Facts of Life
I remember when the Welch family moved in next door to our home. They were the first non-family to live amongst all of our family’s property. We were five homes with great-grandmother, grandmother, grandfather,aunts, uncles, and cousins.
I was fascinated with the new family; Mr. & Mrs. Welch with their two sons, Frank and James. The boys were in high school and I hadn’t even started school, yet. I was so curious about them. My daddy was reading my mind and told me not to be bothering them with too many questions and stay in my own yard. Well, as you can imagine, I listened for a second and found every reason to go visiting.
Mrs. Welch was a loving woman with her gentle nature and she smiled all the time. She would invite me into the kitchen through the backdoor and give me a glass of lemonade and, sometimes, she offered a slice of homemade pie. She had such a beautiful delicate way about herself, I loved her immediately.
Mr. Welch was a very tall man with a stern look, but, it never concerned me because Daddy had that same look. They both were quick to give me a smile. Mr. Welch took care of all the animals on his small farm. He had cows, pigs, chickens, goats, and many horses.
The horses are what I was mesmerized with the most. They ran and frolicked on the acreage fenced in the front of the property. I liked this setup the best because I could walk down the road, sit on the fence and watch their behaviour. (Then, my daddy would know I was not spying on the Welch family or bothering them) The horses’ shiny coats glistened in the sunlight and they were so magnificent in their beautiful graceful galloping. The horses’ colors of browns,reds, and two blacks, were such lovely contrast to the bright green grass. Watching them frolicking with each other was so synchronized, I felt I was watching a ballet on stage.
One day, I watched James walking up the road after getting off the school bus. I thought by his disposition something was wrong. When he finally passed by, I gave a wave and yelled hello. Then, I ran to the back of the property where the barn was; James always went to the barn to see his father after school. I sat on the log that had fallen years ago from the forest behind us. I observed, very quietly through the fence, the interaction between father and son. They began walking closer towards me to sit in the pretty light-blue gilder under the huge willow tree, next to the fence, just a few feet from me.
James began to pour his heart out about a girl he liked at school. His father asked him if Dawn was aware of his feelings. Mr. Welch listened, attentively, to James as he told him the girl was a friend he had in two classes and sat with her, sometimes, at lunch. She didn’t know how much he really liked her.
Thereafter, Mr. Welch began to speak to his son. He said, “Son, do you see the bull over there? When the heifer is ready to mate, the bull can be very aggressive and charge her. That is the way for the bull and the heifer.”
Mr. Welch got up from the glider and motioned, with his hand, for James to follow him. They walked a distance to the front of the house and I walked along on the other side of the fence. When they got to the wooden gate, Mr. Welch stretched out his hand to emphasize the horses’ pasture as he propped his foot on the railing. James climbed upon the fence to sit and listen to his father. I walked over to the front of the gate, with neither one of them acting as though they noticed me.
Mr. Welch began to speak. He stated, “Look at the horses. Watch how they gallop alongside one another, how they frolic with each other. When a mare comes into heat she gives the stallion the signs and they will ‘tease’ for days or weeks before the actual mating. The mare and the stallion are in no hurry; they touch each others faces, necks, and backs. They chase, tease, and talk all day. Then, when ready, they mate.”
Mr. Welch stopped talking and quietness came. I could hear the crickets chirping, the dogs barking in the distance, and the wind blowing the leaves. I could smell Mrs.Welch’s delicious dinner drifting outdoors. We all stood there observing the horses in all their splendours, in our own thoughts. James broke the silence.
“Dad, I see your point,” said James with the most incredible tone in his voice.
Mr. Welch reached over the gate and stroked my hair and I looked up to him. He smiled so affectionately and asked me if I understood. I shook my head yes. I looked over at James. He smiled and told me he would take me riding on Saturday if Daddy let me, and my cousin, Jamie, could come if he wanted to.
Mrs. Welch sent Frank to collect his father and brother for dinner. I said good evening and walked towards my home for dinner.
I stopped by the fence, watched the horses feeding and neighing at one another. No, I didn’t get the full meaning of all the words. However, I knew watching them, they would always be apart of me. I loved their scent, the smell of the grass and the evening setting in.
Many years have passed. I have fond memories of the Welch family. The facts-of-life lesson on that late afternoon shared by Mr. Welch with his son, forever, was impressed upon my heart and mind. I return to that memory many times as I catch the breeze of a Spring evening or I admire the beauty of a horse.
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