Brandy came back in and said, “how does that new pipe smoke?”
I said, “as cool as gold, which by the way gets hot fast, but this one has a sea-foam lining and the gems keep your fingers cool.”
She said, “that is a cool dragon pipe?”
I said, “yes, its tail is the tip, and mouth the fire. I even like the cap flip to keep it dry in wet weather, he must of commissioned the best artist in the land to make this.”
Brandy, “well then maybe you’ll clean it instead of just throwing it away, like so many others.” I said, “yes, I think I’ll hold on to this one forawhile.”
She pulled out the new pan brought home and said, “time to put this one to work, what would you like?”
I said, “how about a fish sandwich?”
Brandy, “that sounds good, I’ll have one as well,” and she went up to get the fish. I said, “would you like me to catch them blindfolded?”
She said, “that’s okay, I rather choose them myself, I’ll hand fish.”
I said, “well then at least they will stand a good chance.”
Brandy, “that’s right dear, I’m leaving the fast one’s for you.”
I said, “thank you, they will also be the biggest because they were the fastest to the food.” She said, “the fastest one to come to a worm in my hand will be the first caught,” and up she went with a bucket.
I put a CD in of “baby baby don’t get hooked on me,” and turned it up! By the end of it she was back with the fish.
I said, “that was quick, are your hands wet or did you use a net?”
Brandy came over with the fish and held one in my face with her wet hand and said, “ask the fish.”
I said, “see what you get for being first and greedy,” and blew some smoke in his face. It moved its silent lips and thrashed its tail, then she put it back in the bucket as I said, “see that his suffering is over soon, don’t make it wait until the pan is hot.”
Brandy, “he’s not suffering anymore, that smoke put him right out, do the other one now.” I said okay so she picked it up, and I took a drag then blew it in his face, and she made it kiss me. I spit back and said, “that one’s had enough.”
She laughed and took them to the kitchen. A chop then filet, and hot butter later, they were fish sandwiches. Brandy said, “you can’t get a fresher sandwich without eating them raw.” I said, “their best with rice that way, but I haven’t seen any in a long time.”
Brandy, “it’s just not a rooftop garden kind of plant.”
I said, “yes, well some said the same about corn, and now we have fields of it.” She said, “we need fields of wheat, but the oats are doing good.”
I said, “it’s hard to put enough away for the winter when you do it by hand, and the roofs are no place for large machinery. The fields we can protect will have to do for now, but the new horses will be a great help, some equipment can be pulled.”
Brandy, “keeping the wild life out is hard enough, but if a crop is lost to a raider all that work just went against you. Being ready to fight a ground war over a few bags of wheat is as crazy as the world we live in. However if luck held out and we could bring in a good crop, the winter would be more secure for most.”
I said, “we would have to guard it like a field of pot, so we plant that around the outside.” Brandy, “what if they cross pollinate and we get weed wheat?”
I said, “then the demand for bread will go way up.”
She said, “yes, for those that want the sandwich that makes you hungry for another one.” I said, “this one has not hit bottom yet and I already want another one, but it took the edge off.”
Brandy, “fish is light, not a lot of fat to weigh you down, but it’s good for you.” I said, “and these were raised well, good clean water and food all their lives. Fish farming was an idea that worked for some, I’m glad we have these to chose from.”
She said, “you mean you don’t think you rather be out fishing?”
I said, “at one time going fishing was just another way of saying I’d rather be doing nothing at all, now it’s a risk your life to get something to save it endeavor, there’s nothing that involves food that’s not hard work anymore.”
Brandy, “that includes the planning, a lot of it took place to bring this fast-food to you today.” I said, “ha, what do you call rabbit fur in a bears teeth?”
She said, “fast food that wasn’t fast enough, ha ha.”
I said, “very good, now here’s another. What’s finger licking good and smells like fish?” Brand, “fast food that wasn’t fast enough!”
A said, “you got that right, sometimes it pays to be patient, the first one to a meal does not always get the most.”
She said, “these two spit out theirs to feed the slower ones, and their guts will do the same.” I said, “that has also been said of many a man, but not all of them were eaten. It’s like we’re living in the old wild west, but with more guns and bombs. That’s why I prefer to work in the shadows and plan my moves, there is only so much you can do with your hands, but the mind can work on anything endlessly.”
Brandy, “yes, and I love the way your mind works, that’s why I chose you.”
I said, “and I never get bored with the things your mind comes up with either, but they do put me to the test now and then, just keeping up or thinking my way out.”
She said, “well I’m glad you didn’t think your way out of the shopping trip this morning, we got some nice things, and a few we needed.”
I said, “yes, and maybe next time we go out you could wear that leather skirt, from the Zena princess warrior collection. I’m sure Dan the tanner would enjoy that.”
Brandy, “I think I found the right underwear for it today, leather on skin is never that comfortable.”
I said, “I know there’s a good joke in there somewhere.”
She said, “I’m sure it will come to you, like an idea on what to do with the Megaphones and MP3’s.”
I said, “my first idea was a pair of the loudest headphones that could be made, then another thought came to me. If I recorded the wolf, I could use it from the air to drive wild dogs away, of course the flight of the Valkyries would do the same.”
Brandy, “is that the one the choppers used in that movie?”
I said, “I think so.”
She said, “well the sound of a wolf howling in the streets would get me moving, but the dogs may be able to tell the difference, unless you plan to drop bags of wolf urine on them from the sky as well.”
I said, “a flying wolf ghost that pisses on the dogs before it picks them off, what a nightmare it would be for them.”
Brandy, “and anyone else caught in the crossfire of piss and bullets.”
I said, “yes well, you said the sound would get you running.”
She said, “I may start taking my umbrella with me on sunny days.”
I then got a brownie and some tea, to take with meas I looked over what was needed to make the heliport lift work. I had more than enough batteries charged up, if this pump just worked I would be gold. So deciding to risk the trip, I put the part in my pack and told Brandy I was off. Now was a good time to see him, as I had just ate the brownie and was feeling well, so by the time I dropped down on his roof I felt like I was still flying. He on the other hand was manic, and doing many things at the same time, one was some work on his solar powered vehicle. He looked at the pump and I pointed out the condition of the seal, then he said, “yes yes yes, this is a special one, my assistances can help you find it. The frame on the flyer seems to be holding up, I guess we didn’t put too much strain on it during the last launch. I hope the mushrooms you took were good, I’m just coming back, with so much work to do nothing is getting done.” I said, “chill professor, have a brownie, I made them myself.”
He took a bite and said, “this is really good, I need the sweet for a boost, and the carbs will help me balance out as well.”
I said, “those will bala
nce you out alright, I put enough hash in them, those jitters will be gone in no time.”
Harry, “thank you, you come with the most needful things. Take some more fuel when you go, but first have a drink while they find that seal for you.”
So we sat down in some padded chairs next to the hot-tub. One of his assistances was taking a dip as I came in, and the deck had wet footprints on it, but her top was over the back of my chair. Harry pulled a bottle out of a cooler he made and said, “this should be about right by now, put it in before starting the bubbles to the tub, it’s a new system I made to take the heat and make cold from it. Now when the hot-tub water gets ready, so is the wine.” I said, “I have a floor with one, but there are enough distractions in my day.”
Harry, “you can never have enough distractions as long as you concentrate on them.” I said, “and which one were you concentrating on when I flew in?”
Harry, “the wet one without her top on.”
I said, “oh yes, I noticed her, or that is to say that I couldn’t miss that.”
Harry poured the wine as he said, “stimulation of the senses is very important to good brain function, you wouldn’t believe some of the ideas these women give me.”
I said, “Brandy is the same way, and half the time I still get something done, that’s why I risked the drop down.”
He said, “she inspired you to build something, good, she has a talent that one.” I said, “in many things, mostly in keeping my mind off something, or someone.” Harry, “yes they do the same to me, but we work with what we have. This is an excellent brownie, I must make some up myself or get them to, I don’t like going near fire.” I said, “that’s a good thing for you Harry, too many things blow up around you, one of these days you are going to lose a part.”
Harry, “yesterday I was walking around with a quarter of a pound of plastic explosives in my pants, they won’t let me near the detonators, just one shock from the things I work on would blow more than my personality off.”
I took a drink then said, “well keep the flying fuel in the shade, or you may lose a lot more than that.”
He said, “I am tired of finding new places to meet my special needs, and so are the hot babes that follow me around, we are just getting some of our nice things back. That’s why I have spent some time on safeguards around here, but somethings require more work than others, and others also require my time.”
I said, “my situation exactly. Just taking Brandy for a little shopping this morning would not even had been possible without the speed of the flyers, it’s hard to get your own projects done when others have more for you, but who would want to be unwanted?”
Harry, “I’ve always been able to handle unwanted, it’s some time off from being needed I could use, as well as you. With what’s left of both people and things, getting by is not what it once was, and we tend to push through what needs to be done at the moment so needs are met. But be it blown up or bear lunch, standing in our shoes or next to either of us, is not popular. So people only come by with their needs, but that’s alright, because I’m a giving person as are you.”
I said, “that’s the brownie talking, and you’re welcome.”
The women came back with the part as he said, “see what I mean about being a giving person, you gave me just what I needed when I needed it, and now I do the same with this.” He picked it up and put the new seal in saying, “you’re lucky she looked for this instead of me, or the brownie would have been long gone before I found it. There you go, it should hold now. Another thing fixed today, and so many more to go.”
I said, “thank you, all three of you, it’s always progress when I stop here. And so the rest of your work can progress as well, I shall leave you to it.”
Harry, “don’t forget to take extra fuel, and let me know how the pump works for you. Will the take-off sled be needed, or shall you just jump off the roof this time?”
I said, “the wind has changed, I’ll jump and kick my way into the sky.”
Harry, “I don’t blame you, I think the sled may well be dangerous.”
We laughed and got my pack ready, then got my wings on, and with a full run I was off. The fan was at full power and the wind pulled on my wings, but the weight drew me down and got a kick from my legs as I touched grass briefly, then up into the air again with trees on both sides of me. My course held true as I rose between them and up to clear sailing skies, then homeward with my new part. On the way there I flew over Dizzy Daisy’s and dropped a small bag of brownies off for her, yelling, “don’t tell Brandy,” then it was to my place and down to the roof. I tied it down and stored the fuel, then took my new part down to the shop. I had it almost ready to try out when Brandy came in with a cup of tea, so I wiped my hands off and drank it as we talked about what I was doing. She gave me a hand for a while, and soon the tea was drank and pump ready to try. So with everything out of the way, I turned the system on and the heliport landing pad started to come down. Luckily the wall was not affected, and stood strong as this forty foot wide part of the roof came down slowly, with dirt and dust from years of nonuse falling from the cracks. When it firmly reached its bottom there was another forty-by-forty foot of sky above us, and the breeze took the dust away.
I said, “well that part worked just fine, with some new seal around this whole edge it may again keep water out.”
Brandy, “if it goes back up again, that is.”
I said, “that’s why I got it fixed before even trying this.”
She said, “at worst, I have a indoor-outdoor spot for a garden.”
I said, “no way, this in going to remain a shop area, but first let’s see if it will go up.” So after getting out of the way, we turned the hydraulic pumps on, and the platform went up. Slowly it worked its way back to the roof, and pushed itself into place firmly again, and the pumps shut off.
I said, “I’ll be landing there for now on, and this is a perfect place to keep the flyers.” Brandy, “just don’t take the corvette to the roof, I have enough to worry about.” I said, “it has a great sound system in it, and the battery is charged.”
She said, “well then what’s a tailgate party without a car, you push it on over here and I’ll go get the barbeque ready. Who do you think we should invite?”
I said, “a few strong men to help me move the sound system, put it in those words so they will still show up, once they are here we have them.”
Brandy, “I suppose if I go from don’t take the car on the roof to let’s throw a party, you will promise to fix the elevator as well, because the car will be out of it.”
I said, “this sounds like a trade, and in any trade there are rules. When I make a promise you know what I will go through to get it done, and in the case of that lift it’s a risk at best. Even after I fix it, if I can, it will be a risk each time it’s used -- just like a zip-line.”
She said, “I don’t want you to take any more risk than the ones I can’t keep you from, and I know how long you have talked about one thing or another around here needing to be fixed. It was a bit nuts to do what we did here today, and me helping you throw a party is nuts as well, but if fate has it to pass then maybe the lift will come to be as well. As for the party, I say, don’t ask me to push the car,” and she kissed me.
I said, “I think we just struck a deal, trade be I don’t ask and the party is on, don’t forget to invite Daisy.”
Brandy, “you know she never leaves her building, of course I’ll invite her.”
She started laughing and running toward the liven quarters, leaving me to wonder if I had just talked myself into throwing a party and fixing an elevator both. I ran after her saying, “you will have to throw a cover over those fish, or they may end up at the party as well.” She yelled back, “I said a barbeque not a fish fry, your friends can keep their hands off our sushi.”
That’s when I knew I had roped myself into a party, and as I caught up to her I said, “hay, I think I should ask you to help move the c
ar, then the deal would be off and I wouldn’t have to throw a party.”
Brandy, “as if it’s ever just you, the last party you threw that no one else helped with was in your pants, and you don’t even do that by yourself anymore.”
I said, “it’s true, I have been spoiled, and it’s all your fault. Let me make it up to you with a night of massages and passion.”
She said, “you’re not getting out of it that easily. Besides, we did that the other night, I want people over.”
I said, “we don’t have people over often because it’s hard work, and I hate to put you through it, but if you’re up for one then lets party.”
Brandy, “that’s let’s have a party, party is what you do all the time.”
I said, “everybody has got to have a little fun sometime, getting together to do it is no more than the same thing, but with other’s there.”
She said, “and while I’m trying to figure that one out, why don’t you sit down and decide who to invite, besides Daisy.”
I went to my chair and sat down saying, “let’s keepit small, just those we trade with often and close friends.”
Brandy, “TT, Jacob, Laurence, Teddy, and Billy if he can make it. Harry as well if he does not bring explosives.”
I said, “hard to get him out anymore, but I’ll send him an invite. Maybe Stan if he can be found, I think TT would know.”
She said, “that’s seven if they all show up.”
I said, “Stan may bring two with him and Harry would add another two, Jacob is a plus one and TT is never without someone, plus I think Bill is seeing someone.”
The Fell Good Flue Page 18