Chapter 125

"That's my truck," I said to the owner of Herro's auto repair shop. I had taken time to shower and change so I didn't look or smell too bad. "So what's the word on it."

"The word is you bent the valves, blew the head gasket, and when we pull it, we might find the pistons have been scored," he said.

"So how long and how much," I asked.

"It the pistons aren't scored probably under a thousand, if they are you would be better off with a different motor," he said honestly.

I was speechless. "I'm going to need a minute to think," I said. Maybe I should just go back to County Seat and get my motorized tricycle, I though. That's when I thought about the the riding mower in parts on the floor of the hanger, the poor truck presumably all in pieces outside the shop. I had nothing mechanical except Wilson Honda to get me around. I had to make some decisions but in the funk I was wallowing in, they would most likely be the wrong ones. Of course I had enough money so that if I lost some due to stupidity I could just consider it a stupid tax and move on. Some folks didn't have that luxury. I tried to live as if I didn't have the safety net. But sometimes with or without the net you had to just roll the dice and hope you did the right thing.

I used the cell phone to get an estimate of the truck's worth. I could replace it with one just like it for about $10,000, more or less. "Do the repair," I said. Hell I liked the truck, and I had those lock boxes install under the seat. Plus it had that trailer hitch. "I want you to do it right," I added.

"Give us a week, and we will have it and I assure you it will be right," he said.

"While you have it check it out completely," I insisted. "I mean from the wheels to the windshield."

I rode the bike away headed for home. I stopped at Mr.BJ's for a biscuit and cup of bad coffee on the way, since it was on the way. Again I sat outside at the concrete tables to eat. It was almost lunch time when I got back to the barge. I could tell Wilson wanted to talk to me, but he wasn't quite ready to tell me whatever it was he had on his mind.

"He came up to the deck with his laptop. "You ought to look at these," He advised.

I took the laptop from him. The picture in the website was an electric hub motor. "Most of the trips we make we could make on something like this. It would cut down on our carbon footprint." Wilson said.

"Okay Wilson where did this come from. It isn't from you and it isn't from Mel, so what girl is this from," I asked. I thought it was a reasonable question.

Lois from the TV crew spent the evening with us last night. She was peaching how bad carbon emissions are for the environment," Wilson said. "I just thought now would be a good time to make a change. With the truck dead and all."

"I'm having Herro do major surgery on the truck. I will think about this. How did you happen to meet that TV crew?" I asked.

"Mel had to be interviewed and be briefed on how to act," he said.

"I thought the big draw was they weren't actors," I said.

"Lois just gave her a few tips, not a script or anything." Wilson said.

"Right," I said with a smile. "So are you two ready to talk restaurant?" I asked.

"It's not me you need to talk to. It's Mel of course," he said.

"You do know she is half your age and this just won't work," I said.

"I don't care if it works or not. I'm having a blast now, so that all that I care about. I could have a stroke tomorrow and end up brain dead, so yeah I'm trying to have all the fun I can." He looked at me as if I cared.

"Good for you Wilson, just be careful she doesn't break your heart." I said.

"Okay, if it will make you feel better I'll go slow," he said.

"Let's get her in to talk restaurants," I suggested. Wilson went to fetch her while I checked out the electric hub motor for bicycles. If they did what they said they did offer a viable alternative to the automobile especially in my present location. Probably not so much at county seat. I couldn't use one on a stake out, but I could ride it to Jefferson Island. Truth is it would be a novelty. I technically owned the Ranger and the Honda and Wilson had his old econo box, if times really got desperate. Still it was something to think about. At the moment I was royally pissed as gasoline engines. I could see me going to and all electric vehicles. To me hibreds were the worst of both worlds.

"Here we are," Wilson said.

"Good it's time you decided on a restaurant concept Mel," I suggested.

"I know but Wilson and I have been everywhere and looked at everything and we just can't find the right concept," she said.

"You agree with that Wilson," I asked.

"Yes we have seen a lot of places this last week, but we just cant decide," he agreed.

"Okay, here is how it is going to go. I am going to buy the three building as a lot. The one on the corner with be the pub, the one next to it, a store to sell local arts and crafts. Like the old men's boxes. The third building will be a restaurant and since you can't decide, I have decided for you. It will be a gourmet hot dog restaurant. So now Mel, if you want in I will make you the managing partner."

"Of course I want in. I promise I will do a good job for you," she said.

"Well you and Wilson can start right now. Do your research and discover all you can about gourmet hot dogs and toppings. Then you two can conceptualize the restaurant's layout and decor. We don't want hot dog stand and we don't want waiters in suits and ties either. So work on it." I explained.