Learning the Family Trade

The boy sat bouncing in his chair, he had woken before sunrise and made his way to the kitchen, waiting for his pa to come downstairs. He had turned twelve the day before, and pa said it was high time for him to start learning the family trade. He had always helped out around the farm with the chores, but pa always told him that chores around the farm got a lot easier after the great war. Most days he spent doing nothing more than watching his pa go out to the barn to get started with his work for the day, then go about his day helping his ma around the house. He had always dreamed of the day when he would be able to help is pa out more around the farm and hoped so much to make him proud.

He could hardly stay in his seat when he heard footsteps coming from the bedroom upstairs, nearly toppling the chair when he heard the sound of the bedroom door opening. His heart pounded with every step of his pa’s work boots descending the stairs, the grin across his face spotted with the gaps left by the last of his baby teeth falling out. His pa stopped at the bottom of the stairs to return the smile to the boy, and the boy’s heart leapt out his chest.

The boy leapt to his feet as his pa approached him and told him he was ready to get to work for the day. His pa went on to explain that the first thing you got to do to keep the farm standing was to be up early, then praised him for doing such a good job already with love in his eyes and a smile on his face. He then went on to explain that the next thing you had to do was make sure you ate a hearty breakfast to make sure you had the fuel to get through the day. He prepared breakfast for the boy and himself, then the two ate in silence, the boy watched his pa the entire meal.

By the time the two were finished eating his ma had come downstairs, joining them at the table. She cleared the table, gave him a kiss, and wished him luck as his pa told him to follow him outside. He followed him around the perimeter of the farm, checking the fences for any damage, and fixing things where they needed fixing. They also checked the random traps and snares around the farm, pa told him you never knew when they would help snag your next meal, but they didn’t have any luck that day. The boy followed in a trance, mesmerized by the world of knowledge his Pa was bestowing upon him, hanging on every word, determined not to miss a single detail.

The two stopped at a rain barrel after completing various task around the property. They drank from the barrel as the boy listened to his pa tell stories of the days when he was a boy and they had crops to tend. The boy sat in awe listening to him tell of days filled with plowing fields, planting crops, harvest, and harvest festivals. The boy found it hard to fathom, such a variety of food, and in such massive amounts. He tried to imagine his pa no older than he, working the farm as a boy, and tried to picture his family land covered in crops as opposed to the dusty barren landscape he was born into. He could of sat and listened to him until the sun set, and the stars filled the sky, but his pa told him it was time to go check on the livestock in the barn.

They walked across the yard, the boy doing his best to conceal his excitement. He was finally going to learn how to help his family put food on the table. After his pa unlocked the barn door the boy followed him in, he heard the sound of the livestock whimpering and crying out as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the barn. Soon though he looked on in wonder at the pins that lined either side of the barn, at the tools his father used regularly hung each in its place on the wall, and at the various hooks and tubs at the back of the barn. He listened, fascinated, as his pa explained what all the different tools were for, as well as showing him the back of the barn. He looked all the various hooks and tubs as his pa explained how they would use them to process their food.

His pa then took him to look over the livestock, taking him to the first of the pins. The big man that lay inside had weird drawings all over his skin, his pa explained that they were tattoos. He then went on to explain that the man was too big, and they needed to wait to slaughter him so the meat wouldn’t be too fatty. The next pin had the little girl his pa had brought home the other day, a heart shaped locket hung from her neck that caught the little boy’s eye. His pa explained that she was too little, but if they fed her right, cared for her she would be ready for the slaughter in a couple of years, explaining the importance of caring for the livestock and how it ensures the family can survive.

The woman in the next pin screamed out as him and his pa stepped up to take a look at her, making the boy jump a little. His pa laughed, then told him she was a good catch because she was already ready for the slaughter, as was the man in the pin next to her, his pa told him these were best for the family because they needed minimal work to keep them healthy so they could provide the family with the food they needed to survive. He then went on to ask the boy if he had to choose between the two which would be his choice. He thought long and hard before giving his pa an answer, looking over the man and woman as he tried to size them up. Finally, he pointed to the woman, he couldn’t contain his happiness as his pa told him that was the one he would have chosen too.

His pa pulled out a long medal rod with a collar attached to the end of it, he had shown him how it allowed him to move the people to the back of the barn for slaughter earlier, and the boy began to bounce with excitement. His pa then told him to open her pin, the woman's screams made the boy nervous but he was determined not to let his pa down. He opened the cage moving out the way as his pa wrapped the collar around the woman's neck and began to drag her out of the pin. He could now see that the woman’s hands and feet had been tied up making her easier to transport to the back of the barn despite her attempts to struggle. He followed as his pa lifted her onto a wooden slab, laying her down to where her head hung off the edge over a large metal pail underneath, then told the boy to grab the hammer from the wall.

It was a small sledgehammer, but it still felt heavy in the boy’s hands, he returned to his pa with the hammer outstretched, excited to get to see his father make the kill. He was stunned when his father, pushed the hammer back to him and began to explain how to properly swing the hammer to ensure the quickest most humane death possible. He made the boy take a few practice swings with the hammer, while he watched, correcting the boy’s technique where needed. He then walked the boy to the woman waiting on the wooded slab, the boy’s hands shaking with excitement. The boy settled himself, he wanted nothing more than to get this right for his pa, once he managed to get his hands to quit shaking, he raised the hammer high over his head and took aim. He brought the hammer down with as much strength and precision as he could, making solid contact with his target. The woman’s head slumped as blood began to flow into the pail beneath her.

His pa gave him a look of approval, causing his heart to soar, as he lifted her from the slab lowering her head into the pail and then dragging her to a nearby meat hook hanging from the rafters. He lifted her and mounted her on the hook, then began teaching the boy how to carve her up. He taught the boy which cuts were the best, and which needed to be discarded. He taught the boy which bones were best for getting the marrow out of them, and which were best to cook up into a stew. Into the late afternoon the boy listened to his pa as he told him everything he could possibly ever know about the job, and by the time they carried their harvest in the boy felt a sense of achievement he had never felt before. He had helped his pa like a man, he had done everything just right, and made his pa proud.

At dinner his ma listened as he recounted the events of the day, his pa chimed in from time to time to let her know just how great he had done. His pa said that soon he would be able to start coming out with him to gather fresh livestock, his ma asked pa if he really was ready to be going out, but the boy was quick to protest and reluctantly she gave into the boy. The boy couldn’t think of anything better than to go out and help his pa on the road, after all he was a man now and had to help put food on the table, he had to help with the family trade.