Post # 13
Stampede
“Peter, I know it's none of my business, but I'll admit I'm simply curious. These days when you tell me you won't be able to check on the chickens and then disappear; do you mind telling me where you go? You did this a number of times last summer, and this is the second time this spring. Do you mind my asking? I'm not complaining. You are certainly doing your share with the garden and all. You can keep it private if you want. It just seems a bit random and it is never more than a day. I know you can't get back to Texas and return in just one day. It's just that it started last spring and went through the summer, then suddenly stopped, and now it's starting again. Oh, never mind. Forget I asked. I just get a little caught up in trying to work out puzzles sometimes.”
Peter was keeping a straight face and doing a passable job of suppressing a smirk. He took a moment to assure he could keep his composure before delivering a reply. “I thought I was doing a better job of covering my tracks, but you saw through it. Look, I really need to ask you to do the right thing and keep this to yourself. I'm working for a government agency; I can't tell you which one. All of this that you have seen of me is my cover. Just forget this conversation ever happened, and we can leave it at that.” Pete stared intently at Joann with a stern look.
Joann paused for only a moment before she rolled her eyes and groaned. “You got me. That was a good one. I deserved that, Peter. Like I said, it is none of my business.”
“It's okay, Joann. No harm done. I've become a very private person in the last few years, so I just don't talk with others about what I'm doing. I don't see you as a gossip so I don't mind you knowing. The long and short of it is that I am looking for a piece of land and I am on a shoestring budget. I can't afford land being marketed by real estate agents so I am having to hunt for land on my own.”
“What kind of land are you looking for? What are you planning to do with it? How, exactly, have you been looking without a real estate agent?”
Pete chuckled. “Wait a minute. What happened to 'It's none of my business.'?”
Now Joan giggled. “I told you I was curious. You don't have to answer.”
“Come to think of it, I might be interested in your take on some of what I want to do. I want to find a place in the woods where I can grow my own food without disrupting the forest environment. Of course I also want to build a place to live on the land, but without all the techno-obsessions our society is pushing. I mean even the farmers today are being pushed hard to …” Pete caught himself and stopped mid-sentence.
“Oh, don't get me started. I could lecture for hours on ...” This time Joann stopped mid sentence and started laughing. “That's what this garden and your interest in the chickens is about, isn't it? You're trying out your ideas and using this as a practice lab, aren't you?”
“Guilty.” Pete grinned.
- - - - -
“Dad, this … all this stuff just doesn't make sense. There is so much information out there that I can't ignore it as unimportant, but I can't make sense out of what we are being told we must do, either. It just feels like a thunderstorm inside my head with the wind swirling around this way and that.”
Rob had been listening to a press conference when Carl interrupted his thoughts. After a moment Rob turned off the television and turned to his son. “I know that there are a lot of new and unexpected developments in the last few weeks, and that can be confusing. I don't claim to know everything, but let's see if we can start to make some sense of this. Let's start with the idea that we can't sort out everything at once. So we need to take things in manageable bites. Pick just one question that is troubling you and we will look at that one first.”
Carl took a deep breath and tried to calm down. “Dad, that is exactly why I am so . . . frustrated. What I really want to know is 'What should I be doing?', but I'm getting so much conflicting information, I don't know what information I should trust for making that decision.”
Now Rob started feeling an uneasiness in his gut. He too was beginning to question more and more of what he was hearing. He had found himself troubled with more and more doubts about where the recent events were doing to the future landscape on his map. Now his son was sensing this and Rob felt responsible for guiding and protecting his family. He shook off his self doubts and uncertainty and focused on his son's question. “Carl your question is too big and vague at the moment, so let's break it down into smaller pieces. You are working in a construction company. When you need to put a wall up, you don't go looking for a piece called a wall to fasten to another wall. First you have to decide what materials you are going to use to build that wall. Then you decide how you are going to fit and fasten those materials together.”
Rob knew his analogy was flawed, but he had to get Carl to focus on a narrower scope of issues in order to begin thinking through his uncertainties. “So, first lets define what your real concerns are about 'What should I be doing?' Before we look at the obstacles, let's look at your goal. Where are you going with that question?”
Now it was Carl's turn to pause and think. It took several seconds of silence before he connected the dots among all the ideas swirling in his head. “Dad, you remember last year when we started talking about my priorities? Then, it wasn't long before I changed the path I was taking in my high school courses and activities. I have been feeling really good about those decisions, especially about where I saw things moving toward what I decided was really important to me. What I decided was really important to me was what you and Mom have showed me. Making a family that I can take care of and enjoy and support. Sharing a life with a real partner and carving out a haven of satisfaction and happiness in the middle of a world that is sometimes a bit crazy and hard. The problem, what is unsettling, is that this crazy world seems like it just took a major turn for the worse. I don't know what I need to do to be able to reach that goal now. It's like I was just starting to learn the rules of the game and suddenly the Game-master invoked a 'kings-ex' and changed all the rules in the middle of the game. Only the Game-master is revealing the new rules a little at a time depending on how the game progresses.”
Rob was now in a daze. His son was still in High School, sort of, and he had just stated clearly the very root of what had been troubling Rob and millions of others across the country. No wonder there was so much arguing and uncertainty about what was happening across the country. Everyone's plans, expectations, and hopes were suddenly in question because of the State of Emergency that had been declared.
“Carl, I'm impressed that you are able to distill this down to the essential issue. That is the issue for not just you, son. It is an issue that all of us are facing right now whether or not we see it as clearly as you do. We need to get our heads together and figure out what we need to be doing. We know a little about the temporary rules, but we really don't know what is coming next. I honestly don't have a good feeling about the next rule changes, and it concerns me that those changes may be less than helpful to my family.”
- - - - -
Christine was on edge. The bio-emergency engineered by Zhao's people seemed to be working. She could foresee the repercussions advancing their strategy both globally and in the troublesome States, but what had prompted the decrepit Heinz to insist on attending the meeting today? It jut seemed like every time he showed up the tone of the meeting changed from encouragement about the progress being made to focusing on the necessity for accelerating their efforts.
“Gentlemen, shall we start? Zhao, I have to compliment you on the work that was done on the plague. It has been very effective in shutting down our problem with the economic strength in the States. It is also being exploited quite well in the media. Regional governors are beginning to use this opportunity to take stronger control of the populace. I have also seen that the people are supporting these measure both by compliance and reporting their neighbors for non-compliance.”
“Compliment? We were supposed to be weakening the
Etats, yet their mortality numbers are better than our own!” Jean-Claude was red faced.
David tried to mollify Jean-Claude's agitation. “My friend, it is regrettable that so many of your countrymen have been affected, but we must look past the comparative numbers being published. They by design are meant to distort the real story. Even the numbers being reported internally to heads of state are being massaged to fit our narrative. Besides the strength of the States is not in their numbers. It is their economy and the things their economic power affords them that makes them strong and arrogant. That is where they have been hit the most. The stimulus measures are a smoke screen and a false hope to lull them into acceptance of the radical changes being imposed on them. Remember what we said about using their own strength against them. They will believe that they have weathered this storm far better than most, only to learn that a new day has dawned filled with darker clouds and storms rather than the sunshine they hoped to see. Their economy has been damaged badly in it's underpinnings. It is like a locomotive running down the rails where the ties holding the rails in place have been removed. The strength and stability is no longer there if there is a curve in its path.”
Vlad had been quiet in recent meetings, but now he spoke. “It would have been better of course with a weaker president at the helm, but a weaker president would not have succeeded in setting the strong precedents of rule by executive decisions. When his limited time expires we must be even more certain to establish another of our stooges in his place.”
“If I may interject here,” the voice of Heinz surprised everyone as all heads turned to the old man in the cushioned wheelchair. “ This is not the time for self congratulations, nor for complaining about the cost of our efforts. I fear we have all grown too confident and complacent in our strategies. We, and I include myself in that 'We', have spent too many years patiently and confidently creeping toward our goals. The time is now for us to truly press our advantage. Yes, this so called plague has given some good results, but our gains may be minimized if we do not press our advantage and press it hard. We need to achieve more disruption before they forget their fears. We need a more powerful plague while they are patting themselves on the back for their seeming success. We need to kick them while they are down, rather than waiting like gentlemen for them to stand up before we continue the fight. The pale horse has only snorted and stamped his hoof. We need to release him for a real rampage. The black horse must also be released right at his flank.”
- - - - -
“Joanne, you and I have worked together on this garden and with the flock of chickens for a while now. I want to talk with you about something that is a little 'out there'. I'm not looking for you to advise me, so much as I just need to talk through this out loud with a friend who is not going to look at me like I have three heads when they hear me tell them what I'm thinking about.”
Joann seemed a bit confused. “So what you're saying is that I need to control my reaction and limit it to the 'You must have two heads' look?”
Pete threw back his head and laughed. His somber mood was broken, as was his uncertainty about choosing Joann for a friend to test out his thinking. “Yes, Joann, I am depending on you to not exceed the 'two aliens heads' level of ridicule,” he stated with mock seriousness.
“Here is the deal. I told you a month or so back that I am looking for some land. I thought I had found just the place. The taxes on the property are over four years past due in spite of being very low. I tried to contact the current/past owner, but he had died several years ago in a different state. I tried to contact the county clerk where he died and found that no last will and testament had been filed on his estate. I haven't been able to find anyone online that could be considered a living relative. So I was ready to bid on the property in the tax auction for the land here in this state. That is when everything started getting crazy around here, well crazy everywhere. The tax auctions have been canceled here until further notice. The county tax collector where the property is located says it is out of their hands unless the taxes are paid on behalf of the original owner before the auction takes place. The state office is saying they have no idea when, how, or even if the auctions are going to resume.”
“Here is where my two heads condition comes in ... I'm concerned that by the time they straighten out the current mess, another, and then another mess is going to come along. By that time it will be too late to move and get the land, uh, into a state where it is ready to live on it.”
“What do you mean ready to live on it?”
“Well, it is totally forested with no access by road or driveway, no utilities, no house to live in, no fence, and no crops or livestock. In order for a family to live there it will take some time and a lot of work to get it livable. The way I see it, time is running out. This current State of Emergency is the beginning of, well you know what's coming, don't you, Joann?”
Joann did not pause a moment before nodding her head to what Pete was saying. “So what are you thinking about doing, Pete?”
“Back in Texas there were laws called Adverse Occupancy Laws. Some states have laws called Squatters Laws. Long story short, I am thinking about just starting to act like it is mine, even paying the delinquent taxes on it, and hope that by the time things are sorted out, and someone looks into it, I will have a case for it being mine by established possession. If I fence it in, build a house on it, am living on it, raising crops and livestock on it, and paying the taxes on it I will be in possession of previously abandoned property.”
Now Joann was staring at Pete without talking. Pete could see the wheels turning behind her eyes for quite a while. He wanted to ask what she was thinking, but decided he would wait. “You're talking about a lot of work on that land Pete. Are you planning on doing it alone?”
“I had thought at one time that I would have more time. I had hoped that eventually my son and his family would join me when things started getting bad. With the way things are going I am having to change my expectations. I'm still trying to figure this out. I'm also not so sure who would be open to putting that much work into land that was not securely theirs, yet.”
“I see your point, or should I say your points there. I'm not in any position to give you advice about the legality of that. I guess you need to decide if all that work is worth the risk of losing it.”
“I haven't seen a 'This is crazy' look from you yet, so that is an encouraging sign. I appreciate that. Do you have any advice or suggestions for me?”
“Just that you pray about it before you jump into a long term commitment. I also think it would be wise for you to find someone as crazy as you are,” she said with a smirk, “to help you. It is going to take a lot of work to get raw land like that ready to live on it 'off the grid' and to a point where it can sustain you for all your physical needs.”
Pete nodded and thanked Joann for her input before walking down to Rudy's cafe. It had been quite a spell since he had splurged on buying a meal cooked by someone other than himself. He was use to eating alone and pondering while he ate, but this evening he wanted to change the setting for where he was eating while he pondered this new idea. He had gotten a letter from his son in the mail today and he also wanted to consider carefully what appeared to him to be a shift in the way his son was looking at things.
In spite of the news about the epidemic spreading 'everywhere' the folks here in Beaver Creek were going about their business pretty much as usual. There had been a number of cases reported in their state, but none within a hundred and fifty miles of Beaver Creek. There was some irritation voiced about the governor ordering the school buildings closed, but for the most part, people were avoiding talking about the other recommendations. To most folks the epidemic was something for the big cities to worry about, not for the country folks.
The letter from Rob however was a different matter. He was talking about how the local authorities where he lived in a large urban area were imposing restrictions that seemed on the verge of being gross overreactions. With the total cases in his city still below one in five-thousand, they were handing out tickets to people out of their homes who could not prove they were taking care of 'essential business'. There were even definitions of 'essential business' like healthcare, obtaining groceries, and a number of other specifically listed functions. Rob was commenting that it sounded almost like some of those dystopian novels Pete use to talk about. At the same time Rob claimed he understood the intention was to prevent the spread of this disease. Then again there was his account of a couple of governors in other states that put a ban on the sale of seeds and garden supplies in their states.
That last odd ban that Rob had thrown in as a P.S. Was what really got Pete's attention. That made it clear to him that this was much more than a public health issue. Pete continued to eat, watch, and pray in silence. When he finished eating, he continued to sit quietly mulling over everything until Gladys came over and asked if he wanted something sweet to finish off his meal. Pete looked up at Gladys and smiled. “Gladys, you and Rudy have become like family to me. I just want you to know how much help you have been to me. As for dessert, I think I need to take care of a few things right now, besides indulging my taste buds. If things work out, however, you may see me back in here in a couple of days.
- - - - -
“Rob, I'm worried. I've been working for my company for a long time. We, actually I mean my employer, has been able to weather a lot of ups and downs in the economy, because they had people that were good at looking ahead and seeing trends. They always had solid data they could use to explain what was coming, and their explanations made sense. Over and over they were always pretty close on their projections. That let the company prepare for the changes in the marketplace and the supply chain. The company always came out of down turns in okay shape.”
“That sounds pretty good, if you ask me, Bruce. So what's the problem?”
“That team of analysts hasn't changed much in twenty years, but they're throwing in the towel.”
“What do you mean, Bruce? They're retiring?”
“No, I mean they told management that they can't make sense of the data. This bunch of Spock like analysts are stressed out saying they can't make sense of anything that is going on in the supply chains. The manufacturer's production numbers, the distribution channel data, and the market consumption numbers just do not add up. They keep saying 'garbage in – garbage out' and stuff like that and they refuse to give management any guidance about what is coming.”
“So they're telling the management that with all the changes implemented because of this epidemic they don't have a clear enough picture yet of where and when things are heading.”
“No, Rob, that is not it. It is like they are ranting and raving about the data being all wrong. The information they are getting is not 'insufficient'. They are saying it is just plain wrong. They claim someone is messing with the data, in a big way. Garbage in – garbage out.”
Rob was quiet for a while. It seemed like a lot of things were not making sense anymore. This was just one more thing added to the issues he and Jenny and Carl had been struggling with over the past few weeks. However things changed and progressed, they would stay strong together and somehow find a way through it.