A Haven From the Storm

Chapter 15: A Different Type of Barfly

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I got back to Erehwon a little past four and seeing I had time for a real hot springs bath rather than a fast sponging off, headed up there. I brought my clothes in with me, figuring they were past due for washing - fortunately, I had a fresh set back at the house.

I was grinning as I dried off and put on the fresh set of clothes. It'd been too long since I'd had a date, even a 'buddies-just-for-fun' one. The work pace the last year had been murderous. The stuff with Popuri didn't count - that had been hard work also! Yeah, I was looking forward to an easy friendly evening with Karen - that we may make some progress on her problem with Rick was a bonus.

I had enough time to get to the General Store so that I didn't have to run and I decided to take the back way past Gotz's cabin and through the square. It was getting to be twilight, and I could see and hear the rustling of small animals in the woods as I passed. I remembered from my summer here before that there were a lot of squirrels and rabbits around - even a few red foxes.

When I got to the benches by the mailbox next to the general store, Karen was sitting there. She saw me, stood and smiled. "Ah Jack, right on time." She gave me a funny look. "Uh...thanks for changing your clothes, and I don't want to impose my fashion sense on you, but could you do one little thing more for me?"

"What's that?"

She reached up and removed my cap. "Could you put this thing away for the evening, please?"

"What? You don't like my cap?"

"No! It looks juvenile on you."

I put on a pose of mock dignity. "Juvenile? The proud blue and orange colors of the State U. 'Hueys'? Perish the thought!"

She silently rolled her eyes as I kept my dignified pose, took my cap back and put it in a pocket. "Gee, we're being a little stiff with each other tonight."

She relaxed some and grinned at me as we started walking towards the Inn. "Yeah, first date nerves I suspect. First first date for me, unless you want to count Rick's 6th birthday party."

"You mean you've been on with Rick and Rick only for eighteen years and you're not married yet? No wonder the thing is bothering you."

She sighed. "No need to belabor the obvious."

We got to the door of the Inn. "Well Jack, are you ready for the dizzying social whirl of Mineral Village at night?"

I opened the door for her. "Sure am! After you, kind lady."

"Thank you, gentle sir." She went in and I followed right behind.

The only thing dizzying in the Inn was the liquor. Several people, none of whom shared the same table, were idly studying the contents of the tin cups they were holding. Sporadically they would take long drinks and then go back to their staring. But it was peaceful. Every city watering hole I knew of sported loud music or blaring TVs - or both at the same time. The Inn had none of that. There, you could hear yourself drink.

Rick was seated at the end of the bar closest to the door. As Karen had predicted, he had an empty cup in front of him, and was draining the one in his hand as we came in. Karen took my arm and whispered, "Heads up - there he is at his usual place. Let's go to the other end of the bar."

As we passed him, I greeted him good evening, and Karen said, "Why, hello Richard. Good to see you again after all this time!" and winked at him. He was staring at us in surprise as we took seats at the end of the bar.

Doug came up to us wearing the bartender's professional smile. "Good evening, Karen. Jack, you finally made it here for some refreshment, eh? You're welcome to stay as long as you like, but, uh, remember the festival, OK? You don't want to drink too much."

"Don't worry, Doug. Two's my limit tonight. The festival was an unusual event for me. Cliff's pet vulture kind of snuck up on me, y'know."

Karen chimed in, "Two only for me also. I'm not going back to like I was last winter."

Doug nodded. "Sounds good and sensible. After all, people who don't drink at all are so boring. So what are you having?"

"Ah, what have you got?"

Karen interjected, "Doug's got a lot of potions. But only one matters. The grape liquor."

"I trust her judgment. Two grape liquors, then."

"What, doesn't anyone like my screwdrivers?" He sounded as if he was only half-joking. "Two grape liquors, coming up." He came back quickly with a couple of tin cups brimming with a dark purple fluid. "Here you go." Cups and coins changed hands.

Karen took her cup and held it up. "A toast for friendship?"

"You bet." I raised mine. "Success to crime!"

"Hear!" We clanked cups and drank.

Now, I'm in no way a wine connoisseur. Don't ask me to evaluate the nose, or speak of palates or nuttiness or anything like that. But that grape liquor...it brought to mind long summer days filled with the aroma of fresh leafy growth and satisfied vines groaning under the weight of luscious grapes. It was a sweet cool breeze coming off the mountains. It was romance in the meadows under a full moon. It was the best of the countryside.

"Karen...this is the best wine I've ever had!"

"Yes, isn't it good? That's from Duke's winery. Would you believe that's his ordinary stock? His best is called Aja. It's made from the grapes that grow only on a certain spot in his vineyard. There's a romantic story behind that...I'll tell you sometime. He only makes a few cases of it a year, and sells most on the mainland at a pretty good price."

I took another sip. "Guy's got some good in him after all if he makes wine like this. Too bad he's such a grouch."

"He's got his reasons. I'll tell you about that sometime also. But...um...speaking of telling stories. I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and told Mary about you and Popuri parting ways."

I shrugged. "She'll hear it from someone sometime - why not from her best friend?"

She frowned. "That's pretty blasé. You don't care about her reaction?"

"OK, please tell me."

"She was a little bit sorry for you...but not too much. She even laughed a bit and said, 'Well, I should have known that wouldn't last too long.' So I asked her what she felt about you now and she said that she wasn't sure but that she certainly didn't want to get hurt like that again. She wondered, 'Can't men and women simply be friends?' I'd say if you paid her a visit tomorrow being friendly but not too friendly, she'd give you a nice reception."

"I suppose I should give her an apology of some kind. Not quite sure what for - it was all in her own head."

That frown again. "You're being grumpy about her. Give her a break; you were her first big heartthrob. She had a lot harder time than you did the last few days."

"Oh yeah? She wasn't the one worrying at night that they might end up married to a cotton candy girl."

"You're going to have that attitude towards her, maybe you shouldn't pay her a visit."

I took another sip. "Sooner or later, I will. I've got to be friends with everyone here, according to the dictum of Thomas. But I don't see any big hurry. Tell the truth, she scares me a little. Now I'll always be wondering what's brewing behind that quiet face of hers."

She took a larger sip. "Aw hell. Now you and her are all mistrustful of each other. You two were doing so well until freaking Popuri jumped in. There were some times there when I was about this far from ripping out her hair and having Ellen knit a scarf with it!"

Doug came up to us. "Excuse me...Jack, Rick over there would like a word with you."

Karen and I looked at each other. She spoke first. "Well, that was fast enough. You know how to play it, right? Say with your words that we're just friends, but give it a little body English."

I gave her the thumbs up. "Gotcha covered." I picked up my cup and walked over to Rick.

"Jack...what are you and Karen doing here?"

"Crying in our beer together." I raised my cup. "'cept this is a lot better than beer. A couple of friends sharing the same sorrow."

The confusion on his face was impossible to read. "Yeah...look, I'm really sorry about this thing with my sister. I get so aggravated with her sometimes! Imagine, throwing away a nice guy like you for that rat Kai. And because of a single letter, no less! Jack, why didn't you stand up for yourself with her?"

"We talked. It was clear to me that she's really fond of him, and I don't want to try and hold her against her will. She's 20 going on 21, right? She's old enough to make her choice. And it ain't me." I took a slug of wine.

"Damn it, Jack! You're not trying." He lowered to a whisper. "Look, you're here and he's not. She changes her mind about all kind of stuff every day. You could win her back."

"And when she changes her mind again after we're married, then where are we? Naw, it's best like this."

"It's not best! She's going to run away with him and then where will she be?"

"Married to him. Then he'll be taking care of her. Takes a load off you, right?"

He snorted. "Man, you're naïve if you believe he'll marry her! He's just going to take her from one cheap hotel to another, stringing her along with empty promises. Then she'll wake up some morning far from home and he won't be there. Then, what will she do?"

"If it comes to that, I promise you I'll go fetch her back here myself. But I don't think it will. Karen thinks he's OK and that you've misjudged him."

He looked mad enough to spit. "Karen's judgment! Kai buys her a couple of drinks and chats her up and she thinks he's royalty. Look out for her, Jack. She's going to use you for something."

I laughed. "I'm a big boy, I can look out for myself. I think I'll buy her another drink, then. I could use someone thinking of me as a prince! Look, don't worry about me and Popuri - I'll survive it. You worry too much."

"I worry about you now. You don't know what you're doing."

"Yes I do, I'm drinking. I'll get back to my party now if you don't mind. Ta ta!"

He was shaking his head as I walked back to Karen.

"Well?"

"I don't know. He seemed more concerned with Popuri than you. But he was warning me against you; he's saying you're some kind of schemer."

She looked angry and spit out, "Garbage! When have I ever manipulated anyone?" Then she got reflective. "Well...there was that time when I sweet-talked Gotz into giving us a break on a store improvement. And I was all chummy with Duke when I was underage so he'd slip me a bottle or two under the counter. And...OK, OK." She looked sheepish. "But I've never done anything bad to anyone. Just charming little favors out of people, that's all."

I was chuckling.

"Wine gone to your head? What are you laughing about now?"

"Imagining you with Gotz. He's at least twice your size!"

She started laughing also. "Yeah, he's pretty substantial. If I ever was going to try the simple rugged natural type, he'd be it - except that he only bathes about once a week. He's not really cranky, just out of practice dealing with people. He likes being alone in the mountains better than socializing. Hey, look who just came in."

It was Basil. He got the standard issue tin cup from Doug, then sat down at a table and started drinking with that faraway look of his. He didn't seem to notice I was there.

"Jack, Anna might hate your guts, but I don't think Basil does. You know, he might be interested in hearing your side of the story."

"Don't you ever give up trying to match Mary and I? I know, I know, you're best friends and we're the perfect couple and all that."

"I suppose I shouldn't be pushing you so hard. But dammit, Jack, you will love her when you really get to know her. I just feel it." She sighed. "It's like telling a cranky little kid that he will like ice cream once he tries it."

"Some don't, you know. But I guess I will try to talk to Basil. I liked him when I was over there for dinner." I got up. "Pardon me for a bit?"

She lifted her cup to her lips. "Go. I'll be right here. There's enough left to keep me busy for awhile."

I walked over to Basil's table. He greeted me with a wry smile. 'Like Mary's,' I thought.

"Good evening, Jack. Nice to see you here tonight."

"Good to see you too. Mind if I join you for a spell?"

"I'd like it, sit right down. I'm glad you came here - all you've been seeing of our village so far is people at work - excepting that festival! Here's a different perspective for you - some of our everyday social life."

I looked around at the people drinking alone. "Doesn't look very social to me."

He chuckled. "They're just getting lubricated first. The conviviality is restrained and subtle, but it's here every night and it's real." He lifted his cup and drank. "It's this that makes for good feelings. We're so fortunate that our water is clean and our air is pure. That's why our local liquor is so good."

"That's affirmative! I didn't know there was wine like this until tonight." I drank also. "Ah...I don't quite know how to start with this..."

"Then please allow me. You wanted to tell me about you and Mary, right?"

"Yes. I feel really bad about...uh...giving Mary a hard time." I gave him a straight look. "Really, I didn't intend to be leading her on or making any promises to her or anything. I didn't know what she felt for me until this thing blew up - then Karen told me what was happening."

"Jack, I know you weren't misleading her." He sighed. "She's so inexperienced with so many things and has such a vivid imagination. I've been wondering for some time what would happen when she became interested in a man. Now I know.

"I can't really blame you for what happened. Mary's been honest with us - she admits she was building castles in the air and that you were just being friendly. Like I hear you're trying to be with everyone here. Anna of course blames you. She's mostly been the one comforting and calming Mary down, so I can see why. The past few days haven't been very happy at our home, I'm afraid."

"Again, my apologies. I liked all of you. That evening at your house was the best I'd had in a long time. Causing you trouble is the last thing I wanted. And then with that thing with Popuri I go and ruin everything...I fouled up, Basil. I sure did."

He reached over and patted my shoulder. "Hey, not like that, Jack. Like I say, I don't blame you for what happened. You're 23, right?" I nodded. "So I can understand Popuri turning your head...especially if she was, well, making a spectacle of herself to you. It was something like that, right?" I nodded again. He lowered his voice. "You see, I know that she's not as scatterbrained as she appears to be. Let me guess - she was working on you to take her off to the city. Am I right?"

"That's not far from the truth. That plus she really did think Kai had forgotten her and she was lonely."

He snorted. "Kai. That young man is about as shallow as she is. I would say they deserve each other, but that would just be spiteful. What they both need is to grow up. But I don't want to get off on that.

"So, tell me, how are you taking it - Popuri breaking off with you, that is?"

"Ah...it was pretty unexpected. I'm still stunned. On the other hand, I figure I can concentrate on the farm better now that I'm not getting all agitated by her."

He smiled. "I hoped you'd say something like that. Doing something useful is the way to get past these disappointments of life. I am impressed with the progress you've made in...gosh, it hasn't even been two weeks, has it?"

"Just started. Just scratched the surface."

"You're taking it in an orderly manner and making steady progress. That's how to do it. It's not just talk on my part and it's not just me. A lot of people here are impressed by the start you've made - especially considering your background. Just keep it up and you'll do just fine."

"Well, thanks. I appreciate that. For the first few days, I had no idea if I could do anything on that farm or not. When I harvested those first turnips, it was a revelation. I started thinking I might just pull this off after all. Now, without women to distract me, I hope to pick up some speed."

"I wasn't going to bring the matter up, but that answers my question indirectly, I suppose. You have no intentions towards Mary, then?"

"No, not in that way. Not now. I wouldn't mind being friends with her - I like her. But if I'm going to trouble her like this..."

"Anna told you to stay away from her, right?" I nodded. "Well, you might want to stay away from Anna until she calms down. But I can see no harm in being friendly to my daughter. It may sound cruel, but I think she might have learned a valuable lesson about assuming too much about a friendship. If the lesson takes, she'll be better for it. I have no objection to you being friendly to her."

"Basil, I thank you so much for talking with me like this. I don't want any trouble between us, and you've put my mind at ease on that score. Well, I suppose I should get back to Karen and..." nodding at his cup "...leave you to your business."

He looked at me curiously. "You're here with Karen?"

I shrugged. "We're friends both having romantic difficulties. Thought a little wine and consolation would be good for us both."

"Yes, but..." He looked over at Rick, then his eyes got that 'aha!' look and a faint grin appeared on his face. "If I'm not just imagining things, you're a good friend to have indeed."

I winked at him. "Aside from that, she's just plain fun to be with when she's in a good mood."

"That she is. Well, I'll let you go then. Good luck with the farm - and your other project."

When I got back to Karen, she was eyeing the inside of her cup. "Jack, good timing there. I can see the bottom."

"Me too. Where'd Doug go off to?"

"Probably the kitchen. Never mind. I see Ann coming our way, she'll take care of us."

Ann was wending her way around the tables, replacing empty cups with full ones from the tray she carried. I caught her eye and she came over to us. Her look radiated sympathy. "Karen, how are you? Jack, how are you holding up? I'm so sorry about Pi leaving you. You know, I feel a little guilty about it."

"Why? You didn't do anything other than to be friendly to us."

"I feel I should have warned you about Kai. Those two were the real thing last year and I was suspecting she took up with you mainly because he wasn't keeping in touch with her."

"Well, thanks, but don't feel bad about me. I'll get along OK. Ah...got another couple of cups of that fantastic wine for us?"

She gave us the fresh cups, then looked at us in puzzlement. "You two are here together? Say, what is this, some kind of rebound thing?"

Even when she was talking normally, Ann's voice carried. I saw Rick start up at her words and look over at us real suspicious like.

"Nah, just a couple of buddies sharing a cup and sympathy."

Karen interrupted. "Say, Ann, have you still got that old guitar sitting around somewhere?"

"Sure. You haven't touched it in awhile. You going to play for us?"

"Only if you'll bring it to me."

Ann was grinning ear to ear. "Be right back!"

"Just how many talents do you have?"

"I only lack two, it seems. Getting rich and keeping a boyfriend."

Ann came back holding an acoustic guitar which she handed to Karen. As she tuned up, Ann whispered to me, "Now you're in for a treat! She's most proud of her dancing, but I think her singing is better." The other people in the inn seemed to agree, shifting around to face her as she prepared. Even Doug stuck his head out of the kitchen.

Karen finished tuning, then looked at me with the most direct and open expression I'd seen from her.

"Here's to new friends. Good friends. The ones who get you through hard times and out the other side of them." She launched into an upbeat folk standard of our grandparent's days.

I'd heard her sing before, of course. A few bars thrown out here and there like a songbird, for no especial reason. But this...her voice was beautiful and melodious, sure. But it was much more. She was losing herself and all her troubles in the song - and inviting all of us to do the same. We were being drawn into a circle together, bounded by the music. I was enchanted. I was glad to let myself go.

Yes, that was what separated a great performer from a merely competent one. She was singing to all of us, and to each of us individually at the same time. She'd look each of us in the face, note our expression and say with her eyes, "Yes, that's just what I want to see from you. How could there be anything wrong? Life is good. Let's celebrate it."

If it'd had been a novel, once she finished, everyone in the Inn would have broken out into wild applause and cheering. Then the gray little man sitting in the back would have come up and offered her a multi-year recording contract.

Instead, we just heard a few calls of, "OK, way to go, Karen," "Haven't lost your touch, huh?" Stuff like that. I guess it came from everyone knowing her too well.

It was new for me, however. Maybe my eyes were glistening a little. Maybe, if her satisfied expression as she turned to me was any sign.

"Well, Jack, what do you think?"

"You were...words fail me. That was the best I've ever heard. Much better than the original. It's like you were singing just for me."

"What makes you think that I wasn't? Well, I guess you wouldn't mind hearing another, then?"

"As long as you're singing, I'm not going anywhere!"

She picked up her cup. "Let me wet my whistle, then, and I'll go ahead."

And that's how the rest of the evening went. She sang songs of openings and new beginnings - songs of spring. I sat there and admired her. It was a beautiful evening.

It was about ten when our second cup was finished. She motioned Ann over and handed her back the guitar. "Well, I guess that's my limit. Hope I didn't impose everyone too much."

"Gosh no, Karen. I'm glad to see you like this. With things with you and Rick like they are...well, I was thinking about last winter."

"So was I, Ann. Thank Jack here, he kept me on the straight and narrow tonight. Jack, I know you've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow, so maybe we should go soon."

"Anytime you're ready, I'll see you home."

We got up and made our good-byes to everyone. Basil was right. Now, people were going to each other's table and having quiet conversations. Between Karen's singing and Duke's wine, good feelings were in the air. Except Rick's. He was looking pretty cross as we nodded to him going out the door.

We walked slowly together through Rose Square.

"Karen, you think we accomplished anything tonight with Rick? I can't really tell what his reactions meant. You know him better than I."

"I think we were getting a bit of a rise out of him. But you were right, he looked as if he had the thing with his sister going around in his head." She made a face. "You know, I'm as tired of this thing as you were with Popuri. I'm just going to try and forget about it for now. If he wants to fix things, he knows where to find me."

She stopped and looked at me with a serious expression. "Jack, thank you for being with me this evening. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you hadn't been with me..." Her look turned brutally frank. "You see, drinking is one of my big weaknesses. If you hadn't been with me, I'd be sloppy drunk and making a scene by now.

"Last winter, I was completely out of control. Rick and I were still on, but we weren't going anywhere and I was frustrated out of my mind. I was getting falling down drunk every night. Sometimes, I couldn't get home. Ann would help me to her room and put me to bed - she'd sleep on that overstuffed chair of hers." She smiled a little. "Isn't that just the oldest cliché - the barmaid with a heart of gold. But Ann's really like that.

"I had made a New Year's resolution that I was going to cut down; only go to the Inn two nights a week and restrain myself then. But with things all blown to hell now, I know I couldn't keep it. Jack, you saved me from that tonight, and I'm grateful."

"Karen, I'm the one who's grateful to you. You saved me from Popuri! And tonight, hearing you sing like that - it was a rare privilege. Look, all I was doing was sitting there with you. It was your own self-control that kept you sober. Don't short yourself."

"Jack, don't short yourself. You know, you don't know your own qualities. Any strength I had tonight, you lent it to me."

I smiled. "You know, we're in danger of turning into a mutual admiration society here. Maybe we should just thank each other for a pleasant evening."

She giggled. "Yeah, I do feel a little sappiness coming on. Well, it was a good time."

"Karen, if my sitting with you was some kind of help...you said you wanted to do the Inn two nights a week? Why don't we do it together, then? Make it a regular thing for us. Keep reminding Rick that he can't take you for granted. Besides, it looks like some of the social life here revolves around the Inn at night. I could use some of that action. And if you sing like that again - bonus!"

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

"Impose? It'd be a pleasure. 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' You wouldn't want to see me turn into a dullard now, would you?"

"Well...if you really want to, I'm up for it. Sure would be something new - you're a completely different type of barfly than Rick!"

"It's a date, then?"

She smiled. "Sure is - how about Tuesday and Saturday?"

"Works for me. Karen, you know, today was some kind of turning point for me. The liberation from Popuri, this evening with you - and at the farm, some subtle feeling I can't put into words. A hint of something high and sweet, like mountain air in the morning. Old blockages are breaking apart. That somehow, this is really all going to come out well."

I smiled. "In terms you like, the sun is moving out of Aries tonight and into Taurus. We're leaving blind, reckless self-expression behind now. Into a period of solid steady growth. And accumulation..." Again in my mind's eye, the endless rows of lush vegetables. "I especially like the accumulation part."

She gave me a troubled look. "And stubbornness, Jack. Don't forget stubbornness."

We stood together, looking up at the inscrutable stars.