farmhouses. One of the bermed homes has a complete corner taken from a

farmhouse, moved to form this corner.

Yet another house has been formed by parking several cars and vans into

a rectangle, with an open communal area inside these cars. The communal

area is covered by planks taken from a collapsed barn, rough wood with

a piece of straw here and there stuck to the boards. The car doors are

open in good weather along the outside of this commune, closed at night

or during rain. None of the cars have tires, so are sitting on the

ground. The doors of the cars and vans have been removed on the inside

so the complex is like a large dorm area for sleeping.

Yet another house is formed by bales of straw that are secured by wire

wraps, leftover from before the troubles hit. The farm wagon used to

haul the straw bales has been tipped over on its side to form one wall,

with a portion of a farmhouse roof pulled over the center for

protection from the rain.

Yet another house is an old tractor, long out of gas, with all manner

of plastic sheeting thrown over the top and pulled taut and staked and

tied at the edges – one large tent. Boxes and stored items are stuffed

under the tractor body, with sleeping blankets laid out in all

directions like the spokes of a wheel from this center.

The village folk are milling around a central area preparing a communal

supper. A cooking fire has been started and a large pot hung over the

fire. Several women are chopping vegetables and a man is cleaning fish

on a table nearby. The communal dining area has every type of table and

chairs imaginable, collected from the area – kitchen table and chairs,

picnic tables, stools and benches from barns, and tables made from

boards held up by broken concrete blocks. All the tables have been

covered by tablecloths tattered and of all colors but the tableclothes

are clean. In the centers of these tables are dishes and tableware,

also of every kind and color, many chipped. The glasses and pitchers of

water are primarily plastic ware, children’s durable drinking glasses.

139

In the distance can be seen an extensive garden area, running up one

slope and over the top of the hill. The sheep can be seen grazing on

yet another hilltop. Free ranging chickens are dashing about,

underfoot. There is lots of chatter going on, friends calling out to

each other to ask about the windstorm that had blown through and how

their homes were affected.

. . How’d you fare?

Another answering,

Nearly tore my roof off but it held.

Finegan and Joey are walking down a row of shops, off to the side of

the sleeping and eating areas. These are primarily just open areas,

covered by tarps and left open at night as any tools or goods are

packed away at night. The shops are mostly closed due to the storm that

passed recently. One shop is a shoe repairman, who is seated on a

contraption that is a chair with a post in front of the chair, atop

this post a wooden foot. Alternative wooden feet, different sizes, are

in a box at his side. He is waiting for customers, his box of tools

beside him including cutting knives, glue, a hammer, and various pieces

of leather.

A communal library is next, a woman putting books back onto shelves

that had been taken from several different collapsed homes. These

shelves are of every size and shape. She is handling the books with

great care, almost in an affectionate manner. She has a couple tables,

one small for children, and several chairs in the library too.

A furniture repair shop is next, and woodworker setting up shop,

continuing to repair a chair he had been working on before the storm.

He has woodworking tools – a plane, hammers, saws, nails, glue, clamps,

and a hand drill. Some wood shavings are on the ground underfoot. He is

sitting on a stool in front of a low sturdy table, the chair to be

repaired atop this table. Finegan approaches the woodworker.

Could you make me a cradle? One that could hang

from a ceiling yea high?

Finegan has his hand over his head, indicating the height of the

houseboat roof.

______________________________

The houseboat is again on the open water, drifting along toward the

sunset, with the shoreline off to the right. Finegan is not at the

pedals, but Joey is sitting cross-legged on the rooftop, reading to

140

himself. All four lines from the corner posts are covered with cloth

diapers, drying in the breeze.

141

Вы читаете A houseboat. Finegan Fine
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