Chapter forty-seven
They all got back on the boat. Chandra, Jane and Michelle, immediately went to work at preparing a meal. If they weren't feeling the hunger pangs before, the wafts of Michelle's expertise with spices and herbs soon had them all remembering what three days without food was supposed to feel like.
When they sat down to eat, the first thing Steve did was throw the big cat a taste of the vegetarian meal. She sniffed at it before lapping it up. Then she looked up at Steve for more.
" I'll be damned!" Chako exclaimed.
"I'll be damned too," Steve said to the cat," before I give you any more of my supper. " He stuffed a big spoonful in his mouth and shrugged. "Who knew?"
"You got any extra?" Damian asked Chandra
"There's plenty of fixings left, yes--if no one wants seconds."
Michelle stood up and went into the boat's kitchen. She came back with a big bowl full of greens. She set it down before the big cat who took one whiff before she went to work lapping in earnest.
Damian thought as he watched the tiger, the world had truly become a bizarre place in which to try to live.
***************
The next Island they landed on was much more to what Damian expected. There was even sounds of the living that weren't their own. He was sure if they moved much farther inland they would find it as modern as the Island of Trinidad, but they had no intentions of moving very far inland, or any need to. The coast was a vegetarian's dream, and the scent of the air was sweeter than berries compared to the smell of the place they had just left. They could stay here a while. Get their land legs back and have plenty of supplies to take with them when they leave.
They began to unload the ship and set up for at least a 2 month stay.
The big cat didn't run wild this time. She found a spot and lay down near the frolicking Iowees, drowsily watching them with constantly opening and closing eyelids.
When night fell, the moon seemed close enough to touch, it didn't get much colder than it was during the daylight hours and the mood with the scenery and pleasant scents was surreal in the way it affected them all. They were all paired off; the sounds of people making love seemed as natural as the chirps, whistles and calls of nature .
Damian didn't unclothe Chandra but she was in his arms, the two of them enjoying the stillness of their deep love as much as they did when they were being physical.
Finally Chandra said softly:
"I wonda wat mi Auntie is feelin' ri' now?"
Damian wondered if she read his thoughts, or he hers, because he was wondering the same thing. No one should be alone on a night like this--especially when they can clearly hear other people being together.
" Why don't we go find out? Be company for her?"
Chandra was up almost before he finished his suggestion. She grabbed his hand. "Okey."
They walked over to where Sheree had set up. Since they had the boat to carry as much gear as they wanted, they had raided the sports supply stores of New York, and with a lot of other things, taken some outdoor tents to use as shelter. Damian knocked on Sheree's tent.
"Sheree..."
"Auntie..."
"Damian, Chandie...come in."
She had been reading. Damian looked at her face and he saw no signs of unhappiness there. Not even in the emotions she emitted did he sense any sorrowful feelings--in fact, from what she was transmitting, she was feeling pretty damned good.
"What art thou reading?" Damian boomed in his imitation of Othello. Chandra giggled.
"Chandie...come and sit here." Sheree hugged her when she obeyed. "You too, Damian, sit close to me. It's so good of you two to think about me on a night like this." She held up the book and looked at it's cover.
It's called Nimrod:Lost son of Sumeria."
"Really...Is it about the Nimrod?" Damian asked.
" Yes, and it's very good."
" What made you pick up a book about Nimrod?"
She had taken it off the shelf of a bookstore before they left New York .
" I don't know. I've been thinking about that story in the bible, off and on since you started talking about Zeus and a new Genesis. When I saw the title on the cover in the store I just picked it up."
" Is he a good guy or bad guy in the book, because I've never heard a story where Nimrod was depicted as a good guy. Even Satan and Hitler had people who thought they were good guys, but as far as I know, Nimrod never had a single fan. None who would openly admit it anyway."
" He's a good guy in this book. In a lot of ways; the way the Author depicts him, reminds me of you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Can I read it when you're finished?" Both Damian and Chandra asked at the same time.
"Yes. You two can read it together. I see you in the book too, Chandie, but you will be a composite of three Characters because one of them dies and one is cold and vengeful, but they all have some of your characteristics, and two of them love Nimrod, like you love Damian."
" I cyan nuh wait ti read it, Auntie."
I'll give it to you as soon as I finish."
"Sheree, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"Ask, but I already know what you want to know Damian, and I don't mind talking about it."
" Do you miss Isabella--I mean do you regret leaving her?"
" I miss Janet more. And no, I don't regret being where I am Damian."
" Don't you get lonely?"
"Yes...but I'm used to long periods of being alone. Don't worry so much about my happiness, Damian. I'm as happy as I've ever been, which is not saying too much for that state of being, but I'm OK. I'll be OK."
Chandra leaned over and wrapped her arms around her Aunt. Sheree closed her eyes and basked in her niece's embrace, her face a mask of pure pleasure.
"Oh Chandie, I wish I had spent more time with you when you were younger. Forgive for saying this; but my brother is such a grouch, I couldn't stand to be around him for five minutes. I hated the way he talked to people--especially Verlene, even though I knew he was always all bark and no bite."
" I know Auntie. Him mellowed sum in he old age, but him neva learned how ti talk ti people. But him was a good kingman, Auntie. Yuh just had to get ti know him t' see it."
" I knew him. But you're right. He had a good heart. And he certainly loved you, Junior and Verlene. I think it was losing the full use of his legs that soured him. When we were children I loved him so much--we were so close. I guess that's why it was so hard for me to be around him after he changed. He used to talk to me in ways that made me feel so special. That's why I always believed I could do whatever I set my mind to. Then he turned into Oscar Madison." Sheree suddenly cackled. "You two pups have no idea who Oscar Madison was do you? God...I loved that show."
Chandra couldn't remember if she'd ever heard her Aunt laugh with such uninhibited joy. She didn't know who Oscar Madison was, but she didn't have to. If he gave her Auntie so much joy in her life, he was alright with her.
When they sat down to eat, the first thing Steve did was throw the big cat a taste of the vegetarian meal. She sniffed at it before lapping it up. Then she looked up at Steve for more.
" I'll be damned!" Chako exclaimed.
"I'll be damned too," Steve said to the cat," before I give you any more of my supper. " He stuffed a big spoonful in his mouth and shrugged. "Who knew?"
"You got any extra?" Damian asked Chandra
"There's plenty of fixings left, yes--if no one wants seconds."
Michelle stood up and went into the boat's kitchen. She came back with a big bowl full of greens. She set it down before the big cat who took one whiff before she went to work lapping in earnest.
Damian thought as he watched the tiger, the world had truly become a bizarre place in which to try to live.
***************
The next Island they landed on was much more to what Damian expected. There was even sounds of the living that weren't their own. He was sure if they moved much farther inland they would find it as modern as the Island of Trinidad, but they had no intentions of moving very far inland, or any need to. The coast was a vegetarian's dream, and the scent of the air was sweeter than berries compared to the smell of the place they had just left. They could stay here a while. Get their land legs back and have plenty of supplies to take with them when they leave.
They began to unload the ship and set up for at least a 2 month stay.
The big cat didn't run wild this time. She found a spot and lay down near the frolicking Iowees, drowsily watching them with constantly opening and closing eyelids.
When night fell, the moon seemed close enough to touch, it didn't get much colder than it was during the daylight hours and the mood with the scenery and pleasant scents was surreal in the way it affected them all. They were all paired off; the sounds of people making love seemed as natural as the chirps, whistles and calls of nature .
Damian didn't unclothe Chandra but she was in his arms, the two of them enjoying the stillness of their deep love as much as they did when they were being physical.
Finally Chandra said softly:
"I wonda wat mi Auntie is feelin' ri' now?"
Damian wondered if she read his thoughts, or he hers, because he was wondering the same thing. No one should be alone on a night like this--especially when they can clearly hear other people being together.
" Why don't we go find out? Be company for her?"
Chandra was up almost before he finished his suggestion. She grabbed his hand. "Okey."
They walked over to where Sheree had set up. Since they had the boat to carry as much gear as they wanted, they had raided the sports supply stores of New York, and with a lot of other things, taken some outdoor tents to use as shelter. Damian knocked on Sheree's tent.
"Sheree..."
"Auntie..."
"Damian, Chandie...come in."
She had been reading. Damian looked at her face and he saw no signs of unhappiness there. Not even in the emotions she emitted did he sense any sorrowful feelings--in fact, from what she was transmitting, she was feeling pretty damned good.
"What art thou reading?" Damian boomed in his imitation of Othello. Chandra giggled.
"Chandie...come and sit here." Sheree hugged her when she obeyed. "You too, Damian, sit close to me. It's so good of you two to think about me on a night like this." She held up the book and looked at it's cover.
It's called Nimrod:Lost son of Sumeria."
"Really...Is it about the Nimrod?" Damian asked.
" Yes, and it's very good."
" What made you pick up a book about Nimrod?"
She had taken it off the shelf of a bookstore before they left New York .
" I don't know. I've been thinking about that story in the bible, off and on since you started talking about Zeus and a new Genesis. When I saw the title on the cover in the store I just picked it up."
" Is he a good guy or bad guy in the book, because I've never heard a story where Nimrod was depicted as a good guy. Even Satan and Hitler had people who thought they were good guys, but as far as I know, Nimrod never had a single fan. None who would openly admit it anyway."
" He's a good guy in this book. In a lot of ways; the way the Author depicts him, reminds me of you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Can I read it when you're finished?" Both Damian and Chandra asked at the same time.
"Yes. You two can read it together. I see you in the book too, Chandie, but you will be a composite of three Characters because one of them dies and one is cold and vengeful, but they all have some of your characteristics, and two of them love Nimrod, like you love Damian."
" I cyan nuh wait ti read it, Auntie."
I'll give it to you as soon as I finish."
"Sheree, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"Ask, but I already know what you want to know Damian, and I don't mind talking about it."
" Do you miss Isabella--I mean do you regret leaving her?"
" I miss Janet more. And no, I don't regret being where I am Damian."
" Don't you get lonely?"
"Yes...but I'm used to long periods of being alone. Don't worry so much about my happiness, Damian. I'm as happy as I've ever been, which is not saying too much for that state of being, but I'm OK. I'll be OK."
Chandra leaned over and wrapped her arms around her Aunt. Sheree closed her eyes and basked in her niece's embrace, her face a mask of pure pleasure.
"Oh Chandie, I wish I had spent more time with you when you were younger. Forgive for saying this; but my brother is such a grouch, I couldn't stand to be around him for five minutes. I hated the way he talked to people--especially Verlene, even though I knew he was always all bark and no bite."
" I know Auntie. Him mellowed sum in he old age, but him neva learned how ti talk ti people. But him was a good kingman, Auntie. Yuh just had to get ti know him t' see it."
" I knew him. But you're right. He had a good heart. And he certainly loved you, Junior and Verlene. I think it was losing the full use of his legs that soured him. When we were children I loved him so much--we were so close. I guess that's why it was so hard for me to be around him after he changed. He used to talk to me in ways that made me feel so special. That's why I always believed I could do whatever I set my mind to. Then he turned into Oscar Madison." Sheree suddenly cackled. "You two pups have no idea who Oscar Madison was do you? God...I loved that show."
Chandra couldn't remember if she'd ever heard her Aunt laugh with such uninhibited joy. She didn't know who Oscar Madison was, but she didn't have to. If he gave her Auntie so much joy in her life, he was alright with her.
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