DAD-SURG Rhoderick D. Ice All rights reserved © 1999
"Children! Come on! We've got to get to the Spaceport. Your Grandpa is having surgery tomorrow on Tiberias and I have to be there!"
The com unit chimed. "Accept," I said. The screen lit up and Tritch's rugged face appeared.
"Reba! I'm at the Spaceport! What's happening with Dad?"
"Tritch! My Galaxy roaming brother!"
"Tell me about Dad? What are they going to do?""
"The doctor is doing surgery tomorrow, on Tiberias. There's too much to tell over the com. We are on our way to the Spaceport now. I'll explain when I get there."
"Ruth, Stin, come on!" We rushed out to the waiting transportation floater and were whisked away to the Spaceport.
When we arrived, we worked our way through the crowds to the Incoming Area.
Ruth was leading the way. She saw Tritch first. He was dressed in Old Earth cowboy style, just like in the Videos.
We hurried to him as quickly as the crowds would allow.
"Uncle Tritch!" Stin screamed!
I gave him a hug that cracked his ribs. "My brother, the galactic gypsy!"
"Whew! What a welcome! I'm sure back home!"
The children each gave him a big hug.
"Let's sit over there," I said. We gathered in a corner.
"I can't get over the children. Ruth, you are a woman now. What are you, about 20? And Stin, you must be at least 11. And Reba, my sister. You don't look a day older!"
"Tritch, you still look the same. Where did you come from this time?"
"Seltan Pri. I came as quickly as I could when I got the news about Dad. "
"Seltan Pri," I said. "The Aurorans? You've been living among the Aurorans? That explains the cowboy clothing."
"Yes. But tell me, what about Dad? He was never sick. Will he be all right? Is it the big C?"
"Tritch, we don't know yet. It may be."
"Why don't they bring him back to Earth? Tiberias seems so far away."
"They can't wait. He was losing a lot of blood. The tests show dysplasia, tissue change in three polyps, possible cancer. The surgeon must operate now."
"I can't imagine Dad being sick!" Tritch said. "He was always the rock of strength."
"It comes to everyone," said Reba.
"But not Dad! You've had lots of surgery. But has Dad ever been sick?"
"Not that I can remember. Mom, yes. And Ronto always said he was made out of old used parts. But not Dad."
"What will the doctor do?"
"He has to cut Dad open and find out what is happening. They've already given Dad some units of blood. But he is losing it somewhere. Doctor Flower did the original exam, and he expects the worst. But Doctor Norjah will be doing the surgery. He is more hopeful. He says you've got to get inside before you can see what is actually happening."
"Isn't there some other way? Don't they have some new procedure to remove the polyps electronically?"
"Only sometimes. Dad has to be done the hard way."
Stin spoke up: "Uncle Tritch, will Grandpa be better?"
Tritch did his best to sound strong for Stin. "Dr. Norjah says he's still hearty as an ox! And just as stubborn. His lungs and heart are both good. The doctor is hopeful."
"We are all hopeful," I said. "Dad will come through this and be all right!"
"Does he still want Old Earth food?" asked Tritch.
"Biscuits and gravy. But the hospital won't let Mom bring it to him."
Ruth blinked. "Wouldn't that Earth cuisine make Grandpa sicker? That doesn't sound like hospital food."
"Why does Grandpa want to eat that way?" asked Stin. "What part of Earth is he from?"
"Grandpa was born off-world at a service colony on the moon," I said. "His father worked for the SpaceCorps."
"You mean Grandpa is an alien?" said Stin. "Cool!"
I smacked him with the back of my hand. "No, No! Your Grandfather comes from Old Earth stock. His father, your great-grandfather, was born in West Virginia."
"Yeah," said Tritch. "Your Grandpa helped engineer the chain of stations from here to Saturn! They included his name on the 'Wall of Heroes' at New Cleveland!"
Stin's eyes were wide. "On . . .Mars!"
"That old timer has been all over," said Tritch.
"Well, what must be, I guess," I said. "We're wasting time. Let's get to Departure. Ruth, you watch out for Stin while I'm gone. You know your father. We'll call you when we get there."
Ruth and Stin stood watching as we hurried through the crowds.
We walked through the scanners into the Departure Area. We went to the Destination Screen and touched the proper code for Tiberias. Then each of us stared into the opticon viewer to allow our right eyes to be identified and to debit our accounts. This also identified each of us as a passenger to board the Ship. This has been normal security since the beginning of the 21st century. There are few terrorists anymore. Yet security remains tight. That's the government for you.
A floater took us to the Space Ship. We were among the hundreds who were going to Tiberias on this flight.
Before we entered the airlock which led to the Ship, there was another opticon viewer which identified each of us.
We walked through to the passenger area and settled in our seats. The safety restraints gently moved into place. We would get a few hours of sleep before docking in the morning.
The intercom beeped. "This is Captain Stevens speaking. We dock at Tiberias Cylinder at 0500 hours. Prepared to debark. Our stopover will be one solar day."
We hurried to gather our carry-on things. What baggage we had would be off-loaded by the ship's personnel.
The docking signal sounded. We picked up our bags, stepped into the airlock along with some others, and waited for it to cycle. Then we walked through to Customs.
"Please step through the scanner." A senior citizen, very military in appearance, was sitting at the desk.
We queued up with the others and stepped through the scanner one by one. Then each of us stared into the opticon eye identification camera. Everything was as it should be.
The official gave each of us temporary resident cards and breathings permits. "Enjoy your stay," he said, and waved us on through.
We stepped through the doorway into Tiberias City. The view took my breath away. Green things everywhere! Plants and flowers and potted trees and bushes and vines climbing all over. The artificial sunlight filtered through fresh green masses of vegetation tumbling from hanging baskets, tiers and balconies.
"You've seen this many times, haven't you?" I said to Tritch.
He nodded his head. "Many times. But let's get to Dad."
We sent our things on to the hotel. We had reserved rooms. Then we boarded a floater to Central Hospital.
We entered the lobby of the Hospital and approached the computer terminal. A man sitting near a potted plant got up and came over to us.
"Saluton! You are Rod's family from Earth?"
"We are," Tritch said.
"I'm Lloyd Nivea. I'm one of the elders of the Church of Christ here on Tiberias. As is Rod. He's one of our elders. We want to let you know we are with you in all this. Rod never gets sick! It's hard to imagine."
"I'm Tritch, his son; this is Reba, his daughter."
"Rod has spoken of you. I'll take you to him."
Central Hospital felt strange. Out here in Space things are done differently. Tiberias was designed by an architect and his team from San Francisco back on Earth. Some of our ancestors once lived near there. Traveling seems to be in our blood. But more in Tritch's blood than mine, I thought.
I wonder how Tritch feels about all this? My legs feel stiff, heavy. I feel nauseous. How long has it been since I saw my parents? Two years? More? And when did Tritch last see them?"
Lloyd led the way into the room. We saw a man in a doctor's uniform.
But our eyes went to Dad. He had fallen asleep to the mellow buzz of the stasis field. He had aged since I had seen him last. His skin was pale and dry. I wondered what Tritch thought? He hadn't seen Dad for some time.
"This is Dr. Lowe," Lloyd said.
I remembered him from somewhere. "Dr. Lowe," I said, "good to see you."
"I remember you," he said. "Good to see you again. Your father has been asking for you and your brothers."
Tritch shook his hand.
A nurse came in. She looked at Tritch and said, "You sure look like your Dad."
I thought I saw a tear in Tritch's eye.
Then Mom came in. I thought she looked very tired, and gray. She has been here through all of this.
"Hi, Momma!" Tritch said. He gave her a big hug. I hugged her too.
Momma patted my back, then looked up at Tritch.
"Look at you," she said to Tritch. "You're so trim! Have you been on a diet?"
"Mom, how is he?" I asked.
"Exhausted," she sighed. "It's taken all of his energy to fight this thing. But the stasis field helps keep things in balance. It keeps the oxygen level high for him, and it keeps him warm."
Tritch shivered and said, "I'm not ready for this, Momma."
"No one ever is," she said. She touched his cheek.
"Don't you have a new wife?" she asked.
"She will be here shortly," Tritch said. "I came on as quickly as I could from Seltan Pri."
"She is an Auroran?" I asked. "You married an Auroran?"
"You got a problem with that?" Tritch said.
I quickly shook my head, "No."
Just then Dad began to stir. The stasis field was still a pale blue-white arc over his bed. He sat up against the pillows, The field generator peeped, then shut off.
"Tritch. You finally took a day off from running around the galaxy."
Tritch hugged Dad for a long time. "It's me," he said.
Dad looked over. "And Reba."
I gave Dad a hug. "I love you, Dad," I said.
"How long are you here, Son?" He pulled the blanket up a little.
"I'm going to stay put a while, Dad. My traveling days are over."
"You met a girl? It must be that."
"You'll like her, Dad. She's on the way here now. From Seltan Pri."
"I was there once," Dad said.
More people were coming into the room.
"Where's Ronto?" Dad asked. "Did he come with you?"
"He's on the way," I said. "I called him."
"Did Ronto ever get a wife?" Dad asked.
"Not that I know of," I said. "He doesn't talk about much to us. We won't know he has a wife until he brings her to meet us."
Dad fell back, and the stasis switched on again. He looked so tired. He had lost weight. Only a shadow of the beefy giant that was my father.
By now the room was crowded. A nurse came in, waving her electronic clipboard. "Please! Can't we give the patient some room!"
"I'll be in the waiting area," Lloyd said. "You know, all of this is on video. The central computer views everything and records it. All the church people are watching. We love Rod and we are all praying for his recovery."
The church really is family. That's how it is at home. I hadn't thought about Tiberias that much. But it surely would be the same here.
"We've got a great group here, no better anywhere in the galaxy," Dr. Lowe said. "Dr. Norjah is one of the best surgeons. Your Dad is in good hands. And your father's attitude is good. We'll do our best. We promise you that!"
"Thanks, Doc!" Tritch said.
A blue clad orderly appeared at the door with a gurney.
"All right people," the nurse said. "Let's clear the room. Mr. Glacio is due in surgery. Now!"
I steadied Mom as we walked outside. We went to the waiting area. Central Hospital is like everything else on Tiberias, very compact and squeezed together. There isn't much room to spare. But then again things aren't all that different in the big cities of Earth.
We watched as they rolled Dad through a set of glass sliding doors. He gave us a 'thumbs up' sign.
"Let's go sit in the solarium just around the corner," Mom said. "It won't be as crowded. We can talk."
We walked through the doorway.
"You know, this is a new journey for me," Tritch said. "Sort of an alternate final frontier."
"It comes to us all," Mom said. "All cultures, races, planets. Sickness, and death. But Dad is going to get well!"
"You better believe it!" Tritch said. "Dad has just got to get well!"
We looked up to see Lloyd Nivea and some others coming into the solarium. We could use all the support we could get at this time.
"We've come to sit with you," Lloyd said. "Rod is dearly loved by us all."
After what seemed a long time a nursing assistant came around the corner.
"You can come in. The doctor is finished and Mr. Glacio is in recovery."
"Thank you," I said to the nurse.
She led the way for us.
Dr. Norjah came through the doorway.
"Rod was in stage one cancer - which is good. Things could have been much worse. But he had internal bleeding. This caused our main problem. It was touch and go for a while. We gave him nine units of blood. The next 48 hours will tell the tale."
"Thanks Dr. Norjah," I said. "We appreciate your help. We know he was in good hands with you. And certainly God was there for him. For all of us!"
We could hardly tear ourselves away, but we had no choice, We must return to Earth. Dad is surrounded by people who love him. Surely he will get the best care. He will recover!
I can't believe it has been two years since Dad's surgery. I've got to talk with him. I wonder how he's doing?
I sat down at the videophone. I clicked the address bar. A winking dot told me the videophone was ringing on the other end at Tiberias.
"Rod here," he answered. His picture flashed on the screen. "Oh, Reba! How are you and the children? I wish you were all here with me now! I miss you all!"
"Dad! You're looking well! Has it really been two years since your surgery? I can't believe it!"
"I can hardly believe it either! So much has happened. But I seem to be my old self again. I have my strength back. I can do much of what I used to do. But I get tired now and then. It couldn't be because I'll soon turn seventy."
"Oh, Dad! You'll live to be a hundred! But we did have our doubts. It worried us to death to see you in that hospital bed, white as a sheet. And to think what was happening to you. We thank the Lord that He brought you through!"
"How are the children?"
"Ruth wrote a poem for class and the teacher sent it away to be published. I'm so proud! She is following in your footsteps. And Stin has been involved in that science project. He's received honors! You'll be proud of them both!"
"I wish Earth wasn't so far away. You could move up here? I have to live on Tiberias as you know. This low gravity is good for my heart as well as other things. And I am needed here. I keep busy working with the church people. I am doing something and I feel worthwhile."
We talked on for some time. You should see my videophone bill! But if I can't see Dad in person, I can at least talk with him.
Then I thought of a question.
"Dad, there's a lady in church here who just had a colostomy. I want to help her. How do you deal with using the Necessary? I mean, at home is one thing, but out somewhere else, what do you do?"
"Well, I have learned what to do. Reba, are you sure that you want to hear this?"
"Dad, I did raise kids. I've seen it all."
"Well, it is messy and it sure isn't sanitary. I go into the Necessary to the stall by the receptacle. I tear off about ten sheets of paper and put them where I can get to them. I take the clip off the pouch and empty it into the receptacle. Then I take a sheet of paper and wipe down into the pouch to clean it out about three inches into it. I have to wipe several times, as much as necessary. I said it wasn't sanitary. Then I put the clip back on, and go wash with that soap that sterilizes germs. Then I'm all done."
"And you have to do that every time?"
"It isn't so hard. It is a nuisance, but I can live with it, and do. It could be worse. I'm alive and well. I can preach and teach and go places and do things. Praise the Lord for all that!"
"Dad, we are so glad that you can! We worry so much about you and Mom. We love you very much!"
"Well, Dad, I have to go. Love you both! I'll talk at you later. Good-bye."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Gone To The Country chapter 1
Note to the reader. This is fiction and the names and places are used fictitously. Big Al, Tiny, Cherokee, and the rest of the crew are "real" to the author. We meet their descendants on Tinberias Cylinder. Those descendants would eventually be sent back to Earth to land just up the hill above the Mowrer farm. This a prehistory of them. Rhoderick D. Ice All rights reserved © 1999
GONE TO THE COUNTRY
R. D. ICE
Big Al was just ready to leave on his Harley. It was a Springer Softail, but had been modified and painted to look like the old Captain America Superglide. It had a white tank with red stars, blue fenders, with deer antlers fastened to the handlebars. He was dressed in boots, blue jeans, faded blue jacket, and black crash-helmet. He was to meet the clan at Tiny's house in an hour. He intended to just ride around until then.
Darkness had fallen and the street lights were on. He stood a few moments to smoke a cigarette. As he looked across the broad lawn to the highway, the lights of a car winked out as it turned into the driveway of the apartment complex. He watched, hidden by the shadows. With lights out, the car silently made its way, going past his street toward the building in the rear of the complex. The police! Could they be looking for him?
He panicked! Quickly he hit the starter. The engine roared into life. The tires screamed as he sped toward the exit trying to get to the highway. Behind him the police car switched on its lights and spun a circle to chase after him.
Big Al raced down the hill. He ran through the intersection, narrowly missing a car. The tires howled in protest as he turned sharply to go behind the Supermarket. He could hear the police car trying to make the same turn. He heard them crash into the dumpster. He roared through the narrow gap into the woods beyond. He was safe!
"There's no peace, I tell you." Tiny was talking. He was 300 pounds plus, dressed in black denim. He rode a Heritage Softail Classic, a dresser, lots of leather and chrome, with a sidecar. Big Al was the leader of the group, Tiny was second in command. There were thirty people gathered at Tiny's house. This was a clan, rather than some sort of gang. Most of them were in fact related. Their people had come north during WWII to work in the factories. All of them stuck together as a community. They were technicians and specialists in the industry.
"What is there to do?" asked Wild Bill. "How can we find some peace and freedom? Where can we go?"
They talked over various possibilities. Cherokee said, "the police will certainly not forgive and forget. I can tell you that." Cherokee had been a policeman for a while in southern Ohio, but given it up. He didn't like the regimentation.
These people were highly intelligent, even brilliant. Yet they chaffed at what they considered interference and regimentation. They sometimes played harmless pranks (and some not so harmless) that disturbed the System. This constantly brought them into conflict with the authorities.
"You know," said Big Al, "my Granddad had property in the mountains. I went down last year. His house is still there. Nobody is living in it. There's a big barn, lots of outbuildings. Wide open spaces. And you couldn't find it unless somebody showed you how to get there."
"Sounds good to me," said Jenny Lou."
"I think it stinks," said Wild Bill. "We have good jobs here. What would we have back in the mountains? I've heard my Dad talk about how it was when you couldn't pay your bills, and you had to live on biscuits and beans. No plumbing. It's primitive."
"I agree with Bill," said April.
"Besides," said Wild Bill, "Al and Tiny are the only ones the police are after just now. The rest of us are in the clear for the moment. It's your problem. You are the ones with all the tickets. And that was stupid to run from the police like that. You'll get time in the can. You'll get us all in trouble. Besides, why should we hide back in those hills?"
Others added their voices to the argument. Everyone tried to talk at once. Some wanted to stay right where they were. But others were ready to start for the hills immediately.
Finally Big Al said, "All right, let's settle this. Whoever wants to go with me to the country, way back in the hills, hold up your hand."
Big Al, Jenny Lou, Tiny, Wanda, Cherokee, and Edna held up their hands. All the rest would be staying right where they were, still battling for what they saw as a life of freedom.
About 3 am a caravan left. Big Al, Tiny and Cherokee were on their motorcycles, Jenny Lou drove the van and Edna rode with her. Wanda was driving a pickup. They crossed into Pennsylvania and turned south on the Interstate. They were on their way!
Big Al held up his hand. The silver light of the moon made it almost as clear as day. On the next hill they could see police lights flashing. Some poor trucker had been pulled over.
Big Al gave the signal, and they spread out with a lot of distance between them. They slowed down and crept as silently as they could past the police. The Trooper turned and stared as Big Al went past, but turned back to the trucker. The caravan continued their travel toward the West Virginia line.
As dawn came up, Tiny rode up to Big Al. “Hey, food," he said, pointing to a McDee's. The caravan rolled into the parking lot.
"Do you come this way often?" Big Al looked up from his burrito to see a deputy standing in front of him.
"Just traveling through," said Big Al. "On our way to my Granddad's farm on the other side of Parsons."
("Damn," thought Big Al, "I shouldn't have told him that. Now he'll call ahead.")
The deputy nodded, then turned and went out the door. They saw him go over to their van and closely inspect it, then write down the license number. The van was painted orange with blue and white stars and half-moons. He was still sitting there in his car when the caravan left.
In Parsons they could feel eyes watching them. They stopped and bought groceries, filling up all the space in the van and the pickup. You couldn't buy anything where they were going. Then they stopped to gas up and fill the spare cans. A police car sat in the shadows on a side street, silently watching.
When they reached the top of the mountain, Big Al signaled a conference. "We go down there," he pointed. A narrow road, just wide enough for one car, wound down the side of the mountain to the valley below.
"You got to be kidding," said Edna. "There's no guard rails. You could go off the road and kill yourself."
"The people around here travel it all the time," said Cherokee. "You better get used to things like this."
One by one they started down the mountain road, staying as close to the inner edge as they could. In the van, Edna just leaned back in the seat, braced herself with her feet, and kept her eyes tightly closed.
At the bottom of the mountain, Big Al turned right on the gravel road. It seemed to be following along a small creek. They continued for a few miles, stirring up great clouds of dirty yellow dust from the road surface.
Then Big Al raised his arm, pointed, and turned up what looked to be somebody's driveway. The road kept going on and on, winding up a small hill and around behind it, finally over a bridge, and then between two huge rocks that were as big as houses.
Big Al stopped. He pointed to a faintly outlined trail, overgrown with grass. It looked as though someone had driven a truck through this way a year or two ago. The trail wound around the side of the mountain and disappeared.
Big Al led the way as the others followed. The trail wound up and over and around, then between a big rock and the hillside, with barely enough room for the van to squeeze through. The bumper scraped against one of the rocks. Water ran across the trail, but didn't look very deep. Big Al went right through it, not even slowing down. The van, however, went too far to the right and got stuck in the mud. They spent a few minutes pushing it out. Then they all got going again.
Finally they came to a meadow. Big Al parked. The others did one by one.
"Here we are, said Big Al. He pointed: “That's Mowrer's Creek." He turned to look across the creek. "And that's the house where Grandad raised his family."
A footbridge led across the creek. They saw steps climbing up the bank. At the top was the house.
The house was old, weather-beaten, long unpainted. It was huge, standing on the crest of a knoll. Two stories high, three if you counted the attic with its windows looking out. It must have held a lot of kids. And over to the right was the huge barn. The white paint on it was faded and peeling.
They ran up the steps to look things over. On behind the house they could see rolling fields, lots of wide open spaces, with a ring of mountains closing it in on all sides. Nobody would bother them here.
GONE TO THE COUNTRY
R. D. ICE
Big Al was just ready to leave on his Harley. It was a Springer Softail, but had been modified and painted to look like the old Captain America Superglide. It had a white tank with red stars, blue fenders, with deer antlers fastened to the handlebars. He was dressed in boots, blue jeans, faded blue jacket, and black crash-helmet. He was to meet the clan at Tiny's house in an hour. He intended to just ride around until then.
Darkness had fallen and the street lights were on. He stood a few moments to smoke a cigarette. As he looked across the broad lawn to the highway, the lights of a car winked out as it turned into the driveway of the apartment complex. He watched, hidden by the shadows. With lights out, the car silently made its way, going past his street toward the building in the rear of the complex. The police! Could they be looking for him?
He panicked! Quickly he hit the starter. The engine roared into life. The tires screamed as he sped toward the exit trying to get to the highway. Behind him the police car switched on its lights and spun a circle to chase after him.
Big Al raced down the hill. He ran through the intersection, narrowly missing a car. The tires howled in protest as he turned sharply to go behind the Supermarket. He could hear the police car trying to make the same turn. He heard them crash into the dumpster. He roared through the narrow gap into the woods beyond. He was safe!
"There's no peace, I tell you." Tiny was talking. He was 300 pounds plus, dressed in black denim. He rode a Heritage Softail Classic, a dresser, lots of leather and chrome, with a sidecar. Big Al was the leader of the group, Tiny was second in command. There were thirty people gathered at Tiny's house. This was a clan, rather than some sort of gang. Most of them were in fact related. Their people had come north during WWII to work in the factories. All of them stuck together as a community. They were technicians and specialists in the industry.
"What is there to do?" asked Wild Bill. "How can we find some peace and freedom? Where can we go?"
They talked over various possibilities. Cherokee said, "the police will certainly not forgive and forget. I can tell you that." Cherokee had been a policeman for a while in southern Ohio, but given it up. He didn't like the regimentation.
These people were highly intelligent, even brilliant. Yet they chaffed at what they considered interference and regimentation. They sometimes played harmless pranks (and some not so harmless) that disturbed the System. This constantly brought them into conflict with the authorities.
"You know," said Big Al, "my Granddad had property in the mountains. I went down last year. His house is still there. Nobody is living in it. There's a big barn, lots of outbuildings. Wide open spaces. And you couldn't find it unless somebody showed you how to get there."
"Sounds good to me," said Jenny Lou."
"I think it stinks," said Wild Bill. "We have good jobs here. What would we have back in the mountains? I've heard my Dad talk about how it was when you couldn't pay your bills, and you had to live on biscuits and beans. No plumbing. It's primitive."
"I agree with Bill," said April.
"Besides," said Wild Bill, "Al and Tiny are the only ones the police are after just now. The rest of us are in the clear for the moment. It's your problem. You are the ones with all the tickets. And that was stupid to run from the police like that. You'll get time in the can. You'll get us all in trouble. Besides, why should we hide back in those hills?"
Others added their voices to the argument. Everyone tried to talk at once. Some wanted to stay right where they were. But others were ready to start for the hills immediately.
Finally Big Al said, "All right, let's settle this. Whoever wants to go with me to the country, way back in the hills, hold up your hand."
Big Al, Jenny Lou, Tiny, Wanda, Cherokee, and Edna held up their hands. All the rest would be staying right where they were, still battling for what they saw as a life of freedom.
About 3 am a caravan left. Big Al, Tiny and Cherokee were on their motorcycles, Jenny Lou drove the van and Edna rode with her. Wanda was driving a pickup. They crossed into Pennsylvania and turned south on the Interstate. They were on their way!
Big Al held up his hand. The silver light of the moon made it almost as clear as day. On the next hill they could see police lights flashing. Some poor trucker had been pulled over.
Big Al gave the signal, and they spread out with a lot of distance between them. They slowed down and crept as silently as they could past the police. The Trooper turned and stared as Big Al went past, but turned back to the trucker. The caravan continued their travel toward the West Virginia line.
As dawn came up, Tiny rode up to Big Al. “Hey, food," he said, pointing to a McDee's. The caravan rolled into the parking lot.
"Do you come this way often?" Big Al looked up from his burrito to see a deputy standing in front of him.
"Just traveling through," said Big Al. "On our way to my Granddad's farm on the other side of Parsons."
("Damn," thought Big Al, "I shouldn't have told him that. Now he'll call ahead.")
The deputy nodded, then turned and went out the door. They saw him go over to their van and closely inspect it, then write down the license number. The van was painted orange with blue and white stars and half-moons. He was still sitting there in his car when the caravan left.
In Parsons they could feel eyes watching them. They stopped and bought groceries, filling up all the space in the van and the pickup. You couldn't buy anything where they were going. Then they stopped to gas up and fill the spare cans. A police car sat in the shadows on a side street, silently watching.
When they reached the top of the mountain, Big Al signaled a conference. "We go down there," he pointed. A narrow road, just wide enough for one car, wound down the side of the mountain to the valley below.
"You got to be kidding," said Edna. "There's no guard rails. You could go off the road and kill yourself."
"The people around here travel it all the time," said Cherokee. "You better get used to things like this."
One by one they started down the mountain road, staying as close to the inner edge as they could. In the van, Edna just leaned back in the seat, braced herself with her feet, and kept her eyes tightly closed.
At the bottom of the mountain, Big Al turned right on the gravel road. It seemed to be following along a small creek. They continued for a few miles, stirring up great clouds of dirty yellow dust from the road surface.
Then Big Al raised his arm, pointed, and turned up what looked to be somebody's driveway. The road kept going on and on, winding up a small hill and around behind it, finally over a bridge, and then between two huge rocks that were as big as houses.
Big Al stopped. He pointed to a faintly outlined trail, overgrown with grass. It looked as though someone had driven a truck through this way a year or two ago. The trail wound around the side of the mountain and disappeared.
Big Al led the way as the others followed. The trail wound up and over and around, then between a big rock and the hillside, with barely enough room for the van to squeeze through. The bumper scraped against one of the rocks. Water ran across the trail, but didn't look very deep. Big Al went right through it, not even slowing down. The van, however, went too far to the right and got stuck in the mud. They spent a few minutes pushing it out. Then they all got going again.
Finally they came to a meadow. Big Al parked. The others did one by one.
"Here we are, said Big Al. He pointed: “That's Mowrer's Creek." He turned to look across the creek. "And that's the house where Grandad raised his family."
A footbridge led across the creek. They saw steps climbing up the bank. At the top was the house.
The house was old, weather-beaten, long unpainted. It was huge, standing on the crest of a knoll. Two stories high, three if you counted the attic with its windows looking out. It must have held a lot of kids. And over to the right was the huge barn. The white paint on it was faded and peeling.
They ran up the steps to look things over. On behind the house they could see rolling fields, lots of wide open spaces, with a ring of mountains closing it in on all sides. Nobody would bother them here.
Gone To The Country chapter 2
Chapter 2
This was Grandad Mowrer's farm! Grandad had raised his children here. The farm had fed them well. It was out in the middle of nowhere. Mountains all around. Wide open spaces. Freedom! They had lots of freedom. Nobody here to tell them what to do. They had fled from the Cleveland rat race. Now they intended to enjoy life as it was meant to be lived.
"Let's celebrate!" said Cherokee. He ran back across the footbridge to get his bike. He rode a black Chopper. Big Al followed to get his "Captain America" Springer. Tiny rode a "dresser" with a sidecar, painted candy-apple red. No way would it come across the narrow footbridge. Besides, Tiny wouldn't risk getting any scratches on his "baby."
Out by the barn Big Al and Cherokee stripped off mufflers and lights and saddlebags and anything that would break easily.
Tiny and the women stood and watched.
Big Al hit the starter button. The motor started up with an earsplitting blast of noise! "Vroom! Vroom"'
The women put their fingers in their ears. So did Tiny.
"Wow!" said Big Al. "Listen to that hog talking! Isn't that beautiful noise. Unadulterated pure joy! And nobody around to yell at us or to call the cops."
Cherokee started up his bike and led the way. "Let's ride!"
He swung the motorcycle around in the barnyard, wrestling the machine by its widespread handlebars as he would a steer. The rear wheel, turning full blast, shot a spray of dust and gravel.
They blasted across the field, following a faint trail. The bikes bounced and swayed and tore up chunks of grass and weeds.
Big Al tried to pass on the left. Suddenly a hidden rock threw him up in the air. The bike went sideways and fell over.
Big Al went flying. He landed in a clump of weeds and just lay there.
Cherokee came back to see what happened.
"Are you hurt?"
Big Al rolled over and sat up. "Only my pride," he said.
He got up, walked over to the bike and wrestled it up on its wheels. He checked the front wheel and forks, straightened the handlebars a little. He touched a dent on the tank. He mounted the bike and started it up.
They raced across the field to the far end and then back again. They did this several times.
Then side by side they raced across the field to the mountainside on the left. With the rear tires shooting gravel, they followed a trail through the trees. They climbed up nearly to the top of the mountain. Then following a trail between two huge rocks, they used the brakes to slide down the mountainside to the bottom. They raced across the field back to the barn, and slid to a stop.
By then the wives had gone back into the house.
Big Al and Cherokee spun a few power circles, motors roaring and the rear tires shooting up rooster tails of dirt and gravel.
Tiny quickly ducked into the barn to escape the debris.
"Wow!" said Cherokee. "It's good to be free!"
Big Al gave an imitation of a Indian war whoop!
Tiny came out of the barn and they all walked up to sit on the front porch. It was a beautiful day.
By now it was nearing 11 o'clock. The men sat talking. The women were in the house, looking things over.
A door slammed and the men looked up.
"Al, look at this kitchen! What am I supposed to do?"
Edna was standing on the back porch, wringing her hands, with a wild look in her eye.
Jenny Lou came around from the front of the house. She went up the steps to the back porch. Big Al and the others followed. She opened the door and they all went into the kitchen.
"Look at that stove, if it is a stove! No water! No refrigerator! How did your Granddad live here?"
"Edna, be quiet! If Granddad did it, so can we. We just have to figure it all out."
"When I was a little girl," Jenny Lou said, "my Grandma took me to visit friends in southern Ohio. I saw a stove like this. I think she built a fire in it. I remember she put sticks of wood into the stove."
"Wood!" screamed Edna. "Where would we get wood out here?"
"Now, Edna," said Big Al. "What do you think trees are made of? There is lots of wood all around us. We just have to bring it in."
Cherokee had gone back outside. He burst in, slamming the door behind him. "Al, someone is coming across the field on a horse."
Big Al ran out, with Cherokee following. The women stayed behind, watching fearfully out the window.
The man wore ragged clothes. His shaggy hair spilled out from under what must have once been a dress hat. His hair was a grizzled gray, as was his beard. He looked exactly like what the tourists think of as a "mountain man."
Ephrairn!" said Big Al. "I thought you had died."
"Do I know you? Why, can you be Al? You've growed up, got big, you have. I used to bounce you on my knee."
"Come meet Ephraim," Big Al shouted at the house.
Ephraim got off and dropped the reins to the ground. The horse just stood there.
The others came streaming out to see what the shouting was about.
"Ephraim, this is Tiny, as you can see, and Edna, and Cherokee." He proceeded to introduce them all. "Ephraim was a good friend to my Granddad."
"How are you, Ephraim? Where are you living now? How did you get here?"
"Hold your horses! Where's the hurry. It takes time to think. No use standing out here. Let's go sit on the porch."
Ephraim led the way and they all took places on the front porch. He sat in a rickety looking chair somebody had made out of tree branches. The rest sat on the floor.
"Well, now," said Ephraim, "I worked the Rodeo circuit in younger days. I got too old for that, but I stayed on as long as I could. It was my life. Then several years ago I came back here. I didn't have nowhere to go. Your Granddad was still living. He told me this was my home as long as I live."
"Sure," said Big Al. "If Granddad said it, you got it."
"But I don't like houses. There's a railroad tunnel back over yonder. It's from the logging times, when they cut the trees and hauled them away. The mountains are growed up again, now."
"A railroad tunnel, you say?"
"Yep. Back inside it there are rooms cut out of the mountain. They stored stuff there. Now I live in one of them rooms, snug as a bug in a rug."
"How did you know we were here?" Jenny Lou asked.
"With all the racket and clatter you fellers made? A deaf man could of heard you."
"Besides," continued Ephraim, "I keep an eye out on this house. I owe it to your Granddad. I wondered who would be back in here. Ain't nobody lives in these here hills anymore. But sometimes touristers find their way in. Some fellers set up a tent over in the meadow about two years ago.
"But let's talk about you folks. What are you doing here? Last I heard your people had moved up in Ohio somewhere."
"Well, Ephraim, we came back here to find our roots. We want freedom and wide open spaces. It got too crowded for us. We couldn't be ourselves without the Law getting after us."
"The Law's here too, as you will find. But how will you live? There ain't no jobs. That's why everybody moved to Ohio in the first place. I like it. But then, I get a pension check, and it suits me just fine. And the other end of that railroad tunnel comes out just below Branson’s Grocery. I can get everything I need real easy like."
"Ephraim," Edna said, "how in the world did Granddad live in a place like this? No electricity, no refrigerator, no stove, no water? What are we to do?"
"Well, now, let's go inside. You just don't know what you got here. You city folks have got a lot to learn if you're going to stay out here.
Ephraim led the way as they filed into the kitchen.
"Al, you take that bucket there, and go get some water from the creek.
"Al was soon back with the water.
Ephraim went over to the sink (which had been made of boards). Then he put his hand on a strange device, and turned to speak.
"This here's a pitcher pump. You pour some water in the top," (he proceeded to do so). "Then you work the handle like this, and purty soon you got water."
A stream began gushing out of the pump.
"You got to prime it, that's how we say it. There's all the water you could use, right out of the ground, right here in your kitchen. Just work the pump."
"What about the other things?" Edna asked. "Where's the bathroom?"
“Come on the porch," Ephraim said, and stepped out the back door. "You see that little building? That's the “chick sales,” what you call the bathroom. And over to the left, you see that door into the hillside? That's the refrigerator. There's a cold spring back in there. You just set your pans of stuff in that to keep them cool."
"But how do you cook?" Jenny Lou asked. "I think that might be a stove in there. But how do you use it?"
"Bring some of that wood," Ephraim said, pointing to a stack of wood on the corner of the porch.
They went back inside. Ephraim opened the door of the stove, took a stick of wood, and put it inside. He took another stick, sliced slivers off with his knife, and put them inside. He split a third stick into small pieces, put them on top of the pile in the stove, struck a match and lit the slivers. Soon he had a good fire going in the stove. He put another stick on the fire.
"You regulate the fire," he said, "by this air control in the stove door, and by this damper (he touched the handle) in the stovepipe. It would get too hot if you let it just burn."
Tiny came down the stairs two at a time shouting, "Al, there's someone coming up the road!"
A Jeep stopped at the footbridge. A deputy, judging from his uniform, came across and started up the steps.
The deputy shouted: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Big Al answered quietly. "This is my Granddad 's farm. I am Albert Mowrer. My Granddad was Henry Mowrer. We belong here."
By now the deputy was on the front porch. "Let's see your driver's license."
Big Al produced the license.
The deputy took it and looked at it carefully, then gave it back.
The deputy looked up as Ephraim came out the door.
"Ephraim! Is that You!"
"Dennis, you son of a gun! What are you doing here?"
"Ephraim, do you know these people? What do they have to do with you?"
"Well, now, this is Henry's grandson. I knowed Al when he was just a little tyke. They just come in here this morning."
"If Ephraim says you're OK, I'll take his word. You must be who you say you are. We can't be too careful out here in the wilds. You wouldn't believe some of the characters who come here trying to hide out."
Big Al shook hands with Dennis Frye, the deputy, and then introduced everyone to him. Lastly Ephraim gave Dennis a big hug and a warm handshake.
"We try to patrol this whole area," Dennis said. "We got a report of strangers coming in over the mountain. I had to check it out. I got to be going now. If you ever need me, you know where to find me." And with that he drove off.
"Dennis is OK," said Ephraim. "His granddad was my cousin. He is fair and square."
This was Grandad Mowrer's farm! Grandad had raised his children here. The farm had fed them well. It was out in the middle of nowhere. Mountains all around. Wide open spaces. Freedom! They had lots of freedom. Nobody here to tell them what to do. They had fled from the Cleveland rat race. Now they intended to enjoy life as it was meant to be lived.
"Let's celebrate!" said Cherokee. He ran back across the footbridge to get his bike. He rode a black Chopper. Big Al followed to get his "Captain America" Springer. Tiny rode a "dresser" with a sidecar, painted candy-apple red. No way would it come across the narrow footbridge. Besides, Tiny wouldn't risk getting any scratches on his "baby."
Out by the barn Big Al and Cherokee stripped off mufflers and lights and saddlebags and anything that would break easily.
Tiny and the women stood and watched.
Big Al hit the starter button. The motor started up with an earsplitting blast of noise! "Vroom! Vroom"'
The women put their fingers in their ears. So did Tiny.
"Wow!" said Big Al. "Listen to that hog talking! Isn't that beautiful noise. Unadulterated pure joy! And nobody around to yell at us or to call the cops."
Cherokee started up his bike and led the way. "Let's ride!"
He swung the motorcycle around in the barnyard, wrestling the machine by its widespread handlebars as he would a steer. The rear wheel, turning full blast, shot a spray of dust and gravel.
They blasted across the field, following a faint trail. The bikes bounced and swayed and tore up chunks of grass and weeds.
Big Al tried to pass on the left. Suddenly a hidden rock threw him up in the air. The bike went sideways and fell over.
Big Al went flying. He landed in a clump of weeds and just lay there.
Cherokee came back to see what happened.
"Are you hurt?"
Big Al rolled over and sat up. "Only my pride," he said.
He got up, walked over to the bike and wrestled it up on its wheels. He checked the front wheel and forks, straightened the handlebars a little. He touched a dent on the tank. He mounted the bike and started it up.
They raced across the field to the far end and then back again. They did this several times.
Then side by side they raced across the field to the mountainside on the left. With the rear tires shooting gravel, they followed a trail through the trees. They climbed up nearly to the top of the mountain. Then following a trail between two huge rocks, they used the brakes to slide down the mountainside to the bottom. They raced across the field back to the barn, and slid to a stop.
By then the wives had gone back into the house.
Big Al and Cherokee spun a few power circles, motors roaring and the rear tires shooting up rooster tails of dirt and gravel.
Tiny quickly ducked into the barn to escape the debris.
"Wow!" said Cherokee. "It's good to be free!"
Big Al gave an imitation of a Indian war whoop!
Tiny came out of the barn and they all walked up to sit on the front porch. It was a beautiful day.
By now it was nearing 11 o'clock. The men sat talking. The women were in the house, looking things over.
A door slammed and the men looked up.
"Al, look at this kitchen! What am I supposed to do?"
Edna was standing on the back porch, wringing her hands, with a wild look in her eye.
Jenny Lou came around from the front of the house. She went up the steps to the back porch. Big Al and the others followed. She opened the door and they all went into the kitchen.
"Look at that stove, if it is a stove! No water! No refrigerator! How did your Granddad live here?"
"Edna, be quiet! If Granddad did it, so can we. We just have to figure it all out."
"When I was a little girl," Jenny Lou said, "my Grandma took me to visit friends in southern Ohio. I saw a stove like this. I think she built a fire in it. I remember she put sticks of wood into the stove."
"Wood!" screamed Edna. "Where would we get wood out here?"
"Now, Edna," said Big Al. "What do you think trees are made of? There is lots of wood all around us. We just have to bring it in."
Cherokee had gone back outside. He burst in, slamming the door behind him. "Al, someone is coming across the field on a horse."
Big Al ran out, with Cherokee following. The women stayed behind, watching fearfully out the window.
The man wore ragged clothes. His shaggy hair spilled out from under what must have once been a dress hat. His hair was a grizzled gray, as was his beard. He looked exactly like what the tourists think of as a "mountain man."
Ephrairn!" said Big Al. "I thought you had died."
"Do I know you? Why, can you be Al? You've growed up, got big, you have. I used to bounce you on my knee."
"Come meet Ephraim," Big Al shouted at the house.
Ephraim got off and dropped the reins to the ground. The horse just stood there.
The others came streaming out to see what the shouting was about.
"Ephraim, this is Tiny, as you can see, and Edna, and Cherokee." He proceeded to introduce them all. "Ephraim was a good friend to my Granddad."
"How are you, Ephraim? Where are you living now? How did you get here?"
"Hold your horses! Where's the hurry. It takes time to think. No use standing out here. Let's go sit on the porch."
Ephraim led the way and they all took places on the front porch. He sat in a rickety looking chair somebody had made out of tree branches. The rest sat on the floor.
"Well, now," said Ephraim, "I worked the Rodeo circuit in younger days. I got too old for that, but I stayed on as long as I could. It was my life. Then several years ago I came back here. I didn't have nowhere to go. Your Granddad was still living. He told me this was my home as long as I live."
"Sure," said Big Al. "If Granddad said it, you got it."
"But I don't like houses. There's a railroad tunnel back over yonder. It's from the logging times, when they cut the trees and hauled them away. The mountains are growed up again, now."
"A railroad tunnel, you say?"
"Yep. Back inside it there are rooms cut out of the mountain. They stored stuff there. Now I live in one of them rooms, snug as a bug in a rug."
"How did you know we were here?" Jenny Lou asked.
"With all the racket and clatter you fellers made? A deaf man could of heard you."
"Besides," continued Ephraim, "I keep an eye out on this house. I owe it to your Granddad. I wondered who would be back in here. Ain't nobody lives in these here hills anymore. But sometimes touristers find their way in. Some fellers set up a tent over in the meadow about two years ago.
"But let's talk about you folks. What are you doing here? Last I heard your people had moved up in Ohio somewhere."
"Well, Ephraim, we came back here to find our roots. We want freedom and wide open spaces. It got too crowded for us. We couldn't be ourselves without the Law getting after us."
"The Law's here too, as you will find. But how will you live? There ain't no jobs. That's why everybody moved to Ohio in the first place. I like it. But then, I get a pension check, and it suits me just fine. And the other end of that railroad tunnel comes out just below Branson’s Grocery. I can get everything I need real easy like."
"Ephraim," Edna said, "how in the world did Granddad live in a place like this? No electricity, no refrigerator, no stove, no water? What are we to do?"
"Well, now, let's go inside. You just don't know what you got here. You city folks have got a lot to learn if you're going to stay out here.
Ephraim led the way as they filed into the kitchen.
"Al, you take that bucket there, and go get some water from the creek.
"Al was soon back with the water.
Ephraim went over to the sink (which had been made of boards). Then he put his hand on a strange device, and turned to speak.
"This here's a pitcher pump. You pour some water in the top," (he proceeded to do so). "Then you work the handle like this, and purty soon you got water."
A stream began gushing out of the pump.
"You got to prime it, that's how we say it. There's all the water you could use, right out of the ground, right here in your kitchen. Just work the pump."
"What about the other things?" Edna asked. "Where's the bathroom?"
“Come on the porch," Ephraim said, and stepped out the back door. "You see that little building? That's the “chick sales,” what you call the bathroom. And over to the left, you see that door into the hillside? That's the refrigerator. There's a cold spring back in there. You just set your pans of stuff in that to keep them cool."
"But how do you cook?" Jenny Lou asked. "I think that might be a stove in there. But how do you use it?"
"Bring some of that wood," Ephraim said, pointing to a stack of wood on the corner of the porch.
They went back inside. Ephraim opened the door of the stove, took a stick of wood, and put it inside. He took another stick, sliced slivers off with his knife, and put them inside. He split a third stick into small pieces, put them on top of the pile in the stove, struck a match and lit the slivers. Soon he had a good fire going in the stove. He put another stick on the fire.
"You regulate the fire," he said, "by this air control in the stove door, and by this damper (he touched the handle) in the stovepipe. It would get too hot if you let it just burn."
Tiny came down the stairs two at a time shouting, "Al, there's someone coming up the road!"
A Jeep stopped at the footbridge. A deputy, judging from his uniform, came across and started up the steps.
The deputy shouted: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Big Al answered quietly. "This is my Granddad 's farm. I am Albert Mowrer. My Granddad was Henry Mowrer. We belong here."
By now the deputy was on the front porch. "Let's see your driver's license."
Big Al produced the license.
The deputy took it and looked at it carefully, then gave it back.
The deputy looked up as Ephraim came out the door.
"Ephraim! Is that You!"
"Dennis, you son of a gun! What are you doing here?"
"Ephraim, do you know these people? What do they have to do with you?"
"Well, now, this is Henry's grandson. I knowed Al when he was just a little tyke. They just come in here this morning."
"If Ephraim says you're OK, I'll take his word. You must be who you say you are. We can't be too careful out here in the wilds. You wouldn't believe some of the characters who come here trying to hide out."
Big Al shook hands with Dennis Frye, the deputy, and then introduced everyone to him. Lastly Ephraim gave Dennis a big hug and a warm handshake.
"We try to patrol this whole area," Dennis said. "We got a report of strangers coming in over the mountain. I had to check it out. I got to be going now. If you ever need me, you know where to find me." And with that he drove off.
"Dennis is OK," said Ephraim. "His granddad was my cousin. He is fair and square."
Gone To The Country chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
"Ephraim," said Big Al, "how is it that there's furniture still in this house?"
"Who would come all the way out here to buy anything? Besides, your Granddad wanted it left here. He hoped somebody would come back to live here again."
"There's beds," said Jenny Lou, as she came down the stairs. "With mattresses on them. They're old and stained, but we can sure use them."
"Let's bring everything out of the van and pickup," Big Al said. "It's getting late and we have a lot to do."
It took a few trips. Finally everything was in the house.
By now Edna and Jenny Lou had managed to cook a meal. With paper plates and plastic forks, it was all ready. Edna banged on a tin pan and shouted, "Come and get it, or we'll throw it away!"
It sure tasted good and everybody was hungry.
After they had finished, Edna turned and said: "Ephraim, where do you put the garbage?"
"Why, Edna, there's a barrel down by the creek. You put everything that'll burn in it, and that solves the problem. Any food you just throw out back in the yard, and some critter will eat it."
Ephraim led the way into the front room. There were wooden chairs, a table, a counter along one wall with cupboards above it, and a bench in front of the big window so you could sit and look out.
"What do you do when it gets dark?" Big Al asked. He was holding a little 5-inch battery powered TV, trying to find a station.
Ephraim went to a cupboard and took down a kerosene lamp. "This is what your Granddad used." He put it on the counter, took off the chimney, struck a match and lit it. Then he put the chimney back on, and turned the wick adjustment until it was burning just right. "Here's all the light you need. This lamp did Granddad proud."
By now Big Al had a picture on the TV. "It isn’t very clear," he said. "Must be these mountains. I sure miss cable."
"That's the price you pay for being out here," said Ephraim. "You'll learn to get along, if you stay here. It's a different world in these mountains."
By now it was late afternoon of their first day at Grandad’s farm.
"Wow," said Wanda, stretching her arms above her head. "I feel like the day after the night before. These late nights get me."
"Right," said Tiny, "let's hit the hay early. All that traveling last night was a real bummer."
"Well, folks," Ephraim said, "I got to get back to my hidey-hole. Be back early in the morning."
They walked to the door with him. The horse was contentedly munching grass on the hillside. Ephraim rode off, and they all headed for their beds.
The sun was just coming up as Edna came into the kitchen. She tried to build a fire in the stove as she had seen Ephraim do. She put the wood into the stove, and tried to light it. When the fire would not catch, she went to the van to get a can of gasoline. She sloshed some over the wood in the stove, then threw in a match.
"Whomp!"
Big Al was awakened by the sound of the explosion. He heard Edna scream. He ran downstairs, still in his underwear.
Smoke billowed from the kitchen. Edna stood in the middle of the floor, screaming and screaming. Her dress was on fire. The skin on her face was burned severely. Her eyebrows were burned off, and so was some of her hair.
Big Al grabbed the tablecloth. Spoons and forks and dishes went flying. He wrapped it around her, putting out the fire.
The others came running into the kitchen.
"Let me see her." Jenny Lou was a paramedic. "Al, we have to get her to the hospital," she said. "Where is the nearest hospital?"
Big Al studied a moment. "Elkins is the nearest. It's about two and a half hours away the way we would have to drive on these roads."
"Two and a half hours! That's too long. We've got to hurry! What can we do?"
Ephraim came through the door. They quickly explained what had happened.
There's a clinic on yonder side of that railroad tunnel. You could get there in twenty minutes or so. Get your van over here quick."
Big Al rushed across the footbridge with Ephraim following. He jumped in the van. Ephraim got in the passenger side.
"You can cross the creek just up there." Ephraim pointed the way.
"Here. Turn down here, close to that stump." Big Al drove down the bank and into the water. There were big rocks in the creekbed.
"Go to the right of that big rock. Don't get too far to the right! The bottom is soft over there."
The wheels spun for a moment, then caught, spun again. But finally they were across. The bank was soft and the wheels were spinning all the way up.
They loaded Edna into the van. Ephraim got in the front, and the others jumped in the back.
They drove across the fields, following the faint trail the horse had made caning and going.
"This tunnel is plenty wide. Here. Turn just here. Watch out for that ditch!"'
Big Al hit the brakes, then backed up and moved the van over a little. Finally they were in the tunnel. He switched on the headlights. Water dripped from the roof. The roadway was bumpy and uneven. The van scraped against stones sticking out of the wall. They had to stop twice to move stones to get the van through. It seemed to be taking a long time.
"Al, what's that up ahead?" asked Wanda. They could see a wooden barrier.
"That's a door," said Ephraim. Granddad built a shed over this end of the tunnel to hide it. Not many ever came back to this hollow. Nobody would look in the shed to find a tunnel."
9
Big Al hopped out and started to open the door.
It was stuck.
Ephraim went through a smaller door at the side. He went around to unfasten the latch, then helped to pull the big door open.
After the van moved through, he closed the door and hopped back in.
"Follow that trail."
They drove through a thickly wooded area.
"Go left here. We will come out on the new road a mile or two from Branson's Grocery. We'll need to go to Parsons. The clinic is there.
They skidded to a stop at the clinic. Quickly they got Edna inside. The staff took over. Everything was under control again.
"Change those bandages every day," the Doctor said. "Put this on the burns. These are for pain. She really ought to be in the hospital a few days. But she should be all right if you take care of her. Keep a close watch."
When they reached the house, they put Edna to bed. Cherokee held her hand and tried to calm her down. Finally she went to sleep.
Jenny Lou and Wanda began cleaning up the kitchen. Tiny picked up the gasoline can and took it back to the van.
Ephraim built a fire for them.
"Watch close," he said to Jenny Lou and Wanda. "Don't ever try to start a fire with gasoline. Besides, you don't need it."
"You can count on us," said Jenny Lou.
They fixed lunch. But no one had much appetite.
"Al," said Cherokee, "this isn't turning out like I expected. Here we are out in the middle of nowhere. If Ephraim hadn't been here, Edna could have died."
"This was just a fluke. Things like that don't happen," said Big Al. "We're free here. Nobody to hassle us."
"Well, I don't know. Free is fine. Nobody to hassle us, yes, but nobody to help us either. Maybe this is too high a price to pay? Maybe we were better off where we were? I surely didn't know just how much we need other people."
"Ephraim," said Big Al, "how is it that there's furniture still in this house?"
"Who would come all the way out here to buy anything? Besides, your Granddad wanted it left here. He hoped somebody would come back to live here again."
"There's beds," said Jenny Lou, as she came down the stairs. "With mattresses on them. They're old and stained, but we can sure use them."
"Let's bring everything out of the van and pickup," Big Al said. "It's getting late and we have a lot to do."
It took a few trips. Finally everything was in the house.
By now Edna and Jenny Lou had managed to cook a meal. With paper plates and plastic forks, it was all ready. Edna banged on a tin pan and shouted, "Come and get it, or we'll throw it away!"
It sure tasted good and everybody was hungry.
After they had finished, Edna turned and said: "Ephraim, where do you put the garbage?"
"Why, Edna, there's a barrel down by the creek. You put everything that'll burn in it, and that solves the problem. Any food you just throw out back in the yard, and some critter will eat it."
Ephraim led the way into the front room. There were wooden chairs, a table, a counter along one wall with cupboards above it, and a bench in front of the big window so you could sit and look out.
"What do you do when it gets dark?" Big Al asked. He was holding a little 5-inch battery powered TV, trying to find a station.
Ephraim went to a cupboard and took down a kerosene lamp. "This is what your Granddad used." He put it on the counter, took off the chimney, struck a match and lit it. Then he put the chimney back on, and turned the wick adjustment until it was burning just right. "Here's all the light you need. This lamp did Granddad proud."
By now Big Al had a picture on the TV. "It isn’t very clear," he said. "Must be these mountains. I sure miss cable."
"That's the price you pay for being out here," said Ephraim. "You'll learn to get along, if you stay here. It's a different world in these mountains."
By now it was late afternoon of their first day at Grandad’s farm.
"Wow," said Wanda, stretching her arms above her head. "I feel like the day after the night before. These late nights get me."
"Right," said Tiny, "let's hit the hay early. All that traveling last night was a real bummer."
"Well, folks," Ephraim said, "I got to get back to my hidey-hole. Be back early in the morning."
They walked to the door with him. The horse was contentedly munching grass on the hillside. Ephraim rode off, and they all headed for their beds.
The sun was just coming up as Edna came into the kitchen. She tried to build a fire in the stove as she had seen Ephraim do. She put the wood into the stove, and tried to light it. When the fire would not catch, she went to the van to get a can of gasoline. She sloshed some over the wood in the stove, then threw in a match.
"Whomp!"
Big Al was awakened by the sound of the explosion. He heard Edna scream. He ran downstairs, still in his underwear.
Smoke billowed from the kitchen. Edna stood in the middle of the floor, screaming and screaming. Her dress was on fire. The skin on her face was burned severely. Her eyebrows were burned off, and so was some of her hair.
Big Al grabbed the tablecloth. Spoons and forks and dishes went flying. He wrapped it around her, putting out the fire.
The others came running into the kitchen.
"Let me see her." Jenny Lou was a paramedic. "Al, we have to get her to the hospital," she said. "Where is the nearest hospital?"
Big Al studied a moment. "Elkins is the nearest. It's about two and a half hours away the way we would have to drive on these roads."
"Two and a half hours! That's too long. We've got to hurry! What can we do?"
Ephraim came through the door. They quickly explained what had happened.
There's a clinic on yonder side of that railroad tunnel. You could get there in twenty minutes or so. Get your van over here quick."
Big Al rushed across the footbridge with Ephraim following. He jumped in the van. Ephraim got in the passenger side.
"You can cross the creek just up there." Ephraim pointed the way.
"Here. Turn down here, close to that stump." Big Al drove down the bank and into the water. There were big rocks in the creekbed.
"Go to the right of that big rock. Don't get too far to the right! The bottom is soft over there."
The wheels spun for a moment, then caught, spun again. But finally they were across. The bank was soft and the wheels were spinning all the way up.
They loaded Edna into the van. Ephraim got in the front, and the others jumped in the back.
They drove across the fields, following the faint trail the horse had made caning and going.
"This tunnel is plenty wide. Here. Turn just here. Watch out for that ditch!"'
Big Al hit the brakes, then backed up and moved the van over a little. Finally they were in the tunnel. He switched on the headlights. Water dripped from the roof. The roadway was bumpy and uneven. The van scraped against stones sticking out of the wall. They had to stop twice to move stones to get the van through. It seemed to be taking a long time.
"Al, what's that up ahead?" asked Wanda. They could see a wooden barrier.
"That's a door," said Ephraim. Granddad built a shed over this end of the tunnel to hide it. Not many ever came back to this hollow. Nobody would look in the shed to find a tunnel."
9
Big Al hopped out and started to open the door.
It was stuck.
Ephraim went through a smaller door at the side. He went around to unfasten the latch, then helped to pull the big door open.
After the van moved through, he closed the door and hopped back in.
"Follow that trail."
They drove through a thickly wooded area.
"Go left here. We will come out on the new road a mile or two from Branson's Grocery. We'll need to go to Parsons. The clinic is there.
They skidded to a stop at the clinic. Quickly they got Edna inside. The staff took over. Everything was under control again.
"Change those bandages every day," the Doctor said. "Put this on the burns. These are for pain. She really ought to be in the hospital a few days. But she should be all right if you take care of her. Keep a close watch."
When they reached the house, they put Edna to bed. Cherokee held her hand and tried to calm her down. Finally she went to sleep.
Jenny Lou and Wanda began cleaning up the kitchen. Tiny picked up the gasoline can and took it back to the van.
Ephraim built a fire for them.
"Watch close," he said to Jenny Lou and Wanda. "Don't ever try to start a fire with gasoline. Besides, you don't need it."
"You can count on us," said Jenny Lou.
They fixed lunch. But no one had much appetite.
"Al," said Cherokee, "this isn't turning out like I expected. Here we are out in the middle of nowhere. If Ephraim hadn't been here, Edna could have died."
"This was just a fluke. Things like that don't happen," said Big Al. "We're free here. Nobody to hassle us."
"Well, I don't know. Free is fine. Nobody to hassle us, yes, but nobody to help us either. Maybe this is too high a price to pay? Maybe we were better off where we were? I surely didn't know just how much we need other people."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
