Excellent Jess finishes his story Tin Cup : All Things Come To An End by Delahay

“Darker days I thought I'd never see than that time. But time held all the cards. Looking back, what I had been going through were the golden days. “The baby was just crying because she was hungry. It was a good thing Oota had brought the goat with her. Its milk seemed to be an acceptable substitute for mother's milk, and Helga was in no condition to feed a baby. But she recovered quicker than I would have thought, and was soon up and about and back to her normal self. I'd never been so happy to be bossed around by a woman. I knew it was something I would never take fro granted again. At least, most of the time. “Little Mary grew like a weed. She was the sunshine in all of our lives. We named her Mary Rachel after my mother and Abe's. Helga and I both really got a kick out of watching Abe having tea parties with Mary and the dolls her mother made for her. Abe proved quite good at making toys for Mary out of things I would never have thought of, rocks, pieces of wood and string. Such simple things that could bring so much joy. “Abe also built this bench we're sitting on. Helga and I would sit on it most evenings, enjoying a few minutes of quiet at the end of the day; watching the light fade into darkness. I carved our initials in it, just like a schoolboy. They've faded with age, but they're still visible if you look. “I'm glad Abe had the time he did with his granddaughter. We lost him the fall of her twelfth year. He's buried out back, I go out there to talk to him sometimes. I wasn't sure how old he was then, Helga said she was pretty sure he was sixty-eight but said he was never really sure himself. Oota had a real practical way of looking at dying, said we go back to the Earth that we came from, live on in all the plants that grow. I like to think she was right about that. She still took it hard when he passed though. She and Abe had gotten real close over time. I was glad she was there for him, always thought they should have just gone ahead and got married. Don't know why they didn't. I'll tell you this, Abe was the finest man I ever met. “I thought losing Abe was the worst thing that could happen. I just didn't know how much worse it could get. The next winter was the coldest we'd ever seen. Oota went to visit her people, traded some of our salted meat for some blankets. She found most of her people had died from what sounded like small pox. We didn't know then that the U.S. Army had come up with a new way to “handle” the Natives. Seems they decided giving out blankets contaminated with small pox was a good way to get rid of them. We found out about that the hard way, when Oota and Helga both got sick. I thank God every day that he spared little Mary, I don't think I would have wanted to go on living if I'd lost her too. “You said you were Abe's nephew, didn't you? That's a fine recommendation as far as I'm concerned. I'm sorry son, but I've forgotten your name. My mind's not as sharp as it used to be. And what do you call that buggy you rode up in? I ain't never seen one that could get around without a horse to pull it along. Amazing things people are coming up with these days.” “It's called an automobile, Mr. Harper. And my name's Joshua. Uncle Abe wrote to mother and me so much about you and cousin Helga, I feel like I know you. He thought pretty highly of you too. Said he knew you were a good man from the moment he met you. Mother always said Uncle Abe could read a man's soul. She called it a gift from God. I wish I'd been able to travel here while he was still alive. Mother wanted me to go back to the old country to attend Rabbinical school. So I haven't been back here long. Sometimes I wonder if I go too far to make my mother happy. But I'm so glad to finally meet you. It would have been nice if I could have met Uncle Abe.” “I'm right proud to hear that Abe thought well of me. I have to say, you gave me quite a shock when I first saw you. I swear, you're the spit and image of Abe when we first met, it took me back quite a ways. I told you about the first time we met, didn't I? “Yes sir, you did. Said Uncle Abe saved your life when a man who's life you'd spared would have shot you. I'd heard Uncle Abe's side of the story before from a letter he wrote to my mother. Abe said he didn't know at the time what had happened between the two of you, but no good man would shoot anyone who was on the ground and unarmed. He'd also seen you shot off your horse just before then. He regretted having to take a life, but he never regretted saving yours. Not that he ever made much of doing so. He felt a man just did what he had to do, then moved on.” “That's right, I remember now. Like I said, my memory's not like it once was. And that sounds just like Abe. He wasn't one to dwell on things. I know Mary sure would love to meet you. She lives in Denver now with her husband and two boys, Josh and Jess. She married a fine man and they're doing well. I wish you could have met Oota., Mary called her Memaw, and Oota loved my girl like she was her own. It's been over twenty years now since Oota died and I lost Helga. I'm an old man now, time just slips away on me. “So you're a Rabbi? Abe would be so proud of you. But what do I call you? I've always called a Man of God 'Preacher', but I know that wouldn't work for you. But here, now. I've just been rambling on all this time. You said there was something you wanted to tell me about Abe?” “Yes sir, Mr. Harper, I did. And you could call me Rabbi, but I would really prefer Joshua. We are family after all, and I'd be honored if you considered me to be your nephew. “I didn't so much want to tell you about Uncle Abe as about what he did. See, it was because of him that I was able to go to school in the first place. It was the same for my two younger brothers as well. Apparently Abe found gold out here somewhere, but was afraid to let anyone around here know about it. He'd seen how gold fever could affect people, seen people and places torn apart by greed and corruption. He didn't want the same thing to happen to this place. Seeing how nice it is around here, I can see what he meant. I've heard of a lot of towns in this country that rose and fell because of that precious metal, and Abe had seen too much of what people are capable of. From what he had to say, you've seen your share as well. I think Abe didn't want to burden you with such a secret, one many would kill for.” “Well, heh! Ain't that something? Abe never said nothing 'bout that. That's just like him though, looking after all of us. I did wonder from time to time how he was always able to go into town and get supplies any time he wanted. I just figured he was pretty good at trading the furs we collected, and tools he made, for what we needed. Next time I visit him I'll have to say something to him and his secrets. I'm glad I never tried playing poker with him, and that he kept secrets so well. Something like that could ruin this place. Makes me glad he sent his gold back east to your mother. “I knew that there was a little bit of gold found from time to time around here, but everyone seemed to think it washed down from a lot further upstream, up closer to Denver. So we never had a big gold rush like some places did. At one time I'd thought about trying my hand at prospecting gold, but never gave it another thought after I met Abe and Helga. So Abe sent most of what he found back home to his sister then? That's good to hear. We didn't need it, so I'm glad you and your family got some use out of it.” “Well there's a little more to it than that, Mr. Harper. Uncle Abe didn't just want to help out my brothers and me. He sent a lot of gold back east over the years, and my mother was a pretty shrewd investor. She followed Abe's wishes and set things up so everything would be divided up after the last of us finished school. I've got papers here covering your share of everything. You can have the money wired to the bank in Denver if you like. Your part is the biggest share since my brothers and I deducted the cost of our tuition from our part. We won't really miss it, over the years Mother's investments have done very well indeed.” “What are you talking about, young man? Sorry, I meant to say Josua. I'd be proud to call you family. But there ain't nothing I need, and my Mary is doing just fine with her family. I wouldn't know what to do with any more than I've got right here.” “Well Mr. Harper, you may see it that way, but Abe's wishes were very clear. I doubt if he understood just how much money would be available when the time came, but he insisted that you and your family were to get an equal share. You can do as you like after the transfer is made, but Abe wanted you to have it.” “That sure was thoughtful of old Abe. I suppose Mary and her young man could find something to do with a few extra dollars. Maybe they could get one of those fancy buggies like you rode up in. And Mary always has been one to take in strays, animals and humans both. She has a big heart and can't stand to see anything suffering. I imagine she could put anything Abe left us to good use. How much are you talking about anyway? "You can see right here on the papers I brought you Mr. Harper. This line right here.” “Three hundred and seventy dollars! Yeah, that a good bit of money. But I don't really need anything. Just give it to Mary and her family. They'll put it to good use.” “No, Mr. Harper, you don't understand. Your share comes to just over $370,000.00. I imagine if you don't want it, Cousin Mary could help a lot of strays with it." “Are you serious, Joshua? What would anyone do with that kind of money? I'm sure I wouldn't know. Why don't you just go ahead and see about sending it to my Mary. I reckon she and her man can figure out what to do with it. “Would you like some blackberry wine, Josua? Abe taught me to make it years ago, but I don't think mine's ever turned out as good as his. Everyone loved Abe's blackberry wine. Especially Oota. She'd never tasted anything like it before she met Abe. I think mine's not bad though, and I've got plenty. We had more blackberries than I could pick this season. I think the birds and critters got more than I did.” “I'd love some Mr. Harper. My mother made it too. She said Uncle Abe's was better than anyone else's so I wouldn't worry too much about how yours might compare. I'm sure it's just fine.” “Please, call me Jess, young man. Nobody calls me Mr. Harper. I'll be back in just a minute.”

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