“Count what you have, not what you don’t have” said the wise man, somewhat enigmatically. He coughed, and winced visibly, pressing his hand just below his left breast. Despite his deep, wrinkled tan the fingers on his right hand betrayed an addiction that had been some sixty years acquired. It didn't matter to him, and went unnoticed by anyone who shook his hand, instead feeling his warm, firm grip, which would cocoon them in a safe shroud - and neither did his teeth, loose in their sockets and yellow, detract from his warm, twinkling smile.
“I have three sheep”, replied Mitsukuni, with a shrug that made the loose curls of his dark hair bounce on his shoulders. He spat onto the dirt, striking a dusty beetle with the accuracy of a laser guided missile. The beetle stopped short, its antenna waving furiously as it adjusted to the new damp environment, before continuing forth.
“Three sheep is good. Take one to market, keep one for wool and slaughter the third. Invite your brothers and their wives to feast with you at sunset. Fill your bellies until they are gorged.” The wise man shuffled his feet, leaving imprints of long forgotten valleys in the dirt below. Mitsukuni looked far into the distance, not really focusing on anything in particular. The town bell rang dully. Elsewhere, a dog joined it in duet.
Mitsukuni shook his head. “Koki has five sheep. He boasts how he will sell two at market this week.”
“Koki is indebted to Sumi. They say there is a price greater than two sheep on his head if he does not settle. Now which is worth more? Your three sheep or his five?” replied the wise man.
Marcia kneaded the dough roughly. She was running the argument through her mind, over and over. Her eyes moistened. "Stupid bitch!", she admonished herself. She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, in an attempt to push her damp hair out of her eyes. She became distracted by the small cloud of flour which followed the movement, tracing a path from bread dough to face in an arc. She pounded her fist into the sticky mixture, casually dusting it with fresh flour from her left hand. She sighed to herself, turning it into a hum, in tune with the radio in an effort to disguise it. The telephone rang shrilly. "Sod it", she thought. "Bloody time to be ringing". She considered the options. She let it ring, knowing that the answerphone would cut in soon enough. She wasn't in the mood to be sociable, anyway. "Miserable cow, I know". She plunged both hands to the counter, took a deep breath and threw her head back, letting the nape of her neck take the full weight. She liked how her hair just caught her here, a gossamer whisper, gently soothing, as she eased her head from side to side. She listened to the ring of the telephone, and clucked as the machine clicked in. She winced at the sound of her voice, never happy with it. "Hello, you've come through to Marcia and David. I'm sorry but we are unable to come to the 'phone right now. If you'd like to..." she grinned when the message was interrupted by her giggling, remembering how David had crept up behind her and poked both his forefingers into her sides -"leave a message, we'll get right back to you...ssh, stop it!" There was more giggling, as the message faded. She heard another click, and waited. For a second, it seemed that there would be no reply. Then, after another short delay she heard David. She knew almost instantly it was him, by the way he drew a breath before speaking. "Honey bun! Hey, I've only got a moment and I really do need to be quick. I got them to patch me through, I owe them one now! Look..um..if you're there - pick up. If not..well, look, Marce, hey, I'm sorry. Really, I am, honey. I shouldn't have gone off on one like that. Look, we'll sort it when I get back. Leave it with me. Love you. Climb the highest." Marcia shrieked at the machine. "No!" She dropped the tea towel she was trying to dry her hands on and grabbed for the receiver, spinning the small rose vase on the way. She pressed it to her ear, desperately wanting to salvage the moment, to turn back the clock just a few seconds. "Dave! Dave?" She listened intently. She could hear her pulse, echoed by the receiver against her ear, as the blood pumped, in time now to her gulping breath. "Climb the highest" She mouthed the words a second time. "I'd climb the highest mountain, swim the furthest ocean, to be with you" She listened. There was no reply. All she could hear was a continuous tone of the telephone, slavishly waiting for her to dial a number. She cradled it to her chest, and her hand rose and fell with each breath. She turned slightly towards the window, and caught her own reflection staring back at her against the darkness of the street outside. In the distance, she heard a whining roar; a familiar incantation. She heard the engines gather revs, each time becoming quieter as they gained pace and altitude. "..two...three...four..." She counted them out.
"Now watch this!" The wise man chuckled. His right hand picked up a checker, and tapped sideways across the draughts board. Mitsukuni stared, open mouthed. "Ok - next time! Next time." He winked at the wise man. He rocked back slightly, rubbing the small of his back with his hands. He closed his eyes and turned his head first to the left, then to the right. He then proceeded to move his head in a circle, letting out a small sigh of relief. "Maybe..maybe we should hold a feast! If nothing else, it would be good for the village" He smiled, and opened an eye slowly. "What's more, it would be a good excuse to.." Suddenly, he blinked. His eyes took a few seconds to adjust against the pure white of the sun. His jaw dropped open, silently mouthing. "Two...three..." He continued to count, squinting as he tried to determine what the dark shapes silhouetted high in the sky were..."Four!". He saw them, long before he heard them. He frantically pointed, redirecting the attention of the wise man, who was folding the board. He rose, sharply, sending the unpacked pieces flying into the dirt. He grabbed the sleeve of the wise man, and turned, to run
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