My Bow Building Partner

Sometimes, when building bows, it pays to have another set of hands. In fact, there are times when you could use four or five extra hands. This is especially true when gluing up the limb laminations. What you have is anywhere from 11 to 19 different pieces of wood that have to come together in the bow press at the same time. Unfortunately, these wood pieces are covered in epoxy. And the epoxy makes everything slippery, so all these pieces slide in every direction and the challenge is keeping them corralled and properly aligned. Actually, they have to be in almost perfect alignment. So when it comes to gluing up a bow, I usually get Linda to help me.

There are other times when an extra pair of hands are needful, but not quite as critical. It is at times like these that I can use my grandson Landon if he happens to be hanging around with me. Landon likes to play at my shop and, since he lives next door, we end up spending a fair amount of time together. The other day he was with me in the shop and, as he was watching me work on a bow press, he said, "I'm going to work in the shop when I grow up."

"You're going to work with your dad in the cabinet shop?" I asked.

"No, I'm going to work with you, Papaw," he said, "I want to build bows like you."

"Are you my partner?" I asked him.

"Yes, we're partners, Papaw."

Usually Landon is asking me to look at something he is playing with or to help him drive a nail in a board or something down that line. Most of the time I have to tell him I am busy.

"Papaw, are you working on my bow?"

"Not today, I'm working on my own bow today."

"Can you come look at this screw?"

"Well, not right now, I'm busy with this bow press."

A few minutes later I needed an extra pair of hands to hold a piece of tapered bamboo while I taped it in place. "Landon, come here and lend me a hand right quick."

"I can't right now, Papaw, I'm busy."

"Boy, you come over here and hold this thing down for me. I need your help."

I had to smile to myself, but I needed his help. Landon slowly got to his feet and came over to the bow press. I showed him where to hold the bamboo. He held it down on the press as I taped it tightly. As I wrapped the press with plastic wrap, I accidentally bumped Landon's glasses and the left lens fell out. He bent over and picked it up and tried to put it back in place. I took his glasses and replaced the lens, then handed the glasses back to Landon.

"I know you knocked my lens out on purpose," he said.

I had to laugh it was so ludicrous.

"I didn't do it on purpose, Son. Has it ever fallen out before?"

"Yes, it falls out sometimes, but I know you knocked it out on purpose."

I don't think it would be so funny if Landon didn't have trouble with the 'r' sound. Oftentimes, I have to think about what he has just said before I can make it out. In this case "purpose" came out sounding like, "puh-pus."

It wasn't long before I saw that we needed to drive up to Anderson's Lumber to pick up a few 2x4s for a new bow press. "Come on Landon, let's run up to the lumber yard and get some boards."

I always let Landon get in and out of my pickup by himself. When we are just around the house and shop, he rides up front with me; but if we get out on the highway, he gets in the backseat directly behind me. I wasn't thinking about that as I sent him around to the passenger side of the truck. I had to run back into the shop to get my iced tea. When I got back there was no sign of Landon and the doors to the pickup were all closed. I opened the driver's side door and got in and that's when I saw him sitting just behind me, all buckled up and ready to go.

The guys at Anderson's always enjoy seeing Landon come in with me. I guess they are attracted to a cute, 4-year-old boy who is spending some time with his grandfather. On that particular day, there was a dog in the store -- a Catahoula cur, of Louisiana origin. These dogs were bred especially for dealing with feral hogs which are a real problem in the South. Landon was instantly attracted to the dog. One of the men behind the counter said the dog's name was Axel.

As we were driving away from Anderson's, I told Landon that Axel's kind of dog were originally from Louisiana.

"Where is Louisiana?" he asked.

"Well, you have to drive down to Little Rock and then keep on going south," I told him.

"Yes, but what road do you take?" he asked.

I realized Landon needed more detail so I said, "From your house you take Fairmont Road down to Highway 412. Head east on 412 to highway 49 South. Drive south to Interstate 40 down to Little Rock. Get on 167 to Eldorado, then switch to State Highway 7. Seven will take you to Louisiana Highway 15 which runs through Farmerville where I grew up."

"Oh, okay," he said. This seemed to satisfy him as he lapsed into silence.

On our way back home, we passed a dwelling with an American flag flying in the yard. I pointed the flag out to Landon and told him it was an American flag. He was sitting directly behind me so I couldn't see his face. He spoke up and said matter-of-factly, "That's an Arkansas State Flag."

"No, Landon, that's an American flag."

"It's a state flag," he said again.

"Look, Landon, Papaw knows what kind of flag it is and it is an American flag."

There was a short silence, then Landon said, "My family knows more about flags than you do."

What could I say? I drove back to the shop in silence, inwardly amused. A few days later we were again driving back home from the lumber yard. As we drove past this same house I once again pointed out the flag. "There's that American flag," I said.

Landon didn't say anything for a little bit; then he simply said, "Yep."

I thought to myself, "Now that's a good partner!"

Sam Byrnes is a Gentry-area resident and weekly contributor to the Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.