Chapter 1

‘Squeek! ‘Shreech!’ Then a draging sound followed by “Ouch! Damn it!”

That got me to open my eyes, one of them at least. She was shaking her hand. I thought I was in-love now. Finger in her mouth. I wanted to be that finger, badly.

“You can be useful you know not just lie there like a lump on a log!”

I closed my eye back up. “It’s bump on a log dear.”

“Whatever!”

After a pause. “Hey! You! ‘Rip Van Winkie’, get up and help some would you?”

She walked over still shaking her hand. The push or shove had the desired effect; I opened both eyes now. Then closed them just as fast. That shove again got a bit harder now.

“Hey, leave me alone, I’m retired and resting in my old age.”

“What a crock! I think I’m older than you!”

“So! I age well, like a fine wine!”

“Look ‘Rip’ if you don’t get up and get me a bandage, I’ll ... I’ll...”

“Please don’t; my name is not ‘Winkie’ nor ‘Winkle’, Esmerelda”. You’re too cute to call the cops on if you keep poking me, but I will you know! In this State, a vicious assault like that is an expensive fine; everything here is expensive.”

“I broke a nail!”

“Oh!” Then closed my eyes again. “I did not know, had to assume something like that. You know you will have to move everything back, right?”

“Why Old Man?”

“Lunch-time Esme! I don’t think I remember you in our group, any hint as to why you are raining on my parade; not that I mind, much but...”

“My sister invited me!” she stuck out her tongue.

“Cute!”

“Yes I am!”

“You still need to move everything back, we have a system and...”

‘They’ all started to appear. Tall ones, short ones, blondes, brunets, reds and those with blue or green hair. Seven of the bombshells came first, two went inside my place, others looked around searching where the tables had gone to. Sheila opened up the sideboard and cupboard and readied place settngs like knives, forks, cups and spoons. Danniele was starting the iced tea and had coffee brewing there too. ‘Stretch’ lit the grills.

A line of pixies was next. 14 to 18 would have been a good guess as to their ages but, try 10 to13. These girls were ... they were ... Ahh Yes, they were, Desiree more so. With them followed the moms. ‘Ahh, it is good to be king’. I heard that some place.

Two more went into my place and brought out chicken, burgers and hot dogs to grill. It must not have been a swim day, non of their ‘almost’ attire looked like it could get wet. The “Work later” comment from Betsy explained things to me. Esme was getting looks now. One, Sandi ran up to her and gave her a hug. I think I knew now who ‘Sis’ was.

I saying that we had a system; HAD being the operative word, must have been lost on Esme. The Sgt Major(Sheila) finaly stepped up and out to put things back in-order. She marched up to Sandi and Esme, or whatever her name was. One look, one finger-point, one head shake and things would start to be ‘Ship-Shape’ once again. I saw my little(not) Desiree had ‘volunteered’ Mandie and Giselle to support the Sgt Major. These Pixies did not shy away from their responsibilies. I think I mentiond Desiree earlier; she was 13 going on 25.

‘We’ were sort of new here, this being Georgia, Tybee Island actually. More than transplants, ‘we’ also had a big old house in Savannah, 40 miles away. Who were ‘we’? Us, a bunch of castaways no one wanted except me. Long story short, ‘we’ were nameless, un-wanted souls until, ‘we’ got some money. Money honey I told them makes the world go around. A ‘bunch-a-lotta’ money makes it spin faster too.