The sun was low in the almost cloudless summer sky as Dan walked out from his building, leaving work for the day. The hot humid air hit him like a physical thing, and he dug in his pocket for his truck keys, anxious to get in and get the air conditioning going. He rounded the corner to the parking area and stopped dead in his tracks. There in front of him on the sidewalk was the fat man in a rumpled white linen suit and a bright red Fez on his head.
This in itself was little surprise to Dan, for he knew the man in the Fex quite well by now. Automatically, Dan turned his head and sure enough, there was the battered New York city Checker taxi at the curb, with the midget in the black tuxedo waiting behind the wheel. Dan glanced at his watch and checked the date and time.
"It's not a meeting night, so what's up? he asked the man in the Fez.
The usual jovial man looked serious, and not his usual self.
"He wants to see you." was all he said to Dan.
This was unusual, and Dan felt a bit mystified at both the unscheduled appearance of the duo in the yellow taxi, and the serious faces.
"It's important, Dan m'boy. You have to come." said the man in the Fez.
Something told Dan that this was not the time for a debate, so he got into the taxi with no further argument, and the taxi pulled off into traffic with unaccustomed caution. The drive was further unreal as the midget driver kept to the posted speed limit, unlike his normal maniacal driving that left blaring horns in the their wake, sometimes accompanied by the crash of sheet metal. The drive was almost serene, and that, combined with the quiet attitude of the man with the Fez beside him made Dan a bit uneasy. Dan slipped a hand into his pocket and felt the smooth jigging of the damascus peanut, reassuring in it's presence.
"Come on, can you give me a clue what's going on?" Dan asked.
"Soon enough, Dan, soon enough." was all he was told.
They arrived at the familiar location, and Dan and both the man in the Fez and the midget descended the steps and through the heavy wood door. Down the stone passage they walked, going steadily down to the depths of the hidden chamber. It was deserted except for a single member, an old man in the black robes of the cult, who pointed down the hall toward the entry to the inner sanctum.
At the door hidden by the heavy curtain, they entered and found the Grand High Muckba sitting at the table, but not in his regular seat at the head. He was sitting in a chair by the right side of the seat of the Grand High Muckba, and he motioned for Dan to sit at the head chair.
"But that's your seat!" Dan said to to the white haired old man who had led The Cult from it's beginning.
The old man stood up, and put a hand on Dan's arm, and gently guided him to the head chair. He motioned Dan to sit, and Dan, not quite sure what to do, did as he was bid. Dan glanced over at the half dozen of the black robed members of the inner sanctum, standing quietly by, and looked back at the old man who had raised the cult from obscurity.
"Dan, these are your council members. They are here to guide you, and answer any questions you have. You can put your complete trust in them, as I have for these many years." the old Muckba said.
"Trust? Why am I going to need to have them as council?"
The old man smiled.
"Because my friend, you are going to be the new Grand High Muckba." the old man told him.
For a eternity of a moment, Dan was stunned, then shocked.
Muckba? Me? No, No way, I'm not ready for it, and you're the Grand High Muckba. You always have been." Dan told him.
The old man was smiling, but he shook his head.
"We need someone younger, that will be here for a long time. I will be stepping down, and it's time to make room for the new generation of leaders. The whole inner sanctum has selected you, Dan. They are all 100% behind you, and will guide you during the transition." The old Muckba said. "Besides, I will be leaving soon."
Just then a strikingly beautiful young woman entered the inner sanctum, Long dark brown hair flowing down her back, and dark eyes sweeping the room, and then settling on Dan. She spoke first to the old Muckba.
"I'm sorry I'm late, the traffic on the beltway was terrible."
The old Muckba waved away her apology with a reassuring gesture.
"Dan," he said, "this is Petra, she is your executive assistant and official scribe."
The young woman came over to Dan, kissed him on the cheek while giving him a hug.
"It will be my pleasure to serve you, Dan." she told him.
Dan was now feeling like he was caught in a fast under tow, with things moving too fast for him. Even as he tried to grasp the rapid turn of events, the old Muckba slid his chair back, and walked slowly to exit the inner sanctum.
"It's time for me to leave now Dan. You're in good hands. "
"Leave? Leave to where? You can't leave now. Where are you going?" Dan asked with some alarm.
The old muckba thought for a moment.
I think I will go south. Yes, south, where the water's warm, the drinks cold, and the sand is white. Maybe the Keys, do some fishing, catch some rays, relax a bit. Then maybe on to Havana. Listen to some Caribbean jazz in the clubs. I've long admired the music of the Buena Vista Social Club. Drink some good rum, smoke some good cigars." the old man said. "I've gotten old, Dan. I have some things on my bucket list to do before I go on the final approach, and I don't want to run out of time. You'll be fine, you have a good time proven staff."
With that, the old muckba walked to the door. Dan noticed how he seemed smaller, and leaned on the crooked hornbeam cane more than he used to. The door closed behind him, and for a moment Dan felt a bit panicky. But the council members all crowded around him patting him on the back, congratulating him and pledging their loyalty. Then Petra was standing by his shoulder, looking up at him, her dark eyes meeting his. Dan wondered if this was what a Princess in an Arabian nights tale looked like.
"What is your first order, Sir?" she asked him.
This in itself was little surprise to Dan, for he knew the man in the Fex quite well by now. Automatically, Dan turned his head and sure enough, there was the battered New York city Checker taxi at the curb, with the midget in the black tuxedo waiting behind the wheel. Dan glanced at his watch and checked the date and time.
"It's not a meeting night, so what's up? he asked the man in the Fez.
The usual jovial man looked serious, and not his usual self.
"He wants to see you." was all he said to Dan.
This was unusual, and Dan felt a bit mystified at both the unscheduled appearance of the duo in the yellow taxi, and the serious faces.
"It's important, Dan m'boy. You have to come." said the man in the Fez.
Something told Dan that this was not the time for a debate, so he got into the taxi with no further argument, and the taxi pulled off into traffic with unaccustomed caution. The drive was further unreal as the midget driver kept to the posted speed limit, unlike his normal maniacal driving that left blaring horns in the their wake, sometimes accompanied by the crash of sheet metal. The drive was almost serene, and that, combined with the quiet attitude of the man with the Fez beside him made Dan a bit uneasy. Dan slipped a hand into his pocket and felt the smooth jigging of the damascus peanut, reassuring in it's presence.
"Come on, can you give me a clue what's going on?" Dan asked.
"Soon enough, Dan, soon enough." was all he was told.
They arrived at the familiar location, and Dan and both the man in the Fez and the midget descended the steps and through the heavy wood door. Down the stone passage they walked, going steadily down to the depths of the hidden chamber. It was deserted except for a single member, an old man in the black robes of the cult, who pointed down the hall toward the entry to the inner sanctum.
At the door hidden by the heavy curtain, they entered and found the Grand High Muckba sitting at the table, but not in his regular seat at the head. He was sitting in a chair by the right side of the seat of the Grand High Muckba, and he motioned for Dan to sit at the head chair.
"But that's your seat!" Dan said to to the white haired old man who had led The Cult from it's beginning.
The old man stood up, and put a hand on Dan's arm, and gently guided him to the head chair. He motioned Dan to sit, and Dan, not quite sure what to do, did as he was bid. Dan glanced over at the half dozen of the black robed members of the inner sanctum, standing quietly by, and looked back at the old man who had raised the cult from obscurity.
"Dan, these are your council members. They are here to guide you, and answer any questions you have. You can put your complete trust in them, as I have for these many years." the old Muckba said.
"Trust? Why am I going to need to have them as council?"
The old man smiled.
"Because my friend, you are going to be the new Grand High Muckba." the old man told him.
For a eternity of a moment, Dan was stunned, then shocked.
Muckba? Me? No, No way, I'm not ready for it, and you're the Grand High Muckba. You always have been." Dan told him.
The old man was smiling, but he shook his head.
"We need someone younger, that will be here for a long time. I will be stepping down, and it's time to make room for the new generation of leaders. The whole inner sanctum has selected you, Dan. They are all 100% behind you, and will guide you during the transition." The old Muckba said. "Besides, I will be leaving soon."
Just then a strikingly beautiful young woman entered the inner sanctum, Long dark brown hair flowing down her back, and dark eyes sweeping the room, and then settling on Dan. She spoke first to the old Muckba.
"I'm sorry I'm late, the traffic on the beltway was terrible."
The old Muckba waved away her apology with a reassuring gesture.
"Dan," he said, "this is Petra, she is your executive assistant and official scribe."
The young woman came over to Dan, kissed him on the cheek while giving him a hug.
"It will be my pleasure to serve you, Dan." she told him.
Dan was now feeling like he was caught in a fast under tow, with things moving too fast for him. Even as he tried to grasp the rapid turn of events, the old Muckba slid his chair back, and walked slowly to exit the inner sanctum.
"It's time for me to leave now Dan. You're in good hands. "
"Leave? Leave to where? You can't leave now. Where are you going?" Dan asked with some alarm.
The old muckba thought for a moment.
I think I will go south. Yes, south, where the water's warm, the drinks cold, and the sand is white. Maybe the Keys, do some fishing, catch some rays, relax a bit. Then maybe on to Havana. Listen to some Caribbean jazz in the clubs. I've long admired the music of the Buena Vista Social Club. Drink some good rum, smoke some good cigars." the old man said. "I've gotten old, Dan. I have some things on my bucket list to do before I go on the final approach, and I don't want to run out of time. You'll be fine, you have a good time proven staff."
With that, the old muckba walked to the door. Dan noticed how he seemed smaller, and leaned on the crooked hornbeam cane more than he used to. The door closed behind him, and for a moment Dan felt a bit panicky. But the council members all crowded around him patting him on the back, congratulating him and pledging their loyalty. Then Petra was standing by his shoulder, looking up at him, her dark eyes meeting his. Dan wondered if this was what a Princess in an Arabian nights tale looked like.
"What is your first order, Sir?" she asked him.
. I still carry my bigger knives, but I cannot get over how convenient the little knives are. I am still amazed at how my bear paws can manipulate them without issue. Most of all, I am humbled by the wonderful gifts I received, of the Remington peanut, the single blade Case damascus nut and the High Muckba's peanut. 
.
