The Way of the Monk

There was a loud banging going on, a smaller man could be seen getting 'ran out' of the house by a 'plumper' "young" lady.

The large and older woman was running out of breath after sprinting down the four steps leading off of the porch, she shouted, "BOY! GET BACK 'ER!!" before giving up and wiping the sweat off of her brow.

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Cody was sprinting, he was sure that his Grandma wasn't chasing him anymore, he just didn't care to stop.

He tripped on a tree root that had been revealed after soil collapse, and he went face first into a thorn bush.

"GOD! JESUS! LORD HELP ME!"

Cody was prickled up nicely, but the sting in his heart hurt worse.

As he pulled his thorns out and made sure to NOT rip his clothes (lest his Grandma be mad) he felt hopeless.

He had just learned that his mother would not be coming back from her trip indefinitely.

Cody was white, yellow, and red with anger. How could she do her son that way? Why would she abandon him? What could make her do this? Was she held against her will?

He just couldn't understand. There was nothing that could fill the gap in his chest.

After crying silently for 3 hours, it was evidently sunset. He picked up a small stick and twirled it as he walked back to the house.

-----

Cody noticed that the pickup truck was sitting in the driveway and thought, 'Papaw is back….I wonder if she told him?' He braced himself for a wooden spoon as he opened the door.

The wince was uncalled for as he looked around and noticed his Grandma in the kitchen "slavin' over the stove" as she always was.

'How does she do that? It must be a million degrees over that burner.'

He nodded to his Grandma as she turned around.

"THERE YOU ARE! Get yourself in the washroom and get yourself cleaned up."

Cody just nodded and walked off, but he was stopped, "Boy! Grab me a cold one on your way in here!" Cody cracked a small smile and shared it with Betty, it seems like no matter what, not much changes.

Cody grabbed the Natty Light and headed over to "the chair."

Papaw's face lit up as he saw the silver can in Cody's hand. "Thanks boy, much appreciated."

Cody headed off with a smile, but was stopped, "Hold on."

He turned around and watched his grandpa crack open the can while staring at him. Those deep green eyes dug into his soul.

"Did you talk to your ma'?" He asked and took a sip while maintaining eye contact.

"Yea...sh-she won't be coming back to America." Cody broke eye contact and looked at the ground, tears were welling up, but his Papaw didn't like weakness.

A few moments passed as his Grandfather just looked dejected then cracked a smile.

"Kid. Did I ever tell you I was racist?"

Cody looked up and was so thrown off by it that a tear ran down his face.

"Uhhh…" He didn't know what to say at all, but his Papaw just laughed.

"Ya' buddy. Shoot, I was racist for decades and then some. See, my boy went off to college and he came back with a little woman following him like a lost puppy." He looked at Cody, "I knew it wasn't going to go over well."

Cody was going to attempt to speak but his mouth hung open.

"Haha, kid. I HATED an entire group of people because of Nam." His tone went somber, "They killed my friends, how could I not hate them?"

"But, when I saw that little woman shivering from fear, I thought the worst had happened. I thought my boy had gotten' one of 'those' people pregnant, if you catch my cow patty."

He smiled and said, "Not too much longer, you popped out."

Cody stared at his Papaw, "That day, I realized that I was a fool. I couldn't hate my own blood even if I tried." He took a drink of the Natty Light and went back to watching Andy Griffith.

Cody was stunned.

'What the actual fuck was that? Was that a pep-talk?'

He slowly backed away and just as he turned around he heard, "Oh! And cryin' don't make you weak boy! Being weak, makes you weak!"

Cody just nodded as his Grandpa had a smile on his face and thought, 'I am just giving out decades worth of knowledge, FOR FREE! Maybe I need to get me one of those Twatter things….yeah!'

Cody got to the bathroom and cleaned up his cuts and pricks with some peroxide.

'MMMMMM, the sting is how you know it is working!'

He shook his head, 'That isn't true, it is just the peroxide damaging your actual cells.'

He was squirming as the burn got worse and better in different areas, because, of course it did.

----

Cody was STARVING after missing lunch, so he was digging in.

Fresh green beans, corn, mashed potatoes with homemade lard gravy. And to top it off, pork chops with a homemade blend.

"Grandma, this meal is one of the best I have ever eaten, thank you so much. I love the cast iron searing and caramelization with the butter."

She just nodded, "I can teach you so you can get you'a woman one day, I know they do things a little differently now'a days." She winked at him as she got up to do dishes.

"Yeah, I would like that. Grandpa taught me the ways of man-hood, so why not learn both, right?"

His Paw just nodded.

"Papaw, I am glad we canned this year, that flash frozen corn was almost like it was off the cob, I still can't believe it keeps so well!"

Paw smirked, "I told ya', one day, you were going to take a lik'en to it. I was forced back in my day, I hated my mama's cookin' for years."

Cody just nodded, he finally could connect with them on an adult level. He used to HATE all types of food, even reasonable ones.

"Remember that summer I swore off Mac'n Cheese?" He chuckled as he got it out.

His Grandpa had a gloomy look on his face, "Ya', that was the summer your Pa' died, I always thought it was trauma express'in itself in a weird way…"

Cody looked over at him, he could feel the sadness over his son.

"I guess so, I don't really remember much about my dad." Cody scratched the back of his head and tried to hide his lack of emotion.

"I know, I know. You would have loved him though, he was a man's man. He was strong, hardworking, and man, he could put'em back." He chuckled over his memories.

Cody worked up the courage, "Am I anything like him?" and waited for his Papaw's judgment.

His Papaw let out a sigh, "No, you aren't anything like him. You are better. He was on a dead-end course. Your dad worked hard because he HAD to, he was strong because he abused his body carryin' tools and moving things to get some extra money for you and your mother." Papaw shook his head, "No, you went to college and got yourself a degree, you work hard, but never let anyone abuse you. I'd say you will be doing just fine with no debt, a house, land, and a farm in the future."

He was dumbfounded.

"I thought you hated my work?"Cody couldn't help but ask.

"I DO, because you are always right! Goodness, how is an old man supposed to argue with math and numbers, goodness! I need another one."

His Papaw waddled off into the kitchen and was hollering about some sweet young lady who "Don' broke in my house."