The Buds Are Calling by Coyne Davies B

Author:Coyne Davies, B. [Last, First name]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-77180-450-9
Publisher: Iguana Books
Published: 2020-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

PART SEVEN

Growth

Oh Wads! Lose your clumpings of disaster. Lose your knack for despair. Swing your light so we may bask, knowing gentler fools have loved us. Since you must waste eons, can you not do it brightly? Bring laughter that the sun may prevail and the moon have one last go around before throwing in the towel? Oh Wads and your Sphincters of Titus! What can we say? Lose your tidings of terror and the ends of your days. Wake up. Gently.

from Cannto VIII, Cannabidadas

Chapter 32

Ernie adjusted his slipping eye patch. It was getting a little greasy and the elastic was going on it. Time for a new one. He bought them in packages of four, one of the few things, along with shoes, that he purchased new. He’d been contemplating getting something made from snakeskin for special occasions. The odd catering gig where he cooked on site demanded a good play on the talented chef image. He was debating what would be best — natural markings because he often cooked wild foods, or dyed black — when he caught sight of the new production manager, the fourth CannRose had hired in little over a year and a half.

A blond picture of health, Lorne was probably a decade younger than Ernie with a California tan like he’d just stepped off a surfboard. How irritating! And he was so keen, so sincere, talking to Lazlo and Caldwell, nodding enthusiastically and hanging on to every word. Just ripe for clobbering, Ernie figured. He’d probably be on anti-anxiety meds in no time, if he wasn’t already.

Lorne had been hesitant about accepting the position after he heard about the turnover at CannRose. But Ernie knew Greg had smooth-talked him. Greg was good at that. Used phrases like “a disappointing initial trial period” and “not exactly a good fit” and often declared, “Hey, it’s just natural growing pains. Nobody’s really done this before. Unless you were born in the Stoned Age.” And Greg would laugh at his own bad jokes. But it must have reassured Lorne, who had a wife, three kids and a dog and was relocating for this job. Ernie wondered how long it would be before all hell broke loose and the guy packed it in.

Lorne had been in the herbal tea business overseeing production of the short-lived Heaven Blessed Infusions and Tibetan Toner Teas. He lost his job when the company was bought out by one of the big tea producers, who promptly shut them down. But that was CannRose’s good fortune, Greg pointed out. Lorne looked to have about the best experience anyone could have for the job. “Unless your name’s Fatty Diego from Columbia,” Greg chuckled. Ernie figured it must have been those years of being a cop and busting people that made Greg so loose with the bad weed jokes.

Three days after Lorne started work he sought out Ernie. “Finally. Just the person I wanted to talk to.”

“What can I do for you?” Ernie smiled.

“Well, I’m looking at your hours, Ernie.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.