“He sure moves fast when there’s physical work on the line,” Carl said, his voice quiet and practical as he set a box in place.

“Vice principal work has long administrative hours in August,” I said, taking the other end of the wooden frame.

“An office job has hours, Nora,” Carl said, shifting a crate into position.

“A real partnership has hands.”

We lifted forty heavy crates onto the truck bed before the late afternoon heat started softening into early evening shadows along row six.

By seven o’clock, the farmhouse porch was quiet except for the yellow bug light glowing above the screen door.