Oh, the cleverness of me!
Weedy / Posted October 2, 2020
"I'd appreciate your help, young man." He was now in a better mood because he was warming up.
"Yes, sir, I don't mind." Weedy beamed widely, liking that there was a man around. Sure, Miz Addy wasn't like other ladies, she was tough and straight-forward, without any floof, but even so, she was still a lady, and the boy was craving male influence.
"I hope she took my money. She's too generous!"
"Can't say on that, but you're right, she's a good lady, kinda mean sometimes, but she helps people and animals." The boy shrugged, then suddenly asked, "What do you do, Mr. Jay, Sir? Are you a wrangler? Or a miner? Gunslinger?" It was all very exciting to the kid stuck in a small town!
===============
The shop clerk was a little curious who the large shirt and pants were for. "Weedy isn't this tall yet, is he?"
"No, sir." Addy shook her head, thinking nothing of the question. "I got one'a th' survivors from Whitefish stayin' with me fer a time. Gent lost all he had, come here with just some tattered clothes, an' shot, ta boot." She shrugged. "Just givin' him some help 'till he heals a bit."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted October 3, 2020
Jay held out his hands and feet to the fire to warm them while Weedy asked him a question, that made him freeze...what did he do...gunslinger. It was almost like the boy had heard it somewhere and was now testing him.
"Er no. I'm a blacksmith by trade. You know what a black smith does? I heat up iron and hammer it into form. I make nails and horse shoes, door knobs, bridles for horses...these kind of things. I repair a lot of stuff, too."
That had been a long time ago, though. Of course he was a gun slinger. Worse actually. He was a bank robber.
But he couldn't tell Weedy.
---
The shop clerk gave her a worried look and placed his hand on the clothes without moving. "One of the survivors from Whitefish? And he was shot? I don't recall hearing about anyone getting shot there. I mean there was a lot of talk about the storm and then a bunch of robbers coming through, setting fire to some homes. But I didn't know they shot anyone."
He pushed his monocle a little closer.
"How is he doing? We should send the doctor over."
Truth was, that he found the story quite odd and was imagining all sorts of things...from the man being a criminal, to Addy spinning up some story because she was hiding a secret lover. But who would fall for a woman, who was this headstrong and rough? No man in his right mind.
"That'll be 26 dollars."
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Adelaide Chappel / Posted October 5, 2020
"Er no. I'm a blacksmith by trade. You know what a black smith does? I heat up iron and hammer it into form. I make nails and horse shoes, door knobs, bridles for horses...these kind of things. I repair a lot of stuff, too."
"Oh, that's good!" Weedy grinned. There was plenty of that sort of work, even just here at the barn. "Miz Addy needs her horses shod, and there's always repairs to the stage and harness. Maybe you should talk to the man at the livery, he might need help." He wanted Jay to have a reason to stick around, he liked the man, and hoped maybe they could go hunting come Spring.
---
The shop clerk gave her a worried look and placed his hand on the clothes without moving. "One of the survivors from Whitefish? And he was shot? I don't recall hearing about anyone getting shot there. I mean there was a lot of talk about the storm and then a bunch of robbers coming through, setting fire to some homes. But I didn't know they shot anyone."
Addy shrugged, wasn't really her concern, and in a situation like the one Whitefish had faced, there was likely all manner of shooting. "Found him in a barn a ways outta town," she explained, "near froze ta death. Huh...didn't ask how he come ta be shot, just never got to it."
Not that she was in the least suspicious, Jay was a good man, and there were plenty of ways to get shot in this country, and especially with what had been going on in Whitefish.
"How is he doing? We should send the doctor over."
"Doin' right good, had some festerin' an' a fever, but I took care of it with herbs and poultices, like I use on my horses. Fixed 'im right up!" She laughed. "Just so long as I don't find 'im eatin' th' grain!"
"That'll be 26 dollars."
Addy raised an eyebrow, that was a bit steep, but she didn't question it as she set out the coins. At least the clothes were good, and with it being Winter, Jay was going to need them, and she had no doubt that he'd pay her back. "There ya go...wait..." She grabbed some peppermints and shoved them in her pocket, adding a few coins to the pile. "Thank ya, sir."
She gathered the things, then headed back to the barn, knocking on the door to her small room. "Hey! I'm back! Are ya decent?"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted October 6, 2020
Weedys suspicion turned out to be nothing as he got excited and listed all sorts of jobs Jay could be dong around the neighborhood.
"Sounds like there's plenty of work." Jay agreed and drew the blanket a bit closer around his shoulders because he wore nothing but his underwear underneath. That an a wet bandage.
When Addy returned, she saved him from more questions. She was back with some clothes, which Jay was thankful for.
He shivered a little as his bare feet touched the ground and wind, coming in from outside, blew under his blanket. His hair was also still wet and cold.
"Not completely decent but I have a blanket....plus I think you've seen most of me." He joked. How else would she have taken care of his during his fever?
"Thank you so much for buying clothes for me. I'm assuming you fronted the money. How much do I owe you."
He reached for the bundle and let the blanket slip from his shoulder.
There was no room for more privacy in here and he surely wasn't going to go outside to get dressed. So Jay sat down on her bed and noticed that there was no fresh underwear, which put a slight frown on his face because the pair he wore needed a wash.
"I need the blanket back..."
Under different circumstances he would have just dropped his drawers but the presence of a woman like Addy required a little more tact.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Adelaide Chappel / Posted October 7, 2020
"Don't worry on th' money now," Addy commented as she handed the clothes off, then turned to step back outside to give him some privacy. "'Bout ten dollars is all." She didn't mind the extra, and she knew that he'd pay it back to someone, someday, with his own kindness.
But then he asked for the blanket back and she frowned, glancing at Weedy with a shrug.
"His drawers are sort of..." the boy whispered, "dirty."
"Oh...." She hadn't thought about that! Chuckling, she nodded to the boy. "In th' trunk under th' bed, there's a union suit in th' bottom, too big fer me, but they might work fer Mr. Jay until he can get th' proper size."
She winked, then left the room.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted October 18, 2020
Jay waited wrapped in the towel until the kid returned with the union suit, which was just big enough for him but clean. He had to stretch it out a little but then remembered the wet bandage before he pull it up completely.
Carefully he unwrapped it and inspected the wound. It wasn't large and looked much better than when it had gotten all pussy and red. He wasn't sure whether it was ready to be on the air yet, so he briefly went to the door and poked his head out.
"Miss Addy, could I ask you to look at the wound briefly. It looks much better, just want to know what you think. After all you fixed it."
By now Jay was comfortable enough around her plus she had seen him only half dressed before. There wasn't much to hide anymore. Addy also wasn't the kind of woman, who got offended easily.
He also added. "I'm pretty sure I owe you more than ten dollars. And I have that money, so don't hold back asking for it."
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Adelaide Chappel / Posted October 21, 2020
"Might'a been a bit more." Addy shrugged as she came into the room, stepping close enough to get a good look at his injury. "If you've a mind, ya can set somethin' aside fer Weedy's future." She had a fund for the boy, although she wasn't sure if it would go to education or something else, but that would be up to him when the time came.
"This is lookin' right good, don't think that ya need ta wrap it any more, 'cept maybe just a light bandage ta keep yer clothes from rubbin' on it." The healing was progressing nicely, and he didn't need it getting irritated. "Oughta be right as rain in a couple'a days. Put them clothes on, see if they fit." The mercantile would be closed soon, if they needed to trade them in.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted October 24, 2020
Jay was happy to hear that his wound was healing fine. That little bullet had done more damage that he had anticipated when the old lady took a shot at him, rightfully so. All that he'd been through was well deserved. What was happening now...Addys kindness, her care, the boys affection...Jay probably didn't deserve, or did he?
He nodded when she gave him the clothes and retreated to put them on.
First the union suit and then the new pants and shirt. It fit him really well, except the sleeves of the shirt were a little too long.
Other than that, the blue colour of the pattern suited him well and brought out the color of his eyes.
Now Jay only needed a shave and a hair cut.
"I guess I can go amongst folks now and see the barbor. Get a little cultivated, you know."
He dug through his saddle bag to hand Addy some money. "For Weedys education."
He kept a few coins for his hair cut.
It took a while but when Jay returned that evening in the dark and knocked on her door, he looked like a new man: Shorter hair and clean shave. It wouldn't last forever but made him look quite nice and handsome for now.
Oh, the cleverness of me!
Adelaide Chappel / Posted October 25, 2020
Addy smiled and nodded as Jay handed her the money, and after he left she stowed it in the metal tin that she kept under the bed. It was getting enough in it now that she should open an account at the bank for it. At the rate it was growing, the boy would have a grand education!
She smirked at the knock on the door a short time later -- no, Jay wasn't officially more than a guest, but he was living here for now. Still, it showed he had good manners, and so far, he had good everything, and she was glad that she'd taken the time to go out to that barn in Whitefish, where she'd found him.
"C'mon in..." She opened the door, frowning as she looked him over, not yet stepping out of his way. "Sorry, thought ya was someone I know, lives here. Can I help ya?"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted November 5, 2020
For a moment he wasn't sure whether she really didn't recognize him because he expression was so serious. She was either a really good actress or the new haircut and shave made him look very different.
He stared at her with wrinkled brow, then suddenly started laughing out loud.
This could only be a joke. "How many men live under your roof, lady?" He asked and stepped forward assuming she'd let him in.
"May I introduce myself. Jay Ryker from Wessex in England."
He held out his hand for her to take it, so he could kiss hers in good old British fashion.