from Trevor’s window - a novel in progress

“You always ‘a askin’ questions,” said my Poppa to me early one morning as I walked my shoeless feet through the freshly turned soil. 

His hands were on the plow and he was following our old mule Charlie and I was following him.

“That’s a good thing, askin’ questions. 

Did you know questions drive the world forward, like I’m drivin’ ol’ Charlie down the row? 

Well sir, they do.

Did you know questions can turn the world upside down, like the plow turns the hard, rocky ground into soft, helpful soil? 

Well sir, they do.

Did you know questions are like the seeds we’re gonna plant in these rows? 

Well sir, they are.

It takes a long time to get from seeds to vegetables that make a difference for our supper.

And it takes a long time to get from questions to answers that make a difference in the world. 

But seeds change to food that can feed people and questions change to answers that can make the world a better place. 

You keep ‘a askin’ questions always, Carter. 

Always keep ‘a askin’ questions.”

I’ve always tried to do just that, to ask as many questions as I can ask.

Yes sir.