Lost and Found

“Go ahead then, feed your fire Rob Allen, but your stories ain’t gonna stop just because you burn em.” – John Spencer

Prayer to God and a deep devotion thrives at the mission to oversee the troubled cove. Christy has been there a month and the look in the preacher’s eye tells the story. Even their young resident, Ruby Mae can see their affection. A hygiene problem and rapid procreation is prevalent within the cove. Christy wants to improve it but as they’d say around here, she’s still wet behind the ears. Cutter Gap’s living quarters rely on the family living in the same room. They’re so poor they live with newspapers tacked to the walls for insulation. Rob and his brother Little Burl sleep side by side in a small bunkbed nothing more than 3 feet wide. With Cutter Gap, their type of hygiene and reproduction is the only way they’ve known. They know nothing different.

To Dr. MacNeill, God doesn’t exist and Christy knows little about why she believes what she does. Christy spouts platitudes and Neil sees it to be disingenuous. He doesn’t see the purpose or difference the mission is making in the community, and comes off as arrogant in his approach to her. Too often we don’t stop to contemplate. He asks Christy, “Why is Christianity so important to you?” If you are a Christian, maybe that’s a question you need to ask yourself too.

There’s a short story contest from New York City and Rob Allen is encouraged to enter. He seems down on himself because he only knows about the life of Cutter Gap. To him the city life has people of great intellect and skill. As a person like Rob, you’d feel gutted. You would see yourself less than a man to those in the city. I think that still happens today. Upon Christy’s request, Dr. MacNeill comes to teach the class. In 1745 his family was led to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Prince Charles Edward decided to win back the throne of England and Scotland. These people of the cove were the Highlanders and to them the historic hero was known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Family stories and folk-stories were the entertainment of the day.

Despite Dr. MacNeill’s story, the children could barely stay alert to hear it. The exhaustion and pain of a place like Cutter Gap is etched on their faces. The work to survive, the long walk to school and poor living conditions weighed on them. It was relentless, but in all this turmoil they found time to have joy with family and friends. In comparison, today’s East Tennessee is better off as far as living conditions are concerned. I hope it stays that way here.

This story from Dr. MacNeill inspires Rob for the contest. It just goes to show it only takes one person to make a drastic difference in someone’s life. Not only to effect them physically but emotionally to the point to take action. Two months of schooling was more than what Rob’s father (Bob) had his entire life. His father needed him to stop school and to start working. In essence if you stop to think, his father does have a point. Reading and writing at the time were luxuries in the cove. However some parents failed to see that these things were to propel you to a better future.

David becomes quite emotionally attached to Christy but to some degree she’s a little oblivious. Seeing the beauty of a girl after all the pain you’ve seen preaching in a cove would be tempting. In the shadows they’re secretly seen swooning over one another on the porch of the schoolhouse. This will become the turning point. You can really see the connection Christy has made with the children. After a month of time she has all of the children’s attention and respect on the school porch, learning and joking. Sadly Rob has to tell Christy he won’t be able to come back to school due to helping his dad. One could only imagine the grief she felt hearing the news.

Suddenly, Mr. Coburn interrupts and displays his disdain of Christy and David’s affection he secretly saw the night before. To him Christy was running a courting school. In modern terms, dating classes. Mr. Coburn exposes this by showing love letters from Bessie Coburn to Rob Allen. John Spencer and Bessie were courting. John reads Bessie’s love poem to Rob and runs off in anger. Suddenly John and Rob’s friendship falls apart. One moment. One idea. One action, can change anything. For better or worse.

Christy considerers quitting even at the behest of David telling her she has committed no wrong doing. God sees our heart. Amidst a rainy dreary day Rob is depressed of the situation between he, Bessie and John. He wants to be alone writing his stories, but he sees Little Burl as a burden. He’s drowning in anger and self pity. Thinking only of himself. Just like the child Little Burl, in certain situations we don’t mean harm, and don’t understand another person’s misery. “I don’t want your help, I don’t need it and I don’t want it, and I don’t want you! None of you!” That’s pretty harsh to hear, especially coming from Rob, your own brother. Amidst trying to catch up with Rob, Little Burl falls in between a rock ledge and down, in what appears to be 20 or more feet.

Anger costs you and others you love. Little Burl was no where to be found. Meanwhile, the preacher gives a sermon on temptation and forgiveness. It’s quickly interrupted by an anxious Rob Allen requesting help to find his brother. The Taylors and Allens have a blood feud, nevertheless they both go out to help find Little Burl. A community coming together for a greater good is something that’s lacking in today’s society. We have the tendency now to be less acquainted with our fellow neighbors. Can we rely solely upon our local council to take care of immediate danger? Good communities can rely on each other. Yet how many people can we rely on today?

As the search is in progress Dr. MacNeill chastises Christy for encouraging her students to dream big, insisting it comes at great cost. Miss Alice is there to calm the situation. She’s a rock to the mission and to Cutter Gap. As Rob is searching in the middle of the night he is guided by a man playing his bagpipes. It feels as if he’s being led by an angel appearing to be a Scotsman. In time he vanishes within the fog. Below lies an injured Little Burl.

Bagpipes are important to this episode and have significance since Dr. MacNeill is a Scotsman. In addition, many of the residents in the cove are from Scottish territory. The exact origin of bagpipes isn’t known but Scotland has made it their heritage. They produce long, slow tones which often gives a somber feeling to anyone hearing it. They’re connected to funerals and sad moments of time. So it would only make sense for us to feel that way. These bagpipes give this episode an aura of melancholy. By combining the two it better illustrates the miserable and dangerous conditions that the people of Cutter Gap face. Bagpipes stir up emotions and give this episode just the right touch.

An injured Little Burl is desperately in need of an operation and Christy reluctantly helps. She’s faint at the sight of blood. Yet in time she sees the beauty of Dr. MacNeill’s craft and appearance. Rob sees how his contest got in the way of the love for his brother. Despite his regrets, John Spencer insists, bluntly I might add that Rob must continue he passion of writing. Their friendship eventually reunites. John had made a quick judgement and felt everything was Rob’s fault. As Fairlight reinforces about Bessie, it’s that people can’t help who they love. That’s just the way it is.

As Little Burl is recovering, Rob tells him the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Christy finds the picture of him in a book, the same exact person seen amidst the fog. Rob Allen commits to his desire by entering the writing contest and finds a compromise with his father. He sends off his short story contest to New York City. It’s far from the community of Cutter Gap. Whatever you do don’t be ashamed of where you come from. One thing is for certain as Christy teaches, it’s to dream big. Dream beyond your expectations, put in the effort and if it’s God’s will, you just might get there. At the end of the day, what is it that really matters to you? Is it all of your personal belongings, money and pride? Is it God, family and friends? It’s your dream. So dream big.