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Now " He looked at Anketam with a sly grin. "Now, if you two wanted to carry me, I'd be much obliged. Anketam, you could carry me piggyback, while Blejjo goes over to fetch my pole. If you'd do that, I believe I could see my way clear to going fishing with you." Anketam shook his head positively. "I'm afraid the sun would do you in, anyway." "Maybe you'd like The Chief to carry you," said Blejjo.
If the truth were known, he probably had the ability to get a good job from The Chief become a secretary or something, like Russat. But he was sloppy in his work, and, as Blejjo had said, lazy.
Old Blejjo was taking his fishing gear down from the rack on the porch. Without looking around, he said: "Cooler down by the river." "By the time I walked there," said Basom philosophically, "walking through all that sun, I'd be so hot it would take me two hours to cool down to where I am now, and another two hours to cool down any more. That's four hours wasted.
Here, near the river, there was a slight breeze, and it was fairly cool beneath the overhanging branches of the closely bunched trees. Blejjo had spotted a big, red-and-yellow striped beauty loafing quietly in a back eddy, and he was lowering his hook gently to a point just in front of the fish when both men heard the voice calling. "Anketam! Anketam! Blejjo! Where you at?"
"Sorry, Ank," said Blejjo. "It's just that some of these young people have no respect for their elders." He looked at Basom and smiled. "Didn't mean to take it out on you, Bas. There's a lot worse than you." Then, changing his tone: "Sure you don't want to come with us?" Basom looked apologetic, but he stuck to his guns. "No. Thanks again, but " He grinned self-consciously.
But he was careful with his information; he didn't go spreading it around for all to hear, and he made it a point to verify his information before he passed it on. Anketam respected the old man. He was the only one in the village who called him "Ank," outside of Memi. "Do you think The Chief will give her to Kevenoe?" he asked. Blejjo nodded. "Looks like it. He thinks a great deal of Kevenoe."
"To be honest, I was thinking of going over to see Zillia. Her dad said I could come." Anketam grinned at the boy. "Well, now, that's an excuse I'll accept. Come on, Blejjo, this is not a sport for old men like us. Fishing is more our speed." Chuckling, Blejjo shouldered his fishing pole, and the two men started down the dusty village street toward the road that led to the river.
Anketam and Blejjo took off their clothes and cooled themselves in the water for a good half hour before they dressed again and went on upriver to a spot where Blejjo swore the fish were biting. They were. In the next four hours, the two men had caught six fish apiece, and Blejjo was trying for his seventh.
If he can't have the prettiest, he'll have to be satisfied with someone else." He chuckled. "That's why I picked Memi. She's not beautiful and never was, but she's a wonderful wife." "That's so," said Blejjo. "A wise man is one who only wants what he knows he can have. Right now" he took off his hat and wiped his bald head "all I want is a dip in that river." "Swim first and then fish?"
Why, you're the best super in the barony! Everybody knows that. I was only kidding. You know that." Before Anketam could say anything, the old man said: "You can bet your life that no other super in this barony would put up with your laziness!" "Now, Blejjo," said Anketam, "leave the boy alone. He meant no harm. If he needs talking to, I'll do the talking." Basom looked gratefully reprieved.
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