Chapter ten

A Strange Journey: Mary Three Toes

 

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

 

 

 

~~~     A three minute drive east on Tamiami, past a post office the size of a small tool shed, took him to the oil-stained dirt and weed parking area of Mary’s Bait and Tackle.  He walked down a gangway of badly weathered planks and into the tin-roofed shed that served as a bait shop and tackle store of sorts.  A rusted box fan rattling in one corner did little to dispel the stench of the shrimp tank on the back wall and the body odor emanating from the woman sitting in a chair fashioned from pine two-by-fours.

          Jeff was bad at guessing people’s weight but figured she went somewhere just shy of four hundred pounds.  Her medusan hair looked as though it hadn’t seen shampoo in at least a year and each pockmark on her face was filled with its own puddle of sweat, as was her dark mustache.  A very large muumuu stretched across her frame, and any attempt at guessing about undergarments made Jeff queasy.

          “’Scuse me - you Mary?”

          The leviathan stopped fanning herself with the gallon paint can lid she held in her catcher’s mitt of a left hand.  “Naw, Mary stepped out for a minute.  I’m the Queen o’ Sheba – can I he’p ya’?

          Jeff had the feeling this was going to be a tough sell.

          “Well Your Highness, folks in Everglades City said you’re partial to Red Man?”

          He proffered the bribe.  She grinned and accepted it, opening the tin immediately and stuffing a wad behind her cheek. 

          “You’re a smart little whelp, ain’t ya’?”  She gave a nod of approval.  “I like that in a man.  Whatcha’ want?  An’ if ya’ say my body I’m throwin’ your skinny ass outta’ here.”

          Jeff shivered in revulsion.  “I’m a reporter from St. Pete and was wondering…”

          “Reporter?  Sorry sugar britches - I don’t talk ta’ no reporters.” ~~~