is Saturday so I get the day off. I’d love to see what there is around here.”
Tina assumed a very business-like demeanor and voice. “I’ll give it some thought. If I can find a guide on such short notice I’ll have them pick you up at 9:00 a.m.”
Tina turned and walked away. Larry’s eyes followed her until she was seated with her nephew and his friends. Then he noticed Opal, a woman in her mid-sixties and proprietor of the restaurant. She was eyeing him suspiciously. Realizing that he was just standing there, he self-consciously retreated to his own table to join Clayton who was quite absorbed in his own thoughts and was only partially aware of the girl’s presence.
Clayton had been doodling on a legal pad while reviewing some notes. As Larry took his seat, Clayton spoke to him very off-handedly, “A friend of yours?”
“No . . . but I wish she were,” Larry responded longingly.
Clayton was quite preoccupied and rather absent-mindedly responded, “Well, it’s a long summer.” He took a bite of his food then looked at his notes, tapped his pencil on the table, and spoke as if to himself, lost deep in thought. “. . . but it just doesn’t add up.”
Larry had taken a bite of his dinner but was chewing very slowly while he stared at Tina’s table. Startled by Clayton’s comment he was brought back to reality.
“Uh . . . what doesn’t?”
“That meteorite . . . it wasn’t of course!” said Clayton still very preoccupied. In fact he was so lost in thought that he did not realize that Larry wasn’t paying much attention to him.
Larry continued to stare at Tina, who was profiled a few tables away, allowing him to gaze at her without being conspicuous. After a few seconds he replied, feigning interest. “Uh . . . It wasn’t?”
“Of course not. The military doesn’t investigate meteorite crashes. Scientists certainly, but not military. And the way it wobbled as it streaked across the sky, crippled sort of . . . almost like it was some sort of craft in distress or something . . . And another thing!” Exclaimed Clayton.
“What?” Larry replied, mildly irritated.
“Those trucks . . . they were carrying some type of animal life, but none that I could identify from the brief glimpse I got. And they were sure guarding it very protectively.”
=/\=
C HAPTER T EN
Alley Spring
The Chitwood home was located on Missouri Avenue, two blocks west of Opal’s Café, not quite halfway up the hill. The seventy-five year old wood slat siding could use a coat of paint, though its structure was solid and in relatively good condition. A wrap-around porch extended across the front of the home and down the right side. The burnt orange asphalt roll roof could use some minor repair, but it was water-tight.
A wide and well-manicured yard extended across the front of the home and then wrapped around both sides, merging into a spacious back yard with an expansive vegetable garden at the back of the lot. The one acre lot required a lot of grass cutting and weed pulling, but that was the stuff that gave young energetic boys something to do, and to complain about, during the long hot summer months.
Though the home could use some cosmetic repairs it was not run down; rather it reflected the dignity of character of a home well used in raising a large family in love and happiness on a tight budget. A little paint here, a little carpet there, and the home would be almost as good as new. It actually had a somewhat stately appearance about it.
The sun shone brightly the next morning as Tina completed her tour guide preparations. Meeting Larry in her mother’s restaurant the previous evening was quite a surprise for Tina. She had hoped that their paths would cross again when school resumed in the fall, but learning that he would be working in her hometown all summer made her wish that summer would last a little longer.
Tina was just leaving through the front screen door that exited onto the wrap-around porch of her
Tina assumed a very business-like demeanor and voice. “I’ll give it some thought. If I can find a guide on such short notice I’ll have them pick you up at 9:00 a.m.”
Tina turned and walked away. Larry’s eyes followed her until she was seated with her nephew and his friends. Then he noticed Opal, a woman in her mid-sixties and proprietor of the restaurant. She was eyeing him suspiciously. Realizing that he was just standing there, he self-consciously retreated to his own table to join Clayton who was quite absorbed in his own thoughts and was only partially aware of the girl’s presence.
Clayton had been doodling on a legal pad while reviewing some notes. As Larry took his seat, Clayton spoke to him very off-handedly, “A friend of yours?”
“No . . . but I wish she were,” Larry responded longingly.
Clayton was quite preoccupied and rather absent-mindedly responded, “Well, it’s a long summer.” He took a bite of his food then looked at his notes, tapped his pencil on the table, and spoke as if to himself, lost deep in thought. “. . . but it just doesn’t add up.”
Larry had taken a bite of his dinner but was chewing very slowly while he stared at Tina’s table. Startled by Clayton’s comment he was brought back to reality.
“Uh . . . what doesn’t?”
“That meteorite . . . it wasn’t of course!” said Clayton still very preoccupied. In fact he was so lost in thought that he did not realize that Larry wasn’t paying much attention to him.
Larry continued to stare at Tina, who was profiled a few tables away, allowing him to gaze at her without being conspicuous. After a few seconds he replied, feigning interest. “Uh . . . It wasn’t?”
“Of course not. The military doesn’t investigate meteorite crashes. Scientists certainly, but not military. And the way it wobbled as it streaked across the sky, crippled sort of . . . almost like it was some sort of craft in distress or something . . . And another thing!” Exclaimed Clayton.
“What?” Larry replied, mildly irritated.
“Those trucks . . . they were carrying some type of animal life, but none that I could identify from the brief glimpse I got. And they were sure guarding it very protectively.”
=/\=
C HAPTER T EN
Alley Spring
The Chitwood home was located on Missouri Avenue, two blocks west of Opal’s Café, not quite halfway up the hill. The seventy-five year old wood slat siding could use a coat of paint, though its structure was solid and in relatively good condition. A wrap-around porch extended across the front of the home and down the right side. The burnt orange asphalt roll roof could use some minor repair, but it was water-tight.
A wide and well-manicured yard extended across the front of the home and then wrapped around both sides, merging into a spacious back yard with an expansive vegetable garden at the back of the lot. The one acre lot required a lot of grass cutting and weed pulling, but that was the stuff that gave young energetic boys something to do, and to complain about, during the long hot summer months.
Though the home could use some cosmetic repairs it was not run down; rather it reflected the dignity of character of a home well used in raising a large family in love and happiness on a tight budget. A little paint here, a little carpet there, and the home would be almost as good as new. It actually had a somewhat stately appearance about it.
The sun shone brightly the next morning as Tina completed her tour guide preparations. Meeting Larry in her mother’s restaurant the previous evening was quite a surprise for Tina. She had hoped that their paths would cross again when school resumed in the fall, but learning that he would be working in her hometown all summer made her wish that summer would last a little longer.
Tina was just leaving through the front screen door that exited onto the wrap-around porch of her
Similar Books
