‘The doc didn’t think I would be able to walk again, so the limp doesn’t bother me much.’
‘How long did it take? To start walking again?’
‘Oh, maybe two years. Still haven’t run yet, but don’t tell any of these guys that or they might see an opening to come after me.’
We were crouched across each other on a bistro table away from the bar. The Manor was lively when it was closed to the public. It seemed that the ones who normally liked to mind their own would come out. Something about not having to introduce themselves to each person they meet.Â
‘I don’t think anyone would think of coming after you. You’re well liked.’
‘That’s just the mushrooms.’Â
Lloyd took a glass bottled tincture from his jacket and it shook it in the air. Francisco arrived with our drinks: a beer and a lemon drop. I was feeling fruity.
‘And what about your voice?’
‘What about it?’
He sounded like Robert Johnson, if he had used a throat back when he sang. It seemed like it caused him pain and hung around like a monk’s OM. Â
‘Nothing happened? You’ve always sounded like this?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Oh.’
Jake and Ms. Peacock shuffled outside with a band of smokers following closely behind. The firepit burped and through the window I could see them circle around, bending to light their cigarettes in the flame.
‘Do you sell the tinctures then?’
‘That was the plan. But the problem is I end up giving them out for free. The people that need them most don’t have much to give me. Anyway, it makes me feel like I’m doing some good.’
‘Then what do you do?’
‘With what?’
‘For money.’
‘Oh. I fish down in Bodega. Mostly do some crabbing. Best part is I finish my day by noon and me and the lady can watch VHS movies and get out of this world.’
‘An honest day's work.’
The circle around the firepit seemed to get heated. Ms. Peacock stood up with her eyes to the ground while a heavy set smoker leaned back in his seat grinning. Cheshire style. After wiping some dirt off her tight pin skirt, Ms. Peacock left the fire pit and moved towards the side of the Manor. I could see her feathered hair bob as she opened the side gate and exited towards the street. Back at the firepit the conversation seemed to lose its spark.Â
‘I just like to keep my head low. Ain’t nothing lower than my futon and a couple pulls from the ole vaporizer.’
‘Don’t like to fraternize?’
‘Don’t like to hear my name out and about. Lot’s of rumors between the trees.’
Jake left the firepit. His seat was facing away from my vantage point, but when he turned to come inside he was flushed white. I waved him over to our table.Â
‘That drink not sitting well?’
‘Nothing is sitting well.’
‘That’s the mushrooms, when they hit they don’t miss.’
Jake didn’t look woozy to me. I looked back at the firepit, empty now but no one else had come inside.Â
‘Say, Lloyd. Could you grab Jake some water?’
‘Why don’t you do it?’
‘You’re closer.’
‘I got a limp.’
‘Weren’t you just telling me moving around helps?’
Lloyd hopped off his seat and landed on his good leg, leaving us with a playful scowl.Â
‘So what the hell kind of story was told around the campfire?’
‘I barely caught most of it, seemed I needed to be in the know to know, by the language they were using.’
‘Why’d she leave so quickly?’
‘Said she forgot something. Left something at home or somewhere else.’
‘But didn’t come inside to say goodnight?’
‘When she was leaving the bigger guy said something about her needing to check for a leak.’
‘In what?’
‘Her gas.’
‘Was that what he was grinning about? Who was that guy?’
‘Listen, I don’t know anymore than you. Wish I hadn’t even been involved in the conversation. All I know is she was saying that people were starting to wonder about missing nights.’
‘Missing nights, where?’
‘Stop asking questions you know I don’t have the answers for.’
Francisco came over with a glass of water.
‘What the hell did you say to Lloydy? He’s all fired up about trying to run again.’
‘I didn’t say anything, maybe he should. Did Ms. Peacock leave anything up at the bar?’
‘Just her cardigan, figured she would be back for it some other time.’
‘I pass by her place on my way home, I can drop it off.’
‘If you wanna venture up that driveway in the dark be my guest. It’s the red one behind the bar when you leave.’
I looked at Jake and smiled.
‘Nope.’
‘Come on.’
‘I already stuck my nose where it didn’t belong once tonight.’
‘It’s just a sweater.’
‘Yea and it was just a smoke.’
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