Excerpt from Chapter 25

"I wish this incessant rain would cease and desist!" Pearl quipped.

"I do too! These flooded creeks and ditches are becoming dangerous. The guys are telling me that it's murder trying to get equipment around in the field. Have you ever seen the backlog of wagons, mules, oxen and men trying to get across the creek when it's flooded?"

"No, and I'm not sure I know what all they are hauling. "

"You know all those derricks? They are made with timbers which have been squared off, measured, drilled, ready to go up. They are hauled on what looks like wagons without a bed, different lengths, according to the length of the timbers."

"Hmm."

"I've heard the guys at dinner using every bad word known to man describing the mud and muck they get mired in. Actually, the oxen can pull better in some cases than the mules, so you see a lot of them around the creeks. But they have to get those timbers into the field, rain or no rain, or else no derrick, no oil!"

"I can see how it could be a tough job," Pearl noted.

"The drills and other machinery have to get out there also. They are heavier and more clumsy than the timbers. All that weight makes the mud muddier, and digs great trenches in what is loosely called a road. Even when it dries up – which is rare around Smackover Creek – the road is a mess with its grooves, ruts, and even deep trenches."

"I'll hope the rain will quit. Meanwhile, I'd better get in the house."

Alex drew her to him and kissed her gently. When he released her she quickly jumped out and ran for the house before he could get out to open her door. She jumped inside the door and gave him a little wave which looked distorted through the rain on the window. He felt happy as he headed back for his little room behind the Company kitchen. He had lived frugally, and except for the car, had bought nothing he could do without, so that he had been able to pay down on some land. He still sent money home to his family, and he was making plans to build on his property. Tired, but pleased with his performance of the evening and the promise of life with Pearl – which he felt was certain – Alex fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

----------------------------------------------------

"I hope the rain has stopped for a while," Alex commented.

"For a long time," Pearl corrected.

"My guys at the company are saying the fields are just terrible. Smackover creek is the worst, of course, but every little stream – even the ditches – cause traffic to be backed up and waiting forever for the teams to pull them through. And the wagon loads of timbers to build the derricks, the heavy machinery are too much for the teams to pull. They have to wait for the oxen to pull them through the creeks and bogs. And the more stuff that is pulled through, the more the mud and muck and bog!"

"And look! The water in the ditches is covered with oil! It's black rather than the color water ought to be – even at night!"

"It causes the road to be slippery, too – the ones that are paved."

"Oooo," Pearl worried.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Avanelle had delivered the Schuler siblings and their dates to their respective homes, and were on the way to Avanelle's home. There was no traffic on the road, and Spencer felt no fear as he drove carefully down the wet road. Avanelle was snuggled close to him, and they were talking of future hopes and plans.

"Honey, don't you think we should become engaged? Most of the other couples are."

"You make it sound like there's something in the air!" Avanelle laughed.

"As a matter of fact, you may be right! If that's the case, I'm happy to be breathing the air!"

Suddenly Avanelle screamed. A deer had jumped over the oil-slick ditch of water directly in front of them. Spencer tried to dodge it, but couldn't. The impact sent the car skidding all over the slippery road. Spencer tried to straighten the car out, but he couldn't gain control of it......

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