Yankton

Chapter 29

Chapter 29 Coming Out Of the Ice

Winter in the Black Hills is tough, it's even tougher when you lack all the comforts and conveniences of modern life, but we got through it. Business was slow, since they didn't get around like in modern times, there was no stare or county road departments to plow the snow, or maintain the roads. On the positive side, it gave us time to work out the "bugs" in our operation. Slowly we started gaining a reputation albeit a good one as people realized they could engage in an honest game of cards and the keno wheel wasn't rigged. At first, Montana had mixed feelings about not rigging her games or watering down the booze, but I managed to convince her that eventually the word would get out and there was a lot less chance of getting shot. Although I hadn't considered it, a woman dealing cards in a poker game was quite the novelty, since it was considered a "mans game." It took a little time to catch on along with the fact that we also had a female bartender in the form of Sockie, but there too people eventually got used to her as well.

Indeed Montana's infectious charm and honesty, (a little arm twisting on my part) started bringing them in. We started to get a lot of teamsters mostly heading for Deadwood or Lead, who initially stopped for repairs to their wagons or a replacement shoe for one of their mules, to which Mr. Moss benefited quite nicely. During the winter, Mark and I helped him get his blacksmith shop up and running. Colin built him a solid forge, as well as a nice shop. On several occasions, Mr. Moss got behind with his orders, but this translated to good business for the saloon, as well as Mark and Melonie. While the team drivers waited for Moss to shoe one of their mules, they passed the time at our place drinking or playing cards. Those with an "itch to scratch" found company with either Kitty or Maggie.

It didn't take long for Mark's services to be discovered either. Most of his "patients" were leery of Melonie treating them so Mark was forced to introduce her as his nurse. Using his subtle skill he treated each problem as well as educating them on proper medical techniques such as strict cleanliness least they become suspicious. After each patient left, he always went over the procedure and treatment with Melonie. Among other things, it became very apparent that Purgatory was already in need of repairs and a little re-modeling. Improvements to the bar as well as a wrap around balcony were also added, so that by spring, we were rolling right along.

Shortly after the New Year, Mark and I had promised the ladies another trip to the future. Besides, they were complaining of the hot water tub baths in a cold room, and were looking forward to a decent shower courtesy of modern plumbing. Montana was also interested in testing her skills at one of the modern casinos in Deadwood. I had mentioned that she would no doubt be playing against other women, but more importantly, against players who wouldn't be accusing her of cheating, or try and shoot her.

Mark and I had other reasons for getting them to 2014 as we felt that our ladies should undergo modern physicals using equipment he didn't have, as well as getting complete dental checkup's as well. We didn't want to scare them off so nothing was really said until we actually arrived in our time. March first was selected for the trip.

Placing Colin and Sockie in charge, the four of us piled into our new wagon and headed south to Deadwood. We took a narrow wagon road that by-passed the center of Deadwood staying to the west side, where we were able to veer off and up the hill to our cabin. During our absence, it looked like two more shacks had been thrown together just down from us.

Upon arriving home, Mark and I made a quick inventory of our place along with our crude stable for any signs that someone was helping themselves to our wood. There were several suspicious looking men lurking about, however everything looked good. This might also be a good time to comment on the crude and primitive building methods of old Deadwood. I had always assumed that Professor Wainwright had supervised the construction of our cabin, as its construction utilized more modern building designs. While it was unpainted, the place was square and true, and the roof didn't leak. With the exception of some of the shops and buildings in town, everything else looked thrown together. Before heading off to basic, I had worked for a contractor friend of my father. I learned the basics of proper construction, along with a little rough plumbing, and wiring which really came in handy building the saloon and clinic. However in all fairness, you must realize that buildings were constructed much differently back then. There were no allowances made for insulation, wiring, or plumbing. Interior walls were covered with lath, to which a thick coat of plaster was applied with wall paper being an option. Most of what we saw around here was quickly thrown up with no consideration for being square or level. In modern times houses were constructed on sixteen inch centers and utilized proper load bearing walls. As a general rule, outside walls were clapboard with again, paint being an option. As for the shacks, they were even worse. Most of the prospectors and miners who built them had zero construction abilities with their efforts showing it. In modern Deadwood, I can stand on upper Main Street and stare up at the hillside to the south and visualize all the shacks that used to perch on the hillside.

There was another factor that I think played into the professor's decision to build on the top of a hill, and that was the history of devastating fires Deadwood would suffer in the coming years. Building his cabin against a rock facing that someone had tried to start a mine; this was where the "wayback" machine was located. One of my early projects was to photograph streets and buildings of old Deadwood with my Iphone camera, then match them to actual locations when I returned home. In a way, these photos are priceless as they reveal a totally different town than the tourists see or even local historians recall. Unfortunately, the Chamber of Commerce, or the city fathers will never see these photo's as they are digital, and in color, along with beating any old daguerreotypes you see in the history books.

While Mark stoked up the wood stove in the kitchen, I made sure the wagon was secured, and the horses were fed and put away. Once all these tasks were complete we wasted no time in firing up the time machine for our journey "back to the future."

My sister wasn't home when we arrived; the computer indicated that it was shortly before one in the afternoon so assumed that she was out on errands. In the meantime, I invited the ladies to make themselves comfortable while Mark called his parents, and I checked the mail. As I was going through bank statements, receipts, and auction house data, I became vaguely aware of Mark's voice rising as he spoke with his mother over the phone.

"Damn mom, you should have told her that! What? No! When did this happen? Damn! this really screws things mom!"

He then turned his head and gave me his famous "We are f****d!" look.

"My mom says that my sister is planning on stopping by here to see me. Mom and dad opened their big mouths and told her I was hanging out with you here in Deadwood. I don't think we've seen each other in three or four years."

"When is she supposed to stop by?" I asked with a panicked expression, Mark replied.

"Now!"

He never said a whole lot about his sister Wendy other than she was a year younger than him and that she was a navy nurse.

As far as I knew they got along all right, he just wasn't as enamored of the navy as she was.

By this time, he had said goodbye and hung up, both Melonie and Montana had sensed trouble and wanted to know what was wrong.

"Oh nothing really," he replied, "It seems my sister will be stopping by on her way home to visit our parents. I was thinking about letting her in on all this, she's a nurse in the navy and would be a big help in your education Mel, but not just this soon."

"You say your sister's in the navy?" Asked Melonie incredulously,

"Since when did women start serving in the military?"

"Since a long time ago," replied Mark, "I told you before, don't you remember?"

On a hunch, I checked the phone messages, sure enough.

"Hello, this is Wendy Sedgwick Mark's sister. I'm in Denver getting ready to catch the shuttle to Rapid City. My mother gave me this number telling me this was where Mark was staying. My flight gets in at three but if there's going to be a problem call me at 808-568-4545."

Now I knew where Melinda was, Mark was looking rather grim, despite Melonie's efforts to cheer him up.

"Well Mark ole buddy," I announced cheeringly,

"I've got a pretty good idea that Melinda went out to the airport to pick her up. She's here; the ladies will want to meet her so do as I do, deal with it." Talk of flights and airports seemed to confuse the two women although I had told them about the Wright brothers and airplanes in general. I wasn't sure how much of the concept of flying had really sunk in forcing us to go into a crash course on modern air travel. After what seemed like a million questions, both seemed like they had begun to grasp the idea that with the aid of flying machines, man could now fly. About this time I thought I heard a car pull up outside. As soon as my sister had unlocked the door and walked in she gasped.

"Ohmygod! You're here, god has answered my prayers. Wendy called me, you guys weren't here, I didn't know what to do!" Making a quick observation, I could see that Melinda had changed, gone was the visible body jewelry although the short spiky hair remained. She was wearing designer jeans which Mel and Montana were also staring at. She also wore a pink "hoodie" that read,

"Purgatory, Dakota Territory, Not quite Heaven, Not quite Hell!" I could also see that she was wearing make-up but well applied and tasteful. Mark's sister stood at her side looking a little apprehensive, wearing her winter "blues," under a dark blue overcoat, which I took and hung up. She looked sharp in her uniform with both Mel and Montana taking a very keen interest. They then stood as Mark introduced her,

Lieutenant Wendy Sedgwick, United States Navy. They weren't the only ones doing all the staring; with a puzzled look Wendy pointed to both ladies and asked.

"Those are rather interesting costumes each of you has on, are you by any chance reenactors?" Both Melonie and Montana looked at each other, Mark sighed.

"No they are not Wendy. I was going to invite you in on this thing but not for awhile yet. Since you are here however, we need to talk, but talking gives me a dry throat anybody want a beer?" Everybody except Melonie accepted one she settled for a cold Mountain Dew.

"Looks like you've been spending a lot of time on the beach sister," observed Mark,

"When did you get promoted?"

"Three months ago," she replied, as for the beach not so much, they keep me pretty busy but you know as well as I do when you're stationed at Pearl a tan just comes with the job."

"I don't understand," said Melonie with caution,

"What is Pearl?"

"Well it isn't a thing," replied Wendy, "But a place. Pearl Harbor is a major naval base in the Hawaiian Islands. It's located roughly three thousand miles out in the Pacific Ocean. The Army, Navy, Air Force and marines all have bases there along with being a major tourist destination it's quite the place." By now, it was hard to tell who was more confused our ladies or Mark's sister who frowned and asked Melonie.

"I know they don't teach geography any more in school but do you mean to tell me you haven't heard of Pearl Harbor?" You do realize Hawaii is our fiftieth state?" Melonie now looked worried, so I stepped in.

""You know Hawaii as the Sandwich Islands Mel and it's been a state since 1959." Then turning to Wendy, I added,

"Look Wendy, we're involved in something rather incredible here which I don't think any of us quite understands, make yourself comfortable I've got a story to tell. Earlier, you referred to Montana and Melonie's dresses as costumes, they are not costumes nor are these women reenactors, hang onto your had lady but I'm about to tell you a story with Montana and Melonie as living proof."

With that, I told the tale from my first meeting with the professor right up to our recent arrival. When I finished, Wendy just stared at Melonie and Montana who nonchalantly sipped their drinks.

"So when were you born?" She asked Montana.

"March 10th 1852." Then asking Melonie the same question she looked at both of them asking.

"So you two have never seen jet airplanes, cars, or eaten at McDonalds, or know we landed men on the moon?" By now Montana was getting irritated by her questioning.

"Oh we know of all those things, even eating hamburgers at this McDonalds. We're not imbeciles you know, it's just that Brian and your brother were already aware of life in our time, unfortunately, we weren't for life in your's." The conversation continued late into the night with Wendy eventually coming around to the truth. At this point Mark made an offer to his sister.

"I realize you have obligations at the present time, but I'm offering you a chance to help Melonie reach her goal of becoming a doctor, as well as a chance to experience some real "seat of the pants" medical work stuff that will put your medical skills to the test. Because of the way this time machine of Brian's works we can be gone for a week or two here in 2014 yet stay a couple months back in 1877. One thing though, you might want to brush up on your western history."

"Have you thought about telling the government about this machine?" She asked." Mark and I immediately burst out laughing, then shaking our heads, I replied.

"Wrong Wendy, the last people we want to tell is the US Government, you should be ashamed of yourself Wendy, you know better than that! By the way, while we're on that subject, I must ask for your complete silence on this matter, consider this extremely classified information."

By the time we called it a night, Wendy had made that leap of faith and came around to the truth promising to do whatever she could to help Melonie along her road to becoming a doctor.