Friend... Or...?
Originally posted on July 11, 2010
Radley: I wonder if you would consider doing me a favor?
Jacie: Sure, I’ll consider it. What are friends for?
Radley: Yes, well. Very good. The favor is….. well, since I have been staying in this area I have encountered numerous allusions to the presence of spirits …. ghosts…. dating from the Civil War era.
Jacie: The what era?
Radley: The Civil War era.
Jacie: Never heard of it.
Radley: Oh yes, that’s right. I meant the War Between the States, of course.
Jacie: Isn’t that just like a Yankee? Sugar-coatin’ reality and bendin’ the facts so he can shift the blame…..What you’re talkin’ about is the War of Northern Aggression.
Radley: *small smile* Is that what you call it?
Jacie: Only when I feel like givin’ a Yankee a hard time. Sorry Radley; I couldn’t resist.
Radley: No problem. I enjoy your sense of humor, Jacie – surely you know that.
Jacie: And I interrupted your favor-askin’. What do you need?
Radley: Well, the stories of war ghosts piqued my interest in local legends of supernatural phenomena, and I did some research at the local library, which boasts a small historical museum on the second floor. In addition to the Civil…. the battlefield ghosts, I found that there were even more tales of haunting that had originated post-war. Your area is rife with these tales and legends, Jacie. Did you realize that?
Jacie: I guess - I never gave it a lot of thought. I mean, I’m sure I’ve have heard most of the stories, but I never counted them up or anything. But I would guess most of them came from either the Great Flood of 1895 or the influenza outbreak in 1917. Both took a real toll among the local folk.
Radley: You’re right; most seemed to date back to the flood. Anyway, it does sound as if you are familiar with some of the stories, and I know you know your way around the area quite well, so I was wondering…. Would you like to assist me in further, on-location research? Of course, I would also want to pay you for your time.
Jacie: Hey now, you had me ready to agree until you went there. No way am I goin’ to let a friend pay me for doin’ a favor. Especially a fun kind of favor, like this one.
Radley: But you would be providing an invaluable service. It is not at all unusual for a writer to pay someone to assist with research…
Jacie: You could find your way around on your own - you don’t need me to play tour guide. Buy yourself one of those fancy GPS thingamajigs.
Radley: I imagine I could get around without the assistance of a guide, but it would be far more pleasant to be in the company of a friend. You’re well-versed in this area’s rich history, and I believe it only fair that you are compensated for the hours you spend assisting me in a professional capacity….
Jacie: Make up your mind, Radley. Either I’m a friend or I’m an assistant for hire. Can’t have it both ways.
Radley: *with some humor* I can’t?
Jacie: ‘Fraid not.
Radley: In which way might I stand the best chance of obtaining your agreement?
Jacie: Oh… that shouldn’t be hard for a smart fella like yourself to figure out.