Free Motorman by David Ohle

little.”
    Roquette wore his hair in a back pouch, his beard pulled tight against his face in a net. “Step closer, son. Let me have a look at you.” Moldenke stepped closer. Roquette protchered him on the shoulder. “We heard you coming, son. The folks and myself. They decided I would come out and see if I could help you if you needed it.”
    Moldenke said, “I need it.”
    Roquette said, “Follow me.”
     
    58]
     
    Dear Moldenke,
    First, let me clear up a popular misconception. Second, let me hand you a piece of news. One, Eagleman and his moon remain intact. I've touched them both. And two, exactly half of Texaco City burned out last night-—old Blackside, the nigger section.
    Quickly back to the k-tubes,
    Your friend,
    Burnheart
     
    59]
     
    Dear Burnheart,
    All of Blackside? What did they do with the niggers?
    Wondering again,
    Moldenke
     
    60]
     
    Dear Moldenke,
    I'm afraid the plural is no longer applicable. Only one of them survived, a rangy old one by the name of Roosevelt Teaset. The rest of them went up in smoke. They'll flood the area now and let the crabs go to work. They didn't even bother with a show of fire-fighting. They simply let it burn. I don't know what to say. It wasn't news to me. I knew they were building a fire fence across the city. After that it was only a matter of arranging a long spell of dry weather, parachuting matches to the children and waiting for the inevitable.
    Take pause, Moldenke.
    Yours,
    Burnheart
     
    61]
     
    He middled himself in the auditorium. A dome, angles, vertical walls, everything suggesting architecture. Ushers walked the aisles collecting chits. Bunce was in Texaco City to speak to the folks. Moldenke ate popcorn.
    Someone whispered, “Bunce,” and everyone stood up. Moldenke remained seated and lit a cigar.
    Bunce delivered the standard speech: “I appear before the folks tonight with sorrow under my tongue. You have patiently endured while the moons were down for repairs. Now, as together we approach the terminus, I ask you to turn on your flashlights.” Lights in the auditorium went out and flashlights were turned on.
    Bunce asked if there were any questions. Moldenke raised his hand.
    Bunce said “No questions?” Moldenke stood up and whirled his hand in circles above his head.
    Bunce said, “I see no hands.” Someone next to Moldenke said, “He can't see you. Turn on your flashlight.”
    Moldenke didn't have a flashlight. Two jellyheads approached and asked him to step into the aisle. They searched through his coats and shirts and reversed his pockets, made him kneel.
    Bunce said, “Look at that example, folks. Shine your lights on that man.” The audience turned to watch, focusing their beams on Moldenke.
    One of the jellyheads said, “Take down the pants.” Moldenke took down the pants. The second jellyhead came forward wearing a rubber glove and said, “Bend over. We need some readings.”
     
    62]
     
    He followed Roquette into a circle of cypress trees. Roquette said, “We'll sit here and talk.” They sat in a two-man circle. Roquette turned on the shade lamp. They removed their goggles, huddled under a mushroom of lamp shade, and talked.
    Moldenke said he was wondering where they were. Roquette said he could only say that they were less than a klick from the river. Moldenke listened and heard the flow.
    “You look pale and slightly wasted, Moldenke. I presume you came from the city? The cities? How do you say it these days? ”
    Moldenke mentioned a crumbling house in Texaco City with eastern lookouts.
    Roquette described a time when he had lived in the cities, a time when Eagleman's moon was no more than a scribble on a drawing table. His eyes seemed red in the goggles. Moldenke looked at him through purple lenses. A snipe whistled in a gum above them. A delicate swarm of small bubbles came to Roquette's cracked lips and slid into his beard. Moldenke's hearts drummed in the hum of the swamp.
    Roquette stood up, his head disappearing