A Plain Man by Mary Ellis Page A

why you have one. You said you wanted to return to the Amish ways.” Eli didn’t try to hide his disappointment.
    Caleb straightened, switched off the tool, and met his daed’ s gaze. “The tool is battery powered. There is no cord. Nothing is connected to the grid.”
    â€œI understand how it works, but our district doesn’t use them. The ministerial brethren have discussed power saws in the past.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous.” Caleb spoke without thinking. “If it’s battery-operated, what’s the difference between using a Sawzall or a flashlight or a nine volt wall clock? Jack or Bob could take my power pack home each night to charge it up.”
    Eli’s face turned so red, Caleb feared he might suffer a heart attack. “Jack and Bob have their own power saws, including one exactly like yours. If you need to cut out some sheathing, Jack will do it. That’s how it will be done on my crew on this project.”
    Caleb felt the presence of several men who’d apparently taken abreak to listen to their discussion. His face flushed with embarrassment from the dressing-down. His father was treating him like a teenager instead of an experienced, twenty-four-year-old carpenter.
    He set down the tool none too gently.
    Jack materialized at his side. “Let me cut out that section, Cal. No big deal.” The Englischer picked up the saw and put it to use, the noise effectively mitigating the tense situation.
    Grabbing the pry bar, Caleb began lifting off boards from the roof rafters. One by one the other workers returned to their tasks. But his father remained in place for several minutes, as though expecting him to use the taboo tool the moment he turned his back. Caleb concentrated on the loosened sheathing, transferring his negative energy into the decayed wood. In a few minutes Eli climbed down the ladder and returned to his portable table of blueprints and specifications. But Caleb couldn’t meet his eye for the remainder of the day.
    He was too close to saying something he would undoubtedly regret.

    Eli sat up front next to Bob while Jack drove the van back toward Fredericksburg. It had been a stressful day despite the fact that demolition hadn’t even begun until after lunch. Problems with the city safety director, the utility company, and the owner’s agent had upset his stomach during the morning hours. Not that construction projects ever began or ended without tension. It was the nature of the business—whether Amish or Englisch. But Eli really didn’t need a confrontation with his son on the first day of the job. Perhaps he should have discussed what was and wasn’t permitted on his crew, but Caleb had worked for him before he left to find his fame and fortune in Cleveland. He didn’t think his son could have forgotten a lifetime of learned Ordnung.
    Eli had been relieved when Jack picked up the saw and assumed responsibility. Nevertheless a heart-to-heart with Caleb was long overdue, but he would wait until they got home so as not to embarrass his son. At least Caleb talked to other Amish during the drive instead offorming instant bonds with the Englisch employees. Deep inside Eli feared a repeat of that heartbreaking summer years ago.
    When Jack dropped them off, Caleb scrambled out to retrieve his toolbox from behind the seat. “I’m leaving my Sawzall and cordless circular saw,” he said to Jack after walking around to the driver’s side. “They’re all yours, my friend.” Caleb spoke with an ounce of emotion.
    â€œOkay, but I’ll return them if your district changes their policy someday. You never know what the future holds.” Tipping his ball cap, Jack rolled up the window.
    The man had learned much about the Amish after working for him these four years, thought Eli. “See you tomorrow,” he called.
    Eli followed his son through the back door into the mudroom. While they pulled