by Ron Foster
“You Promise, Farley, you say Promise! No stealing from nobody for three weeks you say!” Miss Feng shouted accusingly and feeling emboldened by Becky taking her side, took a threatening step in his direction to look like she might just get brave enough to slap him for his alleged misdeeds that he had got caught contemplating.
“Hold on now for one damn minute! I don’t know what anyone heard or thinks I am about to do but give me the benefit of the doubt for the moment. I ain`t done shit except being open and honest about what I was considering doing and let me tell you all something about that. I wouldn’t be considering doing a damn thing about anything but living my life if I didn’t have all of you alls safety and welfare to consider. I have offered you my food and my life to support you and I don’t take too kindly to being talked to like no errant schoolboy about what I may or may not do to keep us all alive. Why I could take this place and burn all these cabins down and you would be dead in place with nothing but this knife in my hand if I was as bad as you all are making me out to be. I want you safe, secure and independent and if that takes me going balls to the walls fighting for you or providing a so-called stolen gun for you, that’s what I am offering. What the hell are you offering me? You think about that! You want me to leave I will leave, but I tell you one thing, the way you ingrates are positioned now it’s nothing but Farley against the world and you hiding behind him. You dang sure are not making me confident you would patch me up if I try to stand for you. We got two guns, one asshole meaning me, that might even be willing to lend them to you and fight a bear tooth and nail against with nothing but my pocket knife for you but you got to work with me!.” Farley declared mad and disgusted he might end up risking his life for all of them trying to procure them some defense or food with not even a bit of respect about not trying to scold him as something less than inferior in their worlds or nothing more than a thief.
Miss Feng and Becky finally settled down but it was understood Farley was supposed to begrudgingly behave for three weeks and have this discussion again before going out robbing the neighborhood as they called it.
3
Moving Day
Farley got up the next morning and set about finding some sticks and twigs to fire up his Silver Fire rocket stove and fix himself and Becky some coffee. Charlie was supposed to come by at 7 am, have a quick cup of coffee with them and then see them off to go pick up Becky’s stuff at her old cabin on the other side of the lake. Farley grinned to himself that they had lucked into the mother lode when it came to coffee because the concession stand Charlie had taken over was well stocked with it as well as cream and sugars. Farley normally just drank his coffee black but figured he would start adding sugar and cream for the extra little bit of calories he could pick up. He normally didn’t have breakfast before the grid went down but now that he was getting up earlier and doing more he found himself wanting an early lunch or if he did decide he wanted breakfast on a particular day then it was skip lunch and have an early dinner later on. He was still trying to get used to this formula and getting hungrier all the time, mostly he figured it was having the extra time on his hands that made him think about eating so much.
Becky and he had talked about the meal situation and the need to stretch supplies and she pretty much went along with whatever he wanted to do. Farley always liked a big Sunday dinner in the middle of the day and Becky had been used to the same southern tradition so this day of rest and reflection would carry on and they would reserve the few special delicacies or meals Farley had in his preps for these occasions as long as they lasted.
Farley worried about how long his food storage would last but he was all in with the arrangements and considered it something that they would all have to overcome together as well as suffer together when that inevitable day came around when the preps run out.
Jeremy opened the door to his cabin and waved to Charlie before walking over carrying a small white garbage basket over to where Charlie was heating up a pot of water to make some instant coffee. At the top of Farley’s “To Find Someday List” was an old style stovetop percolator pot. The cabins they were staying in had electric pots with paper filters that could be used he guessed in a pinch by just pouring hot water over some coffee grounds but he longed for some real percolated coffee. Charlie had told him of the bounty he possessed in a couple of cases of canned commissary coffee and Farley planned on experimenting with it first chance he had when they got moved in here and settled more permanently.
“Morning, Farley. I got to go haul some water from the lake for the toilet; do you want to walk down there with me?” Jeremy asked.
“Yea, I will go down with you. Gimme a minute to mix me a cup of coffee and then we can take off. Your Mom up yet?” Farley asked.
“Yes, we been up a long time, you’re the one that slept in today. I noticed your light on late, what did you manage to find to do?” Jeremy asked.
“I was listening to the radio and working on my gear. Nothing new to report on the radio by the way. Hey, make yourself useful and go carry this cup of coffee to your mom for me please and tell her I am heading her way shortly. I will meet you over there in a minute but I got to go back to my cabin first and get me something to haul water in also.” Farley said fixing himself his own cup of coffee and then rising to proceed to his cabin.
When he started to return he saw Becky and Jeremy at the cook stove and Charlie and crew were coming down the road on the golf cart. He waved to them and then turned himself about and went back in the house again to grab a project he wanted some help with from the group before joining them.
“Hi folks, did everyone sleep well I hope?” Farley said greeting them.
“
“Just fine, how about you?” Charlie asked.
“That is one comfortable bed, Inn Keeper! Hey, either of you ladies sew very well? I got a project I hope you might be able to help me with.” Farley said holding up a leather belt.
“I got this sewing awl thing in my preps but I never used it before and this belt is too big on my skinny losing weight self. See, the way it’s made won’t allow me to punch me another notch so I can adjust it.” Farley said displaying the item.
“I have had to take mine up a few notches also, Farley. I guess we all have that same problem these days or our pants would be falling off. Give it to Fong, he is good at leather work.” Charlie said as his nephew came up to receive it and examine it.
“I never seen an automatic stitching awl like that before but I guess I can figure it out, it looks like it will do the job fine. You got waxed thread and everything for it, I see.” Fong said studying the automatic stitcher.
“Yea, speaking of loose clothes and belts needing notches and such, I have been wishing that I had my skinny jeans with me for weeks now.” Becky said gathering the loose fabric at her waist to demonstrate how much weight she had also lost since the grid went down.
“Me, too.” Miss Feng said which was worrisome because the lady was tiny and awfully thin already.
“Guess I will grow in to these shorts I got that are getting too big now.” Jeremy said causing everyone to pause and think about the two growing boys they had to feed and clothe.
Farley thought about how he had not gotten rid of any clothes that in good times he had to go to a larger size with because he knew there was possibly another day during disastrous times that he might need those same clothes to fit him again.
“I wonder if your feet lose weight also.” Fong said wiggling his toes in sneakers that had been purchased a half size bigger in hopes to somewhat keep up with his teenage growth rate before the disaster.
“Let’s not get all depressed talking about us getting all skinny and thin, I am going deer hunting in a day or two and we will have us a big barbecue and everyone can eat their fill.” Farley said as Fong offered to go fill Farley’s water bucket at the lake with Jeremy.
“Take the cart but don’t you boys be speeding or doing anything else foolish.” Charlie told the boys to the
ir delight and they left with Fong driving.
“Those boys seem to be getting along great now, I guess they have forgotten all about their little scuffle.” Becky remarked referring to the no- holds-barred fight they had gotten into when they first met.
“Yes, them good boys. They be good friends now fight, no more” Feng said, shocking everyone that her opinion could change so quickly and so drastically about her thoughts about Jeremy who had bit her Fong in that memorable tussle.
“I will make all of you all some of my good healing, great for what ails you tea. I have some very good Shoumei white tea I will share with you for this auspicious day.” Farley said.
“What’s white tea?” Becky asked.
“Well, all green tea gets cured with formaldehyde often times. White tea is made from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. The exact proportion of buds to leaves varies depending on the variety of white tea. For example, White Peony contains one bud for every two leaves, while Silver Needles, is said to be the creme de la creme of white teas, it is made entirely from downy buds picked within a two day period in early Spring.” Farley said before continuing to explain why he was so enamored with this type of tea.
“Now it’s not the exotic appearance alone that explains white tea's sudden surge in popularity. The secret lies in what happens after the buds are plucked. Tea leaves that are destined to be sold as white tea undergo even less processing than green tea leaves. Instead of air-drying, the unwithered leaves are merely steamed. This results in a flavorful pale tea with a sweet, somewhat silky flavor. People who have tried both note that white tea lacks the "grassy" aftertaste that some people say is associated with green tea. Furthermore, studies indicate that white tea is better for you. Leaving tea leaves so close to their natural state means that white tea contains more polyphenols, those are the powerful anti-oxidants that fight and kill cancer-causing cells, white tea contains more of these than any other type of tea.
That’s one good reason to drink white tea but another is a 2004 study at Pace University which concluded that white tea can help your body's immune system fight off viruses and dangerous infection-causing bacteria. Recent studies at Pace University have shown that there is a major health benefit of white tea extract -- it can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the body with more success than other teas.
The study focused primarily on the bacteria that cause Staphylococcus infections, Streptococcus infections, and pneumonia. The same study concluded that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the chief cause of tooth decay. Past studies have shown that green tea stimulates the immune system to fight disease." says Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor in the Department of Biology at Pace University's Dyson College of Arts & Sciences and primary author of the research. "Our research shows white tea extract can actually destroy in vitro the organisms that cause disease. Study after study with tea extract proves that it has many healing properties. This is not an old wives tale, it's a fact."
“Because white tea kills lots of bacteria on contact, I myself use it for toothaches, sore throats or anytime I get the cold or flu. I like it with honey and I have a whole bag full of those serving size ones you get at fast food restaurants like Church’s Chicken.” Farley said, getting some packets out of a brown paper bag.
“That’s like me collecting takeout packets of soy sauce, duck sauce, mustard, ketchup, etc. I have a bunch of those at my home in Ziplocs but I carried a lot with me also, they are back at the other cabin.” Becky said.
“I love hot Chinese mustard sometimes! Me and you are going to have to barter some on my return!” Farley said thinking that any kind of hot sauce, soy sauce, etc. was like gold now to change up the flavors of a bland diet or to apply to all that rice he had brought with him.
“Miss Feng, when we get back if you have any sauces or mustard you want to trade for I will make you a good deal.” Farley stated thinking just a little of something could make a meal more diverse or palatable.
“I may have something in my cupboards for you, Farley. What time you think you might be back here today?” Feng asked.
“Shouldn’t take us more than a couple hours max, we are not stopping anywhere.” Farley declared.
“Good, we will see you all for lunch then. Miss Feng says she is going to cook us up some amazing dishes in her kitchen with what you brought in your preps along with what we got on hand of our own, it’s going to be a true feast. We wanted to have a nice welcoming celebration for you and yours and as sort of an apology for fussing at you so much last night.” Charlie declared.
“Hey I am in on that if we get back soon enough to fix something, I am going to make some hamburger baked beans that can be a side dish or a meal in them themselves, if that would be alright.” Becky declared and then explained her recipe.
“Damn that sounds good, I think I am going to be too full to even think about hunting a deer!” Farley declared to which Becky beamed a smile at the praise.
“We may not never eat like this again for some time to come but a celebratory feast for today sounds great and if we don’t make pigs of ourselves, we will even have leftovers for the next day.” Charlie declared.
“That’s the thing; we have to be careful and strictly limit ourselves to a small taste of everything based on us each eating only a moderate plate. I don’t want anybody getting sick around here. Your bodies are no longer used to consuming either rich or large quantities of food anymore. We aren’t that bad off yet but dumping a bunch of food on a starving body has been known to even kill folks. Back in World War II the Nazi’s were starving people to death in concentration camps and when the allies came in to rescue them they gave them poor souls lots of food that the ravenous survivors went crazy over and gorged themselves with. Many died after the first day of being rescued, unfortunately, until the horrible mistake of allowing them that much food was recognized.” Farley said giving a historical reference that food could cause lots of harm just like giving someone too much water after they had become dehydrated in the desert.
“Now as for us dying off from eating too much food, I say that don’t sound like such a bad death to me right now, Farley, but I got your point. Feng you and Becky keep an eye on those boys, they got them an appetite that could beat mine in the best of times.” Charlie stated and Feng and Becky both agreed that growing boys and especially teenagers had voracious appetites regardless of if they were on a starvation diet or not.
“Charlie, my friend, I have been thinking that I need to leave most of this food and supplies here in case we run into a problem or robbers on the road. I need you to open up that utility shed of yours so I can drop off some of my excess gear on our way out.” Farley said surprising him that he would put this much trust in him so soon in their arrangement.
“I will open it up for you, Farley, and nobody will touch it until you get back.” Charlie assured.
“I also unloaded some canned goods in my cabin so try to keep an eye on things down this way if you could.” Farley began before Miss Feng objected that all they had was some target shooting bows and arrows for that task and couldn’t assure him anything.
“I thought about that but it can’t be helped and I am not expecting trouble anyway. I left mostly camping gear and such in my cabin and we won’t be gone long, but I would feel better having the majority of my long term storage food in that utility shed that’s harder for folks to find. We got to find us some more guns for defense of this place somewhere and soon. No, Miss Feng, we are not starting that argument again, I was thinking about something else. How much money or trade goods do you have available, Charlie?” Farley asked him directly.
After an uncomfortable moment of exchanging glances with Miss Feng, he told Farley they had maybe $1200 in cash and some small bits of gold jewelry unless Farley could trade off some gas
or something else around here.
“I got a hundred dollars mad money left and some jewelry I can offer to throw into the pot. Whenever I go off on a trip I always try to gather up my valuables and take them with me in case the car breaks down or something else happens.” Becky declared offering what she had for the community benefit.
“The only place I know of to even ask around here about any possible guns and ammo for trade is that bait store and they aren’t the friendliest folks in the world as I have already told you.” Farley said eying Becky for a second who only raised one eyebrow at him.
“You be careful over there, Farley. I thought you had decided that you weren’t going around there for awhile?” Charlie said.
“Well I wasn’t and I still don’t want to really but like I said I don’t have much choice at the moment. Gas beats cash at the moment but I hate giving any up let alone telling folks I have any extra for trade I would let loose of. Let me ponder on that for a bit. Guns and ammo might be difficult to trade for in these hard times, but offering food or gas should be able to find some weapons if the cash don’t work. Lots of folks sometimes have an extra gun they might be willing to let go of in order to fulfill another need.” Farley said starting to think the matter over.