Matchmaking

By Donna and Abby

As everyone gathered at breakfast at the woman's boarding house, the topic of the day was what to do with their newest resident, the orphan boy named Billy. Of course, they all wanted to mother him, but he had been sent west for a reason.  Although fundamentally a good child, he had been an orphan on the streets too long, and had fallen into bad habits.  He might continue those habits if he stayed in town.

Emma Anderson sat and listened to the conversations going on around her. "Was it to a farm he was going?" she asked. "Perhaps that would still be a good thing for him, ja?"

Methos was present, because he had found the boy, and he nodded.  "Most of those children went to farms," he agreed.  "Cheap labor.  I don't want that to be the only reason someone takes him in.  He's a sturdy boy, but he'll need patience and understanding, too."

Emma frowned slightly. "The Amish treat him good, I think," she said.

"Isn't it planting season?" asked Riva.  "All the farms need help, and they all pull together.  Perhaps if he goes with Emma, he'll click with someone."

"Perhaps,” Emma said with a nod. “I go help Anna plant herb garden today. The men work on big fields. I think help is coming from other places. First they do one farm, then men go to next. Makes work go faster, ja?"

They agreed with this, and also that Billy would do well to mix with various people, before anything was decided.  Unlike his previous situation had to have been, Billy was the only child to be adopted, and so had a wider choice.

When he came down for breakfast, he was asked if he would like to spend the day out in the country. He was wary of this, knowing that they wanted to get rid of him, and he just shrugged without speaking.

To his surprise, the women all told him that they would see him later on that evening. Methos had left briefly, and then had returned with a cart. "Come, Billy," Emma said. "You help me carry the food, ja? We have big lunch there. I make apple dumplings and potato soup to take."

"Well, at least something's gonna be fun," said Billy, who was hungry already, even though he'd just eaten.

It didn't take them too long to drive out to the Amish farms and when they arrived, they could see men already out in the field, plowing side by side. Besides Daniel, Moses and John Book, there were several of the neighbors there to help, including the Irishman, Joseph Donnelly. At the main farmhouse, the women were busy cooking and getting things ready to feed the workers when lunchtime arrived.

Methos took Billy out to where everyone was working.  Leaving the boy to watch the men work, he took Daniel aside and asked him some questions, most particularly, how Billy could help.

"Does he know anything about horses?" Daniel asked. "He can help bring out the fresh animals when they are needed."

"Billy," called Methos, and the youngster turned away from his watching to answer.  "Do you like horses?"

He shrugged, but said, "Didn't get to see them much in New York, but I used t', you know, hold the cabs for the swells."

Methos nodded.  "I know."  To Daniel he said, "He'll be able to do that just fine."

So, that is what he did most of the morning. It wasn't hard work, and the men all were friendly enough every time he brought them out a new team or a jug of water to quench their thirst. One of the Amish men seemed different than the others. In fact, he told Billy that he was from a big city himself!

Billy even heard him curse and swear, and that made him feel just a little bit easier.  Not that Billy swore, but he had heard men who did, and it reminded him of his other life.  When he got close enough to the man, whose name was Book, he asked, "Do you smoke, too?"

"Once upon a time," Book said truthfully. "Not anymore though."

"Why not?"

Book just shrugged. "Got sick as a dog every time I lit up and then I got a nasty cough that didn't want to go away. I was about your age when I started in fact. It was the in thing for us guys to do at the time."

Billy scowled.  He'd thought this guy might be different, but he just preached like everyone else.  Disappointed, he went back to the barn to wait until he was needed again.

But before he got there, Book called him back. "Would you like to try to do a little plowing?" he asked. "I can show you how it’s done."

Billy looked at him incredulously.  He knew they needed help, but had assumed they meant the lighter chores! "Sure," he said coming close.  Did this guy really think he could do it?

Over the next hour, Book worked patiently with him, teaching him what he needed to know. He praised him when he did it right, and harassed him good naturedly when he messed up. It was nice to be treated almost like an equal, not just a trouble making kid!

And by the time they came to lunch, Billy was looking up to Book, not just because he was taller than he was!