A Set-Back

The morning sun rose over the maple trees that edged her farmland. Kaye stood looking out the kitchen window; one knee resting on a cushioned kitchen chair as she sipped her morning tea. She loved this time of day. The maples bordered the sides of her driveway then down the roadway. She enjoyed watching them each morning as they marked the seasons.

In the spring, Ed gathered the sap, turning the sweet, clear liquid into golden maple syrup with a homemade evaporator. He would Bring a gallon or two into the house. Kaye would place it in her stock pot further reducing it to a thick mixture. When its consistency was just right, she would ladle it into shallow chilled cookie cutters. When the mixture hardened into candy, Kaye would wrap them in colored cellophane, then placed back in the freezer saving them for a treat for Easter Sunday. The remainder was placed back on the stove and boiled down further, turning it into a thicker mixture. This would be poured into small muffin tins that she froze for maple sugar; using it for coffee, and tea. It was her favorite harvest of the year.

In May she watched, buds begin to open in preparation for her Birthday. The summer months she loved to walk under their shade on hot summer days. She had picked one that had a large curved limb she called it her reading tree; it provided a perfect place to lay against and read. Ed had made her a small ladder and fastened it to the tree making it easier to climb. The fall they slowly began to turn helping the farm usher in the autumn harvest with their brilliant shades of reds and yellows. This time of year, winter; they slept with the white blanket of snow as their quilt, very much alive but just resting before the start of another busy growing season. She had been told the Maple Line, as it was called, was planted a hundred years ago. She stood there watching the red morning sky begin to turn from a bright crimson to yellow as the sun made its way slowly over the leafless branches into the morning sky. Dodger's bark followed by Benny and Billy's striking the door with his front paw snapped her out of her pleasant daydream.

After breakfast, Kaye put in a wash and decided to take the dogs for a walk. Her father-in-law would be at the cattle barns. Tom Brennan would be here at 2 or 3 she thought; she wanted a nice meal for him when he arrived. Kaye looked down at Billy who never ventured too far from her side. She talked to him on the way over to the feeding area. Told him that Mr. Brennan would be taking him back home and he would be with his family again. Billy looked up from time to time as if he had been listening to her during the conversation. He always seemed to smile when he panted, she got on her knees and hugged him; Billy gave her ear a little nuzzle with his cold nose. She hugged Billy tight. ”God I am so going to miss you.”

She arrived at the barns as Ed's dad; Hank Smith was dismounting the old skid stir that Ed used to clean out the calving barn he had just laid down new bedding for the herd. Billy was in the lead Dodger and Bennie following close behind. Billy hadn't stopped like the other two dogs; he followed close beside Kaye. “I see you brought the pack with you,” Hank said. He looked the collie over. “Nice looking dog Kaye, so he's the one all the fuss is about." Ed told me how he had stepped in between him and that damn bull and took charge; now that's a real dog.” Kaye knew how he felt about dogs in general. So this coming from Hank was indeed a compliment. “He's the one She said, he will be going home today, his owner should be here this afternoon. I am going to miss the little guy, he such a beautiful dog.”

Kaye looked over the cattle yard she liked cows and the sounds they made, and yes even the smell seemed to have a place in her life now. Kaye was proud of what Ed had accomplished in 6 short years. He had started from nothing and had built up the heard from ten to fifty head of cattle. They were all healthy. She hated looking at them as hamburgers or steaks on restaurant plates; she understood that was the life of the farm. From calf to cow to the butcher shop was a life cycle of the Smith Farm. “You have been busy Hank,” Kaye said. Hank looked into the holding area as. “Ed has a great start Kaye this will be a big year, make or break year for you two, the beef prices are on the rise; you should do well in the fall if the calving time is good and they stay this healthy,” Hank said. 

Billy stood between Hank and Kaye; he considered Hank a stranger; he sat in front of Kaye ignoring him. Hank bent down and gave Billy a pat on the head. “And how are you doing Billy,” Hank said, The gesture seemed to break the ice a bit; the dog looked up began wagging his tail. Hank and Kaye walked over to the hay barn. Billy followed positioning himself in between the two just in case.

Old Tom had about two hours of driving in when he decided he would stop for gas and a cup of coffee and toast at a truck stop. He was looking over the local newspaper. He smiled when he turned the page. There was a two column colored picture of a border collie sitting beside a young woman. The heading on the story line read. “Small but mighty” The article was about how a Border Collie had got between a farmer and a stubborn two thousand pound Charolais bull. It went on to say the farmer's injuries could have been much worse had it not been for the heroic acts of the dog. The dog, a stray had wandered on their farm a few weeks earlier with severe injuries. The farmer's wife Kaye Smith standing beside the dog known as Billy had taken the stray to Mike Simmons Animal clinic in Hancock during a severe winter storm. Tom sat there and smiled. He looked at the picture of the Collie sitting posing smiling for the camera. “ah Billy you can't hide can you?” He knew who's dog saved the farmer. Tom looked at the Woman and thought she had very kind eyes; he folded the paper again laying it down on the counter as he finished up his coffee. The waitress came by and asked if he would like anything else. Tom smiled and said no, the waitress saw the paper, “Now that's a special dog; don't you think?” she said. Tom smiled back.” He reached for his wallet and paid for his meal and the paper. “You have no idea how special,” Tom said, smiling and made his way back on the highway.
 
It was 10:30 am Kaye was back at the house and was getting herself ready to see Ed at the hospital. The Dr. had called and told her he would keeping him in longer. Ed had developed a fever during the night and was getting a little fluid in his injured lung. She would know today how he was doing. Kaye did her makeup, tied up her hair with a wide red ribbon for him. She had smiled at the nurse's station before she went to his room, she wanted an update on his condition and asked on his progress. The nurse standing at the desk avoided her question. She had gotten another nurse to answer Kaye. She told her that Ed started a high fever during the night and his chest had filled, they had drained fluid from his lungs several times. He was on antibiotics for pneumonia. Kaye just stood there stunned; she asked the nurse another question there was no response. “Talk to me damn it!” The nurse looked at her. “Well, he's not good Mrs. Smith. the Dr. will be here as soon as he can, he would like to talk to you.” She said. Kaye looked at her, looked at the clock looked down the hall toward his room. “Can I see him?” Kaye asked. The nurse nodded "Yes of course, but I doubt if he will be able to talk to you."