Here's another piece of this Josef tale. Thanks for being so pactient with me and have a great week!!

Enjoy!!!

Trades

Beth tapped her foot and checked her watch again. Only two minutes had passed! This is the longest flight ever! She threw her head back and groaned in frustration. She had slept, she had eaten and had slept again and there was still hours before they would land.

Beth looked around the plane. Mick had booked her a first class seat (out of Josef's account) and Beth had appreciated the stretching room and the seat that laid back into a bed, but there was only so much sitting she could take.

Beth stretched, her feet carefully avoiding the icebox that was her carry on, and laid the seat back into a bed. She turned off the overhead light and closed her eyes. It's 1am local time, might as well try to get in sync…

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Josef watched Arman run down the street towards to the newly arrived merchants. Josef watched as the men of the village poured out to greet the new comers. The traveling merchants opened bundles of silk, jewels and cooking utensils. All things needed in outlining areas that could not be found locally.

Josef watched as the old man who ran the telephone approached the merchants. Josef watched with curiosity as the man presented them with, what Josef presumed, was his ten dollar bill. The merchants gathered, looking skeptical.

Josef was pleased to see the old man argue with them. It looked like the merchants were trying to convince him he had been robbed. The man pointed to Josef and the whole town followed as the old man yelled at Josef as he approached.

Josef watched the merchants approach with a smile. Cheating bastards! Josef thought as he looked at their gleeful faces. The old man was in front of Josef screaming and Arman had appeared by Josef's side.

"They say you cheated him, sir."

Josef stood up and faced the merchants who looked at him with curiosity. He removed the veil that hid his face. The merchants' smiles faded. They could clearly see that Josef was a white man and therefore, having possession of a US ten dollar bill would not be out of the ordinary.

"The money is good." Josef said to them. Arman quickly translated. The merchant holding the bill looked at it and said something.

Josef looked to Arman who translated, "They say they have no… no other bill to see. They don't know if it good."

Josef pulled out his wallet and pulled out the rest of his money. He fanned it both for the villagers and the merchants to see. Josef could see the gleam in the merchants' eyes as they looked at his large stack of American money.

The merchants returned to their wares, chatting with the towns' people as Josef stashed his money. Arman hung by his side. "What you want from merchant, sir. I will buy for you with you money."

Josef smiled, but shook his head. "I want to go to Jaipur. Can they show me the way?"

Arman bounded off to one of the merchants and started talking rapidly, pointing to Josef. The merchant went to conference with the others and then returned to Arman who lead them to Josef.

"They not go Jaipur, sir. They go Jaisalmer. From there, you get train to Jaipur, okay?"

Josef nearly sighed in relief. It had been a good long while since he traveled by elegant train, he couldn't wait to get in the air conditioned cars.

"You pay two what you pay my father," Arman said, and then proudly added. "I bargained them down from five."

Josef smiled at the kid and nodded. "Thank you. Tell them I will pay one now and one in Jaisalmer." Arman quickly translated and the merchants nodded the traditional Indian head wobble that looked more like they were unsure than they were agreeing.

Josef napped in the shade as the men concluded their business. Josef watched as Arman's father carried away the most beautiful of the silk saris along with some other new shinny water pots. Josef smiled knowing there would be a very pleased young lady in town tonight.

Arman approached Josef and said. "They can no talk to you. They say you will travel at night. The Thar is hot and will kill men and camel. You must bring food and water for you. You have food?"

Josef nodded, thinking of the canteen of blood. Arman looked at him skeptically. "You no eat today. You need food to cross Thar, it take four days."

Josef nodded. "I have food. Thank you for all you have done." And then Josef pulled out his wallet, but Arman protested.

"No, sir. You paid my father. You no pay me."

Josef chuckled. He had indeed been going to tip the boy for his services, but he instead pulled his business card from his wallet. "No, I will not pay you, but you have helped me greatly. If you ever need help this card has my phone number so you can reach me."

Arman's eyes lit up as he took the card from Josef. Josef smiled inwardly knowing that his card would be the treasured possession of the child life. Josef just hoped he wouldn't use it that often.

As the merchants gathered their things and made their last minute sales Josef carefully drank half of the blood in the canteen. The warmth of the day had spoiled it, but even at that it felt refreshing and revitalizing.

Josef screwed the cap on tight and followed the merchants out of town. I hope I can make it to Jaisalmer, maybe there I can find a safe source of blood…