Deliver Us from Evie Read Free Page A

surprised when we read the interview in The Appleman Arrow , the school paper Patsy sent to Evie at the beginning of December.
Patsy D.
What are you dreams for the future?
Evie B.
I think of having plans, not dreams, but if I was the sort who had dreams, I’d wish we could buy out the Atlee land next to us. They’re C.S.&F. farmers, with the emphasis on the F. lately. He’s out of here at the first frost.
Patsy D.
What’s a C.S.&F. farmer?
Evie B.
That stands for corn, soybeans, and Florida. They go to Florida every winter, and now the son over there is studying medicine. I think their place will be up for grabs sometime in the future.
Patsy D.
So you never think of leaving Duffton, or this farm?
Evie B.
Well, I am thinking seriously of entering ag school over at Columbia. I have a lot to learn.
Patsy D.
You sound real smart to me.
Evie B.
( Laughing hard) Yeah , but you’re easy to impress , aren’t you , because what do you know about all this ? I bet you never even milked a cow.
    My mother said to Evie, “How about letting your father and me in on your plans?”
    “You’re in on them now,” said Evie.
    “When are you making this big move, Evie?”
    “I figure next fall. Dad and I’ve been talking about it.”
    Mom sighed. “So that’s really why he had that interview with the Rayborn Company last month…. Well, if you do it, we’ll have to hire extra help.”
    “ I can do more than I’m doing now, too,” I said, figuring I’d do anything in the short run that’d keep me off the farm in the long run.
    But we would need to hire help. That was the expensive part of Evie going to college, not college itself. The university didn’t cost Missouri residents that much, but Evie did the work of two men.
    Then everything changed.
    One night Will Atlee came over and told my father he wanted to talk. He said he thought my mother and Evie might like to hear what he had to say, too.
    I took Toni Atlee for a sunset walk around our place.
    I told her that she was probably the only one in the world who could maybe change my mind about farming.
    “If I had someone like you, I could almost see doing it,” I lied. No way would I ever farm, not even for Toni.
    She was this five-foot-three brunette with a body that ripped right through you, and a smart mouth. We were sitting in my father’s pickup by that time, the motor on for warmth, listening to KKRG, watching a ball of red sneak down through these wispy smoke-blue clouds. She had on something that smelled like lilies.
    “What a lot of bull crap, Parr!” she said. “You’re no farmer! You just want my bod. And I don’t even like farming—don’t you know anything ?”
    “Me want your bod? Me ? I’m trying to plan my future and you’re turning it into some kind of sexual fantasy!”
    “That arm of yours is creeping around my neck, Parr. How does that figure in your future plans?”
    My hand landed on her shoulder.
    She pushed it away and sat forward. “What a great sunset, Parr!”
    “What if I said I was going to study to be a lawyer, probably settle in Kansas City, probably make several hundred thou a year?”
    “How about settling in Miami? I’m used to warm winters.”
    We were laughing. I was reaching out to touch her and she was pushing my hand away.
    “Okay, Miami,” I said.
    She grabbed my hand and held it. “ We’re not farmers, Parr. And anyway, I’m moving, Parr. That’s what Daddy’s inside talking about to your daddy.”
    “You don’t mean you’re moving for good?”
    She turned her head and looked at me. I loved her eyes, and her smile. “Would I do this if I wasn’t?” she said, and she leaned into me and kissed me.
    She whispered, “I’d never do that if I was going to stay here in Duffton. It’d only start your motor going.”
    “What do you think my motor’s doing now, standing still?”
    “Turn it off,” she said. She straightened up and pulled down the door handle, and we were over before we even