And so it came to be that the man that had terrified me so as a child, shaped me into the person that I was born to be. But my most astonishing performance was rounding up the cattle, even when the men couldn't. I knew how to do this because so long ago papa had bought me a quarter horse so good at "calling cattle" that Papa said I could "turn them on a dime and get a nickels change." Papa grew more and more proud of me. My zest and determination to learn and my natural and ever growing love of the things he loved encouraged him to take me with him more and more.
I followed him to the seed and feed stores. They were unpainted old wooden buildings on Asher's Warf. I still delight in the smell of seed and feed stores. I liked the bright flowered bags the feed came in and watched the patterns made on the dry floor boards as it came in shafts through the cracks, between the old weathered wooden boards of the walls.
Papa was a very reclusive person by nature, but when he was in a Society of Fellowship Planters meeting he was a totally different person. Was it an act? Not at all, it was as real as the reclusive part of him. I saw him like this when he took me to the stores on Asher's Warf. I saw him like that at the cattle auctions, which I adored, and best of all when he took me" Horse Trading". Papa was said to be the best horse trader in South Carolina. I loved the sounds and smells of the cattle, the fast loud voice of the auctioneer. I even liked the dust. Every time I think of these auctions I see cowboys and smell barbecue cooking and over to one side, a cock fight with men yelling.
I use to watch Papa's face; I got to where I could tell if he was going to pick up one if it didn't go to high or if he had that I'm going to get that bull come hell or high water look in is eyes. But the way there he'd explain why he thought this particular horse was valuable to him. Unlike most horse owners, Papa had every kind of horse imaginable, even down to the trick brown and white Shetland Pony he bought from a circus for my brother and me. The pony, Cupid was as fond of wandering in to the house as my bother and I were to leaving the door open. Every time we went horse trading Papa would remind me of the quote "He who.........."
And I saw him like this on the only two nights of the year where he chose to attend a social event. One was the French Society dinner. I still don't know what that is, but it didn't sound like a Papa John event. All I know is that he wore his white tie and tails and a blank expression on his face. The other was the Saint Cecilia Ball. Complete with white silk scarf Papa loved to dance and would start warming up with a little soft shoe number. Then he'd grin and say "Not even the King of England could go to the Saint Cecilia less maybe it was to take her." Then he would laugh and give a little wink!
Then we would be back on the island. Our souls beginning to relax, reabsorbing into the water and land. My father and brother loved to come to the island, but for them the water and land were for sporting activities like hunting and fishing commemorating male bonding. But for Papa and me, we loved the land and water for being what it was. The land and the water were stuff our souls were made of, our hearts yearned for and our bodies craved it to keep us well and healthy.
Papa taught me to give shots to the animals, treat pink eye and how to help a horse with colic. Later when I had my own plantation, I would help bail hay, I chose all the crops and managed the plantation. People were astonished at my "know how".
Sculpture and verse © by : Alyse Lucas Corcoran