Chapter 17 - How Does It Feel (D'Angelo)

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DARYL

The Triumph skidded to a halt and he leapt off. Raced up the path to crush me in a bear hug.

Give it back a hundredfold, meself.

Jorge must've returned late last night. The missus tapped out of their usual fortnightly run. So he took Jerry and Alden along with him this time.

"You're that  desperate for a smoke, hermano? It's freezing out here. Mierda!  What on earth?"

He winced and the Mutt started to whimper. As the music wafting out from our kitchen is obliterated once more.

"Thought if I stay here in plain sight of any passers-by? They'll know for sure. That I  ain't the one inside....choking the livin shit out of her."

"Smart. So instead of sitting here, listening to Madonna while she passes a kidney stone? Let's go for a ride. Need to show you so...."

"IT'S LADY GAGA. YOU BLOODY TONE-DEAF....HEATHEN!"  My little 'karaoke kamikaze'  yelled out in an indignant huff.

Before she resumed screeching out 'Born This Way'  again  😱

She certainly was. And no amount of practising will ever change that fact....or her DNA.

I race inside. Kiss Alfie, give his Momma's grumpy bum a pat, then have my own bike revving. All before he even finishes askin.

And when an aria of demonic dental drills starts accompanying 'American Idiot'?  We take pity on the furbag....and let him tag along.

*

He soon flopped over my tank. Got too pooped out from runnin.

Because neither of us were expecting to pull up an hour later. Amongst the sprawling olive groves belonging to the winery, about half a click from its main walls.

We entered one of the big sheds which houses three huge vats of pressed oil. Well....they used  to. That sure ain't the case anymore.

"Only us, Aaron and Earl know about all of this. My corazón hates keeping it a secret. But said she'll abide by whatever decision you make. And if you don't want any of it here at all? Then I'll find another safe place to store everything."

"Yer gonna fess up as to what 'it'  and 'everything'  actually are then?"

Got meself a fair idea already now, but I still need to hear the man out. He started telling me.

The communities got too complacent. Kept churnin through any diesel he brought back from Dover. Without giving any thought as to what they'll do once it runs out.

So Jorge talked the missus into cleaning out these tanks, cos they're really well insulated. He's been stockpiling the fuel here. Instead of dishing it out like before.

His tough love has somehow worked. Apparently, everyone's busy makin their own bio now. And taking a lot more care in how they're actually using it.

Though whenever Jorge hears talk that there's an urgent demand somewhere? He 'magically'  finds just enough....to help out.

"I check it every month, add some preservatives if needed. Once winter is done, I'll head off again to fill the others. We'll end up with thirty thousand gallons or so? Should last quite a few years, if I continue rationing it out carefully"  He finished.

Jorge then led me towards the next shed.

When the doors roll back? I see a shitload of familiar metal lockers, pallets and secured cabinets. Taking up most of the space where some of the farm machinery was once stored.

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