Cha'Nara's Gift

Chapter 27

Chapter 27 Mather's Gold

Emily Picks up the Story

One of the things I needed to do today was research law firms, I had an idea cooking in the back of my mind, about reaching across the years. While Annie sat next to me at the desk in our room, and Cha'Nara watched TV, I scanned the Denver phone book and the internet for old well established law offices. While I did this, I showed Annie what the internet was, and what it could do. After awhile, both she and Cha'Nara began to get restless, so I let them walk around the hotel for awhile. When they returned, Annie told me Cha'Nara was attracting too much attention, so she thought it best to return. I finally found a law firm "Dallas, Mittler and Stevens" that had been in business since the turn of the century. Although I didn't say anything to Annie, Rachel was the one I had in mind for this "job."

All my "girls" were around 23 to 25, I figured on all of them reaching at least age 75 remaining alive at least until 1932 or 1933. Rachel knew what was coming, what was good for you as far as food went, plus other things I had told her about, I was counting on her holding out until at least 1935 or so. My idea involved her acting as custodian of any information concerning the lives and deaths of Annie, Sarah, Jenny and Rachel. I wanted to know what would happen to them, when we eventually left Deakstown for good, and where their final resting places were. Before I leave for good, I will instruct each of them to send any information concerning their lives to this law firm who Rachel will instruct to maintain a repository of information, with instructions to hold said information until the year 2020, after which they can dispose of it.

Annie thought it an interesting idea, and suggested Ben be included as well. "I haven't changed my mind, Emily, after last night, my mind's made up to live in this century." I had to move my "operation" down to the lobby as the house keepers were coming through cleaning rooms. All three of us sat in the dining room and had lunch, all the while answering not only questions from Annie, but Cha'Nara as well concerning everything they say, "Who this was, Who that was, Why were they dressed like that? What's this? What's that? I was patient with them because I knew they were simply curious, and just didn't know. Cha'Nara drew a lot of curious stares and chatter, so much so that I considered making her go up to her room, but I felt bad for her, having to wear all that make-up and the ridiculous disguise, so I let it pass. After lunch though we went up to my room where I gave Annie dance lessons (Cha'Nara even got in on it) I showed her how to stay loose, basic steps, and how to move with the rhythm. We were still working on it when Deak and Ben returned.

After everybody retired to their respective rooms, Deak said, "Man! I'm glad that's over with; he patted a zippered case, "Thirty-two thousand dollars, on top of the ten grand already, not too shabby! However, we're all done selling gold for awhile, babe," "Why? What's happened?" Deak showed worry on his face, "I've really stirred up the gold market, no one's ever seen this much gold in this form come together like this before, I'm getting a lot of questions, questions I can't put off with bullshit answers anymore, people want to know where I'm getting this stuff, I'm telling them everything from "secret Jap gold reserves hidden on and island, to old mines being re-worked again. I'm telling ya, Emily, we have to lay low for awhile. I'm thinking, the next time we return here it's for good." "I agree with you Deak, I don't want the government getting interested either, All right," I said, "We'll just go with the dust and small nuggets we receive at the hotel, and saloon, however I think we ought to do a little research at the Denver Library tomorrow, might get some idea's on where the better claims were in our area." "Sounds like a plan, babe" said Deak, "I'll get these checks in the banks as well, as far as the guns go, they'll notify me on any pending sales and if the reserve's have been met, I want to roll out of town tomorrow afternoon, after we make a stop at the library."

Emily Continues

I went over Cha'Nara's make-up and disguise before we all de-camped to the dining room, they had an excellent vegetarian pasta dish both Cha'Nara and I had, she must have loved it as every bit was gone from her plate. Ben and Deak enjoyed the prime rib, and Annie had the trout, "I simply can't get over how well the food is cooked, and so much variety, sitting here in this beautiful dining room I feel like a robber baron, Jay Gould, or one of the Vanderbilt's," remarked Annie. "Those guys were pikers compared to some people these days" I added. I then explained my idea for passing information from the past up through the years so we would know what became of our friends, and where they would be buried. "So you think Rachel would be the best choice for overseeing all this?" asked Annie, "Actually, I was going to have you do it, but since you want to stay here, that task will fall to Rachel," I replied. "Rachel is a good choice, she's smart, she's been here, yes, I'm sure she will be able to undertake this "mission," said Annie.

Ben and Deak talked about their activities today, Cha'Nara looking bored, but always checking things out around her. Deak said, "I've got to show Ben a couple things first, but I'll be down shortly and join you in the lounge OK?" "Fine by me, c'mon Annie, let's go check out the action in the lounge, shall we?" Cha'Nara followed Ben and Deak upstairs while Annie and I headed for the lounge/nightclub area.

The DJ was already doing his thing with several rather "hot" looking young women out on the floor. Raising my voice so Annie could hear me over the music, I exclaimed, "Shall we try out those dance steps I showed you today?" Annie looked apprehensive, but I said, "Out on the floor girl, loosen up follow my lead." We staked out a corner where there wasn't much activity and started bouncing around, I kept coaching Annie, building her confidence, encouraging her. She finally started catching on and letting herself go, I covered for her acting as her partner, soon she was smiling and really moving with the beat.

We took a short break where I praised her dancing and ability to adapt to something so totally alien to anything she had ever done before. Annie was really "eating" it up, back out on the floor, she really let herself go, by now we had caught the attention of the men that were there, I started to wonder where Deak was when suddenly he was right in front of me, moving up very close. Annie had attracted a very cute guy, staying up with Deak and I but soon was lost in the milling crowd, Deak and I sat down to take a break but we failed to spot Annie. Eventually I saw her and her male "friend" still dancing near the front by the DJ's perch. "I can't believe that's our Annie," exclaimed Deak, "Born before the Civil War, a regular Dancing Queen here in 2013." "I know, hard to believe isn't it, but she's determined to live here in the 21st century, she's got more grit and guts than a lot of people I saw in the 'Stan," I replied.

As Deak and I were about to resume dancing, Annie and her "friend" came by she smile, and gave me a wink, they disappeared out the door, presumably headed upstairs for "fun" of a different sort. Deak and I danced a few more dances, then called it a night and headed back to our room; we checked Ben and Cha'Nara who were sitting in chairs across from one another just looking at each other, odd? I wondered what that was all about. In the morning down in the dining room at the breakfast table again, Annie slipped in next to me. "Well?" I asked, Annie giggled, "Not as good as Jeff, but when did the men get so good at pleasing women?" Annie began to blush and cut herself off before getting carried away with herself. "Have some breakfast Annie; I still owe you that long talk."

After breakfast we packed up our things, squared the bill, and loaded up the truck, first stop, the library, then a record store then home.

Emily Continues

Deak, Annie and I spent around three hours in the library checking old newspaper files, mining data, and geological reports, Ben and Cha'Nara wandered around, looking at magazines, books and whatever they could find to amuse themselves. Deak found a couple newspaper accounts that reported a prospector finding three ounces of gold north of Georgetown in a narrow canyon. He also found a corresponding assay report indicating more gold as well as small traces of silver in another canyon northwest of Empire. Annie came across an old map of our area, interestingly marks indicated a settlement where Deakstown roughly was, but no name, it also showed three claims east of the unmarked site marked with a question mark, we made a copy of this map for later reference.

I was surprised with the amount of information we uncovered, on the other hand, we knew where to look, and only concentrated on a certain area. We also stopped at a Target, where I bought some CD's and Deak bought a really good camera to take back with us, "I want some top quality images of people and also of Deakstown " said Deak. Heading out of town he said, "There's one place we haven't stopped yet, and I would be remiss in my duties if we didn't stop here," I already knew where Deak had in mind, the big yellow arches loomed just ahead. "Annie, if you decide to join us in the 21st, consider this your "first time" Ben, you can't visit the future without eating here, since none of you know what's going on, I'll order. "McDonald's what's this place?" asked Annie. "Fast food!" I said, "Food, or what passes for it made fast, served…Well, sometimes not so fast, but always eaten fast, hamburgers and French fries, chocolate shakes too." Annie had a puzzled look on her face, Cha'Nara was chattering about something, and I thought I heard Ben agree with her.

Deak pulled through the drive and spoke into the speaker sign, further confusing Annie and Ben. He ordered cheeseburgers, fries and shakes for us, and fries, fruit and a vanilla shake for Cha'Nara (she didn't care for chocolate of any kind) After ordering, we pulled up to the window where Deak paid, and a tray of shakes and a large bag of burgers was passed to him. Since Annie was sitting between Deak and I, he passed me the shakes and plopped the bag into Annie's lap. Pulling away he said, "And that's how it done Annie dear!' She didn't know what to think, just stared at the bag of food. I passed the shakes around; I demonstrated how to insert the straw into the open top and how to suck the liquid from it. For Annie and Ben, this was unique, and it took them a minute to understand the dynamics involved here, "Here's your vanilla Cha'Nara" I passed her the cup over my shoulder. While I passed the food around, Deak recited a short history of McDonalds and its impact on American culture.

I showed Annie and Ben the proper way to eat, since Cha'Nara had already eaten here several times, she knew what to do, I swore I heard her saying something to Ben as if he knew what she was saying, odd? "These French fries as you call them are a rather unique way to serve potatoes," commented Annie. "Eating them with your fingers" that's different as well, actually they are very good." I could hear Ben in the back seat eating his hamburger, "What do ya think?" asked Deak "Very different" commented Ben, "This mustard and what? Ketchup, they do seem to spice up the meat, what little there is of it." "I only got regular cheeseburgers Ben; they have others with a lot more meat on them. Quarter pounders, whoppers, No! wait, that's Burger King! This is what McDonalds started out with in the nineteen sixties, kinda interesting though, exactly one hundred years apart from when Americans were dying in the Civil War and they were chowing down on McDonald's burgers."

"Actually I rather enjoy this," said Annie examining her cheeseburger, it seems to be quick, not so much food that you seem obligated to eat, a treat as it were," "When McDonalds first started out, they sold this stuff as a treat, a snack as you say, now it's breakfast, lunch and supper for all too many Americans Annie, Oh yeah, they're in foreign countries as well," I added. We finished our meals in silence, then I noticed Annie resume her study of Deak's driving method.

Deak Picks Up the Story

I noticed Annie studying me intently, as I drove, "Think you can do this Annie?" "If you can, I suppose I could too," she replied. "I've got an idea, as I drive, I'll give you a running commentary on exactly what I'm thinking and doing, kinda give you an idea of what's required while driving, watch the speedometer, yeah the big gage right in the middle of the instrument cluster there, watch that needle, the legal speed limit on this highway is 70 miles per hour, we're traveling 65 right now I'll try and keep it there." Annie moved a little closer to me I snickered, "Miss Emily, one of your girls is getting awfully familiar with me," "That's nice, Annie's a big girl she can take care of herself, he's just teasing you Annie," replied Emily. "Oh I know, remember I charge for talk Deak so be careful there." I snickered, "All right here we go, pay attention. I let my speed drop a little too much, applying very slight pressure to the accelerator pedal to bring me back up to 65, always watching all three mirrors drivers door, passenger door, rear view. Ben stop making out with Pip back there!" "Sir, I'm not doing anything, we're just watching out the window." "I know, son, just teasing. I'm keeping an eye on traffic Annie, constantly keeping an eye on what's coming up on my left, watch this guy to my rear, he's far enough back so you can pass."

"Taking another look in my mirror, oops! Now he's coming up on my left, too close to pass now, I'm getting too close to the guy in front if me, I look in my left mirror to check the left lane, it clear, the next car is too far back to worry about, so I very slightly turn the wheel to the left, see how we're moving into the passing lane, since this is an interstate, I can hang out here longer, traffic's all going one way, on a two lane highway, you get out, pass quickly, get back into you're lane." I kept this up for several miles; I think Annie finally started to realize just what an involved process driving was. Finally, the "Limon exit two miles" sign came into view, I started to go through everything I was thinking and doing, as we exited the interstate. I drove to the high school parking lot, it was after three, so the lot was pretty much empty, I pulled off to the side and stopped. "Annie, get out, I'll slide in next to you ," Annie shrugged and came around and got in the drivers seat, "Push that button on the side of the seat there Annie, yeah, that one move the seat up so your feet are comfortable against the pedals, good! Everybody ready, now Annie keep your feet off the pedals now start the truck, OK now pull back slightly, on the shift handle slightly yeah, pull it down until that green dot is on "D."

Annie did as she was instructed, "Ok, feel the truck move push down on the brake pedal, with your right foot always your right foot, slowly yes, feel the truck stop very important, try it a couple more times." I had her practice stopping the truck, applying the brake evenly. "Annie you're doing great, now put just the tip of your right foot on the bottom of the pedal yeah, now slowly press, not too much, feel the truck slowly move now just steer like you watched me do take us around in a big circle in this lot." Slowly she drove us in a circle. "Ok, now very slightly press a little more with your right toe," the truck picked up speed, "Now Annie take your foot off the pedal and move it over to the brake and slowly press." Little by little, Annie learned the fundamentals of driving, we continued for another fifteen minutes slowly Annie became more comfortable with driving, she even got to the point where she was up to ten miles an hour, stopping and starting, when we changed back I said, "Annie you're a natural, but don't get too big of a head, if this truck had a standard transmission you would have a problem."

Annie looked at me with concern, "Why, what's a standard transmission?" "Instead of just two pedals down there you would have one more on the left of the brake; you would have a lever on the floor. First, you would have to push the clutch pedal in, that's the new pedal on the left, which you push with your left foot. Then you shift the lever into the proper gear, either first, second, third, or fourth, or reverse. On some transmissions there's a fifth gear, you need good hand and foot coordination to do it right or you kill the engine. I can operate standard transmissions, Emily can as well, but most cars and light trucks are equipped with automatic transmissions like this one." Annie seemed to grasp what I was talking about. "Ben, tomorrow I'm having you come with me into town, I'll give you a chance to drive as well."