Quilts

The Quilt of Hooper Harms
"'Not for me,' Hooper Harms told each passerby right proudly. 'Ain't some leftover to be put in the fridge.' Any concerned about Hooper's intentions didn't let it show. Townfolk'd heard him spout his notions on random topics, just 'bout each moment of every day. From the look on the pilgrim's faces? The quiet of space seemed like a blessing."

The Quilt of Television Tim
"'My stories is on,' Television Tim told the field reps who came a'callin'. He were the kind of body liked things a particular way. When his kin offered him a bigger set, he declined cuz it'd meant movin' 'round his furniture. When the broadcasts stopped? On went taped reruns, complete with commercials."

The Quilt of Good Phil Droog
"For a religious feller, Good Phil Droog sue spent a lot of time arguin'. Didn't seem to grant him much peace t'all. Hollered 'til he was red in the face, 'bout how what was occurin' wasn't actually occurrin'. 'Said so in this here book,' he roared. 'No more earthly disaster!' Night 'fore the evacuation, sinkhole took his house, him with it. Still hear shoutin', some say."

The Quilt of Tin Foil Pat
"Few folks were more convinced of others tryin' to control their thoughts than ole Pat Earl. Been wearin' a tin foil hat to deflect guv'ment 'mind beams' 'bout near forty year when word came down about The Evacuation. Reacted 'bout how ye'd expect... Bought all the aluminum a fella could carry, hunkered down in his bunker. Ain't been seen since."

The Quilt of Joe Coxcomb
"Whenever you were meant to meet Joe Coxcomb, y'hadda tell 'im a time an hour earlier, so you'd only beat 'im there a little. Perfection ain't quick he'd say, an' it was true he was an immaculate dresser. When the hour came for The Evacuation, he didn't know what to wear fer such an auspicious occasion. By the time he had the right outfit sussed out, his ship'd long since sailed."

The Quilt of Captain Enos
"Captain Enos had himself a few mills along the river an' liked to survey 'em all from this big boat he ownt. After need dried up an' his factories shut down, he saw the water start to dlear o'er time an' felt right guilty about his part dirtyin' it. When the eggheads tole it was past time fer this place, he abstained departin' on general principles. Didn't seem right to use up a world an' throw it away."

The Quilt of the Artist Zeppo
"Out on the fringes of town lives a tall recluse went by the name of Zeppo. Some kinda artist type, sold her work in the big city to rich folk who could afford idle time fer lookin' at things an' thinkin'. Had this condition meant she weren't long fer this world, if untreated. When news of The Evac hit, she locked her doors an' kept on makin' art. This time I'spect, just fer herself."

The Quilt of the Cat Lady Drear
"Mary Drear had a big ole house full of cats she loved more than breathin'. That place held twin Siamese, dozen Calico, twenny count Persian, a big Maine Coon the size of a man, and a hairless born with a spleen on the outside what needed special care. When a Field Rep tole her only one critter per person could come with? Well... didn't have to ask her twice if she was stayin' or going'."

The Quilt of Me & You
"That accounts fer nine folk I knew round here. All gone now I fear. But I wonder more about you, who found this here quilt. What's your piece of thread 'bout? Just born too late, I reckon. What's my tale, y'ask? Well, somebody had to document this, I reckon. Absurd or sad, funny or mean, we all deserve our story told."