Chapter Three

                                                                                                               CHAPTER THREE


    I headed down the dirt path, winding through the grove of colorful trees and out the other side where the path became stone and Friday Square spread out ahead of me.  I walked further into the square central where I knew the well to be and hopefully Dashing, the well operator.
It did not take long before I reached the base of the well as it towered above me.  This well was not dug into the ground like most wells, but built up into the sky, which is why Dashing, the operator of this well was usually found walking on stilts.
He explained all of this when I passed through the first time.  He needed to be tall enough to reach the top of the well to lower the bucket.
I peered around the side of the well and nearly walked straight into a pair of stilts.
Jumping back, I looked up to see, not Dashing , but a complete stranger.  A thin, lanky man with mousy, brown hair, stared off into the distance completely oblivious to my approach. 
“Hello!”  I called up.
As soon as I spoke the man startled a bit and teetered back and forth on the stilts.  Grabbing the side of the well, he steadied himself and stared down at me.
After a few moments of awkward silence, he spoke up.
“Right.  Right.  Right. Uh-hrmm.”  He cleared his throat, then straightened himself and said “Welcome. To Friday.  May I offer you. A drink of waterrr - er - a nice refreshing glass of water?”
He spoke in an almost robotic monotone way, as though he were reciting something.
“No thank you -”  I started.
“Oh good.  Cause right now if you did want one I couldn’t get it for you seeing as I haven’t got a bucket.” He scrunched up his face.  “Say, how was I?  Was I hospitable?  I’m supposed to sound hospitable, warm and welcoming.  Was I those three things?  I’m in training.  Oh!  I forgot to shake your hand.”  His shoulders slumped and he wiped his face with his hands and sighed.  “So much to remember.  Okay, well -”  he reached down holding out one hand so I carefully shook the fingertips I could reach.
“I’m Pip Spindle.  I’ll be helping out with the well here for awhile.  Maybe.” He squinted one eye and tilted his head to one side scratching his fingers through his already sticking up hair.
“A cupcake!”  Pip exclaimed suddenly.  “Your costume is like a cupcake!  Are you selling them?”
“Nooo.  I’m Justa Smidge and this isn’t a costume.  They’re just my clothes and I rather like them.”  I introduced myself.
“Sorry, I like them too - especially all the little sprinkle thingys.”  said Pip wiggling his fingers in the air when he said sprinkles.  “So, did I do the greeting alright?  I could try it again.”  he whispered.
  “No, no, it was fine. I felt very welcome.  Keep working at it and I’m sure you’ll do fine.  I’ve actually come to see Dashing.  Is he here?” 
“Oh.  Ahh, well, he’s -”  Pip stammered cocking his head toward the well and pointing his finger down the opening.
My stomach filled with dread. 
“Dashing fell down the well?”  I gasped.  “When did it happen?  Is he okay?  He’s not - I mean, he’s alive right?”
“Oh, no.  See -”  said Pip quickly waving his hands.  “Dashing didn’t fall, he climbed.  He’s just climbed down into the well.  To fetch the bucket.  The bucket fell in.  I dropped the bucket.  I was attaching it to the rope and ... well, that’s why I can’t get you a drink of water.” 
I stepped back and blew out a breath from relief.  “So, so he’s alright then.  And he’s down the well right now?”
Before Pip could answer there was the sound of scraping stone and a grunt from above and then a hand appeared over the edge. 
Pip rushed to the side of the well, crossing his stilts and nearly toppling himself over the edge but managed to let go of the stilts and grab the stone sides of the wall instead.  His stilts clattered to the ground and he was left hanging off the side of the well. 
“I’m here Mr. Dash - ing” Pip grunted “Can I help you up?” 
“Pip!  Pip - I’m handing up the bucket.”  Dashing’s voice echoed up from the well.
“Uh, Yep, Just let me - uh,- be right there!”  Pip hollered over while swinging his legs back and forth.
I rushed over to grab up his stilts and placed them under his feet. 
“Sir!  Pip.  Here are your stilts.” I called up.
“Thanks much miss.”  Pip got his feet steadied on the stilts’ foot holds then grasped the handles and carefully leaned back onto them and made his way over to Dashing just as Dashing’s head appeared above the ledge and he pulled himself up and stood brushing himself off.
Grabbing the bucket, Dashing walked along the top ledge of the well to where the rope was coiled and began fastening it to the bucket handle. 
“Thanks Mr. Dashing, I‘m sure I’ve got it now, I’ve been reciting the greeting and doing my arm stretches in preparation for all the turning of the crank I’ll be doing to lower the bucket while you were in the well Sir.”
“Arm stretches?”  Dashing asked shaking his head, then stopped abruptly as he spotted me standing below.
“Is that?  It is!  You’ve come back!  Uh, wait right there - Pip!  We have a visitor.”  Dashing lifted his stilts from the opposite side of the well, stepped onto them and swung himself down to the ground beside me.
“Right Mr. Dashing.”  Pip wobbled precariously on his own stilts, made two attempts at steps, eyed the distance to the ground and realizing it was a bit of a jump, wobbled over to a small platform with a set of steps to dismount instead.
Rushing over to us and brushing himself off next to Dashing, Pip took in a breath, “Already done the greeting for her Sir, her names, uh, er, well, I missed that part but she is not selling cupcakes and those are her regular clothes.”  He smiled proudly.
“Pip and I have just met and he was explaining to me how the bucket came to be at the bottom of the well.”  I said. “I’m so glad you’re here today Dashing, I was hoping to see you again and this time I would love it if you could show me around your town, I remember there was a fountain near by that I didn’t get to see the last time I was through here?”
“Of course!  My pleasure.  I’ve been hoping you would come back.  I’m preparing for a trip up top soon so Pip here will be covering the well operation while I’m gone but I think I can squeeze in a bit of time to show you around the place!”  His green eyes twinkled and he held out his hand.  “Allow me to carry your bag for you?  Did you need a drink before we head off?”
“Not at the moment, but I’ll take one before I leave.”  I replied.
“Very good.  Pip!  I’ll leave you to it on your own then.  Try not to drop anything else down the well eh?”  Dashing said, clapping Pip on the back.
“No sir, no worries.  No one will go thirsty or un greeted sir while Pip Spindle’s on the job!”  He jogged back over to his stilts.
Dashing and I walked down the stone pathway to a large pool of water with an enormous stone statue of a knight in his armor looking very valliant indeed with sword drawn and breaking through the curtain of water spraying up from around him and curving back into the fountain’s pool. 
“Is this knight significant in some way to have a statue and fountain made for him?”  I asked, looking into the pool and seeing several tiny, shining coins laying at the bottom reminding me of the gift I’d brought for Dashing. 
“Yes, this is the Friday Knight.”  Dashing replied.  “I’ve been told it was he who first discovered this area and as it was on a Friday, he named it as such.”
“I see.” I said as I unzipped the two small pockets on the sides of my hiking boots and pulled out two gold coins handing one to Dashing.
“I’ve brought you a gold coin and hoped we could each make a wish and toss it into the fountain?”
“No one’s brought me a wish before. “  He stared at me for a moment then closed his eyes and flicked the coin into the water.  I did the same and smiled at him. “This is such a fine fountain, I’m sure our wishes will come true.  That is if they’re not stolen by gnomes or pirates!”  I said laughing a little  “I have something else I was hoping to do, if it’s not too much trouble.  I’d really like to visit the Gardens of Gnome and Perry said maybe you could show me how to get there?”  I looked at him hopefully.
Dashing’s face fell.  “The Gardens.  Yeah, that’s not really something you want to see.  They’re not really gardens anymore and it’s not safe.  Not to mention they’re quite a distance from here.”
“Oh.  I wasn’t really sure where they were located.  It’s just, well, I’d heard all about the moles destroying them but I’d like to have a look at what ever is left, I mean, where are all of the residents?  I’d asked Perry and she’d said you had a way to get there.”
“Welll...  I used to give tours.  Perry must be referring to my habit.  But since the gardens were ruined I haven’t been back there.”  Dashing was looking off toward a street lined with houses and rubbing his chin.
“You gave tours?  Of the gardens?  Wait, you made it a habit?  So you went often then, you must know a quick way to get there?”  I asked trying not to look too excited.
Dashing looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know, it’s actually a good idea, this could be fun.  It would give me a chance to check on the damage and see if they’ve completely deserted and it would be nice to spend the day with you.  Alright Miss Smidge, you’ve talked me into it.  We’ll take the habit.  Follow me, it’s right up my alley.”
He hauled up my bag and started off toward the row of houses.

We passed the first row of houses and walked between two smaller houses around a corner to a second street lined with more houses. 
“That white one there on the corner is my house.  That’s where we’ll find it.”
“Find what?  The gardens?”  I followed quickly behind him.
Approaching the white house he turned quickly to the right along a brick path taking us behind his house into an alley way.
“Annnnnd here we are!”  Dashing stopped and spread his hands towards a wood back drop set to the side of the alley painted with a sign that read ‘Dashing Tours.  Board the H.A.B.I.T.T. Here!’
“Board the H.A.B.I.T.T. ?”  I asked.
“Yes!  Um, wait.”  Dashing swept some debris off of a mound covered in gray cloth, then lifting the edge of the cloth, shook it and tugged it off of the mound which turned out to be a very large basket with coils of rope and cable inside.  He pulled another cloth off of a large crate and unlatching the lid, opened it to reveal brightly colored cloth folded inside. 
“We’ll have to set it up - shouldn’t take more than - oh, well, not long if you’ll help.” 
I nodded enthusiastically still not having any idea what all of this was.
Dashing pulled out a small cart with three large tanks on it and wheeled it to the center of the alley.  I could see a square outlined in paint with a large X in the middle and Dashing began hefting the large basket toward the X.  I took hold of the other side  and noticed there were small wheels on the bottom which helped to roll it over to the center of the X. 
“Miss Smidge, if you’ll take each cable and unwind it out of the basket, I’ll grab the balloon.”
“Of course - balloon?”
Instead of reply, Dashing took the brightly colored fabric from the crate and began spreading it out.  I unwound all of the cables and he then secured them to large rings on the edge of the fabric.
I gasped as it dawned on me what this was.  “It’s a hot air balloon!  You have a hot air balloon!  We’re going to fly in it?”
Dashing stopped what he was doing and spread his arms wide.  “Presenting the Hot Air Balloon Inter Territory Transit!  Or, H.A.B.I.T.T. for short.”  Then he stooped and went back to rigging it up.
“You know how to fly a hot air balloon?”  I didn’t even try to hide my excitement.
“Well, I’ve always had a thing for ropes and pulleys.  And heights.  So, yeah.  The H.A.B.I.T.T. has a lot of all that.”  He wiped his forehead with his sleeve.
“Now, to fill it up and then we’ll be off.” Dashing raised up a large fan that resembled a blow dryer for hair and aimed it toward the opening of the baloon fabric then grabbed hold of the edge of the fabric and held it up so the air would push into it and begin raising the balloon.  I took hold of the other side and once enough air had filled it, it began to rise.  Dashing checked that the basket was secured to rings in the ground, adjusted the fan and stepped back.  “While we wait, we should make up some lunch to bring along.  What would you like?” he asked.
“Like a picnic in the sky!  Yes, let me help you.  Whatever you have will be just fine.”  I answered and followed him up the back steps and into his white house.
We rummaged through his refrigerator and cupboards and ended up with cheese, crackers, a tin of sardines and a bottle of juice. 
“I’m sorry I don’t have more.  I’m leaving town for a bit and figured I’d stock up after I return so this will have to do for today.”  Dashing apologized.
“Don’t be sorry, this is perfect.”  I assured him.
We went back out to the balloon which was now soaring above us, almost ready for lift off.  Dashing instructed me to get inside the basket and stash my bag along with our lunch in the corner while he gave everything a once over, then climbed aboard and released the hooks and lines holding us to the ground.
Before long we were floating up out ,of the alley and over the rooftops, Dashing expertly guiding the balloon over the town of Friday and higher into the sky.  We passed the well, now far below us and could make out Pip Spindle, sitting on the edge of the well and waving his arms at us.  We waved back and I saw several other towns people step out of their doorways and shield their eyes to look up at us.  It had always been a dream of mine to fly in a hot air balloon and now here I was doing it!