The Boxcar Blues (11 page)

“
Quit worrying and get
your things packed.”

Alton Jones pulled into Vaughn and stopped
at the soup kitchen. He was far enough from Texas now that he
didn’t worry about someone seeing the stolen car and this
emboldened him in his search. During his meal he talked to as many
of the other patrons as he could, but came up empty. He left the
mission and sought out some locals at the mercantile store to
continue his search. There he struck gold. The people sitting
around killing time were talkative and in twenty minutes he knew
about Barney’s two new farm hands and had directions to both
farms.

Jones drove to Barney’s farm north of town.
Except for the chickens the place looked deserted. He knocked on
the door. When Mattie answered he asked, “Is Barney around?”

She said, “No, he’s gone right now.”

“
I’m an old friend, is he
at the farm up north?”

Mattie didn’t like the looks of this guy,
but if he knew about Barney’s other farm, she decided he was O.K.
“Yes, he is. He should be up there for another three or four
days.”

Turning on his best charm, Jones tipped his
hat and said, “Why thank you, ma’am. I know the way and I’ll drive
up to see him there.”

It was late, so the former lawman decided to
spend the night in town and leave early for Cimarron. Then, he’d
find the Jackson boy and settle the score.

Before sunup the next morning Barney,
Catwalk and Sam left the farm for the train station. Even though it
was a two day drive, Barney had decided to drive them to Denver to
catch the train. He and Catwalk had discussed this and Cat had
affirmed that if they could avoid going through Texas, they could
avoid the area where the bulls were the most violent and where they
were still looking for him.

Once they reached the train station, Sam
kept up a running dialog as she bought their tickets, then steered
Catwalk to a seat in the Pullman car. She knew he was nervous and
hoped the talk would keep his mind off the law. After they’d found
seats in the car for “Blacks only,” she said, “Cat, have you ever
thought of who you’re going to marry?”

This caught him unaware, as did many of
Sam’s questions. He loved Sam’s company, but wondered how she came
up with some of the things she asked him. He said, “How would I
know who I want to marry, when I don’t know any girls. I didn’t get
to meet many girls on the farm where I grew up.”

“
Did you say, you don’t
know any girls?”

“
Yeah.”

“
Well, Mr. Jackson, what
am I?”

“
You’re a girl,
but….”

“
But what?”

“
Well, we’re
friends.”

“
Aren’t you going to be
friends with your wife?”

He wasn’t sure what Sam was getting at. As
much as he liked her, he’d never thought about marriage. He said,
“Of course, but before two people can marry, they have to be in
love.”

“
Are we in
love?”

“
I don’t know. You’re the
first girl I’ve known. I don’t know how to tell if I’m in
love.”

“
Well, you’re the first
guy I’ve ever rode across the country with. Does that mean
anything?”

“
I don’t know, but I don’t
think riding cross country makes us in love.”

Sam said, “Ugh!” She didn’t believe what she
was hearing. She read her copy of the Saturday Evening Post while
Catwalk thought about how someone knows when they’re in love.

Alton Jones looked over Barney’s farm
outside of Cimarron. This place, like the one in Vaughn, bespoke of
money with its new equipment, fresh paint, good crops and
livestock. He walked toward the house wearing a grin and thinking
his search was finally over.

Curly was in the hay loft when he saw the
car drive up. He watched to see if a policeman got out. When he saw
Jones, he said to himself, “Holy shit! That son of a bitch means
trouble for sure.”

Jones got no answer at the door, but the
sound of a blacksmith’s hammer striking an anvil led him to where
Julio was working over a hot fire behind the tool shed.

To Julio’s back, he hollered, “Hello.”

Julio turned around. One look at Jones, with
his disheveled looks and angry scowl, he sensed trouble. He said,
“Good morning. What can I do for you?”

With an air of importance, Jones said, “I’m
looking or a hand of yours. Colored kid, name of Luke Jackson with
a burn mark on his face. Where is he?”

Julio said, “Who are you?”

“
Alton Jones, Deputy
Sheriff, Dillard County, Texas.”

Wary as he was, Julio wasn’t buying Jones’
façade. “You’re way out of your jurisdiction and I don’t see a
badge.”

Jones pressed. “I lost it. This colored boy
murdered and raped two hoboes and I’m taking him in. Now where is
he?”

“
There ain’t anyone around
here that fits that description.”

Jones went to the fire and picked up a red
hot poker. He approached Julio and stuck the poker in his face
until Julio dropped his hammer and backed away. “I said there is a
darkie named Jackson working for you and I want to know where he
is.”

Curly scrambled down from the hay loft and
peeked out the barn door. The deputy had to be looking for them, so
he needed to arm himself. He recalled a thirty caliber rifle that
Barney kept. He ran for the house; twenty feet from the door he
heard Julio scream. Curly ran into the house and grabbed the rifle.
He checked the chamber—it wasn’t loaded. Frantically searching
through a dresser drawer he found a box of bullets. He shoved a
shell in as he ran through the house and out the door. Once
outside, he saw only the cloud of dust that hid Jones’ car. He
fired two shots in desperation, but the car didn’t slow.

Curly found Julio laying on the ground. He
was moaning in pain from a bad burn on his chest. Julio said, “I’ll
be O.K. Find some of that liniment we use on the cattle to cool
this off.”

Curly smeared the salve on Julio’s chest. As
soon as he felt some relief, Julio said, “He was looking for Cat. I
told him Cat quit and left. He didn’t believed me. I bet he’ll be
back.”

Curly said, “That’s O.K. I hope the son of a
bitch comes back when I’m here.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sam had fallen asleep with her head resting
on his shoulder. Catwalk nudged her and said, “We’re coming into
Salina for a meal stop. I’m ready for some of that chicken.”

While the white people filed into the diner,
Catwalk and Sam sat down under the nearest shade tree. He said, “I
don’t like the way that conductor looks at me. It’s like he knows I
shouldn’t be on this train.”

Sam unwrapped the food and tried to calm his
worries. “He doesn’t see many black people riding his trains. I’ve
only seen one other black couple on this train. I don’t think he
recognized you or he would have told the bulls already.”

“
I think next time I go
somewhere, I’ll just catch out and take my chances.”

“
If you do that, you won’t
get to ride with me.”

Catwalk smiled, “I’m glad you came along.
Having you along is better than traveling alone, even if you sleep
a lot.”

Sam threw her chicken bone at Catwalk and
said, “O.K., no pie for you.”

Early that evening they changed trains in
St. Louis. On the ride south, they saw the same curious stares from
the conductors, but no one said anything and the bulls didn’t
bother them. Catwalk even relaxed enough to manage a few hours
sleep as the train sped through the night.

In Vicksburg, Mississippi they boarded a bus
to Meridian and Catwalk felt his excitement grow about seeing his
family. It had been almost a year since he’d left home. He thought
about the changes his life had taken and the stark contrast to his
life one year ago.

Sam said, “Are you getting excited about
seeing your family?”

“
Yes, and I can’t wait for
you to meet them. My Momma’s going to like you. I think she’s
always been partial to girls.”

“
I just hope we can find
someone to help her get better.”

Catwalk said, “No matter what I have to do,
or who I have to find, I’m going to get some help for her.”

Sam took his hand in hers and smiled. He was
so glad he had her along. Was this a sign that he was in love?

On the outskirts of Meridian, Catwalk and
Sam left the bus and had to walk two miles to the farm where his
family lived. When they reached the Moore’s boundary he took a
familiar shortcut along a creek bed toward the black living area.
He pointed out several field hands in the distance that he’d worked
beside for many years. Then he said, “There’s our shack up
ahead.”

As they neared the shack, Catwalk saw
Georgie playing with little Petey in the shade of the porch. He
called out, “Georgie. Look who’s home.”

Georgie jumped up and ran to his younger
brother, screaming, “Luke, Luke. You came home. Look Petey, it’s
Luke.”

Catwalk hugged his brother and picked up
Petey, who was twice the size since he’d last seen him. He asked
Georgie, “How’s Momma?”

With a sad face his brother said, “Momma’s
sick, Luke. She lay down all day now, can’t work.”

Catwalk turned to Sam, “This is my brother,
Georgie, and this is little Petey.”

Georgie looked at Sam. Not sure of how she
fit into his brother’s life, he managed, “Hello.”

“
Hi Georgie.”

Catwalk opened the door to their shack. He
saw his Mother lying on a cot looking up at him. He put Petey down
and knelt by her side. “Hi Momma.”

Delores Jackson wept and held her arms out
to hug her son. “Luke, you came home. Oh lord, how I’ve missed
you.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she held her boy that she
thought about every single day. She’d worried that she’d die
without seeing him again. Now, those fears were washed away with
tears of joy.

She put her hands on his broad shoulders and
looked at him. “My baby. And new clothes. Don’t you look
handsome.”

“
How are you feeling,
Momma?”

“
Oh, I’m just tired. Can’t
do too much.”

Dee noticed Sam standing behind him.
Confused, she said, “Who is that woman, Luke?”

Catwalk heard the distress in her voice. He
said, “Momma, this is Samantha.”

Before Sam could say anything, Dee said,
“Luke Jackson, you brought a woman home with you? Are you married?
Who is she?”

“
Momma, we’re not married.
She works on the farm where I work. We thought if she traveled home
with me there would be less chance of the railroad police throwing
me off the train.”

“
Why would they want to
throw you off the train, Luke?”

“
Well, they do that to
black people out there, but with Sam along we look like just
another couple. And she’s a pilot, Momma. I’m going to learn how to
fly an airplane.”

Dee looked at her son with disbelief. “You,
fly an airplane? Are you crazy?”

“
No, Momma. I’m serious.
They have two of them on the farm where I’m working. My boss is
going to teach me how to fly.”

Dee cried out loud. Deep sobbing tears
rolled down her cheeks. She moaned, “My baby, oh my baby. He’s gone
from me and ain’t my little boy no more.”

Luke was disturbed by his Mother’s anguish.
He’d dreamt of a joyous homecoming. Now, however, he was afraid
he’d caused her more pain and grief, than joy. He didn’t know what
to say.

Sam instinctively knew what Dee was feeling.
She knelt by the cot and took Dee’s hand in hers. Softly, she said,
“Mrs. Jackson, you baby isn’t gone. He’ll always be your baby boy.
No matter how old he is, or where he goes, he’ll always be your
little boy because he loves you so much. He’ll always love you more
than anyone else in the world.”

Through tears, Dee looked at Sam; her
fingers caressed her face. She said, “My word, aren’t you just the
sweetest thing.”

With a lump in his throat, Catwalk smiled.
He knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Barney returned to the farm two days later.
When he heard what Jones had done to Julio, he immediately drove
into Cimarron and looked up the county sheriff, telling him, “Clem,
this guy came here with the intent of taking one of my employees
under false pretenses, then he assaulted another employee. I want
the bastard found and locked up.”

“
I’ll send out a telegraph
message and keep an eye out for the guy, Barney. I doubt if he’ll
be easy to find though. His type are good at staying out of
sight.”

Barney knew the sheriff was right. Finding
Jones would be much easier said than done. Curly and Julio told him
they were convinced that Jones would return to find Catwalk.
Barney’s only recourse was to be ready for the guy when he
returned. With that in mind, he drove to the nearest supply store
and bought two more rifles. When he arrived at the farm, he told
Curly and Julio to keep one with them at all times.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The next morning Sam stayed with Dee while
Catwalk went to talk to Mr. Moore, the owner of the farm, about
finding a doctor. Moore recommended he try a Doctor Graves who was
not far from the farm. He gave Cat directions to the doctor’s
house.

Catwalk made the one mile trek and knocked
on the door. A graying man in glasses answered, took one look at
the black man standing there and said, “I’m not giving out any more
food; I’ve already helped two people today.”

Catwalk countered, “No sir, I’m not looking
for a handout. I need a doctor for my Momma. They think she’s got
leukemia.”

“
Doctors cost money,
boy?”

“
I know that, sir. I’ve
got enough money to pay for her treatment.” Catwalk showed the
doctor the cash Barney had given him. He hoped money was the only
issue.