Goose in the Pond - Earlene Fowler [38]
“How exactly does he do that?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I haven’t actually heard the story, but someone said he trashes them.”
“Who?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to get anyone else involved.”
“Okay, I’ll look into it. If there’s anything that I think is demeaning to anyone, I’ll certainly discuss it with him, but there’s no law—”
“Not good enough. I demand he be stopped. I think the ranchers have paid him to make me look foolish and push their own agenda.”
“I’m sure that’s not true, Peter. As for what’s in his story, we’ve got a small thing called the First Amendment going here. Unless there’s something I find unsuitable for a family crowd in his story, I can’t really tell him what to say any more than I could ask you to change your stories.”
His tanned face drew into a sneer. “Why should I have expected anything different from you?”
I bit back my response, refusing to rise to his baiting. “Look, this festival is not supposed to be about pushing political agendas. The whole point of storytelling is to bring people together, consider someone else’s point of view. Why can’t you and Roy work this out between yourselves?”
“I knew you’d wimp out,” he said with a bitter laugh. “What’s wrong? Afraid I might sway some people in my direction?”
“I believe people have the right to hear both sides and make up their own minds. I just find one thing funny about you, Peter.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re so free and easy about wanting what I own to be publicly administrated, I wonder how you’d feel if the shoe were on the other foot.”
“I’d think about the common good.”
“Oh, really? Let’s see, you own a home, right? And if I remember correctly, it has a pool.”
He looked at me suspiciously. “So?”
“You use that pool, what, two or three times a week? I think when you’re not using it, it should be available for the common good. I think you should open it up to all the people who don’t have the financial means of owning a pool. And if anybody accidentally hurts themselves while playing in your pool, they should have the right to sue you. It is, after all, your responsibility.”
“That’s ridiculous. It’s not the same thing.”
“Why? Because someone owns five hundred acres and you own a quarter acre? Isn’t the common good what we’re talking about here?”
He pointed a finger at me. “I’m warning you, Benni. If Roy does anything that makes me or my friends look bad, he’ll be sorry.”
“Don’t threaten me, Peter. I have the authority to pull you out of the festival and I won’t hesitate to use it if I think there’s going to be trouble.” I smiled sweetly at him. “All for the common good, of course.”
His face flushed a deep red, and he stormed through the door, almost knocking D-Daddy down in the process.
“What his problem?” D-Daddy asked, vertical worry lines folding over his white eyebrows. He looked at my face and said, “That man bother you, chère? You say the word—” He held a fist up in front of him.
I covered his big-knuckled hand with mine. “It’s nothing. Peter and I have been trying to push each other out of the pen since we were calves.”
D-Daddy shook his head dubiously, but didn’t press it.
“How’s it looking out there?” I asked, changing the subject.
“By Friday it’ll be perfect, I guarantee.”
“I’ve never doubted that for one moment.”
“Evangeline here?”
“She left for work about a half hour ago.”
His good-natured expression turned sour. “She don’t need to work there, no. I’ll take care of her.”
“I’m not getting in the middle of that fight,” I said. “I’m going to go to lunch in a little bit. Want me to bring you back something?”
“No, Evangeline make me lunch today. In the icebox.”
“Well, man the battle stations while I’m gone. I think I’ll drop by the stables for a little while, too. I’ll be back around four.”
I puttered around the office for a few minutes after D-Daddy left, trying to decide what I felt like eating. The argument with Peter had left