Take A Swig [Old Blog Repost]

 Hadley didn't even bother to look where he was shoveling, and we're glad he didn't. If it wasn't for his lazy thinking, we wouldn't be dreaming of vacation islands.

  He just wanted to get the farm going. We traveled here far from home with our precious seeds shoved in our pockets. It is his job to get them going. He's been nurturing them since winter in that greenhouse. Now that the weather is just right, he went to go plant them and watch them grow into the beautiful harvest we had back at home. Instead, his shovel went through the ground and came up far wetter than anything we'd ever seen. So he ran into the house and started yelling for us, telling us that there was something in the ground and we needed to come see what was going on. Of course, I was in the house making dinner, so I didn't really understand what he was saying over the constant noise of the standing mixer. Instead, he ran up to find his father. 

  Zachary was sitting in his recliner while he read the paper, I'm pretty sure. He always does that while I make dinner. I heard them talking about what was going on but couldn't really hear anything of what they said. I turned the mixer off and started kneading the dough on the counter when I heard the last sentences.

  "Dad, I think it's oil."

  "Had, there is no way we have oil in our yard."

  "Then prove me wrong. Come outside."

  "Hadl-"

  "Seriously! Come outside with me. Please."

  I heard some shuffling and grumbling. Hadley came downstairs and looked at me with the biggest grin on his face. I could see the adventure in his eyes. He was convinced he found something. Zach wasn't too far behind him, mumbling something about "he has no idea." I looked at Had with pleading eyes, hoping that he didn't subject his dad to yet another conquest. He didn't seem to see me. He was too excited to show his dad what marvel he found. Zach looked up and rolled his eyes at me. I smile gently and tilt my head. "What's all the commotion about?" I asked.

  "Our son swears that he's found oil in the backyard."

  "I did! You will see!"

  Zach rolls his eyes again. "We will see. Let's go."

  I kept my smile as they leave through the door and into the field. I glanced back toward their little meeting while I started to cut the dough for biscuits. The thought of another little conquest gave me a chuckle. How many times Zach and Had went out to an inquiry, only for Had to come back downtrodden and Zach frustrated. How many times had Zach explained that not everything was what it seemed? The iron pirate he bought from his friend, the gold coins grandma used to give him for his birthday. It all reminded me of Had's little dream of giving back to us and helping to take care of us. Such a sweet kid, but often too ambitious.

  Zach burst through the door panting. "Honey, grab me a bucket." I nodded and handed him my empty mop bucket. "Thanks!" He breathed as he ran back out. I put the biscuits in the oven and went to stand by the back door. I watched as Zach and Had quickly put some of the dirt in the bucket. Some of it looked like Had got some weird syrup on it. I didn't quite know what to make of it, but I just shrugged and kept making dinner. Sure enough, those two came in carrying the bucket and Had wearing an even bigger grin than before. I looked up to Zach as he put the bucket on the dining table. I frowned when I saw the dirt drip off the edges and stained what was a cleaned surface. I glared at Zach. "I just cleaned off the table for dinner."

  "Dinner can wait. I want to see this." Zach didn't even look at me but ran back to his office. I turned to look at Hadley. He smiled even more as if he has just found some long lost treasure. I sighed and shifted my focus to the pot roast in the slow cooker. He came back into the room with one of his little test kits. I gave him a rather apparent "are you kidding me" kind of look. He shrugged and scooped up some of the dirt into the sample vial. "I'm going to take it to work with me tomorrow. If it's what it is..." He stopped to laugh. "Then we've got some work ahead of us." Zach cleaned off the outside of the vial on his outdoor work jeans and slipped it into a bag with the rest of the kit.

  "How long until we know?" Had asked.

  "A couple of days." Zach answered, "Until then, mark the area with only something you would recognize. Don't let anyone see what you're doing."

  Had nodded and went back outside. Zach finally acknowledged by annoyance. "I'll clean the table off." He went around me, kissed my cheek, and grabbed my washcloth off the sink edge. I smiled gently and checked the biscuits. He took the bucket off and put it in the backyard, then came back and cleaned off the table like he said he would. At least the man has a sense of decency once the adrenaline wears off.

~

  "And is that all, Ms. Winterson?"

  The woman looks up at me and gives me a single nod and smile. I jot down the last of the notes from her story.

  "And was it what you thought it was?" I ask. 

  "Yes. It is oil. Which is why we called you, sir." She replies.

  "Obviously." I say coolly in an attempt to remain professional. Her husband was already eyeing me suspiciously. Probably didn't want me stealing his woman.

  She licks her lips. "Do you know when we can finalize the deal?"

  I look up from my pad and to her. Her husband gives her a look of shock. I'm not surprised. She hasn't been this forward since I came to them. "Ms. Winterson, I have one final call to make to the CEO. Then once he accepts your proposal, the work can begin almost immediately. We will send our technicians to you to set up the system and have it pulling the oil out in no time. As promised, it won't be invasive and your son's farm will remain unharmed once we start. In fact, those plants will probably be happy to have the oil out of the way."

  "Oh, good." She smiles, "I was hoping that would be the case. Those seeds are important to us."

  "So you mentioned." I jot the last note and turn my notepad to her. "Now, if I can just get your signature on this -and your husband's if he would like- I'll be on my way."

  "Oh, of course." Ms. Winterson puts my pen in her left hand and scribbles away. She hands the pen to her husband, who takes it in his right and sharply signs the page. 

  I take the pen back and secure everything in my messenger bag. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Winterson. You should hear back from us soon. And please, send my warmest regards to your son."

  "Thank you." Mr. Winterson shakes my hand as Ms. Winterson simply flashes a smile at me.

  I leave the house and take a glance into the backyard. I can't see where the marker is, but I can see the bucket. I peek around to make sure I remain unseen, then sneak to the bucket. I take out one of my own vials and slip some of the dirt into it. With a few shakes, the vial glows a subtle shade of green. I smile, tuck the vial away, and return to my vehicle. As I slide into the driver's seat, I take out my communicator and touch the gold button. "Connect me to Mr. Black."

  A few seconds and I hear the laughter of his 'women' from the other side. "Ah, Ezekiel! There you are! What did you find out?"

  "It's what you said it was." I answer. 

  "Oh, fantastic! And here I thought those fools were lying. Did you have them sign the testimony?"

  "Yes I did, sir."

  "And you didn't tell them anything about it, did you?"

  "They still think it is oil. They don't have the faintest idea."

  "Good. Good. Better than good." I hear him take a sip of whatever fancy tea graces his notion. "I'll send the techs out right away. Those boys will probably be just as shocked as you were."

  "Even more so." I laugh, "No one has any better idea of what it is than you."

  "You're right on that, Ezekiel. Feel free to return to base whenever. Treat yourself to a nice dinner on me."

  "Thank you, sir. I have one question though?"

  "Shoot."

  "Does it really contain the energy of a thousand stars?"

  I hear him laugh heartily. "Ezekiel, that substance has the life energy of a million stars and the subtle taste of a god's power. It is exactly what the rumors hint at."

  I take a deep breath and nod. "Alright. Thank you, sir. I'll see you back at base."

  "See you soon, Ezekiel. Don't forget to treat yourself to dinner tonight."

  "I won't." I close the communicator and start up the engine. The vehicle floats as the screens light up. I tap in a few places and find the burger joint I haven't been too in a long time. The vehicle floats a little higher and takes off from the house. I look back and chuckle at the thought of the next few days for the Wintersons. The technicians will be by tomorrow afternoon to get the 'oil.' For the next few days, the elixir will chug through the system until the last of it leaves. The machine will break down and dissolve into the ground to leave a nice fertilizer for the farm. Through the boss' magic touch, that elixir will come into the lab and the techs will refine and purify it. Then, soon enough, we will take the power we need from and distill the leftover liquid into the beverage sitting on the Wintersons' counter. 

  "What a joy it is to take a swig of the Doctor's Swing." I recite the jingle with a chuckle. I pull up to the burger joint and get out. The normal crowd already takes their places for the evening ritual. I sit in my booth closest to the door as I look over the menu. My favorite server sways over to me. "Well, what a sight for sore eyes." She giggles, "I was wondering when you were going to pop in. What'll it be, Zeke?"

  I hand her the menu. "The best burger you can make, and a beer."

  She takes it from me with a wink. "Want a Doctor's Swing while you wait?"

  We both take a long look at each other before laughing. "Nah, thanks though."

  "And not give the big guy a little chuckle? Too bad." She gives me her usual smile and wink again. "I'll have the beer out for you, and I'll let Chuck know you're here. He'll be happy to know you're in."

  "Tell him not to mess it up." I joke. She laughs and wanders back to the kitchen with my order. I glance out the window and look to the street just as a holographic ad pops into my vision. Normally, I would be annoyed to see such a disturbance. Instead, I watch little sweet-cheeked Annabel give a winning smile and tell me to get the latest trend in liquid joy: the Doctor's Electric Swing. "With its new sweet Ener-berry flavor, the Doctor's Swing has gotten berry delicious!" She takes a drink out of the can and flashes that smile again. The ad disappears as soon as it came and gives me back the window to gaze out of. I smirk and continue with my wandering thoughts. 

  What a joy it is to take a swig.