Two years, he’d promised his parents, two long years of apprenticing for his uncle, the watchmaker, and then he could do whateve
r he pleased. Today, on Jesse’s 18th birthday, those two years were up, and the world was his. His uncle had generously paid him a decent wage, while also putting him up in his home, so Jesse had a good bit saved. He’d stashed most of it in a leather bag that he wore around his waist, and the rest he’d sent home to help out his parents. The morning sun was just peeking up over the foothills like a tiny toddler cautiously stepping forth. Jesse dressed hurriedly. Then, he bid a fond goodbye to his aunt and uncle, saddled his horse, and rode out of town, looking back only once. The place had been good to him—a second home—but he was eager to begin life on his own terms. Soon, the tiny Western town had disappeared behind him while ahead lay wide open plains and beyond them, the Rocky Mountains. Here, Jesse could choose his own path, make his own way, with no one to answer to but himself. Just for the fun of it, he nudged his horse into a canter and then a gallop, whooping and hollering with only the snakes and gophers for an audience. He didn’t slow down until the sun was climbing high overhead and his horse had begun to pant beneath him. Then, Jesse pulled up beside a well, let the horse have a good long drink, and treated himself to the most delicious cup of water he’d ever tasted. The roof over the well offered a bit of welcome shade, but soon the boy was itching to be on his way again. He filled his water bags to the brim as he knew it would be many miles before he saw water again and set a lazy course toward the path that he knew cut between the distant mountains. In this excerpt, the "wide open plains" symbolize what for Jesse?
A. the fear of what might lie ahead B. his gratitude toward his uncle C. the freedom to do what he pleases D. his two years of apprenticing
