Nine of Wands

The City—DAY

The Sailor continues to cry lying there on the stoop. I look him over and repeat even louder.

“Sick like a heart attack or a stroke? Or sick like drunk and hung-over? Do you need a doctor. Or just sleep?”

No answer.

“Ugh. Probably just drunk. Let’s get you back home.”

The Sailor now laughs as I help the huge man to his feet. After cinching his robe, of course.

“A stroke? Hah! The only stroke I ever had was in Cambodia! Hee-hee!”

He coughs and laughs and looks up at me. I am puzzled.

“Huh?”

“It’s a joke. Or advice. Or alchemy. I don’t know. It’s just something a lawyer once told me.” he offers another phlegmy laugh-cough, summing, “The only problem is, how am I going to sleep with my wife’s hairdresser now?”

I ponder this but the man is too drunk to offer more. Lots of odd advice today. I begin walking the towering man home, guiding him best I can. Turning a corner, we are now coming upon the downtown, city center. Here the Sailor shrugs me off and doesn’t want to go further.

“No! Don’t go past the courthouse!”

“It’s a block too late to say that.” I look around for an option, “Why not anyway?”

“But! I’ve got priors for D and D.”

“D and D?”

“Drunk and disorderly.”

“Don’t worry. We can cut through the Library and out the back door to the alley. That will put us a block from home.”

I make a slight course correction towards the Library, remembering my earlier run-in with the Guard. Thankfully, he is nowhere in sight.

I lug the Sailor up the stairs but through the glass Library doors, I can spot the Guard at a security desk inside the lobby. He has a baton now, and taps the wand into his palm as we near.

The Sailor sees this too. He hates authority figures. When the Guard takes a step closer, Lou swipes his baton. The Sailor points down at me.

“Do you remember when you were a child, Frank? I used to pick you up. All the time.” With his other hand, he points skyward with the baton. I look up as if expecting to see something. “Way over my head. Way up in the sky!”

“Yes, Lou. Yes. I remember.”

“Remember how strong I was?”

I nod.

“D’ya think you could do the same for me?”

“Pick you up?”

“Yes. Be strong. Lift me. If you had to. To get away.”

I nod again. “Yea, if I had to. I guess. Sure.”