Howard Bondurant is a visually intimidating kind of man. He's tall, relatively thin but not scrawny; looks like he could throw a punch and really hurt someone if he did. And Cricket's watching him closely when he does show up, making sure he doesn't react badly to the strange child amidst the stills, or the bees hovering about. To the man's credit, he's immediately disinclined to scare a kid so young, and he doesn't seem to give a damn about the bees. Howard has lived through a war and is completely indifferent to the buzzing of any kind of insects.
Cricket explains Hugh as his cousin from up North, making no mention of the bees or that he found him here, but promising Howard he can take care of him and he won't be any trouble. Testing out the story he plans to use in town. Whether Howard actually falls for the cousin part is hard to tell. Sometimes in the bootlegging business, you get told a simple untruth to cover for something that could bring the law down on you, and you accept it politely. Howard seems a little bewildered, but accepts.
After all, his family has known Cricket since the boy was approximately the size of his namesake insect. Cricket wouldn't bring them trouble on purpose, so whatever he's doing with this child, it's probably no big deal, and not Howard's business.
"Reckon you best introduce him to Forrest," he says, "when you leave for the day."
Cricket allows as how that makes sense.
And so, that becomes the plan. He and Hugh split his lunch, sitting outside in the sun since it's warmed up by then, and if there are bees all over him as he eats, Cricket doesn't mind a bit. Then there's another couple hours of work before Howard shoos them off gently.
"You ain't too tired to walk a ways?" Cricket asks Hugh. "'The waystation isn't too far, and Jack or Maggie will drive us home from there, after we talk to Forrest."
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timeasmymeasure
Chapter 2
Date: 2019-07-13 10:58 pm (UTC)Cricket explains Hugh as his cousin from up North, making no mention of the bees or that he found him here, but promising Howard he can take care of him and he won't be any trouble. Testing out the story he plans to use in town. Whether Howard actually falls for the cousin part is hard to tell. Sometimes in the bootlegging business, you get told a simple untruth to cover for something that could bring the law down on you, and you accept it politely. Howard seems a little bewildered, but accepts.
After all, his family has known Cricket since the boy was approximately the size of his namesake insect. Cricket wouldn't bring them trouble on purpose, so whatever he's doing with this child, it's probably no big deal, and not Howard's business.
"Reckon you best introduce him to Forrest," he says, "when you leave for the day."
Cricket allows as how that makes sense.
And so, that becomes the plan. He and Hugh split his lunch, sitting outside in the sun since it's warmed up by then, and if there are bees all over him as he eats, Cricket doesn't mind a bit. Then there's another couple hours of work before Howard shoos them off gently.
"You ain't too tired to walk a ways?" Cricket asks Hugh. "'The waystation isn't too far, and Jack or Maggie will drive us home from there, after we talk to Forrest."