🐟Well Met, Old Friend 🐟

 

            Before Ralph and Bob made it to the Fire Circle and Ramona, they began to hear some bluesy harmonica notes from somewhere ahead of them and down the path.
            “I bet that’s Maurice,” said Uncle Bob.
            “You amaze me, Bob,” said Ralph.
            “I think he’s got the only harmonica in the whole Great Forest, Ralphie! It’s gotta be him!” insisted good old Uncle Bob.
            “Correct, as always, Bob!” said Ralph. “He’s the only bluesman in the whole Forest!”
            They found him at Bunny Town, though no bunnies were in evidence at the moment. Maybe they didn’t like Maurice’s Howler looks? In any case, he was stretched out on the grass beside the path with his eyes closed just blowing away. The forest rang with the music.
            “Maurice! What are you doing here at Bunny Town?” said Ralph.
            Maurice sat up quickly. The harmonica landed in his lap.
            “Bunny Town? What bunnies? I was looking for you two. Ramona said you were over here somewhere,” said Maurice, looking around like he could conjure up bunnies if he stared hard enough.
            “That was a nice tune,” said Ralph.
            “It’s called ‘I’ll be Back, Baby’ said Uncle Bob proudly. “I made the words. It’s about going hunting!”
            “You still amaze me, Bob,” said Ralph, eyebrows up in his hairline. “Whatcha got in mind Maurice?”
            “Listen, Ralph, you know how me and Folkie Joe, and Sleeky Sue used to go around making music on park benches and stuff?” said Maurice, earnestly.
            “Sure do! But I never heard you guys do it,” said Ralph.
            “I don’t want to make money anymore, Ralph. What would I do with it, and nobody out here has money anyhow. I just want to play the songs for the people, whatever kind of people they are! I wanna have a show, Ralph! It’s killin’ me making music and nobody much hears it.”
            “I hear you!” said Bob. “I made up the words!”
            “I know, Bob! But, don’t you want to have a show too, man?” said Maurice. Think about your ‘Wind in the Forest’ touching the hearts of a crowd!”
            “How many songs do you have ready?” said Ralph.
            “At least ten, man! I have them all written down in my book!” said Maurice quite eagerly, reaching into his bag and pulling out his dog eared Allegory book, and waving it around.
            “That ought to be enough,” agreed Ralph, grinning at the boys. “Would you like to do it in the Home Clearing?”
            “I’ve been thinking about that,” said Maurice.
            “The Bees Did It All,” is another one,” mused Uncle Bob, to himself.
            “How about if Bob and me get up on top of his Stump House and do it there. We’d be up where people could see us good and the sound would project well!” said Maurice. “What do you think, Bob, that OK with you?”
            “Um, OK. Who do you think will come to hear us?” said Bob.
            “Well, I don’t know. We can’t put up signs. None of you guys in the forest read. We have to spread the word somehow. I didn’t think about that! What will we do, Ralph?” said Maurice.
            Uncle Bob was still talking to himself quietly, “There's ‘We All Fall in Sometimes. And ‘I Used to Smoke A lot, But I Quit’.”
            “I think me and Maeve can work something out. She’s pretty good at spreading the word, whatever it is. Just pick a day,” said Ralph. “I’ll talk to her when I see her.”
            “You know, Suzie knows all my songs,” said Bob. “She could help! She helps me remember the words. In fact, she kind of made up ‘Tree Knockin’ Boogie’!”
            “Aw, Bob! You know I love it when Suzie sings with us!” said Maurice.
            “Aw, thanks, Maurice,” said Uncle Bob. “She loves it too!”
            “Pick a day! I  have to know when and where before I set Maeve loose on the population, you know,” Ralph reminded the boys.
            “No calendars. So we gotta do this old style,” said Maurice looking very thoughtful. “How about at Bob’s place, three days from now, when the sun is straight up? I don’t know how to say when, Ralph.”
            “I think that will work OK,” said Ralph. “Done, unless Maeve refuses, and I’ve never seen her refuse to be the bringer of news yet!”
            “Oh, I better take these fish to Suzie!” said Bob, remembering that he had a bunch of trout on a little branch lying at his feet all of a sudden.
            “We better run through all ten songs, Bob, a couple times,” Maurice told him. “Can we get started tonight?”
            “Sure, four fish each ought to be enough, come on,” said Bob, and they split together, talking excitedly as they wandered off to present the fish to Bob’s Firekeeper and get started practicing for the show.
            Ralph watched them go with a grin. He couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out, but now he was getting really hungry. It had been a long time since morning. He was eager to see what Ramona had done with her fish, and tell her the news. Maybe there would be coffee, and some kind of dessert too! His steps quickened.

💚🐦‍⬛🍁

*Photo by R. A. Bird, Oct. 6, 2013.