119 The Angry Cow and the Courier (1/2)
The ferry showed up just before four o'clock in the afternoon. Slowly, it took the shape of a big flat metal barge towed by an ancient tug with a tall smokestack that belched black smoke into the sunny sky.
It took a long time to dock because of all the intricate maneuvers required to bring in the barge parallel to the pier. By that time, quite a few people had assembled into a surprisingly orderly and peaceful queue. It looked as if the barge would be at least half full.
Harper made sure their group was close to the front of the lineup of expectant passengers. Two grim-faced naval cadets stood in front of the queue: one had set up a small folding table, and put a metal cash box on top. Half a dozen other cadets lined the side of the tug, smoking cigarettes and watching the proceedings with alert eyes: Li Yang noticed all of them carried holstered pistols. A couple more cadets manned the barge, one standing at the front, the other in the rear: those two cadets were armed with assault rifles.
The ferry brought no more than half a dozen passengers, a small pile of cartons and crates that looked as if they contained packaged food, and a couple of mournful-looking cows. Getting them off the barge proved to be a problem that got worse when one of them squirted liquid shit on the man that was pushing it from behind. In the moments that followed, Li Yang learned several new swear words, and he already knew quite a few, being from New York.
Everyone waited patiently for the unloading to end. Finally the disgruntled cow was led off the pier, and one of the cadets waved the first person forward: a single middle-aged man wearing an elegant hat and overcoat. He was carrying a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, and the cadets seemed to know him well. Harper noticed that he was allowed to board without any money changing hands.
The people that followed answered a few questions, paid for the passage, and got on board of the barge, donning life jackets from an untidy pile speckled with cow shit: it was right next to the portable stairs distrusted by the second cow. Harper had confirmed earlier that the ferry cost a hundred old dollars or one new, silver dollar; he was relieved to see everyone was paying with banknotes, and that they were accepted without a qualm.
Naturally, he stood at the front of the group. When his turn came, he stepped forward and said right away:
”The five people behind me - we're traveling together. They're with me.”
”We're the ones who decide who is with you and who is not, bud,” said the cadet pleasantly.
”But I'm the one with the money,” said Harper.
”Good to know,” said the cadet, and his companion with the cash box laughed. The cadet standing in front of Harper grinned, and said:
”What's your name, and where are you coming from?”
”Harper Lee. And this is my sister Charlene, and this -”
”Enough. Got any ID?”
”New York,” remarked the cadet. He gave Harper a sharp look. ”Where are you going to? Annapolis?”
”Well, yes, I understood that's where the ferry's going.”
”I'm asking about your final destination.”
”Oh. Fairhaven. It's a small town on the -”
”I know Fairhaven,” interrupted the cadet. He took another look at the driving license and then at Harper's face.
”What's the purpose of your journey?” he asked.
”We're all moving there, I mean myself and the others. I have a friend who owns some property in Fairhaven, and we're going to stay with him.”
”What's your friend's name?”
”Jiimmy Dow.”
”Doe?”
”Dow. As in the Dow index.”
”Ever heard of a Jimmy Dow?” the cadet asked his cash box companion.
”Nope.”
”Neither have I. I guess that's good,” said the cadet. ”You can pass. Pay the gentleman over there one hundred dollars, or one new dollar.”
”I want to pay for the people with me, too.”
”You'll pay if and when we let them through. Stand over there.”
Harper obediently paid, and moved to stand a few steps from the table with the cash box. As he waited, he wondered what all those questions he'd been asked were about. They didn't make sense to him, but then many things didn't seem to make sense any more.
Charlene went through without any trouble, and so did Olga and Bobby. Harper was asked to pay an extra hundred dollars for Bobby's rickshaw, though.