Chapter Fourteen #3
I nod and he weaves us back through the crowd to the tables behind them.
He growls, then puts his fingers in his mouth to let out a piercing whistle.
I wanna learn that one. “Food is here. If you’re in line, make a line, if you’re visiting with your Brothers,” he points, “Do that on the other fuckin side.”
I laugh with a bunch of people who are, funnily enough, moving to the other side.
Knight senior slaps his back. “Good job. Train them now.”
I laugh some more. He seems like the guy that would train people, although, I’m told he shoots them too.
“Don’t we all?” LaPonte walks by asking.
“You readers need a reset so you’re not all reading us.”
Danny turns back with a smile on. “Not sure how that would work. We do know there isn’t a Brother here that has an agenda or thoughts of harm to you, the Bits, or Officers.”
Well fuck. I breathe deep. “Carry on then.”
They all laugh at me. I shrug at my smiling gray-eyed hunk next to me in bed guy. “I need food before I have to learn lines for the service announcement LP has me doing.”
He smiles and holds the plate for me to get food on it. He’s done this before, when he sits me by the ol’ ladies, he’ll come back for a plate. I don’t say a word and let him do his thing.
Apparently, his dad raised him to treat women like they’re everything because his dad didn’t puke, carry the weight of a pot belly on a tiny frame and go through hours of labor pains for him.
He said his mom always explained for him and trouble didn’t find him until they died.
I’d have loved to see him growing up. He’s been talking more but he’s definitely not setting the chat on fire. He gets his point across.
He pulls the chair out and I sit with Ginny, Seren and three women that I haven’t met. I get a kiss on my head and he’s gone. I smile. “I’m Sophia, that was Hud. I used to think I need a sharpie to draw lines down from his mouth.”
Seren laughs. “He’s definitely quiet but not as quiet as Zeke.” The women all laugh. “This is Jess Knight, Steve’s ol’ lady. Lily is Ben’s ol’ lady. Mel is Done’s ol’ lady, that’s Logan’s mom and dad. You know Ginny.”
“I know Ginny. Nice to meet you all. Do any of you know why you’re all here?”
They look at each other and I laugh, then they laugh with me. These would be the women in the know so I don’t feel so bad. “I feel better and welcome to Liminal Rising.”
§*§*§
“All Brothers taking part in the public service announcement, come on down!”
I take my page and stand. “I’ll be back.”
Hud meets me in the walkway and puts his hand on my back. “They said I have to look you over and fix what’s wrong. No food on your face, hair isn’t a mess and you’re dressed in clean clothes.”
I laugh. “Thanks, they have a stage manager that will double check.”
“Good. I don’t see imperfections as wrong and you’re always beautiful.” The man has me deep breathing with fly in the eye blinks so I don’t have tears in my eyes on the damn stage. “Kiss me and go sit with the guys.”
He kisses me and stops at my ear. “Roger, beaut.” The whisper has me holding in my laugh. He knows I can’t fake mad when he’s playing sweet.
“Sophie, you’re after Jordan who is after Cort.” Dreng just about drags me up the steps.
“Cort is still with the Brothers.” I point. “He’s on his way now.”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to have five ready to go. You’re number three. Megan is checking hair and makeup. No one else has makeup.”
I laugh. “Relax, Brother. I’m not worried about makeup; I don’t wear hardly any.”
He stops to look at me. “My mom doesn’t either. Neither one of you need it.”
“Thank you for that. I don’t think anyone here does. It’s too friggin hot for that torture anyway.”
He laughs. “Megan is my aunt. She isn’t an egg head but she loves everyone and works at the daycare in Champion.”
“Nice to meet you, Meagan. I wear eyeliner and lip gloss.”
“Got you covered.” She has a whole makeup station ready and swings the chair around for me to sit. I sit and read my page again. It’s longer than I expected but basically the same information I sent to Hud.
Ben goes out and I’m out of the chair where I can watch the faces of the Brothers giving him their full attention.
I can’t hear the din but complete silence from more than a hundred, I smile seeing the Surveillance Club running the trainer’s road to hear what this is all about.
It’s well over two hundred now that the Vigil Club is crowding the street side.
I’m glad they came down that side because the trainees from Liminal are crowded down the Officer side.
I want to go out front but it may send Dreng into a panic so I move to the side and watch from the stage.
“Brothers, welcome. When this is done, you can eat.” A cheer goes up letting everyone in the county know they’re happy about something. Those of us close know they’re just hungry.
“Settle down, Brothers. When have you been to a BSC meet and left hungry?”
“Never happened Prez and I’ve been to meets since you were in diapers.”
Ben looks at his feet for a good ten seconds. “There you have it from Danny LaPonte from Mass Badass. He’s my uncle so he’d know.”
The crowd is trying to find the patched Brother.
I watch Ben. He’s a good President that doesn’t act as if he’s owed attention or respect.
He gives it and everyone that has met him, from the weekly podcasts that has to be everyone, know he’s earned it.
You can almost feel it from him, equal isn't a question but a given.
“I don’t want to keep you waiting on that food especially since I’ve eaten already. So, what i have is a quote.” He turns back and smiles at Cort. “He threw me chin so I got permission.” Everyone laughs.
“Seriously, Badass has worked for so long because we take the time to see our Brothers. We eat together, drink together, ride together and hold our hands out together. It’s how we work so well around the world.
I heard this and thought it fits us perfectly.
Lachlan Brown said, ‘Psychology says the single biggest predictor of happiness isn’t income, relationships, or health – it’s the ability to be present in an ordinary moment without wishing it were something else.
’” He looks back at Cort. The quote is from April of this year.
” He laughs putting both arms straight out indicating the crowd.
“Other than wishing for food, I believe in being present and with everything in me, I believe that’s why Badass works in this world of hand-held computers. You’re up, Cort.”
The Brothers clap for Ben and Cort waits for them to quiet down. I read my part again.
He grabs my attention when he talks about AI in the fifties and Walt Disney bringing military in to work with his imagineers.
That’s how Musk was in movies? I didn’t know he was in movies.
He explains about Walt Disney worrying about how it would cause people to forget how to use their own hands and imaginations to do basic things because they have machines for it.
According to Walt, robots are meant to assist and once humans lose the ability to do the basics, robots become the boss.
Wow. I got that part but it’s been known for years by Mr. Imagination himself. I just learned all this from Asa.
I read my part again. Cort calls Jordan up. “Let them loose, Alder.”
I smile at the swarm of butterflies that spread out and calmly land on whatever is around, most being on the Brothers.
The service Bots come out and Jordan explains about the surveillance and service bots.
The crowd is watching the bots without missing Jordan’s words.
These Presidents hold the attention like Ben said, just being present, they all talk to Brothers after Church, in the Clubs, they really are present.
I read my part again and step out when Jordan calls for me.
“I’m Sophie Girard, VPs ol’ lady from this Club and Asa’s Protector at Honor or wherever he’s working or meeting Brothers.
There are so many lessons that may apply but President Alder Ford or as most of you call him LP gave these to me.
” I look around and see the Officers are bringing food out to the Brothers at the road and the little delivery bots have drinks.
“This fits this moment right now. Success isn’t about how many serve you, it’s about how many you serve.”
“I second that one!” Jessie says getting them laughing.
I keep going. “The American dream is changing or just plain lost. Kids are pushed to be this or that with dollar signs after the title. All kids should be asked collective questions, do you want to help build the world, help heal the broken? The questions pose a collective we, as in we the people. Badass will never outsource civic responsibility. With the robots and AI, we will outsource dish and floor washing, vacuuming, the Prospects that are here love the potato peeling help. They didn’t lose a job.
We don’t outsource putting our hands out.
They now have a little more time, energy and even some new skills that will get them a higher pay.
Maintenance for the robots is a must or they won’t be doing the shit jobs for you. ”
I let them laugh and list the next point in my head so it comes out right.
“In this time of chaos and uncertainty, people need a Leader. They’re watching and waiting for someone to step up.
Badass is everywhere, but the BSC Clubs are a little different than straight Badass.
The breakdown of law, civility and truth causes mistrust in so many communities outside our Clubs.
Members of BSC Clubs understand the…” I look over at Jinx, “For me it’s oaths? What is your word?”
He smiles. “Lessons of our fathers.”