Flea Market Sausage

"Mom, it's me," Bastian said quietly. "I'm sorry to call so late."

"That's all right, sweetie," Lesley said quickly. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I mean yes," the boy answered hesitantly. "I don't know. I guess I am."

"Bastian, honey, what's going on?"

"Mom, Jack just told us about the marriage customs of their tribe tonight," Bastian blurted. "He says that if Atreyu and I have sex in the tent tonight, then we will be married by the laws of the tribe."

"Married?" Lesley repeated. "Bastian, are you sure you heard him correctly? I mean you're both boys. You can only get married in Massachusetts."

"He says that the laws of the United States don't always apply to Native Americans," Bastian explained. "Reservations are like whole other countries. They get to have their own laws and everything."

"That's a lot to think about," Lesley mumbled. "Married. I mean I hoped you would be able to marry someone someday, but tonight...."

"Mom, what should I do?"

"I can't answer that for you, sweetie," she replied. "I can only tell you that I will love you no matter what decision you make. If you need me to come and get you, I will."

"No, I don't think I want to come home," Bastian said after a moment's thought. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, swee... I mean Bastian," Lesley told him. He thought he could hear her sniffle as she hung up.

Bastian turned around to head back to where he thought they were camped, but he had gotten turned around in the dark and wasn't sure which way to go. He started walking, but he didn't realize that he was going the wrong way. He wound up walking into the campsite of a group of carnival people. They ran the rides and the games at the fair.

"Can we help you?" an older man asked. He had grease smudges all over his clothes, face and hands. "You look a little lost."

"Yeah, I am," Bastian admitted. "I was trying to get back to my campsite. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere." He rubbed his head trying to shake off the tension headache he felt coming on.

"Well, that depends on your perspective," the younger man sitting beside the older one said. "What might be wrong for some is right for others."

"Yeah, well, I need to get back," Bastian said nervously. He was getting weird feelings from these two men and wanted to get back to Atreyu.

"There's no need to rush off," the older man told him. "Why don't you just have a seat here and talk for a minute. We don't get much company. Besides, you look you don't feel so good. Got a headache maybe?"

"A little bit of one, yes," Bastian admitted.

"Here, let me give you something for that," the old man said as he handed the boy a small pill. "That'll have you feeling better in no time." He saw the boy pause staring at the pill. "I don't believe in medicines from drug stores," he started saying to the boy. "That there is an herbal pill that I use when my head gets to throbbing."

"Here, have a drink to wash it down with," the other man added. He poured some liquid that looked like Kool Aid out of a cooler into a plastic cup and held it out to Bastian. The boy was hesitant to take it, but relaxed somewhat when the older man refilled his own cup from the same spigot and began drinking. "See, if it don't hurt us, it won't hurt you," the younger man prodded.

"Well, I am kind of thirsty," Bastian mumbled.

"Now that just won't do," the old man said firmly. "A guest at my home should never know thirst or hunger. I don't have anything out here, but I can get you a snack from inside...."

"No, the drink and the pill should be fine, thank you," Bastian said quickly. He took the offered cup and took a tentative sip. It tasted familiar, but yet just a little different. "I like cranberry juice," he said with a smile, as he recognized the flavor he knew.

"It's one of my favorites, too," the younger man said with a smile. "Nothing relaxes you like a glass of Old Tom's special cranberry juice." His smile grew as he watched the teen pop the pill in his mouth and down the glass of liquid.

"You seem powerful thirsty, boy," the old man said, also smiling. "Here, let me refill that for you. It is pretty warm out tonight."

"I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right," Bastian agreed. "It is warm out."

"Why don't you take your shirt off?" the younger man suggested. "Guys go without shirts all the time in the summer."

"This cranberry juice tastes great," Bastian said as he downed his second glass. "I think you're right, I believe I will take my shirt off. Thanks for the drinks. I guess I'll head back to camp now."

"I thought you couldn't remember where your site was," Tom, the old man pointed out.

"That's right, hehehe," Bastian giggled as he sat back down. "I don't know where I'm supposed to go." At the sound of his giggle, Tom and the younger man shared a look with one another.

"Well, here, have another cup of cranberry juice while you try to think," the younger man suggested, as he refilled the teen's cup again.

"This is really good juice," Bastian said, only his speech was starting to slur. He realized it too. "I sound funny."

"You're probably just tired," Tom said with a smile. "Why don't we go inside the trailer here and we'll get you a cup of coffee to help wake you up?"

"I've never had coffee before," Bastian told them. "I've heard it's good though."

"Nobody makes it better than Bobby here," Tom told him. "He'll fix you right up."

"Well, I shouldn't go into a trailer with strangers, but you're not really strangers, are you?" the boy reasoned aloud. "You're Tobby and you're Bom. Oops, hehehe. Sorry, you're Botty and.... No, that's not right either."

"Sounds like you're clean tuckered out," Tom said calmly. "Here let me help you into the trailer." He stood and crossed over to Bastian and held out his hand. The teen reached up and took it, pulling himself to a standing position, but he was swaying unsteadily.

"I must be tireder than I thought," Bastian mumbled, sounding like a little boy.

"Baby boy needs to go nighty night, doesn't he?" Bobby asked in that voice that parents use with small children.

"Uh huh," Bastian nodded. "I'm tired, Daddy."

"Well, you come right on in here with your Uncle Tom and your Uncle Bobby, and we'll let you sleep with us tonight. How's that sound, baby boy?"

"Mmmm" Bastian moaned as he lay his head over on the old man's shoulder. None of the three saw Atreyu watching this from the shadows. As Bastian was pulled into the trailer by the two men, he ran back to his father's camp.