Gaining A Foothold:Excerpt from the Mendacity by BRAWTA

Months had passed that left them weary, but Edra was now participating in more activities. She was an early riser in the village and although Caridad sensed danger, she translated that into a positive sign. By now Edra had began to gather her posse. Many mornings she could be found lurking around the corner with the cleaning man. Her laughter was thunderous and she was always whispering and playing the cat and mouse game, watching for Caridad or other villagers. This was a different Edra, the villagers began to gossip about what they called strange behavior but Caridad would not entertain any of this, she did not mind hearing her laugh. They had suffered for months through black clouds and finally the sun was peeping through.

Caridad did not want to show that she was not comfortable with this change, she had a weak feeling in her stomach every time she came up on her rendezvous. By now her entourage had grown to include the handyman and a flock of women who all looked like trouble, in other words cut from the same cloth like her. Soon some of the women who came for service in the village community began to ask for Edra by name. They all fit the same profile, meanspirited, loud and sassy. Bad karma, the villagers called their presence. Whenever they arrived it was as if the village was filled with toxic fumes, they were ready to provide service to these troubled souls so they could leave and take their bad spirits with them. Edra was gaining a foothold, she finagled herself into the life of one of the villagers and together they began a menacing act, throwing seeds and disrupting our sacred ground, now she had company to help perform her bad deeds.

Many were lukewarm but she was getting there, some human beings are easily pulled in, if you keep working on them. She began to tell tales, they were flowery and full of holes and almost everyone was more leery of this new act. The melancholy look was turning into burst of laughter, the villagers did not know which was worst. They continued to make merry, each month as they celebrated each persons milestone, a birthday, a new birth,nothing was off limit to have a joyous time. They were back in business, the village felt like before and so they began to relax but Caridad never closed her eyes on Edra. She knew it would only be a matter of time that this new found personality would revert to the old self. Caridad had seen the mood swings.

Nevertheless Caridad began to plan activities for the village. One such fun time was creating fabled characters much like the Aesop tales that she grew up reading and enjoyed so much. Although Caridad was not an artist, she was able to sketch the inhabitants of this idyllic village.For example, there was the everready battery for the staff who was always willing and ready to go the extra mile; for the suave persons, the profile was portrayed as movement slowly carried by the wind. Caridad drew an eye and a reflection in a pool of water for Edra who would constantly look in the mirror. The buddies had a jolly good time identifying themselves. Between the outings, the birthday cakes and meals fit for queens and kings, they certainly had a whopping good time. They worked hard but never forgot to live.