Cha'Nara's Gift

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Rachel In Wonderland

Emily Continues

After breakfast we introduced Rachel to another miracle of the 21st century, the cell phone. I showed her the landline phone on the wall in the kitchen, explaining Mr. Bell's invention as best I could, being familiar with the telegraph she could deal with the concept, but the cell phone was strictly "magic" no other word for it, hearing people on the other end spooked her worse than the radio (God! How were we going to explain TV?) Deak called our Edward Jones agent, and the insurance man, as well as the bank. After much explaining, and detail, we got Rachel to the point of accepting cell phones as strictly a modern invention, totally possible, no "magic" involved. "Rachel, when we go out to the stores, watch the young girls, I guarantee everyone of them will be clutching a cell phone in their hand, it's literally their "lifeline" the only way they can stay in touch with their friends. Deak really confused her when he said, "As long as you're close enough to a cell tower, that can pick up the signal from you're phone, you can talk to anybody in the world, when I was briefly in Iraq before going to Afghanistan, I called my mother in Michigan, halfway around the world. When he started talking about satellites in space, she just threw up her hands in frustration. "Rachel, all you really need to know is that it works, all this stuff we show you works. Things like the radio and telephone have been around in one form or another for over one hundred years, people were constantly tinkering with them, improving them, that's what Americans are good at, improving things. I we showed you a telephone of the 1880's you would understand it better, but now, old Alexander Graham Bell wouldn't recognize his own invention anymore," pointed out Deak .

This explanation seemed to mollify her until the next one came along. Deak said he needed to spend some time on the internet looking into gold buyers and antique auctions so I suggested to Rachel we go into town to Wal-Mart. "What is Wal-Mart?" Deak chimed in, "Rachel, imagine Stillwater's general store, the size of Deakstown, with ten times more merchandise, that's what Wal-Mart is." This bothered her, but I calmed her down. "Rachel, we are going to go into town riding in our truck, don't let it frighten you, we don't ride horses for transportation anymore, I'm a good driver, Hell! That's what I did in the Marines, I'll give you some Dramamine to take to settle you're stomach, so you don't get carsick, you've trusted me thus far I won't do anything that might frighten you, think of it as a first, you'll be the first 19th century woman to ride in a pick-up truck, to visit a Wal-Mart probably a whole lot of other things today, feel up to the challenge?" She thought about it for a moment, "Miss Emily, before I came here with you and Deak, I really thought you two were playing a trick on me, I admit, I truly doubted your word, in just the little I've seen, I stand corrected and want to apologize for ever doubting you're word. I don't claim to understand this world of your's my head is spinning, but I'll travel the rest of the journey with you." "That's the spirit, Rachel, if you see something you don't understand, just keep in mind, it works, it's probably been around a long time, it exists because it makes life easier, and it won't bite you!"

"Cha'Nara, I want you to stay here, keep Deak Company watch TV or something, write that Vagan/ English dictionary you told me you were going to write. That will be something worthwhile."

Cha'Nara had become moody, missing Ben, but she went and flopped down in front of the TV and started channel surfing. Rachel thought there were actors inside the TV, but I told her I would explain that, later on… We put on our coats and boots and headed out to the Dodge, I assisted Rachel getting in and made sure her seatbelt was fastened. "If things start to bother you, just close you're eyes OK, here we go. We turned out of the driveway and down the road, Rachel just sat there without saying a word, watching the world go by. Cars approaching us from the other direction unnerved her, causing her to close her eyes several times, I tried to calm her, but she never got used to it. Paved roads stretching for miles absolutely astounded her, "They weren't all built in a day or even a week Rachel, most started out as wagon roads in you're time they've simply been paved over the years."

"Miss Emily?" "Please Rachel, while you're here, just call me Emily, and while I'm thinking about it, if my mother asks and I know she will, you just work for me OK? It's true, so you don't have to lie, but she doesn't have to know in what capacity. If you were to spend a lot of time here, you would find that being a prostitute doesn't carry the same stigma it does in 1878, it's still illegal, except maybe in Nevada, but people are a lot more tolerant of other's behavior these days. I'll probably tell her in the end, but just not right now OK?" "Yes Mis…Emily. I smiled at her and said, "What were you going to ask me?" "What makes this machine move?" "I'll show you when we stop, it's called an engine, this particular engine is a Diesel," Rachel gave me a blank look, as we passed a Catholic church Rachel spoke up, "Emily, please stop!" I looked at her and said, "Here, at that church?" "Please." I turned around and went back to the church, pulling into the parking lot. After stopping, Rachel climbed out, and made her way to the front door, I followed discreetly at a distance. When I entered, I saw her kneeling at the alter praying. Out of respect I turned and exited back to the truck. About ten minutes later she came out and climbed back into the cab.

"Are you Catholic?" I asked, "My parents were, I started but lost my way, I am merely seeking God's guidance, lately I have felt that he has forsaken me." I reached over and gave her a comforting hug and said, "Don't talk like that, Rachel, God has not forsaken you, maybe the fact that by you coming here, God wants to show you something or allow you to experience something, possibly to renew you're faith in him." She sat and thought about that for a few minutes before saying, "Perhaps you are right, do priests still listen to confessions?" "As far as I know they do," Rachel thought some more, then said something to herself I couldn't understand.

We continued through town towards the Wal-Mart. Rachel remarking on how clean everything seemed to be, "You have to understand Rachel, we don't use horses anymore, no horse poop in the streets, nobody heats with wood or coal, so no smoke. You know about modern plumbing, so no crap in the streets, people are more healthy these days, we live longer." She nodded as she continued to gawk at the modern world.

As we neared the superstore we entered an area of congestion lots of cars, people and general confusion, Rachel gasped, "What is all this, all these machines, it is so confusing how do you keep from going crazy?" "Often times we don't Rachel, and when we do, bad things can and do happen, but for the most part, you simply deal with it. We grow up in all this, we become immune, or learn to adjust or cope in our own ways, I never told you the modern world was perfect, what you see here is just a small example of why it isn't." We located a parking space a little way from everybody else, before we went in I briefed Rachel on what to expect. "Just stay close to me, try not to freak, er, act surprised or comment on anything, don't stare at people, this place we're about to enter has destroyed more small towns than you can imagine, what they sell is cheap, which is what people want, made overseas which is why it's cheap, and basically what the people want, you help yourself, nobody waits on you like at Stillwater's, they will sometimes answer questions if you're lucky enough to find a clerk, but most people pretty much know what they want before they come here anyway."

We walked up to the entrance, and despite my warning, Rachel continued to stare at people, drawing looks. Once inside I grabbed a cart, no "greeter' was on duty so we proceeded into the bowels of the mega store seeking treasure. Rachel was dumbfounded by the amount of merchandise being offered, I headed for the cosmetics area and in a low voice told Rachel, "I'm going to buy all the girls, including yourself a whole bunch of cosmetics, nowadays there's al sorts of colors shades you name it, and on top of that this stuff doesn't have poisonous chemicals in it like a lot of things you girls use and it's safer on you're skin. All you ladies have rather pale complexions so I'll take it from there." I went crazy filling the cart with various lip gloss, base powder eyeliner eyebrow liner, literally everything my "girls" would need to make them look sleek and sexy circa 1878. Then it was on to the ladies undergarment department Rachel blushed as she noticed men with their wives, and some single looking at women's underwear.

I selected several various bras for the women, packages of cotton panties and nylons, (what would they make of these) Rachel remarked that all this seemed a vast improvement over what they now wore. Now it was on to buy some clothes for myself and Rachel. She wasn't sure about jeans, but I told her everybody wore them, Wal-Mart didn't seem to have the kind of dresses' we were looking for. I was looking for more of a western style, probably have to go to one of those big western clothing stores around Denver.

I bought jeans for myself and a denim skirt for Rachel, some nice tops a couple Henley's and sweatshirts. I bought some new boots as well as a pair for Rachel. As we were heading for the healthcare section Rachel kept touching and staring at all the plastic stuff, finally asking, "Emily, what is this material, it's not metal. And it's not wood, what is it," "It's called plastic, my dear, plastic is what defines the past and the future, we couldn't have the "future" without plastic, our world is built on it." Rachel made no comment, but continued to examine everything she could made of plastic.

In the healthcare section I bought band-aids, aspirin Tylenol, antiseptic cream, cold and fever remedies, pregnancy test kits, pretty much anything I could think of, Rachel was amazed at the amount of medicine available "All the good stuff is by prescription only, the medications you can buy over the counter are weak dosages, but still better than all that patent medicine they foist on you back in 1878." When I checked out, I chose one of the computerized "self check-out" machines as I had so much "stuff." I ended up spending a little over three hundred dollars, Deak would have a fit, but most of this was for my "girls"

Before we left, I took Rachel to the hairstylist at the store, and had her hair cut somewhat shorter, with a more modern look to it, and had her "made up." When they were done, she looked like a different person, the woman doing her hair kept trying to chat with Rachel, but the poor girl didn't know anything about the subjects she was being asked about, she had no idea who the Kardashians were or the Obama's.

Back at the truck, I showed Rachel the engine; she was a little shorter than me and had a hard time looking fully into the engine compartment, but saw enough to just confuse her even more. "That engine is rated at 350 horsepower, meaning it has the power of three hundred and fifty horses, hard to believe isn't it?" Rachel just shrugged, still confused. On the way home I stopped at McDonalds, "This is the "National" food Rachel," I bought her a cheeseburger fries and a chocolate shake, being familiar with food only eaten with silverware I had to show her the proper way to eat. She caught on fairly quick, but thought the food tasted rather bland.

I turned on the radio, and tuned to a pop station, Rachel being used to radio now said nothing and continued to eat her meal, Kelly Clarkson came on singing "Dark Side" I began to sing along.

"There's a place that I know, it's not pretty there and few have ever gone

If I show it to you know, will it make you run away, or will you stay?

Everybody's got a dark side, do you love me? Can you love mine?

Nobody's a picture perfect, but we're worth it, you know that we're worth it

Will you love me even with my dark side, don't run way, don't run away, promise you'll stay!"

"I don't understand the song Emily, but you sing beautifully," remarked Rachel, Lady GaGa came on next, singing "Paparazzi" I sang that one as well, again Rachel complimented me on my singing,

As we passed a large empty parking lot, I had a wild idea, I pulled in ,and stopped, putting the transmission in park I looked over at Rachel and said, "Rachel, change seats with me," "What?"

"You heard me, change seats," we exited the truck and once in the cab I said, "Girl, I'm gonna show you how to drive this thing!" Rachel got a panicked look on her face, but I continued, "Just settle down there, it's not hard, press you're foot down on that pedal there, yeah, that one!" She pressed down on the brake, "That stops the vehicle, now just slowly press, slowly, that's it yeah, that's the way, do it one more time, don't tromp it, just a slow easy pressure, you got it, that's a girl, now put your hand on that knob, like so, squeeze in on that little button on the side there, yeah, like that, now slowly pull it down to where that little light stops on "D" you got it, yeah," the truck slowly started to move.

Rachel started to get panicky but I calmed her, "Nothing to worry about there, slowly ease your foot down on that pedal, yeah, that's it you've got it!" the truck stopped. "Now take your foot off the brake like so" when she did, the truck started too move again, "Now steer, Rachel, no need to over steer, just maintain a straight course, there ya go, see how the truck responds to your control? Keep it steady, now slowly start turning to the right, easy there, too much! Straighten it out, there ya go, turn it a little bit, yeah, now start turning it again." Slowly I got her used to steering, I had her stop a couple times, we made three circles around the lot when I said, "OK Rachel, now as you steer, apply just a very slight pressure to that pedal, just move it slightly with your toe," She did, and we started to pick up speed, "That's it, just keep your foot there, watch your steering, follow your previous tracks, Outstanding! You're doing a terrific job there, begin your turn." And so it went, we drove around that lot for half an hour or more, finally I said, "OK, take your foot off that pedal and slowly press the one to the left of it, yeah that's the brake." Rachel brought the truck to a stop, and I showed her how to shift it back to PARK. As we sat there, I said, "Rachel, you were great, do you realize, technically you're the first woman to drive a motor vehicle. As an individual of the 19th century, and 1878, you are the first woman and actually the first person to drive a motor vehicle of any kind, you are about twenty years ahead of everyone else, well, er,ah I think it's twenty years, anyway, it wont be for some time yet from 1878, so what do you think?" Rachel sat there with a dazed expression, "What do you know!" was all she could say.

As we exited the truck at home, I saw Rachel looking up at something, it was a jetliner making its approach to Denver International. "That's another thing the future brings Rachel, flight. You're only twenty four, barring anything unforeseen, you'll live to see man take to the air, in 1903, on a sand dune in North Carolina, it's all coming." We lugged my purchases inside, Cha'Nara helped us put everything in the guest room. "Looks like you two were busy," commented Deak, anything unusual happen?" "Oh nothing really" I said, "Rachel made history, that's all!'