A Photo 1944

From a photo,1944 There was a war on the menfolk had gone soldiering a boy of thirteen and a half was ploughing the field handling two grey geldings. The soil looked rich and loose, perfect for Idaho spuds the big delicious plant ideal for backing. The boy wore overalls and was absorbed in his work keeping the plough in a straight line and the horses the right speed. Further down the dale, the women near the barn were hanging up washing, his brother was playing with his dog. At a further distance, he could see the small town he had been there, when he was little with his father buying Ice- cream and drinking soda, guess he was too old now for this frivolity. At the end of the field, he stopped to let the horses rest he drank a bottle of cola and ate a sandwich feeling like a proper grown-up, a man with great dignity. He sat thinking of his father and uncle, who had gone to War in a foreign field, Franch, he thought they had said And joked about girls, wine and songs to the women's dislike; he too, would join the army if the war lasted but his mother said he was the only one to plough the field he had to stay put for now.