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Stories from the Verse
Multiverser: The Thirteenth Story
Chapter 36: Brown 376
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Takano 168
After another night under the trees, they were awakened by the still, thin steps of a herd of deer. Derek jerked upright, and the deer fled as silent and fast as the wind, their white-tails bobbing as they flashed away through the trees. He told Vashti of it as they got ready to walk again, and she said that she wished she had seen it.
Walking down the Joliet Road, they eventually came to another farmhouse run by a Black lady, and gave the 'correct' answer of 'Republican and God bless Abraham Lincoln'. The fried chicken was again cheap and delicious, but instead of green beans, they had boiled cabbage which was not as good as the green beans of the day before. Not being an idiot, Derek did not mention this to the housewife who was the cook.
It was around three, and the lunch buffet was packing up. As they got up to go, one of the other eaters, a White man, said he was on his way to Joliet.
"Got some new models of vacuum cleaners I want to show to the shops in Joliet. Faster, stronger. Guaranteed to clean up your rug." He had the easy patter of the salesman down pat.
Vashti nudged Derek, and it took him a second, but then he understood.
"Say, mister, we're walking to Joliet. Do you mind if we hitch a ride?"
He glanced over at them, giving them a studying gaze. Evidently they passed approval.
"Got to make sure you're not robbers. You look okay. God-fearing folk. Yes, but uh, if you could help with the gasoline--"
Twenty cents later they were in the crowded cover-topped Model T fitting their legs and arms around vacuum cleaners awkwardly. These were stowed in the back seat, the front seat, and supposedly in the trunk as well. With a one-handed zip, and cigarette smoke floating in the air, they whipped out on the road. On the way, the salesman, Frank O'Connell, kept them amused with stories and jokes. A few times Derek and Vashti were laughing so hard they could barely control themselves.
Their driver calmed down as they drove into Joliet. Keeping an eye out for bicyclists, and walkers, and dogs, and the occasional car, he pointed out sights. The first was a castle-like building.
"You would not want to go there, missus, even though it looks nice. It's the woman's penitentiary, or prison."
Farther on he pointed to the Steel Mans Club. "Very nice place, if you can wrangle an invitation. Bowling alley, handball. Twice monthly they have a dance which you too could go to, and of course, the Charleston is all the rage."
He pointed out a steel factory nearby, and then pulled up in front of a shoppe.
"This is where I stop. I got to talk to the owner, and see if I can sell him on the new model."
With bones a bit creaky, the two got out. Vashti thanked him, and Derek blessed him for his kindness and the good humor. They parted, and it was early evening in Joliet, Illinois, as the two walked down the long sidewalk wondering what to do next.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with ten other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #542: Verser Initiatives. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
