The Clive Saga - Chapter 17

🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — CHAPTER 17

Transformation!

So It Begins

“El Sargento Juan, you have delayed long enough in providing my equipment. Now that you have delivered them, my transformation is complete.”

“Clive, not a single one of those boxes had your name on them. Since I paid for it all and they had my name on them, I’ll open boxes whenever it suits me.”

“El Sargento Juan, you wound me with your veiled accusations and spurious thoughts. Remember — addressing me with respect will save you from getting a ‘Z’ carved in your forehead or cheek.”

“My transformation from Clive to Don Clive and now to El Zorro is complete. From now on you will address me as El Zorro de la Sunflower — Defender of the Hacienda, Justice Incarnate. I will protect the oppressed and downtrodden. Your Sunflower Clan will be watched over and rescued as needed from bureaucracy and the bruises of this world. All of Utah will be better under my watchful eye.”

He pauses, sword glinting.

“But you, El Sargento Juan, will benefit most of all. You will be my special project. Under my tutelage and with my example, you will become the man you should already be — better late than never. Your woodworking and flute‑making skills will soar with the encouragement of my beautiful steel motivator.”

“That’s some pretty flowery talk there, Clive.”

“That is El Zorro de la Sunflower, Kid — and unless you want to see a backwards ‘Z’ every time you look in the mirror, you’d better get that straight.”

“I can see my life has taken a turn for the worse — just what I need, a shop foreman with a sword and not afraid to use it. Ah, Don — oops, I mean El Zorro de la Sunflower — if I hear one complaint from a mother in the neighborhood that their precious one came home with a ‘Z’ carved in their backpack or worse, in the bottom of their pants, then your steel motivator will be locked up. I won’t tolerate you making a nuisance of yourself. And stay out of the way of police and fire departments — they have enough to do without you getting involved.”

“Kid, you don’t see the big picture. You’re mired in the mud of your little mind, lacking imagination about how much better the world will be with El Zorro on the job.”

“El Zorro de la Sunflower — may I call you just Zorro? The world is a much more complicated place than it was under Spanish rule of California. We have worries about wars, climate change, and AI, just to name a few. So don’t meddle, alright?”

“Kid, you just don’t understand. But don’t worry — I’m here watching and giving you ideas for new designs and pointers on how to accomplish them. By the way, those bowls aren’t getting turned with you sitting here tapping on that keyboard like a chicken pecking grain.”

“And Clive — where’s my morning Mt. Dew and some of that Aussie Licorice?”

“Kid, you’re already not living up to the expectations of El Zorro.”

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🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — CHAPTER 17 ADDENDUM

Shop Foreman with a Sword

El Zorro — or as I still think of him, Clive — has taken his transformation to the next level. He’s now using his new “pointer” to show me exactly where I need to sand.

Even I’m smart enough to pick my battles when the shop foreman has a sword.

Back to sanding.

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