Page 8 of On the Land, We Shoot Straight
“Yeah, not like there was anyone else, and it was mine, so…” Grady drained his beer. “I finished school with the distance program, though. Did it at night.”
Grady wasn’t sure why he added that, why he still had the twist of shame people might think he was stupid.
“That’s cool,” Cole said. He was looking out at the field as he said it, even though they couldn’t see it anymore in the dark, his tone distracted as if he could.
“You could do that.”
“Huh?” Cole glanced over his shoulder.
“The distance program.”
Cole looked at him like he’d suggested Cole man the first flight to Mars.
“I already finished school,” Cole said.
Grady frowned at him. Kid couldn’t have been that old.
“Thought you were the youngest.”
Cole nodded and twisted his mouth up at the same time. He looked back out to the field as he answered.
“I am, but I got, you know, accelerated or whatever.” He waved his hand not holding his beer, took a big drink like he didn’t want to talk about it.
And yeah, well, Grady got that. If being the youngest of seven brothers didn’t get the shit kicked out of him, getting accelerated would’ve done it.
“Huh.” Grady finished his beer.
“So, you wanna start moving those sheep tomorrow then?” Cole asked.
Grady shook his head and gestured with his empty at the sky. Clouds had begun rolling in and blanketing the stars. “Reckon it’s gonna rain. Might do it Tuesday.”
Cole turned his head and met Grady’s eyes before skittering them away again.
“You want me to do somethin’ else then? I could have a go at these weeds.”
Grady looked around the yard in front of the house, the weeds lit up by the porch light growing as tall as the little white fence ringing the house, and shrugged. “If you want. But I usually just bring some sheep in.”
“I could do that.” Cole looked over his shoulder. “Tomorrow. If you want.”
Grady nodded. “If you want.”
“Cool.”
“There’s some in the pasture up thataway, beyond those trees. If you take Lady, you should be able to get them down the driveway before this breaks,” Grady stood and pointed at the sky again. “I gotta go back into town.”
“Oh, okay.” Cole twisted around to face the night.
“Tomorrow.”
Cole nodded.
“I’m turnin’ in.”
“’Kay.”
Grady hesitated, and he didn’t know why. Yeah, heading into town was a damn good idea, he thought. He said, “Night,” and then went in, the screen door slapping in the frame behind him as he made his way up the stairs.
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