his brother-in-law leaned over to
him and under the speakers miked words at the trail dedication said after it was said
Geomorphic Naw thats what Im talkinbout I dare you to set geomorphic in your writing your
blog
Awbrother he wanted to say Im a
step ahead of you goin in a whole different direction geomorphic jumped up Jimis Stone Free in
his head
his brother-in-laws admonishing look glanced off the side of his face
he took it with a skewed sidesmile
whispering Listen
Fourth Quarter Ya lookin for another way to die (Fourth Quarter was
another story)
Wha
Yah
wha Later babe
after the dedication and
evidently the incumbent coffee and congratulatory carrot cake (No thanks not a cake eater (derogatory
in Chicago – not that anyone of the rural West would know unless they were
transplants – such as himself)) his brother-in-law tracked him down to the
kiosk where he stood with two attractive women (magnets) who were land
conservancy executive officers (he was attracted women who werent in
uniform) they were discussing the gambit Becky (yes they were on first name basis they also enjoyed firm handshakes) endured
negotiating a price for the 103 acres Three Bridges tract that the hiking trail
ran through to arrive at its 1700foot-plus summit and 360degree overlook
Becky a petite brunette he asked her if she was hiking the trail today
Not today Im wearing sandals
Lose em he said I was hiking the
Hoh Forest in Washington early August with my daughter and we crossed several
women hiking barefooted It was very
comely
Oh I couldnt Not on these princess feet
no sooner had
she said it she almost choked on her tongue vigorously trying to offsetdeny she had
princess feet
I dont
That
came out all wrong
I dont mean I have princess feet . .
.
. But thats what you said
I did but what I meant was . .
. . You meant wha
I meant she looked to Lindsay the other executive
officer blanching
Youre on your own Beck
What I meant . .
.
. Was you had princess feetThats what you said Unsolicited
I did I admit I said it What I mean is that I dont have princess feet
No You mean now
you dont have princess feet
I dont
Not Princess and the Pea
feet
No I . . I misspoke
I believe you did because he looked down at her sandaled feet they
look like theyd look good bareYoud look
good barefooted
Becky took on a glow which was as
a hue between embarrassed of her admission of being a Princess and
I-should-be-testy-and-indignant-with-your-inappropriate-bare remark it
verged on sexual harassment but if you
cant be sexual or harass an executive officer who is where shit slips downhill you
cant possibly be sexual with anyone she
had it coming there was the magnetic-attraction besides from where he stood he thought most
princesses were due they had it coming and he was giving it whenever the
opportunity presented itself they were
too far above the fray and disassociated he saw their parlance as a simple conversation an alchemy to bring her
down to the massesinto the trenchesinto the real world
You think Becky would look good
barefooted Lindsay asked
Yes Barefooted Possibly barethough before any of that I wanna hear more of her negotiations
with the landownerhow they arrived at the 780,000 dollars for 103 acresquick
math nearly 8000 an acre
Becky visibly twisted in the wind
between his unambiguous compliment and query
Yes Beck said Lindsay Lindsay was petite as well blonde perky she ran a land conservancy
trust in Florida
St Petersburg near Clearwater Tampa Treasure Island – You know
it – I do Vacationd there with my family
In college I sailed and dove there though I preferred the Keys Irmas spinning your way – Curious Yes she is
Yes Beck Lindsay was trying to
stop her college friends twisting
Lindsay he said demurelywith a wink Let her turn a bit I dont think she has this experience too
oftenDo you Becky
No . . No this doesnt often happen
to me
Is it refreshing he asked
I wont say . . its refreshing
The landowner The Money The deal he said
Yes
Yes she blushed again
Dont think about it It looks good on you Brings out your freckles Doesnt it look good on her Lindsay
You just keep dragging me into
thisdont you
I do I wanna keep you both within arms length he winked at her again
it was Lindsays turn to colour
An it looks good on you too
LindsayWho knew Id have this morningthis stereooptic treat Im a lucky guy
MyGod tell him about the negotiations
already Beck
Ohyes Thats what we were talking about
Among
other things he said
Beckys
left eyebrow arched
she
was to his right
Lindsays
right eyebrow arched
she
was to his left
Im
surrounded he said An I like the odds
The negotiations Princess he said
Apparently you love pushing
buttons
Whenever I canpushing buttons
pulling handlesI think Im a verbal flufferIts a talent I promiscuously useGimme
an inchIll take to whole of Route 66 Will Rogers would be on my side
Cat got your tongue
Your Lady
Ive never said Becky
Me neither said Lindsay
We oughta he said Man ohmahn the colour you girls do I cant believe youre out of practiseEither
of you
Come on down from the mountain
Theah landowner
died midnegotiations I ended up contending with his five children
Five Adult children
Yes Two of the parcels were already zoned for
home construction
And by parcels you mean multiple
acres multiple lots per acre
Yes
Excellent price leverage
Yes A bludgeon for two of the five
So I dont suppose youll tell me where you
buried the four bodies
crickets
absolute crickets
silence
probably between all the nudity
surrounded within arms length murder subterfuge money in the bright light of
day the dedication the trails his take probably it was a might bit too much
it was in this moment that his brother-in-law walked up to them
This is my brother-in-law
Skip Skip Id like you to meet Becky Skip Id like you to meet Lindsay
Skip shook their hands
They have great gripsdont they
They do
Im very fond of women who have
good gripsHowbout you Skip
Yes I enjoy women who know how to shake well
You said it Shake well not stirred Im making myself
thirsty How was the cake Skip
Good cake You girls have any cake
he interrupted We were talkingrather listening to
Becky explain her negotiations to acquire the 103 acres
Skip worked as one of the
volunteers grading the trail 150 hours
150 hours of grit sweat fun
comradery
Dont forget the beer
And the Beer said Skip
Youre related to him said Lindsay
As he said brother-in-laws Our wives were sisters Unfortunately they have passed Were striving endeavouring to maintain our relationship
You know him well asked Becky
I think I do Skip looked over at
his brother-in-law What have you been saying
Nothing that you wouldnt expect
out of me
Which could be anything
As you walked up I was asking
Becky if she would say where the bodies are buried
Bodies are buried
Shes a tough negotiator Wont take no for an answer Lindsays a capable accessory Theyre executives of two separate land trusts
conservatories Heavy hitters No nonsense Love to walk barefoot swim in the
Pacific without a wetsuit I miss anything
girls
Is he always like this Lindsay asked
Hes ebullient
Im like the Seven Sisters Boiled up churned lava whose remnants cones run
south from Morro Rock to San Luis Obispo The words geomorphicisnt it although
Ill admit when the trail designer mentioned geomorphic in my head I took the
ball and ran I dig the term
geomorphic but I dig more considerthink geoanthropomorphic I feel geoanthropomorphic Dont look for it in the dictionarymade it
up Thats what I heard as he addressed
us
We should go for a drink I think wed enjoy itI know Skip would
1517, Friday,
8 9. 17
1253, Saturday,
9 9. 17
White Stripes Rag and Bone
Alicia Keys Jack White Another Way to Die https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM5UJvnbbuY
