The Crow's Nest 3-4

3-4

            At this moment the front door opened and the old Federal doorway was filled with a large human dressed like an 18^th century sea captain.  A voice boomed from this form as it stepped forward showing the captain shouting “YOU AIN’T A PIRATE WHAT DID YOU SAY PIRATE FOR HE AIN’T A PIRATE!”.  Down the steps clomped and lumbered the boot bedecked captain who at the bottom step looked down at the overgrown dirt path and then at me saying “WELCOME ABOARD SIR!  FINE DAY SIR!” He then turned his eyes to the sky saying “FINE FRESH BREEZE TODAY SIR!”.

            “See:  I know what cuckooed IS” said Alice softly as we both viewed the captain turn from us and clomp up to the river side corner of the front side of the house.  He very carefully peered around that corner.  He bent lower in a squat.  Then even lower in the same squat.  Then he stepped back and stood up behind the corner.  He turned and marched to the front door, opened that door, went inside leaving the door open and ascended the now visible to us front stairs.  “Pirates” said Alice.

            Quickly the sound of boots clomping down the stairs and out the front door signaled the captain’s return showing him to be carrying his extended brass telescope.  He went back to the house corner and slowly peeked around it with the telescope fixed to his eye.  He remained motionless then quickly turned, closed the telescope and walked directly down to us.  “BRIGATINE SIR NO COLORS.  PIRATES SIR.  MOST LIKELY THE PORTUGUESE AGAIN SIR.  TOO FAR OFF TO TAKE HER SIR.  HANGING OFF OUR PORT SIR” he said, stopped, looked hard at me and waited.

            “THANK YOU CAPTAIN.  PROCEED SIR.” I said.  Alice smiled at me.  The captain walked back past the front door to his viewing corner again.  After peering through his telescope for a long minute, he reversed, marched again to the front door and disappeared inside.  We could hear the boots go up the stairs and then could  hear the captain clomp toward the riverside windows of the attic.

            “It’s John Hastings’s boy fishing.  It’s usually him.  The boy knows the captain and his pirate hunting so never comes down past the house.  John’s old farm is up above on the river.  Always a very decent family and get on very well with Eb-bEE.  They never pay a mind to him and never taunt him either.  He’ll go back up the river in a minute you wait.” said Alice.  “All the firemen like Eb-bEE and support him; let him be just as he is.” she continued.  “They bring him down to the firehouse once a month to make sure he gets out.  Marches in the parades.  Attends all the supper too”.  They are all fine men and watch out for him.  They watch out for me too for that matter”.

            Down the stairs came boot clomping that interrupted Alice and the captain reappeared at the doorway.  “BLIGHTERS FALLING OFF.  WASTING.  WE ARE TOO FAR AHEAD SIR.  ANOTHER DAY SIR.  THEY NEVER GIVE UP SIR.” Boomed the captain from the doorway.  Then he surveyed the overgrowth before the doorsteps, followed that down to the old stonewall before the road and then scrutinized the branches of the large maple in front of the wall. “SURPRISED THAT DAMN CROW HASN’T COME BACK WITH YOU SIR.”.  We all looked up into the tree.  There was no crow.

            The captain walked over to us and speaking in a normal tone said to me “We are rid of it and all of them too she’s told you?”

            “Yes I know sir.  It seems to have worked very well for you and I am very glad for you”.

            “Very well it has indeed sir” he said and paused.  “Margaret’s never come back” he finalized.  Then he turned and walked back inside the front door.  The door closed and he was gone.  That was the last time I ever saw the captain.

            “Margaret put him on to the Portuguese pirates when we were little.  Told him they cut off the captain’s head and put it on a spike.  Scared him to death with her made up stories of the Portuguese pirates.  His whole life has been fear of having his head on a spike.  He’s the captain you know.  So it would be HIS head you see” said Alice.  Then she stood looking at me.

            “Do you think that could be true?” I said “That he misses Margaret?”

            “Of course it’s true.  They’re BOTH CUCKOO.  They’ve been that way together forever.  BOTH OF THEM.  Could never get past cuckoo to the obvious.  OBVIOUS to everyone else.  Even her mother tried.  The two of then should be up there hunting the pirates together right now.  That’s all they ever DID then so they should be doing it NOW TOO.  But its always been like this.  Margaret wants to be loved but won’t let Eb-bEE because he’s cuckoo and he will not love her because SHE’S CUCKOO TOO.  THIS pirate fight in that attic IS THEIR LOVE.  Even the crows know it.”

            “Maybe their love that way IS OK.  It’s THIS WAY; it is THEIR love.”

            “Well its fine that way if Margaret comes out here.  But she hasn’t been out here in a year.”

            “Maybe YOU should go to Margaret”

            “NOT ME.  But I HAVE told the firemen.  They’ll do something.  I know them”.  The last she said with finality.  That finality extended like a smother.  I tried a few more words but they smothered.  I flustered slightly.  Alice stood ground, watched and said nothing.  I excused myself… and drove away.  That was the last time I ever saw Alice.