Ma and Pa saw no advantage to having electricity wired to their place. Pa said they couldn't afford to wire the house or pay a monthly electricity bill. Mary Jo hadn't thought of those things. Until that moment, she hadn't realized how poor they actually were. If they bought a generator, they would need money for the fuel to run it. When they ran out of fuel, they could always go back to living the way they had before, but it would be different with electricity. Would they let you turn it off when you ran out of money and then back on when you had money? In order to have running water, they would need electricity to run a pump - and the money to buy a pump. How did people pay for all that?
The next time Barrett visited them, she asked him. He sat and stared at her for a few minutes, as if it had never occurred to him. His gaze slowly lifted to Ma and Pa. He shook his head. "I guess we take a lot for granted, don't we?" He rubbed his jaw, his expression becoming distant. "For those who cannot pay, there is a system…"
"Charity!" Pa interrupted him. "We are doing fine now. I don't want other people to pay for things we don't need."
Barrett wasn't intimidated. He looked Pa in the eye. "There is a difference between living and existing."
Pa's brows lowered and he glared at Barrett. "Are you trying to tell me I'm not taking care of my family?"
Barrett spoke softly. "Are you?"
They stared at each other a moment and Pa was the first to look away. He glanced around the house. "We have a roof over our head and food to eat." His voice started out strong but ended soft, as if he was giving the idea considerable thought. Finally he grimaced. "You're right. We're not living. We're existing."
Barrett shook his head. "I didn't say that. I didn't think that. I was simply trying to point out that everyone needs help now and then. There are people who want to help - who can afford to help. Give them the opportunity. It will make them feel better."
Pa gave him a hard look. "Who are these people?"
Barrett gave him a wry smile. "Not me. It's difficult enough just taking care of myself."
Pa leaned back in his chair, a half smile on his lips as he studied Barrett's face. He liked Barrett. That was plain to see. He was probably wondering how Barrett planned on supporting his daughter. She spoke before he could ask.