Outhouse Dreams

Outhouse Dreams

Petrach followed the address on the gilt-edged card to a converted
outhouse on the outskirts of town. In front of the outhouse on a square
of crumbling concrete was a selection of goods for sale. Petrach
ignored the people scrabbling through the goods and went straight to
the man who had a bag of loose change hanging around his neck.

"Are you Yoyo?" said Petrach.

"One and the same," said the man. The man was tall and angular with a
nose like a corn-on-the-cob.

"Yogi sent me," said Petrach. "He said that you had a map for
sale."

"Everything's for sale," said Yoyo. "Tomorrow I am off to the
colonies."

Petrach shifted his feet impatiently. "The map?" he said.

"Follow me," said Yoyo.

Petrach followed Yoyo into the converted outhouse. A number of toilet
stalls still existed with yellow and encrusted cisterns within
them.

"Up here," said Yoyo.

Petrach found himself going up a ladder and then he was on the top of
the outhouse. There was a chair here and a bookcase full of
books.

"I did my best reading up here," said Yoyo. "I found the view quite
inspiring."

"Yes, yes," said Petrach. "But about this map?"

"And at night," said Yoyo, "you could see the moon so clearly."

"The moon," said Petrach excitedly. "Your map is of the moon?"

"Why of course," said Yoyo. "What else?"

Petrach took a deep intake of breath. Perhaps this was the moment he
had been waiting for all his life.