The 'Cousins'

Chapter Ninety-Seven : A New Beginning

CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN

A New Beginning

"...We've paddled in the same canoe through some tricky waters since we first got together and pushed on until we found blue water. I think it would be foolhardy to give up now and deny ourselves of each other's talents and opportunities because we've come up against a bit of a log jam in the river at a time when we can both see, smell and taste the clear water lying just beyond."

Wayne shook his head and frowned in puzzlement.

"You'd do that? ...truly? for me?"

"No Wayne, not for you, for us, and for Fishers and all those folks out there that want a better life and don't see any way to get it, all sorts of folks, from the small investors who've worked and saved hard all their lives, down to the guy with no hope on skid row. We, through Fishers can do better for them all - and the planet too."

It was a moment of mutual understanding and commitment; a profound moment when both men's spirits soared and their eyes glowed with the fire of diamonds.

However, before they could join together in a brotherly hug to seal their covenant they were interrupted by the sound of falling objects outside the diner's street door; followed by a peal of Ma Tooley's raucous laughter.

The crash of chairs tumbling to the floor coupled with the screech of the table across the oil-cloth floor covering drowned the noise from outside as both men rushed over to investigate the cause of the commotion.

They slid to a halt at the door with Wayne slightly ahead of Greg as another hoot of Ma's deep belly laughter rumbled in from the outside.

"Give me room to get this door open."

Greg stepped aside as Wayne yanked open the door, sending it smashing against the inner wall; both men stood side-by-side and open mouthed in amazement at the scene outside.

The strong southerly breeze drove a fine curtain of rain before it, reflecting in the dim, yellow glow from the diner doorway the silhouette of a dark shape scrambling around on the sidewalk and sloshing in the rain runoff at the curb of the road.

Wayne pointed at the shape. "Who or what is that ...?"

Another overwhelming hoot of laughter drew their attention away from the moving shape back to the doorway where Ma stood leaning on the wall, sheltering from the rain. A yellow sou-wester with a large, floppy brim hid her head and face as her body shook with her chortling under heavy matching oilskins. The rim of the sou-wester hid her left hand from view and her right hand clutched to her bosom the neck of a misshapen, brown paper grocery sack.

The men noticed the darkened colouring and irregular shape of the base of the bag, which had become sodden with rain and burst, spilling its contents onto the sidewalk.

Ma yielded to a fresh bout of laughter, shifting her weight from one foot to the next as her body shook and trembled in unison. Her movement drew the men's attention to her feet, where another paper grocery sack lay where it had fallen. A cursory glance showed its content intact. Ma's eyes followed the men's to fix on the sack at her feet and in between whoops of fresh giggles revealed,

"That's yo' supper boys."

"Ma! Are you okay? What's up? What's going on here?" Greg placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and lifted the sou-wester to reveal a hand across her eyes as she continued to laugh uncontrollably.

"Ma! Answer me will you please. Are you okay?" Greg pulled her hand away from her eyes when she failed to answer. The boys were concerned for her well being and looked at each other in hopelessness wondering what to do next for the best, just as the shape they had seen earlier emerged from the shadows, bending double forwards and clutching to its rain sodden chest an armful of potatoes; gleaming with wetness in the poor light. Rain streamed down Walt Kempster's face and around the huge grin with which he greeted the confused duo.