Sky People

Sky People

Its April 9th 2020. Just finished my days’ work on the farm. I sit down against a tree and tuck my head into the nook of my book. The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Suddenly the sound of my name creeps into the story.

“Eddie. We are going to fight… Dev.

We are going to get hurt…. Devin!

And we are going to stand… Devin!!

My imagination, interrupted, fades out, I start to see only words and reality resumes. My boss, she is looking down at me funny again.

"You know you make weird faces when you read"

Yes, I do know. “Can’t help it. What’s up?” I wondered because I had just finished seeding the greenhouse.

"Come into the office, I want to talk to you."

I follow her into the office and take a seat across from her.

"Devin, we have to let you go. There isn’t enough money in the payroll, we just looked at the numbers during lunch."

She goes on, “Every Farm owner on this island is making the same adjustments, we don’t know what this summer will be like because of the pandemic.

She handed me a check, for $800. That’s seven days’ work including today” she says.

“Sorry we couldn’t keep you on." She said.

I wanted to cry but shook her hand like a gentleman, grabbed my check and started towards my car. I took a moment to light a cigarette when she said, “Um you know D, if you ever wanna get a cup of coffee, you have my number.”

I didn’t answer, I just lit my cigarette and went on my way.

I sat in on my bathroom floor and pulled up Instagram and swiped over to explore. It hit me like a train when I saw the headline. Governments to start quarantining the homeless in Canada.

An intuition came over me. One ive had for a while now but came in much stronger and louder.

CODY! I HAVE TO GET CODY!

Cody is my stepsister who ventured from MA to California a few years back with her boyfriend. She was stricken with wanderlust and determined to find her on way. I understand and appreciate that effort. But I heard from our family that she is now homeless, being given drugs, possibly prostituted.

I knew how that story ended. As if I was using her eyes and could see the small army corralling the not sick but broken people on the street like cattle. Sick or not. Feels like every generation suffers this way. If it’s not class its religion, if not race, then health. Some divisive rhetoric.

The headline said Canada. But my gut said California would follow. With the quickness. Men who were following orders, just trying to get by, when a nation is in panic. Can be of the utmost dangerous. As history has repeatedly shown us, and for some personal experience. But they would have to try to just get by, through me. Because she is not coming with you. She stays with me and I’m going to make sure she gets served her vitamin C & D and nothing else.

I had already made up my mind within a couple minutes. We cash the check tomorrow morning. Idk how the hell we will get back, but I have just enough to get me to her. Good, lets put something between her and the panic. Me and my beaten up 2004 Gold Kia Sportage.

I lay my head down and mentally prepare myself. For the drive. Google maps says 50 hours coast to coast.

Didn’t get much sleep that night. and wouldn’t be getting any for a while. Duty calls.

It was April 10th and the quarantine had just started to be implemented. Been living on Martha's Vineyard for a year and stopped watching TV. I was uncomfortable leaving this slice of heaven id been allowed to reside in for almost a year.

My Mind though, for the past few years wouldn't give me a moment of rest. Even in paradise. Get your sister. Get your sister. Everyday. I would need to push past the fear, the doubt and save my sister. Might be Fate, better not to deny her.

I Board the ferry with my car. Running through the plan during the 45-minute boat ride to mainland MA. The top speed limit on Martha’s Vineyard is 45mph. The whole island. And now I was going to live at 75 mph for a few days. My ADHD mind wanted to race so I started repeating mantras to myself.

“Be bold, and the mighty forces will come to your aid. Be bold, and the mighty forces will come to your aid.”

Feeling a little more centered. I pictured Cody safe and asleep in my car. The boat docks, and I the East Coast trails off behind me.

Blue lights flash in my mirror somewhere on a highway in New York. Didn’t notice I was going over the highways speed limit. I pull over on the left, waiting for the cop to come hold hopefully brief palaver with me.

He beams a flashlight into my car and then on my face.

"You’re supposed to pull over on the right?" He said through the passenger window.

"Sorry Officer. I have only been driving a week on Martha’s Vineyard. First time on the highway, never been over 45. Do not know if you know but I heard they were gonna start quarantining the homeless in California. My sisters homeless in California. If that happens."

I pointed to the seat next to me, and I said.

"If that happens. I want her to stay in my car."

He didn’t say anything. We held our gaze for what felt like a long while. Looking deep into eachother. Felt like a soul search for truth. Eventually he broke the silence.

"Stay here."

He came back a moment later with a ticket and a new look. Fear, and I think a little admiration. And said one word while pointing West down the highway.

"Go."

"Thank you, officer,". I said in return and continued.

That was the only time I interacted with law enforcement, before I got to California.

Maybe he called it in? Luck? Idk. Don’t wonder, don’t ruminate. Keep moving.

Barely slept. Once, for an hour or two in my car at the Rockies. I knew I’d go over the mountain if I didn’t rest a moment. The combined forces of nature and of culture were stirring so I had to remain on course. If I were to keep up, only a few more hours and miles.

I reached my destination around 1 am. Santa Cruz. The warm air was nice, and this coast had a similar feeling to my coast. Different though, warm all year here.

I used to hang out with a lot of homeless people. Been there, done that. They got nobody; you know. Neither do I quite frequently. So I knew what to do. I went to Micky D’s and ordered almost a dozen meals. Pulled up to a large mass of homeless men squabbling on the boardwalk and rolled down my window.

They all turned to face me.

"Yeo Gentleman. If anybody can tell me where my sister Cody is, ill give you guys this.” Pointing to the Micky D’s I know they could already smell.

The choir immediately sang me the way. Couple minutes up the block to the Santa Cruz library parking lot. Two women spotted, ones facing away from me kind of lurched over.

"Excuse me Miss! MISS!"

The one facing me looked up.

"Miss have you seen a girl named Cody"?

"BAHHH!" She barked at me

I just smiled. I know sister, I know. I didn't bark back, started to drive away. The one next to her. The one who looked like the hunch back of Notre Dame. Turned to me and I saw her luckily still beautiful face through her hoodie. No scars. Not on the outside at least.

I had made it in time. There’s my sister. I wanted to cry.

She calls out with the same upbeat energy I remember. "Hey bro. Follow me! I’ll show you where I live." and she took off on her skateboard.

I followed her with my car about a block before a cop starts to pull me over. My lights were off and I ran a stop sign I think. I could see highway, moving over reality. I was hallucinating for the first time in my life. My system was shocked from the drive.

Two cops come to my front windows.

"License and registration"

"Officer, I’ve been in Cali 5 minutes. Im coming from MA to get my sister. She’s homeless you probably know her. I heard they were going to quarantine the homeless here and I want her to stay in my car"

I could not point her out to him because she was either gone now or watching from a great distance in hiding.

He did not believe me. I didn't even believe me. But it was the truth. It looked bad though, cars a mess. I look like homeless ruffian, eyes bloodshot. And im starting to feel panic creep in because I dont want to loose her again. More cops swarm in. About eight or so. Ordered me out of the vehicle, to do their “are you on drugs dance.”. I was able to stand still, but felt like I was in motion. I was not going to pass.

"Ok last test, now put your hand behind your back"

I had stopped paying attention for a moment scanning the area for Cody. This was not a test, this was the arrest. Wouldn’t have mattered if I had been paying attention on the last test. Been cuffed and stuffed one time before. Never forget what the cop said. "What you think you are going to get uncuffed". Right.

I feel steel clamp my left wrist. "HEY, WOAH WHAT THE". Instantly I fall into my training and relax so I don’t go thrown to the ground. That’s why I didn’t end up finishing the curse. "Hey, woah, what the" I felt myself going towards the ground. With the force of several men. I stopped resisting and gathered every bit of emotional fortitude and space controlling energy I could muster and screamed. "WAIT!" They did. "Let’s talk". We did. My feet never left the ground. I got what I needed. To have them lock my car. We still needed the little beat-up fortress.

I was released the next morning and walked a few miles to the impound lot. I was polite and explained my situation. They were pretty cool about it. Let me get some stuff out of my car. I was so hungry I almost did not notice it. A little black notebook, not one of mine, with a white phoenix on it, and a number 4 on the spine. Made me think of the Navahos four worlds theory. It looked like one of those stoic Moleskine notepads for adventurers. It had a thick envelope inside addressed to… Meta-Man. The tow lot guy was not looking at me. I peaked in the envelope. It’s what I thought… money. Pure unbridled Potential. About $20,000 if I recall correctly. And a little metallic note that read,” The time for waiting is over. Do not doubt yourself. Now bring her home. There are even stronger armies gathering. Signed the Sky People.