Read Online The Harrows of Spring by James Howard Kunstler - Free Book Online Page A

was a friend,” Todd Zucker said. “Influenza got the whole family.”
    â€œMcWhinnie’s Boots and Harness used to be a restaurant,” Daniel said, “and before that a butcher shop and the building was owned by a George Hazen.”
    â€œHe was a village trustee back in the day,” Sam Hutto said. “Coached Little League too. I was his attorney. Died without issue just before that bomb destroyed our nation’s capital.”
    â€œAllison’s Livery used to be the video rental store owned by Paul Michaelides—”
    â€œEncephalitis,” Sam said. “Strange to relate, the building was originally built as a livery stable, way before Paul had it. What goes around comes around, I guess.”
    â€œAnd of course we’ve started up the town laundry in the old Union-Wayland mill without any formal legal arrangements,” Robert said. “The property was last owned by National Grid as a potential hydro site. I don’t know if they have a beef with us about it, but the electric service has been off for more than a year and there’s a good chance the company no longer exists. We haven’t heard from them.”
    â€œThat’s all very well, but you know this can’t go on indefinitely,” LaBountie said. “People just appropriating land and buildings like some communist revolution happened. This is America! With no property law there’s no property rights. Titles and deeds were invented for a reason. You can bet we’re going to have a mighty mess sorting all this out when things get back to normal—who really owns what and so forth.”
    The room fell stark still. A horse could be heard distantly clip-clopping down Main Street. A chair creaked. Someone’s stomach growled. A breeze from an open window made the candles flicker. LaBountie looked from one board member to another, but all evaded his gaze except Brother Jobe.
    â€œI got news for you, friend,” Brother Jobe said. “Things ain’t never getting back to normal ever again.”
    â€œSure they will,” LaBountie said. “Just wait and watch, you’ll see. The Bilderbergers and their banker amigos are just trying to put the squeeze on us. We’re on to them. Once we get the electric back up they won’t be able to hide so easily.”
    More than one board member rolled his eyes.
    â€œTell you what, Jason, we’ll just stand by on all that,” Robbie Furnival said.
    Todd Zucker chuckled.
    Leslie Einhorn passed the tin of cookies around the table. To avoid saying anything, the village trustees kept their mouths busy savoring the oats and hickory nuts in a matrix of honey and butter.
    Finally, Ben Deaver cleared his throat and spoke up. “A hundred ounces of silver is a lot of money to come up with, Robert. I can’t speak for the others but I’m cash poor. I’m feeding the twenty-five families of my employees on what we produce and living on the little that’s left.”
    â€œHow little is it?” LaBountie asked.
    â€œAre you hectoring me, Jason?” Deaver asked.
    â€œJust asking.”
    â€œWell excuse me but it’s none of your goddamn business.”
    â€œI know these other gentlemen have plenty of surplus for trade.”
    â€œWell maybe I’m not such a good farmer as they are. I was busy running an airline till you and your Tea-bagger pals ran the country into a ditch, you deluded son of a bitch.”
    â€œYou can’t talk to me that way.”
    â€œOf course I can. I just did. Bilderbergers! It’s too bad there’s no mental ward anymore. You belong in one.”
    â€œYou’ll pay me in hard silver before I ever come back to you again about a sick animal, and you’ll have to beg me too.”
    â€œYou can go to hell. I’ll send over to Bennington for the vet there before I let you work on mine ever again.”
    â€œI’ll tell him your sheep have got the