Chapter Seven

A Strange Journey: Ed

 

The following is an excerpt from Chapter Seven of Mama Root: The Old Woman of Loop Road

 

 

 

~~~     “Story, I hope.  Looks like you’ve changed a few things since I was here last.  ‘Swamp Devil’?  Ed, where’d you come up with that?”

        “Thought it sounded catchier, maybe draw in a few more tourists.  Getting’ tough to make a livin’ ‘round here anymore, what with the economy and more competition.”

        Ed was just north of fifty but didn’t look a day over sixty-five.  His appearance was testament to a life of too many cigarettes, too much locally made ‘shine and a life spent under the harsh sun of Big Cypress.  His hide was full of scars from where doctors had excised skin cancers and he loved nothing more than to show them off.  He held up his left arm and pointed to a wound still covered with a medical dressing. 

        “Check it out - newest one.  Doc says I gotta’ start wearin’ sunblock.  But, hell, I figure at my age that’d be like bastin’ a turkey after it’s already been in the oven for a week.  Doc’ll probably just keep whittlin’ away at me ‘til there ain’t nothin’ left.”

Jeff smiled and nodded in agreement.  There was no arguing with the man - he had tried.  The best he could hope for was to get a day off for the funeral.

        “So, Ed, you guys been holding out on me?  What’s this I hear about the old woman living around here they call Mama Root?  How come you never told me about her?”

        “Aw, hell Jeff – I figured you’d just think I was yankin’ your chain, so I didn’t bother.”

        “So she’s real?”

        “Oh, she’s real okay.  Lives somewhere ‘round Loop Road, don’t know where exactly.”~~~