Vekscapades

1

The engine of the F250 supercrew roared quietly. The truck had clearly seen better days as had the airstream flying cloud it pulled. Not decrepit, just lived in, as they mostly had.

The city was a suburb outside Washington,DC It wasn't Kansas City but then what was. He had scouted the place and it was almost perfect. No mob ties but it still had its appeal.

1974, a year out of a 4 year Vietnam tour, the three of them, in the Corp spent traveling made him ready to relax. It had been hard to recover from his time in Azcala and he doubted he ever really would. There had been a girl. But this place would do.

Pulling into the parking lot he looked over the setting. Up by the street was a stripmall of shops and businesses. Restaurants, and the like. They all shared about half of the huge parking lot that spanned space behind them. Perceiving the businesses had the room to do business but the lot went deep into unused space. Then two rail lines that were guarded by chain link fences. He pulled his truck and trailer up near the fence. He extended the back side canvas. He walked around checking tires till he was sure he had no watchers. He pulled a couple hoses from storage. Leaping over the fence and went to the tiny maintenance building.

Looking over the building it showed signs of neglect. It looked unused for a decade.. He stuck the black hose into a sewage plug. Magically adjusting the fixture. He magically cleared the water faucet and attached the garden hose to it.

Making sure the commode worked, just in case some fellow traveler tried to use it. Securing the hoses under the fence he hopped the fence and secured the hoses to his trailer.

After pumping out the black and gray water and refilling the white tank he he went inside and cast Area Clean. He pulled a large hoagie from the fridge and ate it while watching the evening news. Firmly encamped he slept for 48 hours the kind of sleep sorcerers sleep.

Waking under a mild rain he raised the canvas awning on the front side of the trailer. Stepping out he set up a couple chairs and a table. Sitting and lighting a cigarette he relaxed for a couple hours to watch the morning traffic.

Some time in the morning the trailer door opened and a large orange maincoon cat came out and took a chair besides the sorcerer. He too looks over the new neighborhood " not bad. Vek. It's full of rats. Couple Tina Cats too.

Right on cue a couple of minor hoodlums came out the back of the pizzeria, smoking cigs, and walking toward the trailer with foolishly entitled steps..

The sorcerer gets up and pulls 4 carpets from storage. He pulls three chairs and a 30oz thermos out of storage as well. He lays out two rugs. He resets his own chair and table and opens one more for the table. He sits again as the man come to him.

"It's a twenty dollar a day to camp here, scumbag. So..by the day or by the week?"

"What do I get for that fee?"

He laughs, "Well I don't send the local kids to torch your place. None of my locals clients call the police, the rail marshals, or the landlord on you. Oh, less locals will try to stomp your cat or shoot him.. They might sic thier dogs on him." He chuckles softly.

The traveler smiles and finishes his cig, lighting another.

He points to the third chair. " 20$ a day? Ok..now here are my terms. Have a seat."

The hoodlum sits, his will power like a fly in a tornado. He looks on unblinking, deep in the back of his subconscious seeing scenes of torture and dismemberment that he features in prominently.

"That 20$ a day will cover me and two other campers when they get here. As well as your conditions it will include mine. You work at the pizzeria. I like your menu. Each day I will drop by and place a breakfast order for the next day." He pushes over the thermos. "That will include the thermos. I'll pay for those. You light your oven at 9 and open at 10. I'll expect breakfast before 10am."

He flips out $300 in local cash. "Don't worry. I'll pay for breakfasts and you keep the change."

The hoodlum silently pisses himself in terror.

"Now, you will visit Harvey's Lounge when I am there. You will collect your protection money from me and leave. You may listen to me for two songs before going if you like. You and your companions will no longer hang out at Harvey's. Find someplace else. If your companions forget you will have a day of seeing the lovely scenes you are witnessing now. First hand "

"Next, you'll stop soliciting sexual favors from your clients or from customers at Harvey's. If you or your companions try you or they will experience the joy of inappropriate ejaculations, say in church, in the gym locker room, whileying poker, while talking to your superiors, or when firing pla a gun in anger."

2

"As for the cat, he makes his own deals. Try to shoot him or stomp him at your own peril. Do we have an understanding?"

The man nods his head vigorously.

" Good. Now it's Monday and here is 140$. I'll pay again next Monday. You may go.

The man stands and fast walks back to the pizzeria. A cleanliness spell reaches him just before he enters. Courtesy of his new client.

3

The cat goes," Meow " with a hint of sarcasm.

A couple days later the man is playing a fine acoustic guitar while smoking on his front patio. A pitcher of wine is almost gone next to the last slice of a meat lover's pizza when a black and white T-bird pulling an airstream Caravel pulls up. He carefully backs it up leaving about 10 yards between the vehicles.

The driver steps out and nods to the musician.

The man is tall and thin. Cadaverously thin with orange reddish hair.

He goes to the fence line and hoped over. After visiting the maintenance shed for a half hour he returns dragging a black and a green hose. Securing the hoses to his trailer and starting black and gray tanks emptying he takes a break, sitting with the musician and smoking one of his cigs and pouring a glass of wine.

"Tonight?" He take the last slice. "No. Tomorrow night. Give Jurt a chance to show up without trumping him. "

That evening the two men walked around DC taking in the sights and sampling a different restaurant every couple hours.

The next morning the musician steps out of his trailer, cat in his arms and thermos of coffee in his free hand. Sitting at his table he looks over his neighbor to the west. A converted blue short bus.

A Lounge chair rests next to a garden table of wrought iron. On it is a wood box with an open lid. It contains differently rolled joints. The table also has a half dozen empty Pabst cans and box with 6 full ones The musician say," What time did you get here, Jurt?"

" 0: dark thirty, Vek. Got plugged in and took a nap. We got plans? "

Vek smiles " Not till around 9pm to night."

Jurt stands, pushing the pangolin off and letting it run and explore. "Then knock on my foot in about 10 hours " He walks into his bus and shuts the door."

Vek steps over in front of his airstream as Chasa steps over to join him. Vek smiles. "It will be an interesting year." Chasa smiles,"Ya, like An Lộc in '72"

4

A little after 8pm Vek walked out of his trailer dressed to the nines. Sharkskin suit. Polished black shoes. Black fedora hat. Purple silk tie. A black guitar case on his left hand. A .45 in a shoulder holster.

Walking across the parking lot of the stripmall he enters Harvey's Lounge.

The interior was dark but well lit by candles. The bar was well stocked. To the right Vek looks over the worn piano.

Setting his guitar case next to the bench seat he opens the lid about a foot. Shining a flashlight inside he examines the contents. Sitting he runs scales and reaches in to tighten the out of tune strings.

The bartender comes over, " Can I help you? The piano is dark tonight."

"The piano isn't dark. It's out of tune. I'm Fixing that. I understand you have a player on Thursday to Sunday. Luckily I only want to work Monday to Wednesday I work for tips."

He says, "Money spent on tips isn't spent on the bar."

Vek answers," Nonsense. Money spent on tips increases the bar. Makes people stay longer. You think a cassette of Volarie encourages the act of love??"

A bar guest nearby says," only with ferrets."

Vek glances with surprise. "Good one!"

Vek runs the keyboard several time then launches into a medley of favorites.

" Here is the deal. I have two companions. One on guitar; rythem or bass usually. The other is percusions; he likes hitting things. He'll have a small kit and a small stand with a variety of noise makers. We pack up like we were never there after each night. As I said, we play for tips and whatever we drink. We won't break the bank. Let me know if one of them overindulges.

We play from 4pm till 2am. Just like your Thursday to Sunday guy.

Just so you know, we may invite guests to hear us; record executives."

" Sound fair?" The bartender says," Sounds like I don't have a choice? The manager leaves the stage to me. We'll give it a two week try. What are you called?"

Vek smiles. "At the moment it's 'The DC Three. But we can change it."

The cat goes and muses the door open and leaves.

Vek says," A double gin and tonic, a draft dark beer; stout or porter, and a Stella Artois in a bowl 🥣 " Jurt provides his own beverages.

ek et al. — 01/01/2024 4:25 PM Vek starts playing slow tunes as he continues to tune the piano.

After a bit Chasa enters carrying a standing bass case in one hand and a deep guitar case in the other. He sets up the bass first and positioning it to sit on the case. He opens a small flat table for his beer and a few knick knacks, including a .44 desert eagle. He is dressed in a dark black mortician suit.

Behind him is Jurt pulling one box on wheels and another three on his shoulder. The rolling one advertises acme dynamite.

The shoulder ones are 20"x16"x16" ammo crates with faded lettering. Both look very old.

The bartender worries, not for the first time, how much trouble it would be to get rid of us. Deciding correctly that is would be too much trouble.

From the dynamite case he pulls a collection of drums that he assembles. The case he sits on. From the ammo boxes he sets us a small table and lays out a wide variety of noise makers including, tambourines, harmonicas, ratchet noise makes, kazoo and more.

One of the ammo cases had a small armored animal called a pangolin.

The kit is mostly pulled from the dynamite case.

Its a 4 drum piece set with 3 cymbals.

The Pangolin curls up under the snare drum and goes to sleep. Many think it's a stuffed animal since it almost never moves throughout the evening's performance.

---

As the evening comes to a close and last call is said the crowd thins out the bartender comes over. Speaking to Vek he says, "Well you were right. The bar didn't loose out and your tip glass looks full.

Vek takes the bills from the large snifter. He pours the change into a large handkerchief. "Keep the coinage. It's probably 10 bucks or so but it's too much trouble for me."

The bartender asks," I didn't get your names?"

Vek nods. "Vek Hendrake. The bassist is Chasa Dowell. The percussionist is Jurt Sawall. The cat is Paka."

He points to the pangolin, " and it ..." jurt chuckles," is best left left alone.🥁"

The bartender nods in agreement, extends his hand to Vek.

"Nice to meet you, Vek Hendrake. See you tomorrow. "

---

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