by Ron Foster
“Boy, that’s one humdinger of a story, you sure you didn’t do anything else bad over there around them dog soldiers?” Bertha questioned sternly.
“Cross my heart, Miss Bertha, it’s all just as I said.” Randal said imploringly to her and himself now wondering had he somehow jumped out of the frying pan into the fire. What if they turn me in to those people for shooting those dogs or put me on trial? Justice was swift these days and not always just or understanding, he worried.
“Well I believes you. Randal, I just don’t know what to do or say about it right yet.” Bertha said rocking her gray head slightly back and forth like she did when doing what she called deep thinking.
“I think you telling the truth son, but I need to think on this a bit more, too. You welcome to stay with us for a short while and don’t worry about them folks no more; you’re here safe with us.” Clem declared.
If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read: 'President Can't Swim.' Lyndon B. Johnson
.
12
RENDEZVOUS
There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The garish casino barge turned river trading boat finally got maneuvered close enough to the shore to where it could drop its gangplank. How long they would remain at their current mooring was debatable because of the shallow depth. Jimmy anchored his tug downstream ready to swing his nose and the river barges into the current should the water level or conditions change and threaten to force the large boat aground.
Most of the traders were transacting or hanging out inland near the old historic fort or up by the campgrounds but the few people congregated down at the peninsula were treated to a rare spectacle complete with steam whistle toots and cheering river boat riders.
“Hey look, there is Hobe standing over there by that tent pavilion!” David said pointing.
“Looks like Stewart and Farnsworth are over there with him. What is that they are eating do you think?” Gauge asked.
“I don’t know, some kind of a sandwich it looks like.” David responded.
“They sure are going to be surprised to see us.” Esmeralda stated.
“You got that right, especially coming in on a boat like this.” Ted said watching as everybody started down the rickety gang plank.
“The group got in line with the rest and went down the ramp themselves and walked over to where Hobe had evidently set up a tortilla stand.
“So this is your big secret why you wanted so much flour and cornmeal, huh?” David said, admiring the mans ingenuity
“Yea, I can do fish tacos, sell tortilla’s whatever and right now I don’t have any competition. Hey Esmeralda, did you help them decorate that boat?” Hobe said laughing.
“I had nothing to do with that paint job!” Esmeralda said chuckling and shaking her head no, no it wasn’t her.
“Hey Stewart, got your note. Any changes worth mentioning?” David asked.
“Well a lot of people bugged out, some are still talking about doing so. Some are waiting to see if more metal arrives for redemption.” Stewart replied before asking did David bring him some more funds.
“Yea I got plenty, anyone discounting Trade notes? “ David asked interested.
“Well no, no offers to anyway but folks seem to be charging more than usual.” Farnsworth replied.
“That’s weird, or is it? Are you getting discounts for buying with metal?” David asked.
“You guessed it; I got a two to 1 exchange on fertilizer, guy just dropped his trailer and hauled ass. Said he couldn’t wait around to sell all of it and since it was a bulk buy in gold he let me have it for 50% off, tried half trade notes but he wanted a bit more.” Stewart advised.
“How much you get?” David asked.
“I don’t know: a big rig trailer full of commercial stuff he found somewhere. Ray said it was the equivalent of 10-10-10 so I offered him 2 grand for the lot and he took it.” Stewart advised.
“The man said he was taking the proactive approach of getting out early and well before shtf.” Farnsworth declared.
“Really? Hey Clem, I got your fertilizer.” David said watching Clem examining one of Hobe’s cast iron tortilla presses.
“I need a bunch, how much you got?" Clem inquired.
“I dunno yet, Clem…what’s the math work out to on that, Stewart?” David asked.
“I will sell 24 pallets of 50 lb bags for $4,200.” Stewart offered.
“I will come over and talk to you in a minute, hang on to that fertilizer.” Clem said and went back talking to Hobe who started dragging out several more tortilla presses and rolls of wax paper.
Evidently Randal had some interest in the goings on as Clem sent him to the boat and he came back with three people. The next thing anyone knew was they all seemed to be going to work over at Hobe’s.
“I saved us some money looks like, David. That Hobe fellah said he was having a hard time finding him anyone that would work for the wages he was willing to pay and me and him cut us a deal. I told him I wanted a big order of them tortilla things. I never seen anything so handy to hold and eat a handful of beans and you don’t need no dishes! Anyway, he wanted to pay a dime an hour and I said I would supply the labor and give them a 25 cent bonus each if they hung with him to get my order out quick and they work another day for him.” Clem said pleased with himself.
“Did you tell Hobe about our adopt a puppy fund?” David asked referring to the charity money they had all decided to pitch in to get these people who were far down on their luck at least a start in a new life.
“No, not yet, figured if everyone knew about that they wouldn’t be willing to work so hard. Now if he is paying them for two days and I bonus them out of my pocket that makes $5 a piece we out on top of that, saved us $2.00 a head and you said, David, you would give them an outfit out of your store at half off so that makes $10 a piece to my figuring we all still owe.” Clem declared thinking 10 bucks in necessary items to outfit these folks like a grub stake wasn’t bad. That was about two weeks pay but David was providing them basically free a sleeping bag, a tarp or poncho, a backpack, canteen and a couple sets of clothes, etc., was a hell of a deal. They would each also have seven dollars in their pocket which was a tidy sum these days to get food and lodging for a couple weeks, maybe, if they couldn’t find any work.
David eyed Clem suspiciously when he asked could he pick up the whole tab instead of everyone just throwing money in the pot they could well afford to give as charity.
“Why you looking at me all catawampus, David? Can’t a man offer to do something nice without you looking like you smell week old fish guts?” Clem complained.
“I think that’s a nice thing to do, David, saves you some money and they’re working for themselves.” Farley stated taking Clem’s side for some unknown reason instead of wondering what the old horse trader was up to himself.
Now Clem didn’t seem to be the kind of person that would just up and give away three times the money he had pledged to charity in David’s opinion so he looked over at Stewart to see if his alarm bells were going off also.
“Clem, you wouldn’t be thinking about sticking some kind of sharecropping claim on them folks?” David asked after learning a bit about Clem’s real or threatened accounting of how much a person cost him to have around on the boat.
David had vivid memories of how that old shyster worked from listening to him play with Randal about how much he supposedly owed him for rescuing him and giving him a cabin on the boat to recuperate in.
The conversation went kind of like this… “Now Randal, it was just neighborly we rescued you but Jimmy driving that tugboat might ask for some more diesel or that first mate that spotted you might want a tip or something. Then there is the bandaging and the healthcare and food Bertha
done for you and let’s not overlook the fact that I had to talk kind of strong to David to discount the survival outfit he got to provide you at cost and you filling up bunk space and a kitchen table chair that requires others to wait on you that I can’t sell or profit from. Then there is a matter of the problems you brought with you that is goin’ to require my security force to monitor and protect you as well as having to protect me from you if you ain’t the right sort. I say you owe me 60 days or sixty dollars.” Clem said with a dead pan face before he laughed and told the man to forget all about it but remember the value of good hearted and natured strangers and pass it on someday.
It is amazing how much money adds up if you help a friend or a stranger and it should humble most folks to either give or receive under such circumstances but the old saying, “There but for the grace of God go I” should ring resolutely in their ears as they imagine themselves in the same state of affairs just looking for a good man or woman to give them a hand up or out of a fix they found themselves in.
“What is it you two got planned for them folks? David asked.
“Nothing much, we were going to ask them if they wanted to keep making tortillas and other things on the boat. Maybe we can get somebody to teach them how to make noodles and other things.” Clem said.
“Why don’t you just ask them?” David replied.
“Well, it’s easier if it looks like we are offering a labor contract we invested in.” Clem responded.
“They might be wise to try it, a lot of people seem to be talking about leaving Rendezvous early, there won’t be many other opportunities, I will still donate their traveling kits though, always nice to be able to walk away from something if you had to.” David replied.
“Hobe says the K9 boys have been asking around if anyone come in wounded or talking about an altercation.” Randal said walking over to talk to Clem.
“I will send some extra security over to hang out with you. Go tell Bertha to send Wiley and Cheech your way. Maybe we will go find them boys and have us a talk later.” Clem advised.
“I just got word the Central Traders Bank said no more redemptions this Rendezvous. They said it was too dangerous to move metal at the moment.” Stewart declared.
“I don’t like the way this is going a bit. I heard on the radio on the way over here all the FEMA camps are on some kind of security lockdown and curfew. It used to be we only had to worry about day to day survival, now the rules have changed once again. With the economy the way it is and the enhanced martial law, it will encompass a time of either total compliance or civil war, or a mixture of both.” David advised.
“I think isolated communities like Our End Of The Lake clan will do just fine, probably not miss a beat.” Farnsworth said
“I don’t know we all might be fighting over scarcer and scarcer resources. With no standardized money that is trusted, trade just got real screwed up again. Gauge replied.
“ The way that I see it, there will be numerous small groups looking to establish order on financial matters as they see fit and many of those groups will have competing interests. That’s when the fun begins, as one group conquers or financially competes and assimilates another group, and other groups merge together out of necessity, I can very much imagine there will be some significant conflicts. Particularly if the Fed keeps stirring the pot.” David responded.
”We need to get a bunch of men and a truck to move that fertilizer for Clem.” Stewart reminded him.
“Let him buy it half trade notes if he wants to. We will keep using them. We got us one of the Central Bankers back at camp Stewart dealing with Weatherman. Don’t mention it t no one, just buy and sell using trade notes the same as usal. Maybe if we show confidence in those notes like always others will support the effort.” David declared.
“Will do!” Stewart said with a smile.
“Come on, Gauge, let’s go see what the rest of Rendezvous looks like, I need to be leaving to go back to the lake in a couple hours.” David declared and set off to find him a ride.
“In answer to the difficult question: What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for others?”
“We shall be judged not by what we might have done, but by what we have been and could have done for others had we but decided we would do so.”
Ron Foster
(Southern Prepper Fiction Author)
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INDEX
I always like to leave my readers with a little extra knowledge they can use and write it down in case it is ever forgotten.
Vinegar
First, let’s differentiate between white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. White vinegar is a fermentation of dilute ethyl alcohol. Apple cider vinegar is a natural product made from fermented apples/juice. Both have awesome cleansing properties but apple cider vinegar also has additional medicinal properties.
Keeping both on hand would be ideal but if you have to choose one or the other to stockpile, we would suggest going with apple cider vinegar, hands down.
Here are just a few uses for vinegar:
The acetic acid in vinegar tenderizes meat
Dabbing some vinegar onto a fish will help the scales come off easier
Preserve eggs by pickling them in vinegar. White works best because of the distinctive flavor or apple cider, but either will do
Spritz on your skin to relieve eczema and other skin conditions
Kills bacteria on your face that causes acne
Clean and disinfect counters, windows and other hard surfaces
AC vinegar helps with digestion and helps soothe heartburn and UTIs
Mix with baking soda to clean and disinfect water bottles and containers
Helps reduce night sweats associated with menopause
Nutrition: ACV has lots of minerals and enzymes, including calcium and potassium
Mix with baking soda and spray on shelves and in dark corners to deter mice and rats
Mix with water to relieve painful sunburn
Kills mildew
Antibiotic properties help cuts and scrapes heal faster and with less scarring
Kills the itch and odor associated with yeast infection. Drink an ounce or so in the morning to fight the yeast internally and swab/douche with diluted vinegar to stop the itching and kill the yeast externally
Kills dandruff
Antibacterial properties help kill bugs that cause a sore throat when you gargle with it
Salt
According to the Salt Institute, there are more t
han 14,000 uses for salt; as a matter of fact, Roman soldiers were actually PAID in it! That’s what we call a serious multi-use item and the fact that it’s an abundant, cheap mineral makes it even better.
In addition to tasting good, salt also acts as an antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent when used topically and can be used for a number of household cleaning and disinfecting purposes.
Here are just a few of the 14,000 uses!
Salt melts ice
Use it to preserve foods, especially meats
Tenderize tough cuts of meat
If you forage for nuts, soaking them in a salt water solution for several hours will make them easier to open