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Tolliver By ABC de F Chapter One The first thing that Ben Bowman liked about Tolliver was the large percentage of people around his age. Small towns across the country were notorious for losing their young people to the opportunities and temptations of big cities, yet here was a town that not only defied the trend but had moved in the opposite direction. The heart of Tolliver was spirited, vibrant, and youth- oriented. The first things that Ben Bowman disliked about Tolliver were that it leaned a little too much toward boutiques and crafts, and had a transitory look about it. The town was too small and too remote to be very successful as a tourist destination, but it had something of that look as well. Bowman was looking for quiet and out of the way. Tolliver's personality was somewhat constrained by its size - it was, after all, a small town and relatively quiet - and it was certainly off the beaten track. But, against the trends that beset small towns, it was growing. He passed two new apartment complexes and a small new strip mall on his way in, and a big sign on the three-story former hotel on the town square announced its conversation into condos. Other buildings appeared to have been newly renovated, or at least cleaned up. He found the pastry shop on the town square and parked in front of it. He noticed people in the verdant square and on the sidewalks, and it suddenly hit him that what Tolliver reminded him of was a small college town, minus the college. The overwhelming number of people were between 18 and 23 could have passed for the student population. At 25 he felt like a post-grad that had hung around hoping for a teaching slot to open up. A pretty redheaded girl was behind the counter, packing up pastries for a waiting couple that couldn't have been over twenty. When they left another couple their age came in. Ben stepped to the counter and asked for Blake Wrombert. The redhead turned and shouted over her shoulder, "Blake! A cute guy here to see you!" Ben laughed. A curtain parted and a well-built guy came through, a frown on his face. When he saw Ben the frown changed into a smile. "Hey, buddy, you made it," Blake said. "A couple unmarked turns, but here I am," Ben said. "Good, good. Have you gotten a room yet?" "Just drove in," Ben said. "Where do you recommend?" "Well, I'd like to set you up at my place but since Lilly moved in we're a little cramped," Blake said. "The Meadows is nice and new. You passed it on the way in. You want me to call?" "Sure," Ben said. A room was arranged and Ben agreed to return at 5:15 so Blake could take him around and show him the town. "Not much to see," Blake said, "but you said you were looking for small. Tolliver's got that, for sure. Some good places to eat, some great bars, and nice shops. There's a creek about five miles outside of town - you said you liked to fish. Plus, I think we could use a CPA here." "So you said," Ben replied. "I like the idea of my own practice, kinda laid back." "Laid back is our middle name," Blake said. "Not that we don't know how to party. We're real good at that." Ben smiled. "Anybody do any hunting?" "Deer season, but that's about it, if you can call it hunting," Blake said. "Mostly they just start camp fires and get drunk." The Meadows was new and fairly nice, with reasonable rates. After he washed up and changed he had to hurry to get back to the pastry shop on time. Blake was waiting for him out front, talking to two other guys. Introductions were made, the new guys made small talk about sports, commenting that Ben looked like he kept in shape and that their softball team could use a big guy for first base. "The guys are always looking for a jock for the team," Blake said as he got behind the wheel of his SUV. "Everybody's into sports but it's impossible to get those clowns to show up for practice." "I'm in, if I move," Ben said. "What's holding you back?" "Nothing, really. But it's a big change and I want to be sure this is what I want." Blake started the vehicle and began the tour of Tolliver. The main road continued through the town square and out the other side of town. That side had escaped the beautification that the south side was experiencing. "Old people live out here," Blake said. "Our version of the other side of the tracks. Most of them have moved out of town, which is fine with me. I just wanted to show you, to save you the time exploring." The houses were modest clapboard structures, clustered in little groups of three or four, separated by groups of vacant lots. They petered out quickly and Blake made a K turn in the empty road. "Where do you end up if you keep going?" Ben asked. "Nowhere," Blake said. "Seriously. The road Ts at a country road after about fifteen miles. One way's forest and the other way leads to Humphrey, which is like Tolliver was five years ago: dying." "All the young people moving away?" "Moved," Blake said, finishing the turnaround and heading back to Tolliver. "There was some mining off to the left, past the forest, but that played out way before I got here. A little farming, mostly vegetables and soybeans." "The thing I don't understand is why there are so many college aged people in Tolliver," Ben said. "Like I told you when I met you in that bar, it just sort of happened. Some came and they sort of attracted others and pretty soon we were voting out the old fogies and we took over. Now we run it for us." Blake had started a conversation with Ben at a bar in the city, a place that drew a lot of jocks with jobs, as they called themselves. Though it was nominally a sports bar, the crowd was made up almost exclusively of white-collar types just starting their careers. Blake had started talking with another guy about a team and Ben had responded and they'd hit it off. Finding out that Blake was from out of town sort of freed Ben and he said some things about his life that he normally wouldn't have shared. One of them was how he'd like to chuck it all and find a quiet small town where the pressure level was low and he could start his own business. That was when Blake told him about Tolliver. The rest of the tour didn't take long. Almost all the stores closed early, the nicer residential area was very small and consisted mostly of a group of single-family homes and two renovated apartment buildings that reminded Ben of student housing, probably because everyone walking around was college age. The shops may have closed early but the bars opened early, and they all seemed to cater to the young crowd. One, called Darts, had a big neon dartboard for its sign, and its parking lot was already full. "There are some apartments available back there," Blake said. "I know, because that's where Lilly and I live. You want to stop for a brewski?" "I think I'll pass tonight," Ben said. "Long drive. But I'll take you up on that tomorrow if you and Lilly are free." "Sure thing, buddy," Blake said. "No problem. Rest up and tomorrow we'll show you how Tolliver parties." "Cool. Has Tolliver got a gym?" "Naw, not really, There's a fitness club, but it's chicks only. You work out?" "Yeah." "You look like it," Blake said. "That's too much like manual labor for the guys here." "Well, I've got free weights and a couple benches," Ben said. "I can set them up in a spare bedroom if I get an apartment." "Pump that iron, dude," Blake grinned. Chapter Two Ben spent the next day driving around on his own. The town intrigued him and he couldn't put his finger on exactly what the attraction was. It made no sense that so many people in a certain age group, a group that was interested in what was hip, should settle in Tolliver. Blake's explanation of its appeal to people in their early twenties was weak; there was really nothing there for them other than a bunch of other people their own age, and they could find that anywhere. How many people could there be like himself, at his age, trying to escape the career-obsessed city life? People his age were starting careers, not avoiding them. Tolliver was too small for a newspaper, even a weekly shopper, and way too small for a radio or TV station or library, so there was no professional source of information on the town. He ended up driving out the main street toward the north side. The older folks should know about Tolliver before the youth invasion happened. A convenience store with gas pumps was the only business so he pulled in. An elderly woman coming out seemed startled to see him and gave him a disgusted look as she passed by. The clerk must have been seventy, as were the two men browsing the aisles. All three gave him the same mildly disgusted look when they noticed him. He got a beer from the cooler and took it to the counter. "I'm new in town," he told the clerk. "That right?" the man said, disinterested. "Is there anybody around that can tell me a little about the area, about Tolliver?" That caught the man's attention and he loudly announced to the two customers, "Man wants to know about Tolliver." "I'll bet he does," one of the older men said, turning away. No one said anything else. "Who should I talk to?" Ben asked. The clerk shook his head. "No suggestions?" Ben persisted. "Won't do no good," the clerk said. "Why not?" "Why don't you just go back to the other side of town and leave us be," the clerk said. Ben stood looking at him but decided not to push it. As he was leaving one of the customers called out, "Tell him to go talk to Henry; he's the sumbitch that started it all." "We don't know that," the clerk said. Ben turned around and walked down an aisle to the speaker. "Who's Henry?" he asked. "I shouldn't have said nothing," the old man said. "I don't know why not," the elderly man in the next aisle said. He came around the end of the shelves, holding a six-pack and two bags of potato chips. "Nothing illegal in talking." The first man moped. "So who's Henry?" Ben asked again. "A crazy old vagabond," the second man said. "A hermit. They say he discovered something." "What?" "Nobody knows. 'Cept maybe the kids." "You don't that, Arnold," the clerk said. He turned toward the counter. "That's what they say," Arnold said. "They don't know, either," the clerk said. "Maybe. Maybe not," Arnold said. He turned back to Ben. "Go talk to him and find out. I, for one, would like to know what the hell's going on around here." "Henry's hardly even been to town," the clerk said. "It's just gossip, and people making things up to explain other things. Henry don't know squat." "Maybe. Maybe not," Arnold said again. "Maybe this new fella here can find out for sure. I sure as hell would like to know." "Why?" Ben asked. "What's the mystery? What's going on?" "Hell, if I knew I'd tell ya," Arnold said. "And you don't know squat," the clerk said. "Just like Henry don't know squat." Arnold shrugged and made to pass by Ben, taking his items to the counter. "Where do I find this Henry?" Ben asked. Arnold looked at the clerk, then to the third old timer. No one said anything. "He's liable to shoot you," the third man said. "Henry don't like visitors." "Thanks for the warning," Ben said. "Now where do I find him?" The man hesitated for a moment before replying. "Keep going. There's a dirt road about four miles up. Goes through the woods. When it comes out the other side go about four or five miles..." "Six at least," Arnold interrupted. "Go about four or five miles," the man repeated firmly. "Watch for another dirt road to your left. It's easy to miss because no one ever uses it. Just keep going until you see a shack. Only one out there. That's Henry's." "Thanks," Ben said. "Should I tell him you sent me?" The man chuckled. "Better not." "In fact, you didn't stop here," Arnold said. "You never saw us, and you never talked to us." "Got it," Ben said. He bought a cold six-pack of the same brand Arnold carried, a couple bags of snacks, and a bag of coffee. The road was a challenge. The first part, through the hilly forest, was so untraveled that ten-inch saplings were growing down the center. The turnoff was worse. It was covered in short weeds and was almost indistinguishable from the surrounding field. When Ben finally came to the dwelling he decided that the term the old fellow had used, shack, was perfect. It was twenty by twenty and appeared to be just one room. Ben honked his horn as soon as he saw it, and honked a number of times before he pulled up in front of the crude wood structure. He waited in the car, honking a few more times, figuring it was wise not to surprise a man who was reputed to likely shoot him. When no one appeared he got out of the car, carrying the beer, coffee and snacks. He knocked on the door and got no response. He waited, decided to walk around the building. Henry appeared to be self-sufficient. The area behind the house was divided into three sections. A large pen held two goats, another elaborately fenced area kept critters out of a vegetable garden, and an area off to the side held an outhouse with its door wide open. He went back to the front door, where he knocked again. Getting no response he put the items down and returned to his car. He waited a few more minutes before leaving. Chapter Three "I talked to a few of my friends and they want to meet you," Blake said. "They said they could use a bookkeeper around here." Ben had grabbed a double-burger, fries and giant Coke at a Mom-and-Pop - or, more accurately, a Bro'-and-Sis' - drive- thru, checked out a few stores on the town square, and stopped in at Blake's pastry shop. "Mostly I think they want a good first baseman, though," Blake said with a laugh. "I'm up for that, too, if I stay," Ben said. "You don't like Tolliver?" Blake asked, concerned. "I do," Ben said. "It's perfect. But I have the odd sense that I'm missing something." "Like what?" "I don't know," Ben said. He was tempted to ask about the college town atmosphere in a town that didn't have a college or, as far as he could tell, a school of any kind. But he believed he'd just get the same answer from Blake: some kids came and they attracted other kids. He kept his knowledge of Henry to himself, both because the old-timers at the convenience store asked him to keep quiet, and because he anticipated that Blake would pooh-pah Henry's supposed knowledge. "Why don't you come back after we close, like last night, and I'll take you home and you can have dinner with Lilly and me, and then we'll hit a few clubs. Tolliver's pretty lively at night," Blake said. "I know you said you wanted a quiet place, but here you can have quiet - with an option to party if you want." "Sounds good," Ben said. "I'll see you then." He felt foolish doing it, but he headed south, toward his motel, and when he was out of sight of the pastry shop he turned right, then right again, and took a road parallel to the main drag. The road petered out after a dozen block and Ben took a right and left, bringing him back to the main through road. No big deal, but he didn't want Blake to see him heading north. He drove to the same convenience store and the same clerk was there. Ben picked up a box of salt and a bag of sugar and took them to the counter. As he was checking out, an elderly lady came in, paused when she saw him, then headed to the rear of the store. "Talk to Henry?" the clerk asked as he rang up the purchases. "Nobody home," Ben said. The clerk nodded. He bagged the items and said, "Bribe?" Ben laughed, "I suppose you could call it that." "Probably more stuff than Henry's seen in a while," the clerk said. "What can you tell me about him?" Ben asked. The man seemed to think about it for a minute. "He's not from around here," he said. "Moved here probably twenty-five years or so, and I don't know where he come from. Built his shack himself. Hunts for the pot. Tried some mining in the creek but there's nothing there. I heard he sleeps under trees if he's wandered too far by nightfall, but I don't know that for sure. Just hearsay." Ben waited for more but the clerk just looked at him. Ben paid, and asked, "No visitors?" "Wouldn't really know," the clerk said. "Out in the boonies like that, anybody could come and go, and who's to know?" Ben nodded. "The other gentleman said the rumor was that Henry had found something." "Aw, he don't know squat," the clerk said. "You know how people are. When they don't know something they make up stories that sound interesting. Some people call that gossip. Some call it bullshit." By the way he said it, there was no doubt what he called it. The woman came to the counter with a couple items, standing off to the side as if she didn't want to get too close to Ben. "Well, thanks," Ben said. He drove out to the shack again, honking all the way. Henry hadn't returned and his initial gifts were still by the front door. Ben added the salt and sugar. He sat in his car for half an hour, honked a few more times, and then backed on to the path that passed for a road. A man stepped out from some bushes forty feet behind him and walked toward the car. He was carrying a rifle across his chest and wore a pistol in a Western holster on his hip. Ben cut the engine and waited, watching the man in his side mirror. Hello Henry, he thought. The old hermit moved slowly but with confidence, coming up to the side of the car. "What do you want?" "If you're Henry I want to talk to you for a minute," Ben said. "I'm new in town and I'm trying to learn about the area." At the phrase "new in town" Henry raised his rifle. "Don't go to town," Henry said. "Who sent you?" "Nobody," Ben said. He knew this would be the difficult part, trying to win the man's confidence by starting off with a weak lie. "I just heard about you and thought you'd be interesting to talk to." "You figure me to buy that?" He spit. Ben smiled, "It's pretty much true." "What part ain't?" "It's true, but it's not everything," Ben said. "I'm really trying to figure out something that doesn't make sense. I thought you might know the answer." "What would that be?" "Mind if I get out of the car?" Ben asked. Henry stepped back, his rifle now pointing directly at Ben. "Come ahead," Henry said. "Slow." Ben did. He had four or five inches on the man, and was at least forty years younger, but made sure to move in a way that was non-threatening. "You seem a little defensive," Ben said. "Got my reasons," Henry said. "Okay. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" "Try one," Henry said. "It's difficult to put it into words but, like I said, I'm new to Tolliver. I may move here. But there's something ... I don't know. I can't put my finger on it but something seems wrong about the place." The grizzly old man smiled. "Do tell." "What is it?" "You tell me," Henry said. "That's it, I don't know," Ben said. "It's nice enough. But it's strange for a small town in the middle of nowhere to have so many young people." "Lots of pretty girls," the man said. "There are," Ben agreed. "And college guys, but no college." The old man nodded. "I suppose it could happen, but it doesn't feel right," Ben said. Henry nodded again. "And I just realized this," Ben said, "but I don't think I've seen anyone that's tall." "You're tall," Henry said. "Usually," he said, thinking out loud as much as talking to the hermit, "in a bunch of guys there's somebody else six-two, maybe somebody taller, but I think every guy I've seen is like five-nine, five-eight, and I've seen a lot of guys walking around. Of course they're all a little younger, but ... I've seen some short guys, but no tall guys." "How 'bout that," Henry said, mockery in his voice. "What do you mean?" The man stared at Ben for a moment. "Best get back in your car. A stranger could get shot out here. Best don't come back." "Just tell me what you know," Ben said. "I don't want no trouble," Henry said. "I wouldn't tell a soul," Ben said. Henry spit. "Best get out of here right now. And don't come back." Ben wanted to push it but the man sounded more irritated with every sentence. "I'm good at keeping a secret," Ben said, turning away and opening his car door. "So am I," Henry said. Chapter Four Lilly was a vivacious little blonde with a winning smile. She thanked Ben for the bottle of wine he'd brought and took it away. Blake and Ben sat in the living room and after a minute Lilly joined them. Lilly was a town booster, making Tolliver sound like everything anyone could want. She stressed the fun people, the fact that people in their age group filled the few elective offices and made or discarded rules to fit their lifestyles, and the reasonable cost of living. "You really should move," she said. "You'll love it." Dinner was simple, but Lilly was a good cook and it was delicious. The guys cleaned up while she went to change clothes. Tolliver was a party town. It may have been small, but it seemed that every resident - minus the old folks north of town - was out at night, walking the streets, cruising the town square in cars, or hitting the many clubs on the side streets off the square. Blake gave him a run-down of bars within walking distance. "Rock, Country, Blues, Folk, more Rock. Even got a Jazz club, if you like that, but it's not exactly party central." "We went once," Lilly said. "Tolliver's too small to have a drunk driving problem," Blake laughed. "We have a drunk walking problem. You can bar hop without a car." Blake and Lilly seemed to know everyone, and couple after couple came up, said hello, and introduced themselves to Ben. Now that he was aware of it and had formed his unconscious impression into words, he saw that he'd been right about there being no tall people in Tolliver. It wasn't Lilliput, but he could look out over a big group of dancers and be aware that that's what he was doing - looking out over them. The difference wasn't so huge that he felt self-conscious but it was noticeable, once you realized it was there. Blake and Lilly kept him busy, and he caught on that they were introducing him to a nice mix of attractive single girls from among their wide circle of friends. He danced with at least half a dozen during the evening, and hit it off especially well with an athletically built brunette with a ready laugh. It was the combination of people-watching and the fit brunette that brought another observation to him. There weren't many jocks in Tolliver. Ben had always worked out with free weights and machines, though never taking it to extremes. But the guys in Tolliver, with few exceptions, didn't seem athletic. It wasn't that they were soft or flabby, just that the certain normal percentage of college-aged guys that were jocks was missing. Tolliverians weren't bookish looking, either. It wasn't so much a nerd crowd, though that group was represented, as it was a group of average guys in unusual numbers. The girls were probably in better shape, as a group, and Ben figured the fitness center that Blake had mentioned could account for that. "Don't let all the partying overwhelm you," Lilly said at one point, smiling brightly. "Blake said you liked it quiet and there's no law that says you have to hit the clubs every night." "I'll propose one at the next town meeting," Blake joked. "I don't go overboard on the quiet," Ben said. "What I was really talking about was a less stressful place. I like to party. I just want to get away from the pressure of the city and the job." "Amen," Blake said. "There's always so many people coming at you in the city," Ben said. "Dinners with people just because they might be able to advance your career. You know how it is. And everybody's wired to The Next Big Thing, or a great investment opportunity, or something. A guy in my office sells hot luxury cars. At least I think they're hot; they're very cheap. It never stops." "I know exactly what you mean," Lilly said. "I like money as much of the next guy," Ben said, "but I can't picture myself cooking the books for some big corporation for the rest of my life. There are other things." "Like having a good time," Blade said. He raised his glass and they toasted. Chapter Five The Grand Tour of Tolliver's nightlife almost made Ben decide not to move there. It had been fun, but also a bit ... well, juvenile. Some of the people he'd met were his age - the earliest members of Tolliver's youth invasion - but most were four or five years younger, and they made him feel old. Maybe not old as much as mature. Mature wasn't a feeling he'd had on the job, where everyone was older than he was, but just a few years of difference between him and the typical Tollivarian made him aware of it. He liked to party, but partying was a weekend release; in Tolliver dancing, drinking, talking, and listening to music seemed to be the center of life. It was college without the classes. Although Blake and Lilly had introduced him to a few married couples during their night of bar hopping, the overwhelming majority of people were single. That wasn't bad, because having such a large number of attractive girls to date was hugely appealing. But he wondered about the stability of a town with such a preponderance of young singles. Still, no place was perfect, and Tolliver certainly had a lot going for it. Being populated by 18-25 year olds gave it vitality, mixed with an easygoing atmosphere. And although it may not have been a strictly honorable thought, the fact that everyone was young made it more attractive. Not just attractive in the sense that you want to go there, but actually physically more attractive. Everyone was healthy, vivacious, and reasonably-to-very good looking - not a wrinkle, bald head, pot belly or limp to be seen anywhere, as long as he didn't go north of town. Other places, large or small, were homes to a jumble of groups divided by economics, race, age, ethnicity, education, and a million other things. Tolliver was homogeneous. All the stores were for his age group, he could immediately relate to all the shop owners and employees, and all the service businesses catered to a single age group. Even the informal local government was composed of people like him. Hell, if he got stopped for speeding in Tolliver the cop would be twenty years old and understand an occasional, youthful heavy foot. But it was still weird. There were discrepancies in the fa?ade, starting with the reasons given for Tolliver's very existence. He knew why he was tempted to move here, but that didn't explain why everyone else was there. Well, it did, but he found the explanation less than totally satisfying. He had found out about Tolliver in a casual bar conversation with a stranger. That wasn't the kind of thing that could populate a town, even a very small town. True, some kids no doubt found out and told their friends, but how many friends would they have to tell in order to find enough to fill Tolliver? How many friends would say, "Cool. A dinky town in the middle of nowhere. Just what I was looking for." Not many. Making a mental list of pluses and minuses produced a clear picture. Tolliver, despite its few odd quirks, would be a nice place to live. "Fan-fucking-tastic!" Blake said. "I knew you'd like it, and you're going to fit right in. When are you moving?" "I'd like to see if there are any storefronts available," Ben said, "find an apartment, and I want to give the firm two weeks notice." "Sure," Blake said. "Anything I can do to help? I know some guys with pick-ups that can help you move. We don't have a truck rental place in town. You may have to buy them a cold brewski and get their gas, but they'd do it as a favor to me." "Thanks. I'll give you a call." "And Lauren's our local real estate girl," Blake said. "C'mon, I'll introduce you. I know there's a little office just around the corner that's empty." Lauren turned out to be about nineteen, and her pretty blonde receptionist/secretary wasn't a day older. Both were dressed in jeans, polo shirt and sneakers, and knew every building in Tolliver. Lauren showed Ben five different possibilities, all on side streets off the town square, and all within walking distance of each other. The next step was to find an apartment, and that turned out to be just as easy. Blake knew that his complex had at least one two-bedroom available and Ben rode with him to the leasing office. The Manager, an ancient twenty-four, showed Ben upstairs and downstairs units. Ben chose the latter, simply because it would be easier moving his stuff in. Chapter Six It wasn't buyer's remorse so much as it was the natural nervousness associated with a major life move. He'd signed a lease for the cheapest of the offerings Lauren showed him, expressed his appreciation when she offered to take care of the paperwork for the occupational license, get the utilities going, and check on renting the minimum of office furniture. Giving two weeks notice had been a deep-breath-and-charge experience. The CPA firm was uncomfortable with him leaving current accounts, and he could tell that no one believed his story of wanting to get away from the rat race and settle in a little town. Packing was a chore, but because he'd be doing the moving himself and not hiring a company, he didn't bother with double-boxing. The roads for the second half of the trip were rough, two-lane country tarmac but as long as they avoided the potholes it wouldn't be a problem. The "they" was Ben and the two guys that Blake had talked into helping him. Each had a pick-up, but because of Ben's furniture they had to make the five hour round-trip twice. He took care of gas, food, and gave each enough cash to make it worth their while. Loading and unloading, twice, and ten hours on the road made for a long, grueling day, and Ben showered, stretched out on his mattress, the frame still not put together, and slept. His first week as a resident of Tolliver was exhausting. Setting up both the apartment and his new office took an amazing amount of time. Forgotten details popped up constantly and everything required his attention. Blake and Lilly had him over for dinner twice, and he found a good restaurant a block from the office. Blake brought guys by twice a day to introduce Ben to them. Ben felt as if he was auditioning which, in a sense, he was, because they were all potential clients for his new bookkeeping business. Being judged so often took its own toll, though Blake always assured him later that the guys had liked him. If they turned into clients it would be worth it. It wasn't until his tenth day in town that he decided he needed a break. He drove north and stopped at the convenience store. There was a woman in her sixties behind the counter and when he asked about the regular clerk she curtly told him it was the man's day off. He bought canned goods but didn't bother with the beer; the last time it had sat most of the day outside Henry's door, getting warm. He went through his honking approach again, and this time Henry was home and came outside. "Told you not to come back," the old man said. "I moved to Tolliver," Ben said, handing him the bag of groceries. Henry took the bag without looking inside. He shook his head. "Why don't young people ever listen?" "Did you listen when you were young?" Henry stopped. He thought. He smiled slightly. "Hell, no," he said. Henry took the bag inside and Ben followed. The hermit headed to a chair, and Ben quickly glanced around. There wasn't much to see - some crude, handmade furniture, a torn and ragged old store bought couch, a manufactured coffee table with half of one leg missing, kept stable by a stick and duck tape. A counter top, cracked and probably salvaged from the trash somewhere, was supported by boxes. There was an assortment of mismatched plates, glasses, flatware, bowls, and pitchers. Henry put the bag by the chair and sat down, pointing to the couch. Ben sat. "I appreciate you taking the time," he said. "You've been decent to me," Henry said. "You don't listen to me, of course ..." The small smile appeared again. "And I know you're going to get me in a lot of trouble. But it's only right I should invite you in." Ben thanked him. "I don't mean to get you into any trouble." "Nobody ever does," the man said. "You come back about the same thing, I figure." "Yes," Ben said. Henry chewed on non-existent cud. Ben waited. "When you first come," Henry said. "I thought the boys from town sent you. They check up on me from time to time." "Uh-huh," Ben encouraged. "I had this goat, see," Henry said. "Named him Billy. Everybody does. Have a pen out back. Made a leash and took ol' Billy for walks. He wasn't much of a walker but he was company." They both heard the SUV pull up. They looked at each other, and Henry's eyebrows went up and down and he sighed. "Come on in," he said in answer to the knock on the door. Chapter Seven "He's harmless most of the time," Blake said. The two of them were in Ben's new office, sharing lunch. Lilly had brought it by, with enough extra for Ben, and left with a smile. "She gets on a health food thing every now and then," Blake explained, "so I eat a lot of salads and drink a lot of water for a week or two, and then she gets bored with it and I can go back to normal food. It tastes pretty good, actually. Try it." Ben had and it was good. He watched what he ate because he believed in taking care of his body, and was used to salads, spring water and organic foods. "He seems like a nice old guy," Ben said. "Most of the time," Blake repeated. "But sometimes he starts taking shots at people, like he owned that land or something. He thinks the whole forest and all the scrubland are his. He put one guy in the hospital - shot him in the leg." "Henry? He struck me as more bluster than business," Ben said. "Oh, no, he'll use that rifle of his if he feels like it. He's taken shots at lots of people. He's got a history. We know he shot at a couple back when Tolliver was a sleepy little town like all the others. You haven't met them but Marty and Chelsea grew a little pot out in the forest and he shot at them twice. Shot a knapsack." "They were wearing it?" "No, it was on the ground but still, he's a little crazy. And he did shoot that guy in the leg. He's not harmless, for sure." Blake turned to his food, and Ben followed suit. "Carl and Jimmy went a little overboard ordering you back to town," Blake said. "They're still learning the job. Carl's only been Chief of Police for a few months." "It was none of his business if I wanted to talk to Henry or not," Ben said. "You're right, you're right," Blake said. Ben took a drink of the crystal clear spring water. Lilly had brought a large bottle and two glasses and swore it was "untouched by processing plants or commercial machinery." Blake had laughed, and she'd punched him good-naturedly on the shoulder. "He was telling me some interesting things," Ben said. "Oh, yeah? Like what?" "He said he had this billy goat ..." "Oh, hell, that old story. That is just so much bullshit. He's a crazy old man." "You've heard the story?" Ben said, bluffing his way. "Sure," Blake said, but didn't add anything else. "You don't believe it?" "Did it sound realistic to you?" All Ben could do was shrug. Maybe one of the old-timers at the convenience store could fill him in. "Listen, why don't you come over and we'll go out for dinner - not this stuff - and catch some music." "This is really pretty good," Ben said, "and I'm not just saying that to be polite." He figured Blake was more of a meat and potatoes guy. "I'm pretty beat, though. I need to call it an early night." "Dinner," Blake said. "As a favor to me." Ben looked at him. Blake shrugged, "It's a set-up. Lilly invited one of her girlfriends over and she thinks you two will hit it off. You met her, if you remember, at Callo's. Nice looking brunette, runs the classes at the fitness center. No obligation, man. Eat and run, if you like, but I sort of promised Lilly I'd talk you into dinner." "I do remember her," Ben said. "Dinner's fine, and we can go out for a drink afterward, but I've still got to call it an early night." "Not a problem," Blake said. "Listen, I'm going to take mine back to the shop," he added, picking up his plate and glass. "Don't worry about this," he motioned to Ben's plate and glass, the bowl of salad and jug of water. "You can drop the plate and stuff off tomorrow." "I'll bring it tonight," Ben said. "Good enough," Blake said. The dinner went well. Barbara was indeed the girl he remembered from his first night on the town with Blake and Lilly, and they did hit it off. It helped that she was so upfront and funny about the dinner being a set-up. They caught a drink at the jazz club, the only nightspot in town that wasn't packed. Lilly insisted they return to the apartment for a nightcap, "after that Ben can get his beauty sleep." Ben shifted, turning off his stomach and more on to his side so he wouldn't crush his breast. Breast? Was that right? He shifted again, trying to come awake enough to be able to pay attention. Forget it. He went back to sleep. "How're ya doin', buddy?" He heard that. A hand shook his shoulder. "C'mon. Time to wake up." Darn if that voice wasn't familiar. "Up and at 'em. You slept all night." A hand shook his shoulder again. "Hey, wake up, Ben." The voice was talking to him. "I know you're groggy, but you have to try to sit up. Open your eyes." He opened his eyes. There was Blake, his face close, grinning like crazy. "There you are!" Blake said. "I've got some things to tell you, but you've got to wake up. You're going to be groggy and sore for a while, but try your best. Do you understand what I'm saying?" "Blake?" Ben mumbled. "Very good! That's our girl," Blake said, laughing. "I'm going to help you sit up. Work with me." Ben felt an arm around his waist. He was lifted a few inches and the arm slid higher, closer to his shoulders. "Work with me," Blake said. He grunted and Ben felt himself lifted to a sitting position. There was a flurry of movement as Blake tried to hold Ben up and stuff pillows behind him at the same time. "Victory!" Blake said. "Now we've got to get you to talk. How do you feel?" "Sore," Ben said. "Sleepy. Can't think." "Not a problem," Blake said. "That's the way it works. Now listen to me carefully. You're going to be groggy for a couple, three weeks. Groggy and very sore and confused. But everything's okay. Remember that: Everything's okay. Got it?" "Sure," Ben said. "Very sore." "I know," Blake said, "but you've slept a long time so you don't need any more sleep. You should try to wake up." Ben nodded. "Okay," Blake said. "Now, I'm going to call you Erica instead of Ben, okay?" "Why?" "It works better, okay. Trust me," Blake said. Ben closed his eyes. "No, no," Blake said, shaking Ben's shoulder. "Stay awake." "Okay." "Good. You've been through something kind of wild and it's going to take a good while to recover. There's nothing to be afraid of. Everything's fine. It's just going to take some time. Understand so far?" "Hurt? Accident?" Ben felt his body starting to wake up. "No, nothing like that," Blake said. "Just something you ate." He smiled. "But it will take a while to recover fully, that's all. You remember I gave you a new name? You remember what it was?" Ben thought for a minute but nothing came to mind. "Erica," Blake said. "Remember now?" "I remember now," Ben repeated. "Good. I've got some things to tell you, but they're kind of complicated so we'll wait a few days, okay?" "Okay." "Lilly's at the shop today so I can watch over you and make sure everything is all right," Blake said. "Scott and Chris are - do you remember them?" "Move," Ben said. "Very good! They helped you move," Blake said. "They came by a while ago and they're very happy with how you turned out." Ben didn't understand that. "Anyway," Blake said, "this thing works at its own speed and we're just here to make it easier for you. Lilly and I, and Barbara and the guys, will all be looking out for you, so you don't have anything to worry about." "Business? My business," Ben said. "Apartment." "Exactly what I mean," Blake said. "We've got you a couple clients and they're happy to wait until you've fully recovered, and can hit the ground running. And don't worry about the apartment. I'll pay the rent for you next month, and you can stay here for as long as you need to. We're all set up for this." "Thank you," Ben said. "Not a problem, buddy," Blake said. "You've been asleep for a long time. I'll bet you're hungry." Ben hadn't realized it but it was true. "Starving," he said. That made Blake laugh. "I'll bet you are. Lilly made some soup for you. Health soup, like lunch yesterday. You remember that?" "Yes. Good salad." "Oh, yeah. And some fresh spring water to go with it. I'll be right back. Don't go away." "Okay." He moved to more substantial food the next day but he was still groggy and still wanted to sleep a lot. Lilly helped him to the bathroom. Down there he had a small nub, and two bumps like marbles. She helped him sit and he knew he'd never had to sit down to do that before. That was interesting. Barbara came to see him and seemed very happy that he recognized her. She kissed him on the cheek and patted his arm. Some of the guys came by. He thought he recognized a couple as people Blake had brought into his new office for introductions. They did a lot of grinning but didn't really say much, other than wishing him a speedy recovery. On the sixth day he could walk around his room, though either Blake or Lilly held his arm in case he lost his balance. He had an understanding that his body had changed - certainly it was a lot smaller than before - but his mind was still too clouded for him to question How or Why. His memory was slowly returning. He remembered the city, the job at the accounting firm, the move to Tolliver, and meeting a lot of new people. But he had no memory of the accident. He asked Blake about that and when Blake told him it was something he'd eaten Ben remembered that Blake had told him that before. So that was the correct answer: it was something that he'd eaten. At the end of the second week instead of a clean nightgown Lilly brought him a bra and panties. She helped him with the bra because he was awkward and still sore. Putting his hands behind him was difficult. She also brought a skirt, blouse, and a pair of flats. He walked around the apartment, with her help. Later, he sat in the living room and watched TV with her. They had a satellite dish, so there were a lot of channels from which to choose. He couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted to see so he let Lilly choose for them. He fell asleep during a program. During the third week it felt that something wasn't right. What kind of accident could make him shrink so much and how come he had breasts and why was the thing between his legs just a nub? He wasn't distressed about those questions; he just felt he should know the answer. "Remember I told you it was something you ate?" Blake said. "Sure, I remember." "Well, that was true," Blake said. "Something you ate, combined with something you drank." Oh, it was a combination thing, Ben thought. "Lilly's lunch?" "Yep." "But you ..." "Ate, but didn't drink. It takes both," Blake said. "You remember Henry?" "Sure." "Well Henry found a little spring out there in the boonies. Not even fair to call it a spring. Just a little water leaking out of the ground and making a small wet circle maybe an inch deep. The water seemed okay, clear and no smell, but he had his goat try it first." "He told me about the goat. He named it Billy," Ben said. "Right. What else did he tell you about the goat?" "Nothing," Ben said. "Really? I thought he'd told you more. That's why we hurried this." "Nope. Not a thing," Ben said. "Well, well," Blake said. "Huh. Well, no harm done. What difference does it make if we did it now or a month from now?" "I don't know," Ben said. Blake smiled. "Of course you don't. So let's get on with the story, okay? Henry sees that his billy goat is fine so he drinks the water, too. Later, he takes the goat back to its pen and he goes inside. The next morning he comes out and the goat is lying on the ground. He thinks it's dead, but when he gets closer he sees it's different. Smaller, and like that. He figures somebody swapped his goat for a nanny goat, which he didn't mind owning because he could get goat's milk. But he was pissed that they'd done it, and pissed that they left a dead goat in his pen. He got pretty riled up." "Sure," Ben said. "So he grabs his gun and starts off through the woods. And he runs into Marty and Chelsea, out checking their little pot garden. He shoots their knapsack, scares the shit out of them, and marches them back to his shack." "Henry told you this? Or just Marty and Chelsea?" "Well listen to you! Getting the old brain back, aren't you?" Blake said. "No, Marty and Chelsea told me, but Henry confirmed it. See, when they got back to Henry's shack the goat was standing up, not dead at all. But not Billy, either. "Of course Marty and Chelsea didn't know a thing about it, and they finally convinced Henry. He made them show him where their vehicle was and he looked inside, even checked for goat hairs, before he believed them. "So now Marty and Chelsea come back and tell me their story. They came to Tolliver because they wanted a remote place to grow pot, and we became friends. I was a little younger but I was about the only one in town at that time that was near their age. We used to smoke together. "We tried to find out who switched Henry's goat but never got a clue. That's when Henry got a second goat." "Was it okay, or did the same thing happen?" "Same thing happened," Blake said. "One day Henry took it out and stopped at the little spring and the next morning the billy goat was a nanny goat." "How? You said Henry drank the water, too, and he didn't change." "You're right," Blake said. "That had us going for a long time, until Chelsea said it must either be the way a goat digests - a biology major told us goats have four stomachs - or maybe the water worked in combination with something else that goats eat but Henry doesn't eat." "Which one was it?" Ben asked. "The combo. A weed grass that grows out there. It flowers," Blake said. "We did a lot of experiments and that was it." "So what did you do?" Blake's story was awful long and Ben knew he wouldn't remember it all, but it was so interesting he wanted more. "We fixed some soup and water for the Sheriff," Blake said. "The Sheriff!" "He was a real son-of-a-bitch," Blake said. "Hated young people. He was always trying to follow Marty and Chelsea because he knew they had pot plants somewhere." "And you turned him into a goat?" Blake laughed. "No. He turned into a middle-aged woman. About drove him nuts. Drove him out of Jackson County, which is what we wanted anyway." "Wow," Ben said. "You should bottle that. I can set up a corporation for you." "We thought about it," Blake said. "Then I came up with the idea of using it in a different way." "How?" Blake shook his head and smiled. "Maybe I should have waited to tell you this story. You're still pretty groggy." "I know," Ben admitted. He'd only been up a short time but he was already tired. "How did you decide to use the water, though?" "Part Two tomorrow," Blake said. Chapter Eight "I figured it out," Ben said when Blake came into his room the next day. "You did?" Blake said. "You changed people that came to Tolliver. That's why everyone's so young." "Close, but not quite," Blake said. "We changed a couple kids, hitchhikers, but they weren't enough. It doesn't change age, just sex. We wanted to take over the town and it was cool to have more girls around. So I went to the city and got some guys to come out here. Everybody eighteen to twenty. It worked, but then we had too many girls." "Then do it to some girls," Ben said. "We tried that, too. It doesn't work that way. They just get really sore, like they had the flu or something." "Why doesn't it work?" "Shit, how the hell do I know? We don't even know why it does work the way it does. It changes the body, but not 100%, as you see when you pull down your panties. But ninety-nine and a half will do." "I guess," Ben said. "And it changed parts of the mind, the parts that have to do with gender, at least that's what it looks like, but not the entire mind, even though the mind is just a physical organ so it should all change, too. We haven't figured that out either. One of the guys thinks it has something to do with the flower, which might have a sort of gender. Anyway, it fucks you up good for a while, makes you dumb and all, but that goes away. We figure that's because it's making changes to the brain during that period, but we don't really know. It doesn't seem to mess with memories or intelligence and things like that. Personality." "That's very strange," Ben said. "It's also not a very nice thing to do." "Everybody seems pretty happy with it," Blake said. "I can't say I like the way the city council's going now, but by and large we're doing fine. Just look at the place." "You said you were on the council," Ben said. "It's sort of gotten away from us," Blake admitted. "Lots of new people got voted on." "What are they doing?" "Not important," Blake said. "How are you doing today?" "Okay, I think," Ben said. "I'm remembering more. I have a little more strength. I'm still sore all over. I don't care for being small. I sleep a lot." "All good, my friend," Blake said. "I do have a question," Ben said. "Shoot." "Why me?" "Ah," Blake said. "Lots of reasons. You were ready to get away from the city. Single. You have a skill that we need here in Tolliver." "Accountancy." "Right," Blake said. He hesitated before adding, "And there's the City Council." "I don't understand." "Why should you? I told you it got away from us." "Yes." "Well, some of the new guys think they're funny. What we do, see, is take turns as recruiters. It was my turn. We were getting guys who dropped out of college but had belonged to a fraternity. I thought that worked really well, but a few months ago the council passed a regulation. Recruiters are supposed to find big guys, jocks." "Why?" "They think it's funny," Blake said, embarrassed. "You know, to turn jocks into girls." "Why?" Ben asked, confused. "Yeah, why? I don't get it either, but they think it's hilarious," Blake said. "Hell, we've got our own playground here; why do they want to get goofy with it?" Ben felt there was something wrong with that, and then it came to him. "How come I'm so small? I was pretty big." "Well, you're not, not exactly," Blake said. "The way this thing works is the girls turn out in a range of heights, depending on how tall they were when, well, you know." "When they were guys," Ben said. Blake shrugged. "Yeah. So you were, what? Six-two? You're probably about five-eight. Lilly was five-nine, so now she's five-three. It's a range." "Lilly? She used to be a guy?" "Sure. Barbara, too. All the girls in town." "That's ..." He couldn't find the words. "Yeah," Blake said. "Well, look, this is too much for you to digest right now. Just take it easy and you'll kind of cruise right into this." "I don't think so," Ben said. Blake smiled. "Trust me." Chapter Nine "How long am I going to be a girl?" Ben asked. The three of them, Blake, Lilly and Ben, were watching TV and a commercial break had just started. "You are what you are," Blake said. "You'll get used to it." "Forever?" Ben asked. Blake shrugged. "You'll really like it, Erica" Lilly said. "All us girls do." "I'm not so sure," Ben said. "I know," Lilly said. "Give it time. There's always a period of adjustment." "How long?" "A couple more weeks," Lilly said. "Lilly will show you some of the things you'll need to know," Blake said. Ben nodded. They watched a couple commercials, but when the program came back on he said, "I don't like being ... not catching on to things." Lilly smiled, "Don't worry about that, either. It all comes back to you. A little more every day. Isn't that what you've experienced so far?" Ben thought. "I think so." "Sure," Blake said. "And you're really hot looking, so you should be happy about that." Lilly hit him on the arm, "Blake!" Blake laughed. Ben smiled. They were a cute couple. "I can still be an accountant, right?" Ben asked. "No problem," Blake said. "I wouldn't want you to keep my books during the next few weeks, but when you get back up to speed you'll be as good as you ever were." "I'll just be a girl," Ben said. "You got it. Listen, you'll be fine." "One thing ..." Ben said. "Go ahead, Erica," Lilly encouraged. "Why? I don't understand that," Ben said. "Why what, hon'?" Lilly asked. "Why do you change guys into girls?" Blake laughed. "To get more girls," he said. "C'mon, Erica. How many hot young girls would come to Tolliver on their own?" "I don't know." "Roughly zero," Blake said. "Then why don't you go where they are?" "We've got it made here," he said. "We run the town. Everything's for us. It's like Spring Break every day. Nobody hassles us; we're the Kings and Queens of Tolliver. If you want to grow a little pot in your backyard, fine. If we want the bars to stay open until 5 a.m., fine. The only time I ever see a tie in town is if somebody's getting married. The Mayor wears jeans to work. Whatever." "But if everybody parties ..." Ben said, but had trouble putting together the rest of the thought. "Then how does anything get done?" Lilly asked. Ben brightened. That was it. "We're pretty responsible," Lilly said. "We may show up in jeans but we work hard, some of us have little businesses, some do crafts. Older people think we're irresponsible but we're not. It's just that in Tolliver you don't have the hassles. I mean, if somebody wanted to run through the town square naked, they'd probably get applauded, not clubbed and dragged off to jail." "In fact, Lilly will do it tomorrow, just to show you," Blake said. "In your dreams," she laughed. Ben laughed with them. Chapter Ten Ben got to know Blake and Lilly's friends better over the following weeks, and they started going out to dinner and stopping for a few drinks, always as a threesome. Ben didn't think of himself as Ben anymore. He knew he had been Ben, and now she was Erica, and that was fine. Sometimes it was even difficult to imagine he'd ever been a guy. A guy? How weird was that? More and more memories of her previous life came back to her, but they frankly weren't all that interesting. She came to realize that she'd lived a commonplace life, dull and without surprises. Her life as Erica had more to it. Part of her enjoyment came in learning the new things that Lilly taught her. Make-up was creative and fun. Clothing was even more fun, and, though with part of her mind she realized that it shouldn't really have surprised her, she was amazed to learn that she could create a myriad of reactions simply by choosing different underwear and outerwear. If she wore frumpy clothes and no make-up guys tended to place more value on what she said. A very thin bra and top that showed her nipples, coupled with a short skirt or skintight jeans directed guys' minds to her body and away from her brain. That was fun. The only part of her new life as Erica that created apprehension was the idea of relationships. Even worse was the knowledge that the population was slightly uneven, with a few more girls than guys. She'd have to compete, but she didn't even know how to conduct a relationship from a girl's point of view. Lilly gave advice and examples, but Erica felt the topic was more of a "You had to be there" sort of thing. During the sixth week after being born again, she re-opened her office. Someone had kept it dusted and it was just like it was the day she'd had the special meal with the special water. Thinking of that made her think of Henry. What would he say if she showed up at his shack? Blake said that Henry seemed to have figured out what they were doing with the flowers and the spring water, though nothing was ever said outright. The guys from town that bottled the water and picked the flowers told Henry a story about "an experiment at school", but they didn't think he'd believed them, knowing what had happened to his goat. Mostly he just shook his head and left them alone, and they left him alone. Erica's car battery had died and she'd had it jumped so she could go back and forth to her office. Both Lilly and Blake thought she was ready to move back into her new apartment and she did so. She had dinner with them each night and went to a club one night. A couple guys had asked her to dance but she'd passed. Tolliver was set up for situations like hers, and her bank account had already been switched to her new name. She found it funny that she'd had to sign a new account card because her signature had changed. On the second day in her office the twenty-year old Mayor stopped by to welcome her back. The next morning the guy who owned the computer store came by and she arranged to do his store's books, as well as set up some simple household bookkeeping for his wife and himself. He was nineteen. In the afternoon the girl who ran the auto repair shop stopped by. She and Erica traded girl talk for a while, ended up going for coffee, and Erica added a second business to her bookkeeping portfolio. On the third morning a guy who owned what he called a landscaping business but was really primarily a lawn mowing service talked to her about setting up his books. Business was growing and he'd been operating off of saved receipts. The wife of a guy who worked at Tolliver's bank was selling her homemade pottery on the side, but was gaining a following and thought she should make her business "official". Erica added another client. All her clients were within walking distance, though the landscaping company garage was a healthy walk, and she spent a lot of time in their offices, gathering unorganized print data and copying what few computer files they already used. During a Friday lunch at the natural foods store on the town square Erica thought about Henry again. She'd been so busy, both day and night, that he hadn't crossed her mind. On the spur of the moment she decided to visit him. It was only on the way there that she realized that not only wouldn't he recognize her but that he was armed and apparently not afraid to use his weapons. She stopped at the convenience store and picked up a bag of flour, some salt and some sugar. The same old man was at the counter, but he gave her impatience and she didn't talk to him. Outside, an elderly woman was filling her pickup with gas, and Erica caught her staring hard. When their eyes met the woman curled her mouth in anger and turned back to the gas pump. She did the horn honking all the way down the road and in front of the shack. No one responded and after a few minutes she got out, took the bag of groceries to the door, and put them down. She knocked, not expecting a reply and not getting one. She waited in her car for thirty minutes. Clouds had filled the afternoon sky and the temperature was pleasant. Finally, she started the car and backed out. Henry stepped from behind the same bush he'd hidden behind before. He walked toward her car, his rifle at port arms and his pistol bouncing on his hip in the loose Western holster. Erica turned off the engine and waited. "Whadda want?" Henry said when he got close enough to be heard. "I thought I'd come and see you again," Erica said. "I brought you another grocery bag. Not much. Some flour, salt and sugar." "Whadda mean by 'again'?" he asked. "Can I get out?" "No need," Henry said. "Start her up and move on out of here." "That's no way to treat an old friend," Erica said. Henry squinted. "Don't talk in riddles to me, young lady," he said. "Spit it out." "Do you recognize the car?" "I do." "And the bag left by the door?" Henry's jaw started working, as if he was chewing something. "Get out," he said. "Real slow." He pointed the rifle at her. Erica got out and closed the car door behind her. "I thi ..." she started, but Henry quickly held up a hand to stop her, then returned it to the rifle. He stared, his jaw still working steadily. He looked her up and down. He looked at her face and squinted. "Gotcha, huh?" he said. "What do you mean?" she asked. "My spring, my flowers," he said. "Yes," she said. "Huh." Erica waited. Henry slowly lowered the weapon. "Want a cup of coffee? Maybe this time we won't be interrupted." He turned toward the shack. She was shocked that he wasn't. How could he see her, knowing she used to be the 6' 2" guy who'd stopped by a couple months ago, and take it so nonchalantly? Henry took the bag inside, put it on the floor by his chair, and sat down. He quickly got back up, waved at the beat up couch, and said, "M'am." Erica sat on the couch, and Henry retook his seat. When she'd first talked to him Henry had known a lot more than Ben had. That was probably reversed now, but she wasn't sure of that, and wanted him to do the talking. "You do remember me?" she asked. "Of course I do," he said. "Not looking like you do, but I remember you. You know you're the only one who every brought me anything?" "I'm surprised," she said. "Shouldn't be," he said. "The kids in town just want the water and the flowers. An old fuddy-duddy like me just gets in their way." "You know what they use the water and flowers for?" Erica asked. "You," he said, waving a hand at her. "That's right. How long have you known?" "They figured since I was old I was also dumb," he said. "But it was obvious to me. The boys would get all giddy, gathering up the flowers and water. I watched from the trees. Knew what it'd done to Billy; changed him into a nanny goat. Two plus two." "You didn't object?" "None of my business," Henry said. "Can't say I like them coming around here, but it's only in the spring when the flowers bloom so it ain't too bad." "But you were still only guessing," Erica said. "Two plus two," he said again. "Want that coffee? I've got powdered cream and sugar. A nice fellow keeps bringing me bags of sugar." Erica smiled. "Thank you." Henry pulled himself upright and went to the area he used as a kitchen. He poured water into an old style tin coffee pot. "I sneak into town every now and then," he said. "Just to keep tabs on things. At night. Nobody ever sees me. But I seen all them new gals, and I knowed where they come from. Two plus two." He knelt by a small fireplace and crumpled some kindling. Realizing that Henry had to start a fire to heat the water Erica said, "Don't go to all that trouble. We can forget the coffee." "Not enough time, eh? Now me, I'm an old fella and I got all the time in the world. I make myself coffee like this every day. You, you're a young lady, but you don't have the time. Kind of eye-ronic, ain't it?" Erica smiled. "It is," she agreed. He lit the fire and put the pot on. "Mind if I ask you something personal?" Henry said. "None of my business, so you just say so. No offense taken, and none intended. You've been nice to me, the only one, and I don't want to step on your toe