Pool_2

"Time, Gaffy. You said time." Ahhhh. Time goes on. Stalin, Hitler, wannabees... not likely to work anymore. Everybody's smarter. Time once ticked, but now it hums. Who winds their watch anymore? Power. Now people have power. But the grand theives are still afoot, and smart as ever. They wear suits. They buy law. They buy government. They plan outrageous crimes, as they have always. But the warriors of crime in suits have evolved. They plan the crime then make it legal before they commit it. Aggressive enterprise. In the red white and blue, the white - I suspect - is purity, though it may just signify fog. The red is blood. People have died for that fog. The blue is the color of faces as criminals squeeze their throats and take their wages in the name of good. Good as defined by corrupted law. The system is up for bid. Those who pool their resources get it. Right now, that's not the common man." John just flipped his head back and finished off his drink. Gaffy paused, again, in eyebrow furrowed consideration, "You know," this delivered very slowly with a solemn lowering of pitch, "your request of me.. and my words.. almost cost us your bride." There was another reflective silence. "To think, a Presbyterian pulled her from our green depths. It is good to know I'm a wee wiser before I'm a tick older. Oh John, I miss the children. Is it wrong to hope that they miss me? Selfish, hmmm?" "No. Love seeks approval." John was allowing himself to be uncharacteristically philosophical, as Gaffy raised his eyes and arms heavenward with wide open symmetric hand gestures, speaking directly into the overhead darkness. "Hear that, You? It's LOVE that seeks replies!" He recomposed. "I guess I need them as much as they me, Johnny." O'Brien just nodded. Gaffy then animated and added, "Oh, I've new brothers.. and sisters. Let me introduce you. Wait till you see