kpete and CalPeg could take a road trip to try to understand Red State folks.
This is a modest little
taste of a preview, but don't look for the story to start until next week:
.....the neighbor came inside the house, both he and franksolich having to use all their muscle to pull the front door shut from the wind. His boots were soggy and mud-crusted; the whole front yard a sea of bottomless mud by now.
kpete looked at him and sourly grimaced; the slob didn’t even wipe his feet.
“The bridge is out,†the neighbor announced.
franksolich looked at him, stunned. “The bridge is out? The bridge that was built to last a 500-year flood, the bridge that didn’t even tremble the last time, when water was already running over it?
“No way.â€
The neighbor looked at him, sadly.
“Gone.
“That was everybody’s last avenue of escape to higher ground, to the outside world,†he reminded franksolich.
“But I don’t need to worry; the property caretaker told me the water’s not going to rise this high, and so I needed to stay where I’m at, so as to not add to the chaos and confusion out there. He says it’ll look as if the river’s reaching the house, but it won’t; he figures at its peak, it’ll still be half the length of a football field away.â€
“Right, and that’s what the sheriff said too. You’re safe where you’re at, and you’ve got enough provisions here to last a 40-day flood as it is. He’s already got hundreds on his hands, and he can’t handle any more.
“I’m going back home; is there anything you need?â€
“Solitude,†franksolich said, thinking of his guest.
“Can’t do that,†the neighbor said. “She’s safer here than she is anywhere else.
“What I meant was, is there any
thing you need me to take, so as to save it?
“Money, papers, documents, family treasures, valuables, keepsakes, items of sentimental value? Like in case the roof gets blown off and water spills on everything?â€
Nope, franksolich said. “Remember, all my legal stuff is with my partner west of here, in a safe, all my valuables are in a bank in town, and all the family heirlooms and archives are locked up in storage in town, and the water’s not going to get anywhere near town.
“And the car, well, it’s already on high ground, as close to the top of the William Rivers Pitt I can get it.
“I’m good; I’ve got nothing out here that would break my heart if I lost it.â€
Ooops, he suddenly thought.
“The cats. I don’t want the cats here in this hour of mortal peril. They run around and stuff, and they might decide to run outside the house and try to learn to swim. One can’t control cats, and so best they be someplace they can be uncontrolled
but safe.â€
So franksolich went around collecting the cats—they were all there—and gave them one at a time to the neighbor, who rushed outside in the blinding rain to stuff them inside the cab of his pick-up truck.
As the neighbor was holding the last cat, ready to leave with it, he looked at franksolich.
“Well, old buddy, old friend, old pal, partner, this might be the last time we see each other—“
“—until it’s all over,†franksolich abruptly added.
The neighbor looked at kpete, standing at the other end of the living room, and his eyes glistened.
“May God have mercy on your soul,†he quietly murmured to franksolich as he left.....
