Looking For You All My Life Part 10

children, but I can't tell you much about them."

"I'm amazed at how well you can remember what you

do, Mr. Westerly."

"Nellie always thought family was important. She used

to keep up with everyone with letters and birthday cards and

whatnot. I've tried to continue, but other than Christmas

cards..." His voice trailed off.

"I think you're doing very well to send out Christmas

cards. I never sent a single one last year, myself." She leaned

forward and looked into his creased face. "Actually, the

main reason I'm curious about your family is because I can't

help but wonder if you'd ever considered leaving your farm

to any of your relatives."

22Melody Carlson

"I'd sure have liked that, but no one ever seemed real

interested. Jeanette and Linda always liked coming out as

kids, but then they grew up. And although Jeanette used to

bring her boys, they're so busy with their own lives these

days..." He reached over and patted Lizzie's head and smiled

sadly. "I guess me and Lizzie here are just the last of our

breed."

"I suppose that explains your willingness to sell the farm

then."

"So the cat's out of the bag now." Mr. Westerly leaned

back into the chair and exhaled slowly. "Rick asked me to

keep all this under my hat for the time being. I'm not real

sure why though. Don't know why anyone would care about

an old man selling his farm."

"What made you decide to sell?"

"Well, I never really planned to do that. I figured to keep

it in the family. And at one point I'd hoped to leave itto my

granddaughter, Jeanette. Of all the children, she seemed the

one to understand this land the best. She really loved every-

thing about the farm. Used to get up early and go out and

help me all the time. And her youngest son, Bradley, is a lot

like that too."

"Then why not leave it to her?" -~

"I offered, but Jeanette said it wouldn't be fair to the rest

of the family."

"But it sounds like no one else was interested."

''They weren't interested in the farm, to be sure. But

more'n likely they'd be interested in the money."

"I see..." She nodded, considering all this. "But what

about leaving the farm to Jeanette with a stipulation that if

she ever sold the property, the proceeds would be divided

fairly among the others?"

Mr. Westerly frowned. "That's not a bad idea. Don't

know why that never occurred to me before..."

"What made you decide to sell to Rick Tanner and Greg

Snider?"

Looking for You All My Life23