A Haven From the Storm
Chapter 7 - Establishing a Routine
I'd found both in school and in my old job that setting a routine for the day, then sticking with it as much as possible was the most productive. The more things you could do without thinking how to do them, the more you got accomplished.
Early mornings were for Wowser, breakfast, weather, news and Farmer Fran - I really had a crush on her now! A few minutes to reflect on the woman's voice in my dreams who spoke every night. Last night, it was about needing to keep my word in order to be healed. My mind must be a little unhinged from all the changes, I thought. Good advice in general, but what odd wording!
Today was sunny and warm, as the weather lady promised. Right there was a reason to have some flexibility in a routine. I would need an extra half hour to water each patch of vegetables. If I chopped out another two new patches, tended the planted patches, then did the hot springs before I was too wiped out, then I would need another two to four hours in the afternoon for watering. The rusted out watering can needed eight tilts to water a whole patch. Something else for Saibara to work on when I had money. Guess watering the crops would make me into a rainy-day friend with the other villagers.
This morning, as I came out the door, the planted fields were covered with a flock of blue birds, eagerly eating insects. When they saw me, they scattered, and I saw the seeds I'd planted had sprouted. Nice, broad, bright green leaves, hardly touched with insect damage. Thanks, birds! Come again. The two girls I'd startled with my shouting the other day passed by on their way to the springs - I now recognized them as Ann and Popuri. Apparently they were friends, they were chatting and laughing as they walked. I waved hello to them, and they returned a "Morning, Jack!"
Routines are rewarding, also. When you can do a task routinely, it gives you time to think. I was worrying about what Cliff had said about Duke. I'd have to ask around discreetly about what might calm the guy down. It would probably be easy enough to make friends with Manna - just be a good listener, if my ears could hold out. I didn't know, however if having Manna on my side would help with Duke, or just annoy him further as appearing as a schemer. I sighed, more data, I needed more data.
That took me up to the noon break and the hot springs. Each day seemed to get just a little easier - my body must be hardening with all the work - and I didn't actually fall asleep in the springs.
I just let my mind wander, and I kept going over those meetings with the five women about my age. The last serious girlfriend I'd had was in high school. College, then work for me had been an almost non-stop seventy to hundred hour a week effort. Absolutely no time for anything more than a pleasant chat at a cafeteria or hallway with some young thing. Looks like I wouldn't have time for anything more here also.
I also reflected how the city put a edge on people that the country seemed to soften. All those girls had their quirks, but they were tolerable. They were all nice. In the city, Karen would be an affected, conceited artsy type. Elli would me "Miss-I-Know-What's-Good-For-You- Better-Than-You-Do." Popuri would be a impressionable flake, always being led into trouble. Ann would be a "Men-Are-All-Pigs" shrew. Mary would be a bitter, closed-in old maid.
Hot soaked and refreshed, I returned to the farm and started in on the watering. But I started thinking about my older routines, also. It was two, time for my turn at the overpressure test stand at Dynatech - and I usually needed my turn! I smiled as I remembered how the first couple of weeks, I blew out every line I tested. That earned me the nickname "The Bang-Bang Kid."
These reflections turned me blue as I remembered where I was. A couple of kilometers past nowhere, trying to scratch a living out of dirt!
I got the last of the plants watered - it was just after three. These were sure healthy turnips - it looked as if the leaves had doubled in number and size since morning. I had been skeptical when I read in grandpa's journal that they matured to harvest in four days. But it looked like just the plain fact.
I was feeling more and more blue, starting to hate anything akin to plants and dirt. Maybe I should go to the library and see if they had *anything* modern to read. I remembered the bamboo shoot I'd left in the house for Mary. She'd been helpful in keeping the library open late as I copied out the facts about mountain plants, so I owed her one. She sure seemed to love them - hope she didn't think I was trying to bribe her into staying open late again. I'd leave at the stroke of four so she could close up and go to the General Store for more seeds.
I walked down the walk to the center of town. Passing by the winery, I saw Duke clearing the ground around the bases of grapevines. I reflected, no time like the present to start mending fences and called out:
"Good Afternoon, Duke. How are you doing?"
He looked up and was clearly not thrilled to see me, but answered civilly enough, "Not too bad, Jack. How's the farm coming?"
"Sure takes a lot of time! Hardly have any left over to breath."
"Good deal, Jack. Excuse me, but I've got to get these vines cleared."
I heard him mumble to himself as I passed, "*Better* keep your nose in your own business, city slicker."
Well, at least he spoke with me. Don't know if that's good or bad.
I entered the library, and Mary was towards the back shelves, talking with a boy about my age, wearing work clothes and a baseball cap printed with the logo of a machining company. He looked as if he was also in a deep blue mood. Neither heard me come in, they kept on talking.
"Grey, the espionage thrillers are right here. But perhaps you'd like to read this little collection of recent poetry, also? They're not too demanding and very nice."
"Thanks, Mary. The books you recommend to me are always good."
He took the poetry book, and a "hero single-handedly staves off World War Three" potboiler of a few years back, sat at a table and started reading.
Mary started back to her desk and saw me.
"Good afternoon, Jack. You're back so soon. Need more information about mountain plants?"
"Not today, thanks. Found all the plants your father described. His field guide was completely accurate."
"He'll be glad to hear that. So what *can* I do for you."
"Wonder if you have any recent Sci-Tech magazines. I've had enough of the bucolic wonders of farming for today. Want to spend a few minutes in the twenty-first century."
"I'm sorry, Jack. The only periodical we take is the Edgeport newspaper. It would be hard to justify spending on others that people don't read."
"I suppose so." I lowered my voice. "Who's that fellow? He looks even more depressed than I do...ah...did when I came here."
That got me a concerned glance, then she decided to play it straight.
"That's Gray, Saibara's grandson. He's from out West and is apprenticing with Saibara. He doesn't like it here at all. He comes here in his free time and reads, then goes to his room at the Inn and sleeps.
"I try to cheer him up by talking with him, but he doesn't open up." Now, she looked sad. "I guess a dusty bookish girl is not interesting enough for him."
My turn for a concerned look. "You too? Is there something in the air today here? Everyone is down."
"I don't know what it is. These things come in cycles, I believe. Just be patient and endure."
"I suppose. Maybe I should go over and introduce myself to Gray."
"That would be nice, I can't get anywhere with him today. You try."
I went over to his table and held out my hand.
"Hello Gray, I'm Jack. I don't believe we've met."
He looked up without smiling, but did shake my hand.
"So, you're Jack. I was at your grandfather's funeral, but was way in back and didn't really see you. But I've seen you. Your farm is next to the workshop. When I come to work in the morning, I see you chopping away at those weeds. When I leave in the afternoon, I see you watering. Don't you get tired?"
"You don't see me at noon sleeping in the hot springs!"
That didn't get the laugh I was trying for. He still looked depressed.
"If I tried that, grandpa would chew my tail out. He bosses me around all the time, never gives me a bit of praise for anything I do.
"I don't want to be a blacksmith. I didn't want to come here. I don't know what I want yet, but it sure isn't anything *here*. My folks sent me here because they can't afford to feed themselves and all us kids - I've got two younger brothers. Dad's still working - barely. He was a real estate broker. Now, there's no market for land. He has to bag groceries just to live on."
"Is it worse out there than here?"
"It's pretty bad. I don't want to think about it anymore.
"It's good there's this library, or I'd have nothing to do here. The people are so boring here. They say the same things every day. Mary's not as bad as the rest of them. She gives me interesting books to read. I'll get back to reading them now. Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Gray."
That's all the cheer I had room for today.
I went back to Mary's desk. She had the pages of her sea novel in progress spread out and was re-reading them.
I whispered: "I tried."
"As did I. Just nothing to do today."
"Yes. Shoot!"
"I beg your pardon."
"Bamboo shoot - I almost forgot it." I reached into my backpack, pulled it out and handed it to her.
Again the "Thank you, but can I really keep it?" followed by the satisfied nibbling.
I saw Gray looking over at us with an expression I couldn't read.
"I've got to be off to the General Store to get some seeds. I'll leave you with Mr. Sunshine there."
"I wish I could do something for him. But now I'm depressed also. I'll close right at four today and just go home and eat Mom's cakes. Later, Jack."
I'm spreading cheer wherever I go today. Now, let's see what I can do for Jeff's stress level.
Karen and Jeff were behind the counter, adding up some invoices.
"Dad, we're still 26,000G short. You really have to ask people to pay down their bills."
Jeff was holding his stomach and saying nothing.
I picked up two packages of turnip seeds and went to the counter.
"Good afternoon, Jeff, Karen."
"Hello, Jack. More seeds already?"
"Got a little cash from foraging." I laid the coins on the counter. "It's going right back into the ground. It's getting late, and you look busy, so I'll get on back to the farm now. Thanks."
"Thank you, Jack."
"Dad, I'll be back in a bit" said Karen, and followed me out the door.
"Jack, you live next to Rick's place. Was there anything going on there yesterday?"
I hesitated to be spreading gossip. Karen saw it and went on.
"It's not exactly prying. Rick and I...well, we've been good friends since we were kids. *Very* good friends. He was so depressed when I saw him this morning. Nothing I said or did made a difference. Is there something wrong over there?"
"He and Popuri had a terrible fight yesterday."
"Oh, again. It tears him up when that happens. But it's partially his own fault. He's too protective of Popuri. Perhaps she wouldn't be so immature if he let her grow up on her own.
She sighed. "Their situation is impossible and it's nobody's fault, really. Lillia's too sick to do much. With Michael away, it's all on Rick's shoulders. It's too much for him, no wonder he snaps at Popuri. I wish he'd let me help him, but he's got to be the strong man of that family - do it all himself."
"Everyone seems to be down today. Mary said it's a cycle, we just have to wait it out."
Karen brightened. "You've met Mary, then. Isn't she wonderful? 'Still waters run deep' all right. She's so imaginative. And she's got the patience of Job - sitting at her desk for hours, looking for that one right word for those stories of hers." She laughed. "I can't keep still for more than five minutes myself. I'll end up wandering the whole village several times a day if I don't have work to do.
"I wonder if she'll stay in that library her whole life. I think she's carrying a torch for someone, I don't know who. I hope it's not that Gray! What a Gloomy Gus *he* is. She won't talk about it to any of us girls, she always turns the subject to some romantic story she's read. And she's good enough at that to make us forget we were trying to get her to 'fess up!"
"Karen, I don't know what to tell you about Rick, I only know him from yesterday."
"Yes, well, I'll take Mary's advice. Let it ride. Go walk on the beach alone and drink at the Inn afterwards. I do that too much, but what else is there to do? I've got to get back in and help Dad. Wish I could help stiffen his backbone! Thanks for talking with me, you're a real good pal. Take care, Jack."
"You also, Karen."
I looked down towards the Inn. Wonder if I should go talk with Cliff, that might cheer me up. On the other hand, I was batting a thousand today with cheering people up. Whatever dark cloud I was dragging behind, I didn't want to get it over Cliff. Best just get back to the farm.
I got back as Zack was opening the shipping bin.
"Hey, Jack, I'll take the stuff in the bin. They like the bamboo shoots, I can move all of that you can get. This looks like 300G worth to me, here you go, pal. Guess I'll go back home and eat...it's tough living alone. Greg don't count - he just sits there fixing his gear!"
I've even depressed Zack - sheesh! Then Wowser came up looking for another hug. I obliged him.
"Wowser, you've got to be my best friend here."
His wagging and yipping said that he agreed. At least I didn't get him down.
The next two hours I spent in planting two patches of turnips. The healthy plants in the patches over showed that I knew how to do it - thanks to Farmer Fran. I'd really have to send her that fan letter.
Two more hours spent in gathering bamboo and grasses at the springs brought me to ten o'clock. I really should get to bed, but the journals and tables I was creating from them still called me. Patience. Perseverance. Was that Mary's advice? The voice in my dreams? It was good advice. I worked until one, then went to bed rather than fall asleep at the table again.
Chapter 7 - Establishing a Routine
I'd found both in school and in my old job that setting a routine for the day, then sticking with it as much as possible was the most productive. The more things you could do without thinking how to do them, the more you got accomplished.
Early mornings were for Wowser, breakfast, weather, news and Farmer Fran - I really had a crush on her now! A few minutes to reflect on the woman's voice in my dreams who spoke every night. Last night, it was about needing to keep my word in order to be healed. My mind must be a little unhinged from all the changes, I thought. Good advice in general, but what odd wording!
Today was sunny and warm, as the weather lady promised. Right there was a reason to have some flexibility in a routine. I would need an extra half hour to water each patch of vegetables. If I chopped out another two new patches, tended the planted patches, then did the hot springs before I was too wiped out, then I would need another two to four hours in the afternoon for watering. The rusted out watering can needed eight tilts to water a whole patch. Something else for Saibara to work on when I had money. Guess watering the crops would make me into a rainy-day friend with the other villagers.
This morning, as I came out the door, the planted fields were covered with a flock of blue birds, eagerly eating insects. When they saw me, they scattered, and I saw the seeds I'd planted had sprouted. Nice, broad, bright green leaves, hardly touched with insect damage. Thanks, birds! Come again. The two girls I'd startled with my shouting the other day passed by on their way to the springs - I now recognized them as Ann and Popuri. Apparently they were friends, they were chatting and laughing as they walked. I waved hello to them, and they returned a "Morning, Jack!"
Routines are rewarding, also. When you can do a task routinely, it gives you time to think. I was worrying about what Cliff had said about Duke. I'd have to ask around discreetly about what might calm the guy down. It would probably be easy enough to make friends with Manna - just be a good listener, if my ears could hold out. I didn't know, however if having Manna on my side would help with Duke, or just annoy him further as appearing as a schemer. I sighed, more data, I needed more data.
That took me up to the noon break and the hot springs. Each day seemed to get just a little easier - my body must be hardening with all the work - and I didn't actually fall asleep in the springs.
I just let my mind wander, and I kept going over those meetings with the five women about my age. The last serious girlfriend I'd had was in high school. College, then work for me had been an almost non-stop seventy to hundred hour a week effort. Absolutely no time for anything more than a pleasant chat at a cafeteria or hallway with some young thing. Looks like I wouldn't have time for anything more here also.
I also reflected how the city put a edge on people that the country seemed to soften. All those girls had their quirks, but they were tolerable. They were all nice. In the city, Karen would be an affected, conceited artsy type. Elli would me "Miss-I-Know-What's-Good-For-You- Better-Than-You-Do." Popuri would be a impressionable flake, always being led into trouble. Ann would be a "Men-Are-All-Pigs" shrew. Mary would be a bitter, closed-in old maid.
Hot soaked and refreshed, I returned to the farm and started in on the watering. But I started thinking about my older routines, also. It was two, time for my turn at the overpressure test stand at Dynatech - and I usually needed my turn! I smiled as I remembered how the first couple of weeks, I blew out every line I tested. That earned me the nickname "The Bang-Bang Kid."
These reflections turned me blue as I remembered where I was. A couple of kilometers past nowhere, trying to scratch a living out of dirt!
I got the last of the plants watered - it was just after three. These were sure healthy turnips - it looked as if the leaves had doubled in number and size since morning. I had been skeptical when I read in grandpa's journal that they matured to harvest in four days. But it looked like just the plain fact.
I was feeling more and more blue, starting to hate anything akin to plants and dirt. Maybe I should go to the library and see if they had *anything* modern to read. I remembered the bamboo shoot I'd left in the house for Mary. She'd been helpful in keeping the library open late as I copied out the facts about mountain plants, so I owed her one. She sure seemed to love them - hope she didn't think I was trying to bribe her into staying open late again. I'd leave at the stroke of four so she could close up and go to the General Store for more seeds.
I walked down the walk to the center of town. Passing by the winery, I saw Duke clearing the ground around the bases of grapevines. I reflected, no time like the present to start mending fences and called out:
"Good Afternoon, Duke. How are you doing?"
He looked up and was clearly not thrilled to see me, but answered civilly enough, "Not too bad, Jack. How's the farm coming?"
"Sure takes a lot of time! Hardly have any left over to breath."
"Good deal, Jack. Excuse me, but I've got to get these vines cleared."
I heard him mumble to himself as I passed, "*Better* keep your nose in your own business, city slicker."
Well, at least he spoke with me. Don't know if that's good or bad.
I entered the library, and Mary was towards the back shelves, talking with a boy about my age, wearing work clothes and a baseball cap printed with the logo of a machining company. He looked as if he was also in a deep blue mood. Neither heard me come in, they kept on talking.
"Grey, the espionage thrillers are right here. But perhaps you'd like to read this little collection of recent poetry, also? They're not too demanding and very nice."
"Thanks, Mary. The books you recommend to me are always good."
He took the poetry book, and a "hero single-handedly staves off World War Three" potboiler of a few years back, sat at a table and started reading.
Mary started back to her desk and saw me.
"Good afternoon, Jack. You're back so soon. Need more information about mountain plants?"
"Not today, thanks. Found all the plants your father described. His field guide was completely accurate."
"He'll be glad to hear that. So what *can* I do for you."
"Wonder if you have any recent Sci-Tech magazines. I've had enough of the bucolic wonders of farming for today. Want to spend a few minutes in the twenty-first century."
"I'm sorry, Jack. The only periodical we take is the Edgeport newspaper. It would be hard to justify spending on others that people don't read."
"I suppose so." I lowered my voice. "Who's that fellow? He looks even more depressed than I do...ah...did when I came here."
That got me a concerned glance, then she decided to play it straight.
"That's Gray, Saibara's grandson. He's from out West and is apprenticing with Saibara. He doesn't like it here at all. He comes here in his free time and reads, then goes to his room at the Inn and sleeps.
"I try to cheer him up by talking with him, but he doesn't open up." Now, she looked sad. "I guess a dusty bookish girl is not interesting enough for him."
My turn for a concerned look. "You too? Is there something in the air today here? Everyone is down."
"I don't know what it is. These things come in cycles, I believe. Just be patient and endure."
"I suppose. Maybe I should go over and introduce myself to Gray."
"That would be nice, I can't get anywhere with him today. You try."
I went over to his table and held out my hand.
"Hello Gray, I'm Jack. I don't believe we've met."
He looked up without smiling, but did shake my hand.
"So, you're Jack. I was at your grandfather's funeral, but was way in back and didn't really see you. But I've seen you. Your farm is next to the workshop. When I come to work in the morning, I see you chopping away at those weeds. When I leave in the afternoon, I see you watering. Don't you get tired?"
"You don't see me at noon sleeping in the hot springs!"
That didn't get the laugh I was trying for. He still looked depressed.
"If I tried that, grandpa would chew my tail out. He bosses me around all the time, never gives me a bit of praise for anything I do.
"I don't want to be a blacksmith. I didn't want to come here. I don't know what I want yet, but it sure isn't anything *here*. My folks sent me here because they can't afford to feed themselves and all us kids - I've got two younger brothers. Dad's still working - barely. He was a real estate broker. Now, there's no market for land. He has to bag groceries just to live on."
"Is it worse out there than here?"
"It's pretty bad. I don't want to think about it anymore.
"It's good there's this library, or I'd have nothing to do here. The people are so boring here. They say the same things every day. Mary's not as bad as the rest of them. She gives me interesting books to read. I'll get back to reading them now. Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Gray."
That's all the cheer I had room for today.
I went back to Mary's desk. She had the pages of her sea novel in progress spread out and was re-reading them.
I whispered: "I tried."
"As did I. Just nothing to do today."
"Yes. Shoot!"
"I beg your pardon."
"Bamboo shoot - I almost forgot it." I reached into my backpack, pulled it out and handed it to her.
Again the "Thank you, but can I really keep it?" followed by the satisfied nibbling.
I saw Gray looking over at us with an expression I couldn't read.
"I've got to be off to the General Store to get some seeds. I'll leave you with Mr. Sunshine there."
"I wish I could do something for him. But now I'm depressed also. I'll close right at four today and just go home and eat Mom's cakes. Later, Jack."
I'm spreading cheer wherever I go today. Now, let's see what I can do for Jeff's stress level.
Karen and Jeff were behind the counter, adding up some invoices.
"Dad, we're still 26,000G short. You really have to ask people to pay down their bills."
Jeff was holding his stomach and saying nothing.
I picked up two packages of turnip seeds and went to the counter.
"Good afternoon, Jeff, Karen."
"Hello, Jack. More seeds already?"
"Got a little cash from foraging." I laid the coins on the counter. "It's going right back into the ground. It's getting late, and you look busy, so I'll get on back to the farm now. Thanks."
"Thank you, Jack."
"Dad, I'll be back in a bit" said Karen, and followed me out the door.
"Jack, you live next to Rick's place. Was there anything going on there yesterday?"
I hesitated to be spreading gossip. Karen saw it and went on.
"It's not exactly prying. Rick and I...well, we've been good friends since we were kids. *Very* good friends. He was so depressed when I saw him this morning. Nothing I said or did made a difference. Is there something wrong over there?"
"He and Popuri had a terrible fight yesterday."
"Oh, again. It tears him up when that happens. But it's partially his own fault. He's too protective of Popuri. Perhaps she wouldn't be so immature if he let her grow up on her own.
She sighed. "Their situation is impossible and it's nobody's fault, really. Lillia's too sick to do much. With Michael away, it's all on Rick's shoulders. It's too much for him, no wonder he snaps at Popuri. I wish he'd let me help him, but he's got to be the strong man of that family - do it all himself."
"Everyone seems to be down today. Mary said it's a cycle, we just have to wait it out."
Karen brightened. "You've met Mary, then. Isn't she wonderful? 'Still waters run deep' all right. She's so imaginative. And she's got the patience of Job - sitting at her desk for hours, looking for that one right word for those stories of hers." She laughed. "I can't keep still for more than five minutes myself. I'll end up wandering the whole village several times a day if I don't have work to do.
"I wonder if she'll stay in that library her whole life. I think she's carrying a torch for someone, I don't know who. I hope it's not that Gray! What a Gloomy Gus *he* is. She won't talk about it to any of us girls, she always turns the subject to some romantic story she's read. And she's good enough at that to make us forget we were trying to get her to 'fess up!"
"Karen, I don't know what to tell you about Rick, I only know him from yesterday."
"Yes, well, I'll take Mary's advice. Let it ride. Go walk on the beach alone and drink at the Inn afterwards. I do that too much, but what else is there to do? I've got to get back in and help Dad. Wish I could help stiffen his backbone! Thanks for talking with me, you're a real good pal. Take care, Jack."
"You also, Karen."
I looked down towards the Inn. Wonder if I should go talk with Cliff, that might cheer me up. On the other hand, I was batting a thousand today with cheering people up. Whatever dark cloud I was dragging behind, I didn't want to get it over Cliff. Best just get back to the farm.
I got back as Zack was opening the shipping bin.
"Hey, Jack, I'll take the stuff in the bin. They like the bamboo shoots, I can move all of that you can get. This looks like 300G worth to me, here you go, pal. Guess I'll go back home and eat...it's tough living alone. Greg don't count - he just sits there fixing his gear!"
I've even depressed Zack - sheesh! Then Wowser came up looking for another hug. I obliged him.
"Wowser, you've got to be my best friend here."
His wagging and yipping said that he agreed. At least I didn't get him down.
The next two hours I spent in planting two patches of turnips. The healthy plants in the patches over showed that I knew how to do it - thanks to Farmer Fran. I'd really have to send her that fan letter.
Two more hours spent in gathering bamboo and grasses at the springs brought me to ten o'clock. I really should get to bed, but the journals and tables I was creating from them still called me. Patience. Perseverance. Was that Mary's advice? The voice in my dreams? It was good advice. I worked until one, then went to bed rather than fall asleep at the table again.
