He traced the ceramic rim with his thick thumb.

He always looked at his plate when he felt cornered.

“Keeping up eighty acres isn’t a weekend hobby.” Walt said it as if it were an absolute, undisputed fact.

“You two work full time in town.”

“I work Tuesday through Friday,” I said.

“Luke gets off at four at the county shop.”

“Farming doesn’t run on a town schedule.”

“We’re talking about keeping the property in one piece,” Luke said.