He Came From Away

Clarence's light blue eyes twinkled with a mix of excitement and sincerity as beads of sweat rolled down his chubby freckled face, "this'll suit just fine, sir, just fine."

The old man nodded, pulling the denim strap of his baggy overalls back up onto his right shoulder. "Sorry I got no room in the main house, but, it's small, as you can see, room enough just for me an' my granddaughter."

"This is fine, sir," Clarence beamed, "now, you said there were chores?"

"Truck needs work," the old man stood with Clarence just inside the barn doorway and pointed toward a junk heap of a vehicle, "not sure the matter, but she won't run. Be mighty grateful if you could have a look. Recon there's other things too."

Clarence nodded, he pulled a few bills from his pocket, "for the lodging," he said.

"Don't need no money," the old man waved his hand, "just earn your keep and we'll be square."

Clarence nodded, "I do know a thing or two about cars," he said. The truth was he didn't know very much, but he did seem to know just enough about a wide variety of things to make him useful. "I'll get to it in a day or 2, I'm quite tired from my travels."

"Where was it you come from again?"

"Away," Clarence replied, "back east, a nowhere town like this, smaller even. I'm sure you've never heard of it."

"Reckon not," the old man agreed. "Supper'll be in an hour or so, rest up, my granddaughter will bring it out. There's a toilet and sink and a washtub over there, in the corner, should do you. Hose right there out the back to fill the tub."

That's fine, sir, just fine," he smiled widely, "but if I could trouble you for a couple flashlights," he asked, "I often work late, on my thesis, compiling data and whatnot."

"Don't know what that is, but sure, I can git 'em for ya."

Clarence giggled, "I'm sorry sir, my thesis is my report, for my study I told you about. To get my PhD from Harvard, I have to write a big report about life on a farm.

"Ain't much of a farm these days, I'm afraid."

The stranger stood tall, inhaling deeply, "it'll do, as long as it's rural life." He said a few other things, tossed around words the older man didn't quite understand. He was obviously very bright, educated.

Finally alone, Clarence rolled out his sleeping bag and stretched himself out on it, looking up at the ceiling of the old barn. The smell of hay and dampness filled his senses, "good people" he thought to himself, "good salt of the earth people, these are."

"Supper!" a voice called out, stirring Clarence. He must have fallen asleep. He sat up with a start to see a young woman coming toward him with a tray. She was about his age, mid-twenties, with a plain face, a strangely bulbous nose, tiny breasts and a large hind end. She smiled widely at him, showing a row of crooked and oddly pointed teeth, "beef stew, brown bread and a slice of pie."

He gained his composure, "thank you.....ummmm?"

"Gina," the girl said.

"Of course, Gina," he said sweetly, " a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. Please, do join me."

Gina giggled and shifted from one foot to the other awkwardly. No one had called her beautiful before. She felt a rush of heat come over her. "I ate already, but I kin keep ya company if ya want."

"Please," Clarence motioned for her to sit down, "it's not often I have the opportunity to enjoy the company of such an elegant woman."

She obliged, and she continued to oblige for the weeks that followed. It seemed, no it was, that Clarence never left the barn, never. He didn't do any chores, he didn't go out for walks or for a swim. He stayed inside that old, dank, dark barn, day and night.

"You sure work hard on that schoolwork," Gina told him one evening.

You know why?" he asked.

She shook her head.

He leaned over and kissed her. "Because, I want to marry you and take you away from all this, Gina. When I get my PhD, I can be a professor and we can live in the city. You'd like that, wouldn't you? " He placed his large meaty hand on her thigh.

She flinched. "I love you too, but..."

He kissed her neck and whispered softly in her ear, "I love you, Gina, let me show you how much ..."

Gina melted and gave herself to him.

After it was over, she lay naked, basking in afterglow in his arms, "Grandpa's gonna kill me," she said.

"Not if we kill him first," Clarence laughed.

Gina laughed too, "that ain't even funny," she rolled her eyes, he's gonna be mad, not just for this, but I was hurryin' over here and I knocked over that gas can by the house."

"Where is he now?"

Gina looked at her watch, "after 8, he's in bed. Out at 7:30, up at 4:30, every day."

Clarence stroked her thick dark hair, "come on," he teased, "nobody goes to bed at 7:30."

"No," Gina agreed, "Grandpa goes to bed at 7, so's he's asleep by 7:30, always has. Farm work comes early."

Clarence gazed down at his love, then sat up, ran his hand through his closely cropped red hair and leaned over toward his duffle bag, "I need a smoke, then, I'm going to need some more of you!"

Gina blushed, looking up at him from under her eyelashes, "you are bad!"

Clarence lit his cigarette, looked out the open barn window and tossed his match hard. He took a few drags, and tossed his cigarette in the same direction, making sure it landed well away from the barn. He turned to Gina, embraced her and kissed her passionately.

As they continued to enjoy each other, Gina bolted upright, "do you smell smoke?" she asked.

"No," Clarence cooed, "could be the farm down the road, burning leaves."

"Shouldn't be burning leaves," Gina shook her head, "been dry."

He leaned over and kissed her neck, "come here, you."

The fire marshall ruled the fire accidental. Gina was devastated at the loss of her grandfather. She was so thankful to have Clarence with her, to lean on, to comfort her. He was so kind. She knew Grandpa would be pleased she found a man to take up where he left off, to care for her. They married the week after the burial, Clarence said Grandpa would have wanted it that way. He was probably right.

She didn't know what to think when she got the call from the police station. They said they had to talk to her. She didn't know why they showed her newspaper article. The headline read "Land Loving Lothario: Disgruntled Records Clerk Wanted for Bigamy & the Murder of 4 Large Landowners." There was a story about a guy named Clarence (lots of people have that name) that apparently went around finding elderly landowners in the province, killing them and then marrying thier daughters or granddaughters. It sure was a sad story, but, it had nothing to do with her or her husband. That she knew for certain. After all, he never left the barn. Not even once.