A New Beginning.
Chapter 7: The Call
If you want to listen to the song sung here, it’s Off to Sea by the Longest Johns. They also sing the song ‘Ashes’ from the previous chapter.
A guitar thrummed as the Dandyman sang on his patio. The fluffies of Lemon’s herd hummed with him as they worked on his yard clearing away the tall grass and weeds. He had learned the guitar in his time in these lands and learned many of the songs this world had to offer. At this moment he was playing a particular sea shanty he had heard while travelling.
“When first I landed in Liverpool, I went upon the spree”
“With money at last, I spent it fast, I got drunk as drunk could be”
“But when my money was all gone, it was then that I wanted more”
“But a man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more”
The strumming of the guitar grew and as if on cue the fluffies began to sing.
"Wunce mwowe, wunce mwowe, gu tuu swee wunce mwowe
“Be a mwan mwust be bwind tu make up hwis mwind tu gu u swee wunce mwowe.”
The fluffies sang the chorus loudly and happily as they worked. It had been hard but the Dandyman had managed to teach them it.
" And as I walked down London Road I met with a Rapper Brown"
“I asked him if he’d take me in and he looked at me with a frown”
“He said, “Last time you was paid off, to me you chalked no score””
“But I’ll give you a chance and I’ll take your advance”
“And I’ll send you to sea once more.”
“Wunce mwowe, wunce mwowe, swnd u tu swee wunce mwowe.”
“Bwut em gib u a chwance, un em twake ur advwance.”
“Un em swend u tu gu tu swee wunce mwowe.”
The horde of fluffies sung the second chorus, just as he had taught them. However before the Dandyman could start the next verse a loud ringing came from within the homestead. With a frown he stomped strumming, despite that the fluffies continued singing the chorus on repeat. With a little flare of magic the sound of the guitar continued to play. It seemed they enjoyed learning part of a new song, he might have to try and team them with some new songs, easier and simpler ones.
Getting up the Dandyman walked into the homestead and to the kitchen where his mobile was. Picking up the black mobile he frowned at the name of the caller, “What does he want.” Pressing answer he raised the phone to his ear.
“Dandyman here. What do you want Antonio? I thought our business ended.”
"Sorry Dandy but the Don wanted to ask a favor. A rough and deep voice came from the other end. The Dandyman frowned again, the Don was asking for him?
“And what does the Don want from me? Like I said our business was over. I retired.”
“Retired? You were working for barely a year for the Don. The Don however was very understanding, you were a good worker. The Don knows you are retired but would still like to ask this favour of you not without commission though. Ten million.”
The Dandyman raised his eyebrow ten million for a job. “I have plenty of money and I’m happy here. But I might have favour to call in.”
“You know you can ask the Don anything, Dandyman. You were a great asset to him.”
“I’ve recently been working with some feral fluffies the last two weeks.”
“Those shitrats? Why on earth would you get involved with them? I’d expect you to just just off the little bastards. Also how? Fluffies don’t exactly have the best survival skills, especially in the outback.”
"These ones are a little different. Led by a smarty mare who has her head on straight. The herd was inherited from her mother and started by her grandmother. Enough about that tell me the job and I’ll consider it." The Dandyman sat down on a kitchen chair and lit up another cigar, he could still hear the singing of the fluffies in the backyard.
“The Don has someone a little tight lipped. Their lips need to be…loosened a little. If you get my meaning.”
“And why do you need me?”
“He’s a tough one and you are the best at getting information out of the tough guys.”
“Sigh, let me think it over. I’ll call ya back.” The Dandyman then hung up without bothering to hear a response. He took a long puff of his cigar and stood up, brushing the creases out of his tan suit he walked over to the window above the sink. He got a perfect view of the fluffies in the backyard toiling away in the dirt.
"Wunce mwowe, wunce mwowe, gu tuu swee wunce mwowe
“Be a mwan mwust be bwind tu make up hwis mwind tu gu u swee wunce mwowe.”
The fluffies were still singing, despite it being the same chorus over and over. They didn’t seem to mind, the Dandyman supposed it was because they would sing the mummah song over and over again. Enjoying a long drag of the cigar the Dandyman walked back outside and blew out a smoke. The fluffies noticed him and their tails wagged in excitement, earning a smile from the human.
The Dandyman picked the guitar backup and began to strum it, the magical noise coming to a pause as Dandy resumed playing.
“I shipped on board of a whaling barque, we were bound for the Greenland seas”
"Where cold winds blow through frost and snow, why Jamaica rum would freeze
"And worst to bear, I’d no hard weather gear, as I’d spent all my money ashore
“It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more”
“Nu mwore, nu mwore, gu to swee nu mwore.”
“Twas den dat em wish dat am was dwad an cud gu tu swee nu mwowe.”
The Dandyman rose to his feet and approached the little fluffies. He strummed the sea shanty as he began to lightly tap his feet going into a dance. [color=crimson"Dance little fluffs take a break." The little fluffies eyes lit up as they stopped what they were doing to gather around the Dandyman. The fluffies joined hands and stood on their rear legs like the Dandyman taught them, forming a little circle and doing a funny jig. The Fluffies would laugh and kick their rear legs out using each other to balance.
“Sometimes we’re catching whales, my lads, sometimes we’re catching none”
“With a twenty-foot oar stuck in your paw, from four o’clock in the morn”
“And as the shades of night roll on and you rest on your weary oar”
“It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more”
The Dandyman bent his back forward to lower himself to the fluffies as they did their dance, happy smiles beaming on their fluffy faces.
“NU mwowe, nu mwowe, gu to swee nu mwowe.”
“Twas den dat am wiss dat em wus dwed an cud gu tu swee nu mwowe.”
The strumming grew quiet and solemn as the fluffies stopped dancing and sat to listen.
“So come all of you hard weather sailing lads, who listen to my song”
“When you get back from those long trips, I’d have you not go wrong”
“Take my advice, drink no strong drink, don’t you knock on that brothel door”
“But get married instead and spend all night in bed” the strumming grew fast once more and the fluffies lit up, they began to run and dance, “And go to sea no more!”
“No more, no more, go to sea no more”
“Nu mwowe, nu mwowe, gu tu swee nu mwowe”
"But get married instead and spend all night in bed, and go to sea no more
“Bwut gwet mwawwi instwed un spwen aww nwight in bwed, un gu tu swee nu mwowe.”
“No more, no more, go to sea no more”
“nu mwowe, nu mwowe, gu tu swee nu mwowe.”
“But get married instead and spend all night in bed, and go to sea no more.”
“Bwut gwet mwawwi instwed un spwen aww nwight in bwed, un gu tu swee nu mwowe.”
The Dandyman gave one final strum and brought the song to an end. The fluffies jumped around and cheered, hugging each other.
“Fwuffy hewd wuvved dat swong mistah dwandymwan.” Lemon walked over and gave an affection rub of her head to the travellers right leg. Bwiggest heawt happies. Fwuffies hab new swongsies. Swing to ubba fwuffies in da hewd."
“You and your herd did a good job learning it this past week. I’ll teach you more later okay little fluff?” The Dandyman patted Lemon on the head and the smarty cood before running off. Lemon began to instruct the fluffies back to work, they would hum and sing the chorus once more.
With a smile the Dandyman walked back to his homestead and played the guitar on the patio. Walking in he reentered the kitchen, picked up his phone and rang Antonio.
“Yes?”
“I’ll take the job. I’ll message you what I want in return. I’ll need alot of hands for it.”
“The Don appreciates it.”
“You have my address, when you bring the goods remember to bring your ‘friend’.”
“Got it, see you seen Dandyman.”
As the Dandyman prepared to hang up he finished with, “See you soon Antonio. Just remember, don’t cross the Dandyman!”
And done. Chapter 7 was a little shorter but it was just a fun little chapter with some singing fluffies and the Dandyman receiving a call. Looks like our traveller might be going back to work, if only briefly.
I like the idea of Fluffies being taught a new song beside the mummah and babbeh songs, or other typical songs fluffies might sing.
They fluffies weren’t as active in this chapter, it was more about the Dandyman and his past. But I hope you liked the fluffy singing.