Artifact 22: Josh and his Hosts Prepare for the Storm

We left Josh feeling a bit nervous after a mention of alien technology.

 

             Josh tried not to look guilty or nervous. “Ah, I guess I do recall some of that malarkey.” Where’d I come up with that word? He refocused. “Wasn’t there something of that going on in the later twenty teens?”  

  “Hmmm, yep,” Tom replied with steely glint in his eye Josh hadn’t seen from him earlier. “Anyway, these crazies tried to break into an area at White Sands Missile Range called Area 9. All the locals knew all about it so it was no big secret that the Air Force worked on high-tech aircraft technology in that particular area, but that’s old, stale news to the locals.

They, the crazies that is, switched from scoping out Area 51 in Nevada to this area all of a sudden. I guess it became a hot topic possibly witnessing the military using alien technology that maybe or maybe not guarded so closely,” Tom said, with a shrug. “So that’s when we got involved. There were no international emergencies going on at the time so they gave us the job of 24-hour surveillance over the area. I tell ‘ya, it sucked most of the time. But these couple guys kept coming back, trying everything, even pole vaulting over the electric fence where a guy almost got toasted to an ultra-light glider pilot that actually made it across in the dark of night. We were waiting for him when he came down and promptly tossed him in the slammer.”

“Broke up the monotony at least, right Dad?” Tom Junior interjected.

“You might say that it gave us a bit of fun,” Tom Senior said with a grin.

Joan broke in saying, “Come on guys, soups on, so let’s eat.”   

            Promptly, the four of them sat down to steaming bowls of fresh vegetable soup and thick slices of bread fresh and hot out of a bread machine. 

             “This is soup is so thick and good,” Josh said after a bite. “I can’t even begin to thank you for the meals and taking me in like this.”  

  Joan and Tom smiled to one another. Joan passed the butter dish to Josh for his bread. He slathered on a thick layer on his course, heavy crusted bread. 

“So I imagine all these vegetables come from your garden?” Josh asked, pointing to his bowl with his spoon. 

            “Everything but the celery. We can’t grow that competitively with the regular truck farms, so we pick up a few things like the celery when we drop ours off,” said Tom.  “By the way, would you like to go along to the market for the delivery this afternoon?”

            “Sure, I’d like that. Anyway Tom, what became of your time in New Mexico?’

             “Oh, the time went pretty fast and interesting enough, I suppose. After nine months or so those guys finally got tired of being run off or were turned in to the local authorities who did whatever with them.”

             “So…what was out there?” Josh said, trying his luck a bit. “Any flying saucer parts?” He gestured in the air and grinned comically.

“Who knows, we never heard or saw anything. We had to go in some of the buildings and hangars once a while but never saw any alien or strange stuff.  But…You know those secret project people, they were compartmentalized inside secret areas, secret compounds, secret hangars, secret floors, secret rooms and so on…a real maze within mazes. I had the clearances to go anywhere, but the key is always the need-to-know clause which keeps most people out and those people are fanatical about their own classified stuff even if it’s like a new deep-space tooth brush.” Tom smiled big. “You can imagine�"hey, I have to design this super-duty, anti-G tooth brush that’ll work on Mars with a budget of millions to develop it, and it’s top secret so no one else can see it until I say they can, ‘cause I’m the project manager!” Tom joked, chest pushed out and thumbing himself in the chest. His spoon clattered from the table to the floor. “I’ll show you something quick after lunch.” He said, pushing his chair out to get up.  

             With a non-verbal remark and raised eyebrows Joan said, “Wait, I’ll get you another spoon, more soup anyone?”

            “You bet Mom and John will have more, too,” Tom Junior said.

            “Just one scoop, I can’t resist because it’s so good.” Josh said.

            “A scoop for the bean picker coming up.” She grinned taking his bowl.      

            “Tom, what you said about your time in New Mexico sounds interesting because I’ve never have had any experience with the military, no relatives or friends in the service or connection with it in anyway, so no exposure to stuff like that. Really interesting.”

            Hitting Josh unexpectedly, a flash of the nightmare with the old army guy he thought he’d forgotten surfaced in his consciousness. He shook it off silently.

             “It sure is a different mentality, the military that is, is one I was glad to leave behind,” Tom said, dabbing his bowl with a chunk of bread. He craned his neck to scan out the window.  “Looks like the clouds are thickening up in advance of that storm we’re not supposed to have.” He smirked looking out the window for a second scan.

            Everyone turned to look out the west-facing kitchen window and the cumulus was indeed building and turning grayer.

             “So John, you coming along to town?”

            “Sure thing,” Josh answered, wiping his mouth with the napkin. “Joan, just a great meal thanks; I might want to stick around and pick more beans seeing you feed me so well.”

             “I’m going to take my car and go over to Sherri’s for a while,” Tom Junior said.  “We’ll probably eat out somewhere, but we’ll be back to the house later, I’m holding John to fill me in with more details of his car.”

            The men helped pick up the dishes from the table and left the kitchen with Tom leading the way to his office/den. Tom Junior zipped off to town in his hybrid Subaru.

            “We need to get going but seeing you were interested, I’ll show you some of my military souvenirs. This one in particular.” He pointed to a picture of an officer in military dress Josh eventually identified as a younger Tom.

 “Congratulations to Captain Milford on your retirement. It was signed, ‘Colonel Nelson Brown, USMC’  A caption below said, ‘This is what all our hard work in New Mexico was about.’ A winking happy face emoji ended the caption. In the corner of the frame was a newspaper clipping, obviously reproduced. It read, “U.S. Army to examine a Flying Disk” dated July 8, 1947 from Washington. “An Army announcement from Roswell, New Mexico stated that an object resembling a “flying disk” had been found out in the prairie. The commander of the Eight Air Force said here tonight that the object was being sent to the research center at Wright Field, Ohio for examination.”

             Josh looked at the picture and clipping, grinned and pointed. “He was kidding of course?”  

             Tom shrugged with a grin. “Never know about Colonel Brown, he could have been telling the truth in a surreptitious way.” 

            “Pretty impressive array of medals and memorabilia,” Josh said, looking around.

            “I did alright for myself,” Tom said admiring his medals, but he snapped out of it. “We need to get going.”   

             The two men went out to the truck and loaded up the vegetables. There were eleven baskets in all. Josh helped Tom tarp it down. 

            “So John, I imagine you must be eager to get back on the road as soon as you get your tire.”

              “Oh, of course. I have a lot riding on this trip�"besides the visits. You know, I might take a few risks with possibly a nice paycheck at the end of the trip,” Josh said. “You know, auto part connections�"buyer and sellers.”

            “I can understand that from what you said about your business…kind of exciting at times?” Tom grunted as he stretched a bungee cord and hooked it. “I mean with the risks and all.”

             “Sure. You’d think the money would be better for the parts I haul but being the middle-man you usually get the short end of the deal in most cases but this…this one could be different,” Josh said. If I can get my original cargo back or my alternate source pays off. 

             “Well, I like you John, so I wish you best of luck on the whole deal, and I don’t even care what you got there in your car to transport.” 

            Josh didn’t comment on the insinuation. He just pensively got in as Tom slid in behind the wheel. Harv bounded up and barked a couple times. 

            “Sorry old boy, you have to stay home this trip, be a good boy,” he answered out the window at Harv. He saw Joan stepped out and called Harv back. The truck’s V-6 fired off, and they were off in an instant in a cloud of dust.

            They rode in silence most of the way to town with Josh taking in the sights and smells of the countryside. It was nice to travel out in the rural areas and through small towns and not be inundated with reminders of the terrorist bombings of the late teens that occurred in most of the big cities. He recalled that everywhere there were memorials, new buildings being built to replace the blocks of razed cities. It was a terrible time for the US, but they say there’s a turnaround in the future.  As far as he could see this town avoided all that and carries on as it has for decades. 

“Nice town” Josh said. 

            “It’s okay, I grew up here and really didn’t want to come back, but here I am�"relatively happy.”

             “I was just thinking that this setting is a great alternative to the cities I’m familiar with�"a typical small town USA. There’re not too many places like this anymore.”

             “You’re one hundred percent correct about that.”

            They turned onto what looked like the main street of the town with old store fronts now cafes, craft shops, and small business offices.  Mostly older people walked the sidewalks. What looked like the old town square sat up ahead on the right. Tom pulled in the side street just before. Josh saw the row of market stands along the street under the tall shady maples. 

            “Do you have a regular buyer here?” Josh asked taking in the stands.

            “Two that I supply at different times�"ah, here’s the one.”

            Tom swung the truck around and backed into the stand area where a happy, rotund woman waved them in. When they were far enough the woman raised her arms and gave a shout of “whoa.”  The two men got out of the truck and Tom introduced Josh to Mildred. Mildred had a stand of many sorts of vegetables, bundles of herbs, and bouquets of flowers.  Josh remarked on how nice the aromas and colors were in her stand’s display. She thanked him for the compliment and told him he was welcome to anything. The men unloaded the truck; Tom conducted the business transaction, and they were on their way again. 

            “Oh almost forgot!” Tom said, and backed up the few feet they had gone. “Just a second.” He got out.

Josh turned and saw Tom pick out flowers. He watched as Tom tried to offer Mildred money, but she held up a palm and shook her head smiling. Tom jumped in the truck and laid the flowers on the seat. “Thought I’d pick up a few flowers for Joan while I was out here, she’s been awfully nice since you’ve been around.”

            “Joan seems very enjoyable and affable to be around,” Josh said and scanned the town as they drove out the main street. “I just wondered where we are located here in town. I don’t quite have my bearings without my map program; how far is it to Lincoln City?” Josh asked. 

            “Oh it’s only about a forty-five minute drive from the house,” Tom said and paused. “When did they say they’d have your tire?” 

“They said the delivery truck from the warehouse comes in before they open at nine, so I could get my tire changed right afterwards at ten.”

“Good news for you! Did Tom volunteer to take you up there?” 

            “He seemed pretty excited to do it, really excited, probably so he’d have another chance to look over the car.”

            Tom laughed. “I’m interested in how you came across that thing as well now that you kinda’ sparked my curiosity as well with the little facts I’ve heard you two talk about.”    

            “You won’t believe it,” Josh grinned.

            “Really? Your cageyness makes the story even more intriguing.”

Josh wondered how he should tweak the story to make him appear more responsible and levelheaded.  

            As they drove out of the village area and into the open countryside, Tom scanned the sky checking out the build-ups of towering cumulus.  

             Josh noticed his constant concern, “So how much do you have to worry for your garden during thunderstorms?” 

            “Well the Forecast Channel said that they weren’t going to be severe thunderstorms if any at all, but I’m kind of leery about them after a nasty hailstorm a couple years basically destroyed everything in the garden. ‘Course the forecasts seem better every year. Hear the latest thing?  They’re trying to use satellites to control the weather. Sounds way beyond the old cloud seeding thing they’ve been trying for decades!”   

“I’ve heard about that, something to do with focusing hypersonic waves on cloud tops and pressure systems to fine-tune them or something to that effect, I guess.”

            “I’m not sure that’s really a good idea, but who am I to say?”

            “So now what?” Josh said. “Got more work for me? I feel like that I owe you big.” 

             “Hmmm, let’s see�"the hogs need sloppin’ the cows need milkin’ or is it the chickens need milkin’?” Tom let out guffaw.  “You don’t owe us a thing, it’s just nice for the company, change of pace and face as they say.”

 Josh let it go as they pulled to a stop. Harv came running out to Tom again, slamming on his brakes and waggling his tail on one end and his long drippy tongue on the other.

 “Oh, gees Harv. You act like we’re gone for days instead of an hour,” Tom said rubbing Harv’s ears. He picked up the flowers from the truck seat. “I need to give these flowers to Joan. Want to come in for a while?”

            “No I think I’ll stay out here and play with Harv for a few.”

Harv had gone and now came running back with a collapsed rubber ball thoroughly chewed on and slimy.

            “Oh, he’ll keep you busy for hours, but I don’t know if we have hours�"look at that darkening sky out west.  Looks like the market people will have to pack up early tonight.”  

            Josh tossed the ball out along the garage, and Harv responded by bounding after it into the tall grass, rustling around until he found it and came back ready to go again. Josh folded down the tailgate of the truck and sat down, taking the ball from Harv and throwing it a little farther out. Harv happily bounded after it churning up a cloud of dust and grass clippings.

             Josh contemplated his ongoing trip and wished he was on his way, but he realized that he had been getting wrung out on the road along with being stressed over the possible interceptions he had been warned about. Now the loss of the cargo to Dawn put him in sticky quandary. This break helped him refocus a bit on what faced him.

Did I really know what I was getting into with this delivery? Not really, he answered himself, it was a matter of big dollar signs and a little excitement beyond my usual day-to-day parts runs that bordered on the verge of doldrums. Now the cargo fell out of my hands. Will I get it back? Or losing it was just fate. I’m not a amor fati sort of guy�"not a believer of fate. What happened is entirely my fault and not predestined.

Either way if it works out, maybe Barbara and I could someday settle down with the chunk of change and lead a real life�"or settle down without the money. Then again, I have to admit my relationship with Barb is so on and off I often wondered if someday she was just going to say see you later and call it quits.

  Did I really know what I was doing? No.  I fell into the car and this deal wham and bam, so I thought it was a sign that something was changing for me. Not fate but perhaps�"  I felt different, really alive, taking this on and getting out on the road, the possible risks, the danger that I’ve felt so far, but how much am I capable of withstanding, handling? Josh smiled to himself, shook his head, and ran his fingers through his long dark hair, then realized that he had just thrown that slimy dirty ball of Harv’s!  He shook out his fingers and wiped them on his jeans. Yeah, I’m a real risk taker and world changer here!

            “Here Harv!” Josh called.

 Harv returned and played with the ball by tossing it in the air and chasing it around while Josh contemplated. Harv ran up and Josh wrestled the ball out of his mouth to toss it again.   

            Tom sauntered out toward Josh with Joan. They both looked pretty happy and satisfied with themselves. The flowers must have been okay, Josh thought as he watched Joan put Harv in the house. 

 “So now what?”  He asked, pointing to the gradually graying sky.   
             “Well, let’s pick as many of the ripe veggies in the garden as we can because the weather notices just came out saying there is a good change for hail with this storm. Hail would destroy the fruit and strip the plants down to the stems like I told you about. We’ll pick what we can, put it under cover, and I can drop it at the market tomorrow morning. Let’s go!”            

            They picked basket after basket and loaded them into the truck, which was backed up to the garden’s edge. The sky grew darker and darker. In the warm doldrums before the storm, the three of them got sweaty and hot in no time pulling vegetables that were ripe or close to ripe. Tom kept one eye to the sky with every intention to beat the storm if they could.

They had the truck heaped up when the gust front approached. A great towering bank of rolling black and green clouds grew massive obscuring the distant trees.  The three watched as a great wall of blowing dust rolled out in front of the torrent with the trees dipping and waving in the passage of the strengthening forerunner breezes.

            Tom took in the clouds and the trees with a stern manner and voice and said, “We’re in for a great blow!” Then, as he climbed into the truck to drive it under cover, his expression softened just a bit and out the window, he shouted:

“You know what they say. Big winds come, many good men die!”