Arizonian Pride

Arizonian Pride Chapter 13

A few years later...

“H-hello, everybody. Uh… may I have your attention, please? C-can all of you please sit down?”

O’Malley nervously spoke into the microphone as the visitors of the McClarence Archaeology Museum scrambled around the main hall to take their seats.

“Brrr,” he whispered to Raymond, who was standing next to him on the stage. “I may be the boss of the Arizonian Archaeology Club, but I’m still no good at speeches. Only my secretary and public agents are!”

Raymond laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Chief. Just take a deep breath, say a few things and you’ll be off the hook, k? Just make it short n’ sweet.” The now-18-year-old man searched for his siblings in the crowd. They were seated in the front row of the audience, beaming at their brother whom was dressed in formal attire.

Once the crowd has settled down, O’Malley introduced himself and started his speech.

“G-good morning, ladies and gentlemen. And, er... thank you all for coming. We are gathered here today to launch the opening of this museum. And, um, you all may know, this museum is dedicated to an old friend of mine - a very good old friend of mine, whom you may or may not know about. It’s ok if you don’t, but this museum, as well as all the things you will be seeing inside, wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for him.”

“Well, to tell you a little about him,” O’Malley continued, “he is quite the solitary type and he doesn’t easily or openly welcome the company of others, especially strangers. But his contributions to the Arizonian history and environment are not to be forgotten. His legacy will be remembered and forever treasured in a building that has his name on it.”

The crowd nodded. The elderly Native smiled and looked over at his employees, seated in the first few rows of the audience. “He has worked with me for over 20 years, and we, the staff of the Arizonian Archaeology Club, see him as not just a valuable, hardworking employee fueled by his passion and dedication, but also as dear friend. A dear friend whom we lost in a scuffle with shady members of the government.”

Murmurs of condolences started buzzing from the crowd. O’Malley began tearing up. Raymond discreetly pulled out a small handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to him. “If he is still here with us today, I’m sure that he wouldn’t want his legacy to be forgotten. At this party, he would keep to himself and not talk to anyone upon initiative, but that’s just Randy to you, I guess, heh.”

The Native shrugged and sniffed. Then he gestured to the red curtains behind him. “May I present to you, the late Randy McClarence.”

Raymond, on cue, nodded his head to the technicians at the side of the stage, and moments later the curtains parted, revealing a life-sized, fully-coloured matte photograph of the elderly cowboy. His name was written below his wrinkly profile in large block letters.

The audience applauded. Raymond and O’Malley smiled at each other. Then O’Malley resumed his speech.

“Anyway, I’d like to tell y’all that this museum will not only feature Randy’s best findings with my club, but also the common ethics that someone should practice whenever he or she wants to dig on private and public lands. If people don’t know enough about this topic, whatever that happened to Randy may happen again, and our mission with this museum is to prevent that!”

Most of the audience started whispering to each other. Some clapped. Raymond started shuffling his feet. O’Malley looked at him, winked, at turned back to the mic.

“And last but not least, before I end my speech, I would like to announce that I, Ralph O’Malley, will NOT be the very first curator of this museum!”

Some “huhs?” escaped from the audience. Raymond grinned cheekily.

“Because I believe someone else deserves the title, instead.” O’Malley turned to Raymond and patted him back on the shoulder, making him blush.

“This young man you see here is Raymond Whitercoll, the second child of the four amazing Whitercolls children. This museum was his idea, really.”

“Ooooooooh” went the audience. Both men looked at each other and giggled. “Raymond didn’t know Randy very well either; he just spent a few weeks or so in his ranch a few years back. But he was willing to fight for justice for Randy at all costs and risks. This just proves that love and care still do exist beyond the comfort zones of our friends and family!”

A hearty applause broke out for Raymond. His siblings clapped the loudest. Serafina hooted.

“And it was also thanks to Mr. Whitercoll that y’all see me here today, still alive and still breathing. He gave me a new thing to look forward to and work for when I thought I had lost everything. So Raymond?” O’Malley took both his hands and squeezed them lovingly. “Consider this a thank you gift to you, on my and Randy’s behalf, for all that you have done for us, these two old codgers that you knew nothing about for most of your life.”

The crowd cheered, and young man beamed. He nodded enthusiastically, then gave his elderly mate a big, cowboy hug!

“Let the party begin!” Raymond shouted into the mic, and confetti burst out into the room. Balloons and streamers dropped from the ceiling, and the DJs blasted techno music from the stage. The visitors and workers began nodding and boppin’ their heads in time with the music. Raymond ran down the stage to join his siblings.

“Wow!” Chelsea chuckled. “You sure know how to celebrate, Ray!”

“Yeah, girl! I mean, a new curator’s gotta know how to throw a party, doesn’t he?”

“No doubt ‘bout that,” Malachi agreed. “And then you gotta learn how to FINANCE them!”

Raymond froze and stared at his elder brother. “ALL of them?”

“Insyaallah, you’ll do fine, brother.”

Raymond cringed.

“Welcome to adulthood!” Malachi shrugged.

Serafina came running to them with some food in her hands. “C’mon, guys, let’s eat!”

They approached the large table in the middle of the hall. A wide selection of food and drinks were served. O’Malley was helping himself with some simple sandwiches and coffee as he chatted with his colleagues.

Raymond secretly pulled out a can of beer hidden in his backpack. He opened it and gave it a good whiff.

“Hey! Put that down.”

“Uh-oh, busted,” Raymond gasped. He turned around, O’Malley was walking towards him, excusing himself from his colleagues.

“Wh-what, I can’t? I’m legal now!” Raymond insisted.

O’Malley stopped before him. He put up a finger. “I hope you brought only ONE can with you.”

“C’mon, I’m legal now,” Raymond repeated. “It’s not like I need a guardian’s permission to drink this stuff anymore.”

“I know you are, young man. But I’m still your guardian here AND I made you curator of this museum, so, I’ll tell you, ONE. CAN. ONLY. Plus, remember what you told me that happened to Randy at your Old Folks’ Home? I don’t want you to start your adulthood with that! It’s NOT a good experience, I tell ya, most of the time.”

“Fine,” Raymond gave in. “To be honest, Chief,” he added, “I do miss my parents, but not their lecturing. Hahahahaha!”

“Heh heh heh. Just watch how much you drink, kay?”

“Okay,” and the young curator took his very first gulp of beer.

Serafina was observing her brother. “Hey, can I have some?”

“No, you can’t, Serafina,” Raymond answered.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a grown-up. You’re not a grown-up yet.”

“Okay…” Serafina looked around. “But this party IS for grown-ups, right? How come there’s no beer on the tables over there. Did you bring this yourself?”

Raymond looked around him and discreetly nodded. “Shhhh!” Serafina nodded back.

“But can you tell me why we’re not serving beer to the grown-ups this round?”

“One, Malachi, and some other visitors today, are Muslim. They cannot drink alcohol. Two, there are other children like you present, too. They can’t drink alcohol either” Three, remember what Melvin told us about Randy after he got drunk back at the old folks’ home? We don’t want that happening today! Haha.”

“Oh, I see. But I’ve heard that alcohol can unleash your inhibitions, whatever that means. Sounds like fun.”

Raymond looked at some of the visitors of the museum. Some of them have already begun pulling off some crazy dance moves from various decades even without alcohol present.

“Maybe, sis. But look at those people, old or young. If they can have fun without it, so can you.”

THE END.