The tables were set up. The food was lined up. The cooks were ready when the first guests started showing up. I was amazed at the number of people from here abouts. Over 50 families representing an average of over 8,000 acres.
At first, I tried the individual approach. But there was just no way I could cover that many negotiations in that fashion. So, I waited until everybody was fed and ready to focus on business. Then I climbed up on the bed of my truck and called a meeting to order.
"I'm so glad y'all came today. In these uncertain times we sometimes forget what's important. I invited everybody, as you know, to discuss two options."
"First, you all know me. I grew up around here working with, or for, many of you. You also know I'm a man of my word. I'm not here to just put money in my pocket, but in y'alls, too."
"So my first proposal is I want to buy your place. The land specifically. I'm willing to cut out a five acre or whatever chunk out what has the house on it if need be. I'm offering forty an acre if you sign it over to me now, unencumbered. With a contract to pay it off over a period of time. This is my promise to you. Land prices, as you know are at 30 an acre, and in decline. I hear in many places already they have dropped to below ten. My contract will stipulate that forty regardless of market prices in the future. If I die, or whatever, before it's paid off, your deed will be signed back over to you minus any money I've paid, at face value, meaning you'll owe no interest on it."
"Option number two. You lease me your land at a dollar an acre per year on the whole acreage, or a five percent share in the net revenue generated annually paid every quarter."
"Or, neither one and no hard feelings."
"Any questions?"
"Yeah, I have one. What if we die. Do you still pay for it?"
"Certainly. On the contract will be a line to designate a beneficiary to receive payment under the same terms. Or, if you have nobody, you can instruct to either negate the debt, or instruct some other party unrelated to you to receive payment."
"I have a question! I don't mean no insult or disrespect by this."
I nodded.
"Why can't you just borrow the money and pay us up front? I mean, we all know you'd rather die than break your word, but you know what I'm saying."
"Yes sir, I do. The banks are loaning at fifteen an acre right now. Y'all know me. I'm as broke as you are."
That earned a grim chuckle that passed through the crowd.
"I could try that. But, i've never borrowed a penny from the bank. I don't trust them. They loan on the cheap. That's what I could pay you. But tomorrow that fifteen may drop to ten, or five. If even one payment is missed or late, they take it. You got your nickle on the dollar. But that's it. You take my deal, I'm promising forty. That's ten over market as of yesterday. Probably more today. Twenty five an acre over the fifteen the banks offering right now. You just have to give me what time I need to get you paid without threat of deadlines."
"Hell, I could be paying you forty in a couple of years for land I could buy for a dollar an acre. But that's my look out. You get paid what I promise."
"Ok, but what's to stop us from leasing to a big outfit and they pay us up front?"
"You can do that. But remember what they were offering. A dollar an acre for actual land used and two percent per year of net profit. Plus you are required to maintain the access right of way roads to the well sites. So, you can have 1,000 acres but they only use five. You'll find that the lease payment won't even cover the expenses of maintaining their road. I'm offering three percent more on net revenue, and we'll maintain our access roads at our expense."
"Question."
"Yes?"
"What about if we want to sell under those terms, but still want to live there without splitting off the homeplace?"
"I've figured that in, as well. You'll see in the contract that there's a clause that you and your spouse can live there for the remainder of your lives, free of charge. If you want to farm it, I've allowed for a fifty fifty split on crops and seventy thirty on stock, your favor. You farm at your expense and my cut comes out of net."
"So, if you need to think about it, that's fine. Those of you who know what you want to do, then we've set up a table yonder where you can sign your agreement."
There was fifty men lined up to sign contracts after my speech. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. But, I guess in the end, they all knew and felt that if they tried to hold on, they'd wind up losing most of it anyway. At least this approach left me holding up the responsibility. They'd still have a place to live free of charge. Still have land to farm. A way to eat if nothing else.
After we concluded our business, everybody shook hands around and went home.
I went and found JT and Joe.
JT stared at me a long moment. Then spoke,
"I've said it all along. You beat anything I ever saw. How much land did you buy?"
"I'm guessing roughly 8,000, Plus the 5,280 from earlier"
Although, I was wrong in that figure. After we all met at the court house and signed the deeds over to me and filed the contracts, the net acreage came to 10,890 acres total. Add the 4,480, 640, and 160, and I now own 16,170 ares.
"So, we can start drilling on it?"
"Yep. So, I kept my word and did my job. We need rigs. All we can get."
"I should say so. Boy, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought this possible. To top it off, you never even thought to try to fuck a one of them out of a dime. Why, those big outfits are gonna be fit to be tied when word gets around!"
"Well, y'all, I'm going to the house. I've had enough for today."
I went on up and drew up some water to heat. Then pumped the tub up out of the cistern pump. Then back and sat down, waiting on the water to heat. I'm having a hot bath tonight.
Elsie and mama came downstairs after tucking the kids in bed. They pulled me away from the table, sat me back down, then each sat on a knee, leaning over and snuggling me. After a few minutes, they sat down across from me.
Mama spoke up first, "Well, Mr Flannery, how do you feel?"
"I'm not sure. I don't like being in debt. Beyond that, I feel we have a promising future ahead. I've been thinking, though, about that cooperative I was talking about. I figure it'll be good for everybody concerned. We'll have the strength of numbers to combine our corn and peas. I was thinking of a big cane press and boiler to make syrup from everybodies cane and barrel it for wholesale. Build a few silos for grain and pea storage. Mayhap even a fair sized cannery for produce everybody grows. I don't see why we couldn't even bring in domestic hogs. Raise them on a commercial scale. Fatten them out on our own corn. Set up up an operation and cure bacon and hams. I'm even thinking of canned meat. We might be in a depression, but folks still gotta eat. We can buy trucks and distribute our products around. Up to Dallas, down to Houston, over into Louisiana. New orleans, Shreveport, and the like, at first."
"My, but you have been doing some thinking." Elsie said. "That sounds like quite the operation."
I nodded. My water was boiling. I got up and went to pour it in the tub. I stripped down and stepped in. Elsie came in and took off her clothes and eased into the hot water with me. Sliding her butt between my legs, leaning back into me, pulling my arms around her pert breasts.
We sat there in the tub, the steam rising around us. Her soft breasts rising and falling gently under the weight of my arms. Her red hair like a summer sunset, spilling down my chest. Her skin the color of new ivory. Pale, but with a depth and substance. Her eyes bright emerald green, with a light residing just behind them, seeming to harbor a mystery you couldn't quite define.
