The Fell Good Flue (9 page)

I said, “sounds like love either way you look at it, just keep your eyes open, and watch your back.”
The trader said, “sound advice at any time, I’m looking to meet people while I’m here, it’s the kind of thing that helps a body know if he wants to stay or not.”
I said, “folks are using their space around here, so the fastest way is by air, but a BBQ tonight in a the secure square will have many to get to know. We were going to the pool if you wish to travel with us, I gave word I would take her any place in town and it was there.” He said, “I would be happy to travel with you, I think this one is trying to get back to a date somewhere, he keeps pushing me off roof tops.”
He said, “I only did that once, and it was just because I turned to go and didn’t see you were not gone yet, I went first on the next zip.”
I said, “it’s lead, follow, or get out of my way on the lines. Sometimes you need to be faster to be first down a line, and sometimes the first gets his last ride, it’s travelers check your own on the zip.”
Stan said, “as long as I don’t embrace the buildings, instead of moving from one to the other, I’ll be fine. I just need to travel with a slower group, I think I can keep up with the baby.” I said, “I don’t know about that, I like to send him first to test the lines.”
Brandy, “and I like to test them with you going first, I’ll take your son, and this weapon is now ready to test.”
She brought it in and he said, “that’s fast work, it looks great, thank you.”
I said, “she does all my guns as well, I trust her work with my life.”
Stan, “I found the thing with others, I’m an archer myself, but it came in handy.” Brand, “handy things often carry weight, but it’s a need in times like this, would you like me to wrap the hide up again?”
The runner said, “I’ll get that for you, any word to go with it?”
I said, “just tell him hair on, he knows the rest.”
Brandy, “I’ll get the baby ready,” and she took him into the next room.
Stan, “this pool we are going to, is it with or without clothes?”
I said, “it’s swimmers choice, but the pool has some things there to be used, and there are showers.”
He said, “it’s been some time since I had a real shower, does it have hot water?” I said, “yes, and music as well.”
I put my things on as the hide was taken to the roof, then we joined them up there. Brandy had a chest harness with Sage in it facing her, and her rig ready to go, the runner sent the load down the line and said, “safe air, send word if you have need,” and he was off. Brandy said, “happy landings,” and she was off.
Stan said, “when you folk decide to go somewhere, you jump to it in a fast way.” I said, “the air is a lot faster and safer than the ground around here, and being someplace else in a hurry has become a way of life for us, but take your time if you need a breath.” Stan, “I may not be the fastest but I got staying power, see you on the other side,” and he hooked up and went over. I did the same as soon as he got to the other side. Then three more to get to the pool. We dropped in on the roof and went down the stairs together, then I showed him the showers. Many used these and we all pitched in at one time or the other to keep it working. Stan said it was the best he had seen in a long time, and enjoyed a hot shower the same as I did. Brandy had taken the baby to to see some other people, and after I found something Stan wanted to use we joined them. My shorts were of a weave Brandy made, and were made from hemp, they fit well and were easy to keep clean. After talking to a few people we all went in swimming. The water was cool at first, but I soon warmed up to it. Stan dove off the edge and swam to the other side and back then said, “this sure beats a river on a horse.” I said, “been there done that, it sure dose.”
Stan, “is it true there’s about five hundred in this town?”
Brandy, “and about half of them women, or the men would not stay and work so hard.” I said, “that’s the count, but numbers don’t make matches, they make themselves or not at all.” Stan, “still, I like the odds, if not too many of them are already spoken for.”
I said, “those are easy to spot, they’re the ones that talk to you first, then they tell the ones that are interested in you. After you have a few conversations with the ones that are not talking to you it will all become clear which to chose.”
Brandy, “don’t try to confuse or scare him off, a number of them are already talking and want to say hello when they can get you alone. It won’t be long before you’re not lonely in this town.”
I said, “run for it, they are stocking you.”
He said, ”I’ll take my chances, I haven’t been in a town in 5 years, I’m not going anywhere soon.”
I said, ”you been fair warned, now you’re on your own.”
Two women swam up to him, then they went across the pool together, I said to Brandy, “I think he will be staying around for a long time.”
She replied, “if those two have anything to say about it a very long time, but he may not survive the zipping from one to the other.”
I said, “I gave fair warning, the rest is his safety.”
She laughed and said, “you were a bit harder to pin down but I got you.”
I said, “I keep thinking it was the other way around, but those two are not going to leave a thing like that to chance with him.”
We swam around a bit with the baby, then she took him to dry off. I swam over to Stan and said, “are you in good hands or do you need a rescue before I go?”
He said, “I need rescue but don’t want it, thanks for bringing me.”
I said, “my pleasure, try not to let them ware you out to soon, hope to see you at the BBQ tonight.”
Stan, “I’m sure I’ll be there,” and they swam off together.
I got out and dried off as Brandy said, “do you want to hang around here or dry your hair in the wind?”
I said, “it may as well be in the wind, we don’t want to miss much of the day.” So we were off again, and soon back at our place. She took Sage to his crib as I looked around the roof garden. The barrel of fish was next to an edge of a table that the bugs were falling off, and the fish were snapping them up, watering this bunch of plants had driven them to the next in line for a meal. Another table had green beans that were ready to pick, they had grown just from the mornings warmth alone, and soon would be part of a stew or something. And in a few pots out in the full sun were my hot pepper plants, a cross bred mix that was known for a number of tears from many. There was lots of room up here, and the roof was strong, so much was put to good use. The wind we were getting keep a generator charging some batteries, and water was pumping to plants that needed it. Brandy had done a good job at putting things in order, and I went back down glad it needed no attention at the moment. Walking over to my chair I took off my blade and guns, and hung them up with my coat before setting down. A shot-shell sat on the table next to me and I pumped it in my 12 gage then put that next to the chair. After lighting my pipe I poured a glass of wine, and enjoyed both of them as Brandy turned on the music from the other room. Something caught the corner of my eye in the kitchen as I looked through my glass, and the tail-twitch giving it away moved a spoon that fell to the floor. Brandy peaked into the room at that same moment, and seeing me in my chair quickly turned her head toward the table. Upon the edge by the other widow was a pigeon pecking at a crumb it had found, and she said, “a flying rat, well now the character of our guest have improved, but I thought we would have longer before our return was known.” I said, “it has wings, just like the word of its destination that got it here.”
She cautiously slipped in the kitchen and to the table, picking up a pinch of bread in her fingers, then held it out to the bird. It took a peck as she got a hold of it with her other hand, then brought it to me saying, “tell your guest it’s polite to give before taking here.” I said, “it already gave by making the trip, and this one don’t need to be told where its reward is. Let’s see if it has words still worth knowing first, then I’ll talk to it about manners.” I slipped the small tube on its leg off and sat the bird on my lap. Brandy feed it some more crumbs as I read the note. Then I gave it to her and she took the bird back to the kitchen as I said, “make out your shopping list, I’ll see how many other places I can try not to go to today.” Brandy, “these will be coming soon, you’re staying busy for a man taking the rest of the day off, just keeping up with you is requiring me to get there first.”
I said, “then you won’t be telling me I came first again.”
Brandy, “you always come first, and you know what I’m talking about, so let’s not go there.” I said, “I don’t want to go anywhere at the moment, just keep talking dirty to me and I’ll be right with you.”
Brandy, “no time, you told me to make out my shopping list, and we have a guest to take care of.”
I said, “I can entertain notions and guest at the same time.”
She said, “I know you can, your very good at doing many things at the same time, but I prefer to give myself to the moment and devote my attention.”
I picked up my glass again and said, “don’t let me slow you down, my bones are talking to me and I’m trying to pay attention.”
Brandy, “you should listen hard, they tell you thetruth.”
I took a sip of the wine, then hit the pipe, and looking out the window I could see a flag on a nearby zip-line. The midway brake was on, and a bag hung from that point, so I gave my line a tug and the load came to me. The flag flipped over and over as it returned with the bag, and pulling the line up I could tell it was light for its size. More tea and smoke, plus a pouch with bear teeth and a claw necklace. Another wrap of honeycomb and some bottles of herbs were there as well, and some fresh salt in a sack.
I put the necklace on and said, “do you think it will look good at the BBQ tonight?” Brandy, “with your new leg guards and silver wristbands, I could were mine as well.” I said, “more tea, honeycomb and some bottles of herbs, plus fresh salt.”
Brandy, “all will come to good use here.”
I said, “Stan knows how to say thank you, I wonder if he has found the wine maker yet?” Brandy, “if she finds the other two still with him when he does, the bottles may not get emptied before they are broke.”
I said, “she does seem to act more than talk, but it’s her silent times that can be the most deadly, he will need all his skills to trade with her.”
Brandy, “she may want to trade more than he can handle, but her last man died with a smile on his face.”
I said, “he was also very drunk at the time, but he lived more in a few short years than most do in a long lifetime, I think he put too much into the moment.”
Brandy, “you do that a lot yourself.”
I said, “sometimes the moment is just too good to do less, but I’m still looking at the future.” She put a note back on the pigeon and it went off to its next stop, then Brandy came to me and took the bag to the table saying, “I’ll see to this, supplies have been almost nonstop today, we will not need to carry a load for a long time.”
I said, “so the more I can, before the need, the more for the next. But I’m not making plans at the moment.”
Brandy, “the fact that you say you’re not making plans, tells me you already have them, I know you by now.”
I lit my cigar and said, “plans within plans, but only answers to questions I have not asked yet.” Brandy, “that’s why you need to stop thinking and listen to the wind.”
I blew some smoke out and the drums in the streets started talking. Word from one to another was being passed along to this side of town. Fires were being lit at the secure BBQ spot, and people were showing up. Plans were being made as how to travel and reports of safe passage made the ears of places that had spotters. Some music from other buildings was on the wind and a song was heard for others to pass along.
Brandy said, “the streets are talking tonight.”
I said, “yes, the air is full, both of word and people.”
Brandy, “I hope them all safe travel.”
A zip line made the sound that told a thud was to be upon the roof.
Brandy, “sounds light, a messenger or passer.”
Steps came from the stairs as the boy said, “word & trade, may I enter?”
I said, “if you can get past my wife, I’m not responsible for steps from there to here.” He said, “I have something for you, may I give it now?”
Brandy, “a boy with such manners should never be keep waiting, have a seat.” He said, “thank you, this is just a taste, but there will be more at the party tonight,” and he placed a bag of candy on the table.
Brandy, “how sweet, we will enjoy them.”
I said, “what’s the word?”
The boy said, “TT special like want you come to party, and would like word for me to bring back, just that is all he asked of me.”
I said, “my word, this body he will see there tonight, as for the when he will have to ask the wind.”
He said, “I’ll be faster than the drums with that, my thanks for the rest and word,” and he was back out and off in a flash.
Brandy, “he was fast, his trade only got him a smile.”
I said, “he’s light, I was light too once, then I decided to walk and found myself heavy and the lines that way as well. That smile he got was easy for him to carry, and most likely will be worn by him the rest of the night.”
Brandy, “you do carry enough to stop a small army, but bring or send as much as well, a smile would help give you a lift as well.”
I said, “a light load that can be given and keep at the same time, but must also choose where it goes and with whom, but you can let me carry one for you anytime.”
She said, “I know what’s behind your smiles, and it’s a load others will never get, but you can let me carry your smile with me as well.”
I said, “you remembered the greeting I first won you over with.”
Brandy, “I carry it like a tool to be used as often as I can.”
I said, “these are the things I wish to be put down for our son to read one day, words I may not have again to give him.”
Brandy, “put them down so your load will be lighter, time will give you some grace.” So I made a few notes as she put things away. In a book of paper that I wrote on in lemonjuice, my words were added to others to be revealed at some latter day by the heat to know them. It was a way to keep some things from being known before their time, and I had many already there. Brandy made some tea as I took hold of the moment, and my feather took wing with words from my soul. I blew smoke on the page to bless and dry it both as I went, then put it away for another time, and pulling my blues harp out sent a note to say I was here. Brandy brought me some tea and said, “you see, your load is lighter and those shoulders are more at ease.”