Chapter 193

I put a microwaveable bowl of frozen macaroni & Cheese on for dinner. While it heated. I found one of those boxes of frozen hush puppies kind of things. The macaroni was very good but the hush puppies was pretty awful. I knew I should have made muffins in the toaster oven. Next time, I thought.

After dinner I watched TV shows on the computer. I caught up on a couple of reality shows from Alaska and a cop show or two. I really watched a lot of TV on the computer but it was at odd ball times. Like the Alaska reality show was from two years before. A couple of the cop shows were from the previous season.

Then of course I went into an adult chat room and played reindeer games. I know it was a sad existence, but I did sleep well.

The first thing the next morning at 5 AM or there abouts I got on the bike and rode for two hours. I went into town, then out to the plaza for a biscuit with the highway patrol guys. I really just spoke to them as I passed I didn't try to have conversations with them. There weren't too many things I did I could talk to them about. Well they might find them interesting but I might not like the consequences.

After breakfast I just hung out most of the morning. I did nothing but check out new ideas and research where to buy things till almost noon. At noon I decided I needed to start working on my promise to Bosco about his Daughter. Getting her into the band camp shouldn't be a problem, I thought.

I couldn't figure out who owed me a favor, and was in the position to help a high school musician. Since it was almost noon, I began calling around. I wasn't asking for the favor, I was looking for someone, who knew someone to ask for the favor.

I had exhausted all the other possibilities, so I called one of the people from my past. I hated to do it for more than one reason, but such is life. I dialed what I thought was the best number. "Hello the State Bureau of Investigation locater service." The voice answered.

"Good could you tell me where I might find Agent Mission please?" I asked.

"I can connect you Ma'am. Who shall I say is calling?" she asked.

"Tell her it's Sylvia Porter," I said not being cute. I could have given her an alias, but why bother. The call bounced all over. I would have been surprised, if it had been easy.

"Hello," the voice answered. "Sylvia what in the world are you doing calling me?" You in trouble?" she asked.

"Do I have to be in trouble to call an old friend?" I asked.

"Sylvia come on, I'm a cop, you were a cop, you know better," she said.

"Okay, I need to know who can do me a favor," I said.

"Dare I ask what kind of favor," she said.

"I arrested a guy a few years back and his daughter wants to go to a state music Christmas camp this year. I need to see that she gets a fair shake in the application process, that's all." I said.

"You sure about that being all," She asked.

"Absolutely sure," I said.

"Tell you what, have her send me a copy of the application with a note that you are involved and I'll shop it around. I might can get it looked at by someone who can help, but no guarantees." She said.

"Then no guarantees next time you come to town," I said.

"Are there ever?" She asked.

"Not in my experience," I said in agreement. I made a note of her mailing address.

I went to a late lunch at the cafe on the square. When I finished I went next door to the pub and entered through the rear. "Hey you always leave that door open? You are asking to be held up." I said to The Brit.

"Nothing worth steeling here yet," he said with a smile.

"Brit it don't take much for these dudes," I said. "Give them a shotgun and they all turn into Rambo."

"Well, we will just have to convince them they ain't," He said.

"That's true. Well I'm going to go meet Bosco, Is there anything in particular you want me to ask?" I asked The Brit.

"Well you have covered the mash barrel and you have an idea of your first recipe. You might want to know where to but the ingredients without having cops on your ass," he suggested.

'Okay. I'll Come by after the meeting with Bosco," I suggested.

I picked up a six pack and went to meet my expert. First thing I did was tell him about the application for his daughter. He just nodded his understanding.

"So where did we leave off?" he asked.

"Well I know what I'm going to recommend for a mash barrel. I'm going to suggested a 32gal recycle barrel from Home Depot. One with wheels," I suggested.

"That's a good choice I think. Only problem is there is no bottom tap to empty it. Of course that only comes into use to clean it out. You gonna want to keep using it a couple of times or more." Bosco said.

"Before we get to that, lets talk about the equipment a home brewer would need," I suggested.

"Well a brewer using that kind of barrel, if he was using it in his garage, would need to get water to it. He would probably use a hose to get water into the mash barrel. He could probably dip it out and into the cooker. So the guy cooking at home would need a plastic cup to dip it out and a fine mesh strainer to pour it through." he explained.