by N. C. Reed
“Is that supposed to be funny?” Roland growled.
“Not a bit,” Vaughan promised. “This’ll make you look like the man, that’s all. Impression is half the battle sometimes, Roland. Don’t worry,” he added, smiling, “I won’t treat you any different. To me you’re still just a crazy man.”
“Well,” Roland had been slightly mollified at that, “Okay.”
“Let’s head to Turnbow’s first,” Roland ordered before Tom could speak. “I need to speak to him, and make some arrangements, so let’s get that done first. Tom, you can be thinking about a route for us until then, if you will. I’d like to cover as much as we can, and talk to as many community leaders as we can.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Tom nodded.
The trip was occupied with discussions about what was happening, and what still needed to happen. Roland paid careful attention to the people around him. They were all smart and experienced.
Not for the first time he thought about how very fortunate he had been to have so many good people around him. He didn’t like to think about where he and the others would be, if not for them.
Turnbow was actually out in the small town when they arrived, and headed for the Hummer as soon as it pulled up, smiling.
“Morning, Roland!” he called, offering his hand. “How ya’ll doing?”
“Doing well, sir,” Roland smiled, “How are things?”
“Passin’ fair, Praise the Lord,” Turnbow replied. “We’re in pretty good shape all around, seems like. Really appreciate the help from the engineering folk. And that boy o’ yours. That’s one smart young’un, son.”
“That he is,” Roland smiled. “Maria was wanting to speak to some of your ladies about preparing for canning season,” he continued, “and, we’re wondering if you folks would want to make use of the school kitchen during canning time this year.”
“Why, I don’t know,” Turnbow mused. “Have to just ask. Young lady, my missus and several other ladies just happen to be discussing the same thing, over to the church building. You want to go and speak to them?”
“That would be good, yes,” Maria smiled. “Thank you. I will be as quick as I can, Roland,” she looked over at him.
“Take whatever time you need.”
She rewarded him with a dazzling smile, and started toward the church. Roland looked at Vaughan and nodded in her direction. Vaughan nodded his understanding, and set out behind her.
“Fine young woman, Roland,” Turnbow said.
“One of a kind,” Roland assured him. “Meantime, let’s you, me, and Tom find a shady spot, and palaver.”
-
Roland spent an hour talking with Turnbow and then with a few others in Greenwood, answering questions, discussing complaints, and explaining the facts of life. Most left with a new understanding of their situation, agreeing that they were far more fortunate than they had realized.
Turnbow had provided a few names to Tom Mackey as well, people in other areas of the county that he knew personally that were doing much the same as he was, trying to hold things together around them.
“Things are tough, there’s no question,” Turnbow shrugged, “and there is a lot of anger out there, Roland,” he warned. “Not here, not after all you’ve done for us,” he was quick to add, “but among others, well. . .there’s a tendency to blame anyone who’s handy. Especially anyone with any level of government.”
“People are going to have to realize that the ones of us still trying are doing all we can,” Roland’s voice was calm, but firm for all that. “We’re stretched as thin as we can go and in some cases a little farther. No matter how well-meaning, there’s a limit to our resources, and we’re there. In fact, we’re past there in some areas.”
“I know, I know,” Turnbow raised his hands in a placating gesture, “I’m just telling you the lay of the land, Roland. I recognize how hard everyone’s working. Which reminds me. Have you seen Tom
Wilson lately?”
“Yesterday morning,” Roland nodded.
“Did he look, well...” Turnbow trailed off.
“Rode hard and put up wet?” Roland offered.
“Well, yeah.”
“He did, and I mentioned it to him,” Roland said firmly. “He needs time off and I told him so. But, there’s a problem. Too many of the county’s elected officials aren’t taking up their slack. Just sittin’ by and lettin’ others do for ’em.”
“I knew that I hadn’t seen many out. The courthouse is open most days, but there ain’t many people there,” Turnbow mused.
“I advised Tom to take a weekend and do nothing unless there was a bonafide emergency,” Roland informed him, “and I might as well tell you now. Since we’re under Martial Law until we can get some kind of decent organization back, at least at the state levels, technically I’m in charge.”
“Now, I’m not too keen on being in charge,” Roland continued, “but if things don’t start to change, and soon, I’ll be taking steps to get people on board. If those who took an oath to perform their duties don’t start steppin’ up, I will replace them. And then they can get out here and scratch for what they need just like the rest of us.”
“That’ll upset more’n one apple cart,” Turnbow chuckled. “Be almost worth the trouble to see that.”
“I don’t want the trouble,” Roland shook his head, “but it’s time for folks to step up, or step out, one or the other. If the people that were elected won’t do their jobs, then there’s someone, somewhere out here, that can and will.”
“Sounds like a winner to me,” Turnbow nodded. “You can count on our support, whatever you have to do.”
“I appreciate that,” Roland nodded, rising. He could see Maria coming toward him, “and with that, we need to be on the road. Got a lotta ground to try and cover today, if we can.”
“Be careful, fellas,” Turnbow said.
-
Maria had worked out a schedule with the women of Greenwood that worked for both groups. The women were understandably excited with the prospect of using the school’s large kitchen.
“We were going to have to use outdoor kitchens and wood stoves,” Rose Turnbow told her. “It’s worth bringing everything down there to keep from doing that.”
“I am glad we can assist,” Maria told her “especially considering we would not be able to preserve our own food without your knowledge.”
“We’re glad to do it,” Rose told her honestly.
“It is time for me to go,” Maria announced. “We have much to do today.”
“That Roland is a handsome man, child,” an older woman smiled gently. “Are you and him an item?”
“We are,” Maria blushed prettily. “He is a very good man.”
“But a hard man,” Rose mused. Seeing Maria’s reaction, she clarified.
“I mean that in a good way, hon,” she promised. “Times like these, you need good men who can be hard men when the need arises. And I suspect there aren’t many who would be willing to take on the responsibility of all those children.” She gave Maria an appraising look.
“Nor women, either, especially one so young as you,” she smiled gently. “You’re both doing a good thing. God’s work. May both of you be blessed for doing it, I pray.” The woman’s sincerity was so evident it was almost tangible. Maria blushed again, her head bowed.
“Thank you, señora,” she murmured.
“Now you go on, he’s waiting,” Rose urged, “and you be careful being out.”
“We will.”
-
“We’ll go to Big Springs, first,” Tom decided, as the Hummer left Greenwood. “It’s closest anyway, and we can make a round through there and head south.”
“Suits me,” Roland nodded, “you know the land and the people.”
“Some of these folks are okay, and some not so much,” Tom warned the younger man. “They’re not really bad, per se, but. . .well, ‘asshole’ might not be too strong a word.”
“Have to take
the good with the bad, I guess,” Roland shrugged. It didn’t sound any different to any other place he’d ever been.
“A very few of ’em are a little. . .well, a lot, fairly anti-government, Roland,” Tom continued. “They’ll be unfriendly to us at best. Some may be downright hostile, too,” he added.
“Should we wait and visit them in greater strength?” Roland asked, pointedly not looking at Maria at his side.
“Don’t think so,” Tom shook his head. “In fact, this here just might be the best way to go about it, I think. A show of force will just prove to them that they’ve been right all along.”
“Well, I think we can agree that the ‘government’ wasn’t much to be proud of,” Roland snorted. “They were wasteful, arrogant, and controlling. In all honesty, maybe the best thing to come out of all this was the practical dissolution of the worst areas of government.”
“You might throw that in, when you speak to ’em,” Tom grinned. “Truth is, I’m known to be pretty vocal about such things myself.”
“Not you, Tom!” Roland feigned shock, “I just don’t believe it.”
“I might surprise ya.”
-
Big Springs was simply a collection of houses, centered on a small country store, at the intersection of two back country roads. When the Hummer pulled up to the store, there were several people gathered about, milling, really, discussing whatever came to mind. Such conversations trailed away as the foursome exited the vehicle.
“Howdy, Ben,” Tom called, and one of the men seated on the store’s porch looked at him closer.
“Well, Tom Mackey!” ‘Ben’ exclaimed. “Thought you was dead for sure, by now!”
“Likely would be if not for Roland, here,” Tom agreed. “Ben Nevers, this is Roland Stang. He’s a Lieutenant with the State Guard, though he don’t like to be reminded of it. He’s the county’s military liaison.”
“Sir,” Roland nodded. Nevers stood, looking him over as he advanced. He was a large man, broad-shouldered, with a mop of fiery red hair.
“Pleased to meet you, Roland,” the man/bear hybrid smiled, offering his hand. Roland took it, glad when the bigger man didn’t try to crush his much smaller hand.
“Same here, sir.”
“Just Ben,” Nevers waved his hand carelessly. “C’mon up, and sit a spell. Ain’t got no Coke or coffee, but reckon we can scare up some apple juice or water.”
“Water for me,” Tom said. Roland nodded his agreement. Vaughan was standing by the Hummer, Maria nearby.
“So what brings you our way, Tom?” Ben asked.
“Just givin’ Roland the lay o’ the land, and introducin’ him to the movers and shakers.”
“And you stopped here?” Nevers cackled.
“First stop of the day,” Tom grinned. “Roland ain’t been doing this job but a week or so, and he wanted to see what was happenin’, and maybe get a feel for what’s needful.”
“Pretty much everything,” Ben shrugged.
“I don’t have everything,” Roland sighed a little. “I don’t have much of anything, to be completely honest. But what I can provide, I will.”
“Son, I know you mean that, just by lookin’ at you,” Ben said kindly, “but it’s a little late for most. Many of our old timers has done passed on ‘thout the meds they couldn’t get. We do have some young’uns that could use some formula and diapers, I reckon. And most of us’d kill for conditioned air, or even the power to run a fan, let alone a workin’ refrigerator.”
“I can’t do any of the electrical,” Roland shrugged, “but I might can get hands on some formula. Meanwhile, we’ve been making cloth diapers for the kids that are still in them.”
“You got kids?” Ben asked.
“He’s got a passel o’ kids,” Tom interjected. “Young’uns whose folks has passed on, or who just plain left ’em. Roland’s takin’ care of near thirty kids, all totaled.”
“None of ’em your’n?” Ben asked, eyes slightly narrowing.
“No, sir,” Roland shook his head, “and I haven’t done it all alone, either. Maria has been the one to look after the children, along with a couple others. I help when I can, but. . .well, I’ve kinda had my hands full, last little bit.”
“Him and his folk killed a bunch o’ biker trash that had been terrorizing the area of late,” Tom informed everyone within hearing distance. “Same ones that took me and a bunch of others prisoner to make us work for ’em. Well, the men, anyway,” he added darkly. Muted scowls appeared on the faces around them. They understood exactly what Mackey meant.
“Sounds like a fine piece o’ work,” Ben nodded. “We’ve been lucky in that regard, I reckon. No body botherin’ us. Not a bit o’ trouble.” The words were a little forced, Roland thought. Several of the people around him looked. . .uncomfortable.
Roland decided to take a chance.
“Folks, let me put your mind to ease,” he said calmly. “If you’ve had trouble of the kind I just had, and you handled it, I got no problem with that. I mostly just dumped my. . .troubles in a hole and covered ’em over real good.” Several muted chuckles answered that, and Ben Nevers, along with some others, nodded in approval.
“Might be we had a little trouble,” Nevers admitted cautiously, “but nothin’ like what you had, sounds like.”
“Guess I better mention that I’m a reserve deputy now, too,” Mackey grinned. “Sheriff pretty much agrees with Roland. Fact being, he’s wantin’ good men to deputize in all the communities to handle minor problems that don’t really call for jailin’ a man. Reckon you got anybody out this way that can do that?”
The rest of the conversation flowed smoothly after that. People began to loosen up. And speak up. Before long, Roland had pressed Maria into service writing down requests, information, and suggestions. As the talk wound down after an hour or so, Roland stood.
“Folks, I’m glad for the opportunity to meet with you. Mister Nevers, you’ve got the radio frequencies we use. If you get into a bind, call us. Meanwhile, I’ll get my technician to start working on getting you a solar set-up to power your radio, and maybe let your folks charge a few batteries and what not.”
“That’d be a good thing,” Nevers grinned. “Folks get tired o’ pumpin’ that bike genny after a while,” he laughed.
“I imagine they do.”
-
“I saved the best for last,” Tom said dryly, as Vaughan negotiated a rutted out, pothole strewn back road. “We’re almost to Terry. This is the mostly anti-, well, pretty much everything, bunch.” He turned in his seat.
“Rumors are that this bunch are inbred,” he said, his tone indicated his opinion of that. “I’ve met a few of them, over the years, and they’re very stand-offish. They can be violent, but I’ve never heard of one of them instigating anything. They’re in town every so often, but stay to themselves and usually don’t bother anyone. They do, however have some. . .peculiar, let’s call it, ideas, about some things.” He looked at Maria.
“Better you stay with the car, this time,” he warned.
“If it’s that big a problem, let’s do this later,” Roland said, his hand instinctively going to Maria’s.
“I think it’ll be okay,” Tom shrugged, “and it’s the last bunch, too. Your call,” he finished.
Roland thought about it.
“How far out are we?” he asked.
“Another five minutes or so.”
Roland sighed. They had come a long way. To go back now would just be a waste of gas. He looked down at Maria.
“You armed?”
“Of course,” she said calmly, “I always am.”
“Okay,” he sighed again, looking at Tom, “let’s go ahead and get it over with.”
In what seemed like no time they were pulling up to a collection of ramshackle houses and rundown-looking mobile homes. One large two story house dominated the collection. Children were running around the nearly barren yard with a pack of dogs, screeching and laughing. All were dirty-
faced and barefoot, but then, they were outside, and playing. All looked happy and healthy.
The dogs, too numerous and quick-moving to really count, turned at the sound of the vehicle and started barking, heading straight for the Hummer. Vaughan slowed so as not to hit any of them.
“Stay in the car until and unless someone calls ’em off,” Tom warned. After a few minutes a tall, rangy man with a short beard stepped onto the porch of the main house. Dressed in overalls and a wife-beater tee, he looked at them for a while, arms hanging at his side.
Finally, he yelled, and the dog pack instantly left the Hummer, returning to the house where they encircled the group of children.
“You and me, Roland,” Tom said, opening his door.
“That’s far enough,” the man shouted. “Who are ya, and what’d’ya want?”
“Abel, it’s Tom Mackey!” Tom called. “We wanted a word, you got time!”
“Got nothin’ but time,” Abel called back. “What I ain’t got is interest. What you want?”
“I’m Roland Stang, the military commander for the county,” Roland called out. “I’m just trying to get the lay of the land, and meet as many people as I can.”
“Got no interest in talkin’ to you,” Abel shook his head. “Gov’ment folk ain’t really welcome anywhere on my land. Best y'all git.”
“I’m not really a ‘gov’ment’ man,” Roland called back. “Sorta drafted into this 'cause I was in the Army once upon a time. I mean you no ill will, or harm. I’m trying to see what needs there are, and what I can do to fill them.”
“Reckon we take care of ourselves just fine, soldier,” Abel shook his head. “Don’t want, nor need, no one else buttin’ into our business.”
“Not here to butt in,” Roland assured him. “Just to help, if I can.”
“Don’t need it,” Abel called back, “and I’m tired o’ talkin’. Turn that thing around and git gone. Don’t come back.”
“Best do as he says,” Tom sighed. “Fair enough, Abel. Happens you need us; you can call...”
But Abel was already going back inside, closing the door behind him.
“Well, that went well.”
“I told you,” Tom shrugged. “Anyway, we tried. I’d say it’s time we call it a day. I’m tired.”
