Chapter 1 Part III

Tura looked up at the pocketwatch that Archibald had pulled from his suit coat. The watch read 6:32. Whoever it was, if they were suppose meet, Famba would surely wollup them on the head at first sight. Famba hated being tardy. Once Tura was twenty seven seconds late for supper and because of this he had to cut Archibald’s toe nails. Tura imagined what Famba would do to the stranger who was so late, he imagined the stranger sitting on the side of the road smelling Archibald'smoldy socks and touching his hairy toes.

Time passed slowly in the car. Tura concluded that Archiblad had parked down an abandonded street, for there was no sign of life for miles. A minute sitting in the car felt like six, and ten minutes like an hour.

At 6:42 Archibald flipped his watch open and just at that moment a car drove down the nearly abandoned street. Tura started to squirm up in his seat, to get a better look at the car, but before he could do so Famba quickly swatted at him using a few curse words. Alas, this was another trip where Tura would have to stay in the car while Famba lived the social life. But at any rate it wouldn't be a total loss since Tura had bcome quite good at eavesdropping over the past three years.

Tura heard the motor stop on the stranger's vehicle followed by two doors opening; first Famba’s and then the other’s. He waited to hear the sound of the doors slamming, but there was no sound. He saw Famba lean out the door.

“Why hello there, dahling.” She cooed in her normal false tone.

“Oh Miss Borewax.” a man’s voice echoed in a refined tone, ” How pleased I am to finally meet you.” Tura thought it was odd that anyone would like to meet old Famba.

“The pleasure is mine, Maximillian.” Tura thought it even odder to tell someone that the pleasure was hers. Especially when you are Famba, a woman who couldn’t possibly find pleasure in anyone other than herself. “Now listen, you needn’t the formalities, call me Francesca.”

“Oh, yes. Frannie.”

“I said Fracesca, Maximillian.”

“Certainly, Francesca." the man coughed, "So, I take it you brought the uhh--exchange item?” Tura heard it. The familiar pause in Maxamillian’s voice. Famba used that same pause when she would tell the neighbors that there weren’t any children in the Borewax Manor.

Famba stewed on, “Why else would I be here at 6:43 in the morning?”

“I’ll take that as a yes?’

“My, Maximillian. You are just as shrewd as I. I admire that, but..."

“But what?”

“Yes. Yes, I kept my part of the bargain. And aren’t you just eager to get it”

“It?”

“Oh—“ Famba made the same pause that the man made, “What do pronouns matter at an hour like that of the one we find ourselves in tonight?”

Tura heard the unlikely pair giggle and snort at the poor joke followed by the man’s voice saying, “It is agreed upon then.”
Next Tura heard something that sounded like two snaps, followed by a short pause, and two clicks.