"So Billy," Bobbie asked, "why is it people tell me you're dangerous."
"I spent most of my life hanging out with some pretty nefarious characters," I answered. "Their reputations just rubbed off on me. Fact is, I never did anything to anyone who didn't have it coming and most of the time I still let it go."
"So why did you hang out with so many nefarious characters all your life?" Bobbie asked.
"Well, as through the world I've rambled, I've seen lots of funny men. Some rob you with a sixgun, some with a fountain pen. As through this world you ramble, as through this world you roam You'll never see an outlaw drive a family from its home," I replied.
"Is that one of your poems?" Bobbie asked. "I heard you write poetry too."
"I have been somewhat well known as a bard," I answered, "but that bit of verse comes from a song about the outlaw, Pretty Boy Floyd written by Woody Guthrie, a great folk singer from long ago. "
"Arlo's father," Bobbie said.
"So you are up on your music history," I said.
"I try to be," Bobbie smiled. "Maybe we can go see Arlo next time he comes to the Carolina Theatre."
"I used to take my Daddy to see Arlo at the Carolina," I said. "That would be nice."
"So you're not really a dangerous man?" Bobbie asked.
"Not nearly as dangerous as a politician," I replied.
"How could you be?" Bobbie smiled.
_______
Dangerous men were on the ground in Greensboro, most of them of the fountain pen variety. There was hardly an area of government or business that hadn't been corrupted. Millions were spent annually in the name of economic development only to see it skip over Greensboro to the nearby cities. That was the reason we placed our business in Burlington in the first place. Sure, Greensboro was a bigger city and would bring us more business but not 10 times more business and with start-up costs being 10 times higher in Greensboro than in Burlington it just didn't make sense to start a business in the very town in which we lived.
The Aliens and their cronies seemed to hate minorities even more than the rest of us. They were constantly trying to pass laws to drive minorities out of Downtown. Even when caught red handed one Tall White continued to try and peddle his influence. It was as if he didn't realize he was banished from his own dimension and didn't know he couldn't go running back. Or he was so desperate he would stop at nothing. Those are the most dangerous of all.
The Tall Whites and the Grey Aliens on City Council were behaving desperately as well, attempting to pass laws that were against the law to give them all of our money. Despite all their technology, control and absolute power over the people their addictions to technology, control and absolute power appeared to be insatiable.. So too were their human supporters blinded by their own greed and endless addictions.
_______
As Spring was almost here and the ground was already beginning to warm up, Veggie asked that we take him outside and let him pick out a sunny spot for us to transplant him in the hopes that he could begin life anew as only plants can do. It would be hard watching Veggie drop his leaves come Autumn and go dormant for the Winter but should he survive his first year the odds were good that he might live another lifetime-- something even the youngest among us humans would never be able to do. Bobbie and I put Veggie's pot in a hand truck and rolled him about the yard until he mumbled, "Plant me here where I can watch over all of you."
"How 'bout we give you a cell phone?" Bobbie asked. "So you don't have to yell."
"Give me yours," Veggie said. "So the next time they come looking for you they'll just find a digitized plant."
"Are you sure," Bobbie said. "You'll be defenseless planted in the ground."
"Yes," Veggie agreed, "but it will be worth it to see the looks on their faces. I'll call if I have any problems, I promise."
Bobbie and I spent the better part of the day digging. To make sure Veggie always had enough water I buried a pipe across the yard and installed a faucet and hose where Veggie could reach it. We amended the soil with lots of compost and organic materials to Veggie's specializations and called it a day. "See you tomorrow," Bobbie said.
"I'll be right here," Veggie laughed.
"Anything I can get you?" I asked.
"A six pack of Miracle-Gro would be good," Veggie said.
"I'll be back in a few," I said as I walked to my truck.
Just as I got back from the store I got a telephone call from Greensboro City Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter's husband. He had seen what looked like an Alien outside their window, went outside to check and when he came back inside Marikay was being carried out by thousands of bread ties. "The police," he said, "They think I'm crazy. Do you think I'm crazy too?"
"I already know about the bread ties and I think I know where they're taking her," I said, "I'm on my way. The world has gone crazy but you're not crazy."
Continue to Broken
