Wilson Harp - EMP

“I assume enough for an extended period of time,” I said.

“That’s a good estimate,” Tom replied. “Come on, I’ll show you the other part of why you are up here today.”

I followed him out of the small shed and we headed down the hill a bit. A small black woman and Anne talked in the doorway of a house. They looked up and smiled as we approached.

“You must be Sophia,” I said as I extended my hand.

She took it in a soft handshake and nodded. “I am. You’re David?”

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Sophia was just about to show me what we will be taking back to the town,” Anne said.

“Really? We are taking something back?” I asked.

“Come back this way,” Sophia said.

She entered the house and led us back to a nice sized kitchen. Six large plastic tubs were stacked up on the counters.

“That is enough herbs for a few months we figure,” Sophia said as she patted one of the big bins.

“Wow,” said Anne. “Those are full of herbs?”

“Yep. Basil, oregano, rosemary, coriander, thyme, dill, and bay leaves. There is some fresh mint and new garlic bulbs in there as well. Should be able to start growing quickly.”

“Why are you giving us all of this?” I asked.

“Being neighborly,” Sophia said. “My kids were curious about what you folks were eating in town. We told them you were eating bland stews and raw vegetables. That made my kids feel bad because they are eating better than the kids in town. So we talked about what we could give that the whole town could use. We usually have more herbs than we can use, so that seemed to be something we could do to make your lives a little better.”

“Thank you, Sophia,” Anne said. “And thank your kids. This is a wonderful gift and I’m sure the whole town will appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, and I hope we will see you again soon.”

Tom helped me take the bins of herbs out to the front road. Anne went to get Bonnie and I was trying to figure out how we would be able to strap the bins to the saddle when Ted appeared. He had his rifle in his hand and Kenny’s backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Hey Ted,” Tom called. “Wasn’t expecting you back this early.”

Ted stopped and looked at Tom and then at me.

“I take it David and Anne had the good sense not to say anything,” Ted said as he resumed his walk up the road.

“About what?” Tom asked.

“Kenny. He got himself in trouble.”

Tom muttered a few choice words and then looked up at me. “We thought he might do something stupid,” he said. “What happened? Did he catch the thief?”

I nodded. “Yeah, he caught him. Found a bunch of things that were stolen. So I guess you could say he caught him red-handed.”

“So Deputy Dawg didn’t like someone doing his job, huh? Doesn’t surprise me.”

“It wasn’t so much the catching that got him in trouble,” Ted said as he came closer. “It was the hanging that seems to have ruffled some feathers.”

Tom’s face drained of color until his white hair seemed vibrant in comparison.

“Hanging?”

“Yeah,” Ted said. “Seems Kenny decided that it would be a good thing to hang the thief instead of just catching him. So he did. Then he sat under the body and waited until a mob formed and he almost got himself shot or hanged.”

“Where is he now?” I asked.

“They have him locked in the pharmacy. Hanson has a room where all of the remaining medicines are locked up. They decided that would be the best place to put Kenny until the trial.”

“At least they are going to give him a trial,” Tom said. “I don’t know if I would if I were in their place.”

“He mentioned trying to find a thief?” I asked.

“Last night,” Tom said. “He came in and packed a bag. Said he was going to go back to town and see if he could find who was stealing stuff. Guess he had a few people tell him about some thefts.”

I felt guilty. I didn’t know Kenny would act to stop the thefts in this manner.

“What’s wrong, David,” Ted asked. “You knew about this, or at least some of it. But you look like you were sucker punched.”

“Sucker kicked is more like it,” Tom said. “That little filly kicked him in the head while dismounting. She said it was an accident, but she was smirking as she walked away with him flopping in the dirt.”

Ted laughed. “Are you okay?” he asked me. He looked at my eyes and I could see he was concerned as well as amused.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I said.

“Good, I need to go let Sophia know what is happening with Kenny. Wait for me and I will head back with you and Anne.”

Ted headed into the compound with Kenny’s bag and a heavy chore of letting Sophia know about her brother.

“It wasn’t the kick to the head that made you look all sick,” Tom said as Ted got far enough away not to hear. “It was something about Kenny. Am I right?”

“It was me and my big mouth,” I said. “Kenny was working in the bean field yesterday. I don’t know why he works in the south fields. It’s so far for him to walk. Anyway, we were talking and I mentioned my folk’s medicine had been stolen and my mom had been scared and shaken by whoever broke in. Kenny started soapboxing like he does. He said thieves were no better than murderers and we needed to punish them for what they did.”

“That sounds like Kenny. You know, I have never smoked a cigarette. Have you?”

“What?”

“I said I’ve never been a smoker. Did you ever smoke?”

“I’m sorry Tom, I don’t understand.”

“The question is pretty straight forward, I thought.”

“No, I’ve never smoked.”

“You ever get onto people for smoking?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve asked a few people not to smoke in my house before.”

“That’s about as far as I’ve gone. But you should hear my wife. She will nag a person to death over their habit.”

“She used to be a smoker?”

“That’s right. See, converts make the best zealots. Former smokers or alcoholics understand what they experienced and they want to help others break free of those addictions. Even when those who are partaking in the activities don’t see it as a problem. Kenny is the same way about his former life.”

“You mean he was a criminal?”

Tom nodded. “He would have denied it even until a few years ago, but he has come to realize that even though he was never caught or punished, he was still a liar and a thief.”

“And so he thought Brent Talley couldn’t be reformed?”

“I guess. I’m not sure. Maybe he saw something more dangerous in him than simple theft.”

“Taking my parents medicine was more than simple theft,” I said. “It was a sure way to make certain they would die.”

Tom scratched at his beard. “Yeah, this has changed a lot of things. When you need something to survive, the rules of morality and ethics tend to bend and break.”

“Some superficial things change, but basic principles still hold. Kenny didn’t have the right to hang Talley.”

‘Who did? We accepted the death penalty as part of our justice system, even if you disagreed with it. If we had to put someone to death, who has the right to make that decision and then carry it out?”

“What are you two talking about?” Anne said as she led Bonnie out onto the road.

“Kenny,” I said.

Anne bit her lower lip and readjusted a strap on the saddle that looked perfectly snug to me.

“Yeah, Ted came in and asked for a minute with Sophia. I took that as my signal to get Bonnie and get back to town.”

“Ted is going back with us, he asked us to wait for him.”

Anne smiled. “I’m sure you appreciate the extra company. We wouldn’t want you to feel unsafe.”