Free Six Miles From Nashville by Elaine Littau Page A

were many Volkswagen bugs. That’s probably more like what I could afford. If I could run like the Six Million Dollar Man, I wouldn’t have to think about driving a car.
    Bill broke the silence in the car, “Bet, I would say we might think of writing something upbeat. People on American bandstand always want to have music that they can dance to. What do you think?”
    “Sounds good.”
    “I don’t know how they can call the music John Denver writes, Country and Western, but I like it. Things are changing in the music business so we need to move with the changes.”
    “ Honestly, you are the boss here,” Betty said.
    “First we have to stop at Sawyer’s place and get him up to speed on the set up they are proposing.”
    “Now don’t let him intimidate you, Honey,” Sweetie said.
    “Here we are. I want both you girls in there to hear what he has to say. Between the three of us, we can remember the details.”

 
    Chapter 12
     
    Johnny Davis gripped the page in his hand. He had read it every day since he received it in the mail three months ago. He had planned on taking out for Nashville the day after it arrived, but then, he wasn’t expecting his dad to have a heart attack. He couldn’t leave Mom with all the work on the farm. It was almost time to harvest the wheat. There was no money to pay harvester crews to do the work, so it was up to him. His mother would do what she could to help him, but her hands were pretty much full with the care of Dad.
    He watched his two younger brothers as they finished their bowls of cereal. They were going to be his crew this year. Devon was 15 and Zachary was 13. Neither of them had driven the grain truck much. Last year at the end of the season Dad had let them each drive to the grain elevator with a couple of loads.
    The biggest problem he could see was loading the truck from the combine. They didn’t have a grain cart, so they would be sidling up to the combine so it could dump the grain into the bed of the truck. He didn’t know if they could hold the wheel steady under the stress of the work. They were the only help he had that could wait for a paycheck.
    “Boys, I need you in the fields today...and every day until the harvest is done.”
    “Sure Johnny, we always bring out lunch. What’s the big deal?”
    “You don’t get my meaning. You are the harvest crew this year. What with Dad being laid up and all.”
    Devon’s dark eyes bore into Johnny’s. “We are driving the combine?”
    “I will handle the combine. You and Zach will run the grain trucks from the field to the elevator. Don’t forget to sign the tickets this time.”
    “Zach is too young to drive.” Devon said as he folded his arms and tilted his chin upward.
    Johnny marched out the kitchen door , letting the screen slam against the house.
    “Are you saying that I can drive?” Zach asked , running to catch up with his big brother.
    The older brother swung around to face the youngest. “Farm families can let younger members drive in a pinch. That’s the way it always has been.”
    Devon caught up with them and listened.
    “I need you two to work together. Zach, you watch from the edge of the field from the truck. When I stop, you can drive next to the combine and I will offload to the truck. Go directly to the elevator and then back to the field. When it gets about noon after your next loads, go to the house and throw together a lunch and bring it out here to us.”
    “Devon, after Zach gets his first load, watch for me to stop for you to get your load from the combine. By the time you get to the elevator, Zach will be back for another load. If we work together and don’t have any bad breakdowns, we can get this field done quick like. It will never happen if we bicker amongst ourselves. Do you have your walkies?”
    “Sure.”
    “Don’t get on them unnecessarily. I will be telling you what to do from them. Listen for me,” Johnny said.
    He looked at his younger siblings with pity. “We