Clarion - 9. Chapter 9

We did drive to town, found some chairs at a hardware store, plus a few additional berry buckets. After dinner driving home, “Let’s see if we can find that Red and White store.” So instead of turning toward home, we drove straight. Sure enough at a cross road, there was the store. On one corner was a gas station, the other was the fire department and across from the fire department was a café/ice cream store.

I stopped and fill the gas tank, then drove across the street for ice cream. “Tomorrow we’ll check out Cook Forest, ok?”

When we got home Cody wanted to take a shower. He said he smelled like the Clarion River, and I agreed. While he was in the shower I joined him, and yes we did play around. If that guy walked around naked, I would have the hardest hard-on ever. After we showered, we relaxed in the hot tub. Cody wanted me to sit on his lap with my back leaning against him. As I was turning to sit down, he grabs my waist and guided me right on top of his dick. Being wet, he slipped right in. This felt great and really felt great when his hand took my cock and started stroking. I just leaned back and enjoyed the ride.

That evening we ate on the balcony. The cool breeze and the smells of the woods seemed to increase our appetite. Sitting there, enjoying a glass of wine and the peacefulness of the night, convinced me that I had made the right choice.

I slept well that night. I knew that this vacation for Cody would be over soon and he’d have to go back to Philly and his job. If I could get him to go to college, he’d have to quit his job and stay with me. A devious thought but I’d give it a shot.

The morning seemed to come to quick. Cody was still sleeping; I slipped out of bed, showered, dressed and headed for the kitchen. I had the coffee brewing, the bread ready for the toaster, ham and eggs ready to cook as soon as Cody joined me. I poured myself a cup of coffee, and was putting together a list of things I had to do when Cody sleepily joined me.

“Good morning.”

Grabbing a cup of coffee, “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“This morning I want to go to that farmer’s market, stop at that Red and White store to talk to the butcher and checkout that old fashion store. I need to talk to Noah about the furniture for the patio and order a barbecue grill. I figure that will take all morning. Do you have anything you’d like to do?”

“Maybe after lunch we can check out Cook Forest.”

“Sounds great to me; we can have lunch at that ice cream store or see if there’s something on the way to Cook Forest.”

And that was our plan for the day. After Cody showered and shaved, we headed to the market. When we got there it looked more like a flea market. In one corner, I saw Noah standing by a table that had pies and bread for sale. “Good morning Noah.”

“Good morning, Alan. You’re up bright and early this morning.”

“We’ve come to see your neighbor about buying some meat. But seeing these pies, I might just buy some of them as well.”

Laughing, “Well let me introduce you to my wife, Ruth.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Ruth. Noah must be a lucky man to have a wife that makes these delicious smelling pies.”

Cody looked at the pies and I could almost see the droll running from the corner of his mouth. “Alan, how many pies can we put in the freezer?”

“I don’t know. There are a lot of berries in there now. With the meat I want, I may have to order another freezer.”

I looked at Cody as he whispered to Ruth. She smiled and I knew we’d be taking home more than one pie. I spoke to Noah about the furniture for the patio and he said he should have the chairs and table finished by the end of the week.

I decided to walk around while I waited for Noah’s friend. Passing a vegetable stand, I saw Andy standing next to an older woman. When he saw me, “Hey, Mr. Bradley” I waved back.

I walked to his stand, he introduced me to his mother, “Mrs. Higgins, it’s nice to meet you. Jeff and Andrew have been a big help.”

“Call me Mary and I’m glad the boys helped out. Sometimes they can be a handful but Jeff keeps Andrew in line.”

“They are good boys and they’re invited to my place anytime. I enjoy their energy and don’t worry, they are put to work, when not fishing.” I winked at Andrew as I said this.

Cody came over, “I need a box and Noah said his friend is here.”

I left Cody talking to Andy and Mary as I went to find Noah.

“Alan, this is my friend who I told you about. Abram, this is Alan Bradley. He built that house on the Clarion.”

“It’s nice to meet you Abram, Noah said you might have some beef and pork to sell.”

“I won’t be butchering for another 3 weeks, but what did you have in mind?

“I would like a half of a steer and a whole pig.”

“Well, the half of the steer would be ok but I can only let you have a half of a pig. I already have orders for pork but I can spare a half.”

“Ok that sounds good. I suppose you age the beef.”

“Yes, I’ll age the beef for you. Pork doesn’t need aging. How do you want the meat cut?”

The beef I’d like to have steaks, roasts and the ribs for barbecuing and the rest ground. The pork, ham and chops would be fine with the rest ground for sausage. Can you make the sausage or should I see if someone else can do it.”

“No, I can do it. Do you need anything else? I have chickens and turkeys but I don’t have lamb.”

“That would be great, I would need at least 4 turkeys and how many chickens do you have for sale?”

“I can let you have a dozen chickens, and 4 turkeys are ok. I’ll wrap everything for your freezer.”

We settled on a price and now I knew I’d need another freezer. Looking for Cody, I found him still talking to Andrew and Mary. “Alan, Mary said she could sell us eggs and Andy volunteered to deliver them.”

I looked at Andy and he was shaking his head yes, rather enthusiastic. “I think we better get going if we want to spend some time in Cook Forest.”

“Just wait, I have to get something”. He picked up a cardboard box that had some vegetables in it and headed toward the pies.

When he got back to the car, he had besides the vegetables, 6 pies. “Did you leave any pies for her regular customers?”

“Yes, she put those aside and I took the rest.”

We started to drive toward Cook Forest, when Andy flagged us down. “Can I go with you?”

Cody opened the door and we had a travel guide. Andy was a nice kid, polite and funny. He told us about a fire tower that we could climb and an overlook. On the way to the center of the park, we passed a lodge. “Alan, let’s stop there and get some lunch.” And so we did.

When we entered I liked the rustic interior. “It looks like we’re the only ones here.”

“I think they want to sell this place. I don’t know why because during season it’s full.”

An older man came over giving us a menu. He introduced himself as the owner and took our drink order. When he brought our drinks, we ordered our food. While I waited for my food, I looked around the dining area. I mentally made changes to bring it in line with a more rustic look, getting rid of the modern lightening and modern table settings. If you are going to make a rustic dining room you need lantern style lightening and wooden tables with wooden benches and definitely a fireplace.

“Cody, if you had this place is there anything you would change.”

Cody looked around, thought a bit, “Well I don’t think modern and rustic mix well. I’d redesign this room to look like the interior of a log cabin. I’d build a large fireplace with the ability to roast meat on a spit and to have a pot to make stews and soup. Maybe we can hire Andy to sit there and turn the spit.”

Andy just smiled as if he thought that would be a great idea. The owner brought us our order which we heartily ate. I paid the bill and we left. However, mentally I didn’t leave the idea of owning that lodge.

Andy turned out to be an excellent guide. We walked the trail to the fire tower, Cody and Andy quickly started to climb, I waited at the bottom, there was no way I was going to attempt that climb. Cody kept trying to get me up to the top where a wooden room existed for rangers to check over the forest. When they came down, Cody was excited about the view. “You won’t believe the view from up there. You should’ve came up.”

Andy led us to the overlook which was built upon a large rock. From there you could see the valley and the tops of the trees. “That area there is called the Black Forest and has the oldest trees. Some say they are over one hundred years old.”

The view was spectacular. If you didn’t believe in the miracle of creation, you would after viewing the spectacular vision before us. “There is a swimming pool here fed by a spring. I’ll show you and we can put our feet in since we don’t have our bathing suits.”

We followed Andy as he led us to the swimming pool which turned out to be a small lake. I took off my shoes and socks, as I step into the lake, I gasped.

“What’s the matter?”

“Andy, you didn’t tell us that it was ice cold.”

Andy just laughed. Cody tried it but he held back his gasp as if trying to be macho man. I knew he’d not stay long and I was right. It was like big toe in and big toe out, one second later.

We left Cook Forest and drove Andy home. “Mr. Bradley, can I come over and fish?”

“Sure Andy, you can come over anytime. If I’m not at home, you can just go ahead and fish.”

After dropping Andy off at his home, “Cody, lets go and see about buying a new freezer. With all the meat I bought we’ll need a new freezer. I also want to stop and see Ron. We need a few supplies and I want to see what deal he can give me on lamb.”

As we pulled into the parking lot we saw Jeff helping a woman with her groceries. Looking over to us he waved. Entering the store, I gave Cody a list while I went and spoke to Ron.

“Hi Ron, do you sell lamb?”

“Hi Alan, we don’t have much call for lamb. If you want to buy some I might be able to get it for you. I’ll check with our meat supplier.”

“Thanks Ron, yes I definitely would like to buy a whole sheep but would settle for chops and roasts.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Is there anything else you might need along those lines?”

“Well, not meat specifically, but how about cheeses. I’d like to have rounds of various cheeses, domesticate and imported; and also imported salamis and sausages, can you get those as well?”

“Give me a couple of weeks and check back. I’ll let you know.”

I saw Cody heading to the check out and I headed in the same direction. When I got there he was talking to Jeff. “Sure Jeff, come over tomorrow morning and we can get a few hours of fishing in before you have to go to work.”

When I heard that I headed back to Ron, “Ron one thing I forgot, can you get salmon. If you could I’d like about 20 lbs, preferably wild caught.”

“That I can do. When you stop to pick up the meat, I’ll have the salmon ready as well.”

I went to the register, paid for our groceries and gave Jeff a tip for taking the groceries to the car. On the way back home, I stopped at Montgomery Ward and ordered a new freezer. Only this time I order a larger one than I currently have. “Do you want to eat in town or go home?”

“Let’s eat in town and then go home for dessert.” Cody thought for a minute, “No, let’s go home. I have ice cream and I’ll melt if we eat in town.”