NEHI BOTTLES AND FOOD

My name's Harold Coburn. I'm a Korean War vet who wandered into Harts Corner several years ago and somehow the town entangled me in all it's ups and downs--and I haven't found a reason to leave yet. I've seen a lot of the countryside and this little place is about the best for what I need. Peace. Quiet. Folks to leave me alone. A post office box to get my disability checks, and a little job here and there to tide me over at the end of the month. I found that, and more, in Harts Corner.

I thought the town needed a little tidyin' up and I figured I was the one who could do that. No one wants that job. They don't want to pick up trash and, not many people, except maybe a few kids like Bethy Rose Wheeler, care a hoot about the pennies they get for collecting a bottle. So I started picking up those Nehi and Pearl Beer bottles (although this county is a dry one, the folks here only have to drive across the river to buy beer and they drink it all the way home, tossing out the bottles so their wives, for the most part, won't know just how many they've had). Save-Mart paid me for the bottles and pretty soon they figured I was doing a right smart good job of keeping the streets (and their parking lot) from looking too trashy. So they gave me an old shoppin' cart to haul my boxes of bottles and the black bags of trash in, and I was sittin' pretty.

Then the Judge decided I couldn't sleep in the steps down to the equipment room at the Courthouse and offered me his carriage place. Said I could be a sort of "estate caretaker" for his house, garage, carriage house, and the large lawn around them all. I thought it was a pretty good deal when all I had to do was make sure the buildings were locked up before I went to bed, check on the gardeners so they'd know someone was watchin' them do their work, and share the evenin' meal with the Judge. That was the hardest part--the Judge can't cook worth spit!

When I saw the ad for the Blue Moon employees MM needed, I decided to offer my services. She couldn't deny I could do the job. I could and I did. It's been a mutually satisfying arrangement. We all made a great team. When she added Jewel to the list, I was...NO, I promised I wouldn't tell you what the book is about and this is one part of the story you will have to find out for yourself.

I just want to say that this here town, these people, and the Blue Moon have given me a new life. If you want to learn why--yep, you have to read the book to find out.

And, since I only stir things already in pots on the stove in the kitchen, I have no recipe to share. You'll have to come back and read this here blog to get more tasty morsals.