《Rocking Wagons》


 Independence

    music, instrumental and twangy.


    ourmoney you got in your little purse. You¡¯ll go get our supplies.¡±


    veryfamiliar, now¡ªthen I¡¯d played it before. Back when I was a kid, but still. I remembered we had to buy stuff like food and clothes, and some animals to pull the wagon.


    Music.


    1848 Editioncaught my eye. I pointed. ¡°Is that the year?¡± I asked faintly.


    Whyis this happening? What did I do to deserve this?¡±


    why? To what end? Andhow?


    That¡¯s okay. The answer, I felt, was another Conestoga. I went back to the guy selling wagons, and he claimed all he had was a large or small farm wagon.


    Pearl, I read.A greenhorn, leaving Independence in May, 1848.Formerly a Prostitute¡­


    What??


    Prostitute. The pen wouldn¡¯t mark. In fact, my previous occupation refused to be altered in any way. I even tried tearing out the page, to no avail. It was like the page itself had been forged of titanium. Maybe fire would¡ª


    stillhadn¡¯t heard speak.


    Ah, well.I didn¡¯t get any rapist/criminal vibes from him, and that would have to be enough.


    morevoluminous.


    doneto me?


    thiswas, and I suspected I¡¯d have to see it through to its end. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go.¡±