Page 74 of Pen Me

I threw a hoodie on, covered my head and started outside. She followed me out to the road, attempting to reason with me every step of the way.

“At least change the damn sign. I wouldn’t pay more than twenty bucks for that shit.”

I barked with laughter.

“Twenty bucks? Presley would never hire you.”

“Presley?”

“Mhm. My sister Presley has a market for these. I hunt them along the river road up by Grafton. Everything I find, I bring to Presley. This is the price she sells them for.”

“So, you’re used to being a fungus salesman?” She sounded well amused.

“Something like that, more of a trader.” I didn’t bother denying. “But they only grow in a certain season. So, I have to make the most of things.”

“I see. So how much does she give you, if she sells them at that price.”

I shook my head, “She don’t give me money. She gives me weed.”

“What?” she asked, as a car slowed and headed for the opposite side of the wooded road, parking half in the ditch so as not to obstruct traffic when they hopped out.

“Is that sign right?” a middle-aged fellow asked, adjusting his hat. He was half stooped as he approached the towel I’d laid out and looked the bags over.

“Sure is,” I chirped, before Sammy could give away our fungus fortune.

“Oh, that’s a good deal. They get them later in the season at that one market, but they cost more, and they're smaller. Sometimes they’re even slimy,” he complained, as he picked up one of the bags and held it in the sunlight. “These here look fresh.”

“We picked them this morning,” Sammy confirmed.

“I’ll have ‘em.” He nodded.

“Great,” Sammy sounded surprised. “How many?”

He looked at her and then me, “Well, all of ‘em if I’m allowed?”

“You bet.” I nodded and flicked a finger toward the towel, but Sammy was already picking them up for the fellow, so he didn’t have to bend again.

We shook hands and he started back toward his truck.

He paused in the middle of the road and looked back. “You reckon you’ll have more next week?”

“There’s a good chance. The woods were plentiful.” Sammy nodded, even though we hadn’t discussed it.

He laughed and nodded, “I’ll send my wife down on market day. We love them, so do the kids when they visit. We fry ‘em up for a snack and sit on the porch. I just ain’t able to bend and pick them like I used to. Had the knee replaced a few years back, you see? Uh-huh. We’ll be back then; you kids take care.”

“Alright, we’ll look forward to it. Enjoy.” Sammy entertained his Midwest goodbye, while I simply raised a polite hand, hooked her arm and started the walk back.

“That’s fuckin’ crazy,” she excitedly rambled, placing her head against my shoulder.

She did well exercising, but she slept so soundly, I didn’t want to wake her up for another day of hiking. I went without her. She was still sleeping when I got back.

I took my haul to the counter and began the routine of preparing them for sale. Halfway through I heard weight on the basement stairs.

“You really like hunting those things, huh?” she sleepily murmured.

“Not as much as I like money. I got twice yesterday’s haul. I figure if we get these sold, I can give Octavia the money from yesterday. We’ll ride on the rest, see where it takes us.”

“You think that’s wise? Leaving them, when she’s fresh out of the hospital?”

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