A houseboat. Finegan Fine

into deep water. Joey is pacing the rooftop as usual, but looking back

at the bike seat, keeping an eye on the sentry and oarsman to ensure

they don’t leave the pedals and try to come forward.

. . I was under consideration for Secretary of

Transportation, dammit. . . The office was

vacant, so that puts me in . . All those other

people are dead, I tell you.

Rock outcroppings can be seen, and some trees. The island they are

approaching is not large, but has a long way to go before being under

water. It looks deserted, long since abandoned, and has no buildings or

farm animals in sight. Finegan says to Joey,

We’ll let the boat come close. Stop in about .

. now.

Joey hollers to the pair peddling,

Stop peddling!

The three men stationed along the front of the houseboat turn and look

at Finegan expectantly.

Untie his hands . . You want to go with him,

you can.

The two men are looking at Finegan and shaking their heads. Finegan

says,

Then push him into the water, it’s shallow

here.

Collins continues to complain,

. . This is kidnapping and treason . . You’ll

be shot for this. . . Death penalty.

Collins, still protesting, is shoved into the water and rises up,

sputtering. He can put his feet on the ground under the water, and

begins wading toward the island shore, thrashing and sputtering.

Collins turns to face the exiting houseboat, finally subdued, saying in

a quiet voice,

. . Oh dear . .

______________________________

That evening Joey is flinging the weapons they took from the armed men

overboard. The two men taking turns peddling are facing the rooftop, so

75

can see this. The two men standing at the edge of the front deck have

turned to watch this spectacle. Finegan is holding court on the

rooftop, his rifle in one hand.

No more armed robbery! New rules. And leave

that pompous ass out there to yell at the

squirrels. Don’t go rescue him nor nothing like

that. . .

76

Lost and Found

The houseboat is peddling along close to a shore that has occasional

rock outcroppings. Most of Memphis is at least partially flooded, but

the upper floors of high rises are above water. As with other

locations, earthquake and wind damage are obvious, even from afar. The

high rises have a spire here and there standing, metal shafts that are

flexible and do not collapse in quakes. Masonry or brick buildings are

a rubble, collapsed. Frame buildings are often simply tilted to one

side, thrown to the side during a large quake.

The remains of Memphis seem to go on for a long distance, to the right

and left of the houseboat. The tops of the Desoto bridge can be seen to

the left of the houseboat, on what was the Arkansas side. The Arkansas

side is completely flooded, as far as the eye can see. The remains of

Interstate 40 can be seen dropping down into the water and heading

toward the remains of the Desoto bridge arches. A rusty sign sticking

up indicates Interstate 40.

Finegan is standing on the roof of the houseboat, holding his short

wave radio with newly installed crank to gen electricity. He is

cranking away energetically, then holds the radio to his ear,

listening.

(scritch) . . approaching . . (snap)

Finegan adjusts a dial and listens again. Having located the group he

spoke to earlier by short wave, he interjects.

Yo, Finegan Fine here, trader. We spoke before.

Which hilltop are you on?

Memphis Papa answers,

I’d give you the GPS but we can’t raise that no

more. Are you that houseboat we see? What you

got rigged on the back?

Finegan explains,

That’s a water wheel. Slow, but works, and I

can steer. Direct me to you.

77

Memphis Papa says,

You’re down river from us. Well, ah, what used

to be the Mississippi anyways. We see you when

we look at the sunrise, down, ya know, ah,

south of us . . Or what used to be south. Hell

of a mess, twisted around and all. . . Come up

river a bit, and I’ll talk you in.