Me and Jesse were best buds! We did everything together, hunting, fishing, hiking, and of course partying! I guess life in the Piedmont got a little too boring for Jesse. He seemed depressed lately. He moped around all day. He sighed at my every suggestion. "Naw!" was his monosyllabic reply to all my encouragement. All he wanted to do was sit there, like a bump on a log!

Early one morning, I awoke to find him sitting on the edge of my bed. He uttered as he shook me, "Get up! Sleepyhead, we need to talk!" 

 I sat up, stretched lazily, then yawned so hard my jowls ached. It took a second to shake the night’s cobwebs from my head. I went through my morning ritual, I rubbed the fog from my eyes then scratched that reoccurring itch, my morning hard-on inevitably provides.

 " Oh hi! Jess..." I greeted, rubbing a cramp from my jaw. I noticed his backpack leaning against my bedroom door. Waking up to find Jesse sitting there wasn't that unusual, he was like family to us. He had free run of the house, hell he even had his own key! The knapsack was different though, it drew my fascination. We went hiking all the time, but we never needed a bedroll." What's up Jess? " I asked.

"I got an itch and I just gotta scratch it, I guess," he shrugged. " Last night I did some soul searching." He paused, scratching his chin, carefully contemplating his next words. "I decided...I decided, I need to expand my horizons! I'm leaving! I guess this is goodbye." Then added, "For a little while, anyway."

"Damn Jesse, I hate to hear that! " I stressed. " Where ya goin', whatcha gonna do?" I asked.

He told me of his intentions. He wanted to travel to New Orleans, join the Merchant Marines. Or maybe hook up with a Rock and Roll Band, be a Roadie. Something...anything, just get away for a while!

His eyes were aflame with enthusiasm, this was the first indication he offered all week that he was still a member of the living! I'd been worrying about him.

His animated description of the life he wanted to begin intrigued me.

"I could go for that! Mind if I go along?" I suggested.

His smile told me all I needed to know. I dusted off my knapsack, and packed it as he waited. We trudged down the stairway, set our bags on the front porch, then he followed me back into the kitchen. We didn't dare leave without saying goodbye to my mom! Her favorite expression was, "You can't face the world on an empty stomach!"

My mother lives in a world of her own. Cooking, (and everything related to it), is her life!

Well, that and my younger sister.

I was grown and she no longer fretted over my coming and going. I could do no wrong in her eyes and every decision I made was perfectly fine with her.

The smell of bacon and pancakes wafted in the air. My stomach was growling, before I took my seat. I chewed on a piece of salt pork to stave my appetite. Jesse grabbed a handful and started to put them in his pocket.

" Don't you dare do that, Jesse Black! You'll get your jacket all greasy, here let me get you