I, Tom almost said. But instead he put out his hand to shake with the gentleman. “I like to meet the visitors,” he repeated. “You be careful not to wander too far back into the forest, now. We have bears and mountain lions, and it’s not at all unusual to run into enclaves of squatters, from mountain folk to pot growers. I wouldn’t vouch for the friendliness of either.”
“I’ll be wary.”
“And mind fire laws to the letter. It’s been a dry summer.”
“You have my word,” Mr. Faraday said, getting into his truck to make his escape while he could. “Thank you for your time, Officer.”
“Watch those No Trespassing signs, Mr. Faraday.There is a misdemeanor charge for ignoring them. It would be inconvenient for you.”
“I’m sure.” He laughed. “I’m sure. Good day to you then,” he said, starting his engine. He stuck his arm out the window to wave as he drove away.
Tom watched him go, then lingered in the area for a while to make sure the man wasn’t skulking around. When Tom got home, he found that the long wooden table used to feed his wife, five children, mother and father was set with only two places. He smiled in satisfaction. Ursula brought in their lunch on a tray—sandwiches, salad, tea and chips for Tom.
“Your father has taken your mother to Rockport to buy fish for dinner and the children have all eaten and run off. Johnny has made new friends—the Forrest twins. He’s proudly showing them his fort and the woods.”
“Are we really alone?” he asked.
“As alone as one can be with five children on the loose. Tanya is baby-sitting on the other side of the valley, but the others and all their friends cannot be trusted to stay away.”
He bit into his sandwich and said, “I’ll savor the moment anyway.”
“The nicest part of my summer is having lunch with you,” she said. “I can’t believe the season is about to end so soon.”
“You love to teach,” he said.
“I love to spend time with you as well. Tell me about the criminals you’ve apprehended so far today.”
“I gave a bird-watcher some trouble on the way home. He was creeping around Myrna Claypool’s property. I didn’t like the looks of him. I had half a mind to tell him he could find that pesky little ruby-crowned kinglet on the other side of town, but then he’d know I know as much as he does.”
“He’s looking for a ruby-crowned kinglet?” she asked, puzzled.
Tom nodded and said, “And a bobolink.”
Ursula sat back in her chair, her mouth open in disbelief. “They’re everywhere,” she said, and he nodded. “He’s up to something,” she added, and he nodded again. “He’s not very smart, either.”
“You’d think he’d at least name a bird that isn’t indigenous to the area.”
“What an idiot,” Ursula said, picking up her sandwich.
Tom shrugged, but his thoughts had wandered back to the years his father spent making him memorize every bird, plant, star and animal. All of Tom’s siblings had been so taught and then Tom’s children and wife, for Ursula’s education had not been linked to the land and sky.
“You’re obviously Native,” she went on, “and that foot-long ponytail might suggest some old tribal ways, including an education in nature. What a dope. I hope you got a license number.”
Tom chuckled. “Yes, Ursula.”
But that afternoon he called June. “I have a favor to ask,” he started. At her groan he said, “Just a small one. I found an alleged bird-watcher skulking around nearyour aunt Myrna’s house. He was as phony as a wooden nickel, complete with fake accent. At least I think it was fake. I ran him off and told him he was getting too close to private property, but I wonder if you’d drop in on Myrna, tell her to keep an eye out for him and to call me or one of the boys if he seems particularly drawn to her property.”
“How do you know he’s a phony?”
“He was looking for a kinglet and a bobolink. He might as well have been
“I’ll be wary.”
“And mind fire laws to the letter. It’s been a dry summer.”
“You have my word,” Mr. Faraday said, getting into his truck to make his escape while he could. “Thank you for your time, Officer.”
“Watch those No Trespassing signs, Mr. Faraday.There is a misdemeanor charge for ignoring them. It would be inconvenient for you.”
“I’m sure.” He laughed. “I’m sure. Good day to you then,” he said, starting his engine. He stuck his arm out the window to wave as he drove away.
Tom watched him go, then lingered in the area for a while to make sure the man wasn’t skulking around. When Tom got home, he found that the long wooden table used to feed his wife, five children, mother and father was set with only two places. He smiled in satisfaction. Ursula brought in their lunch on a tray—sandwiches, salad, tea and chips for Tom.
“Your father has taken your mother to Rockport to buy fish for dinner and the children have all eaten and run off. Johnny has made new friends—the Forrest twins. He’s proudly showing them his fort and the woods.”
“Are we really alone?” he asked.
“As alone as one can be with five children on the loose. Tanya is baby-sitting on the other side of the valley, but the others and all their friends cannot be trusted to stay away.”
He bit into his sandwich and said, “I’ll savor the moment anyway.”
“The nicest part of my summer is having lunch with you,” she said. “I can’t believe the season is about to end so soon.”
“You love to teach,” he said.
“I love to spend time with you as well. Tell me about the criminals you’ve apprehended so far today.”
“I gave a bird-watcher some trouble on the way home. He was creeping around Myrna Claypool’s property. I didn’t like the looks of him. I had half a mind to tell him he could find that pesky little ruby-crowned kinglet on the other side of town, but then he’d know I know as much as he does.”
“He’s looking for a ruby-crowned kinglet?” she asked, puzzled.
Tom nodded and said, “And a bobolink.”
Ursula sat back in her chair, her mouth open in disbelief. “They’re everywhere,” she said, and he nodded. “He’s up to something,” she added, and he nodded again. “He’s not very smart, either.”
“You’d think he’d at least name a bird that isn’t indigenous to the area.”
“What an idiot,” Ursula said, picking up her sandwich.
Tom shrugged, but his thoughts had wandered back to the years his father spent making him memorize every bird, plant, star and animal. All of Tom’s siblings had been so taught and then Tom’s children and wife, for Ursula’s education had not been linked to the land and sky.
“You’re obviously Native,” she went on, “and that foot-long ponytail might suggest some old tribal ways, including an education in nature. What a dope. I hope you got a license number.”
Tom chuckled. “Yes, Ursula.”
But that afternoon he called June. “I have a favor to ask,” he started. At her groan he said, “Just a small one. I found an alleged bird-watcher skulking around nearyour aunt Myrna’s house. He was as phony as a wooden nickel, complete with fake accent. At least I think it was fake. I ran him off and told him he was getting too close to private property, but I wonder if you’d drop in on Myrna, tell her to keep an eye out for him and to call me or one of the boys if he seems particularly drawn to her property.”
“How do you know he’s a phony?”
“He was looking for a kinglet and a bobolink. He might as well have been
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