Did Hickory have the perfect life? Of course it felt like he almost did, all that hard work? Building them important structures that everybody loved so much, that the market was just plum full since people now knew them marbles were worth a bit?

That was good! That was real good!

That they didn't have to worry bout no monsters like other folk cause they'd cleared em out proper, now it was just keeping up! Just one or two bubbles a day. Two if he was lucky, but that was life...

Life was simple, as it should be. It really could be if you let it. Most of the time...

Life should be easy - if a man was smart he didn't go and make things complicated. But a man could only do so much on his own, sometime's a man needed something more then his own hands could accomplish -

It's not to say a man couldn't take care of everything on his own, Hickory knew that there were times you had to do it all, you had to help yourself or just go without. And it was easier that way -

But Hickory couldn't do everything the best. Not on his own! Not all the time! Not when there was a better way - and he reckoned that's where a lot of the worlds troubles started, trying to get some help with some of them harder problems...

Because women were complicated. They were all sorts of complicated, that you looked at a woman and could just see it. Like May, when he'd gone lookin' she had a bunch of bows, ribbons, and lace and -

If he could get her to be a little less complicated, perhaps? If he could get it down to where she was simple, just her and him working on that hard problem he had? It wouldn't be so hard if she just helped him out a little -

"Are you cryin May?" Hickory asked outside, just after church, she'd looked fine up there playing her piano during the end of Sunday service, he'd missed the sermon - the whole standing up and sitting down and listening part, but Hickory had gone to church -

For the last part where she played, and then they had a bunch of snacks. Good snacks -

And May hadn't been crying up until she'd seen him, just now -

"It's nothing, Hickory." May said fanning her eyes, "There was just - you're so busy already, don't worry a thing about it."

Hickory looked at her, but nodded. He was busy, but he was here for something important...he took a bite of the pastry, it was filled with cheese and meat and he liked those things, it was very good - May had made them, if he could eat like this forever? And if May was fine, now -

"I was thinking you'd like to go down to the river, May." Hickory nodded, "It's a bright day, a nice day just for maybe putting your toes in the water, a bit of fishing as well and I'll show you something neat, where all the fish come out, how big it is, now."

"Oh, that does sound wonderful, Hickory, I do want to see the hatchery at some point." May said, but her eyes wandered, her head turning - she seemed distracted and Hickory found himself scooting over to make sure he stayed in her view, and he realized her eyes had gone misty again - "I'm afraid I wouldn't be good company today, there's just so much going on."

Hickory frowned - looked over in the direction she was staring. There was a group of people speaking to May's father, and he had a serious look on his face -

"Thank you for coming, Hickory." May said, she wrapped a parcel of the snacks she'd made up in a plate and set them in his hands he'd had up, to maybe touch - then she hurried off -

Hickory looked down at the plate, and it was certainly something. That he'd come by perhaps with the intent of emptying more then fill-in' - well...he was a bit ornery, just then - as he walked over to see what had May all worked up in not quite the manner he was wanting - not interrupting, instead just listening.

"We have watched society crumble." A man said, "Perhaps it's not a crime but certainly it's immoral, and if we're to be doing the policing, then it won't be -"

"Dale." Preacher Stoddard interrupted, "I implore you. Today's sermon was on the Golden Rule for a reason - if you want to apply aspects from the Bible, start with the good. Be the example. Read about tending your crops, read of the humble mustard seed - not just because food scarcity is going to become a problem, but because God wants us to grow as people."

Hickory found himself nodding, even if he wasn't a fan of mustard - he knew not every man had cookin as good as Ma's, or a plate of nice snacks made up by May -

"Of course, Preacher Stoddard," Dale said, "It's just we risk growing weeds as well, if people see we won't put up with moral degeneracy then isn't that also good? Those sorts are already moving out here from the cities -"

Hickory was confused, thought he'd imagined this being the cause of May's worry, that she'd just been making things complicated and was walking off -

"If it gets to a point where we need to police ourselves." Pastor Stoddard's words seemed...not happy - "We will monitor this, we can be ready. We can continue to meet each week after church and discuss -"

That caused Hickory to pause -

"We'll continue to pray and find a solution and -"

Hickory was a big fan of minding his own business - but, the thing was -

"What's going on here?" Hickory said stepping in, "What's going on with this weekly meeting?"

Because he couldn't have May upset every week - he'd asked her when he could see her and she'd said she was very busy but he could see her Sunday. Sunday - after church. Of course Hickory had came - this first Sunday, not missing his chance, worn nice clothes, his bullet belt and combed his hair -

"Hickory." Preacher Stoddard said, surprised - the other men looked, "Thank you for coming."

There was a murmuring from the others - his name, and other words. Hickory reckoned they knew who he was which was good, he didn't have to make an introduction - he nodded, waiting -

"The meeting is about how to proceed with town safety, the men have organized a bit of a militia to help your efforts, volunteers to fight against the wandering shadows."

Hickory nodded -

"Some of the men are considering making it an official policing force, establishing some laws for everyones best interest, sort of like a neighborhood watch."

"That sounds right." Hickory said, feeling his attention wander -

Dale spoke, "Then it's settled. If Hickory wants the police to enforce moral guidelines then -"

"Pardon?" Hickory said hearing his name -

"Say it, Dale - stop beating around the bush." One of the men spoke up, he looked outright hostile, "Say what laws you're proposing, he only heard half and -"

"I didn't propose the laws, Ben, the Bible did." Dale said, "And it's about time we got back to taking it literally, we've been lax -"

"We've been civilized!" Ben said, "Next you'll have us stoning women for -"

"Now ya'll need to hold on up." Hickory said, "I'm not following what's going on here and I don't care enough to really try."

They paused and turned - Preacher Stoddard had a strange look, a look that maybe May had told him a few things about Hickory, and -

"Ya'll ain't got to have a meeting to keep people safe, not every damn week - it's real easy, if you see somebody about to get hurt, you stop it."

They blinked and -

"And if that ain't the case, you mind your own business."

There was silence and Preacher Stoddard grinned, the man that had been angry a moment ago had a outright victorious smile and whispered, "Thank God."

But Dale now was the angry one, "So you're saying it's alright for somebody to piss on the -"

Hickory felt bad about it after, but only because he'd squished his snacks a bit in the other hand -

"Now don't be putting words in my mouth." Hickory said - of course Dale couldn't hear him, but his buddies could tell him later.

"Preacher Stoddard," Hickory said, "I'd have a moment, if you aren't busy?"

Hickory felt the crowd of people staring at him - and Preacher Stoddard did have a look, a frown as he took his eyes off where Dale was napping - Hickory followed those eyes to May where she was talking to a lovely woman. Mrs. Waynecock -

It was good to see May talking with that woman, sweeter then pie, she'd told Hickory how handsome he was not but just a bit ago and pointed out what snacks May had cooked up, he'd thanked her proper -

"Yes, Hickory. I think we should speak, over there so we can give Dale some space?"

Hickory nodded, thankful to be out of the crowd still staring like a bunch of lookie-loos. He blew air from his nose -

"I'd like to tell you I intend to see May often." Hickory said once they'd stepped away, "And it would be proper for me to introduce myself to you and your lady wife."

Preacher Stoddard looked down and - "Are you asking to date my daughter?"

"No, I'll be asking May that at a right time, I'm just declaring my intention."

Hickory kept the man's eyes - and if it was the third angry man that'd looked at him today?

"Hickory!" A very pretty woman - and even if he couldn't tell by how she slipped her arm into her husband's, "I'm Valarie, May's mother -"

"It's a pleasure, Ma'am." Hickory said nodding, still not taking his eyes off Preacher Stoddard's reddening face -

"I couldn't quite help overhearing -"

Hickory was sure the woman had been a good twenty paces -

"- and we'd love to have you over for dinner some time, isn't that right James? So all of us can talk."

"That'd be a treat, ma'am." Hickory said, as he watched Mrs. Stoddard tugging her husband - whispering in his ear.

"Good-bye, we've got so much to do today." Mrs. Stoddard said leading the Preacher away by some secret bull ring, just proving how careful a man has to be - that'd not happen to Hickory, not a chance. Turning around he went to get on his dirt bike, only then did he realize - he forgot to ask about the chapel...

Now ain't a good time, not if they're that busy...

And now it would have to wait til next Sunday? Was that alright?

Which of course meant he had a bit of extra points, that he'd have to do something else? The only question was what?

The good news was the book hadn't been crazy of late, hadn't kept giving him a whole slew of new choices for him to puzzle over, that it just made sense to finally go and build that church proper...

That seeing Dale acting so uncivil had him thinking about the other choices though -

Town Hall - A structure for Civil Organization...

Now could that solve the problem? Could it be just that easy? And just a bit more than the Chapel? Could that be his good deed this week so he didn't feel bad over how many points he put in that Hatchery, could it get him through to next Sunday?

Hickory nodded - it was decided -