[Bordermarch] The Candy Man

[Lathrop, Dave]

When Lady Karen passed out the pecan clusters she had just purchased from the Candy Man I was a bit skeptical. Who was this Candy Man, and why was he selling candy from his car in the industrial part of downtown Beaumont at 7:00pm. At that time in the evening it gets kind of scary at the Beaumont Art Studio. We had gathered there for the Scribal/and Any Other Guild meeting and were just about ready to get things rolling when Lady Karen's eye's suddenly sort of glazed over as she levitated from her chair and floated out of the room. I thought there was nothing strange about that because she is an extremely accomplished artist, and has successfully grown sun flowers in her front yard.
While Lady Karen was floating somewhere outside, HE Elisabeth laughed about something.
I looked up to see what the laughter was about and was astonished to see that Lady Karen had returned with an arm load of pecan clusters!
I don't know if she floated in or walked in, she was just there!

Lady Karen started passing out the pecan clusters to the folks at the table, but when she offered me one of the Candy Man's pecan clusters I politely said, " Na-Bu, but thank you", no doubt because of my naturally suspicious nature. HE Elisabeth did just the opposite. She immediately grabbed a cluster and ripped open the wrapper to get at the innards. Lord Biau, Lady Selina and Lord Antoine also started chowing down on the candies.
Lady Selina told us that no one knows for sure where the Candy Man comes from, but he has been selling his pecan clusters from his candy wagon for at least 30 or 40 years right at the same spot in front of the Beaumont Art Studio. She use to buy them years ago when she wasn't really sure if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Lord Antoine. The Candy Man apparently sells his clusters from his car and never revels his face to anyone. You pass him your coinage into the darkened interior of the car by putting your hand through the tinted side vent window of the car. He takes your money and then presses the pecan clusters into your outstretched hand. He then forces your fingers to close into a fist so you can't drop the clusters. You must worry your pecan clusters back out through the same smallish side vent window.
When I noticed the joy on everyone's face after they had taken their first bite of the clusters I decide to take a chance and try one for myself.
It was just a  nibble but, "My-Oh-My!" it was good!
HE Elisabeth finally left the room and I finished off the rest of her pecan cluster.

I now look forward to the arrival of the Candy Man during our Scribal/and Any Other Guild every other Friday at the Beaumont Art Studio.
I am not yet worthy to actually purchase one of his pecan clusters myself, but I dream of the day I will be able to actually witness the tinted side vent window open and pass my coinage into the Candy Man's car!

HE Santiago