Re: Tandy/Billy/Atticus: the lake
Could be a cool, older uncle.
"Smoking's bad for you," Atticus told Billy. This while still shaking Tandy's hand. Was grinning, teasing, obviously. Easy about it. No weight to it. Had heard all the reasons he should stop smoking from Janus, now, and, he suspected, when he was old. Janus was a hound about it, but Atticus had never quit. Read about vaping these days, but liked the feel of paper and tobacco between his fingers. Was considering rolling his own. Might as well. Atticus embraced time-kills recently. Anything to burn off a few minutes. Was the reason he'd been so willing to do this lunch meet-and-greet with Billy's new roommate. That, and curiosity about who Billy was staying with.
Was, thus far, pleasantly surprised.
Tandy seemed to be about Billy's age. Didn't look high or smell like he'd been drinking. Atticus was a teacher. Was accustomed to looking for blown pupils or pupils gone pinpoint. Could smell booze off a handshake. Knew the varying looks of someone on a substance. Was something high school teachers had to know. Kids would be kids, but Tandy seemed clean. Good beginning. Wasn't dumb. Knew that didn't mean absolutely everything, but was a good start.
As for the rope, knew Billy could handle it. Had faith.
Waited for the boys to step onto the ferry, then pulled the rope from the cleat himself, and returned to steer. Forward. Reverse, and off they went. Slow. No hurry to set the ferry's turn to make a circle around the island. Close to the shore. Could feel lost in the middle of the lake. Couldn't see the island. Couldn't see the shore. Was fond of seeing land these days. Hugged the shoreline with the ferry, and returned to the conversation as if he'd never let it lapse. "Soundgarden," he said of Chris Cornell. No, didn't know he was dead. "Black Hole Sun. Great song." Motioned to the covered part of the ferry. "Food's in there. Grab what you want. Sit anywhere." Easy. Laidback. Lazy smile. Was Atticus 100%. Sipped his beer. Flicked his cigarette off the side. Concern for pollution wasn't big in '99.