#20: Levi - Sticks

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For the next few days Jeanie replied to ‘want ads’ at night via email. She determined what they wanted, agreed on a price, and set up a meeting place.

Levi made the delivery the next day. He was having fun, Getting out, meeting people, and making enough money to pay for motels.

He was satisfied.

They stayed on the move. They picked a different motel every night.

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One day Levi rounded a corner and saw someone far ahead of him crawl out of a ditch. The man looked around as if he were hunting for something. Apparently he didn’t find what he was looking for since he shrugged his shoulders and started walking. He and Levi were going the same way. Levi wasn’t in any great hurry so he slowed to observe. The guy saw something in the ditch and retrieved it. Now he had a stick that he used as a cane.

“He sees us” Jeannie said “he views us as a potential threat. An old army buddy of yours?”

“I don’t know him personally.” Levi said “but you definitely have a point. He’s had combat training.”

Levi slowly overtook the man. It became more obvious that the guy was aware of him. In fact that might have been the reason for the stick. He seemed to walk well enough and obviously didn’t need a cane. A stout stick made a good weapon, best proceed with caution.

“Hey buddy,” Levi said “You don’t look so good. Can I help you somehow?”

The man turned and looked at Levi with wild eyes.

“Uh...I...my schedule. “ He muttered. “....lost my job. Lost my home....mutter, mutter, mutter”

“That’s a raw deal.” Levi said. The two were side by side. The man was walking rather slow using the cane. Levi was pacing him. “Maybe I can help.”

The man turned to stare at Levi as if seeing him for the first time. He had been aware of Levi as a potential threat but hadn’t looked at him as a person. Now he did. The man saw that Levi was wearing a long coat, carrying a staff, and walking funny. He was gliding. “Wha...wha...what do you mean?”

Levi told himself to be VERY careful with this guy. He was stressed tight and looked like he was ready to come unglued at any time. He said “I can give you a magic wand. It can help you.”

The man stared. Was he hearing right?

“No really.” Levi said “I can. Tell you what. Put that stick down and step back.”

The man wasn’t a bit sure about that. The stick would be a valuable weapon in a fight. He shook his head and said “No.”

Levi thought about that for a minute. “Cautious are you? I can’t say as I blame you. I might do the same if I were you.”

“That’s cute” Jeannie was so sarcastic that it could be cut with a knife “You were in his exact situation not a week ago.”

They proceeded in silence for a few minutes. The exercise was doing the man good, it was clearing his head. After a little while he looked at Levi and said “Wanna swap?”

Levi grinned. The perfect solution.

“I’m on it.” Jeannie said in his mind. A bare instant later she said. ”Systems go. You can swap anytime.”

“ Your stick for mine?” Levi asked. He pretended surprise as if to consider it then he said “Certainly. Here you go.”

The man extended his off hand, the one that didn’t hold the stick. He was cautious. He wasn’t letting go of his stick until he had another one in hand. Levi Grinned, knowing what the poor guy was thinking.

“Very wise of you” he said then handed his staff to him. For a moment the homeless guy held his stick and Levi’s staff both. Then he blinked and handed his stick to Levi.

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