Part 42 (2/2)

Perry restrained a smile at the malapropism. ”Anyway a lot of people agree. I don't think so, though. No offense, mister, but I think that this is just a prank or something.”

”Something,” Perry said. But she rode twice more that day, and she wasn't the only one. It was a day of many repeat riders, and the market-stall people came by to complain that the visitors weren't buying much besides the occasional ice-cream or pork cracklin.

Perry shrugged and told them to find something that these people wanted to buy, then. One or two of the miniatures guys got gleams in their eyes and bought tickets for the ride (Perry charged them half price) and Perry knew that by the time the day was out, there'd be souvenir ride-replicas to be had.

Lester and Suzanne came by after lunchtime and Lester relieved him, leaving him to escort Suzanne back to the shantytown and the Kettlewells.

”You two seem to be getting on well,” Perry said, jerking his head back at Lester as they walked through the market.

Suzanne looked away. ”This is amazing, Perry,” she said, waving her hand at the market stalls, a gesture that took in the spires of the shantytown and the ride, too. ”You have done something...stupendous, you know it? I mean, if you had a slightly different temperament, I'd call this a cult. But it seems like you're not in charge of anything --”

”That's for sure!”

”-- even though you're still definitely *leading* things.”

”No way -- I just go where I'm told. Tjan's leading.”

”I spoke to Tjan before we came out, and he points the finger at you. 'I'm just keeping the books and closing the contracts.' That's a direct quote.”

”Well maybe no one's leading. Not everything needs a leader, right?”

Suzanne shook her head at him. ”There's a leader, sweetie, and it's you. Have a look around. Last I checked, there were three more rides going operational this week, and five more in the next month. Just looking at your speaking calendar gave me a headache --”

”I have a speaking calendar?”

”You do indeed, and it's a busy one. You knew that though, right?”

Tjan sent him email all the time telling him about this group or that, where he was supposed to go and give a talk, but he'd never seen a calendar. But who had time to look at the website anymore?

”I suppose. I knew I was supposed to get on a plane again in a couple weeks.”

”So that's what a leader is -- someone who gets people mobilized and moving.”

”I met a girl in Madison, Wisconsin, you'd probably get along with.”

Thinking of Hilda made him smile and feel a little h.o.r.n.y, a little wistful. He hadn't gotten f.u.c.ked in mind and body like that since his twenties.

”Maybe I'll meet her. Is she working on a local ride?”

”You're going to go to the other rides?”

”I got to write about something, Perry. Otherwise my pageviews fall off and I can't pay my rent. This is a story -- a big one, and no one else has noticed it yet. That kind of story can turn into the kind of money you buy a house with. I'm speaking from experience here.”

”You think?”

She put her hand over her heart. ”I'm good at spotting these. Man, you've got a cult on your hands here.”

”What?”

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