Travels of Jack Pynesapp:
Book 2: Red and Jimmy
Chapter 2; Arthur
"What was up with those two?" Red asked Jimmy after they had settled back in their seats.
"I know. You'd think they were married or something."
"She wouldn't let him finish a sentence."
"She wouldn't let him start one, you mean."
They both laughed as Red tucked her legs up under her and she kneeled on the seat and then leaned close to Jimmy and gave him a quick kiss.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"Why does it have to be for anything? I just felt like kissing you. Okay?"
"Yeah, I mean -- well -- yes. It's great. Thanks."
"Thanks?" Red leaned back against the wall and gave Jimmy a look of mock indignation.
"You know what I mean."
She slid back over and hugged him around the neck. "We'll never be like that, will we?" She cooed.
"Like what?"
"Like those two, I mean like -- I'll never be like that. You know, like an old married couple."
"They're not married."
"Yeah, but they act like they are - you even said." Red protested. "Well she acted like it, anyway. I feel sorry for him."
"Yeah, I know. But the good thing is that they're not married. If he's got any sense he'll stay away from that."
"But he looked pretty innocent -- babe in the woods, like. You know like he's never been anywhere or done anything but work his whole life."
"You believe that?"
"Yeah - well I think. Why wouldn't I?"
"Whole story seemed pretty weird, is all. Didn't it?"
"I can see it happening, though. You see his cloths?"
"What?"
"The cloths looked brand new -- still had the folds from the package. And those jeans were still stiff they were so new."
"You were checkin out his pants?" Jimmy laughed.
"Yeah," Red gave him a punch in the shoulder, "I was checking him out." She laughed, mockingly.
Jimmy reeled back and grabbed his shoulder in mock pain. Then he laughed and said; "you ever get like that, I'll just have to kick your butt."
"Like to see you try." She laughed as she leaned back and put up her dukes in mock defense.
Then they noticed the little boy watching them over the seat in front of them. They both growled at him and laughed as his head disappeared behind the seat back.
Red un-tucked her legs and sat down in her seat. As she settled in, Jimmy leaned over to kiss her hair and at the last second she turned and kissed him on the mouth. Then she laughed and said; "If I ever act like that you'd better kick my butt."
Jimmy put his arm around her shoulders, they both put their feet up on the seat back in front of them as she snuggled within his arms.
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"How fast do you think we're going?" Red asked after a while.
"Well if it really only takes 14 hours to get to L.A. we must be averaging around 200 miles per hour."
"Averaging?"
"Yeah. So with all the stops, we must be going a lot faster than that, most of the time."
"Seems like we're hardly moving."
"It's pretty smooth."
"It's because we're basically flying, you know."
Jimmy and Red both looked at a middle-aged man who was sitting in the seat across the isle from them. He continued; "I don't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation but I couldn't help myself."
"So I see." Jimmy looked over at him and frowned.
"I mean, It just sounded like you were surprised at how smooth the ride is -- for a train."
Jimmy put his feed down and sat up in his seat. "What do you mean, flying?"
"Well not really flying, of course," the man laughed, "I mean we're still on the tracks -- sort of. "
"You mean it's mag-lev?"
"That's what they used to call it, I guess. The man said. "See, it's not really magnetism any more -- it used to be, you know -- but now it's a form of gravity wave thing."
"What do you mean gravity wave?" Jimmy asked.
"Say, my name is Arthur." The man laughed and reached his hand across the isle towards Jimmy; "Arthur Hale". Jimmy just looked down at it and frowned.
Red reached over Jimmy's lap and smiled at Arthur. As she shook his hand she said; "My name is Andrea and this is James. Glad to meet you, Arthur." She frowned at Jimmy.
"Yes, well how is it that you don't know about this stuff? I thought the kids now days knew all about technology."
"We're not much in to science, you know. We're musicians." Red lied.
"Hmm." Arthur looked at them suspiciously. "So you're not interested in this." He said; "Well -- again -- sorry to interrupt."
"No." Jimmy protested. "We are interested. It's just that we've never been on a train but now that we are, we're very curious about how it all works." He looked at Red and said "Right?"
Red nodded and smiled.
"Well," Arthur said, "lets not bother these people. Maybe we can find a spot in the observation car. I actually know a little about this stuff and I wouldn't mind telling you as much as you care to know -- probably more, once you get me going, I'm afraid."
"Great." Red said.
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They walked through two more coach cars to get to the observation car. All the booths were full; people playing cards, eating, drinking, or just talking. The fading evening light, tinted glass of the windows, and speed of the train meant nobody was really 'observing'. They were able to find a curved lounge seat that was vacant and the three of them settled in.
"So, " began Arthur, "how does one become a 'musician'?"
"I thought we were going to talk about gravity waves and the like." protested Jimmy.
Arthur smiled and said, "I was just being sociable. I'm just interested in people, You know."
"That's sweet." Red said to Arthur as she gave jimmy a little smile. "Well you know, we were both in music in school and we kinda got together and started playing gigs for friends -- weddings and such. Well, people kinda thought we were really good, and word spread and pretty soon we nad all the work we could handle."
"Yeah, that's pretty much it." Jimmy added. "Now what are these gravity waves."
"So what kind of music to you play?"
"Rock" Jimmy said at the same time that Red said; "Folk."
Red blushed and Jimmy said; "Folk/Rock." And Red added; "Yeah, a mix-up sort of thing. Kinda our own creation, you know. Like I said, people really like it."
Arthur looked at them but didn't say anything.
Red broke the silence and said; "So Arthur, what do you do?"
Arthur smiled and said; "I'm a consultant."
"What do you 'consult'?" Jimmy said.
"I head up a small company that basically hires out to industries that need novel solutions to unique problems."
"I could've gotten that off your business card." Jimmy scowled. "What do you really do?"
Arthur gave them another long look. Then he leaned towards them and said softly; "I'll tell you what I really do if you tell me what you REALLY do."
"Like we said, Musicians." Jimmy protested. "We're heading to LA for a gig."
"And you've never taken a train before." Arthur said.
"No," Red insisted, "actually, to be honest we've never played outside Chicago -- until now."
"Hmm", Arthur smiled but he didn't say anything as he fixed his gaze on the two of them.
Finally Jimmy said, "So, you were going to tell us how this train moves."
"Oh," Arthur said, "like I said - it's a form of Mag-lev."
"But you said 'gravity waves'. You said it wasn't anything like Mag-lev." Jimmy said.
"Oh, did I?" Arthur said.
"Yes, you did" Jimmy insisted. He looked at Red and said - not so softly; "Let's go back -- uh, Andrea -- to our seat. I think this guy's full of it. Or he just likes screwing with people."
"Wait a second, " Arthur said, "I'm sorry if I have offended you. You know, I normally fly but every now and then I take the train because it gives me time to relax while I travel (I travel a lot, as you can probably imagine.)"
"Yeah, so?" Jimmy looked back at Arthur. " And that gives you the right to jerk us around?"
"No, not at all. But one of the things I most like about the train is that it gives you the chance to meet people you're traveling with. You know, get to know them. I was just trying to learn more about your lives."
"I'd say that's none of your business." Jimmy said.
"Oh lighten up Jimmy." Red said. "Give him a break, okay."
"So, you prefer 'Jimmy'" Arthur asked Jimmy.
"No, my name is 'James'" Jimmy retorted.
"I just -- Andrea called you Jimmy and I just thought..."
"Well, you're wrong. Red's the only one who calls me Jimmy!"
"I see. So these are just your pet names for each other, I guess." Arthur smiled; "I understand."
"I doubt it." Jimmy said.
"But I do," Arthur insisted, "like I said, I'm interested in people. Especially interesting people." Arthur smiled knowingly. "So Andrea, is anyone but James allowed to call you 'Red' ?"
Red smiled and said; "No, Arthur, pretty much everyone calls me 'Red'. And it's okay if you do too."
"Well I can understand that." He looked at Jimmy. "I really can." And back to Red; "The name seems very apropos."
"What?" Jimmy laughed, "Who uses the word 'apropos'?"
"Actually, pretty much everyone." Arthur countered. "It's a very common. Especially when it's apropos." Arthur quietly snickered at his own joke.
Red was getting a little uneasy about how this conversation was going and she was thinking that Jimmy's idea of going back to their seats wasn't such a bad idea. This guy was getting a little too close for comfort.
Then she said; "Well Arthur, its been a pleasure to meet you but I think Jimmy's right; we should go back now."
Arthur sighed and said; "Okay Red, if you insist. But believe me that I'm sorry if I offended you. I tend to be a little to forward at times. It's just that in my line of work I don't have the luxury of beating around the bush. I have to be direct and to the point. Time is money, you know. Especially when the people you are talking to are paying you for advice."
"That's what I've been saying all along," Jimmy said, "get to the point. I'll bet your customers don't pay you to 'beat around the bush' prying into their personal lives."
"On the contrary, James. This sort of inquiry is critical to good consulting. After all, communication is most effective when the parties share a common understanding of each others background and level of understanding. You know the saying. 'know your audience.'?"
"But we're not your clients." Red said "All we want to know is how this train moves."
Jimmy added; "And you did offer to tell us. Remember? Isn't that why you brought us here?"
"Yes, that's true. And again I apologize for old habits. Please understand that in my line of work I am dealing with information that is mostly considered either proprietary or top secret by my customers. I have to be very careful about what I disclose and to whom."
"But we're not like foreign spy's or corporate snoops," Jimmy protested.
"But how do I know that? You haven't been honest with me so far."
"We've been honest." Red lied.
"Oh come on, " Arthur scoffed, "musicians? Really?"
At this Jimmy grabbed Red's hand and pulled her up and after him as he began to walk away. Red looked back and said; "Good bye, Arthur."
"I've got some time to spare, can I come and see your show?" Arthur called after them.
Jimmy turned and said; "You wouldn't like it." and kept walking out of the observation car.
After they had gone through the doors Arthur said to himself; "But you said 'people really like it'."
Okay, now I've done it. I have to figure out what sort of thing a "gravity wave" is and how do you make a train "fly" on one.
And why are Red and Jimmy making up this story about being musicians?
Thankfully the train doesn't reach L.A. for a few more hours so I have some time to think about these things.
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