10. Tings Nov 10

(7:11 am Nov 10, 2005)

The No Voltage Blues

I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues

My U.P.S. is beepin
It wakes me from my dream
And man she was a sweet ting
Ate least thats how it seemed

I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues

My A.C.'s sittin quiet
My room is gettin warm
I lie right here and sigh it
Aint no sign of a storm

I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues

I'm tryin to write my novel
In thirty short, short days
And now just like the last year
Gots to pray they change their ways

I got the no voltage blues
I got the no voltage blues
Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me
I got the no voltage blues

(7:23 am Nov 10, 2005)

Orange you glad I didn't say banana? (Cue laughter)

The Buzz had been great. Bruno had run into a couple of other back beats he had known from way back. The reunion was fun though he could tell Melody felt a little left out. He toned things down with his old friends and things with Melody picked up. They danced, they got to do a number or two with the band, they danced some more. They ordered drinks with embarrassing names and laughed.

When Bruno suggested getting something to eat on leaving the club, Melody said she had a test coming up and needed to turn in early and so, for the first time since he met her, they did not welcome the sun together.

Bruno had dropped her home and then he had come home and crashed. In truth, he needed the extra sleep too. If you could call the little sleep he gave himself, extra.

He was up now and trying to get into his day.

(7:38 am Nov 10, 2005)

Tourist. Tourism. Visitor. Guest. Service. Sun, sand, and sea. Boats. Fishing. Scuba. Tour. History. Nature. Eco. Treasure. Respect.

Bruno had an eleven o'clock meeting with someone from the Ministry of Tourism to discuss the ways in which live music and tourism could complement each other. He sat for a while and sipped his tea while going over some old notes and making some new ones. The new ones included the linkages between Free Music and Tourism. He got a little excited.

(7:59 am Nov 10, 2005)

There was a knock on the door and before he could say come in, Jelli was walking into the room, letting the screen door slam behind him.

"Jelli, now is not a good time my friend. I have to get some writing done before my appointment down at the ministry."

"Beat! You da man! The electrickery goes out for a little while last night and already this morning you have a meeting with the Minister of Works. You go Beat!"

"With the ministry of tourism. Jelli."

"Oh, I get it. Kidneys man, kidneys. Get the Minister of Tourism to bring pressure on the Minister of Works on account of how the outages negatively affect our tourism product. That's using the old noggin!"

"Ah, no Jelli, first off, I am meeting about the music and tourism linkages and second, I am not meeting with the Minister, but with someone I was hooked up with by a friend. My friend said he thinks this contact will have an interest in what I have to say. We shall see. I also have a group meeting I have to set up to see if we can get some grass roots action on this as well. I want to attack this from the top and the bottom at once. If I can find a way to move on the middle at the same time, I will try that too. Now Jelli, not to be rude, but out! Scram, I have to work."

The screen door slams again and Bruno sits down to write.

Shark.

Loan shark.

Pool shark.

Shark shark.

Harbour Master. Heath was the Harbour Master for the Nassau harbour. The position had been held by his relatives for many generations now. They took the job seriously. Heath did too.

(8:14 am Nov 10, 2005)

He made his rounds of the harbour, made sure nothing got too far out of hand. Made the rounds down by the Prince George Wharf, even went so far as to go down by Arawak Cay and the fish fry. He cruised the Paradise Island shore from the light house in the west to The Narrows in the east. This included several marinas. He also covered the marinas and clubs on the Nassau side and the commercial docks and the Potters Cay causeway and mail boat docks.

He took breaks by patrolling the bridges. he would choose a bridge and swim back and forth under it, controlling access between the western and eastern parts of the harbour. Occasionally, he would exact a toll for passage.

He was a little disturbed today. There was a rumour going around about him. Sip sip as it were. No one would say it to his face, but he had overheard whispers when he had come up unannounced. Whispers to the effect that he had had something to do with the demise of one Mr. Lee.

This was not good. He was upset already in that something like that had happened in his harbour without his approval or his knowledge. Not that he would not have gladly given his approval in this case, or even gladly have deon the deed which he was now rumoured to have done. No, strange as it seems, Lil Bill Gruff had been a good friend of his and he would have happily dispatched Mr. Lee.

As far as heath was concerned, that Mr. Lee was one bad man and good riddance. But that someone had done it in his harbour and without his say so, and that he still could not determine who that someone was? No, that was disturbing. It spoke of a breakdown in the proper order of things. Now, that set above the surface might have relaxed views as to the importance of the proper order of things, but down here in his realm, Heath like things nice and neat. Ship shape as it were. Which was quite funny in a way since this was where ships came when they weren't. Ship shape as it were.

(8:33 am Nov 10, 2005)

(8:09 pm Nov 10, 2005)

Pigeon Plum. A small fruit that grows on trees. The trees can get to be a good size. Big enough to build a tree fort in. Now, as nice as tree forts in pigeon plum trees can be, pigeon plums themselves are better. Pure purple goodness. Eat a goodly amount and be the proud owner of a purple tongue. Pigeons like them too. And mockingbirds.

This brings us to Red. He liked to spend his time between the lamp pole and the pigeon plum tree in Bruno's back yard. He may have eaten a few too many pigeon plums today. His stomach was giving him a bit of trouble. He was sat on top of the lamp pole now, trying to sing, but not quite getting the notes right.

Bruno sat inside at the table and smiled as he listened to Red's efforts. That bird was a joy. Lots of fun to watch. He was brave as well and would take on birds much larger than himself. He would not hesitate to attack dogs or cats either if the situation warranted it.

(8:25 pm Nov 10, 2005)

The meeting at the Ministry had gone quite well in his estimation. He had made a few points that he though went over well and he had come away with some new ideas as well. Some new wrinkles that he intended to see if he could work into his plans.

After the meeting, he had met Ezza downtown for lunch at a local Greek restaurant. He had ordered a gyro which had been excellent. Ezza had been pleasant, but had seemed distracted and had not been able to sit and talk like Bruno had hoped. He said he had things to do and left just after they had finished eating.

Bruno wandered around town a bit after lunch and browsed around one of the bookstores.

---

Ezza had hated cutting his time with Bruno short, but he needed to get back to help Cang and XXIII in the tunnels. He hadn't intended to tell them, but it had somehow slipped out and they had proved to be invaluable help in the work. XXIII in particular, proved to be a right little powerhouse of a worker. He seemed to be able to go on and on. I mean, even if he did not get something to work the first time, he just kept on trying.

Ezza had wanted to see if they could explore all the way to the other entrance before fully exploring all of the side passages and chambers along the way.

Cang and XXIII thought the other order was a better idea. In the end, they settled for one day of exploring close to the entrance before going with Ezza's plan.

This had proved more difficult that the plans had indicated. Every so often, they encountered what looked like walls but proved to be doors blocking their way. When they encountered one, they would have to stop and look around and try and solve the puzzle of how to open it. This often resulted in an hour or two's delay.

Whaler.

Whaler. You know, that boat you can cut in half and it doesn't sink. That boat that will spank you with glee. That boat that will take you to Exuma or to Spanish Wells. You know, like Cay Dreams. That rugged, durable, well loved whaler. They say the houses up that way resemble the ones in the islands. Something like that. Perhaps, somewhere near that.

Jelli was out in Cay Dreams tonight. Anchoured off Dicks Point. Lying on the boat cushions, looking up at the sky contentedly. A small line running over his index finger and snaking over the side. Sometimes he just liked to fish. To be out on the water and fish. To feel the little nibbles as the fish worried his bait, usually conch.

He hadn't caught anything yet tonight, but that didn't bother him any. This wasn't the best place for fishing anyway. But it was easy to reach and enough out of the way of nighttime boat traffic that he would not have to worry too much if he dozed now and again.

(9:10 pm Nov 10, 2005)

(9:27 pm Nov 10, 2005)

Bruno needed to shave and shower. He was supposed to meet Melody down at The Buzz again at ten before a late dinner over on P.I. at eleven. After that, they would see.

Bruno put on the Rainwater Blues and went in to the bathroom and turned on the hot water in the sink.

---

Melody was already at The Buzz. She had finished up earlier than expected and had tried calling Bruno to let him know, but had gotten a quick busy tome. She did not feel like trying for who knows how long and so had headed out for the club to have a drink before Bruno's arrival.

---

Bruddah Boom was at The Buzz as well. High up the wall out on the porch that overlooked the boat yard and the harbour. He and Bing had split up to cover more ground. So far, no trace of Cang and XXIII. Perhaps he would overhear something tonight.

---

Jelli felt a hard tug on his line and yanked it to try and set the hook. Action. He pulled hard and whatever was on the other end pulled back. Hard. He hoped it wasn't too big or it would pop his light line.

---

Heath was at the breakwater by Fort Montague when he heard the commotion and decide to go a little out of his normal route to investigate.

---

Ezza and Cang were sitting in Ezza's living room discussing the day's find and tomorrow's plans. XXIII was asleep already. Apparently, he did not keep going all day and all of the night. Just during the day and some of the night.

(9:41 pm Nov 10, 2005)

(10:36 pm Nov 10, 2005)

Bruno and Melody headed over to P.I. and got a pizza and a salad. Then they went to a club out west for a little dancing.

(10:38 pm Nov 10, 2005)