1937


"Smith! Reed! Flynn! Get over here right now, we got news!" Foreman Lewis called out from atop the large trunk of a recently felled tree.


The three young men made their way to the trunk where the other loggers were already standing.


"I'll just get right to it, Men. Camp's closing--" Lewis tried to continue but he was cut off by the overpowering protests of the young men standing before him.


Various groans and expletives could be heard for a solid half minute before Lewis continued. He understood their upset, which is why he didn't try to stop them right away.


"I honestly don't have all the details, fellas, and I'm just as sorry as you are. Times have been tough for everyone and they're not looking any better. All I know is this section of the forest has just been sold to some highfalutin big wig from back east," Lewis paused for more groaning.


"I guess time's not tough for that low-down dirty rat!" Mickey Reed, one of the youngest of the crew, hollered back.


"I guess not, Son," Lewis responded sympathetically. "We're gonna need a skeleton crew around here to help get the place ready for the new owner to visit in a week or two. Pay is half the regular camp wage, any takers?"


Most of the men walked away.


"Hell no, I'm going to try California," one of them said.


"The wife is out there with the other Apple Annies - guess I'll join her," said another.


"I'll stay," Mickey said. "Ain't got nowhere else to go anyway." Mickey looked defeated.


"Thank you, Son. I have always respected the hell out of your work ethic," Lewis jumped down from the stump and walked over to Mickey.


"Between you and me," Lewis lowered his voice and looked around to see if anyone was listening. Most of the men had already retreated back to the cabins to gather their meager belongings. A few others were smoking. "I'd like to punch this uppity Joe right in the bazoo." He made a fist.


Mickey smiled. "Me too, Sir. So I can stay on for a while?"


"Yeah, so far it's just you and me. Hey Flynn!" Lewis called out to one of the men who was rolling another smoke.


"Yeah, Boss?" Flynn looked up.


"You want to stay up here with me and Reed to get this place tip-top for the new Fella and his cronies?"


"Not really, but pay is pay." Flynn stood and walked over to Lewis and Mickey. "Besides, if the kid is staying, I should stay too. Show 'em what a real man is like." He flexed then playfully punched Mickey in the arm.


Mickey smiled again. These men were like family to him, especially Foreman Lewis.


He'd been up here since he was just fifteen years old.


'It ain't much, but it feels like home.' He had written to his mother shortly after he arrived. She had managed to write back right before she passed away and that last letter was like solid gold to Mickey.


Now he had no idea where he would go after his time was finished there, but that didn't matter. He didn't have to leave right away and that had to be good enough.


He playfully punched Flynn back in the arm before saying "I showed your mother what a real man is like last night." Then he took off running because he knew that Flynn was especially close to his mother, who had once been in a talking picture.


Lewis shook his head and chuckled.


"I sure am gonna miss this place," he muttered under his breath as he turned to walk back to his quarters.