Ch.13 Peace, Love, Blood
Tom was good to his word, at finding an engine at Gus' yard. Clay threw some plywood in the bed and picked it up with him. Three hours after bringing it back, Moon went in and started it up. The engine had almost half the mileage, than the old one, giving them hope, the bus would be running for many more years to come. Moon promised to come by often for servicing and making sure they stayed in touch with one another. Moon and JT took it for a test run and also used the time to share some final thoughts with one another. Moon extended an open invitation to him, to come anytime he wished. JT was happy to know there was a place he could go, when dark skies were threatening and he needed shelter. The drive ended and Moon was very pleased with everything. He felt assured in his heart, that everyone who rode in it, would arrive safely at their destination.
Jake gave JT and Piney the afternoon off, so they could help them tear down the site and help them get packed up. They'd become close, as friends, sharing many good times together after work, sitting under the stars and enjoying the chance to share thoughts freely. Both groups melded well when they were together and enjoyed the time to bond, many becoming sad at their departure. One had the need to make a decision at that point and looked at both sides she had to choose from. Ann-Marie looked at Wally and her eyes welled with tears, ones she shed for her choice of leaving him. Her choice was to become Azure Cloud and live a life of free love with her spirit twin, Golden. She stood beside her and held her hand, both of them glowing happily in the sunlight. Wally couldn't deny her, her happiness, clearly finding what her heart was looking for. He felt the pangs of hurt in his heart, that he wouldn't enjoy her company each night, but he knew it was selfish to feel like that, knowing she would never truly be happy with him.
Her bags were packed and she was ready to say goodbye to everyone and the life she knew. She looked at the office, hoping to see Marlene one last time, maybe just to thank her for opening her up to this part of herself, maybe just to be with her physically one more time and feel her body next to hers. It never came to be, as she climbed in with the others and the bus started up and ran smoothly. Peace signs were flashed back and forth between them, hands held high, smiles large and bright on their faces. The radio came on in the middle of Eric Burden's, San Franciscan Nights and Moon turned it up, filling the van with the sound of their city.
The week had gone well, work was coming in and business was getting better, the faster they worked. Jake took off on Thursday, saying he had an appointment in town. He never said what it was about, but Jake appeared to be pleased about going. Friday saw a re-appearance of Moon and Spirit in the micro bus, on their way back to San Francisco to pick up the last of their things from Moon's apartment. They would be heading back through later in the day and hoped to meet up for a bit. JT said he'd love to get together, but they had a run to do and hoped they'd catch up soon. Saturday was a building day and one that everyone was happy to work hard at. Despite the hours of breaking concrete with a sledge hammer and shovelling away the debris, they had all the trenches dug and sat drinking beer, taking a well earned break.
The plumber was installing the last section of sewer pipe, an elbow joint with a flanged end, where the common bathroom would go. The guys had smashed the concrete and dug a trench to the main line for each sewer line they needed. In JT's room, the pilfered toilet and sink were being installed by the guys, as they tightened down the nuts and screws. With everything all connected and ready, the plumber had Otto turn the water main on and waited for the water to fill the pipes. The sound of it could be heard running all around them, as the water filled every space it could. When the sounds stopped, the plumber went to the sink and slowly turned the cold tap on and released the air pressure that had built up. The spurting water came out and finally ran clear of air. He turned it off and did the same to the hot water line. He gave the toilet a flush and checked for leaks, proclaiming it ready for use. When they had the floor done properly, he told them to replace the gasket and it would be alright.
They hadn't procured another sink and toilet yet for the common bathroom, but Tom had taken care of that end of things and he and Wally were picking up a set. Clay had gone along with them in his grandfather's pick up, the objective to obtain the bar and pool tables that were available. Lenny rode with him and they took the ride time, to get to know each other better. Lenny asked him if he had decided on what he would do on his tour.
"You figured on what you're going to do over there next year? Jumping is a helluva lot better than humping."
"Yeah, that much I got figured out. I'm still not sure on the jumping part yet. Heights aren't one of my favourite things."
"Don't worry, Clay. You join up with the Sky Rangers, they'll get you over your fear of heights. It's funny how the bullets flying all around you, tend to make you forget about falling from the sky and you can't wait to get down."
"Great, that makes me feel so much better about it."
Lenny laughed and clapped Clay on his shoulder, as they pulled in front of the closed bar. Tom took them around the back, where he jimmied the lock and they went in, The place looked like hell inside, an obvious closing party taking place, before it was abandoned. The bar was cleared off of empty bottles and dust and they looked it over. It was in decent shape and not too badly worn. Wally looked to see how it was mounted and took a screwdriver from his back pocket and began loosening the screws. Once it was free, they lifted it up and hauled it to the back door and outside. The pool tables were okay, no rips in the table's surfaces, but it was badly stained from spilled drinks and ashes from cigarettes. They unbolted the top from the legs and carried the top outside and leaned it up against the bar. The did the same to the other one and Wally pocketed the bolts and washers in his jacket. They carried it out and the legs, then Clay went to get the truck and Tom stopped him.
"We have something else we need first, remember?"
The guys followed him back inside and into the washroom. He stopped and pointed with both hands at what they needed to get. They looked and realized the need for another couple of sinks and toilets, despite the deplorable state they were in now. Lenny used his foot to flush both toilets, then Wally took a pair of pliers out and began loosening nuts and bolts to lines, as well as the water inlet on the first toilet. Several times he got up and let out his breath and gasped in another, before going back and finishing the job.
He was more than happy to be finished with them and moved to the sinks and started on them. Lenny strong-armed the toilet off its base and tipped the thing over, letting the water and whatever waste and refuse was still in it, pour out onto the floor. The stench had complaints coming from the others and Lenny laughed.
"Fuckers get all bent out of shape over a little stink like this? You guys ain't smelled nothing yet, till you smell the insides of a man all blown open."
"Fuck off, Lenny. That's gross, man. That stuff is just fucking awful, dude, c'mon."
Wally's words were commonly felt by the others, as they covered their noses and mouths, fending off the fetid smell as best as they could. Lenny carried the unit outside and set it beside the other things, then went back in. The other three came out with two sinks, a paper towel dispenser and a wall mounted soap dispenser, they obviously never bothered unscrewing from the wall. Wally looked at him as they passed, a snide look on his face.
"The toilet's for you, shithead."
Lenny laughed loudly, not bothered by the insult at all. He went in and emptied the contents on the floor again and picked the porcelain commode up and carried it out to the other one. He put it down and looked at the other guys just standing there and not moving. He looked around where they were looking and noticed the two black guys standing there at the corner of the building, handguns pointed at them. The meaner looking one spoke, using his gun to point at them.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Tom figured it was his place to speak up, seeing that it was him that had them in this situation.
"Hey man, we have permission from Marco to take this stuff. Who are you?"
"I'll tell you who I am. I'm the guy with the fucking gun pointed at your face and I say you don't have permission to take shit from here, it's our shit."
Lenny started to laugh uproariously, like he had just heard the funniest thing ever.
"What the fuck you laughing at, asshole?"
Through the hitches between laughs, Lenny tried to explain.
"Dude, we didn't take your shit, we only took the toilets. We left your shit on the floor."
Despite the threat of death, the others couldn't help but catch the humour and laughed as well. At first it was mostly snickering, but it soon turned into belly laughs, making the hoods look at them strangely.
"What the fuck you talking about?"
"Hey, go look for yourself. We told the guy we needed a couple of shitters and sinks for our clubhouse, he says sure, help yourself. You want your shitters back, that's cool, here they are. Up to you to put the shit and piss back in, if you want it the way it was."
The two black teens looked at the two toilets sitting in front of them and the stench that was coming off of them. Neither had any objection to them leaving their presence. The one who seemed to be in charge, moved closer to Lenny and pointed the gun at his head.
