By FRANK PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com
“Heeeere’s Mel!”
Mel Brown is getting comfortable on the stage as a stand-up comedian.
The Brazil man is used to speaking in public — he is working on some seminar material and he wants to develop a humorous, after-dinner speech.
So, he found himself on stage at Crackers Comedy Club in Broad Ripple last March.
“I’ve wanted to do this for years,” he said. “I finally decided, ‘Either do it or don’t!’”
The club gives first-timers three minutes and six minutes their second trip to the mike.
“I got some applause my first time,” he said. “They told me, ‘Amateurs never get applause,’ so I guess I did all right. It was kinda scary to be in front of the lights.”
The second time Mel performed, he was on stage six minutes (”It felt like forever,” he said.) but he felt hurried and his timing was off. No applause that time.
The audience reaction mystifies Mel.
Sometimes he uses material he thinks is really funny but the audience doesn’t laugh. Other times he uses materials that he thinks is only so-so, but the audience laughs.
“Then you think, ‘Why are they laughing?’” he said.
Mel is planning to go back to Crackers in September.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Candidates invited to forum
By FRANK PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com
The Brazil Times, Clay County Farm Bureau and the Clay County Chamber of Commerce are planning a candidate’s forum on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the 4-H Fairgrounds on S.R. 59 south of Brazil.
We have invited 8th District Congressional candidates John Hostettler and Brad Ellsworth, 44th District State Representative candidates Amos Thomas and Richard Thompson and Clay County Sheriff candidates Mike Heaton, Rob Gambill and Larry Pierce to participate in one-hour question-and-answer sessions.
Other candidates on the Nov. 7 ballot in Clay County will be given two minutes each to introduce themselves. The public is urged to attend.
Candidates are asked to RSVP to Editor, The Brazil Times, 100 N. Meridian St. Brazil, IN 47834 or by e-mail to news@thebraziltimes.com or by phone to (812) 446-2216, ext. 231 as soon as possible.
All candidates are also invited to submit an article introducing themselves “in their own words” with a photo of their choice. Articles will be published in the order received, up to one week before the Nov. 7 general election.
frankphi@hotmail.com
The Brazil Times, Clay County Farm Bureau and the Clay County Chamber of Commerce are planning a candidate’s forum on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the 4-H Fairgrounds on S.R. 59 south of Brazil.
We have invited 8th District Congressional candidates John Hostettler and Brad Ellsworth, 44th District State Representative candidates Amos Thomas and Richard Thompson and Clay County Sheriff candidates Mike Heaton, Rob Gambill and Larry Pierce to participate in one-hour question-and-answer sessions.
Other candidates on the Nov. 7 ballot in Clay County will be given two minutes each to introduce themselves. The public is urged to attend.
Candidates are asked to RSVP to Editor, The Brazil Times, 100 N. Meridian St. Brazil, IN 47834 or by e-mail to news@thebraziltimes.com or by phone to (812) 446-2216, ext. 231 as soon as possible.
All candidates are also invited to submit an article introducing themselves “in their own words” with a photo of their choice. Articles will be published in the order received, up to one week before the Nov. 7 general election.
Fritz Maurer wants to serve as 44th District state representative
Fritz Maurer wants to serve 44th District as state representative
By FRANK PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com
A Brazil pharmacist has spent his adult life serving the medical needs of people, now he wants to expand that service by being elected to the Indiana General Assembly.
“I have been a public servant for 33 years, but not a political public servant,” Fritz Maurer said during a campaign visit to The Brazil Times. “I’m going to take another step forward and go into political public service.”
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Putnam County Courthouse Annex, Greencastle, Maurer and other hopefuls will be considered by Republican leaders for a spot on the Nov. 7 ballot vacated by 44th District Rep. Andy Thomas.
Maurer is not new to the inner workings of Indiana politics at the state level.
For nine years Maurer lobbied for patient and healthcare rights at the statehouse. He is the past president and a current board member of Community Pharmacies of Indiana.
There are four points that come to mind when he is asked about that service.
The first bill he lobbied for was to recognize pharmacists as health care providers in the eyes of government.
He also supports the right of patients to obtain medicines at the pharmacy of their choice and the right of patients to purchase a three-month supply of prescription medicine from their local pharmacist. People have been able to buy a three-month supply over the Internet for years. The insurance industry’s rules have often prevented such local purchases, Maurer said.
Fritz has also attended a committee meeting and offered advice in support of a State bill to limit the purchase of over the counter medicines used to make Methamphetamine. He also advised Judge Blaine Akers on the subject.
Maurer is a worship leader and is on the pastor-parish committee of Harmony United Methodist Church.
He doesn’t want to change his values, but realizes a state representative must compromise with other representatives to accomplish good for the state’s residents.
Fritz said pharmacists are in the top three most trusted professions in America and a person has to be honest and honorable to be trusted.
Maurer thinks education and using the Major Moves interest income will be hot topics in coming years.
“I would like to put some common sense back into paperwork for teachers,” he said.
Maurer believes teachers should have more time to teach and that means reducing the burden of paperwork now required.
He would also like to be in a position to hold the state accountable for the money entrusted to legislators. He is particularly interested in getting the most benefit from the money accrued from the Indiana Toll Road lease, better known as Major Moves.
He thinks he knows what is important because, “I’m out there in business every day, working with the folks who are trying to get through life.”
Fritz graduated from Brazil High School in 1968 and from Purdue University in 1973.
In July 2005, he sold his Brazil pharmacy and converted the business into a Wellness Center, concentrating on helping people through natural medicine, a concept, “to work with people’s bodies to get them well instead of working against the body as most prescription medicines do,” he said.
By selling his pharmacy, Maurer has time to run and serve in state government, he said.
In May, 2002, he received certification in Clinical Nutrition and became a Doctor of Natural Medicine in October, 2004, at the Pan-American Institute of BioEnergetic & Naturopathic Medicine, Nevis, West Indies.
He and wife, Judy, have four children, Elisha (Ryan) London, Mitch, Marc and Michael; and a granddaughter, Ella Grace London, 2 months old. The Maurers have been married 30 years.
“I’ve served you as a pharmacist,” he said. “I would like to serve you as a state legislator.”
By FRANK PHILLIPS
frankphi@hotmail.com
A Brazil pharmacist has spent his adult life serving the medical needs of people, now he wants to expand that service by being elected to the Indiana General Assembly.
“I have been a public servant for 33 years, but not a political public servant,” Fritz Maurer said during a campaign visit to The Brazil Times. “I’m going to take another step forward and go into political public service.”
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Putnam County Courthouse Annex, Greencastle, Maurer and other hopefuls will be considered by Republican leaders for a spot on the Nov. 7 ballot vacated by 44th District Rep. Andy Thomas.
Maurer is not new to the inner workings of Indiana politics at the state level.
For nine years Maurer lobbied for patient and healthcare rights at the statehouse. He is the past president and a current board member of Community Pharmacies of Indiana.
There are four points that come to mind when he is asked about that service.
The first bill he lobbied for was to recognize pharmacists as health care providers in the eyes of government.
He also supports the right of patients to obtain medicines at the pharmacy of their choice and the right of patients to purchase a three-month supply of prescription medicine from their local pharmacist. People have been able to buy a three-month supply over the Internet for years. The insurance industry’s rules have often prevented such local purchases, Maurer said.
Fritz has also attended a committee meeting and offered advice in support of a State bill to limit the purchase of over the counter medicines used to make Methamphetamine. He also advised Judge Blaine Akers on the subject.
Maurer is a worship leader and is on the pastor-parish committee of Harmony United Methodist Church.
He doesn’t want to change his values, but realizes a state representative must compromise with other representatives to accomplish good for the state’s residents.
Fritz said pharmacists are in the top three most trusted professions in America and a person has to be honest and honorable to be trusted.
Maurer thinks education and using the Major Moves interest income will be hot topics in coming years.
“I would like to put some common sense back into paperwork for teachers,” he said.
Maurer believes teachers should have more time to teach and that means reducing the burden of paperwork now required.
He would also like to be in a position to hold the state accountable for the money entrusted to legislators. He is particularly interested in getting the most benefit from the money accrued from the Indiana Toll Road lease, better known as Major Moves.
He thinks he knows what is important because, “I’m out there in business every day, working with the folks who are trying to get through life.”
Fritz graduated from Brazil High School in 1968 and from Purdue University in 1973.
In July 2005, he sold his Brazil pharmacy and converted the business into a Wellness Center, concentrating on helping people through natural medicine, a concept, “to work with people’s bodies to get them well instead of working against the body as most prescription medicines do,” he said.
By selling his pharmacy, Maurer has time to run and serve in state government, he said.
In May, 2002, he received certification in Clinical Nutrition and became a Doctor of Natural Medicine in October, 2004, at the Pan-American Institute of BioEnergetic & Naturopathic Medicine, Nevis, West Indies.
He and wife, Judy, have four children, Elisha (Ryan) London, Mitch, Marc and Michael; and a granddaughter, Ella Grace London, 2 months old. The Maurers have been married 30 years.
“I’ve served you as a pharmacist,” he said. “I would like to serve you as a state legislator.”
"Great Times," Chapter 29
Copyright 2006, Terry F. Phillips Sr.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 29
After making preparations, Ted and Connie were placed in hospital beds and their arms were affixed to what appeared to be futuristic intravenous tubes.
Soon, injections were made to relax their bodies for the return trip to 1947.
They would be placed at the scene of the crash, just moments before the mechanical time machine appeared.
Once again, Ted and Connie smelled cinnamon as they awoke in the outdoors of the Brazel ranch.
This time, they were partially hidden in some of the natural scenery of the crash site.
Shortly after they awoke, Ted began to hear a sound that seemed to be between a while and a “whoosh.” Looking to the horizon, he saw the craft flying overhead and, in his mind’s eye, could imagine the look of horror on the faces of the travelers inside the machine.
Then he saw the crash, the flames and heard the accompanying roar.
“Ted, let’s see if we can help!” Connie said, jumping to her feet.
But, Ted pulled her down.
“Remember, we can’t change history. The crash victims have to be found and removed. Our job will be to find the living member of the travelers and inject him with the serum. Hopefully, his own people will be able to find him by the homing beacon they gave me and pull him back to his own time.”
“I just hope the trip doesn’t kill him,” Connie said, rubbing her head. “It is definitely not a comfortable feeling. I’ll take the train club car any day.”
Ted and Connie stayed out of sight, but managed to watch the ambulance as it made its way to the crash scene.
Ted and Connie were wearing “antique” medical uniforms of 1947 that were supplied by Smith and Phillips. They wandered into the area as medical personnel pulled bodies from the wrecked aircraft.
“What do you make of this?” one asked.
Another commented on the odd appearance of the faces and bodies.
“We’ll take over now,” Ted said, indicating Connie. “Dr. Smith and Nurse Jane Peters. We came out before you people arrived on the scene.”
The medic shrugged and went off to help another crew. Ted and Connie crawled into the ambulance with the “alien” bodies shortly before the ambulance took off, bumping across the sun-baked earth.
A hastily set up morgue was located in Roswell. There, the bodies were unloaded and Ted and Connie carefully made their way among the time travelers’ bodies, looking for the one with a sign of life.
On the third try, they found one still breathing, though barely.
“This is him - or her,” Ted said.
For the first time he got a good look at the future representatives of the human race and it did not much please him.
“I don’t know what our next generation is going to do, but I hope they learn something from our generation and our forbears,” he whispered.
Looking about the room, Ted pulled the homing device from his pocket and placed it next to the thin, frail person laying before him.
Then he pulled a syringe from beneath his white medical frock and injected its contents into the traveler.
Quickly, he and Connie left the room and the building.
Outside, they doffed their medical apparel and made their way to the nearest bus station, all according to plan.
“I do hope he makes it to his own time,” Connie said. “Though saying so sounds very odd.”
"I just hope he is one of Eddie's buddies and not one of the aliens, or we may changing the future.
“But, yes, now if we can get to Los Angeles and catch up with Howard, we’ll be all set,” Ted added. “We have to work up a cover story as to what happened and why we weren’t on the train with him when it arrived in L.A.”.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 29
After making preparations, Ted and Connie were placed in hospital beds and their arms were affixed to what appeared to be futuristic intravenous tubes.
Soon, injections were made to relax their bodies for the return trip to 1947.
They would be placed at the scene of the crash, just moments before the mechanical time machine appeared.
Once again, Ted and Connie smelled cinnamon as they awoke in the outdoors of the Brazel ranch.
This time, they were partially hidden in some of the natural scenery of the crash site.
Shortly after they awoke, Ted began to hear a sound that seemed to be between a while and a “whoosh.” Looking to the horizon, he saw the craft flying overhead and, in his mind’s eye, could imagine the look of horror on the faces of the travelers inside the machine.
Then he saw the crash, the flames and heard the accompanying roar.
“Ted, let’s see if we can help!” Connie said, jumping to her feet.
But, Ted pulled her down.
“Remember, we can’t change history. The crash victims have to be found and removed. Our job will be to find the living member of the travelers and inject him with the serum. Hopefully, his own people will be able to find him by the homing beacon they gave me and pull him back to his own time.”
“I just hope the trip doesn’t kill him,” Connie said, rubbing her head. “It is definitely not a comfortable feeling. I’ll take the train club car any day.”
Ted and Connie stayed out of sight, but managed to watch the ambulance as it made its way to the crash scene.
Ted and Connie were wearing “antique” medical uniforms of 1947 that were supplied by Smith and Phillips. They wandered into the area as medical personnel pulled bodies from the wrecked aircraft.
“What do you make of this?” one asked.
Another commented on the odd appearance of the faces and bodies.
“We’ll take over now,” Ted said, indicating Connie. “Dr. Smith and Nurse Jane Peters. We came out before you people arrived on the scene.”
The medic shrugged and went off to help another crew. Ted and Connie crawled into the ambulance with the “alien” bodies shortly before the ambulance took off, bumping across the sun-baked earth.
A hastily set up morgue was located in Roswell. There, the bodies were unloaded and Ted and Connie carefully made their way among the time travelers’ bodies, looking for the one with a sign of life.
On the third try, they found one still breathing, though barely.
“This is him - or her,” Ted said.
For the first time he got a good look at the future representatives of the human race and it did not much please him.
“I don’t know what our next generation is going to do, but I hope they learn something from our generation and our forbears,” he whispered.
Looking about the room, Ted pulled the homing device from his pocket and placed it next to the thin, frail person laying before him.
Then he pulled a syringe from beneath his white medical frock and injected its contents into the traveler.
Quickly, he and Connie left the room and the building.
Outside, they doffed their medical apparel and made their way to the nearest bus station, all according to plan.
“I do hope he makes it to his own time,” Connie said. “Though saying so sounds very odd.”
"I just hope he is one of Eddie's buddies and not one of the aliens, or we may changing the future.
“But, yes, now if we can get to Los Angeles and catch up with Howard, we’ll be all set,” Ted added. “We have to work up a cover story as to what happened and why we weren’t on the train with him when it arrived in L.A.”.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
"Great Times," Chapter 28
Copyright 2006, Terry F. Phillips Sr.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 28
When Ted awoke, he found the three of them were in another room. Connie and Eddie were still unconscious and his mind was very foggy, but the smell of cinnamon was going away.
Soon, Eddie stirred.
“We made it!” he said, forcing himself to sit up. “We’re here! Computers! Cable-TV. Satellite TV! Did you ever think you would make it back to 2147?”
At that, Ted shook his head. He must not be as alert as he thought he was.
Connie was starting to revive and Eddie was jumping up and down, so close, Ted thought he might step on one of them.
“What’s going on?” Ted asked. He wanted to sound authoritative, but that was difficult with the drugged feeling.
Eddie stopped jumping immediately.
“You surely haven’t forgotten the procedure, have you?” he asked. “I know it’s been a while since you made the jump, but it can’t be that long. You weren’t gone longer than I, were you?”
“Oh, Ted, what happened?” Connie asked, stirring, trying to stand.
“We’ve been drugged, that’s what is going on,” Ted said.
At that point, two men entered the room. They were dressed in silver coats with masks that hid their facial features. They had a hurried interview with Eddie and then the three of them stepped out of the room.
The three were dressed in apparel similar to the outerwear worn by the creatures who had crashed in New Mexico. Ted had to wonder if there was a connection.
“I don’t know if they can hear us or not,” Ted said to Connie. “But we have to talk. We must stay together. Obviously, this isn’t Eddie’s dressing room and I don’t even know what city we are in. So, be careful what you say and by all means, let’s stay together.”
A few minutes later, Eddie rejoined them. He seemed nervous, even nervous for high-strung Eddie.
“It seems we’ve made a mistake,” Eddie said. “Now, we’re trying to rectify it.”
Using his army training, Ted was quickly able to overpower the slightly-built Adams.
“Now, listen, you little shit,” he said. “I am about ready to twist your damn head off, so tell us what’s going on and tell us now.”
Then, he raised his voice.
“Listen to me,” Ted said to the beings he could not see but who may have been listening. “I know you can hear me. You can probably gas us again or do something to try to stop me, but I promise this. Eddie will be injured, before I go down.”
A voice quickly came from outside the room, though neither Ted or Connie saw any loudspeakers.
“Calm down, Mr. Lane,” the voice said. “Believe me, you are the last person in this building we can afford to harm.
“We know all about you and Miss Collins. We think it might be good to answer your questions. When you return, no one will believe you anyway, according to our historical records.”
Ted relaxed his grip on Eddie. He realized it might be a mistake, but Ted knew he was largely bluffing, anyway. If he killed Eddie in front of Connie, she would never forgive him. If their captors chose to stop Ted, they probably could without letting Eddie be seriously injured. He really had no choice but to believe them, for now.
The door slid open. It appeared to be a pocket door, such as Ted had seen on old houses. But he noticed no hand pushing the door.
Once again, the two figures dressed in silver entered the room. By their manner, they were quite solicitous.
“Are you all right, Miss Collins?” one asked. “Mr. Lane, would you and Miss Collins care to join us and we will answer your questions.”
“Why don’t you just let us go back to our hotel and we’ll forget the questions,” Ted said.
“I’m afraid your hotel has long been torn down,” the first figure said. “Years ago.” Forrest Smith waited for a reaction. Getting none, he smiled. “Please. Come.”
He turned and left the room first, indicating Ted and Connie were able to go or stay as they chose.
“The pair followed the two men, apparently medical people by the surgical masks and gowns they wore, into room with an oval table and chairs covered with a substance that looked like leather, but did not have the same texture.
“My name is Smith. Forrest Smith and this is Ralph Phillips, my associate.
“Would you like to ask your questions or should we anticipate what you want to know?”
Taking seats around the conference room table, the same table where a few days earlier, the historians had debated the 1947 anomaly. Sitting on plastic-upholstered chairs, for that is what they were, the five relaxed a bit.
“Go on,” Ted said. “What is this all about? Where are we?”
“Mr. Lane - do you mind if I call you Ted? All right, Ted, it is. Ted, the question you should be asking is not where are we, but ‘when are we?’
“Unfortunately, Eddie Adams mistook you for some of our people and you were drugged and brought into what is your future. The year is 2147.
“In anticipation of your next question, the answer is, you will be returned to 1947, but not immediately.
“Our technology requires us to drug your bodies or they would not survive the procedure. I’ll not go into the details of the procedure, for there is the danger you might be believed in 1947 and if you were, we would lose all control of the time travel procedure.
“I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me,” he said, noticing Connie’s frown and body language. “But you do well to learn all you can, because we can show you some marvelous things before you are returned. Things like television. The Internet, recording devices, advances in clothing, housing, transportation--”
“Suppose I do believe we really are in the -“ Ted interrupted and then thought a second - “the 22nd century. What is the deal with Eddie? Who is he? Some special agent? And what is the connection between you guys and the crash - or whatever it was - at Roswell, New Mexico?”
“Let me answer the second part first,” the second man said. “The Roswell incident was a great mystery for all of us until this week. Not just for your generation, but for decades after 1947.
“We think we understand what happened. We think we managed to uncover what had been covered up for years.”
“Covered up?” Ted asked. “By who?”
He had been trained as a soldier to implicitly trust his superiors and if these creatures were saying the United States government had lied to the American public. Well, he would not trust anyone who tried to say that!
Smith continued.
“For years, the government of the United States didn’t know,” he said. “The Roswell incident was masked by the beings whose ship crashed at the Brazel ranch in New Mexico.
“For years, everyone forgot about the incident and there was no record - no accusations - about it.
“We certainly didn’t know anything about Roswell until the accident occurred.”
“What accident?”
“That is our part of the story.”
The hosts went on to explain the history study project using time travel. All the data hadn’t been sorted out, but they did know that somehow their new process for time travel had broken the mass hypnotic effect began by the alien visitors. When the mass hypnosis was broken, history had shifted.
The Roswell newspaper reported the incident. The Roswell radio station reported the incident. The U.S. Air Force had said Marcel saw a weather balloon and five0 years later, more people than ever believed in the possibility of aliens in outer space.
“So, let me understand,” Ted said. “Two years after the end of World War II, an alien space ship - one from another world -- crashed on the Brazel ranch and the aliens managed to mask that fact.”
“Another solar system,” corrected Ralph.
“Right and right,” said Smith. “Another world and another solar system. And, then this year - in 2147, just a few days ago - our historians visited the Brazel ranch and managed somehow to break the mass hypnosis amnesia induced by the aliens -“
“Wait,” Connie said. “So, how did we get here?”
“Eddie’s the answer,” Ted said. “But how.”
“Eddie is one of our historians,” the second host said. “He has made various trips back in time to study the past. But, he was not pulled back until the instant you were visiting him in his dressing room. You came, too.”
They looked at Eddie.
"Oops," he said, then grinned.
"Oops?" Ted screamed. "Listen you little ---"
"Ted!" Connie yelled. "Remember, we are -- uh, guests -- here and NOW. And now happens to be when you and I are over 200 years old."
“But you look so well-preserved, Connie” Eddie said while passively succumbing to Ted’s grip on his clothing.
At the realization Connie was right, he sat back down.
"OK," Ted continued. "I'm fine.
"Listen, you guys are government,” Ted continued. “You hold all the cards. Just look up my war record, before you lock me up and throw away the key, OK?"
"Already done," Mr. Lane," the second being said, smiling. "We knew all about you before you came out of the anesthesia. You might say we know all about your PRESENT family, too.
"A month ago, we would probably have told you all about it. Maybe even introduced you to them. "
"Not now," Smith said. "Not since Roswell. We will be playing with fire just sending you back to 1947."
He paused to let that sink in. Then he smiled.
"But we will."
All was quiet for a moment as everyone seemed to be thinking through their next move. Then, Eddie spoke.
“Time travel. That’s the real reason why I couldn’t get it on with my girlfriend at the radio station-“ Eddie said.
“-She was way too old for you,” Connie said.
“Barbara was my grandmother and Mrs. Adams’ niece,” Eddie said. “Ever tried to be passionate with your grandmother?”
The five sat silently at the table, Ted and Connie trying to take it all in.
“It must have been one hell of an event when the induced amnesia was broken,” Ted said.
The government didn’t understand, so they first denied it,” Ralph said. “Then they said it was a weather balloon.
Eddie began weeping and the two men paused because of the grief they felt.
“Let me guess,” Ted said. “You were experimenting with a flying machine that would allow time travelers to study history in our time without being drugged and put through the procedure, as you call it. They lost control and crashed in the New Mexico desert. They died, too.
"That must have been what broke the spell imposed by the aliens. Your people died in the same crash," Ted said. "Maybe your people appeared at the same time and in the same place as the alien ship."
"Yeah," Smith said somberly.
“Understand,” Eddie lisped. “We know these things happen. It’s part of scientific discovery. Like the Challenger or the Columbia-“
“Eddie!” shouted the first host.
“I just meant - oh, never mind.”
“We don’t feel we can share specifics of your future with you,” the first man said. “But we can show you some of the marvels of your future, if you are interested.”
“What about television?” Connie spoke for the first time. “This trip to California was all about television. It would be great if we could give Mr. Howard the edge.”
The two scientists looked confused.
“Howard is the man they work for - not one of the Three Stooges,” Eddie explained.
At that comment, everyone laughed, for the visitors from 1947 were as familiar with the Stooges as were their new acquaintances from 2147.
“Oh, yes. That Howard!” said the one. “I’m not sure it will do you any good, but we can tell you about TV, as we know it.
“On your trip you may learn about ‘Time for Beany.’ That was popular in California in your time, I believe. It was a puppet show that was watched by adults as well as children.
“But I think you mean something else. I think you probably want to know what direction Mr. Howard should develop his empire.
“Well, there is TV, color TV, cable TV, satellite TV, HDTV, stereo TV and probably other variations. Where shall we begin?”
Ted shook his head in wonder.
The scientists laughed.
“Confusing, right?” one asked. “That’s what happens when technology isn’t allowed to develop at its own pace. There is such a thing as the collective consciousness, you know.
“This person learns and bit and shares with that person who learns a bit and so forth. Eventually, human beings develop and do so in a civilized manner.”
“Speaking of which, that is precisely why we cannot show you everything you might want to see. What you take back will change the world - both yours and ours. We can only try to limit the change, to control its impact. I’m sure that within a year after you return to 1947, the impact of you being here will change your world and then have a boomerang effect our ours.
“It’s all the same world, but we have personal responsibility for bringing you here and hopefully, your changes will not adversely affect our world - do you see how it works?”
Connie and Ted nodded slightly. Both were uncomfortable with the idea of being in the presence of people who obviously were advanced - if they were people and if the things they were saying were true.
As the talk was obviously coming to an end, another figure, dressed much as those already in the room entered. He whispered something to the future man who was evidently in charge.
Startled, Smith looked around the table.
“Now, we are told that all did not die in the New Mexico crash,” he said. “There is evidence that at least one of the travelers lived for a few days.”
He turned to Eddie.
“Do you know what this means?”
Ted ignored the private conversation and spoke up.
“You know, Colonel, or doctor or General - whatever you are - I was in the Army during the war,” Ted said. “My guess is that your people will be transported to a remote spot as quickly as possible. I haven’t read much science fiction, but I suppose you want to avoid changing the future as much as possible. I don’t understand why you can’t just go back and see to it that the travelers never take off in their mechanical flying saucer, but that is your business -.”
“Actually, according to the folk lore of the 20th century, they were taken to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio,” Phillips said.
“We can’t prevent them from taking off for the same reason we couldn’t prevent the mechanical failure that crashed their craft,” Smith said. “Perhaps we will one day be able to prevent it, but we haven’t the technology right now.”
“Yes, but my point is that you may be able to rescue the man who did not die in that crash,” Ted said, with his palms upturned on the desk. “Bring him back the same way you brought us here.”
“That might work,” Future man said. “But, we have a problem. Appearance. Your friend, Eddie, has already started to show the classic symptoms of repeated time travel - he is thin, balding with frail features. You would begin to look the same way, if you were to make repeated trips back and forth.”
Ted looked at Connie to see if she was paying attention.
“But, we don’t have those characteristics,” he said. “We could help you. How would one missing alien from a UFO affect history? History wouldn’t miss him.
“We were at the crash site. It is such a mad house that people won’t know if the count showed five or six or 10 missing aliens.”
The two future men looked at one another.
“Mr. Lane, I think we may be in a position that we must take you up on your offer.
Smith stood.
“We do have plenty of time, but the return trip won’t be pleasant for you,” he said. “Still--.”
He paused to think.
“Still, you must be returned anyway, and you need not make a return trip to our time period.
“I just hope this experience doesn’t affect the two of you too much. That’s why we have severely limited your experience to what is the world of your future.”
All rights reserved.
Chapter 28
When Ted awoke, he found the three of them were in another room. Connie and Eddie were still unconscious and his mind was very foggy, but the smell of cinnamon was going away.
Soon, Eddie stirred.
“We made it!” he said, forcing himself to sit up. “We’re here! Computers! Cable-TV. Satellite TV! Did you ever think you would make it back to 2147?”
At that, Ted shook his head. He must not be as alert as he thought he was.
Connie was starting to revive and Eddie was jumping up and down, so close, Ted thought he might step on one of them.
“What’s going on?” Ted asked. He wanted to sound authoritative, but that was difficult with the drugged feeling.
Eddie stopped jumping immediately.
“You surely haven’t forgotten the procedure, have you?” he asked. “I know it’s been a while since you made the jump, but it can’t be that long. You weren’t gone longer than I, were you?”
“Oh, Ted, what happened?” Connie asked, stirring, trying to stand.
“We’ve been drugged, that’s what is going on,” Ted said.
At that point, two men entered the room. They were dressed in silver coats with masks that hid their facial features. They had a hurried interview with Eddie and then the three of them stepped out of the room.
The three were dressed in apparel similar to the outerwear worn by the creatures who had crashed in New Mexico. Ted had to wonder if there was a connection.
“I don’t know if they can hear us or not,” Ted said to Connie. “But we have to talk. We must stay together. Obviously, this isn’t Eddie’s dressing room and I don’t even know what city we are in. So, be careful what you say and by all means, let’s stay together.”
A few minutes later, Eddie rejoined them. He seemed nervous, even nervous for high-strung Eddie.
“It seems we’ve made a mistake,” Eddie said. “Now, we’re trying to rectify it.”
Using his army training, Ted was quickly able to overpower the slightly-built Adams.
“Now, listen, you little shit,” he said. “I am about ready to twist your damn head off, so tell us what’s going on and tell us now.”
Then, he raised his voice.
“Listen to me,” Ted said to the beings he could not see but who may have been listening. “I know you can hear me. You can probably gas us again or do something to try to stop me, but I promise this. Eddie will be injured, before I go down.”
A voice quickly came from outside the room, though neither Ted or Connie saw any loudspeakers.
“Calm down, Mr. Lane,” the voice said. “Believe me, you are the last person in this building we can afford to harm.
“We know all about you and Miss Collins. We think it might be good to answer your questions. When you return, no one will believe you anyway, according to our historical records.”
Ted relaxed his grip on Eddie. He realized it might be a mistake, but Ted knew he was largely bluffing, anyway. If he killed Eddie in front of Connie, she would never forgive him. If their captors chose to stop Ted, they probably could without letting Eddie be seriously injured. He really had no choice but to believe them, for now.
The door slid open. It appeared to be a pocket door, such as Ted had seen on old houses. But he noticed no hand pushing the door.
Once again, the two figures dressed in silver entered the room. By their manner, they were quite solicitous.
“Are you all right, Miss Collins?” one asked. “Mr. Lane, would you and Miss Collins care to join us and we will answer your questions.”
“Why don’t you just let us go back to our hotel and we’ll forget the questions,” Ted said.
“I’m afraid your hotel has long been torn down,” the first figure said. “Years ago.” Forrest Smith waited for a reaction. Getting none, he smiled. “Please. Come.”
He turned and left the room first, indicating Ted and Connie were able to go or stay as they chose.
“The pair followed the two men, apparently medical people by the surgical masks and gowns they wore, into room with an oval table and chairs covered with a substance that looked like leather, but did not have the same texture.
“My name is Smith. Forrest Smith and this is Ralph Phillips, my associate.
“Would you like to ask your questions or should we anticipate what you want to know?”
Taking seats around the conference room table, the same table where a few days earlier, the historians had debated the 1947 anomaly. Sitting on plastic-upholstered chairs, for that is what they were, the five relaxed a bit.
“Go on,” Ted said. “What is this all about? Where are we?”
“Mr. Lane - do you mind if I call you Ted? All right, Ted, it is. Ted, the question you should be asking is not where are we, but ‘when are we?’
“Unfortunately, Eddie Adams mistook you for some of our people and you were drugged and brought into what is your future. The year is 2147.
“In anticipation of your next question, the answer is, you will be returned to 1947, but not immediately.
“Our technology requires us to drug your bodies or they would not survive the procedure. I’ll not go into the details of the procedure, for there is the danger you might be believed in 1947 and if you were, we would lose all control of the time travel procedure.
“I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me,” he said, noticing Connie’s frown and body language. “But you do well to learn all you can, because we can show you some marvelous things before you are returned. Things like television. The Internet, recording devices, advances in clothing, housing, transportation--”
“Suppose I do believe we really are in the -“ Ted interrupted and then thought a second - “the 22nd century. What is the deal with Eddie? Who is he? Some special agent? And what is the connection between you guys and the crash - or whatever it was - at Roswell, New Mexico?”
“Let me answer the second part first,” the second man said. “The Roswell incident was a great mystery for all of us until this week. Not just for your generation, but for decades after 1947.
“We think we understand what happened. We think we managed to uncover what had been covered up for years.”
“Covered up?” Ted asked. “By who?”
He had been trained as a soldier to implicitly trust his superiors and if these creatures were saying the United States government had lied to the American public. Well, he would not trust anyone who tried to say that!
Smith continued.
“For years, the government of the United States didn’t know,” he said. “The Roswell incident was masked by the beings whose ship crashed at the Brazel ranch in New Mexico.
“For years, everyone forgot about the incident and there was no record - no accusations - about it.
“We certainly didn’t know anything about Roswell until the accident occurred.”
“What accident?”
“That is our part of the story.”
The hosts went on to explain the history study project using time travel. All the data hadn’t been sorted out, but they did know that somehow their new process for time travel had broken the mass hypnotic effect began by the alien visitors. When the mass hypnosis was broken, history had shifted.
The Roswell newspaper reported the incident. The Roswell radio station reported the incident. The U.S. Air Force had said Marcel saw a weather balloon and five0 years later, more people than ever believed in the possibility of aliens in outer space.
“So, let me understand,” Ted said. “Two years after the end of World War II, an alien space ship - one from another world -- crashed on the Brazel ranch and the aliens managed to mask that fact.”
“Another solar system,” corrected Ralph.
“Right and right,” said Smith. “Another world and another solar system. And, then this year - in 2147, just a few days ago - our historians visited the Brazel ranch and managed somehow to break the mass hypnosis amnesia induced by the aliens -“
“Wait,” Connie said. “So, how did we get here?”
“Eddie’s the answer,” Ted said. “But how.”
“Eddie is one of our historians,” the second host said. “He has made various trips back in time to study the past. But, he was not pulled back until the instant you were visiting him in his dressing room. You came, too.”
They looked at Eddie.
"Oops," he said, then grinned.
"Oops?" Ted screamed. "Listen you little ---"
"Ted!" Connie yelled. "Remember, we are -- uh, guests -- here and NOW. And now happens to be when you and I are over 200 years old."
“But you look so well-preserved, Connie” Eddie said while passively succumbing to Ted’s grip on his clothing.
At the realization Connie was right, he sat back down.
"OK," Ted continued. "I'm fine.
"Listen, you guys are government,” Ted continued. “You hold all the cards. Just look up my war record, before you lock me up and throw away the key, OK?"
"Already done," Mr. Lane," the second being said, smiling. "We knew all about you before you came out of the anesthesia. You might say we know all about your PRESENT family, too.
"A month ago, we would probably have told you all about it. Maybe even introduced you to them. "
"Not now," Smith said. "Not since Roswell. We will be playing with fire just sending you back to 1947."
He paused to let that sink in. Then he smiled.
"But we will."
All was quiet for a moment as everyone seemed to be thinking through their next move. Then, Eddie spoke.
“Time travel. That’s the real reason why I couldn’t get it on with my girlfriend at the radio station-“ Eddie said.
“-She was way too old for you,” Connie said.
“Barbara was my grandmother and Mrs. Adams’ niece,” Eddie said. “Ever tried to be passionate with your grandmother?”
The five sat silently at the table, Ted and Connie trying to take it all in.
“It must have been one hell of an event when the induced amnesia was broken,” Ted said.
The government didn’t understand, so they first denied it,” Ralph said. “Then they said it was a weather balloon.
Eddie began weeping and the two men paused because of the grief they felt.
“Let me guess,” Ted said. “You were experimenting with a flying machine that would allow time travelers to study history in our time without being drugged and put through the procedure, as you call it. They lost control and crashed in the New Mexico desert. They died, too.
"That must have been what broke the spell imposed by the aliens. Your people died in the same crash," Ted said. "Maybe your people appeared at the same time and in the same place as the alien ship."
"Yeah," Smith said somberly.
“Understand,” Eddie lisped. “We know these things happen. It’s part of scientific discovery. Like the Challenger or the Columbia-“
“Eddie!” shouted the first host.
“I just meant - oh, never mind.”
“We don’t feel we can share specifics of your future with you,” the first man said. “But we can show you some of the marvels of your future, if you are interested.”
“What about television?” Connie spoke for the first time. “This trip to California was all about television. It would be great if we could give Mr. Howard the edge.”
The two scientists looked confused.
“Howard is the man they work for - not one of the Three Stooges,” Eddie explained.
At that comment, everyone laughed, for the visitors from 1947 were as familiar with the Stooges as were their new acquaintances from 2147.
“Oh, yes. That Howard!” said the one. “I’m not sure it will do you any good, but we can tell you about TV, as we know it.
“On your trip you may learn about ‘Time for Beany.’ That was popular in California in your time, I believe. It was a puppet show that was watched by adults as well as children.
“But I think you mean something else. I think you probably want to know what direction Mr. Howard should develop his empire.
“Well, there is TV, color TV, cable TV, satellite TV, HDTV, stereo TV and probably other variations. Where shall we begin?”
Ted shook his head in wonder.
The scientists laughed.
“Confusing, right?” one asked. “That’s what happens when technology isn’t allowed to develop at its own pace. There is such a thing as the collective consciousness, you know.
“This person learns and bit and shares with that person who learns a bit and so forth. Eventually, human beings develop and do so in a civilized manner.”
“Speaking of which, that is precisely why we cannot show you everything you might want to see. What you take back will change the world - both yours and ours. We can only try to limit the change, to control its impact. I’m sure that within a year after you return to 1947, the impact of you being here will change your world and then have a boomerang effect our ours.
“It’s all the same world, but we have personal responsibility for bringing you here and hopefully, your changes will not adversely affect our world - do you see how it works?”
Connie and Ted nodded slightly. Both were uncomfortable with the idea of being in the presence of people who obviously were advanced - if they were people and if the things they were saying were true.
As the talk was obviously coming to an end, another figure, dressed much as those already in the room entered. He whispered something to the future man who was evidently in charge.
Startled, Smith looked around the table.
“Now, we are told that all did not die in the New Mexico crash,” he said. “There is evidence that at least one of the travelers lived for a few days.”
He turned to Eddie.
“Do you know what this means?”
Ted ignored the private conversation and spoke up.
“You know, Colonel, or doctor or General - whatever you are - I was in the Army during the war,” Ted said. “My guess is that your people will be transported to a remote spot as quickly as possible. I haven’t read much science fiction, but I suppose you want to avoid changing the future as much as possible. I don’t understand why you can’t just go back and see to it that the travelers never take off in their mechanical flying saucer, but that is your business -.”
“Actually, according to the folk lore of the 20th century, they were taken to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio,” Phillips said.
“We can’t prevent them from taking off for the same reason we couldn’t prevent the mechanical failure that crashed their craft,” Smith said. “Perhaps we will one day be able to prevent it, but we haven’t the technology right now.”
“Yes, but my point is that you may be able to rescue the man who did not die in that crash,” Ted said, with his palms upturned on the desk. “Bring him back the same way you brought us here.”
“That might work,” Future man said. “But, we have a problem. Appearance. Your friend, Eddie, has already started to show the classic symptoms of repeated time travel - he is thin, balding with frail features. You would begin to look the same way, if you were to make repeated trips back and forth.”
Ted looked at Connie to see if she was paying attention.
“But, we don’t have those characteristics,” he said. “We could help you. How would one missing alien from a UFO affect history? History wouldn’t miss him.
“We were at the crash site. It is such a mad house that people won’t know if the count showed five or six or 10 missing aliens.”
The two future men looked at one another.
“Mr. Lane, I think we may be in a position that we must take you up on your offer.
Smith stood.
“We do have plenty of time, but the return trip won’t be pleasant for you,” he said. “Still--.”
He paused to think.
“Still, you must be returned anyway, and you need not make a return trip to our time period.
“I just hope this experience doesn’t affect the two of you too much. That’s why we have severely limited your experience to what is the world of your future.”
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
"Great Times," Chapter 27
Copyright 2006, Terry F. Phillips Sr.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 27
When the train arrived in Los Angeles, the three couldn’t help but feel better about life in general. They had all wanted to visit California and couldn’t believe their good fortune - especially since the station was picking up the tab.
As soon as they checked into their hotel, they made plans to achieve two ends - to find Eddie Adams and to get in touch with Howard’s friends in the film and TV industries.
The priorities of Connie and Howard were reversed. Connie thought the business end of things was secondary at this time and Howard thought business was primary. Ted was torn between the two, for he realized he was becoming quite fond of Connie by this time. He was also quite fond of his salary.
“Connie, I know you want to find Eddie,” Howard said. “And tomorrow I plan to make some preliminary contacts with my people out here.
“So, why don’t you and Ted work on finding Eddie? Then tomorrow night, we will see how each of us is progressing.”
“Do you mean it, Mr. Howard? Gee, that’s swell! What a guy!”
“Do you know where to look? Let me give you a list of people to contact. If Eddie is out here, he is probably trying to find work. Let’s make a list of the clubs Eddie might be interested in trying first and we will see if he has contacted any of them.”
“Gee, you’re quite the detective, aren’t you, Mr. Howard?” Connie teased.
Using a telephone book in Mr. Howard’s room, the three made a list of clubs to start searching.
Howard said he planned to get some sleep and bid them a good night.
Ted and Connie took the hint and left his room.
“Are you tired?” Ted asked.
“Not a bit,” she responded. “I’m too wound up. Besides, I would like to see some of the Hollywood night life.”
“That might be pretty expensive,” Ted said, thoughtfully. “Tell you what. We will check out some of these places tonight and see how far we can go on the money we have.”
“All right!” she said. “Let me change. I’ll be ready in half an hour.”
And hour and a half later, the couple hit the front door of the hotel and headed toward the famous Hollywood night life.
“Should we take a cab?” Ted asked.
“Oh, no!” Connie replied. “I just want to smell the fresh air, the ocean and look at the palm trees. Besides, if we pay for a taxi, we’ll have that much less to spend painting the town!”
She shot Ted a dazzling smile and laughed, “Let’s go!”
In the space of a the next few hours, the couple, for that is what they felt they were becoming, stopped at Dave Chasen’s, The Brown Derby and all the hot spots.
While their celebration was limited to a few drinks, they did gain valuable information.
Eddie had been in to see the managers about a job, but they couldn’t use him. So, he probably began hitting some of the less popular clubs.
Ted and Connie were given a list of places that might hire someone just in from the East.
Soon, their path took them away from the bright lights of Los Angeles’ more glamorous spots and into the back streets, the not so nice - or safe - areas of town.
Finally, at the Pink Pussycat, they struck gold.
Eddie’s picture was on a portable sign in front of the club and his next show wasn’t scheduled for three hours.
“Come on,” Ted said, taking Connie’s arm. “We’re going to surprise him.”
Inside the dimly lit supper club, Ted found a waiter.
“Hey, pal,” he said, waving a $5 bill. “My friend here wants to meet your headliner.”
“You mean Eddie?” the waiter asked, grabbing the bill. “Sure, buddy. See that hallway to the left of the stage? Eddie’s room is the third one on the right. You can’t miss it.”
Ted and Connie didn’t miss it.
They knocked and heard Eddie’s familiar, high pitched lisp, “Who isss it?”
Without speaking, Ted tried the knob. The door was unlocked and the two entered.
“Hello, Eddie,” Connie said. “Surprised to see us?”
“Well, for goodness --,” he cried, jumping up from his dressing table. “What are you doing here? Come on and sit down. Tell me about Chicago!”
“That’s why we’re here, Eddie,” Connie said. “Mrs. Davis is terribly worried about you - leaving the way you did.”
“How is she?” he asked.
“She is fine, but you have really surprised people, taking off the way you did.”
“Mr. Howard, especially,” Ted added. “He had big plans for you.”
At that, Eddie shifted uncomfortably.
“Yes, I had big plans, too.”
“We know you stopped in New Mexico and worked at that ranch,” Connie said. “I saw you get at the train station.”
Eddie looked at her startled.
“What about the ranch?” he demanded, his friendly tone changed into a hostile one. “What do you know about what happened there?”
His change in demeanor aroused Ted’s curiosity.
“We know enough, Eddie,” he said. “Why are you so upset?”
“You heard about the crash? About the deaths? It was terrible, wasn’t it?” he asked. “So, are you two part of us?”
Connie began to question Eddie’s statement, but Ted put a hand on her arm as a warning.
“Sure,” Ted said. “We’re with you, Eddie.”
Eddie looked at them circumspectly, not knowing if he should believe Ted or not. Still, Ted had showed up at WXBR right on schedule, to take Eddie’s place when Eddie made the rendezvous.
Still, he couldn’t be too careful.
Eddie sneezed and excused himself. Reaching into a drawer in his dressing table, he pulled out an atomizer.
“Please excuse me,” he said. “I have to keep my voice in tip top shape, you know.”
But instead of spraying the atomizer in his mouth, he pointed it at his two guests and squeezed.
Suddenly, Ted and Connie’s world shrunk to just one thing - the mist of the atomizer and the little room in which they were sitting.
Nothing else existed. There were only three people in their world - the two of them and Eddie Adams who was talking, but not making a lot of sense.
“You just don’t remember,” he was saying when Ted fought for consciousness and came up with enough to hear what their host was saying. “When we get you back, you’ll remember it all again,” Eddie continued. “I’m so glad to find someone. I just knew I couldn’t be the only one here and now. Now we can all go back together.”
With that, he continued squeezing the atomizer bulb, so the whole room seemed to be filled with the scent of cinnamon, Ted thought.
Then, all went dark.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 27
When the train arrived in Los Angeles, the three couldn’t help but feel better about life in general. They had all wanted to visit California and couldn’t believe their good fortune - especially since the station was picking up the tab.
As soon as they checked into their hotel, they made plans to achieve two ends - to find Eddie Adams and to get in touch with Howard’s friends in the film and TV industries.
The priorities of Connie and Howard were reversed. Connie thought the business end of things was secondary at this time and Howard thought business was primary. Ted was torn between the two, for he realized he was becoming quite fond of Connie by this time. He was also quite fond of his salary.
“Connie, I know you want to find Eddie,” Howard said. “And tomorrow I plan to make some preliminary contacts with my people out here.
“So, why don’t you and Ted work on finding Eddie? Then tomorrow night, we will see how each of us is progressing.”
“Do you mean it, Mr. Howard? Gee, that’s swell! What a guy!”
“Do you know where to look? Let me give you a list of people to contact. If Eddie is out here, he is probably trying to find work. Let’s make a list of the clubs Eddie might be interested in trying first and we will see if he has contacted any of them.”
“Gee, you’re quite the detective, aren’t you, Mr. Howard?” Connie teased.
Using a telephone book in Mr. Howard’s room, the three made a list of clubs to start searching.
Howard said he planned to get some sleep and bid them a good night.
Ted and Connie took the hint and left his room.
“Are you tired?” Ted asked.
“Not a bit,” she responded. “I’m too wound up. Besides, I would like to see some of the Hollywood night life.”
“That might be pretty expensive,” Ted said, thoughtfully. “Tell you what. We will check out some of these places tonight and see how far we can go on the money we have.”
“All right!” she said. “Let me change. I’ll be ready in half an hour.”
And hour and a half later, the couple hit the front door of the hotel and headed toward the famous Hollywood night life.
“Should we take a cab?” Ted asked.
“Oh, no!” Connie replied. “I just want to smell the fresh air, the ocean and look at the palm trees. Besides, if we pay for a taxi, we’ll have that much less to spend painting the town!”
She shot Ted a dazzling smile and laughed, “Let’s go!”
In the space of a the next few hours, the couple, for that is what they felt they were becoming, stopped at Dave Chasen’s, The Brown Derby and all the hot spots.
While their celebration was limited to a few drinks, they did gain valuable information.
Eddie had been in to see the managers about a job, but they couldn’t use him. So, he probably began hitting some of the less popular clubs.
Ted and Connie were given a list of places that might hire someone just in from the East.
Soon, their path took them away from the bright lights of Los Angeles’ more glamorous spots and into the back streets, the not so nice - or safe - areas of town.
Finally, at the Pink Pussycat, they struck gold.
Eddie’s picture was on a portable sign in front of the club and his next show wasn’t scheduled for three hours.
“Come on,” Ted said, taking Connie’s arm. “We’re going to surprise him.”
Inside the dimly lit supper club, Ted found a waiter.
“Hey, pal,” he said, waving a $5 bill. “My friend here wants to meet your headliner.”
“You mean Eddie?” the waiter asked, grabbing the bill. “Sure, buddy. See that hallway to the left of the stage? Eddie’s room is the third one on the right. You can’t miss it.”
Ted and Connie didn’t miss it.
They knocked and heard Eddie’s familiar, high pitched lisp, “Who isss it?”
Without speaking, Ted tried the knob. The door was unlocked and the two entered.
“Hello, Eddie,” Connie said. “Surprised to see us?”
“Well, for goodness --,” he cried, jumping up from his dressing table. “What are you doing here? Come on and sit down. Tell me about Chicago!”
“That’s why we’re here, Eddie,” Connie said. “Mrs. Davis is terribly worried about you - leaving the way you did.”
“How is she?” he asked.
“She is fine, but you have really surprised people, taking off the way you did.”
“Mr. Howard, especially,” Ted added. “He had big plans for you.”
At that, Eddie shifted uncomfortably.
“Yes, I had big plans, too.”
“We know you stopped in New Mexico and worked at that ranch,” Connie said. “I saw you get at the train station.”
Eddie looked at her startled.
“What about the ranch?” he demanded, his friendly tone changed into a hostile one. “What do you know about what happened there?”
His change in demeanor aroused Ted’s curiosity.
“We know enough, Eddie,” he said. “Why are you so upset?”
“You heard about the crash? About the deaths? It was terrible, wasn’t it?” he asked. “So, are you two part of us?”
Connie began to question Eddie’s statement, but Ted put a hand on her arm as a warning.
“Sure,” Ted said. “We’re with you, Eddie.”
Eddie looked at them circumspectly, not knowing if he should believe Ted or not. Still, Ted had showed up at WXBR right on schedule, to take Eddie’s place when Eddie made the rendezvous.
Still, he couldn’t be too careful.
Eddie sneezed and excused himself. Reaching into a drawer in his dressing table, he pulled out an atomizer.
“Please excuse me,” he said. “I have to keep my voice in tip top shape, you know.”
But instead of spraying the atomizer in his mouth, he pointed it at his two guests and squeezed.
Suddenly, Ted and Connie’s world shrunk to just one thing - the mist of the atomizer and the little room in which they were sitting.
Nothing else existed. There were only three people in their world - the two of them and Eddie Adams who was talking, but not making a lot of sense.
“You just don’t remember,” he was saying when Ted fought for consciousness and came up with enough to hear what their host was saying. “When we get you back, you’ll remember it all again,” Eddie continued. “I’m so glad to find someone. I just knew I couldn’t be the only one here and now. Now we can all go back together.”
With that, he continued squeezing the atomizer bulb, so the whole room seemed to be filled with the scent of cinnamon, Ted thought.
Then, all went dark.
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