The Fell Good Flue (11 page)

I said, “who’s sitting? I’m just thinking of things I should not be doing, and trying to drag my feet a bit before not moving more cargo.”
TT, “the sun is about to give its last ray of light for the day, but if keeping your feet from needing to take air can be done, please bleed me with a request that is not coal on its way to your place. Because I already know how well you take care of your family, and with the new batch in for the party it would be a choir on that list. So on its way, before your feet could hear your head, a load is now. What else of me will you ask?”
I said, “two horses, with wings would be nice, and some magic could come in handy.” TT, “is that all you want, I thought a boat or some sky riders were next on your list. I’ll see what I can do with that, but your request tells me your thoughts are of things I have not asked of you, and words about things that may not be.”
I said, “things make words come true, but words are always on the wind, I just sit down and listen to it from time to time.”
TT, “you hear more than most, and are best at keeping it as well, but a trip is in the plans if things go right. When all is known it may be worth a look, if you are up for a few days on land.” I said, “on horse maybe, but not so much on the ground, I still need some speed under me these days.”
TT, “the trader came on one of more that are not far, if misfortune has not changed the thing. I think if Stan is up to it in the morning, fast hoofs can be under three with ease and I have sent eyes and hands to see to it. How the rest goes is for time and your word to bring out.” I said, “then my last word about cargo, that I don’t want to move before its dark, is thank you for the coal. And if tomorrow cargo is to be got, I will gladly use what is giving to me toward that end.”
We then joined the rest in the yard, and as we got near the fire Brandy came to me and said, “have you been hiding or working behind my back?”
I said, “working, a load of coal is on its way, and I’m sure I will need a drink by the time I don’t get back from delivering it.”
She handed me one and said, “thirsty work, but then you were always fast, even when you’re not going someplace.”
TT, “and keeping his feet on the ground is costing me too much, you can have him for the rest of the night.”
Brandy, “I find the best way to keep his feet on the ground, is to show him a place where he can take them off of it, and a smoke will do that most of the time.”
I said, “if I didn’t know any better, I would think that was his plan at the start of my day, and people are still trying that on me.”
TT, “I think it backfired and will always be that way, I’m now going over here somewhere to trade away more, don’t bother to follow me.”
Brandy, “both your coming and going will always please me TT.”
I said, “don’t forget that I asked for wings before you left.”
And he waved as he stepped away into a crowd of others.
I then said, “what was that you were talking about when you said a place to get my feet off the ground?”
Brandy, “I’ll get your feet off the ground, come with me,” and she pulled me toward the stairs. Up we went and halfway down the wall, to a spot to sit with our legs over the edge. We let our feet get the air as another there passed a pipe, and the people below danced to the beat of the drums. Wine came our way, and we drank then passed the bottle. A poll was raised near me and meat from the BBQ was hot and tasty. Bread to hold it by was handed to me and we enjoyed he party for awhile.
Stan passed below and said, “this town sure knows how to throw a party, thank you for the trip to the pool, it was just what I needed right then,” and he walked off with a different woman. Brandy, “he is making friends tonight, I hope there’s something left of him in the morning.” I said, “a lot is riding on that, or walking if things don’t go right, we will see when the times comes.”
Brandy, “then you are planning a trip?”
I said, “planning is for TT, I just listen to the wind and move my feet when needed, the rest of it becomes the memory.”
Brandy, ”and how long does the wind say I will be left with only the warmth of your memory before your return?”
I said, “the wind is not sure yet, and your job is to keep my feet from the ground for the night.” She said, “I thought it was to keep them on it.”
I said, “you know what it takes either way.”
Brandy, “I would say putting mine in the air, but you may write that down.”
I smiled and took another drink of wine.
Jacob came over and said, “the girl sent to give Billy his food has not been seen in awhile, he may have his eyes on other things than the streets.”
Brandy, “she knows how to take care of herself.”
I said, “it’s Billy he is worried about, a little food is the way to his hart.”
Brandy, “his hart is not what he may lose to that one, she likes him a lot and is looking to hook up with a new way.”
I said, “sounds like the same old way to me, Jacob is right to worry for the boy.” Brandy, “you have not minded more than you to come home to.”
I said, “it’s not the coming home part any will regret, it’s the next morning that takes some by surprise.”
Jacob, “I wonder what Stan will wake up to?”
I said, “never carry another man’s load that’s not yours to carry, the morning will find you as well.”
Jacob, “and I have my eyes on the eyes it may wake up to, until then you can send word on the wind to me, have a great night.”
I said, “I would say the same, but Brandy would hit me too hard.”
Brandy, “and yet you got away with it, one more thing not done and still getting carried by another.”
Jacob, “then take good care of him for me, I’m sure he can take it,“ and he was off to talk to the woman.
Zipping in from the rooftop came Billy saying, “I have been relieved, lets party!” I said, “I think your right about something, but I’m not going to ask what.”
Brandy, “hay Billy! Did she feed your appetite?”
He walked over and said, “thanks for that, I loved what she brought me, I now have some time to get a drink as well.”
Brandy, “and where did she go off to?”
He said, “I told her I would be back soon, just a chance to touch ground then up in the air again.”
Brandy, “she is breaking you in soon, keep up the good work.”
He said, “thank you, I think,” and was off.
I laughed and said, “some trade, one of them will be looking at the morning from a new light, I hope he still has sharp eyes after that.”
Brandy, “he will be lucky to get them closed before the night after.”
I said, “don’t forget to write that down in your notes, I want you to remember who got them together.”
Brandy, “I just lightened my load by dropping a word, he is the one that asked for food.” I said, “this party will have many words to carry for a long time.”
Brandy went over to see our boy, with the others that some had been caring for, and I walked a bit through the party talking to some that asked about the day. I tried to use as few words as I could, so some would be left for another time, then joined Brandy at the nursery. They were talking about when she may have another as I walked up, and she said, “if it’s before this one can swing on its own, someone else will have to carry one or the other.”
I said, “you know my choice.”
The other’s started laughing as we got Sage ready to go, and a little girl asked me if I was wearing the bears claws so I said, “yes, they help me to keep the claws of others off of me.” And Brandy said, “but I got my claws into him first, and he is still wearing their marks now.” And we left with the women saying things like, “keep those feet off the ground” and “no, keep them down!”
We went to the lift and hooked up as the one there said, “light loads go first,” and Brandy replied, “then it’s nothing he’s packing, my feet are air,” and she was gone.
I hooked up and said, “keep an eye out for Billy, that boy will need it tonight.” He said, “from what I’ll seen, it’s already too late, but I’ll pass word,” and I was off. The tow got us up to the top of the six story next, and we travelled across to a tube that ran across for an enclosed ride. The ride boards had small wheels on them and were just right to lay on sitting or face front. I helped Brandy set down on one and gave her a push off. The tube rattled a bit as she rushed though, but was strong and used much. I next hoped on a board face down and rode through, with a twist that turned me on my back and down again by the time I slid out the other side, and rolled off with the board before running into Brandy. Brandy, “fast run, we need more like them.”
I said, “we need a way to send the boards back faster, out of ten we got the last two, and they were not the best. But a new lift is in place on the other side that has not been worn, let’s take that instead of the other zip.”
So we went to a platform big enough for two, and tripped the line. Four lines went up around us and it rose into the air, across the span between the buildings and up another five stories, to come to rest on the next platform. A net keep us in as Brandy yelled, “I can fly, I can fly!” We got out and I sent it back for the next ones. Then a few more zip lines and we were home again, with Sage laughing all the way, he loved the air. A flag was on another line and I checked to see what it was, a tug latter two more blue barrels came up full of coal, and I swung them over and on the roof.
Brandy, “if you don’t stop working for the day I will run out of places to put cargo.” I said, “I just gave a line a tug, the same way you gave an ear a tug at the party, and now I’m going to tug on my boots.”
So down stairs I went to lighten my load, with Brandy close behind. In the living room I saw three nuts on the table, and the squirrel by the windowsill. I stopped to look, as well as Brandy, and she said, “he heard you were going on a trip and brought you nuts.”
I said, “I think he is trying to just say, “here are three nuts, they reminded me of three men.” Brandy, “do you still think I have a spell on him, or does he have one on you?” I said, “you have one on both of us,” and the squirrel ran off.
I looked at the nuts closely and could see they were from three different parts of town, it was a strange sign, but I let it go and went to my chair. Putting my load down I opened a bottle of wine and had a smoke. The drums were still talkingfrom the party and would be until very late, but the wind had changed and I could feel rain in the air.
I said, “it’s going to rain tonight, we better make the best of it.”
Brandy, “you get your boots off and I’ll set the roof up, most things are where they belong already, we will be ready.”
I said, “the windows in this room are fine and I left others down, do you think we will fill one of the new barrels tonight?”
Brandy, “it may not rain that hard but I will have it in place, lots of time to get to it.” She put Sage in his crib and took a sip of my wine, then into the next room to take off her traveling clothes. I blew some smoke out the window to see which way the wind was going now, and it turned in a circle there until gone. A flute sent a note about the change in the wind and a bird passed by with a few of its friends. Brandy came back out in a string bikini I got for her once and said, “now there is less to get wet.”
I said, “and more to see, you are going to drive the Nabors crazy.”
She said, “what Nabors? We are too far for anything but a scope to see more than a shadow.” I said, “all my best friends have good scopes, and use them too.”
She said, “sounds like a personal problem, I don’t carry heavy loads,” and went up to the roof. I looked over to my son and said, “don’t worry, I’ll write this all down for you, I don’t want you to think others are making up stories about your mother.”
He farted, then giggled, and I just shook my head and smiled. Then Taking off my boots I put them to one side and put my feet up. The leg muscles were a bit stiff but soon would be relaxed as well as the rest of me, and I lit my pipe then rubbed my legs with a lotion that Brandy made for me. It had a cool feeling to it, and the numbness soon set in. I wiped the rest of what was on my hands on my arms and a rush went through my skin. Then with my head back I sipped my wine and took a deep breath. My body was melting into the chair as a crack of thunder rang out in the night, and I had a vision of a fast flowing stream at the edge of a woods, with a load that was being dragged by horses.
Brandy came down and said, “topside is ready for the wet, are you out or having a vision?” I opened my eyes and said, “I’m having a vision of three horses getting wet, and they were each carrying a nut. Then a load passed by on a stream and carried us all home.”
Brandy, “that was some vision.”
I said, “not compared to the one after I opened my eyes.”
She said, “don’t forget to write that one down,” and came over with some snacks from the table. The wind began to pick up and I closed the window next to me. Then took another sip of my wine. Brandy gave me some shelled walnuts and said, “these have a touch of honey on them as well, better to eat some nuts than to worry about being one.”
I took the nuts and popped them in my mouth, then chewed them down and said, “they’re good, put a bit in a good bag for the trip I may take tomorrow, they will cut the thirst if needed.”
Brandy, “I’ll have ready what is needed and more, enjoy the moment while you can. Is that the lotion I made for you on your legs?”
I said, “yes, it feels great.”
Brandy, “you should fell great as well, that’s a lot more than was needed, I made this extra strong. Can you still fell your finger tips?”
I said, “yes, but most of the rest is like water, and I’m going with the flow.”
Brandy, “I see, well now don’t let it be said I never put a spell on you, this should last for hours. Maybe now you will get the rest you need, if I don’t take too much advantage of you.” I said, “I’m all yours, do with me what you please, I got no fight left in me tonight.” The rain came on hard, then let for a bit, then came back with a steady rhythm that made the tin on the roof sing. Somewhere in the night of it I went into a dream, that lasted until morning.
A ray of light came through the window and caught my sleepy eyes. It was a reflection from another piece of glass to redirect it from the roof, and set up as a first flash alarm. Brandy’s hair lit up like gold as her lips said good morning with a kiss, then a deep breath from beneath the covers pressed her bare breast to my chest as a hand slid up my leg and she said, “how’s it feeling today?”
I moaned with a sigh of delight, “its feeling fine today, and the rest of me is as well,” and returned her kiss. Then turned my head to the window and glanced at the small mirror facing the other one on the roof.