Page 10 of Finding Basil (Foggy Basin Season Two)

After he greeted them, Herb made himself some coffee with the last jug of store-bought water he had and sat on the back porch, staring at the greenhouse.

Basil would be by later to help him get the rest of the broken glass out of the way so they could start placing the new glass.

Just the thought of him coming sent butterflies flying crazily around his gut.

Finding himself smiling, Herb sipped his coffee as three ducks flew by and landed off in the field by the greenhouse. A couple of days previously, he’d seen a family of deer sauntering slowly down the hill from him, like they had not a care in the world.

The entire place was alive. The bushes, the grass that needed mowing already in the front yard, the birds in all the trees, absolutely all of them.

Everything around him was alive and free.

Swarms of little gnats that flew in a ball-like formation, and the clouds that moved so fast, they were changing constantly into new and beautiful shapes.

He had noticed nothing like that when he lived in the city.

It was cars, noise, concrete and glass, and even the vegetation there didn’t seem alive.

It felt as if it was suffering from being there, in some pot lined up on the side of the street to beautify the place.

They weren’t loved. Not when idiots carved things on them or hung flyers there, nailing into the bark and trunks.

The glass was out of the greenhouse completely, and Basil had to run soon after. They made plans to have dinner together that evening. Herb would cook, and he was scared shitless to cook for the man.

Yeah, he could cook, basic cooking. Nothing like the food he’d eaten at Basil’s house. All those chili sauces, salads, and even the drinks were packed with flavor. But he’d do his best and hopefully Basil would give him a little leeway.

Rob Gentry gave him the best news he’d had since he’d moved into the house. “Mr. Buffet, the plumbing is done. It was a fast job, so if there're any leaks or anything, you call me and we’ll come fix it free of charge.”

“Thank you, Rob. I really appreciate it.”

“You’ll get the bill,” he said with a wink, and Herb had no doubts of that.

He headed up to the bathroom on the second floor and was delighted to see the new faucets and tile, uplifting the room by leaps and bounds.

The tile was white, narrow, and brightened the bathroom beautifully. All he needed was some new rugs and a shower curtain, and he’d have a new bathroom.

He was even happier with the kitchen. The tile wasn’t up in it yet, of course; that was set for the following week, but he had water to cook and clean with. That was worth whatever the bill would be.

The hole in the floor had been fixed, and the contractors were starting on the weak spots in the living room next, but they’d be cleared out in plenty of time for his date.

He took out two steaks and decided to make his famous scalloped potatoes to go with it, plus some fresh yellow squash and onions he found at a farmer’s stand down the road.

After pulling out four potatoes that were as closely sized as possible, he took them to the sink to wash and peel them, but when he turned on his brand-new faucet, nothing came out.

“What the living fuck now?”

He rushed down to the basement to check the main valve, and it was on fully, so next he went outside to the little shed that held the pump that brought the water from the well into the house and it was running, but it sounded sluggish, like something was wrong.

“Of course. Of course!”

After calling Rob, he called Basil to cancel. “Hey, I don’t know what’s happening, but…I need to cancel the date.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“No water. Again. I have no idea, but the pump may be going out.”

“Let me come and check. I’m pretty good at that stuff.”

“Basil, I wanted a date, not free labor.”

“Dates can be all kinds of things. I’ll be right there.”

Basil showed up before Rob, and when they went to the pump, Basil’s eyes closed slowly.

“What? Do you know what’s wrong?”

Basil first turned the pump off before he stood straight and slowly turned to him, and Herb could tell it wasn’t good news. “Uh, Herb, honey…”

“Honey? Okay, we’ve yet to get to names of endearment.”

“Sorry. The pump was making that noise because you’re out of water.”

He didn’t understand at all. “It’s a well! How can it be out of water, doesn’t it just like…fill up?”

Basil laughed a little sadly while shaking his head.

“No, Herb. Wells run dry. It could collect more water, sure, but it would take months or years, and then you’d run out again.

We humans use a lot of water. I’d bet that leak you had, it drained it, but even with that, it shouldn’t be fully drained. That just means it was close already.”

Herb sat right on the ground and groaned loudly. “What the hell?”

“You’ll either need to dig another well, or you can hook up to the city’s line.”

“Do you have any idea how much that’s going to be?”

“No. We have both, but that was done decades ago. We use the well for the animals and irrigation when the rain isn’t coming. The line from the city water is for the house.” He nodded toward the house. “Here comes Rob. He’ll know, I’m sure.”

Rob stared at him on the ground. “You hurt or sick?”

“Sick. Sick, definitely.”

“Well, damn. Let me call the missus and get her to make you some soup.”

Basil informed him, “Not that kind of sick, Rob. The well’s dry.”

Rob whistled through his teeth. “Ya sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure. He’s likely gonna have to dig a new well, and/or connect to the city line.”

“Yeah, for sure. Gonna be…a buttload of money.”

Buttload. A buttload of money. Herb heard that, and his stomach flipped.

“Is there any way to do it cheap?”

“Nah. Regulations and all that, and for once, I agree with ‘em. Can’t jury-rig water lines. Ain’t safe.”

Basil grabbed Herb’s hands and helped him to his feet. “I guess we better get on your farm. Looks like it won’t be a hobby farm any longer.”

“Guess not.”