In Which I Meet Duggles And Learn The Makings Of A Freegan

I was lying on Meo’s work table when she got the call.

“Is he OK? He’s not hurt is he? Oh my, what is it?” She said to the person on the other end of the cell phone. There was a great deal strain in her voice and her eyes were closed, I could tell Meo was worried.
Then I saw her face relax just a bit. “OK, tell me all about it,” she said. A few minuets passed while Meo and the person on the other end of the cell phone exchanged information and such. Then Meo closed her phone. She stood very still for a while, deep in thought. She exhaled softly and whispered to herself, “Duggles.”

“Honey, she yelled, “We’ve got an issue.”
Little did I know that this was to be the beginning of yet another adventure.

It was but the next morning; Meo and her rolling-eyed husband walked down from their upstairs bedroom, bags packed, and talking of gassing up the car.
Meo spoke to her rolling-eyed husband;
“I’ll tell you one thing. Hitty is coming along and he is going to hold her while I take a picture no matter how silly he thinks it is. And another thing, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind! He’s not going to get away without his mom telling him what a stupid thing this is to do!” She shook her head in discussed as she spoke.

So go we did, and once again I was tossed into the bottom of Meo’s purse. I cautioned myself, “You better hold on for this ride.” >>>>>>>>>>>>

As yet, I still did not understand exactly what was to come about. To be honest, I was simply grateful to be going along, and hoped beyond hope that Meo would take me out of her purse and allow me to view the sights along the way. I could hear music, probably coming from the car radio. I could also hear Meo and rolling-eyed husband holding sporadic conversations.
And so it came, over the next few hours I gathered enough information. I was to come to some very peculiar conclusions, the likes of which I had never inferenced before. Mercy, I thought, could it be that Meo’s son, who I had heard her call Duggles, was in trouble with the law? Could Meo be the mother of a criminal? Were we to be visiting him behind bars? Would Duggles be wearing stripped clothing as I had seen some bad men wearing on the big screen?
I had heard Meo say we should be there by this evening. Presently, I also heard the man on the radio say it was near to ten o clock in the morning. So I made ready for a long, long ride.
I found it rather dark down in the purse and a bit warm. Even though Meo had left her purse open, as would have it, along with the purr of the car and a cozy feeling overwhelming me, I could feel myself starting to doze off.

I awoke with a start! It was the car door slamming shut. Oh! No! Had I been left behind? Curiously enough, it seems this has become a far more familiar event, such that I was not alarmed as much as one would have thought. So over the course of the next few minutes I simply generated the pleasant images that sometimes gather in my thoughts and bring me comfort. I thought of a little girl whose name was Thankful and a rosebud sash and new slippers and a party. It came to me as strange that some of these thoughts might appear, for I never know of where they come. Before I was too deep in such, Meo and her rolling-eyed husband were back and gathered in their seats and belts; ready, afresh to travel.
Again, I expected that Meo might remember that I was but just at her feet, and would then pick me up. Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised when she took my picture, as she learned the workings of her new camera, but I was disappointed as I was left in the purse for what seamed like a dreadfully long time.

At last Meo reached down and picked me up and sat me prettily at the window. >>>>>>>>

What I saw was beyond anything I could have imagined; miles and miles of pasture, more cows than I could count and white sheep in green, green fields of grass. To my back, (for Meo had sat me such that I was traveling backwards) there looked to be what was a long wide road with trucks and cars all going extremely fast. What a thrill! It seamed as though I sat for sometime in this wonderful spot. I think I could never tire of this amazing view of a country side of which I was to discover was western Oregon.

And so it came to pass that we traveled the long road to a town where Duggles was jailed. It took but a short time to free him. I understood that there was some money paid and some documents signed. Then Duggles emerged from his confinements. It was the very first time I had laid eyes on Duggles. He was a man I will not forget soon. He seamed a stranger, yet somehow familiar. His eyes bore a sameness to Meo’s and his smile, though charming, was somewhat mischievous. It was as if he was as a lively-young boy. I immediately took a liking to him.

Evidently Meo and rolling-eyed husband were, if not spirited by his presents, at the very least, incredibly glad to see him. Meo hugged him and smiled widely.
This reunion was not without it’s moments of uneasiness, though. Meo, as she had said, surely “gave him a piece of her mind.” Duggles, rolled his eyes, (a male family trait) and agreed with his mother and voiced his regrets at doing “such a dumb thing.”

Now comes the most interesting part. It came to pass that Duggles was living in a tent in the woods and was indeed rather enjoying himself. As he spoke of his life I listened with a bit of envy for he had taken pleasure in some very grand adventures. Alas Duggles was particularly proud to be leaving a small carbon imprint on the earth. So of course I listened intently with wonder. I was mystified as to how such a large man could leave a small print. For the most part, Meo and rolling-eyed husband seamed to be enjoying his oration. However, I could see there were times when it seemed very challenging for them to relate to this chosen way of life.
The day was all but over when Meo when rolling-eyed husband found their way to a place of sleep for the night. The next morning we were on the road again, and from what I could gather, on our way home.

It was but a day later that I overheard Meo and what I assumed was one of her daughters talking. I think this was the teacher one, for she always seemed to have a great many explanations for all manner of things.
“Mom,” she said, “There is a name for what Duggles is. They’re called Freegans, you know like vegans, they live off the leftovers of what they perceive as the capitalistic world by living off its excesses. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society they feel is based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.”………………………

Upon reflection, I can feel only pleasure in once again understanding some small part of what humans are.


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Note: If you are interested in understanding more of what a Freegan is Hitty and Meo invite you to go read this article.