Free Ark by K.B. Kofoed

“Nice craftsmanship. You followed my sketches pretty closely. By the way, did you know that Aaron in the Bible, Moses’ brother, was a goldsmith too?”
    “Yes, but he didn’t build the ark,” replied Aaron,
    “That’s right,” said Jim. “You know your Old Testament, eh?”
    “Well, I’m Israeli,” said Aaron. “Goes with the package, I guess, but I had to do some research for the menorah and the table of snow breads. Didn’t find out much. Ended up winging it.”
    “I noticed you didn’t put much decoration on the ark,” said Jim. “Any reason?”
    “You didn’t in your drawings. I was told to follow your sketches exactly. Decorations aren’t mentioned in the text. Besides, it’s only a model. Once you start decorating it you could go on forever.”
    “I had the same thought when I did the drawings,” said Jim. “I think most of the renderings I’ve seen of the ark are too ornate. Too decorative.”
    “I agree,” said Aaron, “Byzantine, Renaissance artists decorated everything to death, right? So what will it be?”
    “Huh?” said Jim.
    “Scrambled? Poached?”
    “That’s right,” answered Jim with a laugh. “Breakfast. Forget the eggs. Just toast and coffee would be great, Aaron, thanks.” Jim put the ark back into its slot in the table and its little light came on brightly.
    “I’m not thrilled about the bulb, sorry to say,” he commented.
    “No argument,” said Aaron, looking over his shoulder to see if they were alone. “John’s idea.”
    “I guessed as much,” said Jim with a nod. “I can smell the coffee now.”
    Jim left the model and followed Aaron to an immense kitchen, nearly as big as the rec room. The first thing that caught his eye was a row of refrigerators that lined a preparation area larger than his own home’s entire kitchen.
    “This place just keeps getting bigger,” said Jim.
    Gene was already at the breakfast table in a room next to the kitchen. A wall TV was on but the sound was off. He was watching the weather channel.
    “It’s gonna rain this morning,” said Gene. “Good thing we toured the site yesterday.”
    “Just a field. Didn’t impress me much,” said Jim. “I got a kick out of the dome, though. It’s amazing how much space is in one of those things.”
    “I like the teepee near the waterfall. Back to nature, eh? Great place to get laid,” said Lou as he entered the room. “Which reminds me. The girls are in the jacuzzi.”
    “Yeah, the teepee was good, but it was all location. I bet it’s cold at night in them,” said Jim.
    “Well, that shows what you know. If they’re made right, a teepee is warm as toast.”
    “In winter?”
    Lou nodded. “With a fire, of course. All the smoke goes right out the top. Those Indians knew their shit. Teepees aren’t like freakin’ tents where you have to bend over all the time. You can stand up and move around.”
    Aaron handed Jim a cup of black coffee, then went back to a large pan full of scrambled eggs. He glanced at Lou as if amused by his observation but made no comment.
    “I had no idea you were such an expert on the Indians, Lou,” observed Gene.
    Lou took a chair across from Gene. “Shit. I’m no expert,” he said. “My Dad built one once. I used to play in it when I was a kid, visiting my grandparents in Vermont.”
    “I didn’t know you had grandparents in Vermont, Lou,” said Jim.
    “Well, I don’t any more. They’re dead.”
    The table fell silent.
    As if on cue, John Wilcox walked in and waved to the group. “Hi all,” he said cheerfully. His blue jeans and a turtleneck sweater were such a marked contrast to the suit Jim had seen him in the day before that Jim almost didn’t recognize him.
    “I see the girls are fond of the jacuzzi,” noted Wilcox. “That’s good,” he added bemusedly. “I almost never use it myself. It’s really for guests. How’s breakfast coming, Aaron?”
    “Your Benedict is almost done, John,” replied Aaron without looking up