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Post by feralferret on Dec 1, 2023 21:53:51 GMT -6
Pbbrown0, thank for for another thoughtful chapter.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 4, 2023 18:48:28 GMT -6
Post #60 Catch a Stumbling Team
Joann was already making coffee when Pete and Gerry woke the next morning. Gerry had been up several times in the night to check on the pump and water level in his reservoir. He had managed to pump only five percent of the reservoir's capacity back in before the pump shut itself off. He was nervous about leaving it on and letting the automatic safety features run without his being there to monitor the progress, yet he thought it would probably function as designed. He had decided in the middle of the night to leave the circuits on until morning and check on the system then. Gerry grabbed a mug of coffee from the first pot that was ready, and thanking Joann he hurried out to his control panel. The pump was not running now, but it had managed to add almost one percent more to the reservoir since midnight. That was encouraging, so he left everything alone. The well was still supplying less water than the cattle were drinking each day, but what it was supplying would give them a few more days before they had to have all the cattle moved to the haven at Black Bear Mountain. He was also thinking about how he wanted to set up the watering system for the cattle by pumping water out of the creek. The upper end of Bear Creek at their end of the mountain was lower than usual, but it still had an impressive flow considering the lack of rain in recent months. He returned to his kitchen to help Joann and Pete in making enough breakfast to feed about seven hard working people. They were trying this morning to vary the breakfast a bit so it did not get too monotonous. They had bought a large batch of 16 ounce paper cups for coffee or water as part of their supplies. They had also reluctantly conceded to purchasing lids for the cups since they would be using many of them while traveling inside the trucks. Their menu for today was going to include biscuits and sausage gravy, heavy on the crumbled sausage in the gravy, with tight fried eggs sandwiched in the middle of each biscuit. They had collected all their metal spoons together for everyone to scoop the sausage gravy out of the paper cups while riding to work. They decided while buying supplies that they would rather wash metal eating utensils than throw away hundreds of plastic utensils while feeding the crowd of workers and their family. They also balked at buying water in plastic bottles. The cups were biodegradable and was a compromise to reduce the amount of hand washing necessary for feeding a gang of over twenty people and keep them hydrated going into the beginning of what was looking to be a hot and very dry August. The rest of the clan was working from the other kitchens to prepare the remainder of the needed breakfast for the remainder of the clan and their hired workers. Gerry had discussed with Pete and Joann the situation with the water supply from the well while they worked on breakfast. The whole clan checked in by radio when everyone was ready to roll, then they departed from three separate locations. While checking in they had also managed a quick poll of sorts agreeing unanimously to give Patty a green light to set up a meeting with her father. Today, taking three different roads into Hollerton, at least some members of the clan were more relaxed about their situation. Once again upon their arrival the entire crew, including Patty, was waiting for them. With the new radio arrangements they were sticking to the pattern of using four trucks rather that five. Jenny asked if she could ride with Joann and Patty in the front of Patty's truck. She wanted to talk with Patty about the decision to meet with Jim Decker. As soon as they pulled out from the parking lot Jenny began talking softly to Patty. She didn't want to put off until later letting her know of their decision, but she was also aware that there was a very thin barrier between the front seat and the three crew members in the back seat. “Patty.” she said softly, “We have all agreed that we would like for you to talk to your father about meeting with us. We discussed our concerns, but we are willing to take some risks to let you help repair some bridges, if you can. I want you to know I have been rehashing in my mind how I handled or miss-handled things when we met with your father the last time at the store. Maybe I was right and, maybe I was wrong. I just know that we don't want any problems I might have caused to become a serious problem between you and your father. Likewise, we don't want disagreements with your father to create barriers between you and our family. You know your father better than we do, so we will trust you to make wise choices in presenting this to him. However that goes, please know that we want to be here for you.” In spite of the seat belt and the bandanna over her face, Patty leaned over and hugged Jenny who was sitting in the middle of the front seat. Then she wiggled around and pulled her phone out of her pocket. With out having to look at the face of her phone she spoke to it and called her father. “Daddy? Good morning. Got that coffee going yet? … Well just breathe deep and smell the aroma until it's ready. I want to talk with you about that family that is helping our people. … I know me too. Listen I am riding with some of them now on the way to the worksite. Three of our folks are in the back seat and I am in the front seat with two members of the family who are providing the work. They just told me that they are okay with working out a meeting with them, but like I told you they have security concerns and they are going to be working with our people all day. I'm thinking we need to have a place to meet them close to Hollerton after we get back this evening. … Really? Okay but, Daddy, I need you to promise to be on your best behavior. I don't want you to get into any arguments with them and mess up what I am trying to do with them. … I know, Daddy, you rarely loose your cool, but when you do, you know how passionate you can get. … No, Daddy, I told you these are good people. I am just...I just really don't want anything to mess this up. It's important to me. … I never thought of that. You really think it would make a difference if Frank was there? … Oh. Okay, I didn't know you two were planning something together. … I suppose you have a point there. I need to ask them first. … Twelve. … Yes, seriously. ... Four. … Hold on.” Patty told her phone to go into MUTE. “Jenny, Joann,” Patty turned to her left with the bandanna still over her face. “My father wants all of you to come to dinner at his house. Anywhere else is going to attract too many curious eyes And he wants his best friend, Frank Rogers, to be there. They have been best friends since before I was born, and they are trying to work out some plans together. Apparently it has something to do with what he told me about wishing he could help you with helping our people. He also said that Frank helps him remember to stay calm and not react too quickly without thinking through all the factors. So he wants me to ask if that would be okay with you all to have Frank there too.” Jenny asked Joann for her reaction and Joann's response was, “Sounds like it's time for a radio check to me.” Jenny picked up the radio mic and keyed it. She first used their standard call for the trees and critters to switch channels. She paused a moment while she switched channels and to be sure they had time to do the same. Then in a lilting, rhythmic, sing song voice like a Mommy playing with her baby she chanted, “Patty Cake, Patty Cake the Baker's the old man He wants to bake some family cakes twelve to a pan. Sugar and spice, with nothing not nice, Let's agree or not to the baker's house tonight.” There was a pause of a couple of minutes before a call came back. “Two C's love desert. Over.” A couple of seconds later everyone heard, “Playing the stock market means you've got to handle what ever the risks turn out to be. Over.” Finally there was one more response in an exaggeratedly fake Spanish accent. “The three amigos will live up to their name. Final.” Jenny responded by keying her mic three times then returning to their hailing channel. “Okay. We are good for tonight, Patty.” Patty was slowly waving her head side to side. “Wow. I always thought I was crazy. I had no idea.” Patty took a deep breath and told her phone to “Un-mute.” “Daddy?” she said trying to contain her excitement, “They have agreed to meet with you tonight. It will be around six before we get back. Why don't we plan on six-fifteen. It may be a few minutes after that, but I'll try to call if we are delayed. … I will, Daddy. We'll see you this evening. Bye bye.” In the truck Joann was driving the three crew members were finishing their breakfast just about the time the radio and phone interchange was over. And one of the crew members called out. “Ladies, sorry to interrupt.” Jenny called back through the flimsy partition. “Yes, is something wrong?” “Oh no, Ma'am. There is nothing wrong at all. I just wanted to thank you for all the work you are putting in to feeding us. Those egg and ... everything wraps for breakfast were great, and this sausage gravy with biscuits is amazing. The coffee is great too. Its all a lot better than what I expected when you told us before we started. I had figured beggars can't be choosers, and I'll take what ever they give me and be grateful for it. But what you have done... Well, I just have to say thank you. Thank you very much.” suddenly the other two were agreeing and reinforcing the expression of gratitude to Jenny and Joann. Jenny and Joann were surprised at the enthusiasm of the crew in their truck. Jenny half turned in her seat and replied. “Well thank you for saying that. I'd like to take credit for all of it, but the truth is our whole family works together to fix the breakfast, and all of the women, including Patty work on the lunches. We told you at the beginning we would feed you and our family the same food, and we meant it. You may look at this as us helping you, but we look at it as y'all are helping us. We appreciate the way you are all working hard to get this job done.” Jenny chuckled a moment. “By the way, where we come from those 'wraps' you were talking about are called breakfast burritos.” “Well, whatever you call them, we call them great food. Another thing I jest got to tell you is that your paying us in cash before we leave work each and every day; I don't know how you do it, but that is just about the best thing an employer has ever done for most of us. No offense meant, Miss Patty. Nobody does that for their employees. Until they get their money and count it out to pay their bills, figure out the taxes, and such, they just got to figure a lot of things out before they can get our pay all sorted out, you know.” Joann could not hold her tongue after that last comment. “What is your name?” Joann had a slight edge in her voice. The man who had been talking was startled at the question. “Joe. My name is Joe Hinkley. Did I say something wrong?” “No, Joe. I am not upset with you. Do you have a Bible, Joe?” “Yes, Ma'am. I do.”
“Joe before we let you out this evening I want you to ask me about this again, so you can remember where to look this up. This is spoken of in several places in the Bible, but it is very clear in Deuteronomy Chapter 24, verse 15. It says,
'You should give him his wages that very day, before the sun sets, because he is in need and his life depends on his wages. Otherwise, he will cry out to Jehovah against you, and you will be guilty of sin.'
And while you are at it, Joe, remember to read what comes before and after that. I don't want you taking those two sentences out of context and jumping to conclusions.”
Suddenly the sound of the tires on the pavement and the smooth hum of the truck's motor was all that filled their ears. No one was speaking. Joann had shown a spotlight on a passage of practical wisdom inside a book most of them thought of as being focused strictly on religious concepts. It wasn't until the next radio check that the conversation picked back up inside Patty's truck.
Patty was fascinated by the strange interplay over the radio. “Would you please help me understand what is going on with this radio jargon. I am obviously missing a huge chunk of information and not being able to connect the dots is driving me bonkers. Actually maybe that is the problem. Is your whole family truly bonkers?” Jenny was about to laugh out loud, but Joann stole the moment. “Oh no! Jenny, she figured it out! Patty, please don't tell anyone. You have to keep this secret. Our last name is really Bonkers, and we are hiding from the FBI.”
Suddenly they heard chuckling from the back seat. Patty started to play the sarcasm card, but thought better of the situation. “Okay, I deserved that. Well played Joann. Please don't count that as one of my three questions. I can still request that you know, because you haven't seriously answered it yet.”
Joann addressed Jenny in a mock stage whisper. “Jenny, what can I tell her now? She still has that phone turned on and at least one of those three men in the back are bound to be sleeper agents.”
“I yield. I yield.” Patty called out raising her hands in the air. “You bested me fair and square.”
“Patty,” Joann responded, “and all of you who are riding in the back, because I know you are listening, too. You know we are trying to keep our family safe. The truth is there are many more threats to our family's safety than just protecting us from too many job seekers. You don't have to think that hard to understand the troubles that are going right now, or what will happen if things continue on the current path, pose real threats to our ability to take care of our family. Everyone of the people we are paying to work for us knows that. Your father knows that, Patty. Other business owners and their former employees know that, too. Our lingo on the radio, is just one small measure, almost a game that we are playing, to maybe avoid what hidden traps and snares that we can. Some of those snares may affect and harm many, many others who are simply not aware of the traps that are being crafted. Does that answer your question?”
Patty was quiet for a minute. When she spoke again she was less jovial. “I'm sorry. I need to be more careful. I appreciate all you are doing to help these men and their families. I guess you may need to be taken more seriously. Maybe with more caution and insight my Daddy and some other business owners might have avoided more of those snares, and these men wouldn't be struggling so.”
“Patty,” Jenny spoke up. “Even with excellent foresight, none of us could completely avoid the troubles that are rushing at us right now. We are all scrambling to do the best we can. Very few people anywhere had the foresight to really prepare for all the changes that are going on. A lot of people who could see some of the troubles coming simply failed to prepare and kept going the same way they always had done before. That's one reason I want to study along with you and Joann. I still don't understand why so many saw glimpses of what is coming but just didn't do anything about it, or even worse they read the warnings that had been there in ink and paper for so long and just didn't get it.”
Joann began to reply. “Jenny, Patty, … By the way, you guys in the back seat – Don't worry about eaves dropping on this. I want you to hear it too. The answer to that question is in the Book, too. It's kind of like looking through binoculars or a telescope, though. It helps a lot if someone is coaching you as to how you use that tool so you can get the most benefit from looking through it. You know things like take the lens cap off first and make sure your lens isn't all scratched and dirty before you start. Then it helps to know how to see the surroundings before you zoom in so tight that you can't find what you are looking for.” - - - - - - The time passed quickly in Patty's truck. All four trucks converged on Black Bear Mountain within minutes of each other. As they all piled out of the trucks, Gerry whistled loudly and gathered everyone around. So he could talk with them.
“Men, Ladies, before we get started this morning I want to let you know about a change.” There was a small wave of tension that moved among the workers, and some of the clan noticed. They also noticed that Gerry had not spoken to them about a change in plans and were wondering what he was about to say. “One of your number spoke to Rob and I yesterday and offered some advice.” Gerry spoke clearly and with a strong voice. “We had not asked for your advice, but he offered it anyway. We haven't told y'all exactly what we are doing and why, so it's pretty unlikely any of you could offer pertinent advice to us at this point. However, the advice yesterday was both surprising and pertinent. I have been thinking about that and here is what I decided. It may look to some of you that we are about to undo some of the hard work you have already done, and that is true, but we are all going to keep going until we get it done right. The mistakes we made were not the fault of you guys. They were because of the inexperience of your bosses. We are going to reposition some of our fencing and that will take extra time, but you will be paid for the extra work we are asking for as well as the time you spend waiting while we re-work our plans. Please be patient as we figure this out, and I also know that all of you are ready to help when call on you. As a matter of fact, we may ask for your help in figuring out how to make this better.”
“Everyone listen up and I'll explain.” Gerry continued. “First listen through what I have to say, then we can start working on a solution. If you have ideas you think will help, we will listen to you. We've already told you that we don't want a big sign out telling anyone and everyone where we are, and what we are doing here. Someone pointed out that the trees hide a lot of things from view, including fence lines that run underneath the branches. However, straight line fences across a meadow or field are easy to spot on areal or satellite photos. Those kinds of photos are taken to update all kinds of software, maps, and so forth fairly frequently without notifying us. We do not plan to do anything illegal here, but we do not like the idea of unwanted attention, like when someone notices a fence appearing where there wasn't one before. So we need to somehow adjust our fences that are not already hidden by the trees overhead to make them less obvious.”
One of the workers raised his hand. “Yes, Randy, I guess I'm through with the preliminaries. What is it?” The worker that Gerry recognized was one he had noticed before as being a talkative young fellow.
Randy started talking to Gerry. “You said it yourself. One thing we can do is use the trees.”
“Yes, Randy, I know we can use the tree canopy to hide the fences among the trees. That is what I just said.” Gerry was a little frustrated that the young man was repeating to the group the same thing that had already been explained.
“Sure, but you can do more. I have done some deer hunting and the deer like to hide deep in the trees except at dusk and at dawn. They come out of cover then to find easy grazing, because there is enough light for them to see a predator before it gets close, but also because the long shadows early in the morning and late in the day help hide them.” Randy seemed a little frustrated that he was not being understood.
“Okay, Randy, sounds like you are seeing something I am missing. Break it down for me.” Gerry was not seeing it, but he was starting to wonder what he was missing.
Randy looked around nervously. “I can see what you are doing dividing up the space so some of the meadow and some of the forest is include inside each penned in area. When the shadows are long the shadows reach far past the tree line and into the meadow and those shadows are irregular.” He paused expectantly. Still no one responded. “Mark where the shadows reach into the meadow from the trees and keep the fencing inside those shadows. The patterns will be naturally irregular so they will fool the eye that is looking for man made patterns. Also, by not putting the fences too far out toward the edges of the shadows they will be masked from cameras by the darkness of the shadows for several hours each day. Sure, there is a limit to how far into the meadow you want to take the fence, because the farther out you go the more risk there is of them being spotted in the middle of the day. By being spotted I mean both the fences and the, uh...the things you are fencing in. You don't want a bunch of them showing up out in a field where they have never been before, either.”
Randy got a second wind and continued. “Another good thing about this is how you can take advantage of their natural instincts. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, right? So if you open the gates into the meadow only when the shadows are really long in the early morning or late afternoon the … they will get conditioned to that time of day being an anticipated treat. They will stay under the comfortable trees content with the grass at the edge of the meadow knowing they will be faithfully allowed access to the feasting field when the time is right. Once it turns dark or the sun gets higher in the morning sky you can drive them back into the safety of the trees and shut the gates again. It will become routine for them and they will soon get very compliant with the pattern. That will make the extra herding easier.”
All around the crowd jaws were dropping and eyebrows were raising at the uniquely clever plan. Gerry realized it was very similar to his method of opening the gates to the feeder bins when he needed to supplement the diet of the cattle on his own farm. Everyone there now recognized, without having to say it plainly, that the fencing plan was meant to manage the grazing of a herd or herds, whether the herds were composed of goats, cattle, sheep, or some other species. Everyone also now better understood the reason this location was so important with the stream nearby in addition to the patches of meadow among the forest of trees. Several members of the clan were feeling very grateful for circumstances and plans working out better than should be expected in spite of their fumbling and lack of experience in what they were trying to accomplish.
Gerry put the crews to work loosening the bindings that held the fence to the fence posts which were out in the meadow areas, and putting them also to work loosening those posts so they could be pulled out. Everyone was now conscious of their presence in the open field and how that might appear on a high altitude photograph like they had seen on numerous online apps. This work really was setting them back at least a full day, but everyone was onboard with the concepts. By lunch time most of the meadow posts had been pulled and the fencing material had been rolled up and placed under the trees. Both Randy and Liam, the tall fellow who had previously mentioned the spy in the sky, worked with Gerry, Carl, and Pete to mark out the placement for relocating the fence. After lunch some of the crew began building the new fence while others went to work digging up the corner braces and mid-line bracing posts that were still in the meadow areas.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 4, 2023 21:40:27 GMT -6
Pbbrown0, thank you for another fine chapter.
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Post by iamnobody on Dec 5, 2023 9:40:28 GMT -6
Thanks for some thought provoking fictional ideas.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 7, 2023 21:28:03 GMT -6
Post #61 Not The Path You Thought
That afternoon a few of the men voiced frustrations to each other about having to start over on all the work they had done. Those same few mumbled quietly, when none of the clan men were nearby, that these people [the clan family members] are “some kind of crazy out here in the middle of the forest like this”; “wannabe cattle ranchers with no cattle in a place that ain't made for cattle”; "building fences the cattle will run right over"; “worrying about spy satellites”; “trying to hide from black helicopters”; “no place to even sleep”; “guess they sleep in the trees”. Some of the workers on the other hand were growing angry about the attitudes of the few. They were grateful to have the work. Even though it took very little time to come up with a solution Gerry had made it clear that they would be paid even for waiting while they worked out a solution. The men from the clan could hear some mumbling but were never near enough to those speaking to make out what was being said. They were however noticing the looks being thrown around among the workers. There was a confusing array of emotions being expressed back and forth among them without words. When it came time to call a stop for the day, Gerry once again was the one to speak out and call a halt. “Men, That's it for today. We want to thank you for your effort in spite of the setback this morning. I know that is frustrating, but again it isn't on you. We are paying each of you for today just like everyday. If this takes longer because of our change in the plan, then we will keep paying you as long as you show up to work until it gets finished, so it is our loss, not yours.” Bruce was starting to pass out the day's wages to each of them when one of the men called out. “Excuse me, everyone.” the voice was strong and clear and something about the tone of voice demanded their attention without protest. “I have something that needs to be said!” It was Liam that spoke up, and he had been standing behind all the other hired workers as they were facing Bruce waiting for their turn to get paid. “I want everyone to hear this!” he said still standing behind them. Some were glancing back but not wanting to turn their backs on Bruce. Others were avoiding looking back, not being sure what was about to be said. “I appreciate, Mister Bruce, the way you all, that is you and all your family here, have been so respectful and generous with us. The fair way you are paying us, the generous way you are transporting us and even feeding us without charge; That goes far beyond being merely a decent employer. Most employers would have figured food and transportation was our problem. Any others if they even thought of offering that would have charged us a premium price for it and deducted it from our pay. You, your family that is, paid for it out of your own pockets and even worked extra hours yourselves just to be nice to us. But the icing on the cake was paying each of us every day our full pay in cash before we leave to go home. That is a real gift for our wives and kids that goes way beyond just paying fair wages.” Liam continued, “So now this morning you continue to respect us enough to treat us as part of a team. Our ideas and suggestions are respected enough for you to bite the bullet and promise to pay us more because we noticed a problem that you need to fix. So, now I am really angry. I am angry that there are those among us who are taking your generosity and respect, and spitting on it. I'm thinking of all kinds of evil rage to pour down on their heads when we get back home so they can't come back here tomorrow and continue disrespecting a good family that is doing so much to help me and my family and the families of my friends. I am ready to see some justice in this world. Am I making myself clear to everyone here?” Now things suddenly got very quiet. Gerry was looking all around trying to read people's faces. Some looked pretty grim. Liam's face was looking hard and intense. That worried Gerry. Gerry spoke calmly to Liam across the crowd. “Liam, I understand your anger and I appreciate your gratitude, but I am going to ask you to not take revenge on our account. As for your personal revenge, I would suggest to you to be patient and watch them find justice by the hand of someone else. I do not want you or your family to be set up for more injustice than this world has already dished out on you so far. It is an unjust world we are living in right now Liam.” For a moment, Gerry thought he was more shaken by the tension in this situation than he had realized. Then he realized it was the ground that was shaking him rather than his own legs shaking him. It wasn't shaking hard but it was definitely shaking, and it continued for several more seconds, and then still longer. It finally stopped after about thirty or forty seconds that seemed like much longer. Now almost everyone's eyes were open wide and the tension was even higher. Gerry Face was now more than grim. He spoke again when he was sure the shaking had stopped. “I do not know which of you Liam was talking about, but you know if it was you. I'm sure there are others here who know who you are, too. I suggest that it would be unwise for any of you he was speaking about to come back here with us after today.” his voice suddenly took on an exaggerated sarcasm. “Just an observation, you know. I know better than to make a personal threat. Bruce, let's get these men paid and hauled home.” Gerry turned on his heel and walked over to where the ladies were standing before the excitement. He took a deep breath and blew it out. “Are all of you okay?” As he looked around the group it was clear that they were each processing what had just happened in different ways. Patty was wide eyed and pale. Colleen was looking simply thoughtful. Linda was blinking her eyes around with her mouth wide open in a pretense of being totally astounded. Jenny seemed very tense and concerned. Joann who was slightly behind the others from Gerry pretended to be nonchalant and said, “Of course we are okay. That was just a tiny jiggle.” Gerry looked at Joann with a questioning concern as if to say, 'Are you serious?'. Joann stared back at Gerry and silently mouthed, 'Not Now'. Gerry smoothed out his expression and replied to all of them, “Okay, then. I guess we need to get loaded up and go meet Patty's family.” He turned and went back to the men. Bruce was finishing the rest of the payroll distributing and came to meet the other men who were watching the hired workers load themselves into the trucks. Bruce quipped, “Well, well. That was certainly interesting.” “Which part?” asked Rob. The shaking among the workers, the shaking in our plan, or the shaking under our feet?” “Or how about the shaking inside our boots. I thought for a minute that a really bad fight was fixing to break out any second.” added Carl. “That's what had me most concerned at first,” replied Gerry. “It's a two edged sword having workers willing to fight for you as an employer. It pretty much puts the burden on you to make sure it doesn't come to that. What really concerns me now is the fresh warning. They say that the third time is the charm, but this makes four now in just a month.” “Did you say four?” Bruce asked. Pete responded, “Yep. There was a small one before the rest of you got down here. We all have gotten too busy taking care of business and forgot to heed the warnings. If we ignore this one, we've no one to blame but ourselves.” “You're talking about that weak earthquake aren't you?” asked Rob. “Yeah,” Gerry replied. “That was a weird one.” “It was.” stated Pete soberly. “Not so weird actually. It must have been a stronger one, just farther away than the previous ones. I'm guessing it was a someone got a kicked in the teeth kind of warning. There are many kinds of earthquakes and all kinds of ways for measuring them, sort of like storms. A tornado can be really intense and then it passes. A hurricane may not be as strong in intensity but it lasts longer and can cause more damage because it affects a larger area. Normally the closer to the center you are the more damage it causes and as you get farther from the center or the central path, the effects are not felt as powerfully. It didn't feel as strong here so either it was weaker or we are farther from the center than before. However, it kept going longer so maybe it was more like a hurricane than a tornado. We just don't know yet. But what ever you decide, I'm taking this seriously. Four sizable ones in a month that we could feel in this location is enough for me to stand up and take notice.” Gerry interrupted. “Guys, we need to get in the trucks and on the road.” They all broke away and climbed into their trucks. With everyone leaving from the same location they were using a previous day's technique of staggering their speeds so they could spread out along the route then draw closer together at the very end. They did change their order within the caravan from the previous morning, however. As each truck pulled into town they found a slightly different place to let their workers out. One stopped on the town square. One stopped in the grocery store parking lot. One stopped on a side street near the public school complex. Patty's truck that Joann was driving stopped in the front parking lot of the Lumber Jack Supply Store. All the other trucks gathered there also, and Patty took off her bandanna. From there Patty drove as the other trucks followed her to her daddy's house. Patty actually parked around back by her garage apartment so there wouldn't be so many vehicles parked in front of the house. Patty led Joann and Jenny around to the front where they met with the rest of the clan. They were almost to the front door when it opened and her father stepped out to greet them. His greeting was enthusiastic and very friendly. Frank Rogers had been hanging back in the den but he was standing to greet them as they made their way inside. Once everyone was inside Jim started out. “I'm Jim Decker, and this is Frank Rogers.” he said gesturing to Frank. “Frank and I have been friends since we were kids and he is like family to me. Speaking of family, you all know my daughter, Patty-Ca... I'm sorry Patricia. She has told me only good things about you. I want you to know it means a lot to me what you are doing for my former employees. Patty, why don't you introduce your new friends to Frank and me.” Patty started with the oldest first, although she wasn't really sure about the small age differences among Carl and Colleen's parents. “Daddy, Frank, this is Peter Smith and his wife Joann. This is Bruce Cooper and his wife Linda. This is Peter's son Robert Smith and his wife, Jennifer. This is Gerry Kerry, and this is Robert and Jennifer's son, Carl Smith and this is Carl's wife, and also Bruce and Linda's daughter, Colleen. I think I got all that right, didn't I?” She was looking from face to face among the clan. Now what you do not know, yet, Daddy and Frank, is just how well they are treating your former employees.” “Patty, please,” Peter interrupted. “We didn't come here tonight to garner praise. We just wanted to come and get to know your father. Of course if you want, we could spend the evening in a competition to see if the nine of us could find more flattery to pour out on you than you alone could find to say about us. Nine against one of course seems unfair, but I'm sure your father would more thoroughly enjoy and evening filled with hearing constant praise about his daughter than listening to his daughter trying to praise some strangers.” Patty paused with her mouth open for several seconds before Jim started laughing. “Peter that is the first time in a long time that I have seen Patty shut down in a verbal sparring match before she even... Wait a minute. I know who you are. You and your grandson, Carl, and...” He suddenly stopped and a cloud seemed to darken his face for a moment. “Listen everyone. Frank and I put together a meal for you. It is nothing fancy but we hope you like it. Let's all sit down to eat together and we can talk more while we eat. I think we have a lot we need to talk about. Jim did not have a formal dining room, so he and Frank had brought several folding tables from Jim's store that had been marketed as logging camp tables. He and Frank began pulling them out of a hallway and with the help of the clan the furniture in the den was pushed aside and the tables were 'up in no time'. While they were tending to the tables, Patty went into the kitchen, followed by some of the clan, and started pulling plates, glasses, and tableware out to set on the tables. Frank and Jim started pulling pots, pans, and bowls full of food from the stove top and refrigerator, and they soon had help getting those spread out on the tables as well. They all sat down and Jim uncovered an array of food that reminded Pete of the food at a Texas style barbecue restaurant. Hot rolls, corn bread, coleslaw, potato salad, beans, brisket, sausages, and a pot full of steaming hot barbecue sauce. He couldn't help himself as he exclaimed, “Thank you God for this fine food!” To which Bruce responded, “AMEN!” Jim paused. “So, you like this selection? I called the diner early this morning and ordered the coleslaw, tater salad, and such. Frank and I cooked up the beans, meats and barbecue sauce. There is also some cobbler for desert. We were hoping you wouldn't mind this menu. It's nothing fancy, but … well I won't go on. Let's just enjoy what we've been given.” They clan really enjoyed the spread of food. The Smith's and Coopers were reminded of many barbecue dinners they'd had together back home. Pete hadn't had a menu like this since he had left Texas. He had tried getting a barbecue plate a couple of times at diners 'up here' but the sides were always different from what he'd been accustomed to having 'back home'. This meal included some new experiences for both Joann and Gerry. It took a few minutes to get everyone served and the conversations were what you might expect at first, that is if you were expecting enthusiasm and delight over a hearty and tasty meal. At one point Jenny quipped “This makes me feel sorry for Joe Hinkley. He thought our breakfast burritos were good. This is so much better than those.” Jim's ears perked up at that comment. “Did you say Joe Hinkley? You are talking about our Joe Hinkley?” Patty responded after a slight giggle. “That's right, Daddy. Joe was thanking them this morning on the way to work for the good food they were getting for breakfast on the way to work and for lunch every day while at work.” “What was that you said he liked?” Jim asked. “I missed that.” Patty again spoke for Jenny. “Breakfast Burritos.” Patty pronounced it carefully for him. “They are not what we call burritos around here. They are made with scrambled eggs, grilled onion and peppers, crumbled bacon and sausage, then a splash of salsa all wrapped up in a very large flour tortilla. Just the kind of breakfast a lumber jack really needs whether they knew it or not.” Patty grinned as Frank and her Daddy thought about a very different kind of breakfast. “I can see how that would be a good meal you could manage on the way to work. It sounds like a breakfast wrap with a good balance of nutrition. Even the peppers and onions add a functional boost to that mix. ” Frank, the normally quiet one, spoke up. “It's actually a better breakfast for lumberjacks than the traditional one with pancakes and syrup. The peppers help with a jump-start, but you avoid the late morning sugar crash.” Jim kept pressing, “So you all are providing breakfast for them on the way to work. That way you can be sure they have the energy to get to work in the morning and then you assure they have decent food to get them through the afternoon. That is a sound strategy for a work camp, but there is a cost for that. It takes a lot of work and food supplies to adequately feed hard working men. How much are you charging for all this?” Yet again Patty interrupted before anyone else could respond. “I tried to tell you, Daddy. They really are good people. They are not charging them anything, and no, they are not reducing their pay to cover the costs either. Furthermore, they are paying them in full, cash in their hand, every single day, before they get in the trucks to be carried home, giving them free transportation as well. I'm telling you, Daddy, you to Frank, these people are the real deal, even though it sounds too good to be real. Now stop with the twenty questions game.” The tables were suddenly silent. Jim was avoiding eye contact with everyone. Frank however was studying faces carefully. He is the one who spoke first. “I'm the one who needs to apologize for this. Right now my good friend Jim is embarrassed because he leaned too much on my warnings. Before he starts arguing about blame, I will concede for the record that both of us misread the situation, but he cannot deny that I was pushing hard to influence him with my concerns. I am sorry. I made a mistake. Whether I was simply paranoid or I tripped over disinformation is moot. I misjudged and pushed my friend with mistaken conclusions.” “I can forgive you that, Frank.” Jim spoke quietly and more reserved than he had been previously this evening. “As messed up as the world has become, 'Who can we trust?' has become an improbable question. I am certain the same question has become a conundrum for your family as well,” he said as he scanned the faces of the clan sitting in his den. “Just for context, we have some local authorities that have become rather irrational and even draconian in their drive for power and control in the name of 'keeping everyone here safe'. The confusion caused by the irrational or counterproductive nature of some of their measures has made it difficult to predict or in some cases to verify the measures they are taking. When we hear something new, we cannot know for sure if it is real or if it is mere rumor. Even if we confirm that something we heard was just rumor, we cannot be sure that it was not a planted rumor just to keep us in line with their desire for control.” “Pete, Jenny, Carl, that paranoia was why I gave you that self serving offer for the pricing of your proposed purchase and withdrew my suggestion about helping you line up some workers. Frank and I had just heard that the sheriff and county judge were cooking up another scheme and were bringing in ringers from outside the county to prove a need for even more rigid controls on merchants.” Jim was shaking his head. “We bought into it just like they wanted, giving them the control they wanted without them having to go on the record with illegal ordinances.” “And the problem is not just in this county.” Frank was soberly adding to the explanation. “We have been hearing rumors that the federal government is trying to find a way to outlaw cash transactions over a certain amount. Of course with rumors being what they are the ceiling numbers being rumored for cash transactions range from ridiculously low to impossibly low.” “That's what you were talking about in Revelation chapter thirteen, wasn't it, Pete?” Bruce interrupted. “Huh?” Frank looked to Bruce, but out of the corner of his eye noticed Pete nodding his head. “What have you heard about this, Pete?” Pete replied with a false nonchalance, “Oh, I had shown Bruce a place where there was a written prediction that just before the destruction of men's governments around the world that those governments or government would first destroy all flawed religious organizations. Then the government would require all men great or small to carry the mark of the government, that is the evidence of obedience and loyalty to the government in what they do and even what they think, or they would not be allowed to buy or sell anything.” “Whoa. When was that?” Frank was shocked. “Must have been a while back for them to be able to get that into print without it being censured?” Pete made a face like he was pondering that question. “Let me see. It was about nineteen … hundred years ago in the last book of the Bible.” Frank was trying to keep a steady face, but his eyes were darting back and forth checking the expressions of the visiting family to see if this was a trick. Jim was taken aback. “Guys, come on don't mess with Frank that way. He doesn't know the Bible very well. There is some really serious stuff going on right now and we were trying to be honest with you. Don't go trying to fool with him using the Bible as part of your joke. That's going a little too far.” Carl had been very quiet so far, but he realized that Patty's father had totally missed it. “Mister Decker, I think you are misunderstanding. Do you have a Bible here?” “Yes of course I have a Bible, what are you trying to imply.” Now Jim was getting irritated. Carl was being very calm and gentle in his speaking now. “Patty, please reassure your father we are not playing and we are not implying anything negative. Why don't you get a Bible and turn to Revelation, chapter 13.” Patty stood and told her father, “Daddy, trust me. This is not what you are thinking. Just wait and see.” She went to the book shelves in her Daddy's den and pulled out a Bible. Then she walked over to her father and opened the Bible very close to the end. She flipped a few pages then pointed with here finger as she started reading out loud. She read slow but smoothly in spite of the older English style of the grammar. When she finished she stopped and stood still. Her father was still but his eyes were going over the lines again and again. Finally Jim looked up at Frank. “It's really really there. I'd always been told there was too much symbolism to understand this part of the Bible. There are a lot of things that are obviously symbolic, but here at the end of this chapter it even explains what some of the symbols mean. Peter, are any of these other symbols in this chapter explained elsewhere? Like when it says on their hand or on their forehead; I'm guessing that is symbolic. Where is that explained?” Peter nodded. “Some of those symbols called out in chapter thirteen are explicitly explained in chapter twelve. Some of the symbols are explained elsewhere in the Bible, but it is all there, if you are diligent and want to find them. You are right about the hand and forehead. In the Hebrew part of the Bible called the old testament. The Israelites were told over and over and over again to keep the commands of God close to them and think of them all day long. They were told to tie them or bind them on their forehead and on the back of their hand. That was a figure of speech meaning when you are thinking and when you are working bind his words to yourself. But Jim, don't believe that because I said it. Read it for yourself. Get familiar with it. Think about it. Pray about it. Make your own decisions about what the Bible really says, but make sure your decisions are well founded. ” Jim looked down at the page again. “It's right there, I was told it is too hard to make sense of it, but there it is. It says there is going to come a time when nobody powerful or weak, rich or poor will be allowed to buy or sell anything unless they conform to the government's demands, man's demands, rather than to god's commands. It was there all this time, but we would not look at it.” Jim stared straight ahead without speaking for a couple of minutes. Suddenly he shook his head like trying to wake himself from a daydream. “Peter I told my daughter that I wanted to meet you folks and I wanted to help with what you are doing if I can. Right now I am not so sure what I can do, or should do. There is so much swirling through my head.” Pete started to answer, “You are not alone in that, Jim. As a matter of fact ...” Joann jumped in here. “Jim your daughter was saying almost the same thing when we first talked with her. We want to help her find a sure path where she can be more confident” “She's right, Daddy.” Patty weighed in on the conversation. “You know how I was getting. I told you I had to clear my head. These people have been so good for me.” Now Jenny interrupted. “Jim I owe you an apology. I assumed the wrong things when I stood up and walked out on our meeting. I am sorry for doing that. We love Patty and we know you raised her well.” “Hold it, right there!” Linda abruptly got everyone's attention. “Whew, I'm glad I caught y'all in time. Everyone just take a breath and calm down before we all get caught up in this emotional stuff and find ourselves tangled up in a group hug.” Gerry was stifling a laugh, but the laugh ended up winning that battle. “Thank you, Linda. As much as I appreciated the good feelings here I also think there are some practical matters we need to address. Mister Decker, Right now there are so many urgent matters facing our group, we could spend all night just listing them. The same is true of those former employees of your, and I am willing to bet that the same is true of you, Frank, and even your daughter Patty. You said you want to help but don't know what you can do. That is probably because you don't know enough about us to know what would help, that you can do. It wasn't that long ago I was in a similar situation wanting to help them a little and before I knew what had happened, they had swallowed me up, whole, and saved my hide in the process. I am not trying to discourage you from trying to help. I am merely forewarning you that once you start connecting with this family, you may be surprised about the pathway you find yourself on.”
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Post by feralferret on Dec 7, 2023 22:51:17 GMT -6
Thank you, pbbrown0. Another fine chapter.
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Post by kiwibutterfly on Dec 7, 2023 23:57:13 GMT -6
I'm loving this story, thanks so much
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Post by sniper69 on Dec 8, 2023 9:12:25 GMT -6
Thank you for another awesome chapter!
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Post by CountryGuy on Dec 8, 2023 9:57:18 GMT -6
Another great chapter... and love how the things are developing. Made me sort of think of the line 'these are the times that try men's souls'. like those workers and Jim and Frank... sort of like internally their souls are being weighed and they are being judged as to where, or maybe which side they will come down on.
Why is it I sense an evil sheriff/ tax collector soon to make his presence known...
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Post by sniper69 on Dec 8, 2023 11:03:48 GMT -6
Another great chapter... and love how the things are developing. Made me sort of think of the line 'these are the times that try men's souls'. like those workers and Jim and Frank... sort of like internally their souls are being weighed and they are being judged as to where, or maybe which side they will come down on. Why is it I sense an evil sheriff/ tax collector soon to make his presence known... Only another chapter or 50 will tell.
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Post by eyeseetwo on Dec 8, 2023 23:57:44 GMT -6
Your story gives me much to ponder. Thank you.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 9, 2023 20:36:28 GMT -6
Post #63 Trouble With A Capital "T"
“Mister Decker, Mister Rogers,” Rob spoke up. “Please don't read what Gerry is saying in the wrong way. It is kind of complicated and unusual how we joined forces, so to speak, with Gerry. It wasn't like we took him over and he lost control. It's just that things progressed rather quickly, so I'm sure there was an element of him feeling overwhelmed. In truth he is a full partner both in assets and in authority with the rest of us, but we don't treat it so much like a legal arrangement, which it is. As we see it, he is part of our family.” “Okay, I'll go with that for now. I am curious though about almost all of you being from south of the Red River, he glanced reflexively for half an instance toward Joann, “but Mister Kerry, if I'm not mistaken is from much closer. How did that happen?” Pete cleared his throat, and faces turned toward him. “ If you don't mind, it is going to make things a bit easier and also more relaxed if we dispense with the Mister and Mrs and also stick to first names. There are too many of us here with the last name of Smith. Please call me Pete. Now, Jim, please understand that those problems, that Frank was saying are not limited to this county, have prompted my family,” Pete gently waved his hand in a broad sweep around the room, “to practice keeping our identities and locations somewhat unnoticeable to the authorities. Please forgive us if these practices seem a bit odd or unusual, especially if we seem reluctant from time to time in answering your questions with normal courtesy. These are not normal times.” “Now,” Pete continued, “You wanted to meet us, and I assume you wanted to evaluate us, with the suggestion that you are considering helping us, or I am guessing that more accurately you are wanting to help your former employees. About that; two issues arose today almost at the same time. The first issue I guess would be called a personnel issue. It appears that a few of the workers expressed their irritation and disgruntlement regarding their employers, that is my family, while outside of our range of hearing. This prompted a rather strongly worded reaction from another employee in a manner that everyone heard quite clearly. The situation was quite tense until it was interrupted by that earthquake today. Jim, you have referred to those employees as 'My people' more than once. If you can offer any advice or help in deflecting an altercation among our employees, we would appreciate that for our sake as well as for theirs. As for the earthquake, that is a warning we would all do well to heed.” Jim and Frank gave each other serious looks, then Jim turned to his daughter. “Patty, what can you tell me about this?” “Daddy, I heard what Liam said to the whole group. He basically said this family had bent over backwards to be respectful and generous helping not just the men who are working but their families, too. Then he made it clear that he was very angry and thinking of all kinds of horrible things to do to the few who were being disrespectful to the family that had been so kind and helpful to all of the men there. Then Gerry tried to calm things by recommending to Liam that he not bring the risk of more trouble for his family, but he also said Liam was not the only one who knows who the culprits are, so if they were unhappy about their employer, it might be wise for them to just not come back.” Jim turned to Frank again and nodded. Frank excused himself. Jim turned back to the clan. “I'm sorry about that trouble. You don't have to tell me who the troublemakers are. Frank is going to talk to Liam, again, and make sure he is thinking it through and being patient about it working out. Now about those earthquakes. I take it you believe they are a foreshadowing. Is that in the good Book, too?” “That's the way I read it.” Pete said simply. “A foreshadowing of the greatest earthquake ever? Like I said, though, you need to decide that for yourself.” Even if you set aside the good book and just look at history, the greatest series of earthquakes since the Spanish arrived on this continent were right out our back door. Up in the hills here is supposed to be stable and immune from earthquakes, but in the last month we have felt four. Yeah, they were centered over in the so called hot zone, and the authorities are claiming those weren't so bad. Yet we felt them here, didn't we. Those really big ones in the past were felt on the other side of the Appalachians.” “Like I said, before,” Jim looked very serious, “I think we have a lot that we need to talk about, but you have schedules to meet. We better let you all go and work out a way to talk more again.” Everyone was quiet for a moment before Patty spoke. “What if you all stay here tonight and make breakfast for the crew here in the morning. That would give us more time tonight and you wouldn't have to get up so early to prepare it because you would already be here. That would cut a whole round trip there and back off of the time crunch.” Gerry spoke up. “I have to... I have an obligation this evening.” Jim replied, “Can't you reschedule it?” Patty answered, “I don't think it's that kind of obligation, Daddy. I think he has some animals to tend to.” There was a note of frustration in her voice. Jim noticed Patty's disappointment. “Can't you delay that until morning, just this once? Maybe Frank and I can pitch in to help in the morning. We both have trucks. We could help carry the crew if that helps.” “Jim, I think he is concerned about the effect of the earthquake disturbance shaking up the animals and disrupting their feeding schedule on top of that.” Linda replied. She was beginning to identify with Gerry's sensitivity regarding how the animals were cared for and the calming effect on them of having a dependable routine. Bruce also added, “and there has been a well problem with this drought. We need to check that after the earthquake just to be sure.” Bruce wasn't sure a former lumberjack would see the importance of taking really good care of the animals beyond preventing them from starving. “I have an idea.” Patty's eyes had a special look her father recognized, even though it surprised him. “We'll have to check with Frank of course. His truck is a good truck, but it doesn't have a crew cab. It can however manage three people on the bench seat. If he is willing he can take Gerry and I to Gerry's place. Frank and I can help him with the animals and the well tonight. Then in the morning we can meet you all at the mountain. You all can stay here and talk more with Daddy. Daddy, you can help them with breakfast and maybe work something out about transportation in the morning.” Carl shook his head. “There's a problem. We have a safety policy. No one in our family can get out of radio contact with the rest of us. We have no phones and if some one needs help, has an accident, or is safe but simply delayed we have no way to know, or to send help. Our trucks all have radios butwith limited range. There is a longer range base radio at Gerry's place, but we can't keep in contact the full distance there. There is also the problem of the chickens needing their food and water checked, both at our place and at Grandpa and Joann's” Patty frowned. “I'm sorry. Gerry was right. You all have obligations. I just really want things to work out with us. I don't know how to make that happen if there is so little time for Daddy and Frank to work through things with you. Please, be thinking about that. Would it be ... never mind. I just need to let you go, tonight. Be safe driving. I'll see you in the morning.” The clan began standing up from the tables and thanking Jim for his hospitality and the meal. Jim seemed off balance like he had not expected the evening to end this way. Jenny, Joann, Linda and Colleen were all four giving each other looks like they were trying to figure something out. Their menfolk were thinking about the drive ahead and the preparations for tomorrow. They were going to repeat the pattern of the day before regarding who was going to which location and the plan to return the next morning. Jim turned to his daughter after they had all left. “Patty-Cake are you okay? I'm sorry. That was the wrong question. Sweetie, do you want to talk to me about what is troubling you?” Patty was looking off away from her father, not really looking at anything within the room. “Not yet Daddy. I have some things I need to sort out for myself, before I know how to talk about them. I really like that family. I just feel this really big longing opening up inside me, that I think is going to get filled up by growing closer to them. I think I need to be more patient as that works out. Let's get this all put away then I need to get to bed. I need to get ready for an early start tomorrow.” Jim and Patty got to work cleaning up from the meal, putting the leftovers away, and loading Jim's dishwasher. Frank was back about a half hour after he had left. He assured Jim and Patty that Liam had calmed down. Liam had explained that he had been making an effort to achieve the same results Gerry had recommended in front of the crowd of workers. Liam said that with that double emphasis he expected that those involved would get the message and follow the recommendation to drop out of the team. He did not reveal the names of the grumblers, but indicated Jim could probably make a good guess as to who they were. He did say, however that he would like to see Rob, Bruce and Gerry's family be more careful about how they arrived here in Hollerton. He talked about certain people here who think they have an obligation to stick their muzzles where they do not belong. Patty sucked in her breath and her eyes got big when she heard that last comment. “Daddy, Frank, we have to warn them. Liam is right and tomorrow will be the fifth day in a row that they all show up on your back parking lot. There is no way to call them, and I don't know what road they are on! We've got to warn them before they come back. Those troublemakers will be mad about loosing their pay while the others keep working. They know how things are run in this county. ” Jim and Frank were both surprised and concerned at the reaction Patty showed. Jim tried to comfort her and discount the warning Liam had offered, but Patty was standing firm that they had to do something about this.. Jim was wondering why she was so concerned for them. “Patty, we can contact our people and find a different place for them to wait. Then when the Smiths show up we can let them know the new place they can pick up our folks.” Patty now looked really distressed. “That's not the problem, Daddy. If Sheriff Clark wants to cause trouble, he'll go after Gerry, Rob, Bruce, and the rest of the family. There would be too much local sympathy if he arrested all our people for trying to earn some money. The family are the outsiders, remember. The sheriff and his brother will cook some idea up about them bringing trouble here carrying our people off blind folded, to probably do something illegal elsewhere. You know how they work. It won't matter to them about it being right or wrong as long as people here see that they are in control.” Jim began talking like he was not sure anything could be done. Frank on the other hand, realized this was stirring up some strong emotions in Patty, so he started talking with Patty about trying to figure something out. “Patty, let's think together about this.” Frank started. “You say they always come to the parking lot together?” “Well, almost always. One day they were staggered quite a distance apart, but that was a special circumstance.” She didn't tell them it was because of the disruption caused by Carl and Colleen getting married the night before. It also prompted her to remember the first time they all showed up to talk with the workers. She had not counted before that time when the family was all together on the back parking lot, but remembering it now only added to her anxiety. Frank sensed that change in her tension. “Patty, I can see this is really important to you. We have to work together to find a way to warn them. Okay? Let's get focused.” Patty took a deep breath and tried to focus. “Patty, when they came in which way did they come from?” Patty shook her head. “I couldn't see. We were in the back parking lot, and they came around the building from the front parking lot. Our view of the roads in front was blocked by the building.” “Okay, Patty when you left to go to their sight, which way did they go?” Frank was staying calm and talking softly to Patty. “I could not see, Frank. I had a bandanna over my face!” “That's okay, Patty. So close your eyes. You have been in and out of that parking lot thousands of times. You know those street so well you could drive them with your eyes closed.” Frank was keeping her calm and focused. “So think back and remember the feeling this morning when you started out. You put on the bandanna and your eyes are closed. The driver puts the truck in gear and starts to pull out of the back parking lot. Which way do they turn. What does it feel like? Feel the turns, but try to picture in your mind what those turns would look like coming out of that parking lot you know so well.” Patty was concentrating. “We are swinging around to the left to get out from behind the building. We are heading across the front lot now. We're out in the street and turning left. Jenny is talking to me about Daddy wanting to meet us. She sounds a bit nervous.” Jim started to ask something and Frank waves him away. “Okay, Patty concentrate. Jenny is talking to you but remember what you are feeling.” “I'm feeling anxious. She seems tense but she is talking about them deciding to accept Daddy's invitation. When she finished I nearly jumped out of my seat to give her a hug. I can't remember anything about feeling turns in the road. I was too … happy and excited.” Patty let out a sigh and her shoulders slumped. “Frank, I'm sorry. What are we going to do?” Once again her voice was strained and anxious. “We are not through yet, Patty. Close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly.” Patty pulled herself together and tried again. “Patty,” Frank started again with a calm and soothing voice. “This evening you came back home in one of the trucks. You had that Bandanna on again. Am I right?” She nodded her head. “Good, so you are almost back. Where did they stop to let you out?” “We stopped in the front parking lot, so I could drive and lead us here.” “Keep your eyes closed and focus. Which way was the truck pointing when you took the bandanna off?” “It was angled in toward the store, like we had come in from the southeast into the parking lot.” “Okay we are doing good. Now this is tricky so we'll take it in small bits. Think back when you entered the parking lot did you turn left or right into the lot?” He watched as Patty's head did a slight wobble from side to side. “We made a slight right turn into the lot.” Patty said. “Great!” Frank responded. “You came in driving east on Ridgecrest Road, just like you turned east onto Ridgecrest when you left that morning. Now carefully think back, step by step. Before you turned right into the parking lot how long were you on Ridgecrest without a turn before you turned into the parking lot?” Patty was concentrating and concentrating. “I'm pretty sure it was a good distance. I remember it was rough for a while, then it smoothed out. It was smooth for quite a while before we turned into the lot.” Patty was now getting a little excited. “We turned left onto Ridgecrest before we got into town. That means we were coming north on State Road #9!” “That's what it sounds like to me.” Frank agreed. “So, Patty, In the morning about five-thirty, you and I will meet up in our trucks and head out together and 'head them off at the pass'. Jim, just as a backup, why don't you park by the front door of the store and walk through to the back loading dock. When the 'good guys' start showing up, just casually mosey over and suggest they head back home and you, me, and Patty can gather them up at their homes later. That way we can carry them outside the county before they make contact with the Smith clan. How does that sound Patty?” Patty was smiling, but her eyes were glistening. She didn't say a word but wrapped her arms around Frank's neck and squeezed him in a hug. “Thank, you Frank.” She whispered. As she turned to head for the door she called over her shoulder. “See you in the morning.” - - - - - -
On the trip back 'home' from Hollerton the women were separated one per truck except in the truck with Jenny, Linda, Rob, and Bruce. Bruce was commenting as they left the Deckers, “Patty was really trying hard to rearrange our plans wasn't she. I have a feeling she would have tried even longer if she had more information before hand.” Rob replied from the back seat, “She did back off when she understood the situation, though. I'm trying to figure out what was behind that. What was she trying to accomplish with that rearranging? Do you think she is just curious and trying to find ways to learn more of the information we are trying to keep under the radar, or is it a control issue?” Linda chuckled. “That's kind of like asking if this is a winding road, or does it just have a lot of curves in it, don't you think, Rob?” Jenny stepped in here. “Guys, I like Patty a lot. I think she just likes our family and wants to spend more time with us.” “I'll grant you that, Jenny, but I think there is more at work here than just spending more time with us,” Linda replied. “Exactly, Darling.” Bruce affirmed Linda's assessment. “If it was just about spending more time with us, why didn't she just try to get us to stay longer?” “I think I've said ... we've said enough about this subject.” Linda asserted. “Anything more and we will be getting into conjecture bordering on gossip and that is not fair to her. Let's all just patiently let her work out her own issues while we mind our manners toward her.” - - - - -
Pete was asking his wife, “Joann, Patty seemed, I don't know, out of sorts this evening. You have been spending more time with her and have gotten a better understanding of her than I have. Do you think she was just nervous about all of us meeting her father after our encounter a couple of weeks ago? Do you think the earthquake or that disruption with the workers has her upset? She was just a lot more … intense tonight than I've seen her before. What is your take on this?” “Relax and be patient, Peter.” Joann was not always the Wildcat that Gerry had labeled her. “All of those things probably factored in, but she is... uhm, on the verge of discovering a whole new way of looking at things. Give her some time and she will work through it, with the Creator's help, of course. I'll be watching her and helping her as much as I can. I think it's going to be a very satisfying experience watching this work out for her.” “Joann, you sound like a loving mother watching her daughter grow up.” Gerry added in. “That is a really sweet, loving attitude you are showing toward her. I think she lost her mother when she was fairly young. I'm glad for her sake that she has you looking out for her.” “Thank you, Gerry. I hope I can make a difference for her.” - - - - - -
The next morning Patty was at her father's front door at five-fifteen in the morning. She figured the 'clan' had been on the road for over a half hour already. Frank arrived five minutes later. Patty was so eager to get going that Frank decided they would head out five minutes early. Her Father had nothing else to do for the next several minutes and left to go on over to the store. In doing so, he missed the Sheriff's deputy cruising past his house at five-thirty, and coming back by from the other direction five minutes later. It was a small town so Jim unlocked the front door of his store and turned to lock it back at one minute before five-thirty. That was when he noticed the Sheriff cruising down Ridgecrest Drive past the front of his store. He had not turned the lights on yet so he stood back away from the glass door and watched. Less than five minutes later the sheriff came back along Ridgecrest going the opposite direction at about ten miles per hour under the speed limit. Jim picked up his phone and called Frank. Frank had his phone connected in his truck using Bluetooth and was able to answer buy pressing one button on his dashboard. “Hey, Jim. What's up?” Jim spoke quietly. “Frank I don't like this. It looks like Patty may have been right about this. The sheriff is cruising slowly back and forth along Ridgecrest in front of the store about every five minutes.” Frank replied. “I don't like that either, Jim. I don't call that a coincidence. Go out back and see if anyone is already out there. If they are bring them inside and just tell them you want to discuss putting them back on the payroll. Then go get the personnel files and call the rest of those you laid off, except the trouble makers. Tell them all the same thing and tell them to come to the front door rather than going out back this morning. Try to keep an eye on the patrols and keep me posted on what's happening.” Jim replied, “What if they are unsure about coming back to work here after the layoff?” Frank paused. “Tell them it is Patty's idea so no one runs into trouble. I gotta go.” Frank hung up and spoke to his truck's system. “Call Patty-Cake” Patty was following Frank and she had her phone on a clip attached to her dashboard. She touched the screen to answer when her phone rang. “This is Patty.” “Patty, this is Frank. I'm pulling over in another couple of miles as soon as we cross the county line. Are you with me?” “I'm with you, Frank. I know I'm over reacting, but I can't thank you enough for helping me. If we hadn't done this I would have been a nervous wreck all morning.” “Patty, listen to me, and stay calm. I see the county line up ahead. Keep your speed steady, under the speed limit. I am going to go a bit past the county line before we stop. Stay with me and stay calm. Stay on the phone.” Patty was getting uneasy. “Frank what is going on? Is something wrong?” “Patty just stay with me, and listen to me. Everything is going to be okay. I am passing a car beside the road over under a large bush. Ignore it. Keep your eyes on the road. I am right in front of you. And just keep driving down the road. Don't glance over at it. Don't speed up. Don't slow down. Act like you did not notice it. You are doing good. You just crossed the county line. Keep coming. We are going around the next curve. That's good. I'm slowing down. Signal that you are pulling over. Slow to a stop right behind me. Put your emergency flashers on. Okay you can get out now.” Patty grabbed her phone off the dash and ran up to Frank. “Frank what is wrong? Who was that we passed?” “Patty, we are okay. That was a Sheriff's Deputy car we passed. It was minimally marked to keep it “stealthy”. I am pretty sure it is there to report back if it sees any trucks that fit a description of those belonging to the Smith clan. We need to stop them if we see them coming along this road so they do not enter our county. Apparently the sheriff is also patrolling back and forth in front of your father's store.” Patty was getting anxious now, but she was focused. “Frank, I have my truck on this side with it's flashers on. You pull over to the other side heading the other way, but right beside me. Put your flashers on, too. If anyone stops and asks, tell them I was stopped with car trouble and you stopped to help.” Frank winked at her. “Good thinking. Keep a step ahead.” - - - - - -
That morning the clan started out in three different trucks on three different routes. This seemed to be an adequate plan for keeping separation and unnoticed on their route into Hollerton. Driving in from three different routes their timing was such that they never saw each other when driving on the same road over the last twelve miles before reaching the county seat. That separation meant that they would not be seen together until their arrival inside of Hollerton. This morning Peter, Joann and Gerry were arriving first. Gerry was letting Peter drive his truck this morning They had just completed their last radio check when Peter cleared the top of a hill. Up ahead in the distance he saw some flashing lights. As he drew closer he realized there were a number of flashing lights. He slowed when he got close enough to see two vehicles on either side of the road with their emergency flashers on. Gerry suggested that Peter stop when they got closer so he could get out and see what the problem was. Gerry climbed out cautiously and saw a man and woman standing beside the road. The sun was behind the hill to his back so they were in the shadows but the flashing lights made it hard to see them. Suddenly the woman ran toward him shouting and waving, “Gerry, I am so glad to see you.” He recognized her voice and realized it was Patty with Frank striding up behind her. Gerry was dumbfounded and Patty was so upset she could barely talk. “What is going on? What happened, Patty?” Gerry asked. Frank stepped up and spoke very clearly. “There is a problem. Get on the radio. Tell the others they must not enter the county. We will explain after you tell them. Go!”
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Post by sniper69 on Dec 9, 2023 23:08:16 GMT -6
Oh, a little twist as things are getting more interesting. Looking forward to the next chapter and reading more of this fine story.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 9, 2023 23:27:09 GMT -6
A bit of a cliff hanger.
Thanks, pbbrown0.
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Post by CountryGuy on Dec 10, 2023 10:25:55 GMT -6
The plot thickens... And I love it!
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 11, 2023 20:26:22 GMT -6
Post #64 The Ferris Wheel Ride
“Hello?” Liam was getting ready to walk to the Lumberjack Supply Store and catch a ride when his house phone rang. He was puzzled because no one ever called that. He had dropped service on his mobile phone several months ago when money got really short. He kept this land line only for emergencies. The land line was still cheap because he had been part of the local telephone cooperative for years, and there weren't enough subscribers out here for the big telephone companies to offer a buyout. “Mister Decker? What's up? … No disrespect meant, Mister Decker, but I really doubt that is why you called. Please, be straight with me, Mister Decker. You always have before, and that is a two way street I prefer to stay on. … Hmm. ” Liam thought for a moment after Jim told him the truth. “I see what you mean, and that might be a good way to handle it. Consider this. If they are trying to spinup some charges, they probably are going to use what I said yesterday as a part of the tale they concoct. That being the case, I need to stay away from you and the others so you all don't get charged with accessory, harboring, conspiring, colluding, or some other such nonsense. … I appreciate your concern, Mister Decker. This is a bad situation and neither of us wants it to spill over on others, but these folks don't have a very good track record when it comes to reasonableness or discretion, do they? I need to get out of here before they decide to come here and get me at home, especially if I don't show up there. ... No, my wife and daughter are still asleep. If they come here looking for me, she can honestly plead ignorance about my whereabouts. … Yeah, I know where that is. … Okay, I appreciate that. I'll be watching for him. Thank you, Mister Decker. One more thing. Remember to hold your tongue, real tight, no matter what they say or ask.” Jim sent a text to Frank, using his mobile phone and then deleted it from his phone. Jim continued with his call list. Some of the men he called seemed very surprised at the notion of being hired back ar rhe store. Some seemed very confused but cooperative. Two of them did not say much but their tone of voice communicated they were comprehending more than was stated. They all agreed to come to the front door. Some were driving and some were walking, so there were several that arrived in quick succession. Jim let them in and locked the door behind them. He then handed keys to the front door to one of his former employees and asked him to watch for the rest and lock the double glass doors after each one came inside. Jim told them he would be meeting with them soon in the staff break room. Jim went to the back door and peeked through the small reinforced glass window in the door to the loading dock. Back there in the shadow of the commercial dumpster which was blocking it from the view of anyone coming from the front parking lot to the back loading area, was a sheriff's deputy pickup painted in dull camo print. It was headed back into the corner so the sign on the door identifying it as a sheriff's vehicle was totally hidden behind the dumpster. Unless you were lined up where you could see deep into that hidden slot beside the dumpster and make out the light bar on the roof, almost anyone would just assume it was just one more of the hundreds of camo painted pickups common to this area. Jim's jaw tightened. He raised his cell phone and looking through the glass he zoomed in and let the auto-focus work before he snapped several pictures. He checked the pictures and saw that the license plate under the back tailgate clearly showed a county vehicle plate number in his pictures. Jim scanned the back lot visually and seeing nothing more he went to his office. He sat down at his desk and started up his computer. Then with the software he had bought before the epidemic, he began turning on the security cameras all over the inside and outside of the store. Only two cameras, One looking out over the front parking lot, and one looking out back from the loading dock stayed on twenty for hours a day, unless there was a break-in alarm triggered at one of the doors The software was set up to periodically upload the recorded images to a high capacity solid state memory device at his home and also to a storage area “in the clouds”. Then he checked the time and called Frank. Frank informed him that they had caught the incoming family in time to avoid the sheriff's department deputy hiding just inside the county line. He assumed they were watching multiple roads heading toward Hollerton. Jim relayed the information about Liam, and about the deputy who was hiding behind the store. Just then one of the workers came running to Jim's office to report that the sheriff was at the front door demanding to be let inside. Frank overheard the report and told Jim to leave his phone on and slip it into a pocket. As Jim walked toward the front door, he could hear the sound of someone pounding on the heavy glass door at the front. As he turned a corner he saw the sheriff through the glass doors, and he slowed both his stride and his breathing. He had been angry in the past at the gall of Sheriff Carter and all his shenanigans, but the antics of this morning were over the top. Jim was determined to keep his cool. He also knew that the security cameras were on and that Frank was probably recording the sound of what was happening through his phone. “Sheriff Carter?” Jim was trying to sound calm and unruffled, “Is there a problem?” “Open the door, Decker!” the sheriff shouted in a commanding voice. Jim took a quiet breath and replied in his smoothest customer service voice, “I am sorry Sheriff Carter. We do not open for business until Eight a.m. That is clearly posted right here on the door. Come back in a couple of hours and we will be glad to assist you with your purchases when our staff are ready to help you.” The sheriff suddenly was turning red in the face. The thought flew through Jim's mind that he really did not want the man to have a heart attack...at his store. “Knock off the B... S..., Decker this is the sheriff you are talking to. Now open this door. You think you are so high and mighty just because you have money. You won't be so high and mighty when I get a hold of you. I know what you are up to.” “I see. So you already know that I am meeting with some former employees about possibly rehiring them. I really need to get back to that meeting, Sheriff. I really need them to be ready to help our customers if I do hire them. I promise I will be back to let you in for your shopping spree when we open at eight.” Jim replied calmly and started to turn. He noticed the crowd of nine former employees had made their way out of the break room and were coming just a little closer to see about the disturbance. Suddenly the Sheriff slammed the side of his fist against the glass door making it rattle loudly. Jim had been listening earlier when the sheriff was ranting about the wealth Jim supposedly had. Jim turned and spoke calmly but in a more stern voice. “Sheriff Carter, these doors are expensive and I've already told you twice that we do not open for business for another hour and fifty-five minutes. If you want to wait here patiently and stop disturbing my meeting, we will open the doors then. If you cannot control your impatience I must ask you to leave now, or I will be forced to contact the authorities to have you removed from the premises. Jim stood facing the Sheriff calmly but with a hint of smugness. He knew full well that he was pushing the sheriffs buttons like he was playing a concertina. Carter loved to intimidate people, and he was not accustomed to anyone who did not kowtow to his bullying. The sheriff was now screaming at the door like an enraged ape with his spittle splattering on the glass. “I am the authority in this county, and I am not here to go shopping, you idiot. I'm here to arrest a terrorist you are harboring who is helping impose forced labor on the poor citizens of this county. Jim tried but he could not stop himself from laughing. “Sheriff, I assure you there is no one in here who is a terrorist. As for the poor citizens of this county, it was your foolish antics of banning customers from outside our county from buying supplies in this county to help pay wages for people living here that led to their economic crises.” The last thing Carter was in the mood to tolerate at that moment was someone laughing at him and ridiculing him in front of an audience. He pulled his night stick out of his belt loop and waved it threateningly over his shoulder. “I know you are hiding him in there or you would have opened this door already. Now let me in or I'll bust your glass doors to pieces and then I'll knock a few heads until I find him!” Jim knew he had a bunch of former lumberjacks behind him who knew a bit about knocking heads, but he did not want that to happen here. “Sheriff, respectfully, you need to calm down. I told you there is no one here terrorizing anyone, unless maybe it is you. You have no immediate probable cause to search these premises, so you need a warrant to enter for a search before business hours. You go talk your brother into issuing a warrant giving you permission to come inside. Then come back here in a more civil manner and you will be able to search according to the terms of the warrant.” Sheriff Carter was so worked up he didn't have the presence of mind to call for backup, and he was not about to let a mere civilian back him down. He drew back and struck the glass with the night stick, then he hit it again, and again. Jim was easing back, in case the glass did shatter. The workers were well aware of the security cameras from their in store security training, and were farther back from the doors to keep themselves out of any videos that might come to light. One of the workers slipped out from behind them and made his way to a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall to the side of the front doors. The sheriff was actually cracking the glass now. Then he began punching through it with the end of the hardened bat. Finally he was kicking the broken glass out near the base of the door so he could step through. Just as he ducked a little and reached a foot through to step onto the floor inside, the man with the fire extinguisher opened the valve and began spraying foam on the floor and door, some of it hitting Carter causing him to duck more. His foot slipped on the floor and the hand he was bracing himself with on the door slipped at almost the same moment. He fell through the broken door onto one knee and then bucked forward as his knee slipped out from under him on the slick floor. That's when he smacked the side of his head and face on the concrete floor of the store entrance. Some of those in the crowd thought they remembered hearing a loud pop or crack sound when his knee hit the ground. Others claimed that it was probably the side of his face slapping the floor that sounded so loud. Either way the Sheriff was laying there stunned and unable to get himself up. No one was in a rush to get close with him after seeing him waving that night stick around and beating his way through the door. Jim pulled his phone out and hung up. Then he quietly told the men they should head home and wait for someone to pick them up and take them back to work. He asked them to give him five minutes before they went out the front door and to lock it when they left. He went to his office and used his security software to shut the gate to the back loading dock area and then shut off the cameras showing the front parking area and the front entrance. Then he called 911 to report that the county sheriff in Fox County had fallen and injured himself after illegally breaking into private property. Jim further stated that the sheriff might need medical attention. He gave the location and answered a few questions. The regional 911 operator, realized that this was not as simple as an accident call connected him to a state police dispatcher. That dispatcher spoke with Jim for a few minutes to better understand the situation. While he was on the phone with the state officer Jim asked about who he should call to report a sheriff's deputy who was trespassing and hiding out inside his property, in spite of the no trespassing and no loitering signs, since the county sheriff was indisposed at the moment. The state officer replied that someone would be sent as soon as possible and asked that Jim remain on the premises until a state officer arrived. While he was on that call Jim turned the entrance and the front parking lot cameras back on. He had been watching Sheriff Carter on screen while he was on the call with the State dispatcher. When he finally got off of that call, he called Frank to talk about their plans. Frank realized that Jim was going to be occupied for a while with the state police, so he would not be able to help with shuttling back and forth needed to get the workers to the trucks which were waiting outside the county line. Jim told Frank he would text the worker's addresses to him so they could be picked up. He got busy with that task and had finished well before the E.M.T.s arrived. Once the E.M.T.s left taking the groggy but belligerent sheriff away he sat down in his office again to wait for the state police. That gave him a few minutes to contemplate his rapidly changing situation. - - - - - - Gerry followed Frank's directions without question and ran back to the truck. “Pete, radio everyone right now! They must not enter Fox County!” Pete grabbed the mic and called out “This is Bur Oak. This is Bur Oak. Stay out of the fox's den! Repeat. Stay out of the fox's den!” He listened a moment and heard, “Copy that,” then “Got it.” and finally “Roger that.” Pete eased Gerry's truck over to the side as far out of the lane as he could get. That meant his right side tires were barely off the right side of the side stripe on the road. He did not dare go farther because there simply was no shoulder; just a steep incline down the side of the hill. He put his flashers on and turned off the engine of Gerry's truck. Joann, was in the center of the front seat but she knew not to try exiting the truck on the right side while here. Gerry turned and walked back to Patty and Frank. Pete and Joann watched through the windshield as the three people up ahead talked. The road was slightly wider where Patty and Frank had stopped. The left tires of Patty's truck and Frank's truck were still inside the lane on either side of the road, but there was plenty of room for one car or truck at a time to pass through between them, IF they slowed down just a little first. Frank began to fill Gerry in on the situation. “The sheriff has been patrolling steadily back and forth in front of the store. Just over a half mile ahead on this road, around the curve through the trees, a Fox County sheriff's deputy is waiting to spot you coming into the county. I can only assume they are covering multiple roads coming into the county Like they did during the epidemic shutdown. Jim is calling the workers to come inside the store through the front doors for a meeting, rather than congregating behind the building. Liam is hiding out elsewhere, since they may be trying to use his statements as springboard excuse for the sheriff getting involved. The plan is for us to let this play out and see what the sheriff is going to try. Then Jim and I and maybe Patty are going to go pick up the workers and bring them out of the county to you, so you can safely take them the rest of the way to the work site.” Gerry frowned as he thought about what was going on. He was worried about the attention being drawn to the clan. He was worried about the trouble that the workers were getting caught up in. He was worried about the trouble Patty, Jim and Frank were getting caught up in. He was worried about what this might mean if their efforts were delayed getting the new place for the cattle ready where they could get enough water and grass to eat. He was even concerned about their security getting weaker with everyone getting that much closer to knowing where the work site was located. With all of that plus the new thinking that was developing recently in his heart and mind he barely had the mental and emotional capacity left to think clearly about the earthquake warnings as Pete had framed them. Gerry had a very concerned look on his face by the time he replied to Frank. “Thank you Frank. Thank you Patty. I don't know how you managed to find us, but you may have saved our hides this morning. I won't forget that. I need to go talk to Pete and Joann. Among other things we have to figure out how to let the others in our family know what this is about without telling the rest of the world in the process. Hang on a minute.” He started to turn when Patty reached out to touch his arm. “Can I come with you? I've been so worried about whether we would catch you in time or if we even were going to the right spot to find you. I'm worried about how this might affect you. I... I want to talk with Joann. She just helps me so much when I'm feeling anxious.” Patty's eyes were pleading with him. Gerry tried to think as all his own concerns were spinning through his head. “Sure, Patty. Come on.” They walked back to Gerry's truck with Patty barely behind him, trying to keep up. She started to split off and go to the window on the passenger side of the truck, but saw that was not an option so she angled back to following Gerry to the driver side window. Gerry looked through the window to both Pete and Joann. Patty had to stretch up to see both Pete and Joann and she ended up using Gerry a bit to help her balance on her toes and still see past him to Joann. Patty spoke up before Gerry could say anything. “I know Gerry needs to talk with you. I just wanted to see you two to make sure you are okay. I was really worried that we might have picked the wrong road and we might miss you. I'm just so relieved we actually found you in time.” Pete and Joann both looked concerned and confused as Gerry filled them in. Pete looked at Joann for a moment when he was through. “Well this is not how we expected it to go. This could get really tricky,” Pete said quietly. Joann responded, “Too many possibilities, too many place it could go off the rails with serious consequences?” “Yep.” Pete strung that three letter word out like only a native Texan could. “That's what I'm thinking.” They looked up and Frank was rushing toward them. He stopped behind Patty and held up his phone. “There is a Deputy Sheriff hiding behind the store in a camo painted pickup, and the sheriff is pounding on the front door demanding to be let inside. Jim is going to meet him and I had him leave his phone on so I could record it. Gerry and Patty turned to listen. It was a pretty tense cluster of listeners only hearing and not able to see what was happening. Patty's anxiety was building as the sheriff made his demands and accusations. She began clinging to Gerry's arm and squeezing tighter as her anxiety rose. When the sheriff began striking on the glass door and it started cracking she was near panicked. Suddenly there was the sound of broken glass falling and more breaking glass sounds. Finally there was a mysterious whooshing sound followed by some thumps and smacks. Then the connection was lost. Patty was beside herself with anxiety now. She was looking back and forth to Frank and Gerry for answers while still clinging to Gerry's arm. “What happened? What were those sounds? Oh no! Did Daddy have his phone in his pocket? Do you think that crazy sheriff might have ...” Frank looked grim and wasn't answering, because he simply did not know what had happened. Gerry could not know what had happened just from the sounds. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Pete and Joann were holding hands and praying quietly with their eyes closed. Patty began to weep. And Gerry put his arms around her to try and give her some comfort and support as her knees began to falter. Gerry spoke quietly to Frank while holding Patty up. “Try to call him back.” Frank looked at his phone and tried to return the call but it rang unanswered. Frank speculated, “He probably put it on silent when I told him to leave it on so that no one else would realize it was still connected.” “So, it's still ringing, which means it's still working. But he may just not be able to hear it ringing.” Gerry was thinking out loud. Frank gave a half nod with a slight tilt of his head indicating Gerry's thinking was a possibility. Gerry could see Frank was concerned, even though Frank was good at hiding his emotions. Patty did not see Frank because she was still weeping with her face buried in Gerry's chest. “Frank, you are more familiar with these people than I am so check me on my thinking. If they were looking for our trucks, and they were connecting Jim to our employing these guy, then they will probably be watching for Patty and her truck, too. She set this up and we use her truck every day to carry workers. The deputy out here may have simply missed seeing her truck pass if he was told to watch for trucks coming in rather than going out of the county. The situation in town has changed so they might be re-alerted now. You and Patty were supposed to bring the workers out to us but that's too risky now. So, if Jim is in trouble, you need to see what you can do to help him. If he's okay you either need his help carrying the workers out or you need to swap trucks with him. Your truck can only carry two people at a time,while his can carry four or five. Do you see a problem with that plan?” Frank thought for a moment. “I work to stay unnoticed by the sheriff and his people. They won't think of me this morning. The workers helping to make trouble won't connect Jim's truck to their situation, so the sheriff won't have it on his watch list, either. I have a phone and so does Patty. Yes, it's a good plan. You take care of Patty. I'll take care of Jim. I'll be in touch. Thank you, Gerry.” Frank had turned and left before Gerry could respond. He looked back toward Pete and Joann who appeared to still be praying. Rather than interrupt them he helped walk Patty back to her truck. He had remembered that she had one of their radios in her truck. He had her climb in from the driver's side because of the ditch on the passenger side. He climbed in after her trying to get her to move over to make room for him. She only scooted to the middle of the front seat and sat there in a daze. Gerry looked down at the radio and realized it was turned off. Patty's keys were in a cubbyhole in the dash board beside the steering wheel, so he grabbed them and started her truck. He decided to not use the radio and pulled down the road to his own truck where Pete and Joann were sitting. Pete looked up as Gerry pulled along side. “Frank has gone into town to find out more. Patty has a phone so he can call us with an update. I'm going to go talk to the others without using the radio. They should be back down the road a ways. Just sit tight and keep praying.” Gerry pulled away and continued heading southeast on State Road #9. He turned the radio on to listen before he got out of sight from Pete and Joann, just in case. Patty still wasn't talking and Gerry was quiet. He knew she was worried about her father. He was too. Finally Gerry figured out something to say to her. “Patty, I'm not going to tell you everything will be fine. I don't know that, and I'm not going to lie to you. Frank is going to find out what happened and help anyway he can. I know you trust him. Pete and Joann are praying about this whole situation and that has to count for something, at least the way I see things. No matter what happens, we are going to be here for you. Just hang on.” He stopped talking wishing for an instant that he had not made that last comment. He braced for a second in case she latched on to his arm again while he was steering. She sat still however, so he relaxed, a little. Up ahead, Gerry spotted Rob's truck that Carl and Colleen were driving. He began slowing as he approached and pulled along side of them. They both lowered their windows and Gerry explained the situation in as much detail as he could. When he was done he continued on to find Carl and Colleen's parents. It was about eight minutes later when he pulled up beside Bruce's truck and repeated the briefing process. That done he made a five point turn around in the middle of the narrow country road. Soon he was easing back along the road toward Pete and Joann. He passed Carl and Colleen, and about four minutes later he saw Pete and Joann up ahead in his truck. Gerry and Patty jumped when Patty's phone rang, startling both of them in their state of tense waiting. Patty leaned a bit in her seat to slip the phone out of her pocket. Gerry slowed to a stop partly in case he needed to talk on the phone, but mostly so he could hear without the road noise. As Patty answered the call Gerry heard Frank say, “Patty, Jim is okay. He called me back. He is safe.” Patty relaxed so suddenly Gerry thought she might fall over, but she managed to stay upright. Then Gerry heard Frank say, “Let me talk to Gerry.” She handed the phone to Gerry, but leaned into him so she could hear what Frank was going to tell him. Gerry was glad now that he had stopped already. Frank told Gerry about what had happened from Jim's description. He also told Gerry that Jim was probably going to be delayed for a while waiting for the E.M.T.s and answering questions when the state police got there. He said he was going to follow Gerry's plan to swap trucks with Jim and start the shuttling process. Gerry explained to Frank that the the rest of the trucks were on the same road just a few miles further along. Frank thanked Gerry again and disconnected the call. Gerry started to hand the phone back to Patty, but before he could she reached over and hugged his neck thanking him too for helping her when she was 'loosing it'. Gerry turned slightly toward her and said, “Now I think it is safe to tell you things are going to be okay. I am relieved too.” Gerry then picked up the radio mic and keyed it. “This is the Wrangler. This is the Wrangler. Sit tight. Sit tight. Packages on the way. Packages on the way. Over and out.” He hung up the mic and said, “Now we wait.” It was half an hour before Frank showed up. While they were waiting Patty gradually unwound and started talking. As was her way, she also asked questions as they popped into her head, but Gerry was only answering a few of them. Before he had time to think through an answer for one of her questions she either had asked another question or moved on to talking about something else. He found her manner oddly amusing, especially the part about being able to have an ongoing conversation with her without having to say much at all. When Frank showed up with a truck full of workers, he stopped first at Gerry's truck where Pete and Joann were sitting. Three workers got out and climbed into the back of Their truck, then Frank pulled up beside Gerry and Patty. He lowered his window and spoke to Gerry. “I have two more here. Ill be able to get the rest in one more trip. I'll take these two down to your last truck so I''ll know what to expect for the last trip. The deputy that had been out here has apparently gone back to town. You two stay here until I get back with another load in case I need to get Patty back to see Jim. Pete and Joann are staying too, so we don't get too spread out. I'll catch you on the next trip.” He pulled away without waiting for a reply. “Please don't think Frank is as rude as it might seem.” Patty commented. “Sometimes he doesn't realize how he sounds, socially. I think this thing with the sheriff has him upset, too. He just doesn't handle emotions the same way I do.” Gerry burst out laughing. “You mean like when you are somewhat anxious and you talk non-stop?” Patty looked stunned and almost offended then started chuckling. “Yeah, I guess I do that, don't I. I'm sorry, it's just that...” “Hey, it's okay.” Gerry interrupted. “Don't worry about it. We've all been anxious about things this morning and for good reason.” It was a few more minutes before Frank passed them again returning to town. Patty continued talking but less compulsively as they waited for Frank to return with another group of workers. When he did return he stopped short of Gerry and Patty in their truck. Frank climbed out of Jim's truck and walked toward them leaving the workers sitting there. He came to Gerry's window and Gerry lowered it so they could talk. “The state police are questioning Jim, and it looks like it is going to take some time.” Frank was calm and steady. “The Sheriff is being held for observation. His deputies are following his example and raising a fuss about everything they can think of with the sheriff injured and him not being around to do that himself. I need to go back to give the state police a copy of my phone recording, and they will want a statement from me. I have Liam this time and I need to get him to one of the other trucks. I don't want anyone seeing him having a conversation with Patty. I don't think it is wise for Patty to come back into the county right now with those deputies running around unsupervised. Can you take care of her until I get back to you? Oh wait. Phone locator. She has been to your worksite. Give me her phone.” Frank was steady and unruffled as he switched from one topic to another. “Wait! What?” Patty was getting agitated. Gerry smacked his forehead. “We didn't think about that. Patty did you take your phone to our site?” Patty was stunned as she realized what was going on. “Yes, but I didn't use it. I had it on in case of an emergency. Surely they wouldn't ...” “Probably not, but we must be more careful.” Frank was very matter of fact as he interrupted her. “Give it to me and I will do what I can. Gerry,? can she stay at your place for a few days. Actually, check with all the workers about their phones. Bring them all back to me. If any of them have been, … no. It is best that all of them and you go to your place for a few days.” “But, Frank,” Patty protested, “without my phone how will you get in touch with me?” “Meet me here in two days?” Frank replied simply. “Hold on, Frank. Slow down.” Gerry interrupted. “This sounds like an over reaction. This is a really big problem, what you are suggesting, Frank. I'm not sure there are even cell towers that reach the work site. Besides the work site is hard to find. There is not even a road to it. You just have to know where to turn into the trees. Then it is over a mile into the trees on a faint path that is hard to make out in the shadows.” “Hmm. That's interesting.” Frank said almost to himself. “We need to check the worker's phones.” Frank continued. “If they know that they had no service there that is better. If they had service, it is not so good. It would be safest for no one to go there until I know more. We know Patty had hers on while she was there. Different phones may have service from some towers and not from others. Patty must not go back there until I'm sure. You have to decide what risk to take with the others, Gerry. I'll check with these workers then go check with the others. You have to decide what to do, but I recommend that Patty not go back to Hollerton or to the work site until I can be sure what is going to happen with the legal / law enforcement people. The deputies want to connect her to a place where illegal activity is happening.” “Okay.” Gerry conceded. Go ahead and check the workers that are here, then we'll go together and check with the others.” “Oh, Gerry.” Patty sounded mortified. “I am so sorry. I didn't even think about this. You have tried so hard to make this work and I've messed it up for you.” Patty was shaking her head. “Patty, don't blame yourself.” Gerry tried to ease her guilt. “There were nine of us focused on our own security and not one of us thought to say anything to you or the other workers about not having phones. We thought about it for ourselves previously, but completely forgot when we were making plans to get help. We'll just have to do the best we can and hope for the best. That's all we can do.” Gerry didn't say it but the thought did occur to him that maybe they should be praying more, like Pete and Joann, and not rushing so fast into action. Gerry saw Frank coming back to their truck. “There is some good news. None of these workers had phones. They said it was too easy to break them when working hard. Two said they could no longer afford one. We will go and check the others, now. Okay?” “Yes. That's good.” Gerry was encouraged. Only two of the workers had been carried to one of the other trucks so far. “When we get to Carl and Colleen you keep going to the next truck to find out about them having phones. I'll get Carl and Colleen to follow us so we can work everything out together.” Frank went back to Jim's truck and started driving down the road to meet the others. Once he had passed, Gerry pulled down the road to Pete and told him to follow so they could all meet up together to discuss yet another issue.”
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Post by feralferret on Dec 11, 2023 21:28:18 GMT -6
Quite a chapter!
Thanks, pbbrown0.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 16, 2023 18:34:00 GMT -6
Post #65 Who Will Answer?
Patty was eerily silent riding with Gerry while he drove down the road following Frank. Her silence made Gerry uncomfortable because her mood had changed so radically. He knew it was because she was feeling bad about being the focus of another problem for the group, but he had already done what he could to tell her that she was not to blame. He was thinking and hoping this latest issue was a potential problem that would not really materialize, but he was not willing to down play it too much. She ap eared to be smart enough to see that him trying even harder to ease her concern would only be seen as a sign that he was doing it just to make her feel better about a real mistake that might really bite them, and therefore disingenuous on his part. “Gerry,” Patty was looking out the passenger side window and speaking softly. “I know I have sounded a bit scatterbrained or like a silly little girl lately. I need you to know something. I want you to know that in spite of that appearance, I have been working hard to protect your information. You know, about who you are and what you all are doing. I almost didn't give your last names to Daddy and Frank, because by then I wanted to protect your privacy and security. But, Daddy had already heard Pete, Carl, and Jenny's last name when they came to the store the first time, and he has learned to remember customer's names. I decided it would sound strange and make him wonder what was going on if I tried to introduce everyone only by their first names after he had introduced himself and Frank using their last names. Remember when you were concerned about tending to your cattle? I deliberately called them your “animals” even though I knew for sure they are a special, almost rare breed of cattle. I picked up on that because of something that was said when Pete and them came to the store and gave me an overview of why they were looking for equipment and what kind of equipment they were looking to buy.” She chuckled before continuing, “With what I have learned since I'm pretty sure they are from the same place your ancestors name came from, huh? Don't worry, I promise not to tell any of that, that's for sure. I even made a point to not look online to try and find out where that breed is known to be raised around here, even though it was tempting and would have been easy. I'm really intrigued and still want ... never mind that. I decided not to find out where you all are operating until you decide to let me know. I'm just saying it really matters to me how things go for you, all of you. What is important to you all is becoming important to me. I should have thought before taking my phone to the new site. I just didn't realize how much … how much it was going to … I just didn't imagine that there would be any kind of trouble where it would become an issue. I am truly sorry.” “None of us did either, Patty. It's not on you. It's on all of us.” Gerry replied solemnly. Gerry's mind was tweaked in several ways by what he just heard. Patty was more clever than he had thought. She also had apparently kept a lid on some things she had figured out. Considering how freely she tended to talk, he mused that it must have taken a lot of work for her to keep that information to herself. He wondered just how likely was it that someone would go to the trouble to track her recent movements and locations down and with a bunch of high tech wizardry? A lot was possible, but would anyone go to that trouble? Frank is a strange bird, he thought. Just because Frank thought of a possibility didn't mean anyone else would connect the dots in the same way, did it? Gerry now saw Carl and Colleen just ahead in Rob and Jenny's truck so he slowed down to talk with them. He lined up with Carl and lowered his window. Then he remembered Pete and Joann were following. He pulled over to the right as far as he could just past Carl and parked with his flashers on. Then he told Patty, “I want to talk with them just a bit.” He opened his door to get out and because of the narrow roadbed, Patty followed him out of the driver side door. He motioned Carl and Colleen to join him as he began to walk toward Pete and Joann who were now pulling to a stop behind them. Soon Pete and Joann were looking through the open window of the truck as Gerry and the others were gathered around. Gerry wanted to have just a word with Pete, Joann, Carl and Colleen, but looking through the window, he noticed the foam board over the windows and behind their front seat. He remembered there were three of the workers, who could hear whatever he said, in addition to Patty who was still right next to him and VERY eager to know how things were going to proceed from here. He had been so distracted by Patty's “conversing” and all his own thoughts that the presence of the workers in his truck, which Pete was driving, had escaped his attention. Gerry took a breath and exhaled. He abandoned what he had intended to say and composed a different plan on the spot. You guys in the back, I know you are trying to figure out what is next, and the truth is, so are we. I doubt if Frank filled you in on his thinking when he asked you about your phones, so here it is. We know someone outside our family had their phone with them while at the work sight. With the crazy way the sheriff and his deputies were and still are doing this morning, Frank is concerned about their ability to check cell tower records and find out where our work site is so they can give us more trouble since the sheriff got hurt dealing with us.” A voice in the back of the truck came through the partition. “That's nuts. He hurt himself. No one even touched him!” Gerry knew they couldn't see him but he slowly shook his head at how absurd this whole situation had become. “Yes, I know, but I noticed you didn't say Frank was nuts. I take it you meant it was possible that the deputies were nuts enough that they might be thinking like that, right?” Yet a different voice from the back responded. “Sad to say, but you are right about that. Sheriff Carter was really loosing it this morning, and they take their cues from him.” “Okay,” Gerry continued. “I just wanted you all to understand and not be totally in the dark. We are on our way to meet the rest of the gang, and then we will have to discuss the situation and make some decisions. Pete, Joann, You two know how important this could be for us and what we are trying to do. Would you two please keep on praying about this. We need more wisdom than we ourselves have on this one, in my opinion. I would appreciate some help from someone much wiser that any of us. Thanks.” Gerry turned to go back to Patty's truck with her following him, again. The thought struck him as quirky that he was leaving his own truck to drive her truck after having a conversation with men he could not see or even know exactly who was speaking with him that were in his truck. Everyone was anxious about the sheriff being mad at them because he injured himself while confronting someone who had not even been present, about a verbal confrontation that occurred many miles outside his jurisdiction. Just then he was opening his door to Patty's truck but needed to wait while she climbed in so he could get into her driver's seat. This morning had been crazy from the start. He hoped it did not get any crazier. Less than ten minutes later they all pulled to a stop lined up along the road near Bruce's truck and Jim's truck that Frank had been driving, effectively blocking one lane of the state road for nearly two hundred feet. Gerry saw that the last two workers Frank had dropped off before were sitting in the back of Bruce's truck while Frank was talking with them through an open door. Rob and Jenny were standing on the edge of the road. The latest load of workers were still sitting in Jim's truck. It struck Gerry that with all of Franks economy of effort, sometimes that “economy” wasn't all that efficient. Gerry climbed out of his seat and Patty followed. He waved everyone out of the trucks behind him and called out to get the workers unloaded, too. He turned and addressed the other trucks to get them completely emptied, too, interrupting Frank's queries. “Listen up everyone!” he called out and proceeded to lay out for everyone at once the situation he had described to some of them just a few minutes earlier. “I wanted everyone here to hear this so we are all on the same page, so to speak. Our family has tried to keep our location secure by keeping others simply unaware as you all know. We still want that for the reasons we have told you, and honestly for some other reasons also which we haven't told you that only our family knows. The situation we are in right now should make it clear why we have not told everything to you about the whys and wherefores. Our family has to make some decisions about how to proceed including what to do to keep our work site location secret, but also to keep safe the person who had their phone with them.” Gerry did not want to open up the possibility of Patty becoming a scapegoat among the workers by naming her as the one who had a cell phone. Gerry continued to take the lead in determining how how things were to proceed. He waved Frank over to himself as he stepped apart from the crowd. “Frank did either of these two workers who were here with Rob and Bruce have their phones with them at any time while on the work site?” “No.” Frank answered. Gerry again addressed everyone. “Okay here is how we need to go forward. We are assuming, based on what we all saw yesterday and what the sheriff did and said this morning, that two people who were with us yesterday and are not present today went to the sheriff or one of his deputies with complaints that have now gotten spun to the point the are out of touch with the truth. None of us here anticipated the kind of trouble that they have triggered. None of us here anticipated there becoming an issue about one of us having a cell phone at the work site. It will not help any for us to point fingers at someone for bringing their cell phone to our site, because none of us was smart enough to foresee this and recommend avoiding this situation. What we have to do now is decide the best way to deal with this situation. I want to open this discussion up for both questions about the facts and suggestions about what we need to do. Ultimately my family here will have to make the decisions about protecting our security, but what we decide may have an impact on you. Also you are more familiar with the sheriff's department and how they function here. We know our family are outsiders in this area, so your thinking is needed. Let's talk a bit before we run off with our hair on fire.” Frank spoke up immediately. “I think we need to protect our own.” He said very carefully. “We should not let one person take the fall for the rest of the group. If the sheriff or anyone else tracks the phone, they will be able to identify who owned it. They must be kept safe. It would not be safe for them back in town or at the work site if the sheriff finds the location where you have been working.” Gerry was relieved to hear Frank talking more like someone who was part of a group sharing an opinion or concern rather than one person making decisions for everyone else. He thought maybe that was what Patty had meant when she was saying that “He doesn't handle emotions the same way I do.”. “Mister Kerry?” Gerry turned recognizing Randy's voice once again. “Yes, Randy.” Gerry responded. “You have a question?” “No, Mister Gerry. I have some information. I really don't think you need to worry about them locating the worksite from someone's phone unless they had a phone call or a text while they were there. If a phone is within range of a tower it is pinging all the time so a call or text can be connected quickly. The phone company cannot store all that data for more than a few minutes because of the sheer volume of repeating, unused data that would be accumulating. The same principle is true if they have GPS turned on. If that phone has a locator app turned on or location history turned on they might find where it had been, but only if they could access that phone's memory with the person's account and the phone is turned on. Spyware kinds of software work fine for real-time, like where are you right now. But, looking back at the history of where you were is only as good as searching the phone records of where you were when a call or text connected to your phone.” Gerry asked, “That is good to know, but are you sure? Where did you get your information?” Randy cringed. “Uhmm... I'd rather not say? Will you just trust me on this? Master Geek's honor?” “I don't know about you guys, but that is good enough for me.” Liam said is a clear strong voice. “I'd be more worried about old school stuff with this local sheriff's office. Does Jim Decker know your last name. He's the one they have for questioning right now. I warned him to to hold his tongue just this morning. Patty and Frank would know better if he is likely to follow that advice. Then there is the question of whether the trouble makers noticed your license plate numbers, or if the sheriff can get security camera images of them and look up your vehicle registrations. Either of those would allow them to look up what property you own. Of course in some counties they would have to physically go to the county records office to search the records manually. It's kind of hit or miss around here for which counties have spent the money to put their land records on line” Gerry was listening to Liam and when he had stopped he heard Bruce whisper, “YES!” Gerry turned that way just in time to glimpse the tail end of Bruce doing a fist pump. Gerry scanned the faces and even asked if there were any more questions or input. He turned to Frank and asked quietly, “Do you feel better about the phones?” “Yes. That is what I wanted to find out. That is good news.” Frank seemed relieved. “What about Jim? Will he hold his tongue?” Gerry asked. Frank smiled just a little. “He may torment the sheriff, but he will not betray you. I am more concerned about your license plates. Patty ... I don't know where she can be safe. Sheriff Carter does not respect the limits of the law.” “Yeah, I'm getting that impression, too.” Gerry spoke through a clenched jaw. Then he spoke more clearly to the whole group. “Y'all hold tight. I have to talk with the family.” Gerry turned and signaled for the family to follow him as he moved farther from the workers. Patty moved closer to Frank and did not follow them, except with her eyes. “Guys I apologize for taking over everything like that without discussing it first. Things have been really disrupted this morning and it just seemed too chaotic and out of control for me to simply keep riding the wind and waves. Let me see if I can cut to the chase. Frank's initial worry about the phone tracking seems to be resolved. He is also confident that Jim will protect what he knows about our identities. We don't know yet how things are going to play out with him and the authorities. I think we need to let Frank keep an eye on that and keep us informed. Bruce, you seem pleased about the property thing that Liam mentioned. But you can tell us more in a minute. The other question is about Patty. Frank thinks that the sheriff is not going to roll over and play nice with her because she was involved in connecting us with the workers and what happened with her Dad. If our work site is still safe, she may have to stay there for a while. If there is a risk of them finding that … well, that's what we have to talk about.” Gerry stopped and waited. Colleen was the first to speak. “Mom and Dad have an extra bed in their trailer and so do Mamma and Papa Smith. That would mean,though, that she would get to see more of our arrangements than we have exposed to her yet. She could stay at the lodge with Carl and I, but that starts revealing yet another layer of exposure. The same is true of your place, Gerry. Of course your place means that Grandpa and Joann would need to stay there too, but they are already doing that.” Gerry snorted. “Well my place would apparently reveal less to her than even your parents' trailers would. “I swear that girl is a real puzzle worker. She actually told me she deliberately avoided looking online to see what farms in the area were raising my kind of cattle, because she wanted to protect our privacy until we were ready to share with her more information about us. Maybe she ought to stay there with Pete and Joann and let me move in with your parents. She talks a blue streak. She did say that Joann helps her to calm down and be less anxious. Apparently I do not have that affect on her.” There was a quiet wide eyed moment among the clan. Then Bruce and Rob both spoke at the same time. Bruce deferred to Rob for his comments. “Bruce, I am pretty sure, was relieved about what Liam said about them looking up our property locations. The paper work is filed in our county which has a tiny population and mostly undeveloped land. So all their land records are paper files and ledger books. Besides, that is part of the advantage for all our trust arrangements. You have to dig deeper to find our names because it is the trust that owns the property. Our trucks are still registered in Texas and without the phone records they don't know what county to look in for our property. Also, even if they were to get a warrant to search our properties, they still would not have authorization to legally cross the property belonging to others in order to reach our property.” “So that's now a non-issue.” Bruce now jumped into the conversation. “The issue now is how much are we comfortable revealing to Patty. In spite of her quirks, I think we all like her well enough, but how sure are we about letting her farther into our confidence. I'm thinking the idea of her sleeping in one of our trailers reveals less to her of what we are trying to keep hidden. If she is such a Puzzle Worker that she found us before we could even get into Fox County, then taking her to Gerry's farm, and ours, is going to show her more pieces of the puzzle.” “I am concerned,” Pete spoke quietly and calmly, “that we have been looking too closely at the nearby trees and loosing sight of the pathway up ahead.” Pete waited until he was sure everyone was trying to refocus. “This issue is bigger than where is Patty going to sleep tonight and what that reveals to her.” Linda stepped over and gave Pete a hug. “Grandpa Peter Smith, I do love you, but sometimes you can be painfully obtuse when you are about to derail a conversation.” Joann was about to bust a gusset trying not to laugh, but Linda did not let up. “Let's get down to the nitty-gritty, Pete. “What is the big issue, and please try to keep it under two paragraphs for those of us with short attention spans.” She backed a way and gave Joann a wink. Pete recomposed himself and gave a tight lipped look to Linda which morphed into a smile. “Patty needs our protection, but so do our other workers and their families.” He put his fists on his hips and playfully stuck out his tongue at Linda. Linda stood still as her eyes got bigger and bigger. Bruce's jaw dropped lower and lower. Jenny blew out a huge breath. Colleen and Carl grabbed each others hands and held on tight. Rob smacked his forehead, and Gerry exclaimed, “Holy Macaroni.” The next few minutes were occupied with some very lively and broad ranging conversation. There were questions raised about how long this might last. Is this really the solution or were they getting swallowed up by a whale shark they did not see coming? How could they deal with the workers themselves, much less the families of the workers? How many people would there be all together? How many people could they accommodate? Couldn't these people go somewhere else? How could they feed that many people? Pete finally waved his hands back and forth talking softly. He failed to notice that all the workers including Patty and Frank were intently watching the eruption of energy coming from “The Family”. When everyone got themselves under control he spoke gently. “There is an appointed time for everything, A time for every activity under the heavens:” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “This is why Isaac's father built that lodge; to provide a temporary haven when the time of great troubles arrived. This time is why Isaac was in such a hurry to get Carl, Colleen, Joan and I in place to manage that property. Gerry you asked us to pray for wisdom and help. Joann and I had no thought of how the creator might help us until I realized a moment ago that he had already provided the solution. Yes, it will be a lot of work, but we will now have even more help and we won't be traveling back and forth for half the day every day. We are not on our own in this. We'll have all the help we will need. Isaac told me just a week ago that he expected we would have a lot more help very soon. Let's go get to work.” The nine of them looked at each other with both excitement and trepidation. They turned and started walking together toward the cluster of workers. When they stopped, Peter stepped forward and spoke. “Frank you basically said earlier that we needed to take care of each of us and not allow one be left outside for the wolves to tear apart. We just realized that the Sheriff's office knows each of you, and if they can't get to one they can go after another. Wolves are like that; they pick the easy prey.” He paused and watched that thought take root in the workers minds. “We are still concerned for keeping the wolves ignorant of where our haven is located, but we are unwilling to leave any of you for the wolves. If we hide you, however, your families will have no one to protect them. We need to get them to our haven too.” One of the workers blurted out, “Mister Pete, where will we sleep. There is no shelter there?” Pete smiled. “There is shelter for all of you within a short walk of where you have been working, hopefully there will be enough beds for all of the adults, and some of the children, too. We need to get organized so we can get your families here and then to move you into place. Each of you will need to be taken back to help your families get out quickly before there is more trouble. We need to move quickly. Frank, I am going to ask you to make a phone call. Let me write a message for you to pass on and maybe we can get you a little more help in bringing the families to this transfer point.”
Pete walked back to Gerry's truck and pulled a notebook out. He spent a couple of minutes composing a message for Brother Andrew. He handed it to Frank and told him to call from Jim's truck after he got on the road. He told him that if things went as expected he should have several men with their trucks here to meet him after he got the first family back to this rendezvous point. He told him to take Liam first since he was the most likely first target they would be looking for. His family was the first that needed to be moved out of harm's way. Liam was riding in the front seat of Jim's truck with Frank driving. Frank actually handed the note and his phone to Liam. “Would you please make this call for me. My truck has a connection set up with my phone, but this is Jim's truck. I don't want to be holding a phone while I'm driving.” Liam read the note first, then he made the call. He felt a little awkward referring to Brother Peter Smith and asking Brother Andrew Larkin, whom he had never heard of, for a favor in contacting a few trusted and reliable Brothers in the Hollerton congregation, and asking them to meet brother Pete in their crew cab pick-ups on a mission of mercy just outside of Fox County on state road #9. Andrew asked a couple of questions about who was calling him and how they got his number. Liam did not hesitate and told him that Pete had written it down on the same paper where he wrote the note that Liam had just read. Then he asked where Liam was and who was driving. Where they were going and what were they going to do there were the next two questions. Andrew paused. “Mister Liam, what you are calling a mission of mercy sounds more like a bug out operation to me.” “Mister Andrew, bugging out sounds more like what I would call it, but Mister Pete wrote down Mission of Mercy. Mission of Mercy was what I was told to say to you.” “Okay Mister Liam. Mission of Mercy it is.” Andrew took in a deep breath. I'll get on that. Please tell Brother Pete to keep his head up and contact me when he can. Please tell him that I am going outside Hollerton to find someone to help you.” “I'll do that, Mister Andrew. And thank you.” When Frank got into Hollerton he was watching carefully far ahead on the main road through town. Liam slumped down in the front seat. He got off of the main road fairly quickly and worked his way over to Liam's house. There he backed into the empty drive way and Liam slipped out of the truck. It was early August and his daughter had not started back to school yet. Fifteen minutes later Liam came out carrying two large back packs. His wife and daughter were following him each carrying a smaller backpack, a pillow and a sling bag. Liam's wife looked stressed and their daughter looked like she was going on an adventure. They all climbed into the back seat of the truck where the tinting on the glass was darker. No one spoke except the daughter who asked, “Where are we going on our adventure, Mommy?” Her mother looked to Liam with a questioning and anxious look. Liam turned to his daughter. “We are going into the forest, Shannon. A great big forest with lots of trees and maybe some bees.” Sheila whispered to Liam, “What's this about, Liam. Can you tell me now?” Liam reached over to put his hand on Sheila's hand. “The family that I've been working for. A couple of trouble makers got bent out of shape because they shifted the plans a little. We were still getting paid the same. Just going to pay us longer to implement some changes. These whiners didn't take to is too well, and I told them they were being foolish and ungrateful. The family paying them told them they didn't have to come back since they didn't like working for them. They apparently went to the sheriff with some tall tales and he got all rowdy with Mister Decker, who by the way had nothing to do with all of this, and hurt himself without anyone touching him. The family decided we would all be safer at their place until the sheriff settled down, so they are taking all of us to stay in their lodge just a short walk from the work site.” “But Liam, We can't afford to pay for nights in a lodge not to mention the cost of meals. That will eat up what they are paying you.” “Easy, Sheila. Nobody said anything about us paying for it. They were talking about it like we would be house guests.” “You can't believe that, Liam. There has got to be a snare waiting to be sprung. The world is not a friendly place and you know that, Liam.” Sheila was clearly worried. “I know that, Sheila, but you do not know these people. They seem to be marching to a different drummer. Right now spending a few nights with my family out of reach to a local loco sheriff while I get paid for my work nearby sounds like a good deal to me. Or, would you rather take the chance of staying here where the crazy sheriff is cooking up trouble, while I am miles away trying to make enough money to feed my family?” By this time they were outside of the town and about to turn southeast onto State Road #9. As they approached the intersection a blue pickup with a crew cab was approaching from the east. It turned in right behind them and began following them as the road wound it's way through the hills and trees. They had been over ten miles down State Road #9 when Frank mentioned to Liam that the truck was still behind them every since they turned. Liam mused that there had not been may places to turn off. They continued down the road and Sheila asked Liam “How much farther?” Liam held back a grin thinking “That is supposed to be Shannon's question.” He thought he had better forewarn his family about the security. “We are going to stop to change trucks in about ten or fifteen minutes. Frank is going to have to go back and pick up more families. From where we are changing trucks it would be over an hour farther to get to work. I need to forewarn you about something. I don't know for sure about how they are going to arrange or group all the families taking them on to the lodge. Usually they have just enough trucks to carry twelve men and one woman plus their family to the work site. Now there will be only ten workers, instead of twelve, but they will be taking the worker's families as well. They don't want everyone knowing where their place is which sounds a bit strange, but it appears to have been a good policy because two of the workers turned against them for no good reason. If we all had known where they live their place might not have been a safe haven for us right now. In order to keep that secret they normally carry the work crew only in the back of the truck cab with the windows covered and a flimsy partition behind the front seat so we cannot see out until we arrive. It is really not uncomfortable and we can still talk through the partition to the driver. If there is an emergency anyone can get through the partition or get the covers off the windows without trouble. With all the additional people it may take several trips for the trucks shuttling back and forth to get everyone there.” The next few minutes passed quickly and up ahead they could see the string of trucks parked along the side of the road partially blocking the south bound lane. The truck at the north end of the column and one at the south end had their flashers on. There were four people standing at the edge of the road, a few to the north of the trucks and a larger group south of the column. Frank pulled over as far as he dared and put his flashers on. He turn his head and said, “Don't get out yet. There is a ditch on the right, and the left side is in the traffic lane. That truck that was following us has stopped right behind us. I'm not yet sure what they have planned out.” Frank sat there with the engine idling while he watched ahead and in the rear view mirrors. He had stopped with a fairly large gap between him and the men standing behind the back truck in the column ahead of them. Liam noticed that Frank had not put their truck in park and was pressing on the brake. Behind them a man climbed out of the blue truck and began walking forward. Liam could sense Frank's tension as the man got closer. Liam heard the light thunk in the doors as Frank locked all the doors as a precaution. The man did not stop as he walked past them to the men being illuminated again and again by the flashing tail lights. He stopped and spoke to the group for a moment and they gestured up ahead. The man started to walk forward again and Frank saw Peter walking back toward them along the column of trucks. Peter met the man from the blue truck nearer the north end of the column. They spoke for a moment then shook hands. Then Pete and the man both started walking toward Frank. When they got to Frank they stopped and Pete motioned for Frank to lower his window. “Hey, Frank.” Pete started. “Did everything go okay?” “Yes, Pete. No problems.” “Did you see any of Carter's Crew?” Pete knew by now that he might need to wrangle information out of Frank if there were specific bits of information he wanted to know. “No, Pete. I tried to stay on side streets as much as possible.” The man with Pete spoke up to understand. “Brother Smith, is there more I need to know about, here? What exactly am I getting into?” “Yes, there is, Brother Sterling.” Pete began. “I was not able to explain everything in the message I sent to Brother Larkin. It is a symptom of the times we are starting to experience. We had some problems with a couple of men we had employed temporarily. One of our workers shamed them about their lack of respect and gratitude for the benefits they were receiving. These trouble makers apparently spun some tales and went to the sheriff with false information. He in turn spun it up more and tried to attack someone who had not been there claiming he was harboring the man who had shamed them, even though the sheriff did not have a warrant for any arrests. With that kind of turmoil all the men who were present working for us that day have fled the county, and so have we. We are here, safe outside that county but their families are not and we are afraid the sheriff is going to try imposing retribution on their families since he cannot reach these men or us.” “Brother Smith you know we are not supposed to oppose the authorities unless it directly violates the commands in the Bible. We must remain politically neutral.” “Brother Sterling, remaining neutral also means we must not take sides with one group or another who are struggling over the laws. We must not side with the sheriff and those supporting his methods anymore than we should support those asserting that he was acting illegally. This is not about whose side we are on. This is about people in danger who are refugees being separated from their families. You are here voluntarily and under no compulsion to help. If you are unsure of how to proceed you must make your own decision.” “I just don't know, Brother Smith. I have responsibilities to my own family and this sounds like I might get caught in another of those snares where opposing sides are squabbling over how man's government should be run. The devil is stirring up so many storms right now it is hard to stay out of the fray. I need to back away from this. I am sorry.” With that Brother Sterling turned and left. Pete stood there watching him as he turned his truck around and drove back up the road where he had come from. Pete turned to Frank. “I'm sorry, Frank I should have let you know. We need you to head up to the front of the line and turn around. You can let Liam's family out and we'll work out who is going next.” Pete was in a more subdued mood. His disappointment was apparent as he walked back. The group of men at the back of the line stopped him to ask what had happened. Pete hesitated. “We are trying to get volunteers to help get your families here with you out of Hollerton before we take you to the lodge. Someone came out to help before he know what was going on and he didn't want to risk getting caught up in a political/legal mess for the sake of his family.” He was delivering the news with a clear lack of enthusiasm. Pete continued on toward the front of the column of trucks and realized Gene Lassiter, one of the workers who was really tall, was walking beside him. “When Frank goes back,” Gene began, I need to hitch a ride with him. I have a truck at my house I can use to help get our families out here.” Pete looked up. “Thank you. That will help. The sooner we get everyone here, the sooner we can get everyone settled in and comfortable, away from Fox County.” The two of them continued on and joined the main group. The three men who stayed behind had previously been placed there to watch for vehicles coming down the road. They had been given a handheld radio to alert the main group when they spotted someone coming. When they got to the main group Pete spoke primarily to Bruce and Rob. “One of my brothers showed up before he understood the situation. He backed out because he did not want to risk getting caught in a risky situation. He also was concerned about getting entangled in political struggles over whether the government should be doing this versus that. I need to get back up the line to meet anyone else that might come and brief them on the situation before I send them down here to you. Gene here wants to go back with Frank to get his own truck to help shuttle people out of Hollerton.” “I'll leave this end of things to you and go back up there to screen those coming to help. I don't know how many might come or if they will stay to help after they consider what this is about. Brother Andrew does not have authority over them except in the conducting of the practices within the organization. He is not about to tell anyone they have to help. I knew that. I just thought that there might be a few who would want to help. The real challenge is going to be getting them to the lodge from here. It's a long drive there and then back here to pick up a new group.” The group had decided to wait until at least two families were ready to go to the lodge before taking anyone. Their thinking was that it would be less intimidating for the families new to this mode of turbulence to be able to see clearly that they were not alone and isolated. If they had been able to get a count of family members, and they were not counting on much outside help. Their plans had been made to double up when possible for transporting the families with no children and those with only one child. With Liam and his family already back and all those trucks now being dispatched, they realized they might have everyone out of the county within another hour and a half. That was fortunate, because it was going to take a lot of time to get everyone transported to the mountain. Their commitment to safety and security was becoming a real challenge. They had decide that until they departed from their current staging point they would have to rely on cell phones carried by Fran and Patty and those picked up as the families were picked up to keep in touch. Those phones would have to be returned to the town by Frank after everyone was at the staging location. Frank was not going to the Mountain until Jim was ready to come. That would likely have to be a totally different operation when and if the the time for that arrived. Counting the clan, the workers, and all their family members they needed to transport over forty people from here to the mountain with only four radio equipped trucks. This would not be as simple as when everyone being transported could be loaded into the trucks all at once and carried the same direction, either to or from Hollerton. Some would have to stay just outside of Fox County, and wait for the trucks to return, yet still stay in touch with those who had reached the mountain as well as everyone in between. They realized the only way this could work was to go by way of Gerry's farm so they could use his base station in the midst of the chain again. In fact they decided the process might be sped up slightly if they picked up Pete's small truck and use it just for an extra mobile relay point within the chain. There was also the question of speeding up the process by using the extra two seats in the front of the truck cabs by blinding the passengers with bandannas rather than using only the limited space behind blinders in the back half of the crew cabs. Liam's family had been unloaded and was being introduced to the group. Shannon was a hit with everyone and she was soaking up the attention. Gene Lassiter and two other men had climbed into Jim Decker's truck with Frank driving. He was turning around to head north when a radio call came to Rob from his Dad. Another volunteer had arrived and Pete wanted to talk with him before Frank left.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 16, 2023 21:09:00 GMT -6
Wonderful chapter, pbbrown0.
Thank you.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 19, 2023 18:39:45 GMT -6
Post # 67
OOPS !
Friends If you read post #67 already I apologize.
I posted #67 before posting #66.
I am posting #66 below and the reposting #67 followed by #68.
My apologies.
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Post by feralferret on Dec 20, 2023 1:25:00 GMT -6
Fine chapter, pbbrown0. Thank you.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 22, 2023 13:07:36 GMT -6
Post # 66 Full House ?
“Hello, Brother Santos. I am Brother Peter Smith. Thank you for coming. Before we go too far, I want you to know that this is not something that is either approved or disapproved by the Brotherhood. The only reason the request came through Brother Andrew is because I sent a message to him knowing he knows a lot of Brothers in this area.” “Okay, so what is this about?” Brother Santos looked confused. Pete continued, “Let me see if I can summarize this. I have some temporary employees who live in Fox County but work for my family in another county. They are with me here, just ahead of you. Their families are still at home in Hollerton. Yesterday we had an issue among some of my workers at my place south of here, well outside of Fox County. Apparently, and this is just a guess, one or two who did not like what was said went to the Sheriff in Fox County and said something about it. That is just a guess, but early this morning the sheriff literally busted into a store in Hollerton, where some of my workers use to work, were meeting with the store owner, their former boss. The sheriff came to that store before business hours and was shouting a bunch of accusations about the store owner harboring a terrorist. The sheriff didn't have a warrant and did not even tell the store owner who the terrorist was that he was supposed to turn over to him. He just busted through the front door and hurt himself doing it. These guys lit out of there to get out of the county, and the store owner called the state police. I offered these men a place to stay until things settle down, but they, and we, are worried that the sheriff and his crew might decide to harass and threaten their families before the state police sort this out. We need some neutral help to get their families out to stay with them at my place before the sheriff cooks up some warrant with his brother the county judge to have a bunch of people arrested. We figure he is are more likely to issue a warrant for the workers or even for us first. It is only a possibility, based on the attitude they saw in the sheriff earlier, that if he can't manage to grab whatever men he thinks were terrorists just, because they disagreed with a fellow worker, that he might go back to trouble their families, too ” Pete looked down and shook his head. “This looks to me like the beginning of those 'critical times, hard to deal with' that the Bible warned us about. If you can help get any of their family members this far outside the jurisdiction of that sheriff and his brother, we will get them on down to our place. It is a mess any way you slice it, and if you are fearful about the prospect of helping bring those women and children to a safe haven, I cannot fault you. It is up to you, Brother Santos.” Brother Santos eyes were troubled and his forehead was wrinkled up. “You are right, Brother Smith. This is a mess. The sheriff probably couldn't get a warrant because the events that precipitated this were outside of his and the county judge's jurisdiction. That is probably … well, I need to not speculate. Brother Smith, I can help carry some family members out of the county until I meet a law officer who tells me to stop. If the sheriff or a deputy tells me to stop, I will have to comply. I am not prepared to disobey a person with legal authority. It is not my place to decide if their order to me is a legal or illegal order. That is something for the government to wrestle with. Understanding that condition if you still need my help, I will help.” “Brother Santos, I really appreciate this favor. If you will head down this row of trucks, you can turn around at the other end. There is a fellow in a red truck down there who is just about to head into Hollerton. My son, Rob Smith is down there and he can give you instructions about who we need to pick up and a note to explain to them what is happening. So far the men have not been able to contact their wives to explain the situation. Thank you, Brother Santos.” Brother Santos started easing down the road watching carefully to avoid an accident. Pete radioed ahead that Brother Santos was coming and his conditions for helping. Only a few minutes passed before both trucks were headed north on State Road #9. Pete was watching the road to the north about ten minutes later when he heard his handheld radio pick up a signal. “Pathfinder to Bur Oak. Turn around.” Pete did turn around and saw hands waving from the crowd at the south end of the column of trucks. He looked closer and saw a pickup stopped on the north bound side of the road next to where the folks were waving. He realized they wanted him to come down there to meet them. He told the men near him, “I guess we have a visitor knocking on our back door. I'd better go talk to them.” He had only cleared the length of the first truck in the column when he heard the men just behind him calling out, “Mister Pete, Mister Pete. Wait. Come back.” Pete turned and looked back. Now they were waving to him, too. He looked farther up the road and saw a pickup coming down the road from the north. He hollered back, “If they ask for me, send them down very carefully because there is a child among the adults down there . I will talk to them with the others. If they are just passing through, ask them to go slow and honk before they get to the end of the trucks because there is a child down there. Pete continued along his way and and finally reached the new arrival. About that same time another truck was easing their way to his end of the row of trucks. Pete asked them to get out and come talk to him. He introduced himself and was beginning to explain the situation when he heard his radio again. “Your net is getting full very quickly, Peter” he heard someone quip from the other end of the growing line of trucks. Sure enough he saw yet another truck slowly making it's south past the line of trucks. It took a few minutes more to make introductions again, then Pete started using the same summary of the situation he had provided to Brother Santos. He also informed them of the two responses he had received from the other two brothers. This time with the three Brothers there listening to the story, they had a bit more dialog about the issues involved. Ultimately, all three of them followed Brother Santos' decision about helping with this process. Pete thanked them all for their compassion and then called Rob and Bruce over to give them their instructions. When the next wave of families arrived from Hollerton, they loaded up two of the clan's trucks and sent them off toward Gerry's farm. The tricky part was going to be getting someone inside the farm and Gerry's house to operate the base station and then get the truck on down the road without revealing too much to the passengers. It was a complicated job of coordination but it succeeded. On the last trip back into Hollerton they were able to plan the return of Jim Deckler's truck and leaving it along with Frank there in town. Gene Lassiter dropped his own truck off at his house and was picked up by Brother Santos to return him to the staging area. Two of the other Brothers brought the last worker's families back to the staging area and headed to their own homes with many expressions of thanks from all who were waiting there. Frank had taken all the cell phones from the worker's families back to his own house to turn off and place in his safe. Frank had recovered his own truck and Gene had helped him parked Jim's truck inside Frank's garage. Frank had left a message on Jim's voice mail, asking him to call, as if he was oblivious of any troubles. At 9:20 am. Frank went to the store and went through an alternate front entrance since the main double doors were blocked off with crime scene type tape. He asked the employees there about Jim, again acting as if he was clueless about what had happened. He went to the city police station to inquire about the crime scene tape and the whereabouts of Jim. It was late that afternoon before he was able to make contact with the state police officer who was dealing with Jim. Meanwhile, the clan was pressing forward to get all the workers and their families situated in the lodge. It was decided finally that Patty would be the guest of Rob and Jenny Smith in their trailer. Joann had been dropped off in an early wave of the migration at Gerry's farm to handle the radio there. Later that afternoon the stretch on State Road #9 was cleared of any signs of the unusual level of activity it had endured recently. On his way to Gerry's farm Pete detoured in his little truck to Bear Creek where he stopped in to see Isaac. There he updated Isaac on the use being made at the moment of the lodge his father had built. Pete also borrowed Brother Mark James' phone long enough to call Brother Andrew and discuss the events of the day. Pete checked in with Rob as he left Bear Creek to let him know he was on his way to Gerry's place. Meanwhile, Linda and Bruce were leaving Black Bear Haven to head toward Bear Creek to buy a lot of groceries and a few children's sleeping bags. It was almost 6 pm when Pete got to Gerry's farm. Joann was the one who answered the squawk box when Pete pulled up to the outside gate. He got through the front gate and was soon at the front door. When he walked inside he called out and Joann came around the corner from the radio room to give him a big hug. “Peter, I am so glad you are here. I feel like I can relax again, for just a minute. Is everyone safe at the lodge now?” “They were,” he replied. “At least for a few minutes, until I left.” He frowned playfully at Joann. “Yeah, without a grumpy old man there, who knows how they will fare with so many kiddos underfoot.” Joann jibed back. “so how are they managing, really?” Pete laughed. “How do you expect? The moms are stressed in an unfamiliar home they hadn't planned for. The young kids are wildly excited about their new adventure. The few teens that are there are silent trying to sort through how this is going to work. The dads are immensely relieved that their families are safe but concerned about their wives coping with the turmoil. Jenny, Rob, Carl, and Colleen are busy trying to put a dinner together since the breakfast burritos were rather short on numbers to sustain everyone through both breakfast and lunch. Bruce and Linda were making a grocery run over to Bear Creek to get enough groceries to carry the whole crowd through both breakfast and lunch tomorrow.” “Did you get a hold of Brother Andrew?” Joann asked. “What did he have to say about all of this?” Pete's face grew suddenly somber. “He said he wished there were thousands more like us with a lodge ready and available.” Pete's voice had lost it's lilt and spark. Joann's mood also changed. “He's thinking there will be more things like this happening?” She was almost incredulous. “Not exactly. The reports from the Brotherhood in cities where the earthquakes hit are getting filtered back down the line from the national headquarters to the circuit overseers in other areas. The first one, actually the second one I guess, hit Memphis where it hurts. Their sewer and water systems are truly trashed. People, lots of people, are getting sick, and the government has a choke hold on news getting in and out of there. St. Louis was also hit hard and the government has locked down the communications there too. Word of mouth from a few Brothers who have slipped out says the transportation issues are really serious. There was apparently some critical damage done at the docks, overpasses, and rail trestles. Those are going to cause real problems with distribution of daily supplies of everything. St. Louis is, or was, a finely oiled choke point for nationwide transportation of generally anything and everything. The Brotherhood did not specify what they meant by 'daily supplies', but Brother Andrew added 'What is it our redeemer mentioned as a daily need when he was teaching his followers to pray, Brother Smith?' ” Pete looked sadly into Joann's eyes. “Our daily bread,” Joann whispered. “Food prices are going to skyrocket and we just took on a lodge full of hungry mouths.” Pete continued quietly. “That last earthquake the 'weak' one wasn't so weak farther north. There was a lot of structural damage. People were killed, even a number of our brothers and sisters, but no deaths occurred according to the news reports getting out. They couldn't suppress everything, so they just filled the news with how quickly the government is responding and restoring normal functioning there, and how 'lucky' we are that Chicago is a city with such a strong spirit in the heartland of America.” Joann rolled her eyes in spite of the serious nature of the real problems. Pete, I am so glad that at least the Brotherhood has the organization and means to get in there and help our brothers and sisters. As big as this is, I'm surprised they haven't been asking for volunteers even this far away to come help.” Pete's face really darkened at Joann's last comment. “Pete what's wrong?” Joann sensed there was even more bad news. Pete continued tentatively, “I told you about the government choking down on the news getting out. A few brothers and sisters were able to get into these cities early on because our our internal reporting within the Brotherhood is so efficient about the welfare of our people and rushing emergency supplies like clean water and food. Within twenty-four to thirty hours however, authorities had shut down the roads and railways entering and leaving these cities. Only government designated emergency assistance and restoration entities were allowed in or out. Most of the people we sent in cannot get out. They are even blocking cell phone traffic selectively, not letting unauthorized calls to cross the virtual perimeter around those cities. A few of the brothers were able to walk out through spaces overlooked by authorities who set up roadway checkpoints. Those spaces seem to be disappearing now.” They were both silent for a while pondering these developments. Pete broke the silence with a question. “Is Gerry tending the cattle alone?” “Yes,” Joann was barely responding, “just like he has been for the last several years. The well is still delaying the inevitable, but he is keenly aware that the clock is ticking on getting his cattle moved. It is weighing on his heart, too, that after putting so much of his life into making this operation what it is, it is about to be shut down. It's like his dream is being snuffed out.” “Gerry and millions more.” Pete murmured. Pete tried to perk up. “I'm going to talk to him. We'll be back.” Pete kissed his wife gently and went to find Gerry. He found him soon enough out in one of the fenced fields walking among his diminutive cattle. “Hey, Pete. How is the invading hordes faring?” Gerry was trying for some humor and looking at Pete drawing nearer, he thought better of that. “I'm sorry, Pete, poor choice of words. I didn't really mean it that way.” “I know that, Gerry.” Pete waved his hand like it was no big deal. “I wanted to talk with you about that though. I'm guessing you are ruminating over what you've spent so much time on in this place.” Gerry's mood suddenly changed. “Yep. I know it is just temporary, or maybe it isn't.” Gerry looked out over his fields of grasses and stubby trees. “I guess that is what I am pondering the most. I had this dream that I thought was working. I was persevering and I was getting there. Suddenly I don't know where it is going. I thought I was going to like where I thought it was going. Now I ... I just don't know, yet.” “Where did you think it was going, Gerry?” “I thought I was going to establish a farm raising cattle in a place where most people wouldn't have thought you could raise cattle. I thought I would get that working and then start a family. I thought I could raise a family and love them while working to do something productive that helps my family and provides food for others in the process.” “So what has changed, Gerry?” Pete asked. “Well I put an awful lot of work into this place to get my herd built up, and now I'm going to have to walk away from it.” Gerry was rather intense. “When the drought breaks, will you be able to come back here, or is this place a goner?” Pete asked. “Yeah, you have a point there. Weather patterns change and change back again over time.” Gerry sighed. “I know your place will let me weather the storm, or lack of it, and then I can come back and keep working on my dream.” Gerry was mentally conceding but his heart wasn't quite in it. “Gerry, I need you to understand some things. Men have a tendency to screw up their plans because the factors surrounding them are more complex than they can fully understand. If they keep their focus on honoring the Creator, and not trying to do it all by themselves, however, I believe that He will honor their recognition and allegiance to Him, by helping them to have a life of integrity, peace, and even joy. I just learned this afternoon that this drought right here is very small potatoes compared to some things happening right outside our back door. The fact that you have built up this herd is going to be a Godsend, not just to you but to a lot of people who are facing serious food shortages sooner than they realize. You also have become part of a pretty big and loving family all of a sudden in the last couple of weeks, and that 'horde' you mentioned are likely to be sending a whole lot of love your way real soon. Why don't you turn your thoughts on that for a while, and come help me and Wildcat get some supper ready.” Pete and Gerry got back to the house. Gerry had already had time to take care of all his herd and check out the reservoir and well pump status. The two men jumped right in to helping Joann, even though it was Gerry's kitchen, and he had clocked many more hours in it than Joann had. They actually enjoyed the time working and talking together, and supper was a relaxed and pleasant time. It was probably more relaxed, for Gerry than it had been in days since they were not pressured to get breakfast prepared early in the morning before driving for three hours to get the work crew to the mountain. Gerry was leaning back before getting up to clean up the dishes when he brought up a different subject. “Pete,” Gerry started out.”I have been thinking about what you said earlier. You hinted not so subtly about more trouble ahead and the mindset needed to get through it. With us not driving so far everyday I really would like you to help me look into what the Bible says about living, and how did you phrase that? Oh yeah, showing allegiance to the Creator. I have heard a lot of different terms thrown around by preachers, but I had never heard it phrased that way. I like that. Can you help me find out more about doing that?” Pete grinned. “I think that is an excellent idea, Gerry. We have been given some opportunities that have sprung out of unfortunate circumstances. We ought to cherish those opportunities that are hard won like that. Joann was smiling at Pete, musing at his finding ways to communicate in a way that connected with Gerry, and at the same time planted seeds of wisdom into his thinking. She also saw that Gerry was not so forlorn about the coming separation from his farm, and that made her happy. She found herself saying a silent prayer of thanks for the good that was been wrestled out of the evil actions and bad situations being created by mean, self serving individuals. The decision to let Patty sleep in the extra bed in Rob and Jenny's trailer had been mostly Jenny's idea. Jenny was somehow feeling a special sympathy for Patty. They had given her a few minutes alone in the trailer to get settled in for the night while Jenny and Rob had stayed outside to talk privately. “Rob, I just really feel for Patty. She lost her mother when she was at a vulnerable age. Here she is now with no family while her father is miles away tangled up dealing with state police in a county where the sheriff has it in for him. She has got to be feeling really insecure right now.” Rob took his time responding. “Yeah, that's a tough spot she is in, but I think she is not so delicate as she might seem. I see a toughness in her that I think she is hiding.” Jenny replied in return, “I will grant you that, but don't forget that part of that toughness you are seeing is her trying to hide her vulnerability.” Rob didn't know how to respond to that so he just nodded and quietly made a short non-verbal hum. Jenny went on a few seconds later. “I think tomorrow I'm going to help her find some ways to help and encourage the women who have come with their husbands. We need to find things to keep them all busy while they adjust to this stressful situation. They need to feel like they are contributing rather than just waiting here in limbo. Patty can help with that.” Again Rob was listening to Jenny plan out loud. I all seemed good to him, and she certainly did not need his approval to go ahead. “I'm glad Patty has you here to help her, Jenny. I'm glad you are thinking about ways to help all those women. It will be much better with them encouraging each other than the possibility of a few starting to feel isolated and frustrated. Feelings like that can start to eat away at the morale of a group.” They decided it was time to get themselves to bed, so they went inside. It looked like Patty was in bed already but she had a dim reading light on. Jenny stepped down closer to patty's end of the trailer t tell her goodnight and saw she was reading and making notes on a notepad. “Good night Patty. let me know if you need anything.” Jenny said. Jenny turned and joined her husband grateful that after today they would be able to sleep just a little later into the mornings than they had been.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 22, 2023 13:12:34 GMT -6
Post # 67 Renegotiating
It was Friday morning, already. By five-thirty some of the people in the lodge were starting to stir. Colleen and Carl were starting coffee in the lodge kitchen. Their parents were up and walking with Patty through the forest toward the lodge. The sun wasn't visible behind the crest of the hill yet but the sky had already lost that sunrise look. A few of the men and women guests were finding their way to the great room and could smell the first pot of coffee brewing. A couple of women were entering the kitchen to see if they could help. Colleen put two of them to work finding more pots for making coffee. Those pots needed to be washed out since most had not been used in quite some time. She put another in charge of gathering coffee mugs from the cabinets and washing them as well. As more people saw the activity in the kitchen and smelled the coffee they started gathering to help. By the time the travel trailer gang arrived the kitchen was bustling with activity. By six o'clock people were being seated at old style wooden folding tables to eat breakfast. The ladies had discussed among themselves while working in the kitchen, get the men fed first. Next they would feed themselves. Last they would awaken the children and tend to getting them fed and ready for the day. Joann, Pete, and Gerry did not arrive until the women were sitting down to eat. They had finished their breakfast before leaving Gerry's place and had emptied their thermal travel mugs of coffee during the ride to the mountain. They gathered the men together and started the hike to the fencing area where they had been working when they stopped on Wednesday afternoon. Gerry, Pete, Rob, Bruce, and Carl had been in the lead as the men were following them through the woods. They were talking quietly as they walked. Their plans for work schedule as well as the plans for how much to pay the men had been totally disrupted by the turn of events yesterday morning. No work on the fencing had been done yesterday, and no one had been paid. The family had taken on a huge load with feeding all the families and housing them as well. They had no idea how long this situation would persist and whether they would be feeding them for a few days or weeks. Pete pointed out that they had made a promise. They had told the men their pay was not going to be determined by the hour. The men actually showed up for work as promised. The promise that had been made to the workers did not include an escape clause for the family. He also pointed out that the need for urgency had not been reduced. That clock was still ticking. If anything it was now ticking faster than before. Carl jumped in. “Grandpa, didn't Isaac tell you that he expected you to get more help soon if he was right about the urgency, but we would not get the help if he was wrong about the urgency?” Pete stopped walking and so did everyone else. The workers following them had sensed that their employers were discussing the changes to the working arrangement now that they were now housing and feeding their families. They wanted to know what was being said, but out of respect they were allowing the family to talk it out before discussing it with their employees. Liam was remembering both the warning from his wife and the vote of confidence he had given to this family in reply. She had asked him again about it, and he had replied that they would just have to wait and see. They needed more information before they could make a good decision about staying or leaving. Pete responded to Carl, “Yes, that is what he said. He was saying I believe, that we would get the amount of help we need to get things done in time.” “So just a couple of days after that we were talking and decided we needed nine workers for a week, right?” Carl kept going without waiting for a confirmation. “Only we got twelve instead of nine. And if y'all remember without having brought it up for discussion before that we were suddenly thinking that we needed to keep those twelve on longer to help build another lodge for you and Joann.” Carl looked at Rob, Bruce, and Gerry challenging them with his eyes. “So just a few days later when we are on the verge of loosing two of the workers, we get an almost instant warning that we need to hurry. The very next morning before we could even work an hour we abruptly embrace a radical change that creates a bigger burden on us, BUT embedded in that burden is an unexpected bonus. Suddenly even though we just lost two workers, the number of hours per day that all of us can put into productive work gets a huge boost.” Bruce suddenly blurted out. “Fuel. I hadn't even thought of that with all that we were trying to work out yesterday. We are going to save about three hundred dollars a day on fuel costs.” Rob also jumped in. “The cost of housing them is nothing. The help those women can provide by supporting and encouraging the men is something we should not overlook. You remember how much help it was when our wives were bringing us the supplies and refreshments. That got disrupted when we had to arrange to get the rest of our materials. And then other things got in the way. With this many extras just a few of them addressing those assists we can gain a lot in productivity.” Gerry now jumped in. “There is also the money we were paying to those two trouble makers. That can also be counted to help pay for the extra food or extra hours. We need to talk to the men and see if we can negotiate a new pay rate for an extra hour or two per day. We don't want to push too hard, even if they get excited about the proposition of a higher daily income. If we push too hard for too long the fatigue will begin to pile up. That leads to reducing the productivity rate for the hours that we put in as well as increasing the number of mistakes and accidents. It's a fine balance but these men are strong, hard workers. If they are willing I'm sure they can give more than eight hours, especially without the three or more hours of travel being added on.” “Gerry, you do the talking. You are from around here and they seem to relate to you easier than to us.” Rob had his hand on Gerry's shoulder. “We trust you to work it out with them.” Gerry looked at the other men in their team one at a time for confirmation. Then he turned to the workers. He waved them over closer until he could talk to all of them without raising his voice. “Men,” Gerry said gently, “Yesterday day was really wild and I know it was hard on your families. It was like an unexpected storm blew through. There are a number of things that were decided without talking through the details. We are in a situation that has disrupted a lot of assumptions and we still do not know how long the disruption is going to last. We need to talk about what we do know and how we are going to handle that. We need to get straight with each other about what you are going to do for us and what we are going to do for you. We, that is the family you are working for, have talked about this just now. I want you to understand that we didn't take a vote on anything because there was no disagreement about any of the recommendations that any of us brought up. What I am saying is that we are in complete agreement about how we are looking at this. The question now is how all of you are looking at this.” Gerry continued. “It seems like we were just getting started when everything went sideways, first with our decision to redesign our work and then with the internal and external 'earthquake' and its after shocks.” Gerry made air-quotes when he said earthquake. “From one perspective Tuesday was a big setback and yesterday was a total loss. But life is like that sometimes and we either have to press on or we have to decide to change our game. Before we started we told all of you that we would pay you $120 per day and we would pick you up at six and get you home at six with a long drive on either end of each day. Yesterday in a sense was one long drive and took you to a new home for the moment. Here is our position on that. With all the turmoil we didn't pay you at the end of the day yesterday because of the turmoil. Today we are going to make good on our word to you and pay you yesterdays wages before we start today's work. Today we hope to be more productive regarding the intended work and we will pay you for that like we promised. Beyond that we need to talk with you about the work and how we pay you going forward.” There was a sudden tension among the workers like they were bracing for bad news. “Mister Gerry?” It was Joe Hinkley who was scratching his head. “I'm confused. We didn't get any work done yesterday. All we did was try to get our families out of town to a safe place. How much are you thinking you should pay us for not working yesterday?” “Joe, we told you at the beginning that we would pay you by the day for one week and we would pay you $120 each day. We also said we wanted to encourage you to stick with it and not drop out so we would pay a $50 bonus if you stuck with it for five days. Everyone of you here showed up to work yesterday. So we propose to hold true to our word even though we didn't anticipate what happened yesterday. We are going to pay the $120 like we promised for yesterday and with all of you here showing up today it looks like you will all get that bonus. But, like I said we want to talk about some changes in our arrangements with you for how we do this after today.” Gene now spoke up. “So, you are going to pay us for a full day for yesterday and again for today plus the bonus, even though we accomplished nothing for you yesterday?” Gerry gave Gene a hard look and said, “Yes but, only if you work a full day today.” Gerry suddenly grinned really big, putting the men suddenly at ease. Liam hesitantly spoke now. “That sounds very generous. Almost too generous. So, what is the bad news? You said you wanted to talk about some changes going forward.” Now Gerry got a serious look on his face. “First of all, none of us know how things are going to play out with all of you and your families staying here. You had to bug out of your homes and leave things behind. Some of you were renting and some of you weren't. You have food and shelter here for now, but it is a bit crowded and not ideal for all of you. The good part of that is that Sheriff Carter and Judge Carter have no jurisdiction here and hopefully no one else really knows where you are. Best I can tell even you don't know where you are. That may seem bad to you or maybe not so bad for the moment. We found out some things yesterday that we think you ought to know about that fit in that bad news category. Those earthquakes we felt recently including the one yesterday caused some really bad problems that haven't hit here, yet. They hit three big cities, Memphis, St Louis, and Chicago, harder than the news networks are telling. We are concerned that the impact on those cities will affect our area before long. So we are very concerned about accelerating our work. We need to talk with you about the idea of accelerating our work.” Gerry could still see some stress on the men's faces. That was understandable considering the past few days and months they had experienced. “The truth is we don't want to hire more men, because that would raise the risk of more trouble like the past couple of days. It would also mean more transportation and security headaches. You men have show us a degree of loyalty and we value that. So another option is that we could ask you to work longer days. Our concern there is the risk of wearing out both you and us. If we work twelve hour days, the fatigue is going to catch up with us and the pace is going to slow down. It will also increase the chances that someone will make a mistake and get hurt because fatigue numbs your brain. We also don't want to make dumb mistakes and have to spend more time correcting those mistakes.” Gene stepped forward. “Gerry, that loyalty you mentioned is a two way street. We are learning to trust you, because you are showing concern for more than getting more work out of us. We see you are trying to be smart, but that being smart is really about considering the impact of your decisions on us as well as on you. Even though we were not being productive for twelve hours, we were putting in twelve hour days before everything went sideways. I think this group that you have left can put in ten hour days, as long as we get a day off to recover periodically. That would in theory make things go faster without adding much risk.” Gerry nodded. “Okay. That sounds reasonable. How about the rest of you? Any one else have input into that? Don't be shy. We are just discussing this. Gene shared his thoughts. Everyone is free to throw out ideas.” There were some nearly verbal sounds from the group that were hard to make out until Liam spoke out. “This is a little more complicated than that, with all due respect, Gerry. It's not that I don't trust you, but assumptions unspoken are a poor business practice on both sides of an agreement. You just got caught paying us for a day of work we didn't really earn, because of what was not said between us. You were more than generous in sticking to your word, even if it hurt you. I hope you'll forgive me if I learn a lesson from that, while still being grateful for how you handled that. Sure we are capable of working hard and working long in a pinch. You were right on target when you were talking about productivity and risk if we let fatigue get the upper hand. But if we are giving more effort to you, turn about is fair trade. With our current situation fair has gotten more complicated with you providing food and shelter for our families. I just want it to be all laid out and clear. If we work two extra hours a day is that what you need to pay for our room and board, or do you expect us to pay more than that to compensate you for your generous help?” Gerry's jaw dropped. He turned and looked at Carl, Rob, Bruce. and Pete. They two were wide eyed and shocked. When he turned back to the workers he could see their anxiety at the clan's reaction. Liam was holding out his hands with the palms tipped down as if to say 'Easy. Don't jump to conclusions.' He started to say, “I'm not trying to imply...” but Gerry cut him off. “Liam, Gene, all of you. I'm sorry. I'm not doing a very good job of this. “You are here as our guests. You were in a bind and we have no intention of exploiting your trouble. We brought your families here because we were concerned for their safety, not to earn more money for us. We don't know how long you will need to stay, or want to stay. We don't have any plans for kicking you out or 'raising the rent', which just to be clear is zero. All we are talking about here is how much you are willing to help us accelerate our plans to get ahead of the winter, and some bad developments that are coming, and agreeing on a pay rate for the work you do on that.” Gerry paused and saw a bunch of confused looks. He turned back to his family and Pete gestured for him to go on. “Let's start over here. Clean slate. Bruce go get yesterday's payroll and bring it back here. We need to pay these men.” He turned back to the workers. “When Bruce gets back we are going to pay you what we promised for yesterday, and then we will be square and up to date. You won't owe us any money for transportation, food and shelter for yesterday and last night. Men, you and your families were in a dangerous spot so we decided to help. You are our house guests and are welcome here for as long as you are working for us. We don't know how long that will be. If you stop working for us and still need a place to stay, we will talk about that when it happens. Next, we told you before that we needed you to work for us thru the end of today. If you do that we will pay you $120 for today, just like we promised, plus the $50 we promised for finishing the whole week.” Gerry took a breath. “Next, there is another matter we want to discuss. We want to finish the set up you have helped us start, the fencing, some water troughs, things like that. We also want to build another lodge, maybe not identical to the one you are in now, plus some houses for our family. Would you be willing to stay here and help us working for $15 per hour in payments of cash to you for up to ten hours a day on weekdays? As a part of this deal your families can stay where they are as long as you are working for us, so that you can spend more time with them. We'll provide the food, but we may need a little help fixing the meals, cleaning up, keeping the lodge orderly, and such, if that is not too much to ask. We can't promise this arrangement forever. We don't know what might happen turning the world inside out tomorrow, so we don't know how long the money or the work might last, or how soon you might want to leave and go somewhere else. Would you be willing to work with us under those terms?”
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 22, 2023 13:15:23 GMT -6
Post # 68 Trust ?
Everyone was quiet as they considered what Gerry had laid out. “Do you need time to think about that? Talk it over with each other? Do you understand what I'm saying? Are there any questions?” Gerry waited. The group turned toward each other and Gerry could hear some murmuring and whispering. He saw some heads nodding, then Gene turned toward him. Gene took a deep breath. “Gerry, We could ask for a hundred dollars an hour, but we all know that would be just wrong. You, your family, are going way beyond fair. You are … You have earned out trust. Thank you. We accept your terms. There is just one thing we would like to ask. We don't want to carry that cash in our pockets all day while we work. Our wives are back at the lodge uncertain about how all this is going to work out. Yesterday was hard on them, and we don't want them fretting all day wondering about what is next. Could you send Bruce or someone back there with our pay for yesterday and explain this to them so we can get to work, and not be distracted by knowing they are in the dark all day? That would help a lot.” Gerry nodded his head. “That sounds reasonable. I'm thinking it might be good to send someone with him. We haven't had as much direct dealings with your wives yet. I just want to be sure there are no doubts or uncertainty for them. Would it be better if one of you go along? Maybe another one of us?” Gerry gestured back at Rob, Carl, and Pete. Then he scanned the group of workers for a response. Liam held his hand up and said, “I'll go. I know my wife was particularly worried about more negative surprises. How about Mister Pete coming long too. He's the steady patriarch type. That ought to add some confidence in what you tell them. I really want to get to work, but this is something we need to do for them.” They could see Bruce returning through the trees now. When Bruce joined them Pete explained the plan to him, then Pete, Bruce, Gerry, and Liam headed back to the lodge. The rest of the men continued on to the area where they had been working with Carl leading the way through the trees. It took about five minute for Gerry's group to get back to the Lodge. When they arrived the ladies were finishing their breakfast. Gerry remembered hearing that they were planning to get the children up for breakfast next. He walked over to a spot near the center of the room and cleared his throat a few times with little effect. Finally he raised his hands a little and spoke. “Ladies, I need to talk with you all for a minute before the children wake up and need your attention.” It took a few seconds before they all had stopped and turned to listen to him. “Thank you, ladies.” He nodded and smiled. “I know this last twenty-four hours has been a rather disturbing time for your families. We were talking to your husbands about it and we decided it might help if we talked a little with you about what to expect going forward. It's best that you all get the story at the same time so things don't get confused in the retelling. I'm going to try and explain as simply as possible the arrangements we have agreed to with your husbands. When I am through if you have questions, we'll do our best to clear up anything that might be confusing, or that I didn't address.” Gerry continued. “First: You and your families were in a risky position yesterday morning and our family decided that we wanted to help you. Here is the deal. As long as your husband is working for us you can stay here as our house guests. We would never have thought of charging you a penny for being our guests. That just ain't gonna happen. Are we clear about that?” Gerry was stunned once again to see a wave of relief sweep across their faces. He paused. “Okay, next item. We promised them before we started that we would pay them $120 dollars a day this week for everyday they showed up. All of your husbands showed up yesterday but with all the turmoil of getting you here and settled in, we failed to pay them. Rather than paying them and having them carry it all day while they are working they ask if we would bring it here for you to keep. Bruce has that money now. Assuming they don't walk off the job today we will pay them another $120 and a fifty dollar bonus for finishing the week at the end of today, just like we promised.” Gerry saw some eyes lighting up now. He took a deep breathe before continuing. “This next part is not so certain because we are looking forward a bit, and yesterday taught all of us some lessons about the unexpected. We, our family, would like some more help from you and your husbands. We want to build another lodge, similar but maybe not exactly like this one, and houses for the rest of our family, so we will have shelter with more space going into the winter and beyond. However knowing that life is unpredictable, our plans may have to change, and with economic issues that are out of our control, we may have to call a halt before we get to our current goals. We offered and they agreed to work up to ten hours a day on weekdays if we will pay them fifteen dollars an hour and you can remain as our house guests. If you decide to leave that is your decision. If we can't continue paying that is our decision. If the work is done or you want to stay beyond the time we can still employee you, then we will both rethink the arrangements and go from there. One more thing, just as a practical southern good manners kind of thing, we will be providing the food, but we'll expect reasonable help in preparing meals, cleaning up afterwards and keeping the place orderly and presentable. We don't have servants or a housekeeping staff to prepare meals for forty people and to clean up after all of us. We don't think it is unreasonable for everyone to pitch in and help keep the household comfortable for all of us. Do you have any questions?” While Gerry had been talking Bruce began moving through the group of women quietly asking their husband's name and handing over their pay in cash for the previous day. Sheila had been watching and looked at the cash in her hand as Gerry finished. She raised her hand and Gerry called on her. “Yes, you are Liam's wife, aren't you? What are you wondering about?” She sat there at the table and shook her head with a smile. “Please, don't take this the wrong way. What you are saying is really, really good news. Your hospitality is genuinely more than we expected. Thank you for that. But, we are very isolated here. The last couple of years, the last couple of weeks, the last twenty-four hours. So much is changing and it seems to be accelerating. Can we please have a meeting, all of us together, after supper tonight. We are so isolated here. I kind of understand your wanting to hide from a lot of bad stuff going on, but we need to know some of that bad stuff before it sneaks up behind us, and we don't want to miss an opportunity if one comes up. If this thing with the sheriff gets straightened out how long is it going to be before we find out about it. If we stay here for a month and someone tries to claim all our possessions back in Hollerton are abandoned, how are we going to know that and be able to try and stop that? We have had several earthquakes recently and we haven't heard anything about... something is not right there and … this is not where the earthquakes really hit, but no one is telling us where they did hit.” Gerry frowned. “I think I understand your concerns. I think it is a good idea to be getting more information from the outside. Pete was telling me last night about some bits of information he received yesterday, but it hasn't been shared even with everyone in our family yet. It can cause problems when there are bits and pieces that are know by one person, and not the same bits and pieces known by another. I am all for having a meeting tonight. We will be stopping the work your husbands are helping with before supper tonight. Let's plan on having a meeting with everyone tonight. Are there any more questions that need to be answered before tonight? ” No one else spoke up, so Gerry lead his group out of the lodge and headed for the work site. The other men were hard at work on the fences. During their lunch break Pete shared with the men what had been said in the meeting with the women. Gene brought up the notion Gerry had mentioned about bits known by one and not by another. Then he commented. “Gerry you mentioned troughs when you were trying to hem and haw earlier about the work still to be done. There has been a lot of guessing going on, but we've been careful about asking you too much. Do you think you can trust us enough to open the curtains a little about what we are really working on for you all?” Gerry stopped to consider the implications of that question. “Gene, that is a significant question, especially when you frame it in that context. I can't answer that until I can discuss it with the rest of my family.” Gerry began thinking about a meeting of everyone tonight and just the clan meeting in order to speak with one voice to the guest. Then he realized that there might be other issues brought up in the general meeting that his new family might need to discuss before answering the question. It seemed like he had been acting as a spokesman for the clan, sometimes with minimal discussion before he delivered information or decisions to the workers and their families. There are so many issues, so many concerns, so many uncertainties, so many decisions to be made, and so little defined structure among this community of forty plus interconnected people. “Right now.” Gerry thought to himself, “I need to push forward and get this place ready for my cattle before the well fails.” He started quietly passing the word to Pete, Rob, Bruce, and Carl that the whole family needed to have a meeting before the whole community had a meeting tonight. Even while he was doing that he realized that he was in effect making yet another decision for the group. Nevertheless he continued on that path. “Carl, would you radio Colleen and ask her to spread the word to our wives about our family meeting, so they know about it, too. Let's plan on doing it as soon as we finish eating while the others are wrapping up, cleaning up, and getting the children corralled.” Carl looked at Gerry with a confused look. “What did you just say?” Gerry now looked confused as he played his request back through his mind. It took a few seconds, then he was flustered. “You know what I meant. I mushed together 'our group' and 'your wives'. It was just my stumbling over my own tongue. I didn't really mean our wives. I just meant the wives in our group; not the wives of the workers. Just make the call, please. I need to get this crew back to work before the well runs dry.” “Sure thing, boss,” Carl replied with a smirk. “I'll get right on it.” Gerry took that minor ribbing from Carl, since he had been taking the lead in supervising the fence building from the very beginning, but it was still another reminder of how he seemed to be taking the reins on a lot of things they had been doing lately. The fence building had been making real progress through the morning. Most of Gerry's time was taken up with helping and directing the crews as they built the gates into the various paddock areas. Gerry was mentally laying out where they needed to place watering troughs and feed troughs for the cattle. By the end of the day, it looked like they would be through with most of the fencing except for a few gates. As he considered the whole situation, he realized that they could start moving the cattle now and finish the fencing later. No, first they needed the water troughs and tubing to pump water away from the stream so they could keep the cattle from using the stream as their outhouse. They would have to set up a temporary system to power the pump initially and refine that system later. That meant more trips to a town or to his farm, before they started moving the cattle and everything needed to be done already. They needed those tools they had wanted from Jim Decker's store to build some wooden troughs. Maybe some of these workers already had the tools they needed. That was still more to be discussed in the meetings. They need to know what is going on in Hollerton, and elsewhere too. Gerry was beginning to think the family might have to do some work alone since they were not going to ask the workers to labor more than five days a week. He needed to get back to his farm to check on the cattle and the water well tonight after the town hall meeting, and there were so many things to be discussed in that meeting and in the meeting before that meeting. The men were working hard and even with the shade of the trees the air was hot this August. It was a welcome relief when the ladies brought them fresh water during their breaks. Their work might not be as strenuous as what the men were doing, But they were unrelenting in their efforts, and carrying water through the forest was by no means a dainty job. Gerry's mind seemed to be running down countless rabbit trails while he worked and when he rested, too. It was just after three o'clock already and Gerry realized that even with the discussions early in the morning and their break times not being counted they had already put in eight hours of work today. Without the travel time on the front end, they would be stopping even earlier today than when they had to stop to get everyone home by six o'clock under the previous arrangement. Maybe they could shift the Family meeting to before supper, but that would mean the women in his new family would not be leaving the work of getting supper ready to the guests. That was not the intention of the arrangements he had offered to the guests, but today that is what they needed to do. Gerry asked Bruce to go retrieve the payroll funds and a few minuted later he called a halt to the work of the crews so they had a few minutes to gather up the tools. While they were doing this he spoke to the clan menfolk about changing the schedule. Carl said he would contact Colleen and ask her to ask the other women about that idea. Once the men had been paid their wages for the day plus the bonus, the whole group started trekking back to the lodge. A radio call came in to Carl from Colleen. She said the women had decided they could step aside for maybe thirty minutes as long as the meeting did not go past 5:50. when the men got to the lodge they all had to clean up before supper and stash their wages away. Most of them had children they wanted to check on, and they found out the several of the Mothers were watching over the kiddos playing outside and watching the chickens. They then went to find the other wives who were swirling around in the kitchen area, and thought better of going in and creating a traffic jam. Some stepped in to help get the folding tables set up and then hung around inside or outside on the main porch. Eventually Colleen and the other wives slipped out of the kitchen and found the clan menfolk outside on the east side (shady side) of the lodge. Colleen was the first to speak. “Okay. Now that we're all here, what is this about?” Gerry stepped forward into the center of the group. “I'm the one who asked for this meeting. A question or two were raised by the workers and their families that I thought we needed to talk about before the big meeting tonight, and I honestly also wanted us to discuss a concern about how we, our group, are functioning and dealing with issues and questions. Let me lay out the questions first , then you all can discuss them or defer them as you want. One: the question was raised this morning about news from the outside. The earthquakes, the situation in Hollerton, and generally knowing what is going on out there that we may need to know because it can affect us. That also entails how to let everyone know what we learn, so no one feels they are being kept in the dark. Two: The general question was raised by one of the workers, namely they are trusting us for a lot of things, so when and how much are we going to trust them in return with information about what we are doing and asking them to help us accomplish? Three: This is my question or concern. I have been grabbing the bull by the horns in the last couple of days, sometimes with little consultation with the rest of you. There are so many different practical issues that need urgent attention that it doesn't seem practical to stop and have a family meeting every time someone thinks of an issue or need, but just because someone, like me, thinks of a way to handle it doesn't mean that is how we as a group should deal with it. Honestly, I am concerned that I don't want to keep jumping out to the front and setting policy for our family when we are all in this together.” Gerry stopped and just waited. Bruce spoke up after an uncomfortable silence. “Gerry, I think you have been doing fine, but I also think that part of what has been happening is that we have all been hesitating. There are so many issues and everything is urgent so what should we bring up for discussion first, when we need to do something right now? When you grab the bull by the horns, you relieve us for the moment of needing to do that ourselves.” Colleen spoke up with an dose of energy. “It reminds me of when Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt. Suddenly there was a mass of former slaves out in the wilderness with no more slave masters. Everyone was coming to Moses with every problem and he sat there all day long listening to issues and making decisions, day after day. Then his father in law suggested organizing into groups and sub groups with leaders assigned over each segment of the organization. If an issue was too big or hard for the sub group leader he would go to the leader of the larger group and so on up the line until Moses.” Now Carl joined in. “That's right only in our case it is not about so many people with questions. The problem we have here is that there are so many areas where decisions are needed. What do we do about getting news? What do we do about getting supplies? What do we do about preparing meals, tending the children, getting the cattle moved, and on and on. And don't forget who is making sure everyone knows what is being decided.” “There is another thing that happened to keep the new nation from being crushed by the number of decisions they faced.” Pete now spoke quietly. “Moses had to tell them the laws and principles they had to follow. We need to decide some principles and specifics beyond pay rates, housing arrangements and a general desire for security to tell these people. The question was raised about trust, but the practical question is how much do we tell who about our operational plans and our location. What are our responsibilities to them and what are the boundaries we must maintain? Suppose we tell them everything we intend to do. Does that make us a target of desirability, so that eventually it becomes important for them to find out where we are located. If we expose more about our location but refuse to tell them anything about our intentions here, does that effectively abandon all efforts to maintain our safety because we are no longer hidden? If we refuse to tell them enough to satisfy their curiosity do we create resentment which might result in them neglecting their support of our security and safety? What if we tell them some things believing we can trust them with limited information, and later someone gets crosswise with us? Have we exposed too much and put ourselves at future risk?” Bruce had something to say, now. “I think Carl is right about dividing responsibilities into different functional areas and authorizing a degree of decision making rather than every decision being a matter of debate among the entire group before action can be taken. Pete, I also have to respect your ability to see the potential problems. We have some decisions to make that are not going to be as simple as they look. I still think Gerry makes a good spokesperson, but he has already seen the need for him to have adequate guidance from the group. We need more time to consider what you have said Pete, but we need to tell the others more than we need to think about it before we answer you. I think Gerry needs to tell all of them why we need to think carefully about how much we reveal. We also need to start organizing into areas of responsibilities and share that with them so they know who to go to with different kinds of questions. Does that make sense to all of you?” “Of course it makes sense, Sweetie.” Linda was replying with a genuine warmth. “These are critical times and we are working hard to make wise choices. As Pete and Joann seem to know we need help from a wiser source to make right choices instead of just smart choice. Gerry I suspect we have been leaning on you because you have more practical experience with the current top priority project. We all need to pick up some of the slack and help take some of the load off of your shoulders, though. If y'all don't mind Id like to offer to take charge of acquiring supplies. I just think I can help there more than in some other areas.” “I would like to take the lead in getting the cattle moved.” Bruce announced. “Moving resources around is something I know about.” “Let me handle food and meal planning,” offered Jenny. “I would like to deal with the children and mothers outside of working on meals,” said Joann. I want to plan some activities for the children and the women who are not working on meals so they stay productive without it seeming like a chore. I can work with Jenny so the women don't get stuck in the same job day after day if they want a change.” “I really want to work on communications and information.” Colleen surprised everyone. “We have been scrambling to figure out 'how do we manage our radio contact today' for too long. Gerry needs to get me linked up with C.J. Sullivan and I need to talk with Brother Rogers, too. There have to be better ways to use our links for staying in touch, and we also need to do some serious networking to gather better outside information.” Carl spoke up next. “I'll take construction of the houses, sheds, all of that.” Pete in his usual manner spoke quietly. “This may sound like fluff to some of you but I want to be a strategy influencer. I'm not talking about like those social media snowflakes. I'm talking about being actively involved in each functional area to make sure they are going in the right direction, not wandering off the path chasing rabbit trails.” “I really like that, Dad.” Rob was enthused about his father's idea. “In my career I've seen so many projects that drifted off course and waste enormous amounts of the allocated resources pursuing goals that were not envisioned when the project was first approved. The cost overruns in a project can get astounding before the upper managers check into the progress, blow a gasket, and bull dog them back to the original purpose. What I want to do is to coordinate these different areas. All of this work is going to draw on shared resources. For example we have to use the trucks to move the cattle, the food, the building materials, tools we acquire, and such, but driving the trucks also requires people resources. Those people have to be pulled off of construction, food preparation, and so forth. So the efforts of each of these functional areas require coordination. That is where my experience will help most.” The whole group thought for a few moments. “Is everyone good with this for now?” asked Gerry? “Since I am in charge of food and meals,” quipped Jenny, “I say it is time to eat.” People were taking seats and the food for supper was being placed on the tables when the Clan team walked in. Pete called out for everyone's attention and spoke a brief prayer of thanks for the food provided by the Creator. The meal time was busy and boisterous with many conversations going on at once. After everyone had eaten there was more activity to clear the tables, clean the dishes, put away leftovers, fold up the tables, and sweep the floor in the main room. As they were winding down, Gerry called for everyone's attention. “Okay everyone. We all know why we are here. There are a lot of questions and a lot of concerns, and we need to get ourselves together so we are not flying blind in differing directions. First of I want to set some context. We took some time to get organized before this meeting so the things we do going forward can be more productive and coordinated.” Gerry proceeded to summarize the division of functions and who from the clan was going to be leading the designated efforts.” “Part of the idea with these designations is so that in the future, when you have concerns or suggestions, you can decide who to talk to about your concerns rather than waiting for a meeting of the whole community to bring up a need or a question. Now about some of your questions we already have heard, there are some issues we ...” Gerry gestured to the clan, “need to discuss with you. The question has been asked about when we are going to trust you enough to tell you what our intentions, purpose, and plans are since we are asking you to help us accomplish those plans. So, let's talk about what we are planning. We want to be honest with you, but we also want to accomplish our purpose. Honestly we are concerned that there is a delicate but serious conflict there. Let me explain. We are expecting serious trouble ahead; the king of trouble that will make the trouble with Sheriff Carter feel like nothing more than a single gnat brushing past your face on a windy day.” Gerry paused to let that analogy sink in. “You may not share our assessment or expectations, but you need to understand where we are in our thinking. We have mentioned to you before that we are concerned about security. The 'storm' we see coming,” Gerry used air quotes when mentioning the storm, “is not one we are strong enough to defeat by facing it head on like a ship turning into the wind. Instead we are looking for a crag in the rocks to hide in. Some of you may recognize that analogy from the Bible.” Again, Gerry paused longer than a speaker merely catching his breath would. “We also expect that storm to last longer than a day or two. So, we need to stay out of harm's way and sustain our family until the end of the storm. Fundamentally, those are our intentions. The details are where this gets tricky. If word gets out about the details of how we are planning to sustain ourselves, that might attract more attention from others who are late to recognize how bad the storm is going to be. The way the world is, someone is sure to try and put their own safety ahead of our family's safety and all our efforts will have been for nothing. The other issue is that we do not know how long you are going to want to stay with us. Just suppose things settle down in Hollerton and you decide to return to your home. And suppose you do not see any indication of a coming storm for another year or two. You are no longer working for us and you have moved on. Why should you remain super loyal to us? After all in your eyes we were just paranoid fools, and nothing bad is really going to happen, is it? So it's no big deal that you or anyone else knows roughly, or even exactly where we are, is it? – not until the real storm hits.” Gerry's tone suddenly changed at the end of his scenario.
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Post by pbbrown0 on Dec 22, 2023 13:20:02 GMT -6
Again I apolgize for posting
# 67 before I posted #66
I have it straightened out now in the correct order.
Please go back and read #66, #67, and #68 in the correct order so it makes more sense.
Thank you for you tolerance.
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