about a foot long, and protesting, squealing. After they offload the
piglet cages, she immediately turns on her heel and comes over to the
shoeman, who says,
Howdy Matilda.
Matilda says,
They ate another pair.
The shoeman smiles and says,
You gotta stop kicking at them beasts.
Matilda walks into the shoe display area, scanning quickly, and leans
over to pick up the pair of boots just added, the ones Joey had been
wearing. She says,
Don’t remember you having these.
Matilda sits on the chair provided by the shoeman for clients and slips
her bare foot into one of the boots, standing to measure the fit when
her weight is pressing down. She smiles and glances up at the shoeman,
who says,
Consider it a donation to the campaign.
Matilda protests.
It’d only set them that can’t donate to
worrying. Favors and all . . You take one a
them squealers. I’ll tell John. . . Not that I
don’t appreciate the thought, Clem.
Joey is trying to get into the conversation as he meets few children
his age. He points at her new boots.
Those were my boots.
Matilda drops her gaze briefly at the set Joey is wearing, quickly
understanding that a trade had occurred, and just as quickly changing
the subject. She asks,
You folks new in the area? Pleased to meet you.
Stay for the barbeque!
Matilda extends her hand first to Joey and then quickly to a surprised
Finegan, who is not expecting this from a girl.
______________________________
Finegan is returning from the houseboat with a hammer and small box of
nails in his hands as he has found a saw he wants and has worked out a
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trade with the owner. He strides up to the hand tool display area and
extends his offering in front of him.
These.
He places them into the toolman’s hands and points to the saw.
For that.
Joey is wandering after Matilda, fascinated by her confidence and
social skills. Matilda is working the crowd, on occasion offering her
hand for a shake, on occasion placing her hand on someone’s arm, but
never lingering for more than a minute in any location. She comes up to
a woman who looks like she is about to cry, talking to a man getting
red in the face. The woman says,
But you owe me a hen. You promised. We ain’t
had meat ta home for a month.
The man is fuming.
They’re all sitting eggs, I tell you. Cain’t
you wait a couple weeks?
Matilda is looking from one to the other, saying nothing. Finally, she
sees a break in the argument and says to the woman,
How big did you say that old coop you got on
your place is?
The man and woman stare at each other for a moment, suddenly realizing
a solution. Both talking at once almost on top of each other. He says,
You got a coop? I’m outta space and with the
new’uns coming. . . Ya know, chicks take to a
new coop like its home after a day er so. . .
They free range, just let ‘em out in the
morning and call ‘em back at night.
She says,
Big as the house, but the hen’s er all gone now
since Earl passed. He did the chickens en all.
. . We got no feed, used corn during Earl’s
day.
Matilda is walking away, smiling to herself. Finegan is again standing
in amazement that a young girl is apparently in the running in a
campaign, and taken seriously. He says, under his breath,
But she’s a girl!
The toolman looks up, surprised at Finegan’s reaction,
Matilda? She’s the only one gets folks to work
together. You otta see ‘er move a crowd from
somethin plain stupid to summit that’ll work.
My Mary says she’s the jell that makes the
jelly set.
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He glances over and sees that Finegan is still agape with shock.
Put a bag over your head then so’s you don’t
notice that she’s a girl, and a young’un at
that. . . We got too many a problem to be stuck
in the old ways.
______________________________
The crowd of about 100 people is coming up to the barbeque to be
served. Each has a plate in hand, with some sliced tomatoes and a piece
of homemade bread, ready for a slab of barbecued pig. One of the men
who arrived with Matilda is slicing pork on a board next to the
roasting pig, which is now missing parts of its belly and hindquarters.
A semi-circle of various chairs or overturned boxes has been assembled
at the side of the barbeque, with the wagon Matilda brought stationed
in the center of the semi-circle as a platform.
A man with a clipboard is wandering through the crowd, checking off
names and handing out small paper ballots. The official approaches
Finegan and Joey, who are in line for barbeque. He scans his list, then
looks up at Finegan.
New to the area? Where you staying?
Finegan points over the hill and says,
We’re just passing through. On that houseboat
over yonder.
Joey asks,
Does that mean we can’t get something to eat?
The official smiles and winks at Joey.
I recon you’re future voters, if you decide to
stay, and that there is for everyone. That’s
Matilda’s stand. Them that has plenty, shares.
Helping hand and all.
The official wanders off down the line. Joey looks up at Finegan.
One guess who he’s gonna vote for.
______________________________
A tall, muscular man is standing on the wagon addressing the crowd. He
is wearing suit pants and a vest, with a long sleeved white shirt on
under the vest, rolled up at the sleeves. He is wearing a tie, but this
has been loosened at the neck, his shirt collar open a bit as the day
has gotten warm. He is showing a 5 o’clock shadow. From a distance one
can hear his pitch.
. . build roads . .
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The crowd seems lukewarm, only a half dozen furiously applauding. The
first candidate nods and takes a slight bow, and then steps off the
wagon.
The second candidate is a stocky woman in a voluminous dress. Her hair