World Made by Hand fanfic - 1. Chapter 1

James Howard Kunstler's World Made by Hand is a post-apocalyptic novel (and series) depicting life in Union Grove, NY after a series of devastating plagues and other disasters has thrown life back to a pre-industrial level. (I can understand the lack of motor vehicles, though why they don't even have bicycles is perplexing.) One character, Andrew Pendergast, moved to Union Grove from New York City, where his experiences as a gay man apparently brought him no fulfillment or satisfaction. His life in Union Grove, on the other hand, gives full scope to his many talents - painting, clock repair, architectural restoration, organic gardening, music, organization (he gets the public library up and running again), but he has become a contentedly asexual being. For me, this is a strange character, presented in a positive but oddly homophobic way, which I must attribute to Mr. Kunstler's particular prejudices. As counterbalance, I wrote the following little vignette.

Andrew Pendergast found it no hardship to walk the ten miles north to Coot Hill, though he knew that the return trip laden with provisions might be more taxing. He had no horse of his own, and his plans to borrow one had fallen through. But the date of the levee to be given in appreciation of his servant Jack’s heroism was approaching fast, and it had come down to today or never.

He wanted to see what was on offer at Tropical Coot, a new enterprise that promised rarities this far north -- citrus fruits, real ginger, sugar cane, possibly some spices and pigments, all greenhouse-grown in a one-man operation. Andrew knew nothing about the owner except that he had not lived in the area long.

Andrew was happy to do this for Jack, of course, after Jack had saved Ben Deaver’s life, and possibly Andrew’s as well. But the levee was beginning to feel like the end of something. Jack was well recovered from his wounds and gaining self-respect and confidence in his own worth; and he had started to look around him with a new eye, at women particularly, but also at possibilities of employment other than as Andrew’s servant. Andrew had from the beginning pushed aside any thought of an intimate relationship with Jack; Jack made it clear that that was out of the question. But impossibility never stopped a man from looking.

Having Jack living with him made Andrew feel a pang of loneliness that he had never felt living alone.

The sky was clear but the winter chill stung Andrew’s face. He walked briskly, partly to keep warm, partly because there were so few hours of daylight remaining. Scattered houses signaled the nearness of Coot Hill, and soon Andrew saw Tropical Coot -- a modest old house with an extravagantly colorful new sign, and several greenhouses like sheet-plastic Quonset huts. A brass shopkeeper’s bell tinkled as he entered the house. Packed shelves lined the walls. Behind the counter stood a young bearded man of exotic appearance, with curly black hair, almond eyes and caramel skin.

“Good morning!” the young man called out before looking up and looking at Andrew intently. “And what might you be looking for today? Or are you just browsing?”

“Oh, is it still morning?” Andrew replied.

“Just barely.”

“I walked from Union Grove. Didn’t get as early a start as I hoped.”

“Union Grove -- no wonder I haven’t seen you before. I’m Langston. Langston Lee Dubois.” Langston extended a hand.

“Andrew Pendergast.” Andrew shook Langston’s hand.

“I think I’ve heard of you. Something about the library or painting or music.”

“All of the above.”

“Very pleased to meet you. Now what can I help you with?”

“I just wanted to see what sorts of things you have. I want to make something special for a levee, and the thought of finding real oranges or ginger or sugar cane was irresistible.”

“And you cook too, obviously. Or bake?”

“Both.”

“As it happens I can provide you with all three. Not a lot, but I’m sure there’s enough for your purposes. Care to follow me?” Langston ushered Andrew to a back door, touching his shoulder lightly as they exited directly into one of the greenhouses.

It was like stepping into Paradise. Lush greenery filled the entire space. The air was warm and fragrant. Andrew felt his shoulders relax and the tension in his face dissolve. Langston quickly gathered a half-dozen oranges from two dwarf trees, dug a ginger root, and cut a cane of sugar. Glancing at Andrew, he cut an additional short piece of sugar cane and held it out. “Sample?”

Andrew tasted it. Pleasure flooded his brain. “Heaven,” he said. “How did you manage to pull all this together?”

“I worked in a nursery, and when things started getting bad I saw that I might need a new plan. So I assembled all the starts and seeds I could, and waited for the right time and place to start a business. Also, my partner died in the encephalitis wave.”

“I’m sorry. So you were a partner in the nursery.”

“No, I’m talking about my boyfriend.” Langston stopped moving and looked at Andrew, waiting for a reaction.

“Oh. Oh, that’s very sad. I’m sorry.”

“So now I have a business, but I’m on my own.”

“How on earth did you end up here?”

“Why? Don’t I look like I belong here?” Andrew blushed, and Langston laughed. “Just teasing. I’m very aware that someone who is half Scottish, half Japanese, half Yoruba, half Egyptian, half Malaysian, half German and half miscellaneous does stand out.”

“That makes three and a half men.”

“That’s me, honey.”

Andrew flinched at the casual endearment. “And you built all this?”

“Pretty much, except for the shop, which was an abandoned house. But it’s coming together. Always adding something. Do you have any time to look around?”

“Not today. This time of year, I’ll barely get home before dark. I should buy these few things and get back on the road.”

“Let’s get you checked out, then.”

Langston led Andrew back into the shop. Andrew looked around and quickly added more provisions. “Dried pineapple! I have to have that. And this, and this, and this.”

Langston totaled the purchases. “And what form of payment can you offer today?” Barter was common, but Langston’s tone had a slightly flirtatious edge.

“I have silver coins.”

“Oo, the real stuff. For that you get a discount.” They counted out the payment. “Come back any time, Mr. Pendergast. Or Andrew, if I may call you that. I may have cinnamon soon.” Langston held Andrew’s hand and fixed him in his disconcertingly steady gaze.

“I don’t think I could make it up here very often. I’m busy with the music circle, and with my garden, and painting, and the library, and the house takes a lot of maintenance.”

“My, my. You do all this alone?”

“I have Jack.”

Langston raised an eyebrow. “And who is Jack?”

“He works for me. He lives with me and helps out.”

“Live-in. Sounds cozy.”

Andrew extricated his hand from Langston’s. “It’s not like that. He was in a bad way and he needed help getting on his feet. Now he’s better and I can see he’s starting to look at the young women in town.”

“Oh, Andrew. Andrew, Andrew.” Langston shook his head. “Those straight boys, they will break your heart.”

“I don’t think of him that way.”

“I suppose he’s ugly?”

“No, he’s not ugly.”

“Old and fat?”

“He’s young and he’s in decent shape. I was painting a friend’s portrait and a man came in and attacked us with a knife. Jack tackled him, put his own life in danger, got wounded -- punctured lung, broken rib. Saved our lives.”

“And you have no romantic interest in this knight in straight shining armor. Glad to hear it, Andrew. I admire you for it. And no one else has caught your eye down in Union Grove?”

“I’ve given up on anything like that. I like my life now. I was lousy at being gay anyway. And now, living in Union Grove, it’s so much different from living in the city. I don’t need complications.” With all his purchases bundled into his pack, Andrew re-laced it and set it by the door.

“I hear you. Try to be out in Smallville, USA, you take your life in your hands sometimes.”

“Well, there’s that, but also I’m not even sure I want to be gay. I mean, to pursue it.”

Langston regarded Andrew critically. “You’ve never had a boyfriend, have you?”

Andrew shifted uneasily. “No, not really.”

“Girlfriend?”

“No, not really.”

“You’re not bad-looking, you know.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“And you’re smart, and you know how to do all kinds of things, and you’re musical -- but you’re always in the orchestra pit, never on the dance floor, right?”

Andrew was silent.

Langston sighed. “I miss dancing. I bet you’re a real good dancer.”

Andrew shrugged. “I know how, but I never dance.”

“Waltz?”

“I could waltz, if there were music. But obviously nobody has a sound system any more, and...”

Langston extended his hand toward Andrew and began to sing. “Falling in love with love is falling for make-believe...”

Andrew laughed. “You know Rodgers and Hart?”

Langston’s expression grew serious. “Every word, every note.” Then he smiled broadly. “Well, most of them, anyway.” He stepped closer. “Falling in love with love is playing the fool.” He clasped Andrew’s hand in his.

Andrew sang with him, “Caring too much is such a juvenile fancy...” and Langston swept him up in a waltz. Andrew was stiff at first, but as Langston whirled him about the room, he closed his eyes and sang, and even rested his head on Langston’s shoulder.

“I fell in love with love, with love everlasting, but love fell out with me.”

Andrew heard a door open and tried to back away in panic.

Langston wouldn’t let go. Instead he called loudly, “Be with you in a minute!” and then addressed Andrew: “Left two three, right two three! Turn! Turn! That’s it! You’ve got it! Just practice that a few times at home and you’ll do fine! She will love you for it, I promise!” And finally he allowed Andrew to escape his grip.

“Mrs. Cranston, what can I do for you today?”

The plump middle-aged woman seemed bewildered. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”

“Not at all. This is Andrew Pendergast from Union Grove. Just came up for some special treats for a levee, and I was preparing him to wow his lady with his waltz steps.”

“Oh, how nice. I was just hoping for a lemon or two.”

“As it happens, I can let you have a lemon or two for a very reasonable price.”

“Langston, you’re such a liar. Your prices are never reasonable.”

“But they are fair. Do you think I give such bargains to anyone who isn’t as beautiful as you? And have I seen that dress before? The color really suits you.”

Soon Mrs. Cranston’s eyelashes were fluttering like a young girl’s, and Langston’s cloud of bullshit covered Andrew’s escape.

Heart racing, Andrew shouldered his pack and set off homeward. But a few minutes later he heard running footfalls behind him.

“Andrew! Andrew!” Langston was calling. Andrew turned. “You forgot this.” Langston held out an orange.

“I don’t think I bought this.”

“Well, I had to have some reason to run and ask you when this levee is.”

Andrew smiled. “A week from Friday.”

“May I come?”

“Do you really want to?”

“Of course, Andrew. I’d like to see you in your element.”

Andrew was taken aback. “I will be busy, but it won’t be hard to find me. It’s not any set time. Late afternoon, evening. Just follow the noise.”

“Good. Looking forward to it.”

Andrew held out his hand to shake Langston’s. Langston took the offered hand to pull them into a hug, and pecked Andrew on the lips before backing up, waving, and running back to his store.

Andrew stood astonished for a moment before setting off for home at a swift pace.