nodding his head, and answering Smitty's question. "Everything's gonna be just fine."
After Smitty was completely out of sight, the man turned his attention to Jake. "You ain't gonna hit me—are you mister?" Jake swallowed hard. "If I'm gonna get beat, I'd rather Smitty hit me hit me with that stick, than you with those big hands."
"Nah" The big man replied, extending his large hand to help Jake off the ground. "I ain't gonna hit ya. Come on, get up now, you ain't hurt!"
Once he helped Jake to his feet, he reached behind him and brushed the grass and dirt off of his back. "I don't know who that fella was, but he sure was awful mad at you boy."
"That's just Smitty" Jake replied, as he rubbed and rotated his shoulder. "He's always got something to be mad about. Well mister, I suppose I should thank you for helping me out. Are you new in town or somethin'? I've never seen you around here before."
"Yep" The big man said, as he shook Jake's hand. "I'm brand new to Blackwater, just got here yesterday. I was tired of livin' in the big city and thought it was time for a change. I just bought that vacant shop at the end of the strip. I make, repair and sell furniture. You know anyone who's in need of a good furniture repair man?"
"Not off hand" Jake replied, rubbing his chin, trying to think. "But if I hear something, I'll send em' your way. My names Jake by the way. Jake Patterson. And you are?"
"Me?" The big man chuckled. "My name's Sutton—Paul Sutton, but you can call me Big Paul. So why was Smitty chasing you in the first place Jake?"
"Well" he said, looking down on the ground "I'm trying to turn a new leaf in my life. I've been tryin' to do good, honest mister, and well—see—I was out looking for a job so I can stay at the Brierly's, but no one will hire me. I got hungry, stole some stuff from Smitty's—and well, that's when you came along."
"Hmm, Sounds like you had a big day today?"
"It's about average for me." Jake replied.
"Ever make furniture before?" Big Paul asked.
"Nah" he replied, "but I know how to use tools. My dad taught me real good."
"So why not go work with your father?" Big Paul asked, with a puzzled look on his face.
"Well mister" he said, his eyes faced the ground again. "My father died a while ago, and my mother's a drunk, so I left my home in Round Rock, and ran away to Blackwater about a year ago. I finally got somewhat of a permanent place to stay, but in order for me to keep staying there, I need a job. Mr. Brierly told me finding a job would help keep me out of trouble and teach me some responsibility."
"Well Jake," Big Paul said "I think Mr. Brierly's a smart man. I could always use a hand at my furniture store, how does five cents an hour sound?"
"Are you offering me a job, mister?" He asked.
"Yes Jake, I'm offering you a job." He said as he chuckled.
"Thanks Big Paul! I'm a hard worker; you won't regret this one bit!"
"You can start tomorrow. But first, we need to make something right!"
"Make what right?" Jake asked puzzled.
"What did you take from Smitty's store?" He asked as he put his hands on his hips.
"Oh, make that right!" He said, raising his eyebrows "Well Big Paul, I threw the stuff over the fence so I guess they're gone now."
Mr. Sutton grabbed the top of the fence and pulled himself up just enough to look over. He saw the sack of peanuts, the soda, and a small crate on the other side. He let go of the fence, grabbed Jake by the waist and lifted him up enough to see over.
"Okay Jake!" Big Paul said "Climb the fence, toss the stuff over, then use the crate to climb back. If you run, I'm gonna find this Mr. Brierly, and tell him what you've done! Got it?"
"Yeah Big Paul, I got it!" he jumped over and moved the crate next to the fence, grabbed the peanuts and soda tossing them over, then climbed back to the other side.
"Okay Jake" He said "Grab the stuff, and lets go back to Smitty's. You're gonna give em' back, then apologize."
"Aww, come on Big Paul!" Jake said
After Smitty was completely out of sight, the man turned his attention to Jake. "You ain't gonna hit me—are you mister?" Jake swallowed hard. "If I'm gonna get beat, I'd rather Smitty hit me hit me with that stick, than you with those big hands."
"Nah" The big man replied, extending his large hand to help Jake off the ground. "I ain't gonna hit ya. Come on, get up now, you ain't hurt!"
Once he helped Jake to his feet, he reached behind him and brushed the grass and dirt off of his back. "I don't know who that fella was, but he sure was awful mad at you boy."
"That's just Smitty" Jake replied, as he rubbed and rotated his shoulder. "He's always got something to be mad about. Well mister, I suppose I should thank you for helping me out. Are you new in town or somethin'? I've never seen you around here before."
"Yep" The big man said, as he shook Jake's hand. "I'm brand new to Blackwater, just got here yesterday. I was tired of livin' in the big city and thought it was time for a change. I just bought that vacant shop at the end of the strip. I make, repair and sell furniture. You know anyone who's in need of a good furniture repair man?"
"Not off hand" Jake replied, rubbing his chin, trying to think. "But if I hear something, I'll send em' your way. My names Jake by the way. Jake Patterson. And you are?"
"Me?" The big man chuckled. "My name's Sutton—Paul Sutton, but you can call me Big Paul. So why was Smitty chasing you in the first place Jake?"
"Well" he said, looking down on the ground "I'm trying to turn a new leaf in my life. I've been tryin' to do good, honest mister, and well—see—I was out looking for a job so I can stay at the Brierly's, but no one will hire me. I got hungry, stole some stuff from Smitty's—and well, that's when you came along."
"Hmm, Sounds like you had a big day today?"
"It's about average for me." Jake replied.
"Ever make furniture before?" Big Paul asked.
"Nah" he replied, "but I know how to use tools. My dad taught me real good."
"So why not go work with your father?" Big Paul asked, with a puzzled look on his face.
"Well mister" he said, his eyes faced the ground again. "My father died a while ago, and my mother's a drunk, so I left my home in Round Rock, and ran away to Blackwater about a year ago. I finally got somewhat of a permanent place to stay, but in order for me to keep staying there, I need a job. Mr. Brierly told me finding a job would help keep me out of trouble and teach me some responsibility."
"Well Jake," Big Paul said "I think Mr. Brierly's a smart man. I could always use a hand at my furniture store, how does five cents an hour sound?"
"Are you offering me a job, mister?" He asked.
"Yes Jake, I'm offering you a job." He said as he chuckled.
"Thanks Big Paul! I'm a hard worker; you won't regret this one bit!"
"You can start tomorrow. But first, we need to make something right!"
"Make what right?" Jake asked puzzled.
"What did you take from Smitty's store?" He asked as he put his hands on his hips.
"Oh, make that right!" He said, raising his eyebrows "Well Big Paul, I threw the stuff over the fence so I guess they're gone now."
Mr. Sutton grabbed the top of the fence and pulled himself up just enough to look over. He saw the sack of peanuts, the soda, and a small crate on the other side. He let go of the fence, grabbed Jake by the waist and lifted him up enough to see over.
"Okay Jake!" Big Paul said "Climb the fence, toss the stuff over, then use the crate to climb back. If you run, I'm gonna find this Mr. Brierly, and tell him what you've done! Got it?"
"Yeah Big Paul, I got it!" he jumped over and moved the crate next to the fence, grabbed the peanuts and soda tossing them over, then climbed back to the other side.
"Okay Jake" He said "Grab the stuff, and lets go back to Smitty's. You're gonna give em' back, then apologize."
"Aww, come on Big Paul!" Jake said
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