Rosemary And Thyme

Episode #13 – Ramon

Scene 1a

(We hear the car. They are driving and singing and laughing and are at the height of being one happy family.)

99 Bottles Of Beer

All (singing)

Take one down

Pass it around

69 bottles of beer on the wall

69 bottles of beer on the wall

69 bottles of beer

Take one down

Pass it around

68 bottles of beer on the wall

Scene 1b

Maria

Stop. please! Teach us another song, pleeeze Mister Josiah. This one go on forever! (They all laugh) Perhaps one in Spanish?

Josiah

Sorry, Maria, no speaka de Spanish, but I do know a little Pig Latin!

(They all laugh at his corny joke.)

Josiah

Uh, actually, we’re gettin’ a little low on gas. We gotta find a place to stop.

Lizzie

That’s fine with me. I’m ‘bout ready for the ladies’ room.

Thyme

Get in line.

Maria

A room for ladies? What we do in there?

Josiah

I’ll let you explain this one, Lizzie.

Lizzie

We do things that only ladies know ‘bout, Maria. Very private.

Maria

Jose cannot come?

Thyme

No Maria, Jose not allowed.

Maria

(Defiantly)

Then I not go either!

Lizzie

Oh, you’ll go all right! Ya’ won’t wanna miss this.

Jose

I take Alejandro. You go. Enjoy!

Josiah

Here we go. Comin’ up. Jimmy Bob’s Gas an’ Gastric Delights!

All

(Laughs and groans of pleasure)

(We hear the car pull off the road and drive up to the pumps.)

Jose

I stay in car with Alejandro. He sleeping now. You go make happy times in ladies’ room.

Lizzie

Yeah, c’mon Maria, we’re gonna go make happy times.

(We hear them all depart leaving Jose alone in the back seat of the car with the sleeping baby. He’s quietly singing the song we just heard them all singing. We hear someone tapping on the window. Jose rolls down the window.)

Scene 2

Jose

Si Senor?

Stranger

Cute little chiquito ya’ got there, mi amigo. You speak English?

Jose

Un poco.

Stranger

Nice car ya’ got here. Wow, purple, eh?

Jose

Si, purple. Gracias.

Stranger

Where ya’ headed?

Jose

H- hed … No comprendo … he … hed …

Stranger

¿Adónde vas?

Scene 3

Gabriel

At this point I shall spare you the time it would take to translate the ensuing conversation, but know that within the next five minutes it seemed to Jose that he had finally found what he sought — a new Spanish friend that was also from Honduras who had come to America, just like he had, escaping a troubled life, just like he had, journeying to New Mexico to find a new home, just like he had, but, sadly, he’d not found the dream he sought. How luxurious it was to, at last, have an entire conversation in Spanish! How fortuitous it was to run across such a compadre as his new friend whose fate and future so matched his very own. By the time Maria arrived, giggling, from her happy times in the newly discovered ladies’ room, Jose and the stranger were fast friends.

Scene 4a

Maria

(Comes back to the car)

Jose, I find treat for Alejandro!

Jose

Maria, I find new friend …

Maria

Oh! Hello, I am Maria.

Ramon

And I am Ramon Antonio Emiliano Rodriquez, at your service.

Jose

Maria, Ramon come also from Honduras! I tell him we go to join others like us who come America. He will join us in, …in … how do you say …?

Ramon

…in search of others who come with courage from so far away. They come in secret, and are most plentiful, but sadly also most surreptitious.

Maria

What is this surrep … surrep …

Ramon

Surreptitious. It simply means hard to find.

Maria

I see … Yes!

Jose

Ramon can teach more better English to you.

Maria

To us, Jose. To us.

Jose

Si. Si …

Ramon

A very fancy purple car you have here. Might I ride along with you, Señorita? I can perhaps pay for the gasoline.

Maria

Mind your manners, muchacho. I am old enough to be your madre.

Ramon

My apologies, Señora! Looks can be most deceiving.

Scene 4b

Gabriel (one liner)

So … You get the idea? A snowman in the middle of the desert? Well, ya’ shoulda heard Josiah when Jose an’ Maria approached him with the idea of addin’ yet another traveler into the already crowded back seat of the Studebaker.

Josiah

W- w- what?! Ya’ gotta be jokin’! There ain’t nuff room as it is! C’mon now, Jose … jeez …

Gabriel (one liner)

But when newfound friend, Ramon, slipped him a hundred dollar Ben Franklin when no one was lookin’, with a wink an’ a grin, well, … Josiah suddenly surprised everyone, ‘cept Ramon, with a change a’ heart.

Josiah

Well I ‘spose we could always put three in the front. It’ll be our good deed fer the day.

Lizzie

Josiah, you need ta’ git yo’ brain checked. If ya’ think I’m gonna squash up ‘tween you an’ Thyme …

Josiah

Now Lizzie, what if God sent this good soul in need to us on purpose? I can’t be turnin’ down God now, can I? After all, …

Josiah, Lizzie and Thyme join in

I am a minister!

Scene 5

Gabriel

So then there were seven … and a half … Josiah, drivin’, got the evil eye more than once from both Lizzie and Thyme squashed into the front seat while our three vagabonds from Honduras carried on ‘bout the good ol’ days back in Sabanagrande an’ what a small world it really is. How fascinatin’ it was that Ramon’s life so paralleled their own. Why, it was positively serendipitous, these three birds a’ the same feather … Hmmm …

But no, Ramon Antonio Emiliano Rodriquez was a charmer. Jose needed no convincing, Maria was slower to come around, but Ramon knew how to flirt just enough to awaken in her at least the thrill of being mistaken for the beauty she once was. Even so, she remained on the fence. Thyme was simply pleased to feel the joy and laughter coming from the lifted spirits of the back seat. For Josiah, at least, the stress of financial responsibility had been taken off his shoulders as Ramon continued to act the big spender buying lunch for all, and a grand assortment of snacks for the road as well as gas and even a suggested, (quote,)”Have an oil change. It’s on me. I hear a knocking of some concern in the vicinity of your carburetor.” Josiah could only be ever grateful for the pecuniary support. As to Lizzie, who, slightly more than all others, had seen it all, well, she waffled between cynic and skeptic with a variety of …

Scene 6

Lizzie

Oh, please … are you kiddin’? … c’mon, this guy’s a little much … Lordy, listen to him now …

Gabriel

And once, even a …

Lizzie

What a creep!

Thyme

Oh Lizzie, doncha see he’s jus’ bringin’ em such happiness …

Gabriel

An’ later, when they reached the outskirts a’ Albuquerque, Ramon even won Lizzie over when he announced that he’d be much obliged if he could treat them all to dinner …

Ramon

… at a fine restaurant of your choice. An’ it’s all on me!

Gabriel

An’ so they stopped for dinner in Albuquerque, NM. Lizzie took on the job of pickin’ the restaurant since she was so, by far, the one “in the know.”

Lizzie

Here it is now. The perfect one! French cuisine. Douche de Délices. Sounds like a place fer women only.

Scene 7

Gabriel

Well now that sorta takes away your appetite! Nevertheless, off they headed for an evening of delectable delights that none of them could pronounce. When they got to the restaurant, an’ were shown to their table, the first thing they all did was to head off to the ladies’ room … an’ for Josiah, a’ course, the men’s room, leaving behind Jose to mind the baby an’ a’ course, Ramon … to pursue his objective.

Scene 8

Ramon

Now Jose, tell me more about all these compadres we’re planning on meeting up with. They come from Honduras too?

Jose

Oh, si many come from Honduras to land of plenty. We have hope to meet soon.

Ramon

They come the same route you did?

Jose

Oh si, many people come to America.

Ramon

An’ there are a lot of them?

Jose

Oh yes, many hundred people come.

Ramon

By boat, by land, how?

Jose

Oh yes, many people come. Like us.

Ramon

No … But you? How did you travel?

Jose

Boat. We take boat.

Ramon

Who brought you to America?

Jose

White man. He hold my money so Maria and me become, how do you say, America citizen.

Ramon

Right. American citizens. Go on … and so you are now an American citizen?

Jose

I do not know. I do know I never see money again.

Ramon

Oh, that’s just terrible. You got screwed.

Jose

What “screwed” means?

Ramon

You know, taken for a ride, cheated.

Jose

I not understand.

Ramon

Yeah. So, when you got to America, how did you travel then?

Jose

With feet. We walk. With thumb. We ride. Always looking for our peoples.

Ramon

So, you haven’t found them? These peoples?

Jose

Que? … no comprendo …

Ramon (giving up)

Are you going to meet them? These many peoples?

Jose

Oh si, we hope to meet them very much.

Ramon

And do you know where you will all meet up?

Jose

Por favor, repita …

Ramon

Where will you find friends?

Jose

Aah, New Mexico. Si. Find friends New Mexico.

Ramon

No, I know that. What city?

Jose

I know not city. But soon … We find you!

Ramon (slowly)

Does Maria know where find friends?

Jose

Ah, si! Maria know everything. I follow. Ah, she comes. Ask now!

Ramon

OK, I won’t bother her now about this. I’ll talk to her later.

Scene 9

(The three ladies return to the table.)

Jose

Ah, Maria. Ramon have question for you.

Maria

Oh Jose, you should see ladies’ room. Very beautiful! Even a lady with towels to dry hands.

Jose

Maria, please answer question of Ramon.

Ramon

No that’s all right. No importante.

Lizzie

Yeah, howja like that stall? All the comforts a’ home!

Thyme

I wish my home looked like that.

Scene 10

Gabriel

An’ so it went. An evening of small talk an’ French cuisine.

Relaxed and havin’ fun and their first taste of a fine French Cabernet Sauvignon, they brag to their newfound friend and most generous host about finding their dream — a home amongst their people. Somehow, in the discombobulation of words lost in translation, the wrong idea continues to grow in Ramon’s mind.

Sometimes you humans hear only what you want to hear and leave the rest to pasture.

So, Ramon, eager to prove to his fellow CBP undercover agents and bosses of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection law enforcement organization, proved himself, in his over-zealous ambitions, to be decidedly human. Missing several salient points and, in fact, misunderstanding the most important point — that Jose and Maria, our two illegal immigrants were NOT meeting up with a cadre of highly organized illegal immigrants, but, in fact, knew no one in the whole of America except two Washburns and a Cranbottom.

Instead, his ethos to prove himself a guardian of our nation’s borders, stand fast on America’s front line and protect the hallowed homeland drove him to hunt down, expose, and eradicate the threats and instruments of terror from the dreaded enemy. That would be Jose and Maria. Thinking, and now knowing, that he’s on to something even bigger, something that will truly bring honor to himself and, a’ course, to his motherland agency, he excuses himself from the dinner table to make a phone call.

(We hear the sounds of a call being made and picked up.)

Scene 11

Ramon

Hey Felix. Lemme speak to the boss. I don’t care if he’s busy. This is a big one. I gotta speak to him now. No, we’re talkin hundreds. An’ we gotta act fast. Get him on the line. Now! (Pause) Hey Captain, Agent Smallwood here. I gotta big one. A whole cadre of illegals. I’m meeting them this evening in several hours, an’ this is so big I’m gonna need help. At least ten other agents besides myself, armed an’ ready ta’ rock. I’m in Albuquerque now with my source and they’re gonna lead me right to ‘em. Oh I’d say at least fifty to a hundred. All outta Honduras. Right. Right … I know it’s a lot to get together, but this is a big one. I’m sure of it. I don’t know exactly where yet, but we’re drivin’ West on Highway 40 towards the Arizona border. I know the meet’s set somewhere in New Mexico and at this rate we’ll probably hit the border in about 4 hours, Yeah, maybe somewhere around Gallup. No, they think I’m one a’ them. So far, so good. Well, actually, it was pretty easy. I just charmed the pants off of ‘em. Hah! A bunch a’ real dumb shits … OK, I’ll be in touch once we’re on the road. If I can’t find a place to call, I’ll text ya’. But the meet’s set for tonight. OK, see ya’ there … wherever there is.

(He goes back to the table)

Scene 12

Ramon

Now I don’t know where y’all are gonna end up tonight, but doncha think it’s time for the ladies to sleep in a real bed and have a shower an’ maybe even breakfast in bed?

(General enthusiastic agreement from all)

Ramon

So if you’d be willing to disclose to me at least the town that you’re headin’ for tonight, I’d be most happy to book a couple a’ hotel rooms in advance so we could all make ourselves a bit more civilized when the time comes. An’ it’s all on me.

Lizzie

Well, I donno ‘bout the rest a’ y’all, but I’m definitely in favor a’ bein’ more civilized.

(General enthusiastic agreement from all)

Ramon

Well then, good! So … what’s our destination?

Josiah

Anyone got the map?

Lizzie

Thyme, you’re the map lady.

Thyme

A’ course. I always come prepared! Let’s see here … we’re headed for the Arizona border … takes ‘bout 3 or 4 hours … there’s Bluewater … That sounds like a nice place … an’ then Pinedale, then … Hey, how ‘bout Gallup, New Mexico? That shore sounds like fun! Maybe Ramon could buy us each a horse!

Ramon

Very funny … Y’all sure do know how ta’ guard a secret. Are ya’ sayin’ Gallup’s the destination?

Josiah

I donno. Guess so. They got hotels there?

Ramon

Oh, another comedian … I’m sure they do. C’mon …

Josiah

Well then, Gallup it is!

Ramon

Good. You sure now? Gallup is the place, huh?

Josiah

Gallup, here we come!

Jose

Maria, we go Gallup?

Maria

Yes, Jose. Tonight, Gallup.

Jose

That be the end of New Mexico?

Lizzie

Yes, Jose. That be the end. But tomorrow we begin again!

Ramon

OK, thank you. Thanks for finally including me. I get it. Better to be safe than sorry! Yeah …

Maria

I pray we all be safe.

(General enthusiastic agreement from all)

Ramon

Y’all get ta’ prayin’. I just remembered. I gotta make another phone call. I’ll be right back.

Scene 13

Maria

Why does he leave us to make phone call? Will he not pray with us?

Jose

Very busy man, Maria. We pray. He make business.

Maria

And what business he make, Jose? He tell you? He is man of many questions, but not so many answers. I am not so sure, Jose. Strange feelings on this man.

Lizzie

Yes, Maria, Strange feelings …

Maria

My husband already be once a … a … How do you say … so-core?

Lizzie

So-core … so-core …? Oh yeah, I think the word is “sucker”, Maria. Sucker.

Maria

Si. Sucker.

(A little pregnant pause here)

Lizzie

Anyway … best not to go down that road. So, OK, now for the moment we all been waitin’ for … dessert! Whatcha all want?

Josiah

Now jus’ hold on a moment here. Speakin’ of Ramon, I been doin’ some wonderin’ ‘bout him. If he’s got all this money, why’s he hafta hitch a ride with us?

Lizzie

Good question! Somethin’ fishy ‘bout that guy.

Maria

He is man of many butterflies. All going different directions. He say he be looking for Spanish friends just like us. Where he be looking? On telephone?

Thyme

Do you think he really is Spanish, Maria? Sometimes his accent don’t sound so Spanish.

Maria

Well, he say he from America.

Lizzie

I thought he said he was from Honduras, jus’ like you.

Jose

Si, he from Honduras. Sabanagrande.

Maria

Well maybe he forget just where he from.

Josiah

Not likely, Maria. An’ what IS with all the phone calls? What’s so important that he missed half a’ the dinner?

Thyme

Well, we’ll jus’ hafta keep an eye on ‘im, that’s all. It’s clear that somethin’ ain’t addin’ up.

Maria

Maybe we order dessert for him. At least then he must join us.

Lizzie

Yeah, let’s jus’ order one a’ each an’ pass ‘em around. If he don’t like his, I’ll eat it.

Jose

Maria, please explain what is happening … I not follow. They do not like our friend?

Maria

No, Jose. Everything all right. No worries. We now order many desserts.

Scene 14

Gabriel

Stuffed to the gills with Crème brûlée, Profiteroles, Soufflé, Macarons and Pain au chocolat, and apprehension forgotten, after dessert they all climbed, groaning, back into the car to venture on. Ramon had returned excitedly to a table of delights, paid the check, announcing grandly the extravagant amount, leaving all breathless, finishing off his parting words to the wait staff with his usual, “and it’s all on me.” Which, of course, as we all now know, it was not. Rather it was all on the United States Government. Not surprising, was that Ramon Antonio Emiliano Rodriquez conveniently forgot to pay the tip.

Once back on the road, our strange little family settled quietly and thoughtfully into the equally strange and labored sounds of their purple chariot as it sped (at 40 miles per hour) across the desert floor. Other travelers, on their way West, seemed to fly by them at supersonic speeds, their red tail lights disappearing quickly into the blackness of the road ahead. And occasionally Thyme, squashed in between driver Josiah and a softly snoring shotgun Lizzie, would catch laughing children, noses pressed up against the back seat rear windows of their speeding BMWs an’ Mercedes-Benz waving jeeringly as they sped on out of sight. One little girl even gave her an’ her purple chariot the finger as she disappeared into the night.

But Thyme didn’t mind. There was nothin’ like the desert sky at night. Settin’ there in the front seat was like travelin’ among the stars, they was so close. Thyme hugged her growing baby in her tummy an’ thought, …

Thyme

I wish you could see what I’m seein’, little one. Some day, you an’ me, we’ll do this again. An’ when we do, I only hope we can travel more slowly … an’ have the time to take it all in.

Gabriel

The rest slept. Except, of course, Ramon who fantasized the hours that lay ahead. The thrill of the hunt, the lust of the bust, the opportunity to possibly, at last, use his firearm tucked away in his satchel, the drama of actually having the power to separate a newborn from its mother, the gratification of actually sending a minister an’ not one, but two women to prison for aiding and abetting illegal aliens, an’ the rush and adulation he would undoubtedly receive from his captain an’ fellow undercover agents for a job well done. He saw himself quickly rising through the ranks of the CBP. A guardian of the nation’s borders. A protector of the American people against terrorists and their instruments of terror.

He was deep into his nightly day dream when he began to smell smoke.

Scene 15

Ramon

Hey Josiah, do you smell what I smell? Smells like oil burnin’.

Josiah

Yeah, I slowed ‘er down to 30, but there’s still smoke comin’ from the engine.

Ramon

Did you get that oil changed?

Josiah

Well, a’ course, Morgan tol’ me she was an oil guzzler, but I had no idea …

Ramon

Maybe ya’ left the cap off.

Josiah

Well that kid back at the gas station seemed ta’ know what he was doin’ …

Ramon

Better pull off on the siding up there so’s I can take a look.

Josiah

OK, Will do.

(We hear the car slowing down and pulling off the road. Lizzie is first to wake up.)

Lizzie (sleepy)

Hey, why we stoppin’?

Josiah

Seems we got a little engine trouble. Gotta jus’ let ‘er cool down a bit, I reckon.

(The car comes to a stop.)

Ramon

Leave the engine runnin’. Everybody stay in the car. I’ll check under the hood. Josiah, sit tight. I may need you to pump the gas pedal to rev the engine for me.

We hear Ramon get out of the car and slam the car door shut.

Thyme (waking up)

What’s happenin’? Why we stoppin’?

Lizzie

Car trouble. Smell all that smoke?

Maria

Car broke?

Josiah

Nah. We jus’ gotta let things cool down a bit.

Gabriel (one liner)

For Ramon this was both a blessing and a curse. This might necessitate puttin’ the meet off for an hour or two, but at least he could now make a phone call to let ’em all know. So he opened up the hood an’ propped it open with the hood prop, you know, that stick that holds the hood way open so you can fix the engine? The hood bein’ all the way open now prohibited anyone in the car from seein’ what he’s doin’, so he yelled, …

Ramon

This may take a minute, Josiah, so everybody just sit tight an’ I’ll have it fixed in no time.

Maria (sarcastic)

How nice we have Ramon to take care of us. Perhaps he make more phone calls.

Gabriel (one liner)

At that, he placed his call to further update his captain as to the where and timing of the bust. Unfortunately, his captain had far too many unanswered questions that needed answering, so the call began to drag on an’ on…

Lizzie

What the hell’s he doin’ out there? Rebuildin’ the engine? This ain’t lookin’ so promisin’.

Josiah

I’m agreein’ with ya’ Lizzie. This is takin’ way too long. I’d honk the horn, but that could scare ‘im outta his shoes. Why doncha git on out there an’ see if ya’ can give ‘im a hand.

Lizzie

Well, OK, not sure what I can do, but I’ll give it a try.

Thyme

Keep the door open. We need some air in here.

Scene 16

Gabriel

It was pitch black outside when Lizzie got out. Josiah had turned off the headlights ta’ save the battery and the engine was still chuggin’, so Lizzie had to move slowly on the gravel siding an‘ Ramon, still on the phone, never heard or saw her comin’. She saw that he was once again, on the phone so, out of curiosity, she crouched down in the dark holdin’ on to the fender an’ gave the moment a good listen.

Scene 17a

Ramon

Don’t worry Cap, these people don’t suspect nothin’. Every one of ’em is just dumb as hell. By the time we get ta’ Gallup, I’ll have ‘em all wrapped around my finger. They already think I’m some sorta savior. It’s either prison or deportation for each of ‘em and you better have someone there to take the baby as well. No, I don’t think they are armed, but ya’ never know. They’re dumb enough to be carryin’. I really gotta go now, boss. They’re probably all asleep or beginning to wonder. Right! I’ll call ya again when we get close to Gallup. Let’s kick some ass!

Scene 17b

Gabriel

Lizzie heard every morsel of the conversation and as she stood up, her heart pounding furiously, she went to turn around an’ warn the others, but the gravel crunched under her feet.

Ramon

Someone there?

Lizzie (feigning innocence)

Hi Ramon. We was jus’ wonderin’ how yer doin’ out here, so I thought I’d come out an’ see if ya’ needed some help. Ya’ think things are coolin’ off?

Ramon

Yeah, that’s what I’ve been doing — letting things cool off a bit. We can probably get her going again soon.

Lizzie

Wow, you know all about engines? You are one smart stud. Highly intelligent AND good lookin’. Can you show me where the manifold is? I always wanted to learn ‘bout a car engine.

Gabriel

With that, she bends over into the engine under the hood giving Ramon a spectacular view of her backside. An’ then she softly purrs, …

Lizzie

Is that thing right there a manifold? I’ve always wondered what one looked like. C’mere an’ show me.

Gabriel

Ramon ducked under that hood with her faster than you could say “carburetor”. Flashlight in hand, he started to point out each engine part whether he really knew what it was or not. It was then that Lizzie came to the climax of her budding idea. Stepping back out of the way, she simply said, …

Lizzie

An’ what’s the purpose of this here stick? Oops!

Scene 18

Gabriel

With that, the purple hood of the Studebaker came crashing down on Ramon’s head, knocking him, not only stone cold, but also forcing his entire face and chest hard down upon the still smoking hot car radiator. All that could be seen from the front seat of the car were Ramon’s wildly twitching legs dancing furiously in mid air in some form a’ post-mortem type spasms as Lizzie stood back, arms folded, casually watching.

Lizzie (one liner)

Oh! I’m sorry. I guess that ol’ stick was there ta’ hold up the hood. Well, I mus’ be dumb as hell not ta’ have known that!

Ramon Antonio Emiliano Rodriquez, you dumb shit, I do apologize.

Gabriel

Now Lizzie had no intention in killin’ the man, an’ she hadn’t, but he was in bad shape. The back a’ his head all cut open an’ bleedin’ like a stuck pig, an’ the front a’ him burned to a crisp from chin ta’ navel. What she’d overheard Ramon sayin’ to his captain had been forever burned into her brain, so it had been easy relatin’ it, word fer word, to the others, who all sat, spellbound in their astonishment. All agreed. “That Ramon, he was some scoundrel!” But since he seemed to be still alive, they must do what they could to resuscitate ‘im. So, Josiah an’ Maria had him lyin’ out there on the gravel tryin’ ta’ revive ‘m and Lizzie sat tremblin’ in the front seat with Thyme who was tryin’ to give our hero some comfort.

Thyme

Now doncha fret none. Ya’ did whatcha had ta’ do an’ ya’ saved us. We ain’t outta the woods yet, but he ain’t doin’ no arrestin’ tonight an’ neither is anybody else. We’ll jus’ avoid ol’ Gallup, New Mexico like the plague an’ be on our way. Here, wipe yer nose with this Kleenex an’ stop yer shakin’, girl. We gonna be all right now. Doncha see? You were jus’ an instrument a’ God out there doin’ His work an’ protectin’ His child. I’m so proud a’ ya, Lizzie. Why you jus’ saved every one of us single handed like. You are somethin’ else, Sister!

Josiah

OK, we got his head all bound up with some newspaper an’ ma’ shirt an’ he come to, at least fer a minute. First thing he said after moanin’ a bit was, “Who the hell are you?” I don’t ’spose a little amnesia is particular bad for us at the present time. He’s pretty much a crispy critter in front, an’ he’s prob’ly in shock, so the best thing we can do fer ‘im is get ‘im to the hospital an’ be on our way. If we drop ‘im off at the emergency room door we can jus’ tell ‘em we found ‘im out on the road like this — which is, in fact, not even tellin’ a lie. Jose, let’s you an’ me get him in the car now an’ we be on our way.

Jose

Si, senor. Please forgive. I make terrible mistake. I so sorry.

Josiah

Jose, he hornswoggled all of us. We shoulda seen it comin’, but we didn’t. Thank the Lord fer Lizzie. She paid the devil his last farthin’. You paid the devil his due. Lizzie, ya’ did the right thing. When ya’ told us the things he said, I thought myself a fool fer not seein’ through his shenanigans. We was protected by both God an’ you, Lizzie. OK, c’mon Jose, let’s git ‘im in here.

Scene 19

Gabriel

An’ so, they did jus’ that. Ramon was a mess, totally delirious and totally confused ‘bout what was goin’ on around ‘im, but somehow he knew these strange people were helpin’ ‘im an’ he seemed grateful for that. The nearest town was jus’ ten minutes away and all went accordin’ to plan. Ramon Antonio Emiliano Rodriquez lived to tell about it, but he never did remember much ta’ tell.

So on they drove, through the night, finally leavin’ New Mexico behind — a hodgepodge a’ memories that would never be forgotten. When Josiah started noddin’ off at the wheel, Thyme drove while everyone slept an’ Lizzie squirmed an’ shuddered in her dreams. The sun rose on the Arizona highway up ahead, an’ Thyme, in her mind bid good mornin’ to her friend, God … an’ His child.

Just A Little Touch – Reprise 3

Thyme

I thank ya’ Lord this mornin’

I thank ya’ for the lion-heart

a’ Miss Lizzie

I thank you for her courage

An’ I thank you for this sunrise

That lights our way

An’ I ask that you watch over us

This day

An’ I pray you go before us

How could I ask for more

I don’t ask for much

I don’t ask for much

Jus’ a little such an’ such

Just a little touch

I don’t … ask for much

Oh no,

Jus’ a little such an’ such

Just a little touch

Just a little touch

Just a little …