Free Shadows Of Sanity And Survival (Old Preppers Die Hard Book 3) by Ron Foster

work for he started asking them what were they going to get for Dump Truck, the Lazarus boys and even that old skinflint down at the trade store, Mr. Barnett. He coined a new word; it was called Farley Favors and damned if he didn’t have a whole list of them for everyone to owe him in some form or fashion to do. When Farley got scolded by Becky and Miss Feng for piling up so many Farley Favors on the boys, he replied simply “That’s what young boys are for!” with a mischievous grin.
     
    Becky remembered the conversation went something like this: “I can already get them boys to do pretty much anything I want because they want to learn things and because ya’ll raised them up well with respect to elders, they listen to me, but I’m making traders out of them boys! That’s the new skill they’re going to need most if we manage to get through all this and civilization restarts.” Farley would say.
     
    “I’m also inspiring in them appreciation for what they have, what they can give, what they earned themselves. I have already given them a bunch of stuff free like a knife and this and that but if you remember right when I gave it to them it came with conditions. That was one faze of their little young adult education.
     
    If they didn’t treat a gun or knife safely or let it rust, it was still mine to take away from them later if need be. When they do enough Farley Favors for something, it’s theirs and they can take care of it or not however they like, it’s theirs. Oh, I will probably bitch at them anyway if they do something stupid like putting a fishing reel down in the mud and saying there was a dozen more at the camp if it did get messed up, but the thing is they learned the value of hard work and the respect for the gifts they give or receive. That’s what we got to talk about today by the way. I got me a whole duffel bag full of crap that’s either on my books being outright purchases or credited for Farley Favors. Also on that lengthy list is what I’m giving folks for Christmas.” Farley declared and watched for the response he was going to get for broaching the subject so early in the season before carrying on.
    ”That’s another thing, just because I’m out and about collecting all that loot in abandoned places don’t mean I’m getting it for nothing or that trading some of it with Barnett means that I’m getting it for free. I risk my ass for that crap in more ways than one and I’m just starting to open up to you all with the stories of just how actually hard it is. The thing is it’s mine to dispose of how I like. I’m not saying now that ya’ll feel entitled to my occasional largesse occasionally but I want you to value it in a different context now. I want you to think sort of like some Native American tribes do when they declare a yearly potlatch. Have you ever heard the term ‘potlatch’?”  Farley questioned.
     
    “No can’t say that I have.” Becky responded looking over to Miss Feng who hardly understood his southern English let alone Farley’s references to Native Americans.
     
    “Potlatch is simply a tribal holiday to gather the clans and keep peace but it’s done in an ingenious way. Potlatch means to give away what you covet the most because many Native Americans considered the coveting of goods emotionally unhealthy. Kind of like the Bible, don’t covet your neighbors goods, it causes wars or jealousy. An unhealthy feeling of superiority or wealth was shown to cause the most discord or crimes in a community. Therefore, when this holiday was celebrated everyone was supposed to examine their goods and wealth accumulated this year and give something away that mattered to them the most to another in hopes of receiving something similar of importance. The value of the item was not the most important, gold or silver you might say, it was how important it was to a person. Potlatch can be thought of as a gift giving feast.” Farley explained.
     
    “The boys have