Lakewood

Chapter 6

Currently playing on the radio is “Crocodile Rock.” I feel like jumping around the kitchen or the main living area, but I won’t. Dr. Laighles had the radio tuned to a gospel station. The preacher had a nice-sounding voice, very soothing and friendly. At first, I thought I would listen to what the man had to say, but after a few minutes, I couldn’t stand it. He was adamant that the Earth is 4,000 years old. There’s just no way that’s true! Even if a person believes this crap, this guy’s essentially saying that when Christ was here a little less than 2,000 years ago, the Earth was only 2,000 years old. What about the Egyptians, Newgrange, and other civilizations? What about Pangaea, when the Earth was a single continent approximately 225 million years ago? I don’t understand how people can deny science. I did the math. If Earth’s continents shift away from each other approximately half an inch per year (which is what I’ve read) it takes the shifting tectonic plates (“the land”) approximately 125,000 years to move one mile. If Earth’s land masses were at one time together, then it would have taken approximately 300,160,000 years to shift to their current position.

Ignorance cannot be excused or tolerated. I am a man of science and history, and there’s no way I can believe such bullshit from this charlatan. I have always been suspect of religion.

Looking into the backyard from the kitchen window, I remember the great oak tree with our treehouse and swing. Someone cut it down sometime during the past eleven years. All that remains is a two-foot-high stump that has turned dark with age and rot.

In our old piano room, Dr. Laighles has a really cool Motorola Stereo cabinet with an AM/FM radio and turntable. I’m sure it cost a boatload of money. He left an album on the turntable, Warne Marsh, Jazz of Two Cities. He also had Django Reinhardt’s The Quintet of the Hot Club of France and d**k Dale and His Del-Tones’s Surfers’ Choice sitting on top of the console. Using my skills of deduction and logic, I conclude Dr. Laighles likes the jazz, while Emily likes the surfer music. I have no proof, but based on their personalities, I’m making a hypothesis.

Jazz of Two CitiesThe Quintet of the Hot Club of FranceSurfers’ ChoiceHere’s something I know to be factual. I sat around listening to all three albums and flipping through their National Geographic magazine collection. I’m listing my two favorite songs from each album:

National Geographic

Warne Marsh: Jazz of Two Cities

Jazz of Two Cities“Quintessence”

“I Never Knew”

My notes: Wow, the piano player is awesome

Django Reinhardt: The Quintet of the Hot Club of France

The Quintet of the Hot Club of France “Tiger Rag”

“Blue Drag”

My notes: Good album but it sounds like it was recorded in a tin box

Dick Dale and the Del-Tones: Surfer’s Choice

Surfer’s Choice“Miserlou”

“Let’s Go Trippin’”

My notes: Kind of reminds me of the music on Gilligan’s Island when Ginger and Mary Ann are dancing

Gilligan’s Island