Chapter One - Part 1

"Keeper Zildjian?" was the first thing I heard as rounded the corner on to Main Street, the roar of the mass transit behind me was slowly waning, thus exposing the slow rhythmic sound of the nearest wind generator.

His name, more than the title, caught my attention but I did not turn to see him right away.
Rather, I stood on Main Street and was looking over, a mid-morning Wallace that seemed to embrace the warm Spring weather. At nearly nine-thirty in the morning most folks were settled into their business offices and the street showed little activity, just myself, the Keeper and the person who called his name. I started toward the café.

I had come to town that day to find out what manner of Keeper this Zildjian was; I had heard mixed reports.

I adjusted the grip I had on my backpack. As I closed the distance, I surveyed the broken concrete sidewalk in front of the café that they stood on. I figured that the Keeper was probably the one eyeballing me as he listened to an official-looking-someone who seemed to think a lot of himself… maybe the Mayor. Found out later it was the Mayor's assistant, Bill.

I nodded to the Keeper, who nodded back, as he gestured to the man to go before him inside the café. The Keeper looked as though he had good measure, but you never can tell just by sight.

He closed the ten steps to greet me as I stepped up onto the sidewalk. "Morning sir… would you like to join us for breakfast?"

I could tell he was gauging my expression. He added, "I'm buying."

I moved the strap to my left hand to shake his, knowing that real contact could read him a little better than mere appearance. "Be glad to, Keeper. My name is… "

"Tama. Yeah, I've heard a little about you. You're one of three other Keep Singers in these parts and I've heard your description before. Let's head in." He turned to the café.

Singer is a gentle term for what we do. I followed him inside.