Giggle Water

It was first light on a Sunday morning, and that light was some kind of bright. Ely opened one eye and that eye pounded from the inside out. He laid in his bedroll with one eye open and slowly breathed without moving. Cap was still asleep. Every year Cap, Ely and some other boys went camping. They drove out to the middle of the ranch, pitched tents and put their bedrolls out. They hunted, fished, cooked and just generally spent some time together. They did what men do and what they had been doing since the beginning of time, just with a little more technology and with no grunting.

The night before they had sat around the campfire, told stories about horses and women…and their lack of control at times of either. They talked about the younger days and when that subject came around it seemed like a little nip of giggle water was needed. It not only tasted good, but it also kept the dew off of them as they sat around till the wee hours talking. The temperature had been down in the 40’s and although that’s not too cold when sitting around a fire, the bottle had come around more and more frequent as the night wore on.

Ely heard stirring from the other side of the tent and assumed it was Cap. They always shared a tent. Ely never questioned the arrangement because it had never been any different. No need to change what was working. Cap shifted on his bedroll and Ely hoped he would go back to sleep. He was trying to.

“Ely, are you up?” managed Cap in a weak voice.

“Barely.” Ely heard more shifting and into the field of vision of that one open eye came Cap. He looked like hell. His shirt was untucked, and his salt and pepper beard was scraggly after a couple days with no razor. Ely sat up in his bedroll on one elbow.

“Here.” Said Cap as he stood over Ely and handed him the bottle from the night before. “Take a drink of this.”

“No way. Not me. I don’t want to see that stuff til next year.” Said Ely.

“Yeah, you have to. No choice.”

“Not today I don’t.”

Cap reached in his pocket and pulled his knife. He pointed it at Ely. “Take a drink or I’ll cut ya.” Ely opened the other eye and grimaced. Cap had a look like he just might do it.

“It’ll help, and I know you feel bad. Just think of it like medicine. Except your momma probably never threatened you with a knife.”

Ely couldn’t believe it. After all these years, no matter how mad Cap had been at him from time to time he had never threatened harm. Ely didn’t see how he had any choice. He took the bottle from Cap and managed a small sip. It was horrible, although he didn’t remember it tasting that bad the night before. He handed the bottle back to Cap who had a funny look on his face.

Cap took the bottle in one hand and stared it down with an evil eye. Two adversaries had just met. He took the bottle and put it to his lips, but just couldn’t do it. He handed his knife to Ely with a smile on his face.

“Now you hold it on me.”


Walker