Twisted Roots (DeBeers 3)

But how about you. Uncle Linden?" I asked. "I'll eat later. Go on. Don't worry about me," he commanded.

Heyden and I smiled at each other and took our food and blanket to where Uncle Linden wanted us. Heyden brought his guitar along. too. It was a magnificent day with just a few clouds that looked like egg whites pouring slowly over a blue skillet. As we sat and had our lunch. Uncle Linden worked away. We began to rehearse songs we thought we might do in any performance. After we sang each two or three times. Heyden decided whether or not we would keep it in our repertoire.

"We've got to get a good mix in here. Hannah," he instructed. "That way we can please more people." We included love songs, soft rock, a few country songs, and what Heyden classified as classic standards. We worked so long and hard at it that neither of us realized how much time had passed until I noticed how low the sun had gotten. We had even forgotten about Uncle Linden, who never took a moment out to rest himself.

"We'd better get going. I was hoping to make more distance today." Heyden said. "Time to move on, Uncle Linden," he called.

"That's fine, I've done just about as much as I need to here," Uncle Linden said and began to gather his materials.

I folded the blanket. Heyden picked up our other things, and we headed back to the motor home, pausing to look at Uncle Linden's picture. He had left it on the easel while he took in his paints and brushes. The scenery was done in a very interesting style, almost a Monet background, but the two people meant to be us were realistically depicted.

Heyden saw what I saw and leaned toward me to whisper as

Uncle Linden was heading back.

"I look like him," he said.

All I could do was nod. I looked like my mother,

"Well?" Uncle Linden asked. "What do you think of my first work on the road?"

"It's amazing that you did so much so fast," Heyden said quickly.

"It's beautiful. Uncle Linden."

"I'll have to call it View from a Motor Home or something," he said. laughing.

Heyden took his easel, and he carried the picture back carefully. He put it safely next to the small sofa,

"I've got to make some time." Heyden said. "I'm going to push it a bit. Mount up."

We started out again, and once we were back on the highway, he did go faster than he had. I kept warning him not to violate the speed limit,

"We don't want to be pulled over by a traffic cop. Heyden. There might be too much explaining to do, or there might be one of what they call an allpoints bulletin or something, right?"

"I know, I know, but it's getting dark fast. We should have paid more attention to the time." he said, angry at himself.

"I thought you told me there are no bells ringing to drive us," I chastised softly.

He raised his eyes at me. "We've still got to make distances. Hannah. I want to get us to the work as quickly as I can, you know."

'Then there are bells ringing for us. Heyden." "All right." he relented. "I can see you'll always be reminding me of reality."

"And myself." I said "And myself."

Just north of a city called Anderson in South Carolina. Heyden consulted the map and decided to

take what looked like a shortcut.

"I'm sure we'll be able to find a good place to spend the night." he said.

I was nervous about leaving the well-traveled highway, but he was confident we would make better time and find a place to pull in for the night more easily this way. Uncle Linden was dozing on and off. He had taken something to drink, but he still hadn't eaten anything and I was worried. I wanted us to pull over so I could start dinner. We had been driving for hours and hours.

"Just let me go a few more miles," Heyden kept pleading.

I was standing over him practically the whole time. The road wasn't bad, but without lights and us not knowing where the next turn would be and how sharp it might be. he couldn't go too fast.

"We're fine." he kept muttering, and then suddenly we heard this terrible metallic groan that was followed by a terrific grinding noise. Following that, the motor home's engine lost all power. "What the hell..." "What is it?" I cried. "I don't know. The engine just died on me. and the power steering has gone out."