WAGONS SOUTH!

Ople sat on the tailgate as the wagon rolled out of the campground from Chickasaw and headed for Mobile. She waved to Loosa, who was standing on the edge of the road leading to the little church. Loosa was wearing the new calico dress that Molly had taught her to make. Loosa held little Deek’s hand and waved “bye bye” with it. Ople could see the baby’s lips forming the words she herself had taught him to say.

Little Victoria stood with her arm around Loosa’s leg. Big tears ran down her face. “Bye, Opie. I aways wuv you.”

Woof tried to follow the wagon but Loosa kept a firm hold on a rope while he yarped and whined.

“Bye, Wooferdog! I’m, going to miss you,” Ople called to her scruffy friend.

They made their way across the Mobile River and down into Pensacola.

It was Saturday morning of their second day on the road when they passed through Pensacola, Florida. Military people crowded the streets.

“Let’s tour the town while we’re passing through,” Allen said, as they rolled into Pensacola. I want to see their Government Housing and see what those workers are having to live in.” Ople watched from the back of the wagon as it rolled along E Street Splinter City. Government housing for the exodus of workers who had come to Pensacola to build ships for the War Effort. Ople stared at the dismal shacks.

“Hey, buddy, where’d you dredge up that rig?” A sailor shouted.

“Oklahoma!”

“She’s listing!” Another sailor shouted, “I think she’s sailing into a headwind!”

“Hey, buddy, you’d better put that big junk in dry-dock. Forever!”

“Look!” A sailor pointed, then he shouted, “Hey old man, what kind of contraption is that?”

Allen roared back, “A Prairie Schooner! Don’t you know that?”

“Is she seaworthy?”

“Hell, no, but she’s assworthy. Any more questions, dumb ass?”

The sailor’s playful smile transformed into a smouldering grimace. He made gripping motions with his fists. He spoke to his companions and suddenly there were seven swabbies rushing the wagon. Ople screamed just as Allen cracked the whip and hollered, “Yeee hawww!”

Ople threw up her legs and rolled into the floor of the wagon. Hoisting the tailgate quickly, she hid behind it, screaming.

Honey flattened her ears and reared while Job brayed and kicked. Bricks went wild and Hap tried to keep pace with her partner’s bucking. Sailors surrounded the animals and wagon. A burly young man approached Bricks and made grabbing motions at the reins. Bricks bit him. The sailor jerked his injured hand back, made a fist with the other and tried to sock the big jackass in the snout. Bricks lashed forward with his hind foot and sent the sailor flying.

Honey kicked another sailor in the rear end and sent him face down into a pile of horse dung. Suddenly the animals lurched forward as a team and raced through the streets of Pensacola at top speed. Horns were honking, people were shouting. Dogs barked and women screamed. Ople climbed onto the bench between her parents. In all the melee, Ople looked into the crowd and saw Marcellaine LaBounty with bright orange hair. Four sailors were walking along with her, giving her money. One sailor walked beside her with a hand on her buttocks. For an instant, Marcellaine stared at Ople, then waved excitedly.

The team slowed down to a brisk pace when the crowd was behind them. They all sighed with relief. Ople gave an extra sigh and looked from one parent to the other.

Allen said, “Did you see that little whore with the orange hair wave at you, Sister?”

“Shut up!”

Allen’s cigar fell out of his mouth. “You can show your Papa a little respect, young lady,” he said, trying to catch the falling cigar. “When was the last time I smacked you in the mouth?

“That was Pete’s sister. She didn’t die in the crash.”

Allen concentrated on his driving for a moment. “Maybe she should have.”

“May be.” Ople shuddered. “Doing it for money would be a fate worse than death. She gritted her teeth.