Disclaimer: cqofegypt does not own Holes… if she did, Sam and Kate would live happily ever after on the onion grove …

Note: My endnotes are a little script of Gus and shawn from Psych. I recently got into that so I thought I'd add a little in there… dedicated to the fabulous Dul'e Hill!

Spring, 1895

Green Lake, Texas... it's a fine place to raise a family, and most here are accepting of a black man such as myself. Who am I, you ask? My name is Samuel Gardener or Sam the Onion man as most folk call me around here.

I'm an onion harvester by trade, my family has harvested onions of all shapes, sizes, colors and tastes ever since before Mr. Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing most if not all slaves... I won't go into that now; that's a story for another day.

As I said before, most here are accepting of men such as myself, that's usually because if I didn't sell my onions, men folk 'round here wouldn't get their missus' stews with their cornbread loafs. Other than that, most don't bother, 'cept for the young'uns wantin to hear stories I've been famous for tellin for miles around.

Then there's her...Miss Katherine Barlow, the sweetest and most beautiful angel in all of Texas, let alone these fine forty-four states of ours. I'm not the only one who holds this opinion, though I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

Miss Katherine, or Katie, as I call her only in my head, is the town's only school teacher. She teaches the children in the morning and lets them out near supper-time, then during the evening she turns right back around and teaches thee grown-folk, mostly men, who never learned to read and write.

Personally, I feel that most in the school house during that time are there for an hour's worth of Katie... er, Miss Katherine *ahem*, than the lessons themselves.

Presently I shake my head as my fists pound themselves into the pile of dough I've pinned for biscuits. Yes, I can cook... my momma made sure of that. I live in the log cabin my brothers and sisters and I were born and raised in near the onion grove at the northeast side of Green Lake.

My parents died some years back, Daddy from malaria about ten years ago, and Momma was caught in the influenza blight around the time I was still a youngster. All four of my siblings are off and married and living in different states. I'm the youngest, and after Daddy died I inherited the house and the onion grove.

I made it back from town a while ago, and now I'm heatin' the leftover beans and hogs fat for supper. It isn't much, but I get by. The best part about the meal is the onions with their sweet, fragrant flavor.

Speaking of sweet and fragrant things, as I say my blessing over the meal, back to what I was saying about Katie. *sigh* I can't seem to stop myself. I catch myself thinking all the time what would my life be like with Katherine, especially since it can get a little lonely around here. I wonder what it would be like if I were to marry her and start a family...

Whoa... whoa... slow down... freeze! First of all, you don't know her like that, and you never will... not with Trout Walker around, and second, the minute you propose such an idea, the sheriff, or Trout, or both is likely to shoot you on sight! Neither is a good situation for Katherine! Second, look at your skin, and look at hers... it would never work! You two are too different!

I roll my eyes at myself as I get up to put the bread in the stone oven to cook, trying to think of possibilities, or scenarios, something to deflect the negativity. Ten minutes later after saving the biscuits from nearly getting burned, I still haven't thought of anything.

I just don't know her that well. Ah well, I think... that's more of an excuse to get to know her better... without Trout and Sheriff trying to tie a noose around my neck, of course. Sitting down eating supper, I realize something is missing with my food... something sweet. I grin and realize what it is.

Getting up and going to the jar by the stove, I hold it to the dim light and realize I'm down to my last sliver of peach. I sigh; guess I'll have to finish dinner without it... I finished my supper, read the family bible Daddy gave me before he died and got ready for bed.

I know God made us to toil after the Garden, but did my muscles have to hurt this much? I blew out the candle by the bedside. Mmhh... goodnight sweet Katherine...

A Bit of Humor

Shawn: See, that wasn't so bad, was it?

Gus: ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? A noose around my NECK? are you SERIOUS?

Shawn: rolls eyes: It's not the end of the world, sheesh... calm down

Gus mutters and gives Shawn his famous sidelong glare.

Gus: Now what?

Shawn: We meet Katherine, I guess...

Gus rolls his eyes and mutters to himself how he got stuck with Shawn of all people

Shawn: Shh! they're coming back!

Gus: sees no one Who?

Shawn: points to the readers, reviewers, Sam and Katherine THEM!

Gus *seriously?*: Still seeing no one: You need help, man... serious help...

A/N: Please Read and Review!