Many of the more well to do in the little town of Waterloo looked down on the Rogers family as did many of the not so well to do. There were many different reasons for this attitude, but they all had some bearing on the family's way of life and physical characteristics. The men were short, wiry, towheaded, thin faced men. They all had prominent adams apples and their voice had a distinct southern whine. It didn't help at all that they came from a poor hardscrabble background. Grandfather Rogers and his daddy and his daddy's daddy all worked a poor hill farm deep in the Tennessee hills. They didn't even know there was a depression until the rich politicians told them and sent the TVA into the hills to steal their farm.
Of course, it wasn't really stealing, they took the land "legally", citing eminent domain and using a lot of other fancy words. After all, they were going to pay for it, even if it was a pittance. Seems as if the family farm that bordered the river was right smack dab in the middle of where the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) wanted to put a lake. They said it would benefit the whole United States and old Mr. Rogers had to give up his farm for the good of all.
Great grandfather Rogers was in his 90's when the TVA came calling, and Grandfather Rogers was no spring chicken. He was 43 when the ruckus started. He and Great grandfather Rogers said no damn Washington Politician or any of his toadies were going to run them off the land the family homesteaded and fought Indians for. It just wasn't going to happen. Every TVA bastard that came to the place was ran off, some by gunfire. The local sheriff fared no better. Luckily Grandfather Rogers was in the Marines during WW I with the district congressman and was able to call in a favor. Grandpa Rogers retired from the Marine Corps after 27 years in 1934. He lied about his age and went into the corps when he was 16. He taught his son and grandson all about hand to hand fighting and shooting. They also learned woodsmanship and about living frugally off the land from birth.
Even with Congressional pull the TVA still took the old house and barn and almost all the farm. What was left though, what grandpa's friendship with the congressman allowed them to keep, was enough for the family to live on if they worked in town. They fought and managed to keep a large island in the middle of the new lake and a small thirteen acre plot of ground on the shore besides. The island from the high water mark to the tip of the highest point consisted of another seven acres. Out of a total of 180 acres pre-TVA the Rogers kept those two little pieces of ground. The island at one time had been the highest point on the Rogers' farm. It still was but now it was completely surrounded by the lake. None of the Rogers men really liked working in town and only did so when it was do that or starve. They raised some very skinny children. They also raised some extremely tough fighters.
Since they no longer had enough land to farm (and admittedly the farming was damn poor even before the lake went in) the Rogers family made do with other kinds of work, not all of which was completely legal and above board. For example they found out they could carry their corn to market much easier in liquid form. They also found they could make more from their small crop if it was liquefied so they did so. The conversion of corn to liquid began before the prohibition and continued every year from then to the present. Naturally, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms frowned on this endeavor and routinely sent agents tromping in the woods in an attempt to prevent the conversion of the Rogers' corn to liquid form. Many of the neighbors liquefaction operations were found and destroyed by the BATF but not once did the Rogers ever lose a still or any product.
Hunting was another area where the Rogers men and those in authority disagreed. The Rogers family hunted to eat whether the game was in season or not. They felt the same about fishing. If they wanted fish, venison, or other wild game they went out and got it, season or license be damned. Again, they had to match wits with those who tromped the woods to catch them violating the fish and game laws. They were routinely successful in this endeavor as well as the liquefaction of their corn.
None of the Rogers men were interested in formal schooling of any kind. Grandfather Rogers quit school in the eighth grade. Lee Rogers' dad finished high school but only because of the kindness of his teachers. His cumulative grade point average was only 1.3 out of a possible 4. Lee Rogers didn't do much better. He finished high school with only a 1.96 out of 4. What most people around Waterloo didn't realize was how highly educated the Rogers men were. They hated formal schooling but excelled in reading and self teaching. Grandpa Rogers and Great Grandpa Rogers insisted, nay beat into their systems, that a man learned the 3 R's and continued to learn throughout his life. All the Rogers men read voraciously and kept a dictionary by their side to look up words they didn't know. Of course, the reading came when they couldn't find anything else to do, preferably outside.
The Rogers men were much happier tromping through the woods hunting or fishing than studying. They worked when they could find work but it was mostly unskilled labor here and there. The rest of the time they spent growing and converting corn to white lightning, hunting, fishing, trapping or just loafing around. Lee, named after his great grandfather's hero General Robert E. Lee was sort of an exception. Lee loved the outdoors but he also loved internal combustion engines. He was a maestro when it came to diagnosing and repairing older gasoline engines. He worked on everything from the smallest air cooled lawn mower and chain saw engines up to truck and tractor engines of all types. Unfortunately, like the other male members of his family he had trouble keeping a job because of the hunting, fishing, and (GASP) moonshine. Yeah, he helped his pappy make it as well as drink it. He even helped deliver it from time to time. The revenuer's hadn't caught on to the fact he ran shine yet.
When Lee graduated high school he was already working part time at a small gas station and garage on the edge of town. It was one of the few small independent service stations and garages still in existence. They sold a few snacks and soda pop but none of the other items the newer convenience stores stocked. What snacks they stocked were more for the convenience of the employees and few customers than for stock in trade. Of course, the older local men that seemed to congregate to visit and kibitz most afternoons purchased a lot of the snack and drink items also. These men were the main reason there were so many rickety chairs scattered around the "waiting area" of the garage and tire shop. In addition to the service station there was a large auto parts store in the building. They made more money selling parts than anything else although flat repair was a large part of their business also. They delivered and that was one of Lee's jobs there also. That is how he met the woman that got him into trouble and ultimately how he met the woman that was to tame him and rock his world.
One hot sweltering summer day Lee was underneath old man Stover's old 78 Chevy pickup replacing the starter when his boss Jimmy hollered for him. "Hey, Lee, get your ass out from under that truck and deliver these parts over to the Chevy garage," he said.
Lee glanced out from under the old truck into the sun beaten dirt lot outside the garage. Sweat was beading on his forehead and running down his face. His shirt was wet with sweat. They still worked in open bays with no air conditioning. Today was the worst heat they had in a while and Lee looked forward to the drive so the hot air could dry his sweaty body somewhat. He said, "OK. Ya want me to do it now or can it wait a while? I got another ten minutes or so here and I'll be done with this one."
"No, get on over there now. They have one they promised would be done tonight and they need the parts ten minutes ago."
Lee climbed up the steps from the pit he was standing in. He left his work light and tools where they lay. His face was dotted with dust that had turned to mud in the sweat. His arms were covered with dirt and grease to his shoulders. There were smudges of grease on his face from where he wiped the sweat off. His once white T-shirt was wet with sweat and covered with mud and grease. To look at him you would think he was maybe fifteen or sixteen instead of the nineteen year old young man he actually was. He stood 5' 7" in his sock feet and weighed 117 pounds dripping wet.
Lee didn't even bother to wash his hands or arms after he walked into the parts store. He wiped his hands on his already filthy blue jeans, grabbed the invoice to double check the parts in the box then picked up the parts box and ambled out to his old F150. He threw the box into the front seat. He climbed into the cab and turned the key. After the engine roared to life Lee sat for a moment listening to the rumble. He smiled and tapped the accelerator to make the engine rev higher. The old truck burbled with a deep throaty sound as the exhaust moved through his flow masters. Lee moved the gear shift into first and gently let out the clutch as he depressed the accelerator. He barely slowed as he drove out of the parking lot and into the light traffic on the street. His left arm was resting on the window opening, the tips of his fingers barely touching the steering wheel. He quickly and efficiently moved through the gears until he was running about ten miles above the speed limit in fifth (high) gear.
The old 1994 F150 4X4 looked rough. The once beautiful candy apple red paint was fading. There were rust spots showing through in several places. Almost every body panel had at least one dent in it. The rear bumper was bent into the right rear fender where the truck had backed into a large tree on one trip into the woods. The tailgate would barely close because of the dents in it. Now that the engine and brakes were in tip top shape Lee was saving money to begin repairing the body of his baby. After the body was once again sharp he would redo the interior and fix the air.
Lee drove through town, windows open and stereo blaring out Country and Western music. It was Friday afternoon and he was trying to decide whether he wanted to spend the weekend camping and fishing on the family island or if he wanted to shave his three day collection of thin whiskers off and go to the local dance hall. He was under age to drink but he still managed to get inside most of the time. If he got inside he could usually talk someone into buying him a few. He usually had to pay, but what the hell. He got some drinks and if he was really lucky he could find some drunken pussy and get his ashes hauled. Sometimes he even managed to tap two different cunts the same night or even spend the night with one of the barflies. Usually the ones he spent the night with were married and their husbands were off gallivanting somewhere on their own but Lee didn't care in the least. He reasoned if he didn't tap that married pussy someone else would. They were out hunting cock after all and if they wanted to step out on their old man he might just as well get the pussy as someone else. Besides, most of the married ones only wanted cock. They weren't looking for commitment and dating. That was fine with him. He wasn't ready for marriage and all the headaches that brought.
Lee drove into the lot at the dealership and up to the entry door for the garage and parts department. He shut his old truck down and pulled the box toward him. After he got out of the truck he picked up the box of parts and sauntered cockily into the building. He moved to the parts counter and dropped the box on it. Lee didn't even look up before he dug into the box for the invoice. Lee heard someone walk up to him and looked up in surprise. It didn't sound like old man Stevens. His eyes opened wider and his mouth dropped open. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen was standing in front of him. She was his same height or maybe an inch taller. She had the most beautiful eyes and her perfect little tits were filling out her T-shirt magnificently. He couldn't speak for a moment and that was strange in itself. Lee was one of those men who had a motor mouth. He always had a line of patter to pass out and this time he was speechless.
The young woman looked at Lee for a moment then sighed. When Lee still didn't speak she snippily asked, "Can I help you?"
Lee finally got control of his mind and voice. "Uh, yeah, I got some parts here for ya." Lee pushed the invoice toward her and continued, "Ya need ta sign here for em."
The woman looked at him then said, "Who ordered them and what job are they for?"
