Luca Ventura: Humdrum

In the small town of Humdrum a strong wind blew in. The trash cans and tumbleweeds gathered in the streets. The sound of Thunder with the roar of a hundred lions. Lightning striking a tin trash can sending it flying across the sky.

Boom!

"What was that" Martha said.

"Prolly a tree tipping over or maybe lightning striking that darn cat that does nothing but invite the mouses in" George said.

"Well I hope Mr. Wiggles made it to a safe place tonight, this storm Is supposed to last for the next hour or so."

"He'll be alright, there's enough water outside if it gets thirsty, i'll check to see if he's outside."

George opens the patio "crazy cat!" He yells "Mr. WIggles!" he waits for five minutes but the winds pick up. He closes the door. 

"Nothing" he says.

"Hell, he'll turn up, We've had that cat for three years and before that we found him in the fields, he's tough" George said.

Knock, knock… knock knock.

"Get the door" Martha says from the kitchen it could be the neighbors bringing Mr. Wiggles back. lord knows that cat will go into anyone's house and pick a fight with every animal."

George opens the door. It flung open with a gust of wind following behind and blowing the mail off the tables in the living room. There stood a man small in stature in tattered clothes. Holding and umbrella with holes in it. He is drenched from head to toe.

"Sir can you lend shelter for me until the storm has pass"?

George with curiosity in his eye, tightens his mouth, squinting his eyes, and looking down at the man. 

"And who the hell are you!" 

"I'm Luca."

"Is it Mr. Wiggles?" Martha said coming from the kitchen. She stops and asks "is there a problem?"

"No there's no problem just a lost man going about his way and found himself at the wrong house" George said.

"Sir I beg you the Hotels are closed due to the storm along with the stores" Luca said.

"Come on now George" Martha said. "We can't turn him away."

Here, handing him a towel to dry off, now go sit at the table im preparing tea.

"Thank you" Luca said, closing his umbrella flinging water across the face of George. Taking off his shoes leaving what looks like gallons of water spilled on the floor. He stands up straight and takes in a deep breath and a sigh of relief.

 "I've been turned away by two of your neighbors, if you wouldn't have lend me shelter I don't know what I would've done."

George takes a seat at the table, eyeing the man who just interrupted what would be a normal night just the same as all others minus the storm. 

"So where are you from?" said George.

"I'm from the Yellis a few miles west."

The branches outside began scraping against the window like the sound of nails on a chalkboard with winds blowing on the top of the chimney echoing down the shaft into the home. Plop, the sound of raindrops hitting the roof as it picks up.

George looking at Luca's clothes. He's wearing a black-white checkered shirt with patches, brown pants with patches, and a stained brown fedora.

"This storm has been broadcasted on the Television for some days now, did you think you could out walk it"? George said sarcastically "what are you in town for?"

"Tea is ready," said Martha, bringing in a tray, she sets it on the table, and pours three cups. "Milk or Honey?" She asks.

"Milk," Lucas said. 

"I haven't had a good cup of tea since I was child, my mother would make it quite often for my father before bed time."

Luca picks up the tea, smelling it before tasting. Clink, the cup separated from the handle falling on to the table shattering. The tea trailing along the table for a straight path, to the lap of George.

"Oh my" said Luca.

George jumps up, the hot tea has made way through his pants.

"Ouch!"

Luca pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and begins smudging the tea around the table in circles. Martha gets a towel and cleans the table.

"Luca" have a seat in the living room i'll bring you another cup."

"I'm sorry to have cause you trouble I can replace the cup, I mean I will replace it."

"There's no replacing it" George said, "it was her great mother's and you'll be as lucky as a pig in a clear water pond if you were to find another like it."

Luca takes a seat in the living room, he sits in George's favorite chair reclines back and takes a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights a damp cigarette. He takes a puff and dozes off. The three mile walk, and the rain has tired him but it was abruptly cut short.

"Hey! No smoking in the house" George said.

He put the cigarette out on his calloused palm rubbing his hands together, dropping ashes on George's favorite chair. The cigarette falls in-between the recliner. Luca looks at the TV showing the news and the storm has passed. He looks at his watch. And the time hasn't changed which explains why he left so late.

"Darn Watch hasn't work for some time, the Hand hasn't moved since I left the house."

"Well the storm has passed and I won't hold ya up any longer, I appreciate the shelter and apologize about the glass."

"No problem" Martha said

Luca gets up from the recliner, walks over to the door, puts his shoes on and opens his umbrella. Flinging water from across the room on to George's face again. Maybe I'll stop by again when passing through to say high. George wiping the water from his eye, walks over to the door and gently brushes him out.

"Not looking forward to it anytime soon," George said.

He closes the door, looks down and sees that Luca tracked mud all across the floor. He tells Martha "you invite him in, he breaks the glass, spills the tea, tracks mud across the floor, and you got a lot of cleaning to do."

He sits in his recliner which is damp and smiles, then Mr. Wiggles comes from under the recliner and jump on to his lap with ashes on his head. "Yellis, that must be some silly town."