TCOTNK Season 4.2

In season 4 we enter the world of Yeshe. She is shadowing Michael and Thalia. But her narrative has other plans. Will she ever get to the last festival?

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back to chapter 4.1 (last weeks episode)

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Chapter 3

The girl's name was Kay and in fact she was a boy. With long hair and braids, dolls and a tutu. It almost didn't speak. A single isolated word, every now and then. Well, you missed that, Yesh The Sensitive, she said to herself.

Es had been camping next to the drivers' café for a month and helped in the kitchen. Preparing meals every day without being paid. In exchange for food, a parking spot for the fire truck and some babysitting. And because she was afraid of being sent away, had nowhere else to go, she'd accepted an increasing unfair deal.

Es 'resigned' and came back a lot lighter.

“Now the bugger can do the work himself.”

She had poached a bag full of ingredients.

“Most of it is fresh vegetables. Saved from perishing. He has no idea what they are anyway.”

In the meantime, Yeshe had looked after the block-box and Kay. Who gave her the complete tour. Which he did cleverly using no more than five words.

“Baff,” he said, and showed the rest by pantomime. Pooping, washing, brushing teeth, making hair beautiful, the nail polish collection, the technology behind the water pipe, where it got warm, where the dirty water went. And so on.

Then Es drove the big fire truck out of the parking lot.

"Before my ex-employer calls the police."

Yeshe directed her to a shopping center.

“Can I ask you to get a week's worth of supplies for the three of us? I guess all sorts of things are a bit tight right now, get that straightened out. Buy what you like.”

Yeshe wrote a list, folded it around the money and gave it to Es.

“I would like these included. But don't search endlessly. If they have great, if not no worries. I'll be back here in an hour or two with my car and stuff. Do you have a tow bar?”

Es nodded and took the money as a Christmas present.

Yeshe walked because she missed the exercise. All that driving made her irritable. Walking back was further than estimated, but she came across a street musician who was drumming with full dedication on some plastic buckets. She stopped, felt her feet itching and had difficulty holding back. Then she thought, to hell with it, it's summer, and took off her shoes, made eye contact with the drummer and loosened the reins a little. Just for a short while. Using a brightly coloured cloth as a prop to exaggerate her flowy moves. The drummer made his appreciation bounce off the surrounding buildings. and as she walked away, he picked up the rhythm of her bare feet. She continued to follow the spicy cadence until blocks away.

The world was brighter afterward. A little less tired.

The departure terminal was empty except for her car and trailer. She called the number on the hood and asked what an extra month would cost. That was a staggering amount. Then she asked how much the entire trailer would cost her. Arguing it wasn't the newest anymore. This turned out to be more favorable after negotiations. She transferred the money.

The car was an oven. There was a branch of the car rental not far from the port. Nice. She tanked and drove back to the fire truck. Es and Kay helped with moving the full trailer.

"So, what is in here?"

“The most beautiful secret in the world.”

Yeshe was shocked at herself. Kay immediately wanted to take a look inside. Es stopped him.

“Secret means it is not for everyone. But we now know it is important and we will take good care of it, won't we?”

Kay nodded solemnly.

“Kere.”

He patted the sail.

“Kay siccrit?”

He looked at Yeshe hopefully. She swallowed the sudden lump.

"Yes, but not just for Kay."

"Aww?"

Yeshe nodded, feeling a deep awe at the brightness of the light in the child.

"Do you have an extra license plate?"

Es shook her head and removed Kay from the wheel arch.

"Come on, little car mechanic, we're going to take the name off of Daardaar’s behind and screw it onto Towsister."

Daardaar, was the official identity of the checkered fire truck, consisted of two parts. At the front was a large double cabin high above the street with, of course, a steering wheel and a wide front seat, but behind it was a small room with a bed and a table. This 'guest room' was separate from the large living area. Yeshe cleaned the rental car and took her meager luggage to her new nest and took a test lie on the wide bed. Well, at the moment any bed would be comfortable. Was this a good plan, she wondered? She considered a change of clothes, but decided it was of no use. All her gear was equally smelly. The room was dark and stuffy. She turned the crank above her. The large roof hatch slid open. The blue sky appeared. She stood on the bed and was able to easily climb to the little roof terrace behind the cabin. That's where the water cannon was. She playfully aimed at a church tower, dry-practiced flooring a few unsuspecting shoppers with one eye closed, and immediately felt better.

Over the walkable roof, where, among other practical stuff, a men's bicycle was lashed, and down the back ladder. Daardaar was a giant sized toy car. A playground on wheels.

Inside, the table was filled with several boxes of groceries.

"You got a lot for that little bit of money."

Es looked up. Holding two large jars of pickles.

“One plus one free. I can do magic with money these days. Without meat, coffee and alcohol, you have more left for real food.”

Yeshe handed Es the items. She put it into storage quickly and efficiently. There was enough for half a world trip.

"You pay attention to the labels, don't you?"

“Sure, I don't want the artificial shite added. But if they leave it out you pay extra. Crazy, right?”

Yeshe had underestimated her.

"Shouldn't you catch some sleep? I can do this on my own.”

“Is it that obvious?'

"You mean, besides you being transparent?"

Yeshe grinned, she felt quite glassy indeed.

"When's the next boat coming?"

"Four in the morning, should we be there?"

“Mmm,”

“Okay, then I'll drive to the coast now. There’s a quiet bit of beach with a good view at the terminal. You hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Then I’ll make a quick beach dinner that’ll put you to sleep, the two of us will return the rental car, and wake you at three for the early show.”

Kay had been soaking up every word. His eyes, little pingpong balls moving back and forth between the two women.

Chapter 4

"How secret is what you do?"

They sat at a picnic table overlooking the beach.

Yeshe had dozed off before dinner had been ready. Now she felt worse than before sleeping, and was unreasonably hungry. The mouthful of salad larded with nuts, seeds and roasted vegetables made it impossible to answer. Es sat looking at her patiently. Kay made the sounds — while eating his yellow rice — that Yeshe actually wanted to make. So she did just that. The boy responded with another, even louder, bite. Eyes twinkling. He elbowed his mother and pushed the pan toward her emptied bowl. The three of them sat in the last of the evening sun, trumping each other with moans until pan and bowls were licked clean. Then they became silent. Kay disappeared to the pebbled beach, by now almost deserted.

“Well? How secret or illegal is what you do? Because it's not a holiday trip, is it?”

Yeshe sat looking at her new traveling companion. The woman was very open. Many people would overlook the heavy duty steel underneath her soft exterior.

“That salad was tasty. Scrumptious. I'm glad you're cooking for me.”

Es smiled happily, not about to be distracted.

Yeshe breathed in deep, looked at Kay playing on his own.

“Is the salad's recipe a secret?”

"Nah, I can write it down for you."

“And then I can make the same divine salad?”

Es' eyebrows rose and she sat back, her head tilted slightly. She slowly shook her head no before she responded.

"So you can tell me, but then I still don't know what it's all about."

Yeshe closed her eyes to indicate that she had described it correctly.

“The recipe is unable to convey the essence.”

“Okay, clear, I figured it out myself using a lot of different recipes.'

“Exactly,” Yeshe confirmed, “or with a little help from someone who knows how.”

“Yes, real learning is discovering for yourself. No course can compete with that.”

'Or university,” Yeshe added, “or any book or institute. There is no manual, no teacher, no guru, no bishop, no king, no government that can do that.”

Es started laughing and spread her arms.

"So that's all you?"

Yeshe stood and bowed gracefully.

“Only a fool can be all of those.”

She walked away. The light of the fireball just above the flat sea was scorching red. Es caught up with her. Gave her an arm. Filling the air with her scent. A mix of sun, skin and spice. She was wearing her bikini. Yeshe was still wearing the jeans and shirt she had been wearing for days.

"And what about that illegal thing?" Es asked.

Yeshe was silent for a bit as they strolled along. Kay came running and pushed himself between them. He made giant leaps at their hands. Until close to the waterfront.

Only Yeshe continued walking, stepping into the water with her shoes and clothes, she spoke as if reciting, turning in slow circles like the light of a lighthouse.

“Laws are probably there for the hard head of reason, ethics reside in the cage that tries to protect the heart and lungs, but intuition must remain unprotected and soft in order to spread its wings. To stay alive.'

“Yesh!” Kay uttered and came after her with big splashy steps. His laughter lighting up the sky, 

“Yes!” Yeshe responded in surprise and they locked hands. Now his high voice competing hers was unstoppable

“Yesh!” He giggled.

“Yes!” She answered softly.

“Yesh!” He sweared solemnly.

“Yes!” Yeshe closed her eyes and kept swirling with the child.

Ending in a two-tone dissonant of a double body, eight-limb explosion of droplets, catching fire in the sun’s very last rays.

Es looked serious. Deep in thought.

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