The Quiet Man

"Wow. So if you harvest the maximum from the hives and manage to rent all them to farmers you could make $37,500 gross. That's pretty good. How much work will you have to do for that?"

"Really, not much. The hardest part is if I have to move hives from place to place, and, of course, when I rob the hives. During the winter I have to check the hives to be sure the bees have enough to eat and if they don't I'll have to mix up some sugar water to feed them with, but otherwise, it's just mostly sitting around waiting for the honey to be made. Oh, I have to check the hives along for diseases and pests, but it's not a daily thing by any means. I'll still have time to do other things unless I get really big and I don't intend to do that. My big worry now, other than losing my hives to disease or something, is how I'll ever manage to sell all the honey I harvest. I don't plan to try and rent nearly all the hives either. I won't advertise hives for rent, but if the farmer is close I might do it on a case by case basis."

Chrystal laughed and said, "Wow, Mr. Moneybags. Your big worry is how to find someone to pay you for something you basically get for free." Tom started to reply and Chrystal held her hand up to stop him then hurriedly continued, "I know it's not like that, Tom. I know you have to work to get the honey ready to sell and you have an investment in the business, so it's not really free. I also remember you saying how fast the honey sold when you took it to the market. I suspect you won't have much trouble getting rid of your harvest."

"I hope you're right. I would hate to have a lot of honey and no way to get rid of it. I know I can wholesale it to larger packers if I have to, but not only do I not know how to do that, I don't want to take wholesale prices for my honey. I guess I'll just have to see how things work out."

"Yeah, I guess you will. Well, I need to go, Tom. I can't believe I've sat here this long. I bet you haven't had your supper yet and I've kept you from it. I'm sorry. I really need to get back to that darn book, too."

Just before she stepped off the porch, Chrystal turned to Tom and said, "If you need a little help tomorrow, or any time for that matter, let me know. My work is sort of like your honey operation. There's nothing I can't delay for a short time unless I have a rapidly approaching deadline, and I try not to get in a bind where I have to hurry through a manuscript. I have plenty of time to do this one I'm working on, and I think it would be neat to watch and to help you with the bees."

"Okay, thanks but I think I can handle it okay. Unless you have the protective clothes you wouldn't be much help robbing hives or splitting them anyway. The only hectic part is extracting the honey and putting it in the jars. Sometimes I could use a hand there just to make it go faster. I really don't have a fast efficient operation there. I already know I have to add onto the basement room and rearrange it to make it more efficient."

The next evening Chrystal once again walked over to see Tom. She found him standing in his honey processing room looking at a shelf filled with jars of honey. He had some quart jars, some pint jars, and some 8-ounce jelly jars filled with the golden elixir. Some of each type jar had comb honey, some without the comb. She walked up beside Tom and said, "Wow, that sure is pretty. How much is there?"

"This is everything from the first harvest. I got a little over 1,500 pounds of honey from the 27 hives I purchased. Now I have to get it sold. I'm going to take about half of this to the farmer's market Saturday in Chattanooga to see how well I do."

"Oh, that sounds like fun. You mind if I come with you? I can help with things, too."

"You're welcome to come if you want, but I plan to leave about 7 AM. and I don't know when I'll get back home. I'll leave either when I sell what I took or when the crowd dies down."

"Not a problem. I'll bring my laptop and if you don't need me I can work on that darn manuscript." She looked at the glistening jars for a moment then said, "You know, you really need a label for the jars. What are you calling your business?"

"Heck, I don't know. I guess I do sort of need a label, but that's just another expense I'd rather not have."

"Well, I think you need something. I mean, use a label with your name or business name on it and your phone number and maybe even your address. You might generate some business that way. Sort of free advertising. We really need to think of something."

The next morning the two friends arrived and had their display set up well before the market officially opened at 9:00 AM. To his surprise, Tom began selling his honey even before the public arrived. Many of the other farmer's bought honey for their personal use when they found out Tom had it. As the last time, his produce languished somewhat, but the honey flew off the truck.

From time to time there were enough people milling around that Chrystal would put her computer down and help Tom with his sales. She seemed to be a natural and got along much better with the people than did Tom. Many of the people would see her working and move to the line that had formed in front of her, leaving the one in front of Tom.

After one rush Chrystal smiled and gently touched Tom's forearm before she said, "Tom, this is a real hoot. I love the way people mill around and buy your honey and produce. So many of them are such fun to talk to, also. I'm so glad you let me come with you. I still think you need a name for your business, though. I've been thinking off and on all morning trying to come up with one. It's sort of hokey but the only thing I can come up with is BEE U TIFUL GARDENS APIARY. We could have a slogan A BEE U TIFUL PRODUCT TO SWEETEN YOUR DAY. What do you think?

Tom laughed and said, "I think it's pretty corny but I sure can't come up with anything. I really don't care. It seems as if everything's selling okay without a label so why bother?"

"OH, you," Chrystal said. She turned her computer toward Tom and said, "Here, look. I've even designed a label for you. I think it's kind of neat and catchy." The label showed a bee in a diaphanous negligee in a garden of flowers. The label said 'BEE U TIFUL GARDENS APIARY, all natural raw honey, 1 Porter Lane, Hooterville, TN, and Tom's phone number.

Tom said, "Wow, this must have taken a long time to design. I thought you were working on your editing. I have to admit this looks sort of catchy."

Another group of customers strolled up and the two friends returned to the business at hand. By one PM, he was out of honey and decided to return home. He only sold about half the produce they brought.

When they got home he drove up in Chrystal's driveway and turned to her. Tom said, "Thanks for going Chrystal. I really enjoyed your company and your help made things go much easier. I would have been swamped without you there to help. Can you use the produce we brought back home? I have more than I need at home and this is really too good to feed to the animals."

"Are you sure Tom? I can't eat this before it goes bad, but I can freeze and can it for the winter if you don't want it."

"Fine. As long as you can use it, take it. Now, I feel as if I owe you something for helping me. How does $10.00 an hour sound?"

"NO. Absolutely not. I had fun and I asked to go with you. I won't take any pay for going. Besides, you just gave me a lot of garden produce. I'll call the trade even. Now, that's the last word on this subject."

"But..."

"NO. Case closed."

Tom sighed and said, "You're as hard headed as your mom and grandparents. Okay, but you have to come over to my place tomorrow for lunch. I'll make the traditional Sunday fried chicken dinner and all the fixin's."

"Okay, that sounds like fun. I know I shouldn't, but I really hate Sundays. We always used to have some kind of family time Sunday, and now it's only me. The day is so long and boring now. I really appreciate this Tom. What time should I come?"

"Heck, I don't care. I have to admit, Sunday is normally just another day to me. I don't go to church or anything. If you go to church, come right after and I'll have lunch a little later. If you don't go to church we can have lunch at noon. Either way, come whenever you feel like it. Heck, if you want, come down early and we'll have coffee and spend the whole day loafing."

"That sounds like a plan. I only go to church on special days. If you don't mind I'll come early for coffee. I make some awesome sticky buns. How about if I bring them to go with the coffee?"

"Great. We'll make a day of it," Tom said. He opened his door and got out of the truck. As he reached into the bed for some of the produce, he asked, "Where do you want this stuff?"

Chrystal quickly walked to the rear of the truck and picked up a box of tomatoes then started for the house. As she turned she said, "We'll put it in the kitchen for now. Thanks again for giving it to me."

After the veggies were all inside, Chrystal and Tom walked back outside to his truck. Tom looked at her for a moment, smiled and said, "Well, guess I'll see ya tomorrow. Thanks again for coming with me today."

"You're welcome, again. I really did have fun." Chrystal smiled at Tom touched his arm and stepped back from the truck. As he got into his truck, Chrystal started for her house. After she was a few feet from the truck, she stopped and turned toward the driveway. She saw Tom watching her and smiled. Tom looked guilty, gave her a wave and started his truck. Chrystal stood watching as he turned around and drove down her driveway toward the road and his home.

After she got into her house, Chrystal walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of the almost sickening syrupy sweet ice tea southerners seem to live on. She sat at the table for a moment then stood. She gathered up a couple of knives, two dishpans and a bag of the corn they had carried into the house. She carried these items out onto the back porch and placed them on the table then walked back inside for a wash tub which she took out and put in front of a chair turned 90 degrees to the table.

Chrystal sat and began shucking and cleaning the fresh corn. After she had cleaned all the ears of corn she began cutting it off the cob into one of the dishpans. She worked steadily until all except two dozen of the largest, most perfect ears were cut. Carolyn put the corn shucks and cobs in the back of her small truck to take to Tom's in the morning. She would leave them for him to feed to his livestock. Waste not, want not. You could feed people and animals from the same plant.

After she returned from carrying the refuse to her truck, she brought out several quart zip-lock bags and began filling them with the corn. By 8 PM, Chrystal had all the corn bagged and in her freezer. She had four packages of six ears of corn on the cob and 38 quarts of cut off whole kernel corn.

Chrystal quickly mixed together her recipe for sticky bun dough in her bread machine. After she had the dough started, she slapped together a sandwich and sat at her table eating the sandwich and chips while she drank yet another glass of the sweet tea she loved so much. She was exhausted but happier than she had been in several weeks. She looked at the bushel and half of tomatoes she still had to work up and sighed. They could wait for another day.

After she finished her supper, Chrystal wandered into the master bath and ran a tub of hot water for a good soak. She almost fell asleep in the tub but was roused from her stupor when she heard the bread machine beep, letting her know the dough was ready. She quickly got out of the tub, dried off and went into the kitchen to finish the buns. She almost went to sleep while she waited for the dough to rise once again. After the buns had risen enough, she put them into the refrigerator and went into her bedroom. She set the alarm to get her up early so she could bake the buns and still get to Tom's about 8 AM.

When Tom got home, he was almost at a loss. He was tired from his day but upbeat, wired. He felt as if he should be doing something, but he didn't have anything that he could do in the time he had left before it got too dark to work. He finally went to his bee workshop and worked on repairs to a couple of the older hives he hadn't used yet. He didn't get much work done, however. He found himself thinking about the day and how Chrystal looked while she was helping customers and about the upcoming meal on Sunday. Finally, about eight, he gave up and returned to his house.

On the way back to the house, he decided to go down to the river and cool off with a swim. By the time he got back home, he was tired enough and relaxed enough to go to bed. He had some trouble getting to sleep because he was so excited about Chrystal coming down to spend the day with him the next day.

Tom was up at his normal time Sunday morning, and without thinking, followed his normal schedule. He rolled out of bed at 6 AM, did the necessaries upon arising, dressed in his running outfit and took off down his lane for his run. As usual, ten miles and seventy minutes later, Tom trotted back down his driveway and moved immediately to his other exercises and a few Kata's. He was still going through his Kata's when he heard a vehicle in his driveway. Since it was a nice morning he had been practicing in the shade of his front yard. He looked up and saw Chrystal's truck come into sight.

Chrystal parked beside Tom's truck and got out. She walked over near where he was and said, "Good morning, Tom. I'm sorry I interrupted you. I thought I was supposed to come over for coffee this morning."

Tom smiled and wiped his face with a towel as he walked over to Chrystal. He said, "You were. I'm the one who should apologize. I lost track of time. I'm so used to exercising every morning when I get up, I just took off this morning like I normally do. I usually finish between 8 and 8:30, and I haven't been paying much attention to the clock.

Tom started for the house and said, "Come on in. I probably smell like a horse. Could you give me a minute for a quick shower? The coffee should be done by then and we can come back out and sit in the shade and enjoy the morning."

Chrystal followed Tom into the house and watched while he put the coffee together. As he started for the bathroom she said, "OH! I forgot. I brought the corn shucks and cobs over for you to feed your animals. Tell me where you want them and I can unload them while you shower."

"Good grief, you worked the corn up after we got home last night? You must be exhausted. How long did it take you?"

"Yeah, I did, but it only took a couple of hours."

"You should have said something. I would have helped you. I just knocked around looking for something to do after I got home. Next time, let me know and I'll help you. As for the shucks and cobs, if you don't mind, throw the shucks into the calf lot for the cattle to eat and split the cobs between the chicken coop and the pigpen. Oh, heck, it won't take long. Come on, I'll help you."

"NO. It's not that hard and I can do it for you. Now go on and get your shower."

Tom allowed Chrystal to convince him to clean up and went grudgingly to do so. To his surprise when he came out dressed in a better than normal summer outfit of shorts and button-front shirt, he found Chrystal coming in the door with a large pan of wonderful smelling, still warm from the oven, sticky rolls. She undulated into his kitchen and he stood admiring the rear view.

She placed the pan of rolls on his granite counter top beside the coffee pot and turned to ask where the cups and plates were. She smiled when she saw Tom watching her. She let him look for a moment then asked, "Where are the cups, plates and silverware, Tom?"

Tom came to himself with a start and moved toward Chrystal. As he neared her, he said, "The cups and dishes are in the cabinet over the coffee. I'll get the forks."

Chrystal dished up two rolls onto each plate, filled two large mugs with coffee and stood while Tom put a fork on each plate. He asked, "Do you need cream or sugar for the coffee?"

"Nope, just like it comes from the pot for me."

"Great. Come on, let's go outside and enjoy the morning while we have our coffee."

Tom started for the door, then stopped and returned to the kitchen. When Chrystal realized he wasn't following her she turned in time to see him put his plate and cup on the counter and open the refrigerator freezer. He took a package from the freezer and put it in the sink then picked up his rolls and coffee. Chrystal watched as Tom moved toward her before giving a little shake and turning toward the door once again.

When he got closer to Chrystal, Tom said, "I almost forgot to get the chicken out to thaw. We'll sit and visit a while, then I need to come in and peel the potatoes and get things ready to cook. I'm really looking forward to lunch today. This is one of my favorite meals and I know it'll taste better just because I have company to eat it with. Special meals always taste better with guests."

Chrystal smiled and said, "I'm glad. I have to admit, there's not much better than a home fried chicken dinner and, you're right, it's even better with someone to enjoy it with you."

After they were settled into chairs Tom took his first bite of the roll. He sipped his coffee and turned to Chrystal. "Chrystal, these are excellent rolls. I'm sure glad you brought them. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Chrystal said. The couple then sat in companionable silence as they ate, drank their coffee and looked over the yard toward the river. The constant tinkle of the small stream chuckling around and over the rocks as it flowed toward the river made a pleasant background noise, as did the chirping of the many birds flitting from place to place.

After an indeterminate period of time Chrystal turned toward Tom and said, "This is just perfect. I could spend hours just sitting here with you and enjoying the solitude. And thank you again for yesterday. I really enjoyed getting out and I had fun selling your produce."

"Yeah, I sometimes have to force myself to go back to work after a break here. I totally love it here. I'm almost glad my other house burned. I like this one much better."

After they finished the pot of coffee Tom got up, took their dishes into the house and returned with a bag of potatoes, half dozen ears of corn and a tomato. He returned to the house and came out with two pans, a sharp knife and a bucket. He sat down beside the table and began working on lunch preparation. When she saw what he was doing Chrystal got up and went into the kitchen. She quickly got a knife out of the drawer and returned to help Tom.

Since Tom was working on the corn, Chrystal grabbed a potato and began peeling it. She asked, "How many potatoes do we need, Tom?"

"You don't have to do that, Chrystal. I invited you for lunch, not to help cook it."

"Well I'm going to do it. Now, how many potatoes do you want me to do?"

"No larger than they are, do six. When I cook I always make more than I can eat so I have left overs for a day or two so I don't have to cook as often."

Chrystal laughed and said, "You too? That's great. I do, too."

They quickly got the preparation completed and Tom took the peelings and corn shucks out to the livestock. By the time he returned, Chrystal had everything in the house. Tom looked at the clock and saw it was only 11 AM. He said, "It's not quite time to cook yet. Why don't we sit outside for a while longer."

When he began preparing the meal, Chrystal tried to help but Tom gently pushed her into the living area and made her sit and watch. As he said, "There's really not much left to do. All I have to do is turn the chicken every so often and let the food cook."