Old Josh in: Fraternizing with Nelly the Cow!

[1864] Parts I of II


[Advance] There was a cow over in the pastor across the old dirt road, up a short ways, that separated Hightower plantation from —Henry Jackson Birmingham’s, smaller plantation, almost a hobby farm type—the cows name was Nelly: the maid whom lived with him, and was the talk of the county while living in Ozark, name was Mahogany, Henry was in his mid-sixties, and Mahogany in her early seventies. Folks said they were really married, white to black, but Henry would never admit it, had he, he would have been skinned alive, and her, Mahogany, tar and feathered. Anyhow, the KKK, left well enough alone, as well as Henry kept it quiet, and he did, and some say he even paid them off monthly, that is, until he moved out of Ozark, and into the countryside.


He, Henry J. Birmingham, bought the place more as a retirement home, than a business (in Ozark, he was a shoe maker, seller, fixer), in 1872, several months had passed, and Mahogany had met Old Josh, but had not said much to him about her husband, no need to I suppose, she just thoughtfully talked about whatever came to mind, and Josh was a good talker, and it was a silk like hot afternoon, about it, not much to say I would think.

They had bought the place from Thomas August Smiley, a white neighbor, next to the Hightower plantation, Thomas owned a spot of land there, he didn’t know the history behind Henry Birmingham’s live-in maid being female black, and now body knew she had inherited some money, and got the place for a good price, with cash, but Henry of course was the buyer.
Mahogany, had taken a liking for Silas’ younger brother, Jordan while living in Ozark, as well as for the white neighbor Abernathy, down the road a spell, opposite side of her farm, near the Hightower’s; Jordan who works in the country story in town (Ozark, Alabama) had taken a liking for her (Jordon who lives in the back of the store most of the time, when not helping his pa at the Hightower plantation that is).
Jordon, is now home with his brother Silas for the weekend, to help his pa. Ella Hightower, Mr. Charles T. Hightower’s wife is kind of always in the background, but she is there nonetheless, seeming ill a lot. Charles, also heavy with age, has had his heart trouble in the past.

There was a cow (Nelly) in the pastor, Henry Birmingham had bought him a few weeks ago from the Charles Hightower, it was watching old Josh as he fiddled about—the cow being behind a wooden fence, across the road, up a little ways, and Old Josh, mending the fence alongside the road in front of the Hightower Mansion.
Nelly just watching I’d say, without interest, as Josh fiddled about fixing, or trying to fix the fence door, to be correct, the hinges on the door, and he saw the cow from the side of his eye, over across the fence, borderline between the two properties had there not been a road in-between, the cow was just staring, yawning, as Josh looked, now leaning against the fence a bit, Silas was alongside the barn greasing a wheel for Hightower’s carriage, Josh got annoyed at the new comer in his new neighbor, not because he was white and the maid black, because he was happy to get rid of Nelly. And now she was still annoying him, from a distance.
During dinner the old cow would ‘moo’ throughout the night, like a sick dog, Old Nelly was with the Hightower’s a long time, perhaps 15-years. But he was afraid to acknowledge the cow any longer in fear, she’d moo, more. But he couldn’t take the mooing all night long, so he put on his cloths, and walked up to the fence, the cow recognized him right away, if not by voice, by his mannerisms, somehow the cow acquired some confidence, and stopped its crying.
It was a little past 2:00 a.m. in the morning he slipped the cow something to eat, something fashionable, and the cow took that particular reserve, peculiar, but became quiet, as if Old Josh had re-adopted it. Thereafter, gracefully, the cow lay down in the slightly wet (from the dew) grass.
Now Old Josh simply went back to his hut, and fell back to sleep on his cot.


Night after night the cow seemed to be looking at him, when he did his work, and when he didn’t it ‘mooed’ loudly so he could hear him, perhaps even looking for Old Josh, which annoyed Josh to no end.
It was as if the cow—from its distance, could look at him or looked over him insignificantly, almost to the point of controlling Josh’s temperament. Perhaps it was much like Josh, who craved attention. Often the cow waited for Josh to come over feed him, and Old Josh did. No one knew why Josh did but Josh himself, but people do strange things, perchance the reason might have been, to stop his daily interruption of the cow haunting him, because after the visit, and after the cows moment of the visitation, it went quiet for the day, or night.

Fraternizing

The morning sun seemed to fall directly over the cow’s head, and it seemed to have a smirk on its face this sunny morning, or so it looked as its head was pointed in his direction, where Josh was, a distance away of course, his eyes old, it mind thinking whatever cows think, a jog of moonshine in Old Josh’s hand, hidden in behind his back, the cow was predictable, and Old Josh walked over to it, the cow looked away from Josh as if it was—for once in its life—ashamed of its behavior—but nonetheless, aggravating to Josh, until Josh shared that moonshine, Nelly actually was smirking at Josh, purposely smirking that is.
Josh walked over to the fence, jug in hand, over to the shanty, his hut, looked long and hard at the cow, over his shoulder, then at the barbwire laying against the barn, he had to do some mending today.
“Whut youall git in that jug?” yelled Mahogany to Old Josh. (Nelly was fast asleep on the grass.)
“Spring water—,” quivered Josh as if to say it was none of her business, but didn’t, he just gave her a stare, a long gaze that said what he was thinking.
The growth of the weeds kind of sheltered, and camouflaged Josh, on the other side of the road, the cow had consumed the bulk of the jug.
“Josh,” yelled Mahogany, “If-in you dont stop feedin’ my cow with that there moonshine, youall is goin’ to git in trouble, Mr. Highter dont take to drinkin’ moonshine on his land, nor Mr. Berham…feedin’ dat dar cow of his the same…!”
“Hus,” said Josh, adding, “Black witch… I reckon you no kin of mine, dat right?” And Mahogany just starred not knowing what Josh meant as the cow wobbled up to its feet, as if to stick up for Josh, “Mo…oooo!” said Nelly, and old Josh translated that into more moonshine, and walked over to Nelly, gave him a lick. Said to Nelly,
“I reckon youall wants a drink cup wont you?” And Old Nelly slurped it up, along with Josh.
Then Josh looked up at Mahogany, said with a grin, “If-in you cause me trouble, I might jes’ go on and talk to your owner, and tells him, ‘bout you and Jordon…down in the back of the store in Ozark.”
“I knows how to drink out of jug Josh, here fetch me the jug, ef-in youall dont mind?” And Josh passed the jug, and it would seem they, Josh, Nelly and Mahogany all had something in common.

Part one, “Fraternizing with Nelly the Cow!” was written 8-2-2006, reedited and revised, 11-21-2008 (Part two, not used for the book, “…Poor Black” was written a day later, 8-3-2008).