Chapter 7: A Nice Walk, Yeah Right

I have nearly 3 hours ... Ok ... more than two. Road-trip? Do I really want to reset all that?

I believe I'll hoof it. I want some boat-shoes. I ran upstairs to my suite, fetched my rubbers from my shoe bag in the closet, and slipped them on over my black shoes. And looked out the front window.

Across the street from the veranda was a General Mercantile.

Before I go out, what kind of devilment can I set up for the next bunch of nosy people? Better not, the "J's" haven't made the bed or straightened up. They're in this at least tits high, but I don't want to intentionally hurt one. Pussy is pussy and we have been introduced.

That Mercantile will probably have boat shoes. Down the stairs, through the gate. 'CLANG' 'this hall is really beautiful' Out the door, around the mezzanine, down the stairs through the lobby, out on the veranda ... well, lookee here. A "J" dressed for walking and she seems to be waiting for me.

"Are you waiting for me?"

"No, I was wanting a walk to ease my joints."

"And mighty fine joints they are," I said, ogling her supporting cast and secure foundation. "You do have some excellent ligaments."

She punched my arm. "Flatterer."

I staggered. She laughed.

"Oh" I snapped my fingers. "Forgot ... I'll be right back," and left. Straight through the lobby and out the hall to the parking lot ... where a "J" was leaning on my car. 'Thought so.'

"Well ... come on. I decided to walk." I grabbed her by the arm and hustled, really muscled, her out to the veranda where we surprised the first "J". I grabbed her with my other hand and we were off. One girl in boots, the other in slippers. I hummed a little ditty as we splashed through the drying mud on the way to the store.

"What is that tune? I'm sure I've heard it before." Said like twins the world over.

I sang the words.

"Oh, what tangled web we weave,

"When first we practice to deceive."

They blushed.

YES!! The Mercantile had boat shoes. I bought 4 pair from the clerk who looked suspiciously like Jason, John, Jerry, Jake. "I'll bet you're Jim, I said.

"Jesse. Jim is my brother ... Come now, we're not that hard to tell apart. We all have our differences. You'll be young David James from the hotel." He nodded to the girls, "Jillian. Julia."

If I don't let them go I can tell Jill is on my left, Julia on my right. But I have to let go so they can try on shoes.

"I need boat shoes ... two pair for me and a pair each for Jill and Jules."

"The girls are no problem." he pointed at the shoe racks. All different sizes, but a column headed, 'J shoes.' "They all wear the same size and there's only one color. Tan. It saves a lot of bickering." He grinned at the pair. "Doesn't it, girls." They had the grace to blush.

Prices must be going up, all 4 pair were $10. Inflation ... where will it end? I remember when RedBalls were 75 cents. Jesse rang up the sale, gave me change from my 20 and we were out the door. I looked back through the glass ... he was already on the phone.

"Well, Ladies? Up hill? Down hill? Side hill? East? West? North? South? Decide."

"I want to stay where it's dry and grassy," suggested Jill. "I've been dealing with mud for days."

"I just want to stretch my legs," Julia complained, "I'd like to stretch something else, too. But I have a feeling it's not going to happen until you find out about the house."

"We have about an hour and a half." I suggested, "Where can we go in 45 minutes and get back in time?"

"I don't really care, I just want out." Julia complained.

"I can go for that." Jill agreed. "You chose."

"The House it is," I said. "That's where I really wanted to go but I'll defer to you if there's someplace you'd rather go."

The sigh blew around the world. I'm sure people in China were waiting for the breeze.

"OK ... let's do it. He's going to go there sooner or later."

We moseyed. A mosey is different from an amble. An amble has a place to go but you're in no great hurry.

A mosey is an amble with sidetracks. We looked in all the shop windows and explored the side streets of the main downtown. Downtown doesn't fit but I've never heard of down village.

We even stopped in the Greek Ice Cream Parlor ... they don't serve Greek ice cream. It's a shop run by Greeks, and the only foreigners in town. They've been in town for nearly 200 years but they don't wear khakis or boat shoes ... foreigners ... like summerfolk who own property in town but commute to the city once a year ... foreigners. Through the years, the Greeks sent their sons to Greece to find a suitable woman to take to wife.

I bought three fountain cokes with cherry syrup ... we sipped them at the counter. 7 cents each... 2 cents was for the syrup. Ah, the last of the big spenders. Well, I did buy some homemade fudge for the girls. Chocolate makes a reasonable substitute.

I even stopped in the gun shop to see what was available. 'GUNS & JUNK' the sign read. Walking in that door was my first mistake of the day.

'Jay & J. Prop.' painted on the Door. "Clank!" said the cowbell over the door. THAT was refreshing ... annoying as all get out but a welcome change from 'ding'. We bulled our way through the junk to the counter at the back. I lost the girls somewhere near the castiron ware.