He had not prepared a speech.
So he told the truth.
“I noticed the waterline moved.”
That was how he began.
Not with the well.
Not with the hook.
Not with being right.
The waterline.
Then the cattle.
Then the cracks.
The bubbles.
His grandfather’s memory.
The library.
The soil survey.
The heifer.
Finally the pump.
At the end an older farmer raised his hand.
“You saying every farm pond might have a well under it?”
“No, sir.”
A few people laughed.
Eli continued.
“I’m saying if something changes in a way that doesn’t make sense, you should figure out why before deciding it’s normal.”
The old farmer nodded.
“That’s a pretty good rule.”
Marcus was sitting in the last row.
Eli noticed something strange.