Chris came to the door when they knocked. “Jeep, what’s going on? Why aren’t you in bed? And who is this person with you?”
Before Jeep could open his mouth, Grikkl took charge. In a theatrical gesture, he bowed so low his head almost touched the floor. Then he marched into the living room with Jeep close behind. Grikkl held up his hand to forestall any more of Chris’ questions.
“Good sir, we’ve come with important news about your wife, Helen.”
Mentioning Helen got Chris’s attention. He exploded with questions that revealed how worried he was about her.
“All in good time, sir, all in good time.” Grikkl paused as he gestured for all to be seated. “Your wife was held under a disabling spell that robbed her of her wits and kept her sick for some time. Young Mister Jeep’s courageous efforts rescued her from that cheerless nightmare. I’m happy to say, she’s improving now under my care.”
Grikkl told him as much as he could, without revealing the hard-to-believe parts (which made the story hang together). Chris didn’t get all the answers he asked for, but it was more than he had before (and probably as much as he could handle).
Grikkl admitted, “It’s too early to make predictions about her recovery, Chris. But given Helen’s exhausted condition, I’m hopeful. What I’m doing for her now offers her the best chance to recover. Maybe the only one. Have I your permission to continue?”
Chris nodded—more than likely from his head spinning than agreement. But Grikkl acted like the discussion was finished and Chris had agreed.
~~~
Changing subjects and with a chattier tone, Grikkl commented, “Too bad about your terrible experience with the truffles. Would it surprise you to know that I’m an expert when it comes to cultivating truffles?
“Really?” Jeep asked in surprise. “How did you manage that?”
“Aye, Laddie. I’m a gnome, you know. Gnomes and truffles share a lot of history together. We both dwell under oak trees. Living together for thousands of years has taught gnomes a thing or two about what makes truffles thrive. I know exactly what it takes to grow them.”
“Don’t tell me you know...?” Chris managed to sound both disbelieving and eager to hear more at the same time.
“Indeed, it’s tricky—but no mystery to me. Young Jeep described how hard you both worked to figure it out. Impressive effort. Would it bother you for me to come right out and tell you the tricks?”
“Tell me! Were our experiments on the right track?”
“You almost had it. But there’s a missing piece you hadn’t solved. Without that, the other answers couldn’t accomplish very much.”
“I’ve gotta know,” Christ insisted impatiently.
“Don’t worry, Chris. I’m getting to that. Truffles grow because of the relationship between the truffle fungus and the oak roots, which benefits them both. The roots provide water and carbohydrates for the fungus. At the same time, the fungus helps the roots absorb minerals from the soil. The scientific term for how they grow together is mycorrheza (myco, fungus, and rheza, roots).
“That part is well known. I’m sure you’re familiar with it. What’s not known is that there’s a third life form involved that’s every bit as important—a particular bacteria. It has to be there for the other two to be able to grow and nourish each other. When that bacteria isn’t present, no truffles. What you still needed to figure out relates to that bacteria.”
“What bacteria? How...?”
“Hold on. That’s a conversation for another day. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all. Right now Jeep and I need to get back to Helen.”
He started to go, then paused at the door and spoke as though the words were an afterthought.
“Before we go, I have a proposal for you. Young Jeep here, has done me a great service—which I can never fully repay. In gratitude, I beg that you permit me to do a good turn for your family. I’d like to offer you the use of charming cottage located near where I live. This isn’t an ordinary house, if you get my meaning. It’s in my oak forest, which grows truffles just as you imagined it could happen.”
“You mean it produces truffles now? Already? That takes years!”
“Exactly so—more than you can imagine, enough for a comfortable living. Help yourself to them. Sell as many as you can gather. Money won’t be a problem anymore.”
Grikkl’s manner turned businesslike, “However, you must guard the information I share with you. Tell no one else. How you come by the truffles you sell must remain our secret. Is that acceptable?”
“I promise—no problem there.” So a deal was quickly settled.
Still at the doorway on his way out, Grikkl added, “I’ll let you know when Helen can move to the cottage. OK?”
A stunned and disoriented Chris nodded. Grikkl had that effect on people.
“ I trust it’s acceptable to you that young Jeep stays on with me to help care for his mother.”
Chris nodded again. Then he glanced at Jeep, as though noticing his presence for the first time. “How do you fit in all this, Jeep?”
“I’d love to explain—but the kittens¼”
“Oh yes, the kittens,” said Grikkl with urgency.” We must go.”
He marched out before Chris could say another word. Once they were on the street, Grikkl took Jeep by the hand—and this time they traveled by magic.
~~~
Helen improved bit by bit, but she wasn’t close to being her old self. Her emotions remained turned off. She was neither happy nor unhappy. She could speak in simple sentences and listen when people spoke to her. But she didn’t understand much of what they told her. Saddest of all, she couldn’t binkle. She couldn’t sort out the meaning of what she heard or saw.
Several weeks into her recovery Grikkl reported, “Jeep, I’ve done everything I can for your mother. But her emotional links are gone and her krindle’s broken. She suffered too much damage at Elkhorn for me to fix. She will improve and can live with you and Chris again. But she won’t ever be like you remembered her.”
“Are you certain? Isn’t there anything else? If we gave it more time¼”
“I’m sorry. I’ve tried and tried—even with my best knowledge and magic. There’s nothing more to do.”
“That can’t be true, Grikkl. We got her out of there—it can’t end like this.” It’s not fair... Not fair, Jeep cried inside.
~~~
Grikkl suffered from his failure as well. Was this to be another victory for Uuglash after all? How much was due to his failure? Was he getting “old” and losing his edge—past his prime and effectiveness?
Grikkl suggested, “It’s time to get you, your mother, and Chris into that cottage as soon as we can. Your lives will be better because you’re together again—even if it’s less than what you hoped for.”
The cottage was charming, just like an enchanted cottage tucked among the old oak trees should be. It was surrounded by a white picket fence, overgrown with trellised roses and ivy. Less apparent was the abundance of truffles beneath the surface.
It didn’t take many days for the three of them (plus MeToo) to settle into their new home. Helen was able to cook and clean around the house, but she did it in a rather mechanical way. Jeep still could go to the same school, so he got together with Anna and Louise often.
Grikkl patiently taught his truffle secrets to Chris and Jeep. Plenty of the pungent and valuable knobs were ready to be gathered. Chris started to build a successful truffle business. Since he no longer worked at several jobs, he wasn’t worn out and discouraged any more.
MeToo learned how to be a truffle dog. Lulu moved in with the family and became a truffle “dog” as well. So before long life settled into a routine that was OK, although considerably less than wonderful.
Chapter 18—
A MAGICAL TEA PARTY
Weeks later, the day that Jeep secretly longed for arrived—Adah was back. She’d heard from Grikkl how things stood with Jeep’s mom and about their move to the cottage.
When Adah saw Jeep, she stretched out her arms to hold him close. I want to hold onto this moment as tightly as she holds onto me.
After they caught up on this and that she said to him, “We must go to the Chamber of Ancient Wisdom together. Grikkl was just waiting for my return.”
Once Grikkl, Adah and Jeep were settled in at the Chamber, Grikkl held Jeep’s gaze for a long time. “Jeep, what I’m about to tell you may be disturbing. I don’t want to add to your pain, but truth must be served.”
“I can take it—if you think it’s something I should know.”
“Good Laddie. You know how upset I was that I couldn’t heal your mother. I sensed there must be more than just an illness at work on her. Indeed, there was. I was able to learn, don’t ask me how, that your mother was marked for Uuglash’s evil schemes even before she went to Elkhorn.
“Before she got sick, she used to be extra high energy, a walking binkle fountain. Not hard to spot that much special energy, either. Don’t you agree? The day she took sick, she went to a job interview. The person she met was a recruiter who recognized what she could offer. But he wasn’t thinking of jobs. He saw her as a binkle source. Like Del Dexter, he (along with others like him) played their part in the whole ugly, devious scheme. He gave her something that messed with her wits, pushed her over the edge.
“And once she ended up at Elkhorn for treatment, well—you know the rest. They milked that precious energy out of her for a whole year. It’s a crime, a heartbreaking crime.”
Tears trickled from Jeep’s eyes. “I needed to know. My poor mom.” Adah held him close as the tears fell.
“Now on to more pleasant matters.” Grikkl declared, as he held out his open palm.
“Give me your medallion, Jeep.”
“Why? You’re not taking it away from me, are you?” He fumbled with the cord around his neck as he untied it. This was the first time he had taken it off.
“Certainly not. You have more use for it now than ever. Let me show you something.” Grikkl pointed at the symbol on the back.
“See that? It’s a very old, top-secret symbol only a few understand. It stands for Eight Foot Pygmies. Get it? See the 8 – backward F – P, on top of each other? That’s the mark of an ancient brotherhood devoted to protecting binkle energy.”
Jeep nodded as the cryptic squiggle turned into something meaningful.
“Eight-foot pigmies? That’s plain nonsense.”
“That’s not the way they look,” laughed Adah. “It’s just a symbol of something else.”
Grikkl continued, “Eight Foot Pygmies perform impossibly difficult tasks all over the world to interfere with Uuglash’s demonic schemes. The work they do must be performed in total concealment because it’s so dangerous. Their duties put them at great risk. That’s why no one can join the brotherhood until they’ve reached tablixx.”
“Are you one?”
“Aye, Laddie, and proud it makes me. And Adah, too.”
Adah smiled at Jeep, “What happened to you at Elkhorn proved you can reach tablixx.” She looked expectantly at Grikkl, who adopted an official manner.
“Jeep, it gives me great pleasure to invite you into the Eight Foot Pygmies.
The other members were informed of your feat and eagerly welcome you into their brotherhood.”
Jeep was totally discombobulated, “Me?... Me? They’re choosing me? I get to be an Eight Foot Pigmy?!”
Adah patted him on the back and smiled, “I always knew you could do something remarkable, Jeep I always knew...”
Grikkl explained, “Before you stumbled on that blasted binkle-sucking machine, no one could figure out how Uuglash was getting enough energy for his cronies. His kind can’t make high-octane energy like binkles, so they take it from others by force.
“We couldn’t tell what he was doing to get so much of it. But we knew it was something we hadn’t encountered before. His team kept getting stronger, somehow. You solved it, Jeep! You found out where their high-vibration energy supply was coming from. And you showed us how to stop them from doing it. By disturbing their power supply line their unholy progress has been blocked for a while.”
Jeep was flabbergasted, speechless, actually. Adah kept patting his shoulder.
“There’s one other little thing, Laddie... As you know, one of my responsibilities is maintaining the historical archives for the Chamber of Ancient Wisdom. That includes recording the noteworthy deeds and remarkable tales of the treasures. Your deed is worthy of being included here for all time.”
“Me? Here? With all these heroes?” Jeep’s remaining self-control dissolved.
Grikkl held out his hand. “I want your compass, that catawampus compass you carry. It should be here, along with the enchanted mirror Adah gave you. They’ll represent your extraordinary contribution.”
Jeep opened his mouth but still no words came out. To say he was pleased would be far short of the truth—thrilled, tickled, amazed, and overjoyed would be more like it.
Adah added, “Just so you know, Jeep, what you started isn’t nearly finished yet. There’ll be causes for celebration in the months and years ahead. You found out how and where Uuglash gets his energy. When you wrecked his machine you saved the patients at Elkhorn.”
Grikkl added, “Sure, that’s great, but there’s another picture Jeep needs to think about. Elkhorn’s one little place—think about the whole world. There are other places like Elkhorn with power-sucking machines harvesting energy for Uuglash’s evil purposes. We need to shut them all down, wherever they do their vile work.
“That’s where the Eight Foot Pygmies come in. That’s the kind of assignment they carry out. Thanks to you, we now know what to look for—a crazy spinning compass gives away the location of such machines. The Eight Foot Pigmies will destroy those diabolical binkle suckers as fast as we can find them.”
Adah added, “What a fine thing you’ve done! You should be proud.”
“Plenty to be proud about, but let’s not get sappy, Adah. Jeep is an Eight Foot Pigmy now. That means his part isn’t done. Right Laddie? Can’t you see that you need to be out there where the action is?”
“I’ll try, but I don’t know...”
“I’m sure that’s good enough,” said Adah. And nobody bothered to disagree.
Jeep grabbed both of the genial gnomes and hugged them close. “You guys—this is such a binkle! I can’t imagine my life before you found me—all cold, and hungry and broken. That was bad enough. But much worse than that—binkle-less. You guys led me out of a scared life to where I know what’s real, what’s good just by its energy. I know I can’t repay you, but I might do you a good turn in return.”
“You don’t owe us anything, Laddie.”
“I know, but this is something the binkle taught me—that might could help you. Listen, anyway.”
“Never one to think I know it all, have at it,” said Grikkl.
“You know how you fall apart in the everyday world—that kittens hendrini thing? That used magic to put Humpty Dumpty back together. But wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t fall apart in the first place?”
“Sure, but I don’t have any magic for that.”
“That’s not exactly true. It’s not a magic spell that’s needed—if I’ve got this figured out right. Down here and where you live there’s binkle energy all over—so you don’t have the cracking problem. Cracking us is from the lack of binkles, right?”
“Right” said both Adah and Grikkl with one voice.
“Then just binkle yourself. Feel a binkle that you are not apart. That’s the very energy that will hold you together. As long as you feel the zizz from being together, you won’t fall apart or need a spell to put you back together. ”
“I think you’re on to something, there Laddie. Never would have thought of it,” conceded Grikkl.
“See Grikkl, the young ones can teach us all a thing or two,” said Adah. “There’s a binkle there for sure.”
~~~
“I know—I want to meet your mother, Helen... Definitely your mother. So we’d better include her husband, too. Chris? Right? Oh, and we must have Anna and Louise, and MeToo, too. Cerberus can deliver invitations.”
She quickly scribbled out several notes that included instructions about how to come—“At 3:00 this afternoon hold both your earlobes and say out loud, ‘Adah sent for me’ three times.” She placed the notes in his pack and Cerberus leaped to his task.
Grikkl called, “Count me in.”
“Well, there’s one already. It’s going to be perfect!” Adah winked at Jeep. “Can’t you feel it? We better get ready—there are a hundred things to do. We’re going to make this place look festive.” She rattled off a slew of tasks.
“Slow down. I’d better make a list.”
She got Nelda involved and Grikkl cleared his papers off the table. “Enough for today. Adah, you seem to know what needs doing, but let me get it all done pronto.”
Adah laughed. Jeep understood why as soon as Grikkl started to play Arla, his concertina. The tune was lively to start with. But the faster he played the faster everybody moved. Jeep’s dashing feet never slowed down as he swiftly whirled from task to task. I’m like the sorcerer’s apprentice. The music had the same effect on the work crew.
Nelda and Jeep covered the table with a tablecloth that Adah had embroidered with colorful leaves and birds. Like her dress, the 3-D images were so realistic the cavern felt like it was outdoors—with living birds and plants. More chairs appeared at the table which grew bigger in order to seat a crowd.
They covered the table with plates and glasses and yummy-looking pastries and candies. Of course, it was an illusion since much of it was gussied-up faduki. Bottles of Chadwick Soda cooled in a tub of ice water. It has a dubahfruit and lime flavor that tickles the tongue—and the toes. Just the thing for a dance. But its most notable effect is as a laughter tonic. “More Laughs—More Often” was its slogan.
The Binkle and the Catawampus Compass (Binkles and Magic) Page 15