Performing My Duty
Performing My Duty
No beta, all mistakes my own.
The house is quiet; everyone to their own duties. I like to reflect on my roll in this house. Oh, now a bit of activity. The lovely young girl flits around like a little sparrow. She is so young
yet very self assured. She knows what she has to do and when. She doesn't need the likes of me to remind her.
I hear the heavy foot falls of the head of the house heading toward his desk. How often I have seen this man pace the floor waiting for someone or something; yearning for what he lost. He would stand at the window, looking out longingly. In time he realized that time moves forward regardless of the pain. Oh he would come to me and stare in my face with sad eyes as if I could stop time. He closed his heart lest it be hurt again. He has seen much sadness and pain. Most men would have given up, but not this man. He forged on, building this amazing home; a legacy but to leave to whom? And still I performed my duty.
How old am I, you ask? I have long since forgotten the years. I arrived to the home as a wedding present to he and his beautiful bride. Her grandmother sent it to her as it was handed down to her when she married. The couple had such dreams. I would hear them talking in the evening. They had such plans. Before long she had a new life growing in her. This was to be the first of many children they had planned. She was so beautiful. And still I performed my duty.
However their world was torn apart. The people came to try to take all the ranches in the area. They were getting too close. It was decided the young mother to be would be sent away where it would be safe for her their unborn child. His beloved died in childbirth. Her father whom she was meeting took the child away to the east. He would not return the child to his father. This rancher lost his wife and child, a son. I would see him sitting at his desk staring at her picture. He was seldom home after that, staying long days building his ranch; hardly noticing me when he returned home. And still I performed my duty.
This pattern lasted almost two years. The rancher took a trip on business to Matamoros. He arrived a short time later with the most exquisite Mexican lady as his new wife. He could once again be happy. And still I performed my duty.
He continued working hard, but the beautiful wife was growing sad. She could be heard voicing her displeasure alone to the mirror in this room. She seemed she thought life would be different; a bigger home, servants more clothes and jewelry , but the one thing she craved most was attention from her husband. There was one thing she did get that was the greatest gift from her husband, and that was the birth of a son. The child was small; the picture of his mother except for striking blue eyes. And still I performed my duty.
The parents seemed to grow closer again as they sat talking of his dreams. He would work hard and go to Boston to claim his first born. The closeness soon ended as the wife became jealous of her sweet son. The big rancher so adored his son. He would sit him on his lap and tell him of his older brother and how they would inherit the ranch and all the land he had accumulated. And still I performed my duty.
As the child grew, so did the ranchers love for his little blue eyed boy. Never still, some evenings I would find those blue eyes staring up toward me as if questioning my role in the house. This beautiful woman became cold ,rarely speaking as she and her husband sat. Evening became a time of joy as the rancher read to his young son. And still I performed my duty.
One morning the big rancher woke to find his wife and son missing. His heart was once again broken. He and his hands searched tirelessly for them but with no success. He would come back home a defeated man. He paced the floor, cursed his wife and God for taking his precious son. There were many glasses thrown to the wall in anger as he tried to drown his sorrow. And still I performed my duty.
The rancher started to accept he it would be almost impossible to find them. He started leaving for weeks at a time searching the border and Mexico. He would return home from these trips more broken each time. He would sit at the fire, tears running down his face ready to give up. Once someone came to the ranch to speak with the rancher. He said he was from a detective agency and his firm would continue searching for the mother and child. The rancher never gave up searching for his baby boy. And still I performed my duty.
Years went on and the reports came but never had any luck finding them. The pair moved on as soon as the detective got close. He later got word that his precious son had become a gunfighter, changing his name. How many hurts can one man stand? The rancher threw himself back into running the ranch. He and his foremen would discuss ranch business over drinks in the evening. This foreman was the father of the little sparrow. And still I performed my duty.
Land pirates again started trying to take the land and run the poor owners off by threats and violence. They hit the ranch one night taking the rancher's stallion. He and his foreman went after them. Tragedy struck when the foreman was killed and the rancher badly wounded. This again was a sad time for the rancher. The foreman, his best friend, was dead and his young daughter an orphan. And still I performed my duty.
The rancher survived but a bullet remains in his back. The violence continued; threats, burning, murder and the rancher decided he needed to do something more than what was being done. He took pen to paper reaching out to the detective group once again. The rancher offered both son's money to come speak with him; an hour of their time. He hoped they would be willing to protect their legacy. Not even sure he could locate his youngest but hoping for the best, the detectives were sent on their mission to contact and hopefully find his sons. And still I performed my duty.
The rancher had little time to even give me a passing look. One day the little sparrow went into town to collect a passenger, the older son. He agreed to come meet the father he never knew. A stranger on the stage turned out to be the younger son. And still I performed my duty.
I remember well that first meeting. There were words said between the three men. They were strangers. With their help the land pirates were defeated. The rancher gave each son a third of the ranch and life together began as a family. As I stand here quietly I can hear the many conversations and arguments that take place in this great room. Three men so different yet so alike. They seem to be working on learning how family works. The father has many rules. He calls the tune. And still I performed my duty.
I like the evening, when work is done. These men have their small timepieces, but it is I who calls the family to supper. This is a time for the men to get together to discuss ranch work, eat and learn more about each other. The oldest son, I am told was in the military. He seems very levelheaded yet outspoken. He does have a fun side, and he tries to keep his brother out of trouble.; a daunting job at times. And still I performed my duty.
The young son is having a harder time adapting to family life. He is a wonderful horseman and has a big heart, but he sometimes rebels against the rancher's rules. It seems to be a game with him to come to the table just as I finish my announcement. There have been many arguments between this son and his father. They seem t be cut from the same cloth. And still I performed my duty.
The days here are a lot more pleasant, and although the rancher won't always show it, he loves his sons, and they love him back. I see that more & more. Oh here comes the lovely lady who keeps me looking great. She will polish and shine me so I will always look my best. She is such a sweet lady; face worry worn and hair with a few wisps of gray. What a lovely time it is when she visits. He beautiful hymns she hums are a comfort. She will wind my key and cluck as she fingers the nick in my frame from the land pirate's gun. And still I performed my duty.
How many more years will I be here calling out the time? No one knows, but I have seen and heard so many heartaches and joys in this room. It is with hope there will be more joys than heartache in the future. And still I will perform my duty.
~end~
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