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7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
1/17
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
2/17
Driftless
O R D E R N O W
Milkweed Editions
IndieBound
Powells
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Drifless is distributed to the trade byPublishers Group West
http://milkweed.org/shop/product/27/driftless/http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781571310682/david-rhodes/driftlesshttp://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781571310682-0http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/driftless-david-rhodes/1100393507http://www.amazon.com/Driftless-David-Rhodes/dp/1571310681http://www.amazon.com/Driftless-David-Rhodes/dp/1571310681http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/driftless-david-rhodes/1100393507http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781571310682-0http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781571310682/david-rhodes/driftlesshttp://milkweed.org/shop/product/27/driftless/7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
3/17
th chaac and vn n h book a
fcou. Any may o a pon, v-
ng o dad, concdna and no nndd
by h auho.
2008, tx by Davd rhod
A gh vd. excp o b quoa-on n cca ac o vw, no pa o
h book may b poducd n any mann
whou po wn pmon om h
pubh:
Mkwd edon,
1011 Wahngon Avnu souh, su 300,
Mnnapo, Mnnoa 55415.
(800) 520-6455
www.mkwd.og
Pubhd 2008 by Mkwd edon
Pnd n Canada
Cov dgn by Chan unhaun
Cov phoo by Cob
Auho phoo by XXX
ino dgn by Wndy Hodman
th x o h book n Dan.
08 09 10 11 12 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition
Mkwd edon, a nonpof pubh,
gauy acknowdg uanng up-
po om Anonymou; em and Hny
Buchwad; h Buh oundaon; h Pack
and Am Bu amy oundaon; CaVa
invo; h Doughy amy oundaon;
h ecoab oundaon; h Gna M
oundaon; h Ca Gannn und; John
and Joann Godon; Wam and Jann
Gandy; h Jom oundaon; Doohy
Kapan lgh and en lgh; Conanc B.
Kunn; Maha Bank Cop.; sand
and taha Mavn; h May Dpamn
so Company oundaon; h McKngh
oundaon; a gan om h Mnnoa
sa A Boad, hough an appopaon
by h Mnnoa sa lgau, a gan
om h Naona endowmn o h A,
and pva und; an awad om h
Naona endowmn o h A, whch b-
v ha a ga naon dv ga a;
h Nava Copoaon; Dbb rynod;
h sabuck oundaon; h s. Pautav oundaon; en and shdon
sug; h tag oundaon; h Gud
sxon thompon Chaab tu (Gog
r. A. Johnon, tu); h Jam r. thop
oundaon; h too oundaon; Moa
and John tun; Und Pac svc;
Joann and Ph Von Bon; Kahn and B
Wann; sn and Choph Wan;
h W. M. oundaon; and h Xc engy
oundaon.
lbay o Cong
Caaogng-n-Pubcaon Daa
rhod, Davd, 1946
D / Davd rhod.1 d.
p. cm.
isBN 978-1-57131-059-0 (ak. pap)
1. Wconncon. 2. Cy and
own con. i. t.Ps3568.H55D75 2008
813'.54dc22
2008020881
th book pnd on acd- pap.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
4/17
3
Prologue
in southwestern wisconsin there is an area roughly onehndd and xy m n and vny m wd wh nqa. i d an d m h h a. th a
h Pcn ac dd n amp hh h aa, and h
aca dp ck, cay, and, and cad da m-
n. Hnc nam, h D rn. snay nnd,
ndd n hy, pmv m, nchd by h hapn hand
h cd an.
A h aca hd nchd and h D rn, bcam
an and ndd by a a cdn c. th, pan p
and pn, zn n hand ya, and h
aby w. M and h back ck. Bd and h
ca cad n d, whch pd, d, and ppd.
Hadwd and vn n h ky, wh wamh-vn
b n n hn hd and cd-vn b n
nhn p.
rv and amdann d h ac and may
pah anmapd n h Mpp rv vay. th
wa hd hck wh amn, d , and pk, whch n n
aacd py, hn, , mnk, and h wh vd by hn.
in m, a anma mvd n, ncdn ba, wy mammh,
an h, ab-hd , mnan n, and a w-hndd-
pnd pc bav. (th nam Wisconsin bvd by m
b a dvan h wd Wishkonsing, place of the beaver.)
Wh h wd cam hman, and hand ya
pp ab whm h can nw b ny pcan cndcd
cvzan m h ancn wd. th mm camp h
snn Pp wa nc cad n h D.
th epan av w app, hn, and by
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
5/17
4 david rhodespckmn wh vd mch a h pp wh w aady h,
n man and vn wh hm. in m, adn p pn p
an h a v, aacn m app and hn. ra
pd hh wh fad dwnam, n h ppy cah
anma wa nay xhad.
thn a a wav mman cam, dpacn h qny
mvn app, hn, and a. tadn p av way
, am, and va.
th nw ava, am wh xcpn, cam n ach
hmad. am a nm a chch mc d n wan
n wh wh wdn pk pd by xn and m, damn
Ppy. Whn hy avd, hy cmbd h wan,
hapnd h ax, and mvd n h D hav a p
and wan cp: mb. ln ad and mb m nvadd
h h, and whn a n nan h D k h
Wcnn vn ak, pn, and mapw c, fad
dwnam, and mad n aad and chaca.
A h c dwn h and d p a h ad and
d hy cd nd, many abandnd h D n ach fa-
, ch amn. th wh mand w nay h m
bbn ac, kn a vn m ma am pchd n
h d dd h. lk h Bad sa m ha bw n
h nd bh dnc and dn, hy d av.
b w, h an dp.
sma va bmd wh ch, p c, and mp-
mn da; day and an cpav; hadwa, abc, and
cy ; n an, bank, ba, and avn. And h
D am mvd n h va a h bd w
. od mn and wmn a n pch n wk ch add by
h n and nd by nnmab wahn mb pajama.
thy akd n whp, hn hazn n wdn bw, -
n , nd , ab n a.
th yn pp nd b w kpca. i ddn m p-
b mn and wmn d h hn dcbd n h :
pp ddn ac k ha.
thy dn now, h d pp cmpand.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
6/17
driftless 5i wa mpb xpan hw n h day, n a m, n
h pa, h ay w anpp wh dd hn, d hn,
dd hn, ha h wd nv d. th an w a h ha
vyhn. Nhn cd hav bn h way wa wh hm,
b hw cd anyn xpan hm a hy w n?
ov h ya, m h D va w n wn and
c. oh va, hwv, w p k m h vn hn,
achd a can z and j ayd h. s h, k Wd,
Wcnna c bdn and hm n a havy wdd
vayncaby hank n z, and nd h wny- cn-
y ma han ya b.
t Wd y m nd wh Hhway 47 and Cny
tnk Q nc, a a hh, ny pac ndd by aaa, cn,
and yban d. th -way p a hb m mp-
anc, y h a n h ndcan wh y a. th ack
pd nman can b pay xpand by h cnann
bd h thwa Cny Hhway Cmmn and pay
by h ampn a mmb: pp aady knw wh
hy a. N pvn a mad h vn wh a pan.
s, h m myy why a -way p hd b pacd
h, mpdn h fw my nnxn ac. gan,
nanc, wh a ppan v hand by a h a wn
n h aa, ha a jab nd - way p and vn va
ph; b gan n m h a n 47.
rd Pan, h w, ha cy, d, and dm , a a
an, a an va, avn, and n p n n a hhway
ha cnnc a xy m h na.
Hadn h n Q d n ak y dcy anywh, b
h knwn h ad h vnay h h l.
eh m nh h ncn, h nncpad va
Wd ha n ac n a a. Cny tnk Q h ny way
n h ny wn, whch a h dad nd a p vay. w
pp h. sa map n n ncd Wd, and hh Q
n pcd, h cvn back n mpy nd k a nppd-
back had n a p mpy wh pac. evn n gan, m
pp dn knw wh Wd .
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
7/17
7
No reAsoN
the morning ripened slowly. ten oclock felt like noon.Jy Mnmy c pn a ack nd d and pd n h cmn h. H kd h ban wndw n h
hay d, wh a w-yn ny h nd, n
pac wh mky danc. Bynd h nc, h p map, ak,
and hcky md a mpy, mbdd d aan nny.
Jy had vd h m han wny ya, b bca
h damy qay h mnn, h andcap nw appad a-
m nama. th w nd ba haywhch hd pacd
na h ad ny wk bmd n and cmpy
mvd m any hy ha ncdd hm. th ad kd
dn, and whn a hawk ppd a y p, pnd wn,
and ad p h backp ad wad h naby va Wd,
dappad n h mn a hh nn anh wd.
Jy mavd a hw ay h chaac vn h mav, a-
nay hn ay cd b chand by a m n h
amph.
on h h d h ban h cd ha h ma day hd
hyn back m h pa. H had hm j an h b-
, and md dd ha hy wd b cmn back. Nmay,
hy pd az a day, kn-dp n a, vn n h m
ncmn wah.
sva cw anxy bd h had aan h wdn
d h bdn and h pnd h d, awn hm back
n h ban. Aad, hy bwd and cwdd aan ach
h, mn nvy m n aa h nx, wamn n w
mn.
smhn had hnd hm, and Jy d n h pnn
and achd an xpanana pack d, phap. B h
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
8/17
8 david rhodescd nhn, and ndd wan away pb dny h
an a hd aan. lk h a ha n z hman
cy, mm had n anb ca. gvn h ca na
anma, an an y yn da cd fa p n a n
mbc ym and pad n h ndn nhbhd, cm-
mncad wh h pd a ad fck bd. B n,
a cma a wa abhd, ppad hh h pych
nwk nnca m.
A mvmn cah h y. sva hndd yad away, a h
vy d wh h wawd bjc wha, a a
back anma jmpd h nc n h hay d, nd and n
an am a mann, and kd dcy a hm.
Nw h mhn, Jy hh, an back. i appad
b a vy b ca, a panh, a knwn a a ca, pma,
mnan n. Hd n hm w and p nh, b nv
h. thh hy had nc bn nav h aa, h had bn
n p hm, a a a h knw, nan. i wan vn
ncay acay n, c; a ay cn h ba
nhad by a n cwand h wh hd wd vba wh p-
mda anxy.
Mvn wy, h panh pacd wh ac a an h d
nc, cay man danc m h ban, kpn pa-
ay hddn n h , k a h n wn am cpa
m. A mvd, cnnd a a Jy, and Jy cnnd
k back.
H wndd why a panh wd n an aa anc
had n a abandnd. th a an, c, ncdd
h ncachmn hman cvzan and dpn naa
haba; b Jy wndd wha h m hav k
m h nd cmp av ama han. i wa
a ma, h p a ma mh n h nknwn; a
ma, n h h hand, mh vn n ach d
h pcv cn ndd a yn. Jy a mand
ha bh ma and ma mh, k m pp, mpy n
an nknwn aa h ak dcvn hw cmpad wh
wha hy aady knw.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
9/17
driftless 9A h wachd h panh dn wy, any n h d
h wd, Jy a aw n an dny h ca h p-
by acn wh a cmpn mvan. Phap ndd
p n h hay d wh knwn why had cm.
Jy mmbd h wn jny h D rn, m
han wny ya a.
H cad ha nhn had h. Hd wkn p n a
pny cmab dch an an ncnzab ad n
h mdd h nh, na h nd spmb, mwh n
Wymn. th a md pcay hck and chac abv hm,
ban b mxd p, a hh hy had bn d wh a v
a. H had n mmy hw hd cm b hwhv
here waand h m pa h bdy w phap
bkn, bdn, mn. B nhn md pac, and
nhn h.
A m chckn, h dcvd ha h wa wa mn.
And h d ba, yn nx hm n h n a and wd,
had bn anackd. M h pna bnnp, v,
ckn n, hach, kn, cmpa, ann, bbn, dd
d, candy ba, mach, ap, map, and a cp bkw
n. A ha mand w a cp m chn, h pn
ba, and h wa b.
B nhn h and ha md k a d mn. thn
cd b mch w. Whv had hm h had n nd h
fa canva mny b d ny and h abdmn. H hn
back p and wk p an h a a h nd an ap-
pachn vhc.
A pckp mvd a an h hhway. i wa cy wd
by a ny n- ax a, pd by a bmp hch. A hh
xndn a cap h b paha cap nv acay
d nh ck cam a an p a h naby ncn.
th dv cmbd and wakd back chck n h a.
Campd m n and ahc wh a, h mvd fy.
Jy dd h ch, wakd h dch, and jnd h
d man a h a.
evyhn a h? h akd.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
10/17
10 david rhodesth d man md ad a n bn an and way n-
pcd Jy and h d ba xndn m h am.
s a, d, h ad, and md hnn h fahh
hh h pn a n h d h a. th dn cc
yw h mvd v a mav An b. th anma wam
m had a w y acd qay and whn hd wh
m n anh, h a and pcy.
Jy wakd h h d h ad and nad n h
av hd.
i wa a ca, mmk nh, and h ky wd wh na
n mnanc.
th pn nd mndd h d man h wn badd
and h a pd n h d h ad. a n h danc a d
bakd.
Y nd a d, yn man?
ind h ck, h dv adjd h bd ha and a ca-
. Jy hvd h d ba nd h a and a bd hm.
Wh y n? h akd.
Wcnn. ev bn h?
Np, ad Jy.
A hy d hh Wymn, h d man xpand ha h
and h bh kp a hd Hd n hwn Wcnn.
thy wand bd p m back bady cav, and h d man
had dvn h ckyad n Chynn, kn a n
yan wh y appa. A a a acn, hd bh n.
Jy kd h way h d man akdh accn and chc
pha. on h ba h dcdd cnn wh hm.
Hw n y bn n Wymn? h d man akd.
eh nn mnh, wkn n a anch.
Y m and h?
Np.
Wh y m?
evywh, ad Jy. Nv bn Wcnn, hh.
Wh w y b y w n Wymn? akd h d
man, pny xhbn h n mn wh cny vd
n h am h h had wn p n.
unadn hp n h dck n Cana.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
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driftless 11And b ha?
Han wha n Canada, Jy ad. H wndw wa pn and
h wam nh a bw aan h d h ac. i pn am
a ya n h pa pvnc, dvn ck. Wh i wa h i m
a man, a wh a pac wh cd n a han anyn
id v n. And a nh hd ak h and cn h mny
hddn nd . oh pp w away bn hm h cdn
n hm.
Hwd h h ?
C by mak wh a chan aw, abv h kn.
i wa h knd ak pp mak n b an and h
pac whn hy d n xpc h pn hy akn
aan ab h pp, mayb and mayb n. i wa
d-nad ak, w d h hn, fn cm had by
an. gh ak.
thy add dvn n sh Daka and cnnd a h way
n Wcnn, wh h d man ban ancpa nn
h bh and h am m ay.
i n ha a nw, h ad. ony ab wny m pa h
nx wn. My bh hd b wan p . th cp
w n and w can hav a a ma.
th a ad dy a nnn v a a ph n
h pavmn, and h d man ppd a h dd ncn
and wn back chck n h yn b. i wa dak, and a
kn a h , h npcd h n h a wh h
fahh.
Jy and chd.
Whn h d man cmbd back bhnd h wh, Jy d n
h ad and dw h a canva d ba m nd h a.
H pd h ap v h hd.
thank aan h d.
My pac j a way ahad. lk, my a pac
p d.
thank, b, w, n hank.
A a m dv y n gan. i dn h avn
y h n h mdd h nh.
th yn man kd away. H wa ncmab wh n
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
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12 david rhodescmpyn wh h d man wh y mand dmnd
b n h wn. Wh d ha ad ? h akd, nddn
nh.
t Wdnhn p h b a hand h. lk, my
bh w b wan m. o pac ny a way m
h. Y can pnd h nh, and n h mnn
i wnd why hy p many p n h? akd h yn
man, nh xpcn n wan an anw. i ay appca
h d.
smn, h cd h d.
Wa, ad h d man. th andwchh a a cp
. Y pad hm. And h handd a ay, mpy pap ack
hh h pn wndw.
Jy ckd nd h am. W, hank aan, and dnh.
H d n h mdd h ad and wachd h wn
ah mv bynd h h. th cankn and bann nd
h a add and dappad. A nnn yw mn d-
vd a h a and and hw a nh-b w v h
cnyd.
Jy h pack dwn and k a dnm jack, pacn
wh h pap ack.
okay, h ad, whch way nw? H hadn hh h
ahad han h nknwn ncn.
H d n h mdd h ad wndn whch way ,
wan m npana bcknn n. A cvn
nn, h dcdd a wn cad Wd wa d nh.
H b mad cmpn nd aan h ad had ac,
whch cnnd nh n a mandn mann p and dwn h.
Mn d andn cn, hay, and yban md wh v-
n and hadwd, mahand and am. Cck, , w,
and h ncna ca cad hm a h pad. o
paca nc w h ndnab ch aw nd
na ha d b my acad wh mamma, w,
nc.
s m h ad, an ccana yad h bnd na a ban.
th h hmv mand dak, h ccpan pn.
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
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driftless 13i had bn m m nc hd bn n h Mdw, and Jy
ampd pc hm n h cna pa h und sa
nc aan. Hd bn bn j hw Wcnn, n iwa,
h md k a hmcmn , a mch n a h
haba hmn cd man.
in h danc a fy h appad, dappad, and -
appad a a dn can. onc wa h h, ad-
vancd m any, hn dappad a n m, ny
fa p n vw a m away. th n h ndd a cn
and dvdd n w pa, accmpand by a hah, hn nd.
thn h hadh w bh, b, and d, k an nnc
mn n cncn.
Jy ppd h ad, bhnd a and hnyck. Hd
bcm accmd h wn cmpany aan and dd n wh
ha wh anyn xpan wh h wa n whn h ddn
knw hm.
A h had bn wakn anh ha-h, h an y-
w w a wn n h na danc cand hm wa
mnn b n h. H ban kn a pac pa
h nh.
Bynd h Wd Cmy a ccn d-wh
an dwnh away m h ad. H wakd bwn va dzn
avn, cmbd h wvn w nc, pckd h way hh
mby and hazn bh, and nd a ma hw and cv-
d wh n a, hd by an vhann map. in pac,
h mnh hh h banch and pd h nd.
th hck ndbh h hpd wd annnc h mvmn
any a nd, and h n p h cmy bckd
h vw m h ad. A h danc h dwn h h, h
hyhmc bb a am cd b had.
Jy nd h pn ba. H dd h dnm jack
a a pw and a n h andwch m h pap ack. thn
h dank m h wa b, k h b, p h ck
nd hm, ay dwn, and zppd hm nd. H nd h
mny b ha cnand h avn m h pa v x ya.
smwh n h danc a bad w d mckn cy,
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
14/17
14 david rhodesWh-ck--y, wh-ck--y-aaaaa. th h m
an ccana a nd way hh h abv hm, bnkn
n and wh h hd mvmn av n h wnd.
Cn h y, h d pac h xpnc h pa v-
a day n a anab ppcv: h dv m Wymn, h
wandn cnvan wh h d man, h wak dwn h my
dd ad. th dak a abv hm md daw na
and a p a nvadd h n, dpn h vw
cn vn. Bckn , h cd h ann and d
va n mn kp h ma n h mnd m dn
hh h ca d nnnca , and ap.
H a, h wk p wh ddn, bn nay. H knw
why p n had bn pacd n a m ncn: h
had bn an accdn. sm m a, pp had dd a h cn
and w xa p n had bn p h. thy w cd a
mma.
And wa: h dad v chan h vn. evn h n-
knwn h dad a qd p.
th ky wa my dak, b mnn d bnah h
hzn and bd d ab n h n h and bh,
cnvn hh mmd chpn.
Cmbn m h pn ba, h p n h ck and b,
ndd h jack, and phnd h am hh h v.
Why had h cm h, h wndd, and wakd dwn h h.
A h am, h a n h bank and ad n h dak wa.
th awam and hckd wh n, and mnd wh
bbn wa, n bd, and h dy ck q cam
h dan nd hman. D ammd, vhc ad, and
an ccana, ndcphab, bakn vc cd b had. A havy
ck mvd an h ad bynd h cmy.
Why had h cm h?
N vyhn ha a an, h d hm. H ava amnd
a whm ccmanc, a vn accdn. in h am andm man-
n h had avd n Chca, sx a, Chynn, san ancc,
M Jaw, and many h pac. th wa n an.
A a h wha hd bn n hm ya, b h
7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
15/17
driftless 15cd n n q bv . H nw pcd ha mwh
bwn h acn and wha h knw ab hm n ha va
cham bnn ncw a nam nd, phn hm
m n pac h nx.
smhn hny na h wa d cah h ann and
h nvad.
A y fahh, ha cvd n dad a and dd md. M
h chm had bn chppd wn , h cynd dnd n
va pac.
H wndd whm bnd. Had bn nnnay
dcadd mpy ? B h aac d dv any n-
man ab wn. Y someone had bvy ccpd h
am pac ha Jy cny nhabd, and h cncdnc bd
xpanan.
H abny bbd h d m h a n wh h hmb
and phd h cdd wch wad. t h anhmn, a
bam h apd .
i md mpb, a a hhy mpbab, and h xp-
ncd an nxpcdy d n v havn a vaab bjc
n h hand. th dad had cm av. A pna cnncn w
p bwn h pv wn and hm: I have something of yours,
something worth having.
B a n a h ch happnanc had bn annncd,
h h dmmd an an. i fckd a hh yn
cmmnca, wd by, and wn .
H hk h fahh and wkd h wch wad and back
va m m. Nhn.
H d n h bank bd hm, hn pckd p and d
aan. Np.
lnn n vd hm, and hh h had and chh
h wn pva nn, h paca n had a m nv-
a chaac. th pv wn h fahh mhw
pacpad n . I have something of yours, and it is worthless.
Jy kd back a h dak wa and ndd ha h had
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7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
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7/29/2019 Driftless | A Novel by David Rhodes
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Driftless
O R D E R N O W
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Drifless is distributed to the trade byPublishers Group West
by David Rhodes
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