Chapter 60

When Luis and I got back to the Village, as I had begun to think of it, Carlos and Juan were winding down. They had finished their repairs to the house where they worked the last couple of days.

"While you were gone Senorita, a man came by and left this card. He was a young man in a small van," Carlos said to me.

"Really," I said. Andrews Flooring, the card read. "I wonder what he wants."

Carlos just shrugged. The man from Andrews flooring had said something to Carlos, but he chose not to share it with me. I wondered about that. I remembered that all the men Carlos recommended were Latino. I wondered it he was a closet racist. His family had acted really strange since Jose's death.

I shrugged it off and asked Juan to help unload Luis's things. Once I pulled into the dirt drive, we made short work of the boxes. "I'm going to stay to give Luis a lesson in fire building," I suggested to Juan.

After we got the fire going Luis unpacked. As he emptied the boxes I studied him closely. He was covered with tattoos. Some were beautiful skin art others were just junk. "Do you still have the sketch pad?" I asked.

"It's full," he said.

"Really could I see it?" I asked.

"Another time perhaps," he said.

"Okay, well I'll leave these with you. Please make notes on the sketches themselves. I'll get them in a couple of days," I said. Now do you want Cable TV? If you do the expense is on you. Juan and Carlos will be around tomorrow working on the deserted houses all around you. If you get bored you can help them. It is going to be a while before I can get anything going to give you a job. Of course if you help Carlos and Juan, I will pay you."

"How am I going to pay your rent?" he asked.

"You will pay me what you paid at the housing authority," I said.

"I paid half my SSI check to them. It was slightly above $400, but it covered everything," he said.

"Well give me that and don't ever tell anyone else what your deal is. I will pay your electric bill, and furnish you wood for heat. I am going to need Internet access, so they might as will install the WiFi in your house. If you want cable you pay for it. If not, I can teach you how to get TV shows on the Internet. You can save a bunch of money that way. I am also going to install a telephone line for the company. As part of your rent I expect you to answer the phone. If you do anything else, we will work out a deal for that as well. For now just take messages, or forward calls to me."

I did that to recover some of the money I was going to lose on Luis, but also to have him screen the calls for me. It would be a while before The Village was up and running, I thought he would like something to do.

The Village was about five miles from Roaring River, which wasn't much of a town. The plaza where I did most of my shopping was about eight miles in a different direction. Everything had different directions when traveling from the Village. Still they were all close enough to ride a bike to both of them. Luis might not be up to a bike, but we would work something out I was sure.

"So I'm going to Walmart to get some knit caps, you want to tag along to buy some food?" I asked.

"Sure but you know how I love take out, could we get some burgers to bring home?" he asked.

"Sure why not, now let's get a move on. You can straighten this place out later," I said.

On the ride to the plaza Luis asked, "Can I do tattoos in the house until I get a shop?" he asked.

"Sure check with Carlos about building you a table or whatever furniture that he can make for you. I'll start a bill for you. You can work off the things which I front for you."

When I awoke the next morning, I felt good. I had managed to find a man to entertain me in a chat room, so I was more relaxed than I had been in a while. One of the things I had learned in chat was that there were men posing as women there. It tended to make the men paranoid, so I had to change my description, so I appeared even more less than perfect. It was strange for me to pretend I was twenty five pounds over weight with thin brown hair. Hell everything about a chat room was pretend. I had serious doubt that there were that many well endowed men hanging around chat rooms. But they all said they were.

I know I was way to good looking, according to some of them, to be hanging out in the room myself. They didn't know I had pretty much withdrawn from the world. Every time I went out, I risked being recognized as one of my alter egos. Only bad things could come from that.

So I sat by the fire drinking my morning coffee with a smile on my face for a change. I was about half ready for the morning trike ride, when the phone rang. I expected it to be Alice.

It was Luis instead. "Could you stop on the way here and bring me a biscuit?" he asked.

"Sure but I know you have milk and cereal I put them in your cart last night," I replied.

"I don't have a cereal bowl," he said.

"Make a list of what you need and we will go shopping. I'll put it on your account. You better get those sketches critiqued so you can start reducing your tab," I said.

"Is there a laundromat around here anywhere?" he asked.

Hell, I don't know. You can do your laundry at my place for a while, but not forever," I said. "You can give me a lesson while you are here. Now I have to go. I'll be by before nine."

"We are at the end of your drive. Who calls you at 6 AM?" She asked.

"I'm coming now. I'll explain over breakfast," I said.

"Oh my you are a pen and ink artist," Alice said.

"You knew that. You just forgot," Jeremy said.

"Your friend, is he any good?" Alice asked.

"He is a great tattoo artist and a pretty good sketch artist as well," I replied.

"I want a tattoo," Alice said. "I want a tattoo of Sylvia's Swamp Dog on the base of my spine."

"A tramp stamp?" I asked.

"Yes of course," she said.

"Well you have earned it. I'll introduce you to Luis and you can discuss it with him," I suggested.

"When?" Alice asked.

"Don't you want to think about this some more?" I asked.

"Fuck no, if I think about it I might chicken out," she said.

"Jeremy, are you going to be alright with this?" I asked.

"It's her decision. She is my sister not my daughter," he said.

Okay come to the village after you get your morning things done. I had no idea what she did in the morning, but I hoped one of them was to shower. All three of us worked up a sweat racing to the plaza.

When I got home, I took a shower and sat by the stove to towel my hair dry. When it was dry enough to put under a knit cap, I pulled on my black sweatshirt, my black toboggan relaxed fit jeans, and then my camo hunting coat. I looked like one the Duck Dynasty wives, but I really didn't care.

I drove my truck to the fast food restaurant first, then to the Village. "Luis get your clothes on, I might have lined up a Tattoo for you," I said as I stood on his porch with the food.

He came to the door with a smile brighter than I had ever seen. He handed me the sketches I had left with him. "Critique session twenty five bucks," he said.

"Okay, I'll take it off your bill," I said. I carried the sketches with me, while I checked in with Carlos and Juan.

"Good morning guys, where we at?" I asked.

"We are going to move on to the house at the end of this block. The roof has to be done for sure, then repair the water damage. It really shouldn't take too long. We have enough rescued materials to do the work."

"Good, I have to take Luis to the plaza to buy some things for his house. I should be back before noon. That is if Alice ever gets here. She wants to talk to Luis about a Tattoo," I informed the two of them.

Carlos looked away without commenting. I had a feeling he knew something I didn't. I didn't think it was anything too serious, or he would have explained himself to me.

We were discussing the plans for the village's rejuvenation. While I was still with the two of them Alice drove up just before the painter and the flooring men arrived.

"Alice would you do me a big favor," I asked.

"What do you need Rose?" she asked.

"I promised to take Luis to Walmart to buy things for his kitchen but I don't have time. Would you take the truck and drive him. I will owe you a big one," I said.

"What does this Luis look like," she asked.

"He is old honey. He is not going to be a threat," I suggested.

"But Rose, old can be sexy," she said.

I gave her my keys and then said to her, "Go on up to his house knock on the door and tell him I sent you."

Alice nodded, "I can handle that."

"Alice he doesn't have any money. Here take this and let me know if you need more." I handed her three one hundred dollar bills.

"Got ya," she said and left.

"How about you waiting and we will have more time to pick colors. I just need a minute to talk to this guy," I said pointing to the floor man sitting in his truck waiting patiently for me.

"Sure why don't I drive up to the house and start laying my stuff out. Which one do you want painted first?" he asked.

"Two doors up," I said pointing the direction he should go to find it.

"So what can I do for you," I asked the flooring man.

"I like that, don't waste time just cut right to it," he commented.

"Unlike you, who wants to talk," I replied.

"Right," he said. Then added, "I refinish hardwood floors. I know your crew has patched the floors and you plan to put carpet down now, but I can refinish the floor a lot cheaper than carpet."

"Have you seen the floors in these houses?" I asked.

"No," he replied.

"Okay the house at the end of the block, that way," I said pointing the opposite direction from where I sent the painters. We are about to call the carpet house to do it, but if you can beat them, I'll give you a try. Go look at it then come find me, I'm going to be around a while," I said.

Luis was a nice guy but I was glad for Alice to take him shopping. After I picked the trim colors, I sat in the cold house where Carlos and Juan were installing a roof deck. Two of Carlos' friends would be in on Monday to put on the shingles. I bought the shingles and they installed them for five hundred and fifty dollars a house. It was a little less expensive that paying Carlos and Juan to do it. They didn't mind sharing the workload.

I was deep into reading the critique, when the flooring man came in. "I need to know do you want them to look like new, or with some character?" he asked.

"Smooth wood rough finish," I said.

"Nobody gets splinters, but the wood looks its age?" he asked.

"Exactly," I agreed.

I sand the floors to get them as level as I can. I vacuum them then put two coats of colored poly on them. Six hundred bucks a house," he suggested.