July 9th

Another nice morning -21C right now.
A month ago today M's Mom passed on.
Annual Dr. check-up yersterday, he's happy so I'm happy. Banking stuff then the Macean trophy in the afternoon. Had a a hot tub  the first in a few days. To bed early.

I'm adding another piece of Forks in the Trail. It's odd that I have these intermittent spurts of progression in the story.

Finally as they came to a junction in the road, Henry slowed and pulled over. “It’s left into Terrace, right over to Kitimat and straight ahead to all kinds of places all the way to Prince George. But look kid, it’s getting’ late in the day, if you’ll stop and help me pile some stock that arrived today, y’can stay at my place, my wife will feed yah good and send yah off with a full belly in the morning.”

Roj hesitated for a couple of seconds, then shrugging said, “Sounds good, I feel I owe you for the ride, but dinner and a bed means I still come out ahead.”

“Nah, I enjoyed the company and those case lots are a bit heavy for somebody, me that is, that ain’t supposed to lift much.” Henry pulled back onto the road and took the next turn to the left.

He pulled up a few minutes later at an old style country store. The sign over the front said CORVATH MERCANTILE. They both got out and Henry unlocked the door and led the way inside. “Here, this way, I’ll get you started then phone my wife to set an extra place.”

They went through to an outside back corner where  there were twenty to thirty cases of canned goods stacked on a loading platform. “That’s them, they get stacked over here behind these others, just make sure you don’t mix up the labels. I’ll be right back.”

Roj went straight to work and when Henry re-arrived was well into the job. Henry’s help didn’t make an appreciable difference in getting the job done but within an hour everything was done to his satisfaction and they were back in the car and proceeding up the street.

“I’m just up here a bit, Mother’s got supper almost ready, but I think we may have time for a beer first.”

He pulled into a driveway beside an older but well maintained house and yard. “Here we are, grab your pack and follow me.”

They went through the front door, just inside there was a stairway leading off to the right. “Up there,” Henry said, “second door to the left, bathroom is the third door, c’mon down when you’re ready and meet the missus.”

Roj carted his pack up the single flight of stairs, passing by a closed door at the top of the stairs, he could hear guitar music. As he paused he thought he could make out words being sung to the music.

He moved on and opened the door to which he had been directed.

A little while later, washed and in a clean t-shirt Roj descended the stairs and followed the sound of voices to the kitchen.

Henry was just closing the door to the fridge, two bottles of beer in his hands. “Ah there you are,” he nodded to the lady standing at the sink, “this here’s my wife, Emily. Emily this is Roj the young man I brought home.”

Emily smiled and nodded. “Hello Roj, welcome to our home and to Terrace. Now you two boys just run along and have your beer.”

“C’mon Roj, follow me,” said Henry. “Uh Emily where’s Roxy?”

“Up in her room, I think, she said she was going to practice for a bit.”