The Palisadian-Post has partnered with Paul Revere Charter Middle School to highlight a series of pieces from its 2022 Literary Anthology. The following piece, penned by Harper Geddes, originally appeared in the Fictional Narratives section of the anthology, released in spring, and has been reprinted here with permission.
It was the end of summer and fall had started at the California ranch now owned by the Tiflin family. The old paisano named Gitano, who had lived on the property many years earlier, was gone after a short return visit.
The dusty blond-haired little boy Jody lay in the olive-green grass on the top of the hill near the Tiflin house as he saw the sun slowly fall below the mountains. The birds chirped in the background as the trees swayed back and forth.
Jody felt the damp green grass tickle his bare arms and he smelled the pollen in the air flowing around him. Jody’s face was full of nameless sorrow. All he could think about was the old paisano who had mysteriously entered and quickly exited his life.
Soon it was dark and the sun had disappeared. In the distance Jody heard the sizzling sound of steak being cooked, and then quickly stood up and walked back home. As he entered the house a tangy smell ran up his nostrils.
Jody walked to the table to see that Carl Tiflin, his father, and Billy Buck, the watery gray eyed ranch handler, were sitting down already. Ashy-brown cooked steak was set out on the table.
Everyone grabbed their steak and ate. It was quiet and awkward and tense, until Billy Buck broke the silence.
“Fancy dinner tonight,” he said while looking at his food.
“Yes, I wanted—”
“It’s because we are celebrating that annoying old man being gone,” Carl interrupted. Everyone’s faces dropped down awkwardly. They all continued to eat and didn’t exchange any more words. Once everyone was done, they went back to doing their own things.
From the door came a strange muffled knock. Jody offered to answer and walked over to the door. Carl and Billy Buck both had a confused look on their faces.
“Whoever is there, make sure they know they shouldn’t be knocking on people’s doors this late,” Carl said in an annoyed tone. Jody slowly opened the door.
“You shouldn’t be um— knocking—,” Jody stopped and stood silent and so did Carl and Billy Buck.
They all jumped back into reality and looked at the dirty old paisano holding a dusty oil lamp that wasn’t lit and a heavy broken saddle. Carl was furious.
“What are you doing here, you old man? You left here with my horse and my gun and you have the guts to come back!”
Jody was in shock. He couldn’t believe it was Gitano. He thought it wasn’t real. He thought that maybe Gitano had died. Jody scanned Gitano up and down and noticed the rapier he had taken. Carl was still yelling. “You are not coming back!”
“I used to live here, and now I want to spend the rest of my life here,” Gitano said quickly but with confidence.
“Well too bad, not everyone can always get what they want right when they want it,” Carl yelled.
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Tiflin asked in a friendly tone. She realized who it was and her face went blank for a moment.
She heard Carl say, “You are not staying here, so scram!”
“Don’t be so harsh,” she interjected. “Why don’t we let him stay for a little? Maybe if you don’t act kind life will get you back.”
After many backs and forth, Carl felt he had no choice but to give in. Jody felt very happy, for this meant he would get to talk to Gitano more and make him happier.
They made it inside the house and Gitano was informed to go to the bunkhouse. Gitano went to the small room to find all his belongings that he had left. He quickly changed and went to bed. So, did everyone else.
Instead of the sun appearing in the morning, crowding the sky were big gray clouds. Jody woke up to the sound of the cypress tree tapping his window.
He walked out of his room and went to grab breakfast. He noticed that Gitano wasn’t at the table and went to go get him. He walked into Gitano’s small room to see that he was lying down on his bed with his face facing upward. Jody went to wake him up and then cried out in horror.
Mrs. Tiflin, Carl and Billy Buck ran to the room to see what was going on. After noticing Jody’s tears, they knew what was happening. Just then, they heard a sound from the window. They all looked over to see a dove had landed right outside.
“At least he got what he had wanted,” Carl said.
Jody finished his father’s sentence. “To live the rest of his life where he was born.”
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