, too, and of course he would listen to them first, but money came slowly in the farming business, and he needed money before second semester started in January.

When his mother came into the kitchen, she gave him a hug around the neck from behind. He reached for her arm and squeezed it affectionately.

“Good morning, son,” she said.

“Good morning, Mother. Is Dad coming soon? Should I start the eggs now?”

“Sure, go ahead. He will be here when he hears the sizzle, trust me,” Lena laughed at bit. “Your father is not a man who would miss a meal, you know that!”

Harley laughed, too. He was now excited to talk to his parents about his problem. He was looking forward to solving it. He actually felt energized. On one hand, this newly-found optimism seemed strange, but he also looked forward to the challenge and felt totally invigorated. He realized he was actually smiling.

Charley appeared in the doorway. “Good morning, Harley. How are you? Well, that big smile tells me a lot! Glad to be home, son?” asked his father.

“Yessiree! I am, Dad. Ready for breakfast?” Harley answered.

“Yep,” Charley answered, as he made his way to his usual place at the kitchen table. He leaned his cane in the corner by the door. The square table had one side pushed against the wall, so there were only three chairs. It was covered with a piece of dark blue and white checkered oilcloth, just like when he left months ago. There was a black and white cow cream pitcher with a matching sugar bowl. The salt and pepper shakers were two roosters, and there was a simple pressed glass toothpick holder. The painted cast iron napkin holder had a meal blessing written on it.

Harley had the sausage and eggs on three plates almost instantly and put each at a place on the table. He made sure his parents each had a fresh cup of hot coffee in front of them, and then he pulled up his chair and reached for a napkin to put in his lap. He knew his mother would still expect him to use the manners he was taught.

“These eggs look wonderful, Harley,” complimented his mother.

“So, fill us in on a little bit more of your trip, son,” instructed Charley. “Then we need to get on with those chores!”

“Mike is on the chores right now,” Harley explained. “He went on down to the barn quite a bit ago, so I could talk to you two alone.”

“Why?” asked Lena, “You have a secret or something?”

“No, Mother, but I have something more I need to tell you.”

Harley began by giving a few more details about his hobo friends. Lena’s concern about his companions showed on her brow, but Harley kept smiling at her, hopefully relaying the positivity he was feeling. He again skipped over the parts when he got lice from the blanket on the way to Denver and the time when he almost didn’t make it while running to board the train on the way out of Denver. Harley gave a few more details about caring for the apples and the sheep and about how the other men were going to stay on permanently for Uncle Gene. By then, his mother was nodding with approval. Charley appeared to be proud of a son with so many new ranching skills. Harley felt ready to get to the bad news.

“So, I was on the train to Sacramento to see Aunt Polly. We stopped at some little town just briefly and I stepped out on the platform at the end of the passenger car. I could see one of the hobo jungles, and I stood there for a little bit counting my blessings. When the train started up, I went back to my seat. The fella who had been sitting next to me was gone, and…so was my suitcase. He stole it and got off the train,” Harley said, pausing and looking at his parents.

“Where was your money?” Lena asked, her voice changing pitch. She cleared her throat. “He didn’t get your money, did he?” She looked at him pleadingly.

“Yes, Mother. He stole my money. All of it. $325.00.”

Lena's head sank onto her crossed arms on the table.

Then Harley hastened to add, “But, it’s going to be all right, Mother. I am going to college still! Don’t worry.”

“Don’t worry? Have you gone plum crazy?” Lena was sputtering. “What do you mean? Did you get the money back?”

“No, the conductor wired back to the station where the thief got off, but he was long gone. I won’t see that money again, but I am going to get more money, you’ll see. I don’t want you to worry!”

Lena started to say something else, but her husband waved his hand to quiet her. Charley asked, “What is your plan, son? Where is that much money going to come from? That was four months of earnest labor, and you only have about six weeks before the second semester starts in Iowa City. There’s no paid farm work to do this time of year!” Both of his parents seemed pretty alarmed and upset. He tried to calm them.

“Listen, I know this sounds bad. I basically have to start over, but I am healthy and smart. I kind of have a plan. I am going to talk to Uncle Lynn and Mr. Flynn. They are both good businessmen, and they both offered me advice and help if I ever needed it. I sure do need help now, so I am going to try to go see both of them today. Mike will drive me when we finish the chores if that’s okay with you. I mean, I really need to get started.”

Lena asked quietly, “Started at what, Harley? How is this possible?”

“Mother, I don’t know yet how it is possible, but I believe that it is.”

She spoke again, “Is there some way your father and I can help you? You know we don’t have any money to spare at all right now.”

Harley looked at his mother’s sad face. “Please, I guess you are going to have to believe, too. Don’t be sad. Smile. I am going to go to college. Just believe in me.”

Charley finally spoke again. “You know, Lena, this boy has accomplished a lot already. He helped rebuild this house, he finished high school. He went clear to the west coast and earned a lot of money. I believe he can do whatever he sets his mind to. We believe in you, son. Right, Lena?” He reached across the table and took Lena’s hand. “Right, Lena?” he repeated.

“Yes, we do,” confirmed Lena. “You let us know what you get worked out, Harley. We believe in you and will help any way we can.” Sadness and shock still dominated her face, but she managed a tiny smile of encouragement.

Harley was overwhelmed with appreciation. He grabbed his parents’ hands where they were clasped in the middle of the morning meal. “Thank you. Thank you,” he said earnestly. “May I go help Mike finish now? I’ll tell you all the rest about California and Aunt Polly tonight, I promise!

“Get goin’, son. Those animals need breakfast, too,” urged his father. “We’ll talk some more when you get home. You’ll be home for dinner, right? I’m gonna need some help with the evening chores."

“I’ll be back as quick as I can,” Harley assured them. “Chores will be done before dinner.”

Harley bounded down the back stairs and headed for the barn. He suspected Mike had finished with the chores a long time ago and was just waiting for the signal to come back to the house. As Harley raced around the corner of the garage, there stood Mike. He nearly knocked Mike over!

“Mike, are the chores done? How soon can we leave for town?” Harley asked.

“Let’s get cleaned up and go,” answered Mike.

They raced to the house and Harley won, so he had dibs on the first shower.