SHALL UNFOLD!

I asked the old Negro, “What is that bird that sings so well?” He answered: “That is the Dixie-Daisy.” “Hasn’t it another name, lark, or thrush, or the like?” “No. Jus’ Dixie-Daisy.”

“Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. Love and glory, Stars and rain, Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet….”

Chaska Thabo and Henry sat round once again.  You should hear what the old fuckers are talking about now.  They got plans.  They always got plans.  Chaska and Thabo squinted at Henry.  What you think this isn’t planned.  Always the economy… say big man… cutting the deck.  Chaska reached for the ships and the deckhands started to gossip.  She was the skinny little girl we all watched grow up.  We know THUMP said C&T simultaneously… like they said it a million times before.  They be good company, the C&T, but never aboard the Dart when she goes weird because C&T would come apart.  Punta glared at the crowd and they scatter like roaches.  

Henry left Daisy and her plantation at the end of April and was hired out of New Orleans. He would be working along the Mississippi River for an undisclosed organization who had financial interests that weren’t to be disturbed by either the Confederates or Union Armies. It was Henry’s responsibility to ensure that business as usual was not to be interrupted and he was to use any means possible to accomplish his tasks. In the morning, Henry was determined to cross over to Missouri to scout out Confederate activity. There were ferries but they were heavily monitored by both sides… on both sides. Henry worked them himself regularly and Missouri was a crap shoot.  The state had no grip on authoritative control and war leanings were a free-for-all.

Although the Union support was much more substantial there than for the south, the Confederate volunteers, as might be surmised, had a cruel and bloodthirsty edge to them. Just then a youthful looking fellow in his mid-twenties came out of the woods with fishing pole pack and basket. Might I help you gentlemen. His smile under that unkempt looking mustache was contagious. Henry putting any aggression aside stepped off the raft. Chaska followed. Oh hey! We were actually looking for a ferry nearby. Would you happen to point us to the closest one. Well depends on where you’re going said the young man. I’m actually visiting relatives in St. Louis. Current… you know pushed me south a bit. From Hannibal, hundred miles north, but moving west with my brother to Nevada Territory next week. Thought I owed it to the relatives to say goodbye you know how it is.

I know about that Henry answered. He didn’t know about that at all. We aren’t going anywhere in particular just thought we’d look over the Missouri side for adventure. Not really believing him, Henry looked for Chaska to show concern. All he got from him was his usual display of spirit talk. He had a reverent stance about him at the water’s edge, eyes closed and head tilted backwards. He looked like he was smelling the wind then he squatted threw a fist full of dirt to the north wind and made a circle in the mud. Henry and the river pilot then watched Chaska slowly stand bow his head and then slowly open his eyes to look at them. Henry said. Watch this. Chaska turned mechanically toward the north, held his right fist in the air for what seemed to be two solid minutes. Silently, magically, a hawk flew out of the trees and landed on his fist.

A trickle of blood made a little path down his arm that he bent to bring the bird close to his chest where he quietly stroked it. A lone feather fell to the ground and Thabo ran to get it. The three men and hawk and all their gear climbed on board the raft, and the young man turned to introduce himself. So hey. Please call me Sam. Last name Clemens untied his ropes and poled them out into the current. Worked the rudder professionally and chuckled while the Indian and his new friend Henry horsed around with each other while he expertly got them across. Without the leadsman he was used to while piloting the much bigger riverboats, he knew firsthand the depths where the mark twain was: the two fathoms needed for the big boats, but certainly not for the draft of their raft.

At full power the Dart emits a thunder hum Thabo can’t stand plus a hypersonic scream that makes Chaska come unglued.  I met you at Antietam recalls Thabo.  Ante up girls say Chaska remembering the Great Plains when the war started.  Depends on which war you speak of raised Chaska.  It was fucking Mount Airy plantation Richmond Virginia April 1860 miss daisy may i sign your dance card have no dance card.  Hush.  She’ll hear you.  That was long before Antietam.  And long after the Blackhawk War.  None of us would go near the place.  Punta scattered the deck officers with the same cat-eyed stare.  

As the men climbed off on the other side where there was a new settlement under construction, Samuel had this one thought to himself. If I ever finally write about those two boys growing up on this river, I’m going to use Thabo and Chaska as Jim the runaway slave and Injun Joe. Had all kinds of ideas as he walked the docks looking for a tow to the north.  Great Depression was not planned like the Great Plains.  She is casting off for the Dart’s next mission whispered the invisible hand.  What the hell- said the old Norfolk man standing up and brushing off pants. 

She’s the CSS Tallahassee as sure as I’m alive.  Some saw her tall masts others saw she was stacked.  Punta was striding toward the bridge.  Others saw nothing at all except the ships pussy going in like a photon sniggered the young lad.  You don wanna be here after dark boy… when you see the ball lightning dendrites and Holy gaps snap.  Mother of God.  Hail mary fullof GrAcEthElorDisWiHtEE.  Shoosh everybody did crazy shit in the war. But how we got here… not quite right.  Weird. 

It aint fittin