Harson Rhymes With Arson

HEAT

Chapter 2 - Part 1

It was another sunny day on the dock at Matlacha.

Fill had just finished a kayak paddle around the west harbour and west bridge and was making an omelet - not quite like Julia and Jacques, but no slouch either.

After breakfast, Fill was going to the local library; the first start of this project would be to loan and read the definitive Matlacha history by  local resident.

First checking with Facebook to see what he could see, he headed out - much to the chagrin of his small poodle/terrier friend, 'Four Door', who barked at him loudly as he was leaving. He simply wanted to go wherever the open door lead with no thought to the consequences. Fill pretended that the hound was a nuisance but he loved that dog.

Fill turned east towards the bridge and began walking in the hot sun. There was a brisk north wind but the sun felt good and be damned if he was going to give in and wear anything but his Greendale Neil Young T-shirt. Fill had given up explaining why he was a Neil Young fan - either you got it or you didn't - it was that simple.

Just before the bridge, Fill turned down an entrance to what was clearly a recently constructed area for parking, and beyond that, access to a public wharf. The library was located somewhere in this area; according to the slightly drunk and very friendly woman at the Olde Fish House Marina who had accosted Fill the evening before.

Fill walked in and headed towards the water and by golly she was right, it was just where she said it was. He walked right in and there she was, the slightly drunk and friendly woman - she works here!

After some small talk and awkward muffled laughter, Fill was directed to where the book was located. Phil eventually found it and not being in a hurry, sat down at a research station and started to browse through it.

It was obviously self published, pictures scanned and then printed onto pre-printed pages that already contained text. That said, it was very good. Fill was fascinated by the references to the Civil War and Matlacha's origins. Quoting from the book, 'Matlacha has not always been known as Matlacha. In the 1880s, a man named Harson was believed to have been among the first settlers of the island and was the unofficial postman. Because of this, Matlacha was first referred to as Harsonville'.

Unbeknownst to Fill, the man who once called himself Harson, Lou, was pouring lighter fluid into his hand and setting it on fire. Oh yes the heat - fire - it burns the skin - it burns deeply - it frees the soul -  and then Lou can really begin his work - yes - Lou shoves his hand into the face of a sleeping derelict - the screams pierce the night - oh a soul will be raked very soon....