Chapter 42

Today had been busy with my seeing Benson, Ames, and Bernie, and I now had one more place to go.

It didn’t take that long to get up to the shopping center in Mount Sterling that Raul had began working on. I went to the construction trailer hoping to catch the general contractor. The man was checking items from a notebook and comparing them to his blueprints.

“Hey, Coup, how are you doing?”

“Mike Grayson, what brings you up here? Your men started and are really buzzing through that build out. I should be able to give them most of the build outs for the rest of the units if this first one turns out well.”

“It will, Coup, but that’s not why I’m here. How about going to lunch with me? Can you spare the time?”

The man squinted at me, tossed his notebook onto the blueprint, and said, “If you’re buying, I have the time. Are you going to feed me Mickey D’s?”

I laughed, “No way, we’re eating some of the best Italian in the state.”

When we walked into the busy restaurant, Rodrigo saw us and immediately came to us. “Mike, it’s so good to see you. You don’t have a delivery, do you? We just had one.”

“Rod, this is Coup Dun, a local contractor. I’m bringing him to have an honest to goodness business lunch. Fix us up, okay?”

“Right this way, Gentlemen. As you can see, I may be looking to expand the restaurant soon. I think we could handle a third more people if we had the room. The radio advertising from Stanton reaches up here and it has proven to be very beneficial.”

Coup and I ordered and were sipping iced tea, when I began; “You do more than strip shopping centers, don’t you, Coup?”

The man looked at me with a frown, “Before the economic downturn in anything resembling construction, my company built two of the biggest buildings in Lexington, and another in Cincinnati. We did the new hospital addition in Lexington a couple of years ago and also built the new library at the university. When the funding dried up, so did the rest of the building industry. I was quick enough to bid on a bunch of these little jobs to keep as many men working as I could. It’s worked out so far.”

I took a drink of my tea and advised the man, “There are a couple of good-sized jobs in Stanton that needs a company that is willing to pull out all the stops to get a job done and done right. The local medical clinic is going to have a very large expansion, and our local school is also having a major addition. The trust fund that is paying for both of these projects didn’t put the bid out in Lexington or Cincinnati, so the only contractor to bid on the projects was a guy that I don’t believe is capable of doing the work in a timely manner. We’re going to be putting the bid out in the two big cities, but if you want an inside track, I can help you with that.”

Coup Dun was looking me straight in the eyes, took a sip of tea, and said, “You’re not kidding, are you? You’re not looking for a kickback either, are you? Hell yes, I’d like some of that work. You’re no farther than here and I use men from the local area as much as possible. My key guys are always on site, but that’s how I can ensure good work. How do I get the bid specs and plans for these jobs?”

We were served our lunches at that point, but as we began eating, I told him, “Let me call real quick, and I’ll have a set of specs and plans brought up to you this afternoon.”

I called Benson, who answered instead of Denise. He explained that Denise had no classes at school this morning, but she had to go back this afternoon.

“Benson, can you get a package of the bid specs and a set of blueprints together and have them delivered to the new strip center construction site up here in Mount Sterling. It’s the new place across the street from Walmart. The man to deliver them to is Coup Dun.”

“I can do that, Mike. I have several packages of both projects made up. Which one do you want?”

“Both of them. They should be hand delivered to Coup Dun at the construction trailer.”

“I’m on it, Mike. I made arrangements for the bids to be published this Friday. We should be hearing from any respondents Monday and Tuesday.”

I went back to eating my delicious linguine. The sauce was a gentle balance of garlic and basil that made you want to stuff yourself.

Coup was finishing, when he said, “What kind of time frame are you looking to do this work in?”

“When we let the bid out, I want the clinic begun immediately, with an attempt at finishing it in six months. I think it can be done, but I do understand all of the inspections you have to have. The school should be done right away also, and I also understand that building on to existing structures can be difficult. Both are big jobs, but again, I think they can be done in a timely manner.”

“That’s my kind of work, Mike. Give me a job that I can move right through and I’m in heaven. When the owners keep trying to pre-sell space, constantly holding up a job like this one, makes it tough. They needed to have set everything up into sections, build the building, then divide it up as they lease it. I tried to tell them that tenants will come and go, but with an existing building, he can vary the sizes of the individual stores.”

I nodded in understanding, “Well, the two jobs you will see are straightforward. Since you have experience with medical facilities, if you have any suggestions, I’m sure the doctor is interested. Let’s get back to work.”

Coup was very pleased with lunch and complimented Rodrigo on the excellent food. I delivered Coup back to his construction trailer and told him I’d check with him later to make sure he had received the specs and plans.

I was now ready to check in with the path crew. When I walked to where the men were cutting timber up, it seemed as if there were a lot of men. Pedro and Jesus came over to me, and when I asked about all of the men, Pedro reminded me, “We have two crews out here right now. We finished the Conner place and can’t get to the next job yet. We’ll be working another project by the end of the week and be back to one crew here.”

“Pedro, how do you feed all of these men? Are your ladies able to do it?”

“They have no problem, Mike. They bring a lot of food to us and we eat what we want. They take what is left back with them and use it for another meal. By you feeding us, we don’t have to wait for men to get back from lunch, so it works out very well.”

I was going to have to check with Maude to make sure this venture was still making money, as there had to be over twenty men working clearing the path.

I stopped by the road yard on the way home, but no one was there. The big board told the story about where men were working, and also where they would be working for the rest of the week. This place was working like a clock.

When I got home, I had a cup of coffee with Mom. She said, “The garden planting is just about finished, and it will now be just upkeep for a few weeks. D has made his delivery to the restaurant and has given his girls instructions on how to handle the vineyards. Millie and Marita will be able to keep track of the milk, butter, and eggs, so you are going to be on your own for a couple of weeks. D and I are leaving Wednesday morning. I’m leaving my car in the long-term lot in Cincinnati so you don’t have to haul us around. We’ll stay in Cincinnati Tuesday night so that we won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to catch an early morning flight. I’ll call you during the week to see how you’re doing, but I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Wow, Mom, we’re going to miss you, but I’ll bet you have a good time. I’ll have to do something like that with Millie. As soon as John gets a little bigger, we’ll take a vacation and see some of the country.”

Mom smiled at me, “Sure you will, but it will probably be after this next little one that’s on the way. You’re just like your dad the way you stay focused on the farm and work.”

“I’m slowing down, Mom. I’m working toward having all of these other businesses work on their own so that I can focus only on the farm. I want to be sure to be around for John and Millie. Of course, Millie’s working on critter number two, and that will make both of us busier.”

“You know that when Marita gets married to Jet, and Karen takes off for school, this place is going to be very quiet,” Mom said with a loving smile. “I had thought Carla would want to live with us, but Consuela has been a real mother to her, and she’s now making a play for one your road men. You and Millie may want to find another helper, or what could be considered an intern.”

“Do we need more people, Mom?”

“Not really, Mike, but there has been someone around to help with everything since John came along. I might be traveling a lot, so you can’t depend on me except during harvest, or like now when we’re planting. D’s girls are all going to be gone one of these days, and you will need vineyard workers. Your orchards are big enough that you could have a full time man working those. Talk to D and Esteban; they might know of someone who needs to be sponsored.”

Oh yeah, Esteban. I told Mom, “I need to check on Esteban to see how he’s doing in getting the equipment from George. Raul didn’t say anything about the milk house expansion. I wonder if he forgot.”

Mom chuckled, “Raul had Jose and a couple of men go with Esteban, so they should be fine. Raul said Jose would begin on the milk house expansion right away, since Raul says he’s working on the Mount Sterling job. See, you have too much going on at the same time. Rely on your help, but get some more help for Millie; she’s going to need it.”

It was at that moment that Rosita came through the door. She smiled and asked, “May I talk with you, both of you, and Millie too?”

Now what? When a lady talks like that, there is a problem.

Millie was working at the stove and came over and hugged Rosita. She asked, “What’s the matter, Rosita?”

Millie brought a cup of coffee to Rosita and refilled Mom’s and my cups. She told all of us, “I have something on the stove, but I will listen.”

Rosita was not a young lady. She seemed to be around thirty, about the same age as Millie. She had the light brown skin of southern Mexico, with the dark hair and eyes. She almost always had a smile on her face, and I knew she was a hard worker. Was she attractive? Pretty much so, but she has a slight build that could use a few more pounds.

Rosita nervously squirmed in her chair, but finally sat up straight and said, “I will speak plainly of what it is. I am an unmarried lady among some married couples who want me to get together with one of the unmarried men who live down the hill. I am not interested in any of them, but the men are very insistent that I choose one of them. I can’t stay there any longer, because I do not want their hands on me or the constant reminder that I am not getting any younger.”

Mom was quick to ask, “What do you want us to do to help you, Rosita?”

Rosita now squirmed around even more. She looked at me, then at Millie, and directed her question to Millie, “I want to be like Millie. I want to be Mike’s wife too.”

Holy shit!

Mom covered her face with her hand, but I think she was biting it to keep from laughing. Millie had a grin on her face that spread from ear to ear. When none of us said anything, Rosita added, “Marita will be leaving you, so you will need another wife, yes?”

I reached across the table and took Rosita’s hand, “Marita is our friend and not a wife.”

“But she sleeps with you at night. She tells us how nice it is to sleep on your shoulder and to hug you at night. Surely you do more than hug.”

Mom was still biting her hand, or at least covering her face, but Millie came around the counter to hug Rosita again. “That is so sweet, Rosita. Mike won’t do any husband duties with Marita because he says he only wants one wife, me. You’ll have to find another man.”

Rosita’s eyes watered a little, but no tears came down her face. “If not a wife, can I be a friend like Marita so I don’t have to wear work pants to bed?”

Millie told her, “Of course, Rosita, you can stay with us to see how you like it. Your family really needs to find some more women for the other men. I’m sure there are many women who would want the men that are here.”

“Maybe women can be found for them, but not me. I am only a distant cousin to Pedro, but I am indebted to him for helping me get a work permit. I know I must work for a living and will work as always, but I don’t want to have to defend myself all the time.”

Millie had gone back to the stove and told us, “See, Mike, you need to accept another wife. We could have more babies and you would have more women to love at night.”

It was Mom who told Rosita, “We have room. Marita and Karen both have rooms, but Marita almost always sleeps with Millie and Mike. Karen and I will often go in to be with them, but Mike only acts like a husband with Millie. You can come up to stay with us, but I don’t want to cause Pedro or the other women to be hurt by this.”

“Anita and Carmen know how the men are,” Rosita explained. “The men won’t touch those two as they are married, but I’m not. They even say some of those things to Consuela, but she will not put up with it. She tells them to behave or leave. I cannot do that.”

Carmen came into the house to get a drink of water, and asked, “Rosita, will Mike take you as another wife? We know Millie would like that.”

Millie said, “Mike doesn’t want more than one wife, but Rosita can stay with us if she wants. We have room.”

“Poor Rosita,” Carmen lamented, “She has wanted to be a wife to Mike since she met him. Millie and Bea will have to find her another man.”

Carmen got her drink, hugged Rosita, and went back out the door. Mom said, “I guess I don’t have to worry about who will help Millie if she needs it. It’s a good thing there are more women coming, because harvest will be busy. Rosita, do you want to get your clothes now or later?”

“Now please, while the men are not there. The men working on the wood will have their wives here this week, so there will be more to help in the garden. There will be enough people to do the work.”

Mom added, “Esteban’s wife is now working in the garden too, so we will have plenty.”

The door opened and Doc Rivers walked in, sat at the boot bench to take her shoes off and said, “My guy says he’s coming out here today, so I decided it would be a good day to get out of the clinic. With your help, Mike, I now have a new doctor that just finished her residency. She’s a tough little farm girl who will be a good addition.”

Mom asked, “Where’s she from, Sheryl?”

“Up the road in Mount Sterling, but doesn’t want to work in that clinic. She says it’s too unfriendly.”

After Sheryl gave everyone a hug, including the surprised Rosita, she got a mug of coffee from Millie and sat in the fourth chair at the little table.

Rosita said, “Can we go get my clothes now? It would be good if I could do that.”

Mom told her, “Let’s do it.” She said to Sheryl, “We’ll be right back; we have a chore to do.”

As soon as Mom and Rosita left, Marita came in and gave me a hug, “I’m so happy you will let Rosita stay here. I know she wants more than you will give, but she needs to get away from down there.”

The doc looked at me with a smirk, “With all these women throwing themselves at your feet, including me not that long ago, how are you planning to stay a one woman man?”

“What in the world would I do with another woman, and what woman could compare to my Millie?”

That brought Millie over to give me a hug. She patted her belly and told Sheryl, Marita, and me, “I have the proof right here and over in the playpen.”