[Lawtan]

Josef stuck his grisly sun-worn head in. For a boater, he was a small old crank, but his bearded smile would make anyone pleased. It was with such a smile that he greeted me.

“How’s it going, Mr. Schwartz?”

“Same ol, same ol’, Joseph. How about yerself?”

“Well, other than rumers about a downright nasty group from the west, and my back a-killing me, nuthin much.”

“Rumors?”

“Yeah, sumethin about “horses and flames” or some such. Don’t buy into it meself.”

“Yeah, I get ya. After the last war, word spreads nuts.”

“I heard ‘bout one fella who was talking to a fish. Not any fish, mind you. This fish claimed ‘e were the next Pope. Most blasphemous thing I e’er did here.”

So we went on, and I packed up his supplies, wished him well, and went on to out next fellow, and on for much of the day. The sky got dark as clouds rode in, and I anticipated a storm. I'd need to get some more supplies, for weary folk a-comin in, and so I went out into the town.