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Chapter 15 continued...

XL walked away from Fred and sat on a bench near the end of the bridge that went over the small lake. He looked over toward the Sea Lion show, where Anna was tossing a ball back and forth to Fred's children, as their mother sat and watched.

He was thinking about Fred's demand for money. "There are some things that just shouldn't be bought and sold," he thought, "and friendship or love definitely fit into that category."

"If Fred was really in financial trouble, it would be better that he re-establish good relations with his mother first, and then if she could help him she might. But to demand money first is just unreasonable."

"I could borrow Anna's cell phone and call Florence, to ask her if she will pay. Surely it would make Florence very sad. But I guess she would have to find out eventually."

"It makes me think of a story I heard long ago, about a desert traveller who came to an oasis. The traveller stopped at the only well in the oasis, owned by a man who demanded that the traveller pay his whole life savings in return for a drink of water. The traveller was desperate, so he accepted and drank some water. But he did not pay."

"The well owner went to the nearest settlement to find the sheriff. He demanded that sheriff should find the traveller, and collect the money. The sheriff told him that he must find some other sheriff. He would have nothing to do with it."

"I feel like the sheriff. He would not enforce a deal that was unjust, even if it was legal. Similarly, I don't want to have any part of extorting $10,000 from Florence."

XL remembered the rest of the story too. "The well owner went to the hotel to stay overnight, but the hotel owner would not rent him a room. The news of the well owner's deal had spread through the town, and nobody there would do any business with him. He could not rent a room. He could not buy food. He could not get water for himself nor his camel."

"I wonder what Fred's family would think of him, if they knew what he said," thought XL. "I could fight fire with fire. I could threaten to tell them!"

XL thought about that idea for a moment before he decided against it. "No," he thought, "that will not bring him and his mother together again in a happy reunion. There must be some other way."

XL got up from the bench and walked over to where Anna was playing with the children. It was very nice of Anna to do that, because the children's mother was clearly very tired. "Is Fred finished his work yet?" she asked XL as he approached.

"I'm not sure, but probably yes. I think he was just about done when I left," XL answered.

"That's good," she replied, "because we are all very hungry. We didn't have time for much breakfast this morning." Sheila got up from her chair, thanked Anna for her help, and took her children by the hands as she walked away toward Fred.

Anna and XL watched them as they departed. "They are a nice family," said Anna, after they had walked out of hearing range.

"I'm afraid Fred isn't so nice," XL commented. "He wouldn't tell me where his home is, nor where his sister Susan lives either."

"Well, I know where she lives," said Anna.

"Really?" replied XL, incredulously.

"Yes, it turns out that the two children really enjoy playing with their cousins Dana and Tina, who are about the same age. They just love it when Auntie Susan and Uncle Terry come to visit and bring their kids. They especially love to visit Auntie and Uncle at their country home, during the summer.

"Did you happen to discover Uncle Terry's last name?" asked XL.

"Why of course," said Anna. "I found a way to ask their mom about it, without appearing too nosey. The family's surname is 'Kerchoffsky,' and they live on an acreage not far from Waskesiu, Saskatchewan."

"I'm impressed," said XL. "You make an excellent spy, Anna."

"Why thank you," Anna answered. "It's all in knowing how to ask the question."

Copyright Arthur de Leyssac, 2017. All rights reserved.