those with knives slice off the green leaves, collected in the net. The
kudzu vine itself it cast to the side. The Kudzu King steps forward to
hack another vine, but quickly steps back. He says,
Whoa! Snake. Nemind, just a grass snake. Baby.
______________________________
The group now have their shirts removed, are sweaty and covered with
dust as the tubers have been dug up. Some are sitting around the edges
of a hole, catching their breath. The tubers have been heaved up and
onto the sling, also at the side. The Kudzu King is still pulling
vines, a separate operation from digging tubers. The vines are
interconnected so many are pulled down during any tug.
Finegan is standing close to him, ready for some sort of threat, club
in hand. As the Kudzu King leans into tugging he steps back and loses
his footing, falling on his butt. A family of frightened baby rabbits
scurry out from the burrow he has stepped into. One of the men grabs
the club Finegan is holding and clubs away at the baby rabbits which
are zigzagging in all directions, attempting to evade and escape. One
of the babies does not make it and lies dead and bleeding. Finegan is
trying to take this seriously, but has yet to see a threat and is
suppressing a grin.
132
Guess he won’t hurt no one no more.
Finegan puts his hand out to help the Kudzu King up onto his feet.
You could use a break. Let me do that for a
spell.
Finegan picks up the machete and wades into the tangle of vines,
slashing at whatever is preventing the vine they are pulling down from
dropping. In the shadow of the kudzu forest just beyond Finegan’s feet
a copperhead is slithering away. There are salamanders scurrying away
as well, typical food for a copperhead. Finegan steps back.
Whoa!
Several men armed with the ax, machetes, and the club spring forward
but Finegan waves them away. Finegan says,
He’s well gone now. Copperhead. . . Damn.
Finegan returns to slashing vines but is more cautious now, poking the
vines aside before sliding his leg into a space.
______________________________
Finegan is sitting at one of the picnic benches with Joey at his side
and the schoolmarm on the other. He has several old National Geographic
magazines on his lap, one of them open. Joey is watching the
interchange intently, as this pertains to his future.
Guess in all this we forget the young’uns.
They’re growing up with no schooling, cain’t
read nor write most of ‘em. This ‘ere ‘ll perk
their interest, far away places and all. Some
nekked women in there too, just so’s you know.
Lots of big words in there too, with, ah, . .
Greek roots.
The schoolmarm is smiling as she accepts the pile from Finegan. She
asks,
Does Joey have a school?
Finegan says,
Not lately, but he’s goin to from now on.
133
______________________________
Finegan has pedaled the houseboat away from the kudzu shore, into deep
water. They are heading for a small island nearby, a clump of flooded
trees, to moor for the night. Joey is at the rear of the houseboat,
talking to Finegan, as they are clear of flooded objects at the moment.
He has an open book on his lap with a copperhead snake skin being used
as a bookmark. Finegan says,
That school marm, she was thinking past the
troubles. We’re all so caught up in what’s to
eat, what we lost an all. Kids get lost in the
shuffle.
Joey says,
I promise. I’ll read a book every day. Out
loud, even.
Finegan sighs and looks momentarily distressed.
You know that lady did your set of clothes? She
and I, we . . well, what we done could’a made a
baby. Not saying it did, just could’a. . . What
kind a life would a kid have, trying to learn
to talk and all, where none do any talking? . .
I keep thinking, mehbe, mehbe we should go back
there and check, ya know?
Joey nods.
And no copperhead snakes there either.
Both Finegan and Joey laugh and grin at each other. Joey picks up his
book and starts reading “Moby Dick”, chapter one.
134
Homecoming
Finegan is sitting cross-legged atop the roof of his houseboat, a map
spread out on his lap. He is pondering. Joey’s head pops up on one
side. Finegan says,
Seems to me it was about here . .
Finegan waves his hand in the direction of the open water where the
dawn is breaking.
But the land ashore looks different.
Joey climbs up on the rooftop and turns 360° around. He says,
The water rose since we been here last. . . I
think we were a bit more this direction.
Joey is pointing down along the shoreline, to his right as he faces the
shoreline. He says,
Mehbe so. . . I’ll go out to deep water and you
look afar out there. .
Finegan is pointing out into deep water, where they expect to find the
seamstress’s island.
______________________________
Finegan is peddling away, almost out of sight of the shoreline, but
moving parallel to the shoreline. Joey is atop the houseboat roof, hand
shielding his eyes from the Sun, which is rising over the open water,
peering out into deep water for any sighting of the island. Suddenly
Joey is animated, pointing with one arm and calling back over his
shoulder to Finegan.
I see it! I think I do. Ahead and to the right.
______________________________
The houseboat is approaching the island where the seamstress and the
other deaf/mutes lived, working with sheep and wool and gardening at
the Institute for the Deaf. The island looks smaller than when visited
last, over a year ago. The water level has risen. But the buildings,
which were atop the hill, are still above water. No sheep can be seen
grazing on what is now a limited grass area around the remnants of the
main Institute buildings.
The seamstress, carrying a bundle in her arms, can be seen running down
the slope toward the spot where the houseboat will be mooring. There is
a rowboat with oars pulled onto the shoreline there also. Finegan is
walking across the gangplank toward the seamstress, who is standing on
the shore. The seamstress is smiling broadly, very happy, with tears in