Hand-me-Down Dragons Pt2 - (by posted date)

The brick building could have been found in the dictionary as the perfect example of utilitarian. No one had taken the time to put any features into the design and cost was the primary concern. It was here to serve a purpose and that purpose was not adding beautification or character to the small downtown area.

I walked into the lobby and checked in with the teller. My appointment wasn't for another 30 minutes but there wasn't any point in sitting in the car. The rest of the stores hadn't opened yet and I'd already hit my limit on coffee for the day during my two hour drive this morning to get here. What I'd seen of the area had set it in my mind as quaint and backward. It had seemed 70 years had fallen away as I had crossed state and county lines. Maybe more.

An older man with bright gray eyes came in not long after me. The teller greeted him with a friendly "Good morning, Joe" and pointed him my way. I had spoken to Joe a couple of times over the phone and hadn't expected him to be sporting white hair. He had sounded much younger. I stood as he turned and extended his hand.

"Good morning, Katie! Nice to finally put a face with the name." He paused and took my hand in both of his. "It is good to see you. I think last time you were in town must've been when you were still in diapers! Now I can see just as much of your father in you as I did before."

I smiled and battled that strange embarrassment that always comes up when someone brings up remembering you before you could even form a sentence. "Nice to meet you as well! I have to admit that I don't recall anything from being here before. Once Dad passed, Mom didn't keep in touch with his family. She had her hands full with making sure we kept our heads above water."

"Understandable. I always thought she felt like she didn't quite fit. And your dad was itching to get gone and see what kind of life he could build once he got through college. And he made a damn good one." Joe turned and gestured for me to walk ahead of him. "We're gonna be using my office today. The paperwork will be the quick part. It was kept pretty neat and clean as far as documentation. It just took forever for the county and state to catch up."

The desk had to be as old as he was. Possibly older. He wasn't going for the industrial-use look. The stacks of papers came as a surprise. I assumed every bank used computers for everything they did anymore. The office looked like it contained every record from the entire county for the past 50 years.

He slid some papers to the side and cleared an area to work before retrieving a folder from a briefcase. There wasn't much to the folder. I wasn't sure what I was expecting though. To me it seemed like an occasion that should come with much more process and multiple copies of multiple papers and forms I had never heard of. Perhaps I had exaggerated it in my own imagination. "Once we get these signed, I'll file them with the courthouse for you. All the filing is included in the service. Once they put it on record, they'll send you the final copy for your records. You'll also get a copy of everything today for your own records in case someone misplaces something or there's another delay somewhere." He opens the folder as he sits and waves a hand at the chair on my side of the desk. "Take a seat and we'll get these done and you back out and on your way."

I sat and took the pen he offered me. Green with the bank logo emblazoned down the side. I fiddled with it nervously. In hindsight, I had probably overdone it on the coffee. He started laying papers out in order and explaining each. It really wasn't many. "Cathy had the place paid off ages ago. So no worries about a mortgage. The only thing paid on the place is the property taxes and I'm sure the county will mail you the bill for those right quick. They're paid in halves here. First half due in July and last half due in January. Since it sat in probate for so long, you'll be looking at probably having to get a year's worth caught up." I nodded and signed where he pointed.

I glanced over the next page. "This one is for her bank accounts. It's not a fortune by any means but it will get a couple things fixed around the place. Though if you're handy at all, a lot can be done yourself. And there's always folks around here willing to pick up odd jobs." Another signature.

The transfer of property was next. I had seen the description of the place when they had contacted me to tell me I had inherited it but it was still a bit surreal. My grandmother had grown up and raised her family on the farm. Her husband had moved to it with her when own father had passed and they had taken care of her mother and then raised a couple of kids. Most of which hadn't lived long into adulthood. A signature affliction of the area and way of life here I guess. Transfer signed, the family homestead was back in family hands. I had finally done it. Nearly a year spent patiently calling and emailing with a local lawyer and the bank and courthouse to get all the i's dotted and t's crossed. The day was finally here.

He brought out the last paper a bit more slowly and grimaced. "There is one oddity in the whole process that's a bit particular to our area." I looked up quickly. The transfer was signed. That was the that. Surely something wouldn't stop the process now. Joe sighed looked from the paper to me. 'You also have to take on the dragon."

I blinked. The what? I had really had too much coffee this morning. Joe was spinning the paper to where I could see it. "I'm sorry. I was up really early to get here and I didn't sleep well at the hotel. I didn't catch what you said," I leaned over to read the paper and make myself focus.

"Nope," he looked resigned, "I'm sure you heard me perfectly fine. The dragon has to be signed for as well. He goes with the property and it's legally required on those particularly gifted properties that those papers have to be filed as well." He watched me. "I wanted to make sure I was the one here to explain it to you since I was sure you weren't aware. Most people that end up with one of these... blessed... places know what's coming. The animal has been in the family for generations and everyone knows it and no explanation needed. And then sometimes the dragon doesn't opt to stay on in others where there's some break in the tradition. This particular one has been making house calls to find out when my appointment was with you to get these signed. He was not interested in the courts and what they needed to do but we talked him off of coming to a couple of council meetings." Joe paused here again realizing he had lost me.

"Surely this is just some local joke?" I wrinkled my nose and forehead. "You don't actually transfer dragons. Like, this is just local lore and a way to integrate the outsiders?" I scrambled to understand what he was telling me. A dragon? What had just happened? Mythical creatures don't exist and they definitely don't get transferred or go to council meetings...

Joe just showed me where to sign. "This one's name is Raider. You'll want to introduce yourself when you drive out to the place. I have the keys to the house. I can follow you out to make introductions and help you check the place over and make sure everything is intact." I signed the bottom of the paper. I didn't know what else to do.

"Raider?" I asked like a parrot. It has a name?

Joe took the paper and smiled, reaching a set of keys over to me. "Congratulations, Katie! And welcome home. I'm sure glad to have a Fitch back in town. Once you get settled and used to us, I'm sure you'll find plenty of folks that will catch you up on what's what. Let's get you out to the farm so you can lay your eyes on Cathy's pride and joy and see what you're getting yourself into." He walked around the desk and to the door. "I'm sure she's breathin a sigh of relief in her heavenly home that it's all worked out the way she wanted."

I followed him out. Apparently about to see my new homestead and "dragon". That I had inherited. I'd been waiting on this day for nearly a year. But it had sure gotten strange fast.