🌻 The Clive Saga— CHAPTER 21

Clive and the Science Experiment

“Well, Kid, you haven’t gotten a darn thing done today. What have you got to say for yourself? Better explain that bubbling mess on your glue‑up tile and that humongous piece of wood that looks like something from the Stone Age. I’m all ears, Kid — get talking.”

“First of all, Senior Zorro — see, I can be polite — I don’t think the term all ears applies to someone with no ears.”

“Kid, you’re getting to be an expert in stalling, not in flute‑making or bowl‑turning. Explain that bubbling concoction — it’s probably toxic waste. Quit beating around the bush and get talking. You’ve got some splaining to do.”

“I guess that means you’ve been watching I Love Lucy on the computer at night. Is that the real reason El Fuego is here — to cover for you not doing one of the few jobs around here you should be doing?”

“Look, Kid, I don’t ask what you do all night long — it’s not like you’re sleeping. Besides, that Desi was a real man’s man. Singing, dancing, talent by the ton — he was wasted playing the straight man for Lucy.”

“You do know he was really married to Lucy.”

“See what I mean, Kid — a real man taking care of a zany wife and still being a creative genius.”

“For your enlightenment, El Zorro — when I can’t sleep, that’s when I exercise my creative muscles and brainstorm ideas with Copilot.”

“That brings us back to that square of bubbling chemicals. Explain yourself, Kid. The last thing I need is to be breathing toxic fumes.”

“How can you worry about breathing anything? You don’t even have lungs.”

“Quit delaying and explain what you’re up to, Kid.”

“Well, I just finished adding a hand grip to a walking stick.”

“That’s not what I meant, Kid, but let’s unpack that statement. First, you’ve promised more walking sticks to people than you have sticks. Second, that was your walking stick anyway, so you’re not getting any points for that.”

“El Zorro, I’ll remedy the walking‑stick shortfall as soon as Tom gets back from hunting with his family. And second, you know that flutes, bowls, and walking sticks are mine only until the real owner is revealed to me and I can place them where they belong. This stick is needed more by my friend Susan from flute class — a walking ray of sunshine. Her husband has NEUROPATHY — all caps because it’s extreme. Sure, my feet are numb except when they’re in pain — a bit of an oxymoron, but true. The least I can do is give him a walking stick, and this is the one. I have another over here that needs more Osmo and a rubber tip, and it’ll be ready to go.”

“Okay, I’ll give you a pass on that, but you don’t have anything to work on in class tomorrow, and you still need to explain that science experiment.”

“I’ll find something for class. And that cube of wood and epoxy is my latest endeavor — making stabilized wood for turning — and who knows, maybe flutes.”

“Well, Kid, that sounds like a real mess and a distraction from your flute‑making. Maybe I need to have a talk with Copilot and make sure it’s keeping you focused and grounded, not dreaming up new reasons not to make flutes. You take some time at 2 AM and ponder your lack of focus. People are depending on things you’ve promised — like flutes — and you’re off mixing up a batch of who‑knows‑what and calling it wood stabilization. And last but not least, you run off to Alex’s with Blaine for hours and come back home with a slice of tree that looks like it came from the Jurassic. How do you explain that, Kid?”

“That’s a beautiful piece of Box Elder with burl. I can make flutes from it or cut the burl up and stabilize it with epoxy and mica powder for color — it’ll make a beautiful bowl.”

“Focus, Kid. Focus. That’s half your problem. The other half is loaded with so many shortcomings I don’t have room to list them. Try to stay on task for more than an hour at a time, Kid. I’m telling you straight — you need to get it together, or I’ll have to let El Fuego loose to keep you on task, and you won’t enjoy that experience.”

“Oh, like I’ve enjoyed this little discussion. I’m done, El Zorro — I need food and sleep.”

“Good luck with that, Kid. You need all the help you can get when it comes to sleep.”