“Keep your eye on our rear, in case he’s a distraction for something else,” Cooper told Freddie as he moved in the homeless man’s direction. Cooper remembered reading somewhere, even before the Plague, that distraction was a favored tactic of criminals and con men. “And, make sure your safety is off,” he added as he flicked his own to ‘off’.
“Right, got it,” and he heard Freddie’s click, as well.
As the homeless man drew closer, Cooper squinted to get a better look. The man was in his sixties with a mane of gray hair flowing in all directions. A few moments later, he was surprised to see it was the same man that he, Jake, and Dranko had encountered on Hawthorne Boulevard several days ago. At that time, the man had been giving away bottled water and dispensing his own brand of wisdom to those he’d encountered.
“Well, I’ll be,” Cooper muttered to himself. Then, he called back to Freddie, who was now ten yards away, “I think I know this guy! But, keep a lookout still.”
“All right,” Freddie called back.
Cooper’s walk became brisk until he’d closed to within twenty yards of the old man, “Howya doin’?”
The old man jerked his head up, as if he hadn’t seen Cooper until just then, “Howdy to you, stranger,” he said, stopping about fifteen yards from Cooper.
Cooper offered a broad smile, “We aren’t exactly strangers. I believe we met a few days ago on Hawthorne, when you were passing out bottled water.”
The man looked intently at Cooper, studying. Suddenly, his head jerked backward, “Oh, yes! I remember you. You had a boy with you, right?”
“Yes, I did. How are you? What are you giving out these days?”
The man’s face grew long, “I’m afraid I’m back to what I’m more familiar with, asking for help, rather than lending it.”
Cooper’s eyebrows kneaded together, “What do you need?”
The man loosed a loud guffaw, “I need what no one is giving these days! A gun. That’s what I need. Right after I saw you, I was robbed of my last few cases of water and the other meager things I had. I even lost my last picture of my darling deceased wife.” He choked on the last words and wiped a dirty sleeve across his face to catch the tear that fell from his eye, smearing grime on his left cheek.
Cooper thought for a moment and then decided, “You taught us all a good lesson about charity. And, at the worst of times. I think I can help you out.”
The old man’s face alighted, “Really?”
“Yeah,” he said and then directed his attention back to Freddie. “Grab that .45 we have in the supply box and a box of ammo for it, will ya?” He waited, watching the old man, as Freddie retrieved the items and brought it to him.
Cooper took the pistol, made sure it was unloaded, replaced the magazine into it and approached the old man.
“Here’s a .45 pistol and some ammunition for it. Just don’t try to load it until you’re ought of sight. I’m sure you know this rifle has better range than this pistol, right?” Cooper said, only half-joking.
The old man took the pistol and the box, and then looked Cooper square in the eye, “Thank you. Thank you, for this.” His eyes were misty.
Cooper’s heart tugged, “No need to thank me. We have this one to spare. You deserve better than to be defenseless at a time like this. You’ve done good, and I’m sure you’ll keep doing more good down the line.”
The man’s eyes grew distant and he paused for several seconds before responding, “I don’t think anyone is ‘good’. Especially these days. Darkness is always there and sometimes it’s what saves you. Problem is, too many forget their light side.” He paused, his free hand washing over the pistol as he thought. Then, his dark face turned bright once again, “But, I do thank you. I try to keep my ledger balanced out on the good side.”
Now, it was Cooper’s turn to contemplate for a few moments. He stroked his unshaven chin, fresh images of those he’d had to kill these last few weeks. He squinted to keep the emotions at bay as his thoughts drifted to what Jake had been forced to endure; some of which Cooper had ordered on him. “I think you’re right about that, old timer. Hell, I had to ready my boy to kill so he could defend himself when this all started. I don’t know if it gets darker than that.”
“True. Darker. But, what lightens it is what you readied him to defend himself against was surely darker still. Right?”
Cooper nodded gravely, “Yeah, certainly.”
“Then, forgive yourself! Those of us who are still holding our humanity in hand must survive. Otherwise, it isn’t just our electricity and cable TV that goes kaput. No, then everything would go to hell on earth.”
The corners of Cooper’s mouth turned up, once more astounded by the old man’s wisdom. Shaking his head, “I have to ask you. How did someone as wise as you end up like this?”
“Homeless you mean?”
“Yeah.”
The man’s eyes grew wistful, “I wasn’t wise enough to stay away from the bottle, plain and simple. Well, not ‘til I’d lost everything, anyway,” he said as his eyes grew wistful, thinking of days past.
“Oh, you’re sober now?”
“Yup. Proudly so. Do you want to know what’s funny as all get out?”
“What?”
“My anniversary of being sober for one year was the exact day when the Brushfire Plague broke out.”
“Really?”
“Ironic, ain’t it? And, you wanna know what’s funnier? I haven’t had a sip of liquor since this all started, either. I like to think God started this whole thing just to give me one more test to pass!” At that, he exploded in riotous laughter, doubling over and rocking back and forth on his heels.
Cooper couldn’t help but laugh, too, “That is funny…in a crazy way…it’s funny as hell.”
The old man kept laughing for a long time, tears rolling down his face. Finally, he regained himself, “Thank you. I needed that. It is lonely out here. Worse than it was.” He raised the pistol in his hand, being careful to keep the muzzle pointed downward, “And, thanks for this, too. I can’t even tell you.”
Cooper waved his hand, “Don’t mention it.”
“I should get going. I’ve bothered you enough and I see your friends are coming out now,” he said turning and stashing the pistol into his cart.
“Sure. What’s your name old timer? In case we meet again.”
The man looked flummoxed for a moment before he beamed, eyes glinting, “You know something? No one ever asks me that anymore! It’s Ed. Ed Sjowski.”
“Mine’s Cooper Adams,” he said extending this hand. Ed took his hand and shook.
“You take care of that boy. And, be easy on yourself for the things you’ll have to do to keep him alive.”
Cooper locked eyes with his, “I’ll try. You know I will.”
Ed grabbed his cart and ambled away, continuing south down 82nd Avenue.
Dranko, Angela, and Calvin approached with a large dolly cart in tow. The cart was piled high with hand tools of all sorts, rolls of wire, and a shiny generator.
Dranko called out, “Is that who I think it was?”
“Yes. Yes it was. And I gave him that .45 we took off of Mr. Porsche.”
Dranko shook his head, “While I’m sure you had a good reason. I wish you hadn’t.”
Cooper cocked an eyebrow, “I knew you wouldn’t. But, he needed it more than we did. And, charity can’t die. Even in times like this.”
Dranko only grunted derisively and began loading the new supplies into the pickup.
Angela shifted her feet, “I don’t even know the guy, but I agree with Cooper. We cannot abandon kindness. Otherwise, what are we surviving for?”