Storiesonline.net
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                               Rebirth II
                              by John Wales

Copyright© 2007 by John Wales


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Description: Jeff is a successful entrepreneur. Over the years he built up his electronics business to a small chain or retail outlets. He had two failed marriages and accepted his employees as his family. Somehow his prostrate condition slipped through the cracks. Facing death, he goes back to his roots and the pain he endured in his dysfunctional family. Fate wants to deal him a second hand in life. In Book II, we learn what happens after he becomes a celebrity.

Codes: mf mF mm TimeTr rom cons inc mother sis
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Chapter 1



"I pulled the weight up to my chest for the twelfth time. It was the third set. My left shoulder hurt like hell but I had to endure it. When I was finished, I used the towel to wipe the sweat from my upper body then lower. I had been working on my thighs too.

I heard steps coming from above then across the basement floor. Paige came in and smiled at me. I was tired and must look much worse than I usually was. She just took the towel from me and continued to take off the excess moisture.

It was hot. Our rental house didn't have air conditioning and to tell the truth it was an expensive luxury that few others could afford in 1958.

The pretty thirteen-year-old girl said, "You smell nice even when you work out."

I replied, "Fresh sweat isn't that bad but you're a horny woman and just want to butter me up."

She slapped me with the towel but used very little force. "I am not," she said with her fists on her hips. "Well maybe not much."

"Well give me a kiss and then you can scrub my back."

"Can't now. My mother told me to bring over your new shirt and not to touch each other's genitals."

"She's a cruel woman. Tell me about the shirt you made."

I got up with difficulty. Almost four months ago I was a dying sixty two year-old man. Lightning hit me and sent me back to my twelve-year-old body as it had been struck fifty years before. My memories and those of my younger self were crammed into the young skull of my former self. I couldn't detect very much of the old personality but I think he's happy watching what I am doing.

The burns from the lightning strike took time to heal and I had scar tissue over large portions of my body. My face thankfully would completely heal. My body was small for my age and my physical development would be very slow until I was half way through my seventeenth year. From then on I was in pain. I grew exceedingly fast and didn't stop. I ended up six feet tall but I was very wide and deep. My exercises at the time made sure I was very strong and helped me deal with the pain and awkwardness. The muscle between my legs would grow like the rest of me but at the moment it was similar to the rest of me. If I was tall enough, I could be the before picture in a body building ad.

I had two sisters. Maggie was fourteen and quite pretty. Susan was sixteen and even more beautiful. Our father had died when I was six. His passing had devastated the family. He was a dominant man but one that deeply loved his family. Mom was the type of person that needed a man like dad to function. It turned out that Susan was that way too. Without his guidance they seemed to grow in a deformed way.

Mom reverted even more to her cigarettes and a bottle. She had a condition that didn't allow her to work because she fainted unpredictably. It wasn't epilepsy and it was sometimes brought on by stress. She got government money to raise the three of us but she seemed to have lost interest in herself and us.

Susan had to fill the role of mother and caregiver, her meek nature notwithstanding. Her mind somehow twisted under the stress. Over the last six years she brought out her resentment on dad dying on all males and especially me. Though it started small she took delight in humiliating and torturing me.

When I came back to this time I had spent forty years trying to come to terms of how I had been warped to become. When it looked like everything would happen again I was forced to change our destinies. Susan was beaten and then dominated instead of me. I took control of her life, as dad would have done when she was ten. In the last three months she had adjusted to the new situation very well. I enforced my control only sporadically and only did it so she could be comfortable knowing her place. It was not something that had to be done in a mean way so I didn't.

Susan had a gang of girls who she forced into doing what she wanted. Being anti-male, meant that their sexual orientation was directed toward their own gender. Maggie had been one of that same gang though I think she was forced to join.

When I took control of Susan, I had to take over her gang too or face her slipping back to her old ways. I had enough years to know that I could not go against their basic nature. The girls liked girls, so I made it easy for them to continue relieving their sexual tensions. In the process I endorsed their actions and freed them from guilt. It may be rationalisation but that's the way I felt.

My twelve-year-old body would not be pumping out baby juice until long after others of my age were doing so. I could use my mouth and hands but that was like kissing for me. I could get an orgasm but it took a lot of effort and it was completely dry. Inside I felt good for what I was doing and this helped me continue.

Mom was now called Jane. She too needed someone to direct her and the use of her first name assisted me in guiding her. Calling her mom would only remind her that I was her son. Assuming the role of my long dead father was the best. I took this job very seriously.

Paige was the girl next door. In my old life I had wanted to marry her. We had always been together. When I got over my shyness I started to date and she was just one of the girls but although she was by far the nicest. The last year of school we settled down to just each other. I left to join the Canadian Air Force to find a way to earn a living. Somebody else had come along and swept her off her feet a few years after when I was in Germany, and I was left out in the cold.

Today that was not going to happen. Paige knew I wanted her for my wife and so did her parents. Her mother knew we had sex but didn't keep us completely apart. The parents demanded that I only take a portion of her time. She now talked much more with her mother, Nora, and learned how to cook and, of course, sew for me.

The shirt was very well constructed. I took it off so I could have a bath. "I'll come over when I wash up and model the shirt for you. It looks great and I'll be happy to wear it to school when it starts."

"Do you know what classes you are taking? You told me what I should take and I applied for them."

"I can get by with what's in my head and don't want to get bored in school. I'm going to try to take the subjects that are difficult for me. The school, I think, won't allow me to rock the boat like I did in grade eight. By law I have to take some type of English course and some type of math course. After that it's a matter of putting in the hours necessary."

"Are you going to be in some of my classes?"

This she had asked before and seemed to hope for a change. "They put up schedules for each grade nine class and I have no idea which lunch we will have. Two classes combine for shop, gym or Home Economics and they are always the same classes. The things I want to learn are not things that you like. I can do some woodwork but a class of it may be fun like school used to be. There's Auto, Welding, Refrigeration, Industrial Chemistry, they are good but you would be bored. There's also Music and Art but it would have to be luck that got us together. I'm not good at either of those subjects but that makes it more of a challenge. I was thinking of taking Home Ec for the cooking. Besides I may get to be with you then."

"Euuuu that's for girls."

"You and the rest of society are too firmly into stereotypes. When a boy leaves home and goes to university he knows nothing of how to cook or mend his clothes. Girls can't change a simple flat tire. I think that both genders should bend just a bit so they are not lost when they are on their own."

We walked upstairs hand in hand. We both knew that when the time was right we would get married and when the time was right we would start having children. In a way, I already had one. Corinne and her young nanny had been kidnapped. From my previous life I remembered the details. I raced in where angels feared to tread and rescued the three-year-old child. We had been on the run from the kidnapper and in the process we formed a family. I was the daddy and she was the loving daughter.

Jane was doing dishes as I got closer and I patted her bum as she wiggled it appreciatively to me. "Stop that or I'll drag you upstairs."

"Ha, you would do it down here and get Paige to help."

"I'll get you tonight and teach you a lesson."

"Can't do that either. It's Maggie's turn."

"Maybe I'll sleep with both of you then."

"Mmmmm now that's interesting. Watch out though she has a weapon."

"Mmmm now it's my turn to be interested."

The doors were open and our sex was a very open secret. Jane dropped hints but had not joined us. I knew that she wanted to be told then forced. I imagine in her mind she saw me as my father and wanted to keep our loving more private.

I had my shower and hurried to change. Jane was there first though and was lying naked on the bed. My hormones had not come in. I could, though, remember what it used to be like. I was an empathetic person and got a lot of enjoyment out of giving others pleasure.

In seconds I had her knees to her breasts and I was sucking and licking at her engorged clit. My fingers were in her opening and Jane started to really respond then. I sucked harder and used my other hand to caress her anus. She really liked that and when her orgasm came I plunged my thumb into her lower opening.

She screamed loudly. The windows were open and I was sure the neighbours three blocks over heard her. Her gyrations slowly came to a halt and I never gave her a rest and worked my lips and hands to keep the good feelings going as long as possible.

When she was done I walked on my knees and pushed my small dick into my mother's mouth. She sucked avidly for she loved this position. This was her place to serve her man and she was content. She was talented and eventually I danced that small dance of death while holding her to me. She liked it with my hands in her hair and I did too. I must be a lot like my dad.

Susan and Maggie were watching us from the hall but our mom couldn't see. Both girls were rubbing themselves and I knew that they would soon run off to their bedroom to get that special feeling for themselves too.

I kissed Jane. "Jane, do men fuck your ass."

"Some do but they pay extra. I have to like them and they have to be small."

"Paige is sensitive there too. Pretty soon I'll see if she's going to give me that last opening. After that I'm going to take yours too if you want."

She smiled at me and pulled my abdomen close to her face so she could lay her head against me. "I do Jeff. You know I'll do anything for you."

"I know Sweetie but you'll do it even faster if you like it."

She looked up at me and smiled to let me know that this was true. On the way out, I looked into my sisters' room. They didn't bother closing doors now as if flaunting their present lifestyle.

"Save some for me tonight, Susan. Maggie sleeps with me."

Susan picked up her wet face and said, "I'll save a little if you are nice to me."

"I'm always nice. I love you an awful lot."

"Then how come you made us miss our lunch?"

They worked at one of my companies. I ran a carwash that featured pretty girls with thin blouses. Guys paid a lot more to get their car washed as long as they could ogle the girls. "You are both eating your lunch. I'll put some food out for you though."

Another quick shower and change made me feel better. When I got downstairs I found that they already had sandwiches made. I made up a pitcher of orange juice and put the jug on the table with glasses.

The mail had come in so I leafed through it. There was a lot for me. I expected the summons any day now for Goldbalm's trial but I knew he would stall as long as possible.

I always liked music. I was up on theory and fair at playing. I had scored my own music for fun but it was never as good as what a professional could do. When I came back to this time I worked to copy all the hits I knew that would be written in coming years. I wanted to sell outright as opposed to going through the hassle of recording and then distribution. My abilities were not good enough anyway. At present, I had four songs for sale but nearly thirty more were sitting in my room. I was plagiarising books too but I was not too concerned ethically. My book or the movie from the book would be a fact and an author would just pick a different topic to write about when the urge struck him. I was not stealing another's ideas for the man or woman would not even have the ideas yet in their head.

My songs had only gone to Canadian companies because of tax laws. Canadians were far too timid and I figured I would have to get American companies to purchase the songs. To avoid double taxation I would have to set up an American corporation to handle all this. If I took no money for myself then only the corporation would be taxed.

Another thing that I had brought back with me from the future was my knowledge of many devices. Some I had even patented and made a good deal of money from. None were famous but you could still see them in many homes. All this took a considerable knowledge of mechanics, electronics, chemistry and mathematics. The last one had to be used with the patents to prove certain points. My curiosity and money had allowed me to take university classes even when I was in my late fifties. I had made lasers and quite a few other devices just because it was fun and interesting. I could justify the write-off because of my electronics businesses. Some of this fun had actually been put towards my last patent.

I had a laser patent out for consideration. It was played low key to keep the people away until I was ready for them. I had enough of this hassle.

A psychiatrist that was crazier than his patients took an interest in me. When told to fuck off he didn't seem to understand me. When he finally did, he set up a situation where I was going to be convicted of a crime unless I cooperated. It was almost foolproof except that the grandfather of the kidnapped girl I rescued, decided to help. He used a great deal of his own money to ferret out the truth and now a lot of charges were laid against those that falsely accused me.

When the man was convicted, I was going to sue to recover all the money I spent trying to prove my innocence and attempt for a good punitive award. This amount would have a direct bearing on how I was seen in the community. A simple boy would get little but a very well respected young man would get far more. His two accomplices were rich and could afford to contribute to my war chest as well.

Nora's home was always open to me and I walked in and kissed Paige's mother then her daughter. "Good afternoon ladies. What's that good smell floating around your house?"

Paige stood tall. "It could be stew with dumplings but I don't know if I want to give you any."

"Why Honey Bunch? Or am I not husband material anymore?"

"You talk about food instead of telling Mom what you think about the shirt I spent a lot of time making for you."

"I am sorry Honey Bunch. Please give me another chance."

She tried to keep her smile in and said, "Well, maybe this time."

"Thank you Honey Bunch."

I turned to a smiling Nora and said, "Mrs Newfield, I would like to thank you for training your most beautiful daughter to sew; and to cook I might add. She has made me a beautiful shirt that I'm very proud to wear."

Nora couldn't hold it in and laughed loudly. "She's eager to learn, especially if it's for you."

"I know. She'll make a great wife and a fantastic mother some day and may even be as good as you."

Now both women blushed though Paige tried to appear stern. A few moments later I got some stew too.

The rest of the day was spent writing a future history in point form. I had a good memory but it was not infallible. Sometimes putting details down allowed me to recall others. This was inefficient without a computer but until they made a word processor and a home computer, I would be stuck with pen and paper.

My version of 'Jaws' had been recently completed. I sent it to some of my former grade school teachers for editing. When the job was done and I had enough surplus cash, I would get the book worked on by a professional. After that it was just a matter of finding an agent that could flog the book for me. 'Jaws' was actually a script so it would go to the movie studio first. If they 'bit' then I would send out the book form before the movie came out. This was backwards but next time I would do it right.

Maggie and I made love that night as Susan looked on. Susan had her hands under the sheet and used the dildo. I was making love to Maggie with my lips to a pair of orgasms. Now I was between her legs thrusting my small pecker into her depths. As an adult, I had a great deal of practice, and my testicles and prostate had worked very well to give both my ladies and me a lot of pleasure. It was the prostate that would have ended my life if I had not been given a second chance.

Maggie held me tight and didn't use her fingernails any more. She, like the rest of the Congdon women, got carried away. Sometimes it was their screams but many times I was clawed too.

Maggie flexed her pelvis quickly trying to get just that little bit more. I worked hard to drive my own pelvis into her and move just right to give her clit what she needed. She started to growl and I knew she was on the home stretch. Susan got out of bed and got close. I worked even faster then started to tell Maggie how much I loved her. She mumbled words from her jumbled brain and began to make more noises as her body started to go wild.

Susan got in position and kissed Maggie while reaching out and pinching one of Maggie's nipples and her own clit. They came within seconds of each other and Maggie came again as I called out my own release.

I slept contentedly beside Maggie even though the night was warm. The love would have to last for a week or so. Tomorrow I had to go to Gravenhurst to attend the coroner's enquiry into the man I killed. I would give what information I could about the deaths of the other two men and what I knew about Geraldine the nanny. This had to be fabricated though for the men didn't die as what it said in the police report.

Jane, Susan, Maggie, Paige plus Jennifer and Angela came to see me off. The bus driver looked appreciatively at my send off party and I took my seat. I was able to wave as the bus left the yard.

Jennifer and Angela were members of Susan's gang, but now I guess they were members of mine. Both girls though had problems at home. Angela's brothers were macho and thought it proper to hit her. Jennifer's father and brother were molesting her.

The bus followed highway eleven south. There were no real highways in Canada besides the Queen Elizabeth Way, and that was from Toronto to Fort Erie only. All the roads including this modern highway had level crossings and traffic signals. This would not change for a long time.

A heavy set woman with a small boy on her lap sat across the aisle. She had been looking at me for quite a while, then said, "Hello young man. Are you the person that was in the papers recently?"

"I am afraid I am." I didn't like to lie but I think I needed to learn to find ways to do this without bothering my conscience.

Her face brightened us as if she found a golden piece of gossip. "What was it like saving that little girl?"

"Ma'am, it hurts to think of it. I simply did what I must and I hope to forget the matter altogether. I know the memory will be with me for the rest of my life."

The woman looked a little shocked. I turned to look out the window again. All around me I heard a lot more talk and most of it wasn't whispers. It was a long two hours but it had been much longer when I travelled the first time thinking about the two girls killed in my past future or was it the future past.

People got on and off the bus all the time. Most of the time the seat beside me was unoccupied. It usually was only a short time until they learned who I was from the gossip. In various ways, I had to say the same thing again and again. One woman was even indignant and left to sit elsewhere.

Doctor Roberts was conducting the enquiry. His family was even putting me up for the stay. I was still twelve in my body and everybody felt that I had to have some adult guidance.

The good doctor had a wife named Sarah. She was around thirty-five and very motherly. She had three children. Matt was a year older than me. Her daughter, Joan was eleven and the youngest was a seven-year-old boy named James.

Matt was a little put out to have to bunk with his little brother when I took over his bedroom. The three had heard a bit of what I had done. Matt thought that I did just what he would have done. James was frightened of me and I'm sure he must have heard about me from his brother. Joan batted her eyes and looked in love. I was the white knight she dreamed of but never met until now. This information though was withheld from me until the next day.

Sarah wanted the juicy details and I mentioned the children being affected and I added about how I felt justified in everything I had done but felt reluctant to think about it when it was not necessary.

"That's ok Jeff. I should have thought of the children but it's not often that we get a real live hero in out home."

"I would much rather be known for what I invent or make than taking a man's life no matter how much he deserved it."

The good doctor said to get the conversation altered, "What are you thinking of inventing or making?"

A month ago I made a device in my basement that produces coherent light. Light's really comes in small packets. This light of mine marches in step like soldiers. The ordinary light that we see by is like the way water comes from a hose. My invention is now being registered in the patent office and in all the other countries that signed a special treaty."

"What does this light do differently?"

"First of all it's one very specific colour although it's in the ultraviolet range. It hardly spreads at all. It can be used to cut the hardest metals or to weld them back together. Doctors will use it to work on the torn retina of an eye without using a scalpel. It can sever small blood vessels and cauterise them at the same time. It can be used to measure from here to the moon with an accuracy of a fraction of an inch. Where I'll make my money is when it's used to carry a great many telephone calls at one time and not be bothered by the flood of free electrons produced in an atomic explosion."

Sarah said, "The bomb? Is it for war?"

"No, it's just not as easily disrupted if a war ever happened."

The Doc asked, "What do you think you will realise from the sale of this device?"

"Well over fifty and probably much closer to a hundred million. The ancillary benefits will be even more."

Nobody spoke for a while probably thinking either I was full of shit or not a good judge of the device's worth.

"How did you ever come up with such a device? I have never heard anything close to this and I read a great many magazines."

"I read quite a bit myself. It would surprise you what I know of mathematics. Taking physics one small step into the dark needs some very complex mathematical scaffolding. Once a position is postulated then another small step can be made. This is a little like what was done to develop atomic weapons and reactors. A great deal of groundwork had to be done first."

The Doc said, "I'm pretty good at math. Will you give me a sample of what your invention's about if it's not secret?"

"Sure, I can give you a rough idea. Remember though that you asked me."

He wasn't sure of my meaning but he got me paper and pen. Four pages of complex math covering the propagation of the light and a few formulas in optics were enough. He asked for an explanation of one area and I filled a few more pages.

"You're right. I can only go so far in what you are doing. I took calculus in high school and university but you're far beyond what I have ever heard of."

I looked at the man seriously. "I'm not a mathematician. My brain doesn't work that way. This is just an engineering tool. There's math out there that would make almost everybody including me feel very intimidated. I simply cannot do it and probably I'll never be able to either."

I signed and dated the sheets I filled out. "Save these sheets. I'm not trying to boast but if I ever get famous these may be worth some money to a collector."

Polite or not I tried hiding in my purloined room. There was a guitar in the corner and I didn't think Matt was going to object seeing that there was dust on it. My left arm hurt but I forced it to function as I did when exercising. I played a bit of 'Love is Blue' and then wrote down the notes. It was suppertime by the time I was done.

Sarah made a very good meal, I think in my honour. There was even homemade apple pie that I was told she made and then preserved in her freezer.

"That was a very good meal Mrs Roberts. The pie though was even more delicious. How do you find the time running a home and raising three children?"

"It's not that hard now. The children have grown and take care of themselves for the most part. Ah — I heard you playing. I never heard that music before. Will you play for us?"

I'll play one song but if somebody else plays a song I'll do one more. It's much more fun to be part of the music than to just perform."

"That sounds wonderful. Matt senior and I can play the piano."

I played my last song then I heard some Mozart. I played and sang one of the songs I sent out for sale. Some country was played next and I did another of the four songs. When I did all five plus a few late Beach Boys songs we called it a night.

Doctor Matt asked me when the rest had headed for their rooms, "I have never heard those songs before. They are really nice. Where did you hear them?"

"I wrote them. The songs two through to five have been copyrighted and sent to recording studios. The rest were in the planning stages. There is a backlog available for when they start to sell."

"You're quite the renaissance man. Do you have some leanings to going into medicine?"

"Not really, I'm afraid. Some of my machines will make it into medicine but for learning to heal, no. It pulls me but I want to go into business."

"I think you will do very well Mr Congdon." I was not Jeff anymore but some respect was good too though it distanced me from them.

The next morning after a good breakfast, we left for the courthouse. The largest room though was in the basement. Five jurors were picked already and I just had to testify. Being twelve gave me more leeway.

The room was large but it was still packed by the morbidly curious and that included the press, television and the radio. No photos were permitted but I was hand drawn as if I was one of the accused at his trial.

The questions asked were the same ones the police asked. Picking out the newly painted hijacked car brought out some scepticism until I mentioned that the car in question was well known and still rare enough to be noticed.

They went over my choices of things to steal and how I took care of Corinne. We avoided what Corinne has to go through but the jurors nodded their head about the fruit induced shits.

The garage station owner's name was Martin Warren. His body was covered in digested berries and I said how it was an accident that Corinne did this while deathly afraid. Weeks earlier, I had told the more accurate truth to Corinne's grandfather, John Holtzman, from my hospital bed. He had tried very hard to hold it in but it was the first laugh in a very long time. He even had to hold onto the furniture to stay erect. Corinne was thankfully not present.

I described how I was shot, then revived by Corinne in enough time to kill Martin Warren. I had then thrown more stones to make sure the job was done. Nobody came close to thinking that I had done something wrong.

Carl Honzer and Craig Thompson had supposedly been in a shoot out that happened just before we got back to the kidnapper's home. In reality I did my best to see them tortured for information and exterminated. The album I had found had one photo with no people but it had turned out to be an unmarked graveyard yielding three little girls and two adolescents. Geraldine Ulster, Corinne's nanny, had been found much further away as if the men wanted to hide the older cemetery.

My questioning had lasted well past noon. I had to stay after I was asked the last question. Two other witnesses came forward. Sarah Roberts sneaked me out the back and I avoided the reporters and even a television truck parked in the front.

Joan the eleven-year-old daughter, got me alone and talked to me very seriously. She bared her soul. I was as kind as I could be in this case. I knew I couldn't stay another night.

The next day I was asked more questions to clear up some points but I think that most of it was to find out what I did and why, as if this was a great adventure.

Mr Chile the reporter and owner of the North Bay Times had got a much better description when I was in the hospital room recovering from being shot. It went into the details I could divulge. I treated Corinne to as much privacy as I could but put some of the nice details in, like her singing, her learning how to cook fish and the exact fraction of the berries that she picked that actually went into the containers.

The article had been internationally syndicated on a wire service and I think he made a lot of money. It was my way of paying him back for the slant I wanted and for future considerations. He sold so many copies that he had to do three reprints in total.

I was excused much earlier than I thought from the enquiry and was on a late bus to North Bay as soon as possible. The Robert's seemed sad that I had to go but knew that the reporters were looking harder for me. I don't think the mother suspected Joan's pursuit of me.

Because of a minor disguise I was able to get half way home before being discovered. As a boy, I dreamed of being famous but when the real thing came, it was exposed for the crassness it really was.

The bus dropped me off three blocks from home and I walked the distance in the dark. It was Friday night and Jane would be off finding the physical love she needed that I could not yet provide.

Susan pulled her sheet to one side and I got in and snuggled. I never wanted to sleep alone again.

I was happy to be home; and I got up early and made breakfast. Susan and Maggie woke up soon after. They had some businesses to run and they couldn't do it from their beds. Our carwash with nubile young girls was our best money-maker. My electronics repair company came next but promised to pull in money when the water was freezing outside. All sorts of labour intensive jobs that could be done by young people were handled by our placement agency. Our rates were half again what a youngster would pull in but we guaranteed the service for our share.

The phone rang upstairs and I hurried up the treads after putting my soldering iron down. "Hello, Congdon Electronics."

"Daddy! Daddy. Did you miss me?"

"I sure did my little princess. What are you doing now to your poor grandpa? Does he know you are using the phone?"

"He knows, silly. He's right here."

"That's good. Did you learn how to bake a cake yet? A beautiful girl I know said she was going to make me a chocolate cake."

"I tried but it burnt. We did it again but Grampy helped."

"Is he a good cook or did you have to help him?"

She giggled a lot then said, "He helped me, silly."

"Did you have some good news for me, my little Pocahontas?"

"How did you know? Grampy said I could visit!"

"Wow! Really! When can you come?"

There was a pause and the noise of the heavy receiver being moved. "Hello Jeff. Cori can leave today or if you are too busy it can be Tuesday."

"I like today better. I doubt if the two of us will be able to talk much, I have eight mommies wanting to mother a little girl they heard so much about."

"They must be your extended family. I know Cori will be in good hands. I'm off to Britain and this is actually a good thing for both of us."

"Is Mom getting all the papers she needs?"

"Everything's being taken care of. I happen to know a good lawyer."

"Yes, I know the man too."

I worked hard to get rid of my backlog of work and tidied my room that I hardly ever slept in now. The girls kept it clean but it hardly ever got mussed up. Eight hours after the phone call, a car pulled up with a very large man and a little girl. The man was one of those that had persuaded the two kidnappers to confess their sins before they died.

I shook hands with the man and he stood straight to do the same. I felt a lot of respect for what he and his partner had done and some of that respect must have come back to me.

Corinne was in my arms though and I picked the little girl up. Though difficult to shake a hand we managed. "Hello Princess. You going to come in and visit all the ladies that want to meet you?"

She bobbed her head and smiled. To the unnamed guard I asked, "Would you like to come in for a moment? You can rest a while and make some phone calls if you want."

The man had a very deep voice. "Yes Sir, I would. I also have some papers here."

Mom had to sign them but Susan did a good forgery. This was not to protect the girl's grandfather or us but just to allow the child to get medical attention if it was necessary. The house was full of girls and even their younger sisters. This was going to be a small vacation and a way for Corinne to mix with those of her own age.

Our grocery list now included coffee. After a trip to the washroom, the man had some of the beverage. He made a collect phone call and left with another shake of the hand.

Corinne brought a suitcase; and in it was the deer hide dress I made for her. She wore it to show the others. It was entertaining to sit there and listen to the way the girl saw things then and now.

The youngsters got sleepy when it was full dark and we all crashed out on the front room floor with blankets and pillows. Though it was warm I loved being sandwiched between my princess and Maggie.

Corinne woke me up early to go to the bathroom. It was time to get up anyway. She did her business. "Will you wash me Daddy?"

It was said with a frightened look. I couldn't see her being frightened of me but maybe of me rejecting her. She liked to be cleaned as the Arabs did.

"Sure Sweetie. Did you get anybody else to do this for you?"

She just shook her head. She may have tried though. Her anus had been raped and I kept her clean so she could heal. She may not be completely healed yet but a few more weeks should do for her body. Her mind, though, was anybody's guess.

She shivered a bit even with the warm water and her eyes were closed. Her future husband was a lucky guy and immediately I felt anger at someone taking my girl. Nobody would be good enough. I then wondered if this was going to get worse when I had my own children.

I made breakfast with Corinne's help. Pancakes were her favourite. These had blueberries in them, to make them even more delicious. There was a mountain of flapjacks when the others awoke. The mountain got smaller very quickly. Corinne ate more than her share and she hadn't lost her taste for the berry that had saved her life in two distinct ways.

Even on Sunday we worked. We all went up to the service station that hosted our business. As usual we had early morning customers. The children were all in bathing suits and they did their share of the work. Or they did for five minutes until the novelty wore off. I had seen this happening when I planned this excursion. The park across the street beckoned us. Sandy, Faith and I took the children across the busy street and let them play on the equipment.

Only some of the seats on the swings were for infants so I also pushed girls carrying children. Mothers with their children in carriages came by and smiled. Some stopped to watch and hold their own charges. Sandy and Faith were replaced with Angela and Karen when their turn came.

Soon sunscreen went on and they played in the shade on the grass. When it got hotter we went back to the service station for a pee break and a chance to get cool and wet.

Jennifer, Susan and Maggie helped me take the children home for another bathroom break and a chance to eat and rest. Corinne had not had such a luxury as an afternoon nap very often when we were being pursued. Jennifer stayed with me as we watched the children sleep. We had a chance to cuddle but nothing else. I played the guitar for an hour before the real mothers came for their children.

Corinne was sad to see them go but this was really just a variation on our babysitting service. Many more children were watched on our list, but those with us had been segregated by age to be with Corinne. I figured it was good for all of them.

Jane fell in love with Corinne. She had seen the girl briefly but now that she was visiting I could see the maternal juices just oozing out of the older woman.

For the next week, I played at being a stay at home father to six children. Not all were nice all the time, even Corinne had her off moments but she was a sweet kid at heart. Very little got done but I knew what was important. Paige worked the hardest with the children in either a conscious or unconscious move to show that she could be a good mother too.

I bought beads and during naps I sewed patterns in Corinne's hide dress. She awoke bright eyed all the time to see what new feature had been added. It was barely done by the time she had to go back home. Mr Holtzman had come personally to pick up his granddaughter. He got a chance to see Corinne interacting with other youngsters.

Mr Holtzman looked at my laser in the basement and asked a good many informed questions. I told him about this one and what I could make it do with other gases. My hope to build a better sealed unit but this required a fair amount of money.

He knew a great deal about me. A person that babysat his only granddaughter had to be above reproach, especially when the child had been kidnapped and her nanny murdered.

We discussed my songs and I showed him others that I had written. 'Jaws' was now back and he took it for from me to get it worked on by a professional. Mr Holtzman was not a mathematician but I found that he had obtained copies of my work. At that time it took a week to finish the calculations for the laser.

"This is pretty impressive. I'm was told that by a mathematician at the University of Toronto. If you can do this, you may just be another Einstein. Your laser's breaking new ground. Your four songs I hear are good for the general population. Have you considered writing some operas or other serious works?"

All this was really just plagiarism but those affected would never know it. "I have some of a semi-serious nature but nothing like you're thinking. I have not worked with an orchestra and some of my ideas need some musicians from different areas to give me a hand. That's more for fun though, as I need to make the money to make the inventions to provide the seed money to build my businesses."

"Tell me more about what you want to do."

I went into detail about starting Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy, Zehrs, Home Depot, and Starbuck's. The individual units may compete on a minor scale against each other. They would occupy a large tract of land where all of the stores would be located. Company objectives and employee training were listed. Holtzman thought this quite adventurous until I said I wanted one of these units in every city over a hundred thousand in all of North America and only little less so for Europe. Starbuck's though would also invade all downtown areas and even malls.

"Where are you going to get all this money? We don't usually talk about billions when discussing money but we'll have to use it here."

"I need to incorporate in the US. Canada's too restrictive and getting a loan in the US is both easier and cheaper."

"Not too many institutions would loan to a twelve-year-old boy, I'm afraid."

"When I get twenty thousand dollars I can build more of my inventions. Those inventions can be sold for a hundred to five hundred million over a period of five years. That makes me seventeen. With that much capital and a good track record, I think I can get some institutions to loan me the money."

Mr Holtzman didn't leave that night. He didn't want to impose so he rented a hotel room. He was anxious to talk to me more. We were happy too, because Corinne would get to stay with us a bit longer.

Holtzman said, "You mentioned that your songs are worth more than a thousand dollars each but you haven't found buyers. Would you consider a lesser amount and a percentage of the revenues instead?"

"That's more than fair. The sale is only for the partial rights to my songs. The rights extend to only the performers and the company holding the performer's contract. I reserve all other titles including dispersal in sheet music form and by electronic means when it eventually comes about.

"I have to mention, that as a group, the record companies are sometimes run by some very unscrupulous people. Without my own accountants being able to view their book, I'm afraid I'll get robbed. The performers are getting robbed the same way now."

Mr Holtzman said, "I'm not going to ask how you know but I have met two individuals in that industry and feel similar to you."

I said, "Opening their books, I'm afraid, would be very difficult. I wouldn't want to do it even if I were honest."

"I wouldn't either. Let me see what I can do as your agent."

"Ten percent?"

"I was going to do it gratis."

"I would feel better with us being friends and business associates."

"But Cori — "

"You must know that I didn't know anything about you when I went after that car. But as a side deal I would like for Corinne to visit us when she can, as long as she's comfortable. Having lots of family is good for her and us too."

"You stopped working to take care of her."

"I see I have some spies," I said with a smile. Mr Holtzman looked embarrassed.

"Even if she did cause me to slow down, it was a small thing when you consider that she's only going to be young for a short time. Soon her other friends and school will absorb her time and we would be just a short vacation. You my friend, will be in the same boat. Your granddaughter is underfoot now but all of a sudden she'll have her own agenda and you'll be wondering where the quality time has gone."

"You don't sound twelve, Jeff."

"I always sounded older though I tried to hide it. I discovered that hiding my real self is not good but it's sometimes necessary."

On the sidewalk in front of our home, we all cried, included me, when Corinne left in her grandfather's car. At least I held my tears in until she was safely away.



-------

Chapter 2



For the last eighteen months, so the newspapers said, Kawartha Paper had been having problems. It was a major industry in this small city and was suffering another cutback in personnel. Faith, Karen and Sandy's families directly depended on this company for a job.

Karen and Sandy's parents had been smart enough to look for other jobs as soon as possible, unfortunately, there were not that many in North Bay. They had looked far afield for work and found they had to move to find it. At least they had family to assist in a crisis like this. Many others were not so lucky.

Faith now cried with us when she was told that her family was now moving away too. Her father got a promotion and much better pay when the layoff was called. They were much luckier than the others; for he still had a job even if it was in Toronto.

Karen and Sandy were over most of the time now and Susan tried as hard as she could to give them more hours and more pay.

Their singing and dancing weren't as happy as before. They tried to smile even if I could see that it was a fake.

Our lovemaking was now almost frantic and my sisters encouraged me to stay longer with those that had to leave. Paige saw this too and relinquished her time with me so the others could have it.

It was as if some cosmic balance affected those that lived around me more than they had before. I remembered the layoff from my past but I didn't think the girls had all left as they would now. We had just a week to say our goodbyes to Faith and each day was painful. In the next week Karen, then Sandy left us too. I cried after each of the girls left even though I was an old man. I had grown to love them in my own way and wished that they could stay.

Susan, who was taking care of our books, settled each of their accounts. Faith didn't want the money but it was pushed on her. She only brightened when I said, "In the not too distant future we are going to expand into Toronto. Not only will we need a good worker but that worker has to keep in touch with us much more than just as a friend."

The other girls were much the same but they needed the money even more now.

Things took a while to settle down again but the prospect of going back to school helped.

Another event helped to distract us. The Canada Revenue Agency sent a man to check us out as if we were hoarding millions of dollars that should go to his department. We kept good books and even filed our very first quarterly return. He looked through the books as if we were a large corporation out to cheat the government. I was reasonably honest with my dealings with the tax department in my old life and would be better in this one. I just had too much to lose if I failed now.

I didn't know why the man came here but I had to figure that somebody must have sicced him on us. He questioned many of our deductions. He also questioned why our carwash had a research and development department investigating into cutting edge physics. Thirty-one dollars and sixteen cents had been borrowed to get to Vockner. Luckily I had paid it back but it was still questioned. I wasn't getting any slack at all even when the money was instrumental in saving Corinne.

I contacted Mr Flaherty about my own school situation and we talked for a while. I put my two cents worth in when I talked about changing the usual eight classes per day that lasted all year long to half as many for half the time allowing two sets of finals. The idea was finally adopted well after I had left high school.

"That has been proposed Jeff. I imagine it's possible for the board to go that way, but there are some good reasons to stay the way we are too. I think students would get even more bored staying in a class twice as long."

"Everything has trade offs. I can see some of the reasoning being inertia but I think some schools in the US already have this system. If it's better then we should accept it. To stir up the mud, I might point out that we're not as much of an agrarian economy as we once were. The summer time could be used as a third semester if the schools were cooled. This requires new schools being air conditionined when they are built or retrofitting existing buildings."

Mr Flaherty said, "Even making that change would be costly. Duct work's work is not cheap."

"True but modern buildings have suspended ceilings and that would minimize the cost."

"True, but the board would never go for it."

"Now we're back to inertia and intransigency."

Mr Grissom was the principle of the high school. I vaguely remembered him as a fair person but that was when I was just a good student that followed the rules. Any alterations to my schedule would be up to him. I endeavoured to smile and try to get what I could by being polite.

James Morris High had an enrolment of a bit over seven hundred students. Some were bused in from outlying areas, because North Bay was not that large. The first day of school didn't scare me as it had the first time.

We were issued lockers. Since I was short I naturally got an upper locker. We had to parade to the office for an official lock that allowed the combination to be opened by the school if necessary. I was put into 9A as a class but it was temporary I hoped. School was for the most part, fun. It was also boring and after what I had learned it would be doubly so.

I had the compulsory Math and two English classes along with History, Geography, French, Phys Ed/health, Automotive and Music. Electives were available but I found a student had to rotate as part of a group for the most part instead of having an individual schedule. There was recourse through a counsellor but if memory served me right, they were not usually very helpful.

Paige was in 9F and taking business subjects. This would lead to a secretary or bookkeeper job but could also be preliminary to a university degree in accountancy.

Mr McGuire was the History teacher. His class happened to be our home room. He looked at me quite a bit and talked of what we should expect going into the frightening world of higher education. When he got his spiel done he said, "It looks like we have a celebrity with us today. Would you stand up Mr Congdon and tell us of your recent experiences?"

I did stand but I said, "Sir, I can talk of what I did during my summer vacation but some of it is just too traumatic. I'm not over it and may never be. I can say that I worked diligently in my shop fixing televisions and did some house painting, but most of it I think would be boring."

"Fixing televisions? Hmmmp." He raised his eyebrow and just looked away dismissing me.

The others knew me for a person just in the news, those with more information clued in the rest.

Most of the teachers were not as bad, although they weren't that good either. One teacher, though, was much nicer. She was the music teacher who had edited some of my songs. I had talked to her previously about my work and she wouldn't mention my songs to the students or to the teachers that didn't know already. This would distance me from the rest of the class if not the school.

Gym was also going to give me a problem. My body was weak, plus I had a lot of scar tissue. My shoulder was still worse. The gunshot wound had not healed yet. The teacher, Mr Renzo, thought everybody had to do the same thing or fail. I had him before but only in grade eleven. That time I had begun to develop and I made an acceptable showing. Previously I had an older and nicer teacher.

By the end of the day, I was at the counsellor's door. My appointment had even been scheduled as soon as I arrived at the school. Mrs Dotty also happened to be my Geography teacher.

"Hello Jeff. What can I help you with?"

"Hello Mrs Dotty. I painted myself into a corner I'm afraid. I love education in general and the subject you teach is one of my favourites. The problem is that I already know what's to be taught in your class. I happen to know the subject very well. I would like an advanced class to keep my interest. The same I fear will happen with most of my other subjects.

"The subjects that I know less of are Industrial Chemistry, Welding, Art, Refrigeration and Woodworking. I'm willing to take some tests to prove my point for those subjects I claim proficiency in."

She said, "I heard that you're good in Mathematics but how could you be good in all the rest?"

"I write in my spare time. My editors tell me how to write and form my sentences the way they should be formed."

She said, "I haven't seen any books by you or your works been sent to a magazine?"

"The first book's is a screenplay. Currently it's being professionally proof read in Toronto."

"Even if that's so, what about History?"

I smiled here to show my joy that I didn't really feel. "I have met a few people that like this subject as much as I do. We argue for hours on many different points. Roman History's a particular favourite. I have even read many of the old records of the time. When a work's translated a lot of detail's lost."

"You speak Latin?" she said with an eyebrow raised like Mr Spock.

This had been foreseen and I said in Latin as if it were my primary language, "Yes I do along with French and a bit of German. I have read many of the famous orators and tried to deduce what the current political situation was about. It's always about power, greed and ego but some political leaders had the mix a bit different from everybody else."

Apparently Mrs Dotty didn't understand Latin or forgot what she had. One year of the subject gives a student very little idea of what's going on.

"What about French? This is mandatory now."

She didn't know that this was just covered so I spoke conversationally to her in the language. She knew more of this language but not much.

"And Phys Ed?"

"I have a lot of scar tissue and as of a month ago a bit more, plus some muscle damage. I need to exercise and I do this in my home gym as a type of physiotherapy. This subject alone is necessary, though I cannot compete with the rest of the class."

She said, "I'll have to talk to Mr Grissom but I don't know how much we can help. Classes are set."

"How can they be set? This is the first day of school and a great deal of changes are being made even as we speak."

"The kinds of changes you want are not minor. I don't see how we can accommodate you." It sounded a lot more like she didn't want to accommodate me.

At least Paige was very happy with her day. To her, everything was exciting and new. The students in her commercial classes were mostly girls.

"I was asked all day long about you. Remember when my Mom caught us the first time we made love? The two part time girls saw us as well. Susan told them not to say anything but someone did. So most of my classmates know we're lovers. They want to know what it's like. When I told them that we would get married some day, they got real excited for me."

This kind of thing never hurt a young male's reputation. It may complicate our lives a lot, especially if Paige's father wanted to turn a blind eye until the situation confronted him.

Susan, Maggie and Jennifer walked with us. Jennifer now lived with Paige's family and she seemed to fit in well. I was certainly fed and clothed well by two girls eager to show their maternal and wifely skills.

We all ate cookies and milk while Nora asked us about our day. We had shopping to do for supplies but Susan and Maggie had extra school supplies from last year and we would scrounge off them for a few days until the crowds at the stores thinned a little. This allowed us to go to my house and work off some of our energy or, in my case frustration.

Susan looked a bit miserable. When asked she said, "A lot of my friends are gone. I miss Karen and Faith. I didn't know Sandy very well but there is a hole in me now when they're not here."

I kissed Jane and encouraged the girls to go upstairs. In less than a minute all of us were naked. Susan wanted her loving right away because her period was coming on at any time she said. I thought it was more that she missed her friends.

Susan wanted me in her right away while Paige and Maggie took on Jennifer. I did what was necessary to relieve the tension and the sadness. The girls got there faster than me but I enjoyed the time thrusting my hips into a very responsive young lady.

Soon enough Susan headed for the precipice and I worked faster. My fingers twisted and pinched her nipples the way she liked and she got much more motivated. I abandoned her nipples at the last moment and muffled her scream with my mouth. She bucked for more stimulation and then started to slow down and relax.

Her hands were around me and when she opened her eyes she smiled and said, "I love you Jeff. Nobody makes me feel the way you do." In a few seconds she had tears in her eyes and she whispered, "Don't leave me Jeff. Never leave me. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I love you too Susan. You can't give up hope of meeting somebody else but I'll be here all the time whether you find that person or not." She pulled me tight and sniffled.

Jennifer got me when Susan recovered. She was all wet from saliva and had her own come or two. I worked hard until she came then I had to take a rest. In the old days I could produce a lot of sperm now I needed to rest my back or tongue instead. My little prong was raring to go still.

It was well over an hour later that the other girls got the same loving. Paige and her new sister had to leave and got cleaned up. I heard them kiss Jane in the kitchen before saying their goodbyes.

"Jane, come up here!" I called out in a demanding voice. Jane liked to be told what to do on occasion.

Maggie hurriedly covered herself and Susan said, "What are you doing?"

I didn't answer but Jane came to the door wringing her hands in her apron. "Take off your clothes, Jane."

"But — "

"Take them off!"

She looked nervous but hurried to do what she was told. When she stood naked in all her glory at the doorway I admired her. All the girls but Paige shaved all their coarse pubic hair. Paige's was still too soft to take all of it.

Jane was a part time whore though I hated the word. She had an active sex life before meeting dad but needed a firm hand from a man that loved her to be happy.

"Lick me. Paige was just bouncing on me and made me wet."

She knew this was a game because I didn't do this normally. She shrugged her shoulders trying to get a hint of what she was supposed to do. I just used a finger and pointed.

She came over quickly and looked nervously at her daughters. They knew that I had sex with Jane and she knew that I had sex with the rest of the females that came to the house. She got onto the bed and because of the footboard, had to kneel and bend over to fit. She did a very good job and enjoyed her work. She made noises but I wasn't sure if she knew she was doing this.

With my hands I indicated a distance of nine inches as I looked at Susan. I then pointed at Jane's butt. Susan was shocked but I pointed two more times before she got up to do what I commanded. She was like her mother in needing some structure in her life. Perhaps this new addition to our group would compensate a bit for the three girls that we had lost.

Some lubricant was put on the end of the dildo that at one time had raped my ass. It now pleased the ladies when I wasn't around or I was otherwise occupied and the wait was too long to endure.

I held onto Jane's hair on each side of her face. This too she loved. Being forced seemed to relieve any remaining inhibitions. Jane paused when a hand touched her butt. She sucked two times then stopped as the dildo slid home in her vagina.

She groaned loudly now as Susan sped up her attack. Jane had stopped sucking me but this was her party, so I just remained still. She stayed in position for nearly five minutes groaning and wiggling and not sucking at all. Her scream came that was louder than any heard before, but I was able to muffle it adequately.

With Jane stunned, I got Maggie to take my place on the bed but she did so reluctantly. I took over from Susan's sore arm and got Jane stirred up again by slapping her inner thighs lightly and repeatedly.

From the look on Maggie's eyes, Jane was now proving how good she must have been as a girl. Every tenth plunge I slapped her again and she built up amazingly fast. Towards the end I was doing it every time and Maggie had to hold Jane as they both orgasmed.

Susan just stared open mouthed all the time. She helped me move Maggie to the other bed. "Take her place Susan."

She just swallowed some saliva and did what I asked. Jane was a big bag of jelly and just moved as I put her.

Susan looked at me with a worried look as I slapped Jane's inner thighs again. She did come to life and began to eat her other daughter. She was responding but not as good as before. She was thirty four and not able to take all the stimulus. The thumb of my left hand went into the lubricant and then rubbed at her unused opening. She was very sensitive here and responded as good as when she got her first slap.

I teased her opening as I stroked into her vagina. When the home stretch came I worked further and further into this passionate woman. Both girls were breathing hard and when it looked the best time, my thumb pushed in then came out of her then in again very quickly. She was loose and could take this treatment. Jane screamed one more time with Susan and then she collapsed as if she was had been pole axed.

I put down my tool and moved Jane so she could breathe by pushing her onto her side. I rested her head on Susan's abdomen for both women to recover. Looking on the other bed, Maggie had her own orgasm and was still moaning slightly and flexing her pelvis.

Susan awoke first but stayed in place. Jane took a while longer and had a surprised smile on her face as she looked at me. "That never happened before."

"We have to talk Jane. You were always kept separate. You're now in the only group of women I want. We're going to try to see if we can satisfy you enough that you don't need to leave on the weekends. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Jeff. We can try. Am I going to please my own daughters to?"

"They will please you just as much. Tonight we will all sleep in your room. You're not going to sleep alone again."

"But — "

"But your period? So you wear your pad when the time comes. You still have hands and lips to please my other girls. They will have their periods too and will do the same. You have no option in this. You'll do as you are told."

She hung her head but not before I had caught the first part of a smile.

We had our supper alone for a change. The girls cooperated now in cleaning up as if they were all sisters. They did a lot of giggling for no reason. I could see that everybody was happy which is what I wanted. They even whispered but I think this is a female thing that allows them to gossip.

Jane had only been partially into our studies but I didn't like her talents going to waste. It could be my own love of learning that I wanted carried over to all members of our family.

Jane did some bookkeeping and Maggie gave her a hand. Susan went to the carwash as it was still thriving. With winter nearing, this would not last too much longer. If we built a permanent building, I could have the girls working much longer. Erect nipples from a cold draught would be good for business but I didn't want the girls to be uncomfortable.

Congdon Electronics was growing. I could easily keep up with the work even if I needed some time for other things. Some of the car radio work relied on extracting then installing the radios. Here's where some help could come in handy. Most of my parts were bought at more than wholesale price but less than retail. I had to bike over to get whatever I needed. The other shops sold to me but didn't like me cutting into their business. My prices were a bit cheaper but my guarantee was very firm even if it cost me money.

While working on the audio section of a television I heard the telephone. Five minutes later Jane called out the window so I could hear in the garage, "Jeff, your youngest admirer is on the phone."

After wiping my hands I hurried in and said my hello. Corinne talked for another five minutes but Jane and Maggie stayed close. They loved the girl too and would like to talk more than they just had. Eventually 'Grampy' got the phone.

"Hello Jeff. I have some good news for you."

"Hello Mr Holtzman. What might this good news be?"

"I sent your songs to some friends of mine in the United States. They were quite impressed by what you did for Corinne and me, and also by your song writing ability.

"One friend of a friend has an in with MGM and they like your material. Many of the songs of today are a rehash of songs sung a quarter century ago. You have new material. Anyway they want Debbie Reynolds to sing 'Downtown'. I have not pushed too hard but I think they will take a strait percentage. You mentioned that this song should hit number one and stay there for a while. If that happens, then you may get in the four to five thousand dollar range. That's in American money too."

I said, "That sounds great Mr Holtzman. MGM may not be a sleazy record company but is there a way of ensuring that what's signed for will be given?"

"The friend of a friend is one of your admirers too. This may not mean much when it comes to money but he can see the books and has no need of robbing from a young man."

"That's good to hear. Would you advise me further and assist me in setting up an American corporation with the proceeds?"

"The same man, Mr Sackman, can arrange that too. He's also a corporate attorney. You have to have an office and I think he will rent you a square inch on one of his upper shelves for a dollar a year. He can also forward your mail."

"I do not know about the specifics of this deal but I'll bow to both your and Mr Sackman's judgements in this matter. Is there a need for me to fly down or can this be done through the mail?"

"The post will do and your own lawyer can notarise the document and keep a copy for your records. I'll phone Mr Sackman now and let him know you accepted."

"Thank you Sir. If Mr Sackman wishes, he could send me some suggestions, then I could see if I can make up a song to suit his singers or the movies that the company makes."

"I'll inform him."

When we said goodbye I told Jane and Maggie about the deal. They knew a lot about MGM and more about Debbie Reynolds and were tickled pink about our success. I just cautioned them to not tell anyone outside our extended family. This was a lost hope though. The girls had a right to know but they would burst once the song came out if they couldn't tell just one friend.

I went back to work, finishing up all my jobs, then came in to phone the customers that his TV was done. Jane was my secretary and took payments for me.

I got the girls studying after getting them focussed with a hypnotic suggestion. It didn't put them to sleep just allowed them to see their work better and avoid distractions.

Paige and Jennifer came over for a few minutes, which pushed the studying away. Maggie whispered to me and I nodded my head. The two girls got through a page or two of their work when Maggie casually said, "Jeff is finding more work for us." This came out as if she were a bit pissed. "MGM's getting Debbie Reynolds to sing one of his songs. Now we have to learn about American law and bookkeeping practices too."

Their eyes got very large. Jennifer said, " Deb — Debbie Reynolds. I have some of her songs."

Study was forgotten. Jennifer ran out and came back with her records and Nora. Nora talked to Jane and all the girls said what they knew of the matter from the one sided conversation on the phone.

They had to be cautioned to keep it quiet and warned that the contract was not signed. MGM could even sign and not release the song thus destroying its value for me.

I wanted to tell Miss Floit, the music teacher, the next day but resolved to keep quiet until the song was due to come out. I had a small amount of control over my girls but very little over this teacher. She was a friend that helped me though and deserved some advanced notice.

The first real class of the year was History. The day before was actually just a talk about the course. Even for grade nine it came out very easy. Children had to get over their summer hiatus and get back to learning and this sometimes took a month. Part of it was human nature but it was also not doing anything cerebral during the warmer months.

Mr McGuire asked my opinion on a passage only fifteen minutes into the class. I stood and talked of the various points in history leading up to the situation he mentioned. I cited the resolution and how it was not a fair one for it caused a lot more conflict. I listed two more situations that were similar and where a better resolution came about. The man asked me in more detail about his original question listing names, battles, dates and the heads of states. I listed the kings and talked of their failings as generals and even as human beings through other data that only someone truly interested in History would know.

Friends taking history, collected lots of the dirt on kings as a project in university. I helped too by going through many of the old books with them. Though it wasn't my class I helped and got to see the amount of data collected.

"You are surprisingly well informed Mr Congdon. I'm not familiar with the majority of what you mentioned. Would you mind telling me how you happen to come by this information?"

"Not at all. I have some friends taking a history course at the University of Western Ontario. A class project was to dig up as much dirt as they could on a great many former heads of state. I read some of their books and made my own contribution. In the process I was able to see what the others had found. If my friends had been studying for the bar I think a great deal more would be found. These students seem to have an inborn instinct for this kind of thing."

"That's interesting too Mr Congdon. Do you have many other interesting anecdotes?"

"A great many Sir. Perhaps some evening we can swap stories and fight over different views of what really happened in history and why."

"Thanks for the offer Mr Congdon but I don't think so."

His words were seemingly polite but I knew when I was snubbed. I just took my seat and waited. Just a minute before the end of the class I was asked something again. I knew I could not explain this adequately in the time available and wondered if this was the man's plan.

"Perhaps tomorrow Sir. The class's nearly over. I don't expect you want partial answers." The bell rang just then.

A young woman named Miss Kimball was my math teacher. The new math was not out yet but would be in a year. She explained the basic laws of mathematics; it would take a week of this to pound the information into some spongy and impervious minds. I switched gears and thought of some of the other things that I could invent that would be both cheap to manufacture and bring in enough capital to make them more worthy than others on my list.

The three lunch periods were longer than the other classes. I was lucky and got my lunch with Paige. Others in our group had one of the other two periods. I had come late but Paige saved a seat for me. The table was full of grade nine girls. Three I knew but the rest were from other schools.

Before sitting I said, "Hello ladies, I hope I'm not going to bother you sitting here." Nobody objected and I said, "Thanks," and took my seat.

"Hello Sweetie. Any teachers try to take a chomp out of you?"

She giggled in embarrassment. "No, they're pretty good. You taught me more bookkeeping in an hour than I think I'll learn in a month in class." With a sneaky grin she added, "Will you come and teach us?"

"If only I could. My classes are boring. I would much rather be teaching some young and pretty ladies. Being on the other side of the equation makes all the difference. Teaching is interesting even if it's simple information. A grade one teacher has to have patience teaching about how Spot runs."

"When I was young, I thought of you as Dick even when you were in kindergarten."

"You were my Jane too but in grade four when we were in the same class I thought of one of the Tarzan books. "Then it was, ME Tarzan! YOU Jane! — of course there was Cheetah but she wasn't my type."

Paige burst out laughing and all the girls at least chuckled. I had a mind full of jokes and I regaled them with those suitable for their age.

Other students looked at our table. Young people wanted the other gender but had no idea what to do to get them to notice. The girls didn't want to pick up a loser and have her friends point out how she has such poor taste.

Phys Ed was next. We changed clothes and the boys tried to hide. Being shy was part of growing up but I had left that fifty years ago. The boys from 9C joined ours while the girls had their own gym on the other side of a wall. I was eyed by near everybody. The scar tissue was pointed out but it was the bullet wound that made them really interested.

Mr Renzo just had us hurry out and run around the field. It was not long until I was last then a lot further back than the next person.

Mr Renzo checked us off on his clipboard but there was nothing I could do. We did jumping jacks and other simple exercises until it was time to leave. From my memories I knew that Mr Renzo didn't believe in body odour and didn't allow any but the teams to use the shower.

"Mr Renzo, we exercised and I stink now. May I have just a moment to rinse the sweat off?"

"A little sweat isn't gong to bother anyone Congdon."

"Shakespeare said that beauty was in the eye of the beholder but so is stink I believe. It may be fine for some but objectionable to others."

"Do you think it will cut into your love life," he chuckled?

"Most guys have their palm as a girlfriend but I'm not that developed yet. The smell still offends the ladies."

The man laughed and said, "Go have your shower, but make it quick."

"Thanks," I said as I hurried.

It was a quick shower and my hair stayed damp from sweat. Being small and naked didn't bother me as it did some of the others. I had to hurry or I would be late for class.

The last class was auto and though interesting, it offered me nothing new to learn. A portion of the basic fundamentals was covered and I just thought of ways that had been used in later years to improve the engine. Most advances would be incremental and involve computer engine management in later years.

The first week of school was short. I tried to talk to Mrs Dotty but she was not available. I debated seeing Mr Grissom and not following the chain of command but he was at a meeting anyway. Monday would have to do.

Jane had called in sick fort the last two weekends then abruptly gave her resignation in a manner of speaking.

The girls came over and she was getting fucked all the time and seemed to be very energetic in making sure the girls were satisfied. This was not an around the clock orgy for the girls were still working at various businesses. Cars still got dirty and homes and yards had to still had to be tended. Babysitting though should actually get better through the winter months. Sometimes the new girls came and plans had to be altered. They didn't take the place of Faith, Sandy or Karen and I was afraid of giving them a similar place in my heart.

I was deep into 'Star Wars' now. I bought a used typewriter and double-spaced so I could write in by hand some of the comments I made. I kept Tatooine but changed some of the characters. The desert was great but it could also be done in what northern Ontario was like with bare rock and lakes. Snow could be written in because the production would take almost a full year. The 'Sand People' would have to be the 'Bog People' now but it still fit.

I got the entire framework done and thought of the other books in the series and adjusted some ideas to work more seamlessly. Historical characters and planets would be mentioned and be easy to work into future stories. There most definitely would not be a Jar Jar Binks.

I remembered seeing a documentary on the problems with making the movie and I thought I could overcome them if I planned for ways to minimise the obstructions. Harrison Ford could walk around Jabba the Hutt without stepping on the tail that had to be there.

We went to school early on Monday but I was unable to see Mrs Dotty though. I made an appointment with her and to the principle just in case. If I let them, they might put off meeting with me until it was officially too late to make schedule changes.

Marcy Stevens was a good-looking blonde in my class. The boys were always around her. I knew that she was like many other girls and just sharpening their claws to learn how to manipulate males and the competition. She was very healthy too. Other than a cute face she had large breasts that would probably give her problems later in life. I didn't remember her very well because I think she moved before grade ten started.

When she walked by, she usually used a sultry voice and said a few kind words to me. At lunch though she was already at the table I sat at with the girls. One girl was away today so there was no real problem. Paige bristled but I still introduced Marcy to those girls whose names I remembered.

"I hear so much laughter over here every lunch time."

Paige said, "Jeff's a funny person. He knows a million jokes that just happen to fit what we are doing or what someone said."

"He's pretty smart in class too," she said as she looked at me with a smile.

"Ladies, did you hear about the absent minded farmer's daughter?"

They didn't but I had to say a few jokes to get the girls thinking of something else. It was not something that could last but it allowed them to act like ladies, at least for now.

We ate our lunch and when leaving for our class, Marcy slipped her arm into mine. Nobody else did this at school even in the higher grades. Paige was shocked then fuming and stood in place.

I stopped and said, "Marcy, you're a nice girl but Paige is not only my friend she's my girlfriend."

Paige looked smug and Marcy pulled her hand away. "Yeah, I heard about you two. She does anything for you."

The girls in hearing range were shocked. Paige was shocked again and starting to get really upset.

"She would, but I would do the same thing for her. If it meant dying to save her I would. And if you know anything about me you will know that this is the gospel truth."

Marcy just turned her head and left for class. I turned to Paige and said, "I love you Paige Newfield, with all my heart."

Paige's tears turned to a smile and we hurried to class. A great many people had heard me but it felt proper to do just then.

As our next class began, I saw Marcy whispering to all the girls around her. It was probably concerning what I had just said. I could only think she was telling the girls her side of the story before they heard what others thought of it. When the teacher brought the class to focus, the girls that had listened to Marcy were looking at me with serious expressions as if I had wronged one of their number.

This reminded me somewhat of when Susan had branded me a homosexual but it would not be that bad. Nothing was that bad.

When the school day ended, I went into see Mrs Dotty. "Hello Mrs Dotty. Were you able to find anything out for me?"

"Hello Jeff. I did get some clarification of school policy. You have to take math and all the other subjects."

"What if I already had those credits?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if I have already passed grade nine, ten eleven twelve and grade thirteen math? I don't think anybody wouldn't expect me to take any of those courses again."

"You haven't passed those exams yet Jeff."

"It is not very well known but I have the legal option of leaving school entirely. I have to place myself under the care of a teacher that can instruct me in any subject they are qualified to teach. Even my mother can do this. The school board is compelled by provincial statutes to test me if required and then give me credits in those courses that I successfully passed. Do you think I would pass grade thirteen math Mrs Dotty?"

"That is besides the point, Jeff. Even if you can pass those tests there are still other subjects. You are endangering your chance to get into university."

I smiled at her. Though the school could hold off a long time on the tests they still had to give them to me. "Mrs Dotty, if I wrote a university entrance exam now I would pass. I'm only here in this school to widen what I know and be with people my own age. I could learn a lot more in a university but the students are a good deal older than me."

"You can't pass History and Geography never mind the two English courses."

"We seem to have a problem here in communication. I said I can pass them and you have taken the stand that it's impossible instead of trying to find out if it's true or not. On the first day of school I was told that the counsellor was supposed to guide us in our choices. I infer from that statement, that you are to assess me to make decisions and not give me your stock answer."

"You are very impertinent Mr Congdon. I'm here to help you and not restrict your options."

"Then help me, don't judge me on little or no knowledge. Find this information, and to do this you test me verbally or through written tests. Adults jump to a lot of conclusions and to be truthful so do those not adult yet. I'm a scientifically orientated person. I state the reason for an experiment. I list all the things I am going to use. I perform the experiment. I make my observations after using all available testing equipment then state my conclusion."

I added as a thinly veiled insult, "Galileo Galilei moved science away from speculation and philosophy and toward the form we have today. He insisted on careful experimentation and observation. If I remember correctly, he was persecuted by those that didn't believe, until he dropped two different sized stones from the bell tower on top of the tower of Pisa."

The woman remained silent. Her pencil slipped through her fingers as she pushed it onto her desk then flipped the pencil and did it again and again. "I do not think Mr Grissom will allow the tests."

"Then we both should beard the lion in his den. That is if you want to see proof of what I say or see me fall on my face."

There was another pause. "I'll make an appointment tomorrow if I can. Mr Grissom is a busy man."

"It's fortunate than that I have an appointment in five minutes. He can talk to both of us. Unless you think that you have to talk to him privately first." I did look suspiciously or at least tried to.

"No, no we can do this but it is on your head Mr Congdon."

"Yes, Mrs Dotty. I'm very well aware of that."

Mr Grissom was a little surprised at both of us coming. Instead of asking me, he said, "Hello Mrs Dotty. I thought this meeting was for Mr Congdon?"

"It may have been. Mr Congdon wishes to take some tests to assess his standing in some subjects. He thinks he can pass grade thirteen Mathematics and all the other subjects he cares to name. He further said that he can leave school and study at home and we are required to test him. I assume we then have to give him his diploma if he gains enough credits."

The woman was obviously taking this very personal, as if I was doing something to her. I waited for her to run out or add more but she stopped. Both teachers glared at me for thinking the impossible and asking them to help as if they were each the squire Sancho Panza. The thought of them riding beside me as I held my lance and charged giants made me smile.

"What do you have to say about this Mr Congdon? Do you find it amusing?"

"What I find amusing, would not bring a chuckle to Mrs Dotty Sir. I just stated my options to the counsellor that's supposed to assist me. It appears she has taken this as a personal affront to her and perhaps the school system. I went to her first so I was following the proper chain of command. This meeting was only set up as a precaution if my meeting with Mrs Dotty failed. The sooner I get into the correct classes the sooner my disruption of your school ends."

I added, "What I said though is true. I could, if I wished, drop out of school, even at my age and study at home. The government of Ontario will then assure that I get a chance to get tested. As Mrs Dotty mentioned, they will make sure that I get a diploma provided I meet the criteria. I didn't come here for a confrontation, just a request to have some tests that will assess my proper place within the educational system. The only effect other than more work marking tests, will be to try to fit me into those remaining subjects that you offer and I wish to take."

"I heard you are proficient in Mathematics Mr Congdon. What other subjects did you think you could pass?"

This had been anticipated and to tell the truth I was happy to present the list. Part, no much of this, was my ego talking. I wanted recognition for what I could do. A diploma was understandable to many people when a stack of patents in my name would not be.

"This list is preposterous Mr Congdon. There are almost enough credits here to allow you to graduate. Nobody can do all this."

"Can you do this Mr Grissom?"

"Well, yes, but I am a lot older and have taught some of these subjects."

"So, by your own words these subjects can be passed and now it's only a matter of my age. Why don't we have a few tests to see if my ability matches my mouth? If I fail, then I apologise humbly and go back to counting with my fingers and toes while asking Mrs Dotty questions about the water cycle."

"What is so bad about that? I mean the water cycle."

"A portion of the list in your hand is devoted to physics. I have a patent application that I know pushes back the boundaries of knowledge in Physics."

"Hmmmm," he did a lot of thinking and Mrs Dotty excused herself because of other duties or just to have a reason to leave. Mr Grissom said, "We can end this nonsense now Mr Congdon. I already assume you can pass all of the mathematics courses so we can work with Physics."

"Thank you Sir. That's very much appreciated." The man obviously thought that he was going to set me in my place.

"Tomorrow we will give you copies of some of the tests from other years. I just need to find a proctor."

"I know of one that may be interested that everything is done properly and one that you would trust. I'll even phone him myself to see if he is available." I waited for his reaction then said, "Mr Flaherty is a busy man, but he has seen what I can do. I can call him unless you are worried about his impartiality?"

"Ah, no he would conduct the tests fairly."

"May I use your phone for a minute? Perhaps some last minute juggling of schedules will be necessary."

"Be my guest. It's your neck."

It turned out that Mr Flaherty was very interested in being my proctor. He talked a few minutes with Mr Grissom whose face got a more sour as the call went on.

"You will be taking Physics tomorrow. Now I have to see about getting some other tests ready." The man was angry. It may have been because of the extra work or simply disrupting his schedule.

The girls had been waiting patiently for me at the corner and around them were a few young men sniffing like bees at the flowers.

"Hello ladies," I said then looked at the guys, "and gentlemen."

Paige got a chaste kiss and I didn't really cared who saw it. She smiled and held my arm in hers.

"I am sorry it took so long. I'm getting an assessment made tomorrow and I have to go to the library to brush up on physics."

One of the older boys chuckled but said nothing. Grade nine students didn't get Physics but the reason could be something else.

I hurried to the library, and now that I had some papers proving I was in grade nine, I was allowed into the inner sanctum of the adult section. The head librarian came by when I had a pile of books in front of me and she gave me a sour face too. I was not after principles but formulas and the correct word for a certain law or process.

Recalling all the physics tests I had ever taken was impossible. There were only two problems that ever stood out in my mind and they were because I had screwed them up.

While I was at the library, I went to check on information about liquid crystals. In the early seventies it was discovered that cyanobiphenyl would form liquid crystals at room temperature. This stable nematic phase was what was needed to start everything from digital watches to computer screens. I had taken a bit of background study but it was a display of the process I once saw from a LCD manufacturer that I remembered best. Not everything was clear to me even then and I had asked questions. This time I would have to work for my next Nobel Prize. The man that did this first got the prize almost twenty years later.

I took three of the better books home with me and studied that night. Some time was taken to be sociable since we didn't necessarily have sex all the time. It was fun to sit together and talk or even play music or dance to the music on the radio.



-------

Chapter 3



Pre-recorded music was only in record form in 1958. Eight or the rare four track cartridges were not even around then. Phillips made tape recorders but they were the reel to reel type. There were some quality problems with sound and maintenance. There was a very noticeable hiss from the tape that could be corrected by using a ceramic head. These devices had not invented yet. Also later on, two ridges on the head were used to guide the edges of the tape so it didn't wander.

Another improvement would be the addition of Dolby A or Dolby B circuits that would process out most of the hiss. Putting simple circuits in with transistors and powered by batteries would spark a revolution in listening but only if other factors were right. More people had to want to have pre-recorded music and then they would buy the portable units. A unit could be put into a car but the car companies could get this made themselves.

I had worked on some equipment from commercial television stations. I knew that their present equipment was very poor from the standards of the twenty first century. I could not just plug in parts to do things better but had to actually make the parts and that was difficult. Even the very small head used to read audiotape was a simple but marvellous transducer that needed very tight tolerances.

Jane was sitting at the table with a pack of cigarettes in front of her. She had quit but now there were three butts in the ashtray.

"Hello sweetie. Tell me what's the matter."

"Nothing Jeff."

"Nothing? You know I'm not that stupid. Tell me. I need to know."

It took a moment then she said, "Where I worked, well the place was raided. The police tried to find me and even tried to get information from the rest. The girls said they didn't say anything but I'm worried. The house was never raided before and nobody ever bothered us."

"Jane, it could be a person trying to make a name for themselves or the police trying to find another way of digging at us. They couldn't hit my business and now they tried to hit you. They have been sticking to the framework of the law. We'll just have to have a talk with the girls to come up with a plan. Mr Mason may have to be brought in."

My mind was spinning with conspiracy theories but it was difficult to keep out even the wildest ones. My head was pounding the next day so I took a few aspirin. Burning the midnight oil did that to me some times. Worrying did the same thing.

On the way to school, I told the girls, "I'm taking a few Physics tests and may have a problem with having the same lunch time."

Susan said, "Well maybe you can have lunch with me?"

Maggie laughed. "Or with me."

Mr Flaherty and Mr Grissom were ready for me when I got to school. Mr Flaherty said, "Hello Jeff, I know that you want these tests. I was wracking my mind for a few hours wondering about your reasoning. I can see that the subject may be old hat to you but I get the feeling there is something more."

"Oh, there is."

"And?"

"Only a second Nobel Prize but you wouldn't be interested in hearing me talk about this."

Mr Grissom was coming close to apoplexy when Mr Flaherty said, "Is this in lasers again?"

"Not this time. It will makes some money but the market will be in the billion dollar range by the time I will be old enough to retire."

Mr Grissom burst out with, "This is preposterous. How can you talk of billions of dollars when even large companies work in millions?"

After he ran down, I said, "From your point of view it just might seem that way. The truth is that in the last few decades we have been moving ahead very quickly. It was not just the atomic bomb but a great deal of other things as well. If you were to plot the number of inventions and discoveries against years earlier you will see the difference. If you take a good look and see their importance in our lives then you will see that we are in tidal wave of change. To stay afloat you need to swim with the flow and try to stay on top of both the wave and current developments."

He replied angrily, "You can't come up with one Nobel Prize Mr Congdon. Every one I know of has been from a well respected researcher and well known in his field."

"I would agree with you but I'm sorry to say that I'm the only one in my field at the moment. Other people are tinkering with trying to develop lasers but they have not succeeded yet. I'm willing to bet that my patent application has been very well studied and a great many copies of my invention are being worked on in various labs around the world."

Mr Grissom said, "You think pretty highly of yourself Mr Congdon."

"I know I'm pretty good at Mathematics. You inferred the same thing yesterday. I know I'm good at Physics and you'll find out this today. Why are you attacking me like Mrs Dotty before you see the proof?"

Mr Grissom didn't say anything as I went into a small room with just Mr Flaherty and his armload of large envelopes. He handed me the first but I put it unopened on the desk. By taking the test for every sequential year I got more credits for university. The university could give the same hassle as the school was currently giving.

I said, "Sir I'm going to be accused of cheating if my marks are very good. I also came prepared if you will assist me in taking away some ammunition from my detractors."

"What would you like me to do?"

I opened my gym bag and took out underwear, socks, shorts and a 'T' shirt. "Please search these clothes for anything that could help me crib. Don't worry they're all clean," I said with a smile.

The man smiled back and looked through the clothing. "It looks to be just cloth."

"Thank you." I took off all my clothing and put it in a pile by my bag. Mr Flaherty didn't like being close to a naked boy but I showed him my arms and he could see that nothing was hidden on me. I donned the new clothes he had searched and I sat at one of the desks only after he looked for more hidden notes.

"I can't see that you would be able to cheat Mr Congdon."

"Thank you Sir. You may never be asked but it's nice to have taken the precautions first and I would not have to retake similar tests later."

I did the final exams for grade eleven to thirteen. They were slated for roughly two hours each but I was done all of them before first lunch. Mr Flaherty was going over the first exam as I completed the others.

"It has been a long time since I took Physics but it looks like you did very well. You whizzed through the exams quickly. Did you want to take some of the other subjects?"

"I'm not tired. Electricity and Electronics are a shoo-in from fixing televisions and radios. Bookkeeping is the same way. French and Latin could round out the day unless you want to test my weak German or weaker Spanish."

"I'm afraid we don't have anybody teaching those last two subjects though I know a few that speak the language. I only know some simple phrases."

"That's ok. I know a few hundred words and the grammar is odd in German. I once read 'El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha' in Spanish or as you know of it as 'Don Quixote'. I worked from French and Latin to read the story. I gained quite a few words but they are ones not usually used. I gave up half way through and read the rest in English."

The man said, "I read the book in English. The book was odd too in a way but still entertaining."

"Yesterday I chuckled to myself when I sarcastically thought of Mrs Dotty being my squire, Sancho Panza. Just picturing her on a mule as I charged with my lance was enough to draw a comment from Mr Grissom about my out of place smile."

The man in front of me was smiling now and said, "I can see how that could be seen as humorous."

A secretary came in as a proxy proctor while Mr Flaherty dropped off the tests and scrounged up others. In the mean time I had a conversation with the secretary. To her I was just a nuisance that took up some of her time that she would have to make up for later.

Another teacher came in later. Mrs Chisholm was my old Latin teacher and she came in to give me the test. She was a tough old bird but I liked her for it. In this time she had never met me yet.

In Latin I said, "Hello Mrs Chisholm. I see that Caesar has aroused your interest."

She paused then said in the same language, "Yes he did. You diction is fairly good. Where did a boy your age learn Latin?"

"I suck up languages very easily. I mentioned to Mr Flaherty that I spoke French and a bit of German too."

"He said that you know a bit of Spanish."

"Only a bit. I had to work hard at it without a text book and only Latin and French to guide me. To answer your question, both my sisters took your class and I just got second hand knowledge. Once I had enough, all I needed was a dictionary and some documents to read at the library. There is even a source of monologues exhorting the people of Rome to accept the ideals of various orators. The supply is limited and I can't get more until I get to university. My Latin is fair I think and I honed it reading other old texts in the language. Newton supplied his 'Principia Mathematica' then his Opticks. I have used them for my own work."

"I heard that you were very good at math and now physics." She was having trouble remembering the correct words in Latin or finding a suitable workaround. In English she said, "Why are you in gym clothes?"

"Mr Flaherty was kind enough to search these clothes then I decided to strip so there was no chance of hidden notes. Do you want me to do this for you too?"

The woman sat up and it was only when she saw my smile that she smiled back. "An evil and bad end will come to you one day Mr Congdon."

"That was not as good 'Beware the ides of March', Mrs Chisholm but the sentiments are noted and you are also probably correct."

She laughed for the first time in all the years I have known her. "Here do the test. I have real work to do."

I finished the best I could do for grade ten and then did the next year for we only had a two year course in this school. I couldn't remember all the words and should have gone through the textbook and then worked on the uncommon irregular verbs. Mrs Chisholm had the first test marked before I finished the second.

When I handed the second one in she glanced at it for a minute and said, "It looks like you did very well. It isn't great but it will be a fairly high mark."

"Thanks Mrs Chisholm. I'm getting hungry would you like to sup with me? I brought the usual bribe of an apple if you are willing to accept it."

She smiled again and said in German, "That is at the old rate. Now it is an apple and a plum."

In the same language I said, "The price of a good teacher is going up beyond my means to pay."

Mr Flaherty came back with some additional tests and I ate my lunch while doing them. The electronic and electrical were done very quickly and I only added in one place a differential equation that proved my previous answer. French was easier than Latin because I had a chance to use it a lot more. Grade nine bookkeeping was almost too simple.

Mr Flaherty asked when I handed the last exam in, "What about Math, History, English and Geography?"

"Math will take most of a day because I have to do all the computations. I would like to refresh my memory for the other two. Just because I like Republican Rome doesn't mean I remember all of my Canadian history. To make things simpler and perhaps more convenient, we can schedule one day only for math. Mrs Dotty and Mr McGuire can give me the final grade nine exam from their archives. A week of study should get me the grade ten the same way."

English was my worry though. Usually a book by Shakespeare would be studied in detail. Grade nine was as I remembered it long ago, and I had been studying the book recently to assist my memory. The grade ten test though may or may not have the same books I had studied before and I had not had a chance to bone up on the course.

Mr Flaherty said, "Assuming you pass with a high enough mark, what subjects do you want to take?"

I walked to my gym bag and took out the paper he needed. He looked through it and said, "These are all tech subjects. You need other courses to get into university."

"Sir, there I won't need any more after a few days. And that course in Industrial Chemistry is going to give me access to the lab. With a sympathetic teacher, principle and school board I'll get the second prize I was mentioning earlier."

"So that is why you wanted those other subjects out of the way?"

"Yes it is. The other courses are just general interest. Home Ec is at the bottom of the list and I saw you smile when you got there. This is mainly to help the school and male students."

His expression changed. "I can't see how that can be, Jeff."

"A male student goes to university or away from his family for a job and he has to resort to expensive prepared foods because he has no idea of what to do to make a meal. He can't even mend a shirt or pants. Besides my girlfriend takes the class and I have a chance of taking it with her."

"I heard in the newspaper article that you made that little girl a skirt out of deer hide."

"I did. She was over during the summer for a week and I managed to make the dress look more decorative by adding beadwork and trimming the rough edge just a bit. My love of history allowed me to make Roman Infantryman's boots and I used this idea to make her some better shoes when we were on the run."

"I hadn't heard about that. No tunic or spear?"

"The tunic wasn't needed, and the spear of walking stick would have bruised the moss more than my shoes. I don't know much about living in the wild but it was enough that time. It was the topographical map that really saved us."

-------

Jane was a little better when we got home. Escaping the clutches of the police could do this and I felt she had a guilt complex because she had not been arrested when her friends had. The fact that they asked for Jane by name also made her feel that she had caused the raid and her friends grief.

We talked more of taking precautions about police and other entanglements. Already all the girls and every employee took some rape prevention training and this was extended to include harassment from the police and what to do if it could not be avoided.

Tomorrow promised to be a hectic day but I studied History and Geography instead. The girls were happy with me and, especially Paige, when I told her that there was a good chance I could join her in one of her classes.

Math didn't require me to change clothes because there were four proctors to do nothing but watch. Instead of acting like a twelve-year-old I went up and shook their hands and got their names. I dug into their history a bit and found that they had extensive mathematical backgrounds.

The grade nine final exam was simple but mistakes could easily be made. The same was true for all the rest so I had to work harder to get any particular answer. The grade thirteen portion, when it finally came, was in three separate fields, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus. Each one was worth two credits but students weren't allowed to take more than one for some reason. I took all three.

Instead of leaving for lunch, I found myself answering questions about my knowledge of math. I didn't think they liked the fact that I turned this into a class for all of us when I asked questions to clear up certain points I didn't understand well. I was frank with them and admitted gaps in my knowledge.

When I had to do all the rough work in calculating, I fondly remembered my calculator and computer. MathCAD or Mathematica would really help me if I could get myself on the newest dual processor eight gigahertz machines available when I left in 2008.

The four proctors were not happy with me for other reasons. It soon became clear that they thought I was going to be a fount of knowledge, instead I explained to them that I only studied what I needed for a particular project.

They knew a great deal about my laser but they were only interested in the mathematics and how it related to specific properties of light. They were interested in the measurements I used and how I hypothesised that they worked. They were intrigued how I knew that the measurements. The laser would not work if the dimensions were larger simply because light was not fast enough. My engineering showed that even another inch would cause the experiment to fail.

To throw a fox in with the chickens I talked about astronomy. Einstein's theories had been simplified and even partially taught in high schools. I had been taught at two additional levels but I could not understand all of what the man spoke of. I brought in 'dark matter', 'quasars', 'black holes' and a few other things found out years from now. I was happy to even give competing ideas from future astronomers to make sure these people here stretched their minds. When I left the four were arguing amongst themselves and I hadn't been required to give much mathematics to support any of the arguments.

The girls were waiting expectantly and I told them I passed. I didn't know for a fact but I didn't see any of the proctors jumping on any mistakes.

That night I made my own call to John Holtzman.

"Hello Jeff. How are you doing?"

"Not bad at all. I talked the school into giving me some exams and I'm rid of most of the subjects that would be too boring."

"Well that's something. Usually schools are too conservative to go out on a limb like that."

"Mr Mason told me about home study and I used that as a lever to get tested. I'm afraid that some teachers wanted to see me fall on my face and hurried to provide the tests."

"How well did you do?"

"Not all are marked and I think a great many people are going to go over the documents to see if I was given marks I didn't deserve, or ones I should have received."

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about Jeff?"

"Yes Sir. My next rabbit requires that I learn a great deal more about organic chemistry. One project will only bring in money but the other will be worth the prize I mentioned. My problems revolve around not having access to some books. The specialised books are only found in universities. North Bay is not in commuting distance to any institution like that.

"Would you happen to know anybody that could get me into a university library? A student will do but he or she would have to stay close enough that I won't have some problems with the librarians or officials. I may end up staying either a few days to catalogue the books I need or a month or more to allow me to read the passages necessary. If it's just to catalogue, I need to borrow the books and study them here. The last method is much cheaper on my pocketbook."

"Jeff, you could stay at my home and my driver can take you to the university here."

"That's a very kind offer Sir. It would give me time with Corinne but as you pointed out when you came last time I'll end up devoting most of it to her."

I heard laughter. "Yes that's very true. I happen to know a great many people at the university. Some owe me a few favours. They can put you up for a month or two and you can do your research. Some of the favours they owe me are very substantial and they would love to find a way to even the scales a bit."

He added, "If this is ok with you, I can see who is most suitable. Cori will want you over at least one day a week though."

I said, "I like both ideas very much. The money making project can get off the ground when I find the right plastic and a partner that can take the ball and run with it. It may only require a small test bed and the products can be sold through a licence or we make a company to market the products."

"What kind of products Jeff."

"I really don't trust phones very much and the mail even less. But really the information has to be given in person."

"That is probably for the best anyway Jeff. Let me make a few calls and I will get back to you today or tomorrow."

"Thank you Sir."

Jane came over when I hung up. "How is my little girl doing?"

"We didn't talk much about Corinne." Jane looked a little sad.

I said, "To work on my next invention, I need to learn some chemistry. We don't have the necessary teachers or books here. Mr Holtzman has offered me a place to stay for a few days to catalogue books then find a way to borrow them. The other was to stay in Toronto for a month or more until I learn what I need."

"What about us Jeff? We need you."

I stood up and held her. "I need you too. The stay won't be long. We have the telephone and we can talk. As for holding and touching, we will have to have substitutes."

This was not enough and I took her up to bed. Soon the others came home but I had not finished with Jane. When she climbed as high as she could go Paige assisted me by kissing her to muffle the scream. This time it was not loud and she seemed to relax now that it was over.

Paige was next. I started with my mouth and kissed the insides of her legs until she grabbed me and put my lips where she wanted. Her fine brown hair tickled like the softest fur. Her taste was special because she was so special to me. Love was in the taste and so was my own subdued desire. It was times like this that I wanted my own hormones to carry me the way Paige was now being supported.

When her release came, I rode it out with her then moved higher onto her body. The feeling stimulated me but this was still only a shadow of what it would one day be. This didn't mean that I felt nothing, only that I did not feel everything I could. I moved quicker as I pinched one of her nipples as I sucked the other one into my mouth.

She built higher and higher as I kept her at the peak for as long as possible. When the time came, I thrust so I struck her clit and rubbed then did this again and again. Jane did the honours this time and held my woman as she convulsed under me.

While Paige recovered, Angela pulled me to her.

An hour and a half later I had to quit. My back, neck and tongue were too sore to continue. With a quick shower I started to get a jump on some of my studying. It was like playing in a competition and I was the first one to be kicked out of play. The girls, as usual, stayed upstairs until they were fully sated.

The phone rang after only a few pages.

"Congdon Electronics."

"Hello Jeff. John Holtzman here. I have some good news for you. There were quite a few people offered to take you in just to meet you. The man that I thought best was Mr Berger. He's head of the chemistry department. Not only will he give you a home to stay in but transportation to and from the university. A few words from him will open all the doors you need."

"That sounds wonderful Sir."

"There is a small problem. He is going to Europe soon and won't be back for four weeks. I think the best time to see him is just after the second week in October. He'll have had a chance to settle back into his life here."

"When is Mr Berger leaving on his trip?"

"Next Wednesday I believe."

"Perhaps as an interim measure he would allow me access to the library and the chance to borrow some books until he returns. I can bus down, meet the gentleman and search out the books then return on the night bus."

"Nonsense. Cori will want to see you at the very least." In another voice he said, "And we can discuss your moneymaking idea."

"That sounds good. Perhaps I can leave Friday night, sleep on the bus and arrive in Toronto in the morning. If I leave mid afternoon Sunday then I won't miss any school."

"That is fine by me but what happens when you leave for a few days or a few months later?"

"By then I am able to prove that I'm doing some research and in a way I am going to go to university so they shouldn't be too displeased."

"I can't see how the school could object. By the way, I have a young lady here that wants to talk to you."

Corinne was doing fine and she was pleased at my upcoming short visit.

Soon after the call, Jack came over to get his new and old daughters. I had called upstairs as soon a caller came to the door. He had seen me alone at the table through the curtains. At least this time he would not think I was doing things to Paige. I didn't know what he thought about us, even if I had not yet entered puberty, he would still think of sex. I think that's the way males were hardwired.

"How's it going Jeff?"

"Not bad. Did some exams yesterday and today so I can pass some easy classes and get to what I really want."

"I guess things are different than when I went to school. You didn't get too many chances to pick and choose what classes you wanted. But then again most kids would just pick the easiest subjects."

"I don't think it is any different now Dad. The school is the same though. I had to fight to take the exams."

The homework was moved to one side and we had some lemonade. The girls came down freshly cleaned but this was nothing unusual. Jack was told that the girls exercised and then had a quick shower. He never seemed to enquire into the type of workout and nobody volunteered any extra info. Since the girls took marital arts this should not seem odd.

We walked out the back door so I could kiss both girls goodbye. Paige of course got what I considered a real kiss. Jack didn't seem to mind now because he must be used to it.

We heard the sirens approaching and the girls headed to the street to see what was happening. Those inside the house did the same thing. In the distance, we could see smoke going almost straight up. Many people were running to the scene and the girls went too. Jack wanted to go and I said, "We're going to be in the way but maybe we can do something or at least stay together as a family." He didn't say anything but he did leave.

Nora was there ahead of us. The firemen were pouring water on the wartime home. It was not very big and didn't have a basement. In fact few homes had one and I counted my family lucky. A fireman was bandaging an older man, while his wife was crying at their loss. They were neighbours in a way but I didn't know much about them, even their names.

The fire was put out quickly but the house was obviously destroyed. The police were asking questions and some nosey girls, who I knew very well, were over there with a lot of other people trying to find out more.

All but one of the fire trucks left and in a while so did the police. Susan and Jennifer were holding us up but soon all of us were heading home. The girls took turns telling information one piece at a time as if it was a game.

The older couple actually had insurance. The neighbours were putting them up for a while and they were going to rebuild. The man had been sleeping on a couch while smoking. The girls said he smelt strongly of beer. Some cloth nearby was probably acetate and it caught fire quickly. The man was lucky to be alive and not just burned. All this happened because of an addiction to cigarettes, not drinking in moderation and not having a simple cheap smoke alarm. I stopped myself realising for there were no smoke alarms available now at any price.

I knew there were two types of alarms. One had a light source that bounced off dust particles to a sensor and this triggered the alarm. The cheaper and much more common unit used a bit of radioactive material emitting alpha particles. It ionised the air between two plates. There was now an electrical circuit with the ions conducting the current. When smoke came into the picture it absorbed the ions and the current dropped. This drop triggered another circuit that put out the alarm. It was simple, relatively safe and clean. It could usually wake up a drunk. It would be another good thing to patent.

We separated again after another kiss and I made a point of kissing Mom as well as Jennifer and Paige.

The next day, I dropped into the office to see if my current marks had been tabulated. They had not been but I found that both Mr McGuire and Mrs Dotty would rather I got another proctor and take their tests away from the class. I wasn't sure if they were thinking of the class disrupting me and the mark showing this or they were just rather be rid of me. The latter was probably the case.

A spare teacher gave me the tests and I was done in an hour.

"My, young man. You did that very quickly."

"I like the subjects and a person picks up on things they like faster than things they hate."

Mr Grissom came out of his office once he was told I was done. He said with a controlled voice, "Your English exams are ready for tomorrow and you will be given a course outline to match the tests for grades nine and ten. I assumed you would just do the last three years as well."

"I'm writing books now. I may pass the last three years of English but I would actually find the classes a help to me. Perhaps some of my own questions could be answered and make an editor's job less stressful."

"From what you have done already I have to assume that you will pass whatever tests you say you can. I have made out your schedule with the thought that you pass both grade nine and ten exams. This is the best we could do. Music and Auto are now with a different class. Phys Ed happens to be the same as you had before. The rest are with different classes I'm afraid."

I got much of what I wanted. Not everything could fit my schedule. Spares were a very rare thing when I went to school and I now had three per week.

"Thank you Sir. I really am sorry for disturbing — "

"You better hurry up or be late for class. Hand your textbooks back in."

"Yes Sir." Only part of it was out before he turned and went back into his office. The man was major league pissed off it seemed. I rocked his boat a bit while he was going to rock my life a lot. It was better that I did what I did because I couldn't see a better way to accomplish the same goals in a nicer way.

As luck would have it, the class that had been running now for fifteen minutes was Home Ec. My older self would never want to go to this class but a sixty-two year-old man doesn't mind doing this with some young girls.

I went to room 143 and knocked. A young student opened the door and I saw a stern looking teacher at a wide counter with a bowl in her hand and a spoon in the other.

"Yes, what would you like?"

I stepped a few feet into the room. In a voice that I tried to show no fear I said, "My name's Jeff Congdon. I'm one of your new students and very sorry for being late the first time. I was given my new schedule only moments ago."

"Are you sure this is the class you want?"

I knew some of the students and Paige was not here. This must be another way to snub me but I could do little about it now. "This is the subject I wanted to take. I was just hoping that Paige would be a member of this class."

"Well come on in Mr Congdon. Do you know anything about cooking?"

I walked up so I was close to her. "I cooked for my family most of the time for the last two to three years. I'm not a chef and never will be but I hope to make an adequate cook."

"This class does many other things that are usually called women's work Mr Congdon. We darn, sew, learn to clean clothes, make out budgets and learn how to shop for food. Are you prepared to learn this?"

"I have patched my own clothes but never made more than a canvas apron. I do a budget for my business and have done one for our home. I was the one to do the laundry and I not only shop for parts but I negotiate for the cheapest price. I know about nutrition and choosing the best food product for the money. I'm also fully aware that few males take this interesting course simply because of the stigma of working with some young ladies that they happen to be deathly afraid of."

The woman smiled, "You don't seem afraid Mr Congdon. Why is that?"

"I have two older sisters that would make the fiercest here look like pussycats. Over four months ago I was hit by lightning and almost killed. When I woke up I saw that I was being foolish up until that time and basically wasting my time. I was pathetically shy and knew if I was to succeed then this had to change and it did."

"Are you that boy that rescued that little girl and — "

I said for her, "And crushed a man's skull and chest then broke his two legs. Yes, I'm afraid that was me too. We had just been running for our lives and it came to the man or Corinne. I have no regrets and would do it again. Does my frankness and past actions make me unsuitable for your class?"

There was the pause. "My name is Mrs Cameron. Welcome to my class." She put out her hand and I shook it. I doubt if this happened to her other students.

She added, "Perhaps if you know something you can give me a hand."

"Thank you Mrs Cameron. I really enjoy learning and teaching, especially adults."

I set my books down and listened to what was being said. We learned to make pancakes. No mixes here like in a few years. This I thought was more wholesome. The cakes were put on the griddle and I flipped them expertly with the spatula. Apparently this technique had been banned in an earlier class but I didn't know. I was batting a thousand and the teacher never stopped me.

Mrs Cameron asked, "Can you flip eggs, pancakes or an omelette?"

"I usually do Mrs Cameron unless they are too heavy or the pan is heavy. I have the coordination but I have to build my strength back up."

"The girls don't flip the pancakes on the griddle nor in a fry pan. I would rather you didn't either."

"I'll remember that Mrs Cameron but I assume you have never been to a true Japanese restaurant."

"No I haven't Mr Congdon. What am I missing?"

"The chef is a performer. Usually there are up to eight guests that sit around the griddle and the chef. The sushi comes out and he uses his knives like a samurai of old. He then brings out the raw fish. This is perfectly cut and laying in a faultless pattern. The raw vegetables are done on the griddle after being sliced with knives flashing faster than the eye can follow. With practised strokes beef is placed on the griddle then the vegetables in an area until it is their turn so they will be crunchy but still done when the rest of the meal is.

"The chef is polite just like an English butler but his back is even straighter. The entertainment is in the expert way he handle his tools to prepare the meal then clean the grill after."

Mrs Cameron said, "How does this relate to flipping the food?"

"Some people, like me, are capable of being a good cook if we apply ourselves. Some people, who may be in this room, might be chef material. The cooks at a regular restaurant flip food as a labour saving way of doing a task. It's just an acquired skill like any sport. Mistakes are made until the task is learned."

"I'll think on this Mr Congdon."

We ate our work so there was no waste. Then we were dismissed with some homework. I was given a quick list of things I had already missed.

Woodwork was next and reported to Mr Sharp as soon as I got in. He pointed out an empty two-man bench and we began the class.

We learned about simple joints and I just hoped that the class was not going to be too structured or boring. I have used a great deal of different power and hand tools to do many jobs. They were not too complicated, in fact I once made blind dovetailed drawers in a small cabinet. Many toys given away to my employees and their children had come in a wooden boxes that I had made. They were finished well with finger joints and a sliding lid. I'm quite sure the box was kept well after the toy was discarded.

My lunch period was shifted to the later period and I got to eat with Maggie. It was still fun but not the same.

The last class of the day was Phys Ed. I was not welcomed back by the guys I knew. To be honest, I had not worked very hard to make friends with them.

Sam Constecki was overweight and an outcast. It is hard to go through life without a friend and I talked to him when I could. A house is built one brick at a time.

On the way home with the girls, I explained what had happened today. I told Paige that I could trade a spare for lunch one time during this cycle. It was not what we had, but it might be all right.

When I got home, Jane presented me with a large envelope with the logo of MGM on it. Jane was almost dancing but didn't go away or say anything. It was Paige that said, "Aren't you going to open it?"

I wasn't going to play games with them and carefully slit the envelope. There was a great deal of print and a lot of even smaller print. I picked out the pertinent passages listing what percentage I would get and how it was calculated. Now if only Debbie Reynolds could sing this song as good as Petula Clark then this would be a success.

There were no requests for songs I could write for them but it may be a situation where a person had to be in the same room or on a phone to convey properly. There was a long note enquiring into what I wanted when I set up my American corporation. I made my own reply on a separate sheet but I had to have Mason see it too.

I packed all of this up in a bag and stapled it. After a phone call I rode the bike over to Mason's office and dropped the contract off. It would be nice to do the work now but it had to wait until tomorrow, but we had only a few minutes to discuss this before my trip to Toronto. We could talk about the details of my hand written sheet later.

The classes were mainly my choice and I accepted them more readily. Even the students seemed to be nicer but that could be that I was more receptive. Girls clustered around more at lunch now that Paige was not here to protect her claim. Girls like Marcy Stevens were still around but weren't that outgoing yet. They might just wait a week to see if I was rabid or not, before pouncing.

Thursday night Mr Holtzman called to confirm the instructions. We used up a lot of his money with Corinne talking to her mothers in North Bay. Apparently she wasn't taking to any of the nannies that her grandfather hired for her.

Thursday's weather had been stormy so we had little or no business besides babysitting and my electronic repair. We stayed in the house and the girls had their usual party. They danced and gossiped then ate and gossiped. Sex was in the mix but it was usually kept under control until there was time to let the animal out and howl.

Paige and I had the same Home Ec teacher so we went over to Paige's house and prepared recipes. We tried slight variations like any good engineer or scientist then sampled the results. Jack was more than ready to eat what we made and I was worried about his waistline. Duke the dog got his share in secret.

It was time to leave when Jennifer arrived. I kissed Nora then Jennifer. I pulled back then kissed Jennifer again and whispered, "You forgot to wash." Paige received my last and best kiss. Jennifer reappeared just before I closed the door and she blew me a kiss. The smell of fresh cunt on your breath can be a bad thing some times.

The next day at school had the English Composition and English Literature exams. They took longer to do but I think I did well. I also received the course outline for the tests I would take in a week or so.

I was happy with what I had done so far even if the new classes could be as boring as the ones I left. If I was getting second thoughts this early in the year then maybe I should really look at university. The kids there were a bit more mature and the subject material more demanding.

Gloria Swenson was usually the odd girl out in Home Ec the same way Sammy Constecki was in Phys Ed. The girls liked to work with me but today I made a point of working with Gloria. She turned out to be bright and introverted but the shyness could be modified with the addition of friends.

The woodworking teacher, Mr Sharp, liked my work. I was quick but fastidious in how I did a job. My talk of the features of one joint over another that we had not taken up identified me as a person that wanted to learn. As time passed, I found I was given more leeway. I helped some of my all thumbs classmates, if they wanted it.

We learned to change a flat tire in auto shop. It would be nice to pop the brake drums but that was not being taught. The car I got had some left hand nuts on one side and I took them off correctly. I saw the auto teacher checking me and I just smiled at finding the small trap.

Music was — distracting. Individual students were not that bad playing solo. It was when we all tried to play together that it became evident just how bad we really were. Usually everybody played to the rhythm of the percussionist. This, in theory, would keep everyone playing in sync. I despaired of ever writing music for more than a small band. The Henri Mancini and Paul Mauriat pieces were beyond me.

I found that I scored in the ninety four percentile over all in the tests that I had taken. Some, like history and geography were only ninety but the loss of marks was justified. I couldn't remember everything and I was happy with the grade. The first time through forty-five years ago I only got ninety one percent. English though might lower the average when I completed the exams.

Industrial Chemistry came later in the cycle. I attended a double session and there was another double slated for Monday. Mr Bain seemed to be a progressive teacher but how much he could help me, remained to be discovered. I had tinkered in a lab a few times but the courses were short and had to do more with physics than chemistry. The physics labs were very familiar but off limits now that I finished the tests.

The class was a tech course aimed at producing technologists and not chemists. These were the guys that did most of the work and took the abuse if something went wrong. Something akin to the doctor/nurse relationship. The people here liked the class even if the pay, when they graduated, was usually abysmal. The book was simple and much of the information had been covered in Physics previously.

There were a number of books but apart from a handbooks of charts and tables very little was useful. Two books by Fisher made me drool. The first was all the lab equipment they sold including glass tubing and the various fittings I could use to make my carbon dioxide laser, or any of the other inert gas lasers. The second Fisher book was a listing of reagents that they had for sale. Both were necessary to my future.

I was tentatively assigned to grade eleven English, however, I saw very little difference from grade nine work. The first month at school just acclimatised the students to learn something new so I could only ask questions when I didn't disrupt the class.

The students looked at me as if I had two heads. I had skipped grade three then nine and ten to get where I was. They all knew of what I had done this summer but few bothered to learn more. I was the class freak in many ways. Looks, size, mannerisms, speech and outlook set me apart from the very start. I despaired at times but these hurdles had to be passed.

We hurried home after school. My packing was already done and I went home for my bike then to rode over to Mr Mason's office.

After the usual brief formalities, Mason said, "The contract is fairly clear. I am not that familiar with American jurisprudence but its unusual simplicity makes me wonder if they made this contract especially for you."

"It might have been. I mentioned how I would get robbed by the run of the mill record companies that paid as a portion of their sales. The man assisting me set up an American corporation may have written this contract."

"The list you gave me misses out on many key points." He proceeded to list the things I needed in a Canadian corporation and hopefully similar legal constructs could be put into our entity. I took a copy with me to show Mr Holtzman and perhaps he could think of other points to add.

The contract was signed by both of us and would be taken over to get Jane's signature before it was mailed. The reply to the note would take a while longer.



-------

Chapter 4



The bus trip to Toronto was boring but I managed to get a seat that had some light and I buried my nose in a Chemistry book from the library. When things quieted down, I was able to lean on a metal partition and get some sleep. Surprisingly nobody recognised me. At fifteen minutes after seven in the morning we got into the bus station. I had got my bag from overhead and felt bad because I had to have help to both put it in place and retrieve it.

A familiar suit and face was waiting in the station for before me. I was glad to see that both of us had smiles.

"This way Sir. Mr Holtzman is waiting for you."

"I am sorry for getting you up so early. I could have taken a city bus over."

"Think nothing of it. It is the changes in routine that I like about my job and this is one of them."

"I like change too but not like the old Chinese curse. I do wish I had your ability to fight or shoot when I needed it just a short time ago."

"I wish you did too but then I would get less to do."

Mr Holtzman was waiting at the door and trying to get out was a little girl intent on seeing me. She pushed her way out and ran a dozen feet yelling, "Daddy, daddy, you came back."

I picked the girl up and swung her around before putting her back on her feet. "I missed you a lot and so do the other girls. They can't wait for your next visit. Now let's get inside before a bug bites your bum." I pretended to try to pinch her and she screamed like the little girl she was and ran into the house.

John Holtzman put out his hand and we shook. With his other hand on my shoulder he guided me into his very large and quite expensive home.

"It's good to see you Jeff. Won't you have a seat with us? We were holding off breakfast until you arrived."

"I certainly will but I am amazed that you were able to restrain that eating machine standing before us."

From closer to the floor we heard, "I don't eat that much — do I Grampy?"

"Of course you don't. You're a growing girl and need your food. Now why don't you take Jeff's hand and show him to the washroom to freshen up then bring him to the kitchen?"

"Com'on, I'll show you."

When we returned I saw that the kitchen was very large and fitted out with all the latest appliances. The room was capable of serving a large party that might number into the hundreds and I wondered how many servants this man had.

We discussed mundane topics and my school. I went through the subjects I wanted to be tested in and how far I went or wanted to go in each.

John said, "Tell me more about your decision to take Home Economics."

"As you know I'm still a boy and will remain that way for a while yet. I have learned a lot about human nature when I decided to not be shy anymore, I needed to learn more. Girls, I find are such interesting creatures. They give their heart unstintingly one minute and want to rip yours out the next. I may take the rest of my life to study them but it should be fun."

"I just can't see me doing that at your age. Then again I was not as shy at the first and only slowly grew out of it. You on the other hand have become quite a lady's man all of a sudden."

"Many young boys have girlfriends but their goals and methods do not necessarily change until later in life. I just sharpened my view of what I want in life and I am actively pursuing it. Home Ec is not quite one of the bases that need be touched, still, it shows that I'm not afraid to step out on a branch. One day, I think all children should take the course. There will be no stigma then, and perhaps we will have happier families with the male taking a fair share of the load."

"So you are into social planning now. What else?"

"Well, I have been thinking of making money. On the trip from the bus station here I thought of one more project."

"What is that Jeff?"

"Your driver seems to be very competent. Some people like that choose to wear sunglasses of the aviator type used by the American pilots during the last war. You can make more of this type but with plastic polarised lenses. A single light metal bar supports the frame across the top of the lenses and a support comes down to straddle the nose. Simple rivets are used to mount the lenses."

"What is so great about sunglasses, Jeff?"

"I see them gaining popularity. I would have one factory make expensive units like Foster Grants and two other ones making cheap knock-offs. The trick is getting good designers to make chic units then getting movie stars and other notables to wear your products in public."

"So that will make a lot of money?"

"It should but it reminded me of contact lenses. Glass lenses are common and there are now plastic ones. I want to look for a plastic lens that will be soft and permeable to oxygen that let's the eye breathe and allow longer contact with the eye surface. These can be coloured to change a person's appearance and also be polarised."

"Is this going to make money?"

"This should make a lot of money as people shift from lenses on frames to invisible ones on the eyeball itself. This project is well beyond my limited abilities and I just considered it a good place to start. The lenses used in sunglasses can be improved though in some of the coatings. I just have to find them."

"Is this the organic material you were going find?"

"It wasn't, but it is one of them now." I had worn contact lenses and in my later years and I even remember the type of plastics used. "What I came here for was to find the right plastics to replace glass in containers. Plastic will rot eventually but glass stays the way it was formed or in broken fragments forever. When I get the right plastic then we need to find a glass bottling machine and an engineer to change it to work with plastic. Getting a soft drink manufacturer to bottle with my product will make many millions."

"Why would they shift from glass to plastic? They have a lot of capital tied up in glass."

"Plastic is lighter to carry, the bottle will not break in the bottling plant, on the truck delivering it, the grocery shelf or in front of the final customer. The glass bottles sometimes are contaminated from previous use. The plastic bottle is brand new all the time. The uses for plastic bottles would extend from milk, soda and other beverages to shampoo, bleach and almost all cleansers. Then there are the home petroleum products markets like motor oil in containers that can be resealed, unlike a metal can. I do not think the plastic bottle should be reused but it can be converted to other products. A suitable deposit on all bottles should see that they get returned for reuse, recycling is a better term for that."

"So you are looking for two if not three types of plastic. Is that what will gain you another Nobel Prize?"

"Oh no, that is another type of compound I have to search for. Last week we had a fire in a neighbour's home. The owner of the house was burnt but luckily didn't need hospitalisation. Their home was at least partially insured. Other than the man being under the influence of alcohol and a nicotine addict, I believe he fell asleep with a lit cigarette. This could all have been prevented with a device to detect smoke. While looking at the man's condition I thought of two possible ways of making the devices. One could be produced cheaply and sold. One needs some advances in semiconductor technology but the other I can do now."

"That sounds interesting too and could be quite profitable if you hold all the patents."

"It is a safety device and can be legislated into compulsory use in public places like government buildings, hotels and apartment buildings. Saving one child's life would make their value more than any dollar amount."

"Will you make one for me?"

"Sure but I need an alpha emitter. This is a very low level radioactive substance. The alpha particles can be stopped dead by a simple sheet of paper. There are gamma rays too but they are very low level and less dangerous than living in your basement and breathing in some of the radon escaping from the earth's crust."

"So this is gaining your prize?"

"No, I need to work on some chemicals that can be manipulated with magnetic fields, electric current and temperature. The devices used with this idea should gain me the prize I mentioned.

"Another thing that can make many millions, I thought of last week. I was watching my friends dancing to the music on the radio. One portion of this invention will be a cartridge about four inches long, two inches wide and mostly a half-inch thick. With two internal spools, I can load it up with magnetic tape. This tape can also come pre-recorded with commercial music. The machines to play them will go into a home but the good thing is that they go in a small portable machine. It will be transistorised and powered by batteries. Youngsters will now be able to carry around their music as they are starting to do with their transistor radios. More money comes from placing similar units in the dash of a car and in the home."

I had spent a great many hours working on simple tape units and could see the details in my mind. They were very finicky and this made me study them in more detail. The same tape could be used for dual track stereo or a wider variety for multi track recording in a studio. The Dolby addition, along with the ceramic head with the two ears, would make this unit far in advance of anything else.

"Are you going to do all this?"

"Well I could use a hand or two. One has to be on his wallet."

"You need an army or maybe five armies with many hands. I have to ask again, how are you going to do this?"

"Oh, one I can make this afternoon if Mr Berger has one micro curie of Americium oxide and a few loose parts. The information on that substance appears in a textbook I just read and may be the best choice. Do you happen to know an entrepreneur that can finance this venture with me? All I can do is make the original unit then fill out the details for all the patents. The units have to be sold worldwide or the rights sold worldwide. The latter is quicker but the former makes more money."

"Hmmmm I might be able to find somebody you can trust, I hope."

"I was hoping he would bite at the idea. Perhaps he can see if he can use a very recently made American corporation as a way of breaking into the lucrative American market."

"That can happen. Let's make some first. May I come and watch?"

"If you take my little friend with us but I fear she'll get bored."

The girl's head had gone back and forth to stare at who was talking as if this were the most important conversation she heard. It probably was but she wouldn't know it.

John called Mr Berger earlier than was first intended because he was now very excited and could smell money in everything I spoke of. When John found out that the school did have a small amount of Americium oxide he was almost jumping for joy.

Corinne took me to her room and I got her dressed. She wanted her hide dress but I said, "We are going to a historic event. You need to be dressed like a little lady."

"K."

John hurried to the university and we waited five minutes before Mr Berger arrived, even though he has a shorter distance to drive. We all shook hands.

The man was about sixty. He wore a hat as almost all men did in the fifties. He was slight of build with a prominent nose.

Mr Berger said, "I've heard a lot about you young man. John is quite proud of you, as if you are his only son."

"That would makes me quite proud too to be thought that way."

John said, "What I said before was a drop in the bucket. Jeff is working on his second potential Nobel Prize he claims, and many individual projects that would make a great deal of money. All together they make the kind of money Jeff wants to build his mercantile empire."

Mr Berger looked at me. "Are you Jewish too?"

"No but I was circumcised and I like money. Does that help?"

He laughed so hard he had to hold himself up on his car. John laughed loudly too and wiped his eyes. "Let's get a move on. The rest of us are losing money with these things not on the market."

I said, "The majority of this project is electronic. Can we rob a student from the Electrical Engineering or better yet, hire a student in that field to do some of the leg work?"

"Good idea," came from both men and they smiled.

On the way into the building Mr Berger said, "Exactly how much Americium oxide do you need?"

"I assume this is still a restricted substance. When we put our patent application in we have to make another application to get access to this material. They will want to set limits on the amount of radiation per unit. One micro curie may or may not be the limit but if we go to just ninety percent of that then it is looked on as even smaller."

John asked, "How dangerous is this?"

I spoke before Mr Berger, "I noticed your watch as the face that glows all the time. I know it's not a phosphor. The radiation from the radium is in the neighbourhood of twenty five millicuries. Your watch is on your body many hours a day and produces twenty eight thousand times more radiation than my device. My device has the added benefit of being mounted on the ceiling and out of reach of most children."

Mr Berger said, "The young man is right about the radiation levels. Whether this amount of radioactive substance is enough for his project is unclear."

I said, "Well let's find out. I have the circuit drawn out and we can modify it with the parts that are available."

The university labs were large but Berger took us to a smaller one that I think he used himself. I drooled again over the equipment and supplies. They were at least forty years older than the tools I had in my other life but those were all gone while these were here and worked.

Mr Berger made some phone calls as I looked at his library. Corinne would get bored easily so I spent some of the times talking about what was easily seen and interesting. There were a few interesting minerals that she liked for while.

Two young men came to Mr Berger for some instructions. He gave the first my list of parts and sent him off to get what was needed while the second went for equipment not in this lab.

Mr Berger said, "I have to go to our vault and get the Americium," then left. He was back in fifteen minutes and I just worked to find the solutions to my other plastic needs.

The young men came back and put their burdens down then stared at the lead container with the distinctive symbol.

I said to them, "Are you guys able to follow an electronic schematic and build a simple device on a perforated board?"

The shorter one said, "I'm third year electronics. Bert is chem but has a year of electronics."

"You want a small job for a few hours? It may be making history or prove that I'm full of shit."

Both young men liked the idea of making some money. "Test the transistors for gain. They have poor quality control at the plant. Make up a chart for all six transistors. We won't need them all though."

I took two small ceramic pads about an inch and a quarter square and a quarter inch thick. The thinnest sheet metal was cut to fit the pads but one side would overhang just a bit. One piece of metal got a small hole in the middle. I had to look for some tools to remove the rough edges and make both pieces of metal flat again. Fine wires were soldered to each of them where they would overhang the ceramic.

My Berger weighted a small slip of very thin glass then added less than one five thousandth of a gram of the substance from the lead box. This was all done close to or inside the glass enclosed precision balance.

I glued the flattened metal with the hole to the ceramic base and used the other piece of ceramic to bond it to the other portion of metal. The leads stuck out but were not above each other. I allowed Mr Berger the honour of applying the tiniest amount of glue to the first piece of ceramic. With glasses on and a steady hand, the speck of Americium oxide went onto the glue. The wafer was put down and a glass tumbler put over it to keep out contamination.

The young men made graphs on the sheets as the individual transistor data was added. The quality was very poor in the earlier transistors and as with almost everything else too. There was enough data now and Bert switched to another transistor.

With a scratch pad I modified the circuit with different values of resistors and caps. The resistors were just as bad as the transistors. There was no tolerance band, some were only within twenty percent of their rated values. John came over and I said, "Measure the value of the resistor and write the value on a piece of paper. Push a lead through the paper so I know which one you are referring to."

Mr Berger got the same job while I made up a small circuit to test caps that used known resistance.

I used the last meter while Corinne handed me the parts. This time I ripped the paper into small portions and wrote the value on it. Corinne pushed the lead through the paper and put them on the bench.

A half hour later we finished the survey. The ceramic blocks were stacked so the metal on them was close but not touching. Shims of paper in the four corners would give me varying separations and still allowed unobstructed air travel between the plates.

A dc power supply was put across the two sheets of metal to see how conductive it was. This data was tabulated and wasn't anywhere near being what it had been in a damaged unit I had investigated in the early 90s. I tinkered with different shims to move the two metal plates until I found the sweet spot.

The schematic was altered now with the data we had gathered and the values of most of the parts were altered. Everyone but Corinne was looking over my shoulder. She happened to be on my lap.

When the circuit was done, I handed it to the two helpers. "Just put it on the board. If it works you'll have to take it apart and put it on a much smaller section later."

They picked out the parts they wanted with our more accurate listing.

"I have to go pee."

"Mr Berger, would you please direct us to the nearest washroom?" We hurried up and this time I was not asked to clean her. Perhaps it was only when she, in her words, went number two.

Corinne watched as the board was populated then the piezoelectric module was mounted. The ceramic section was then mounted and finally the DC supply hooked up to provide the requisite nine volts.

I picked up a screwdriver and said, "Now is the time to see if the thing makes some noise." Turning to Corinne I stage whispered, "Cover your ears we are going to scare the rest."

She smiled as I touched the two sheets of metal that slightly protruded from the ceramic. A loud noise was heard and I grabbed Mr Holtzman's thigh. He dutifully jumped to Corinne's laugher. He gave me a dirty look then smiled at his granddaughter.

"I need a nicotine addict, gentleman."

All four took out a pack and I watched as they lit up. It had been a while since they had a cigarette.

"Mr Holtzman, will you blow gently toward the gap in the ceramic?"

He gave a small puff and everybody jumped, even Corinne. It reset in ten seconds and the rest took turns trying to find the smallest amount of smoke needed to trip the device.

I pulled Mr Holtzman aside. "In your own opinion, is this a sellable product if we can get approval to use the Americium?"

"Oh, it is very marketable Jeff."

"You put the patents out in my name. You hire the three men in here and get them to sign a secrecy agreement. You have to pay them. You also have to tie the university into this deal for a portion of the profits or you will not get more Americium for our test bed. The men work on making this a polished unit that could be tested by various government bodies here and in the United States. The profit goes to pay your expenses and what is left over we split fifty, fifty. If it's possible, will you use the corporation I am setting up to get some of the business?"

The man thought for a while. "How much for R and D?"

"I really have no idea. The device is simple. The ceramic base can be plastic and it can have a metal top as long as it is parallel to the other metallic surface. A metal tab can be pushed by a plastic button on the case to short out the two plates. This tells the homeowner that the unit is working. When the battery gets low it beeps and you will see this in a minute. The costs will go into the thousands to fine tune it and more as time goes on. R and D money may have to be used to grease politician's hands. I'm sorry but I cannot do the finances."

I waited patiently until he said, "Equal partners sounds ok for now but I have to do a lot more work. As you say there will be a problem getting the necessary ingredient. A market study is something to consider too. What do you see as the wholesale price for this unit?"

"In fifty years they will cost the equivalent of a dollar or two to us now. Today I think you can get any figure you demand. We will have all the patents and the sooner they are made the better. We have three witnesses that are not stupid people. The additional improvements they or others make will have to go into my name too."

"A dollar you say?"

"Yes, when you figure in inflation, competition and mass production. The patents can't protect us forever." A dollar was an hour's pay today.

The voltage was lowered with the unit now quiet. The device beeped as advertised and I changed the value of a resistor on paper to make the timing better. Mr Holtzman was talking to the three men and offered them some money to work on this project. He also said they had to sign a secrecy agreement. He had three takers after they asked a few questions of their own.

We all went to lunch after the rest of the radioactive material was put back in the vault. The alarm was locked in a cupboard with all our paperwork. More details of the alarm were discussed and I explained how I thought the internal structure and the finished product should look.

"Oh, and one more thing. Our initials need to be embossed on the back of every one of the millions of these devices that are made. Units made by those purchasing a licence will have to do the same thing. I want the initials C.J. at the top though." Everybody sipped their coffee in acceptance and only Corinne didn't understand that the initials were hers.

Thinking of my other projects, I knew that my knowledge of LCD history was pretty good until I looked at the complexity of making the fair sized molecules. The first one produced that worked at room temperature just gave the world a taste of what could be done. In the early seventies or late sixties new compounds had come out that were much more reflective in nature and thus easier to see. They would work well in watches and calculators. Neither could be made without integrated chips.

Ferroelectric liquid crystals and the supertwisted nematic crystals were much further along and were actively studied even when I left my old time. Finding the molecules now may shave some of the fifty year development time but that may not be possible for me to build even if I hired a team of researchers. Even my narrowing down the research criteria would cause a great many questions about how I was able to get a final product so soon.

When we got back to the lab, I went through the books and satisfied myself with just six that I would like to borrow. If I could manage to get them then I could carry them home and possibly get some of the information I needed before I returned in four weeks.

The men were trying to miniaturise the device but the only thing new was my detector/alpha emitter. They were now working with the idea of mounting the Americium temporarily on a small glass slide and then move this slide from project to project to find which gave the most sensitive readings.

I found another book with methods of applying silver to mirrors. This reminded me of my other project and was necessary for my laser research. Usually a block of smooth aluminum was the backing and silver put on the front. The full reflecting mirror could be this material or glass. The partially transparent mirror had to be a clear substance that had the silver applied to it but not quite a thickly as to a fully reflecting surface. Something similar was done to sunglasses so it looked like a person wearing the glasses was wearing a mirror.

I read three chapters in various books to find that silver chloride and silver halide were sensitive to ultraviolet light. This may be what was used in glasses too but to darken them when they were exposed to ultraviolet. This way in a bright home the glass was fully transparent but outside in sunlight they darkened according to the ultraviolet level.

I pulled Mr Berger away from the project to supply me with the three silver compounds and some ammonia to start. He even presented me with some very flat plate glass. Glass windows in 1958 still had wavy patterns in them because the glass had ripples. The glass sheets before me looked flat though.

Corinne and I made the silver nitrate solution then let it sit to precipitate. The liquid was filtered like drip coffee and the solution applied to the cleaned glass. The exhaust fan was on and I talked to her about everything I did. A silver dime was used to show Corinne what the metal was like. I made three full reflective mirrors and eight that had various amounts of silver on them. In the corner I scribed the exposure time for future reference. I had no easy way of indicating the difference otherwise.

None of the backs were painted so I had to find some newspaper to place between the sheets of glass. The silver could come off very easily, and that was why an ordinary mirror was painted on the back.

The bundle was wrapped in a lot more sheets then tied with the type of white cloth tape. This was usually used on hockey sticks because plastic electrical tape was a convenience of the future. Corinne got one of the full reflective mirrors, that was why I had her apply the chemicals to one of them.

The silver halide and chloride was simply dissolved and used to coat both sides of another sheet of glass. The coating was delicate but transparent when dried. When taken to the bright sun it darkened. Corinne liked it because she helped but it was still ho hum to her.

Her grandfather though, thought it a neat trick but nothing else.

"What would happen if the two silver compounds were dissolved in the glass to make your glasses Mr Holtzman?"

"Well — I guess they would darken when I was outside in the bright light."

"Is that advantageous if you want to see properly?"

"Yes, I guess."

"Would people pay extra for this when they get new glasses?"

Now he looked much more seriously. "We could make money here."

"Plastic lenses are around. I think they will grow as I mentioned about sunglasses. Get a chemist to find a solution with these chemicals that will soak into the plastic. Bifocals will not be lighter in some areas if this process is used after grinding."

"Hmmm, I guess we could make a lot of money on this too."

"The R and D is very cheap. All that is left is my patent, and your marketing. Licencing is the way to go here. Another use will be the glass in homes, automobiles and large buildings. On a bright day in summer there is a lot of heat and light coming in. This in the glass will reduce the cooling costs though it will not help heat during the cold winter months. People living in a warm climate will benefit most. This doesn't matter in a car because the engine heat is a waste product."

I added, "There is too much that I don't know about chemistry. Mr Berger can help me with the loan of books and basically tutor me when I need it. To pay for this help I would like you, Mr Berger and I to get thirds."

"What do you think this is worth?"

"Probably just a few million or so each after expenses. The two of you have to take this load because I'm not bringing any money."

Mr Holtzman was thinking. I could almost see him think of a way to buy Mr Berger's time and get a half or two thirds instead. He did say, "Ok, a third with Mr Berger and I splitting the cost evenly and you getting the patent."

I put out my hand and we shook. "I better tell the poor man that he is not poor anymore."

Mr Berger came over to us. He didn't look like he was happy to leave his project. "Sir, I wonder if you could assist me on some of my other projects?"

"I will do whatever I can. Tell me what you need."

"There are more moneymaking ventures that need some researching. I can do some things adequately but I'm almost wholly deficient in organic chemistry. As you know I own a portion of this new company. I cannot pay you until my funds come in from this smoke alarm project and that may not be for a year or possibly two. I need your advice and I need access to many of the your books in on Chemistry. At the moment I just want to borrow the books like a student does. Like this project, you will have to sign a non-disclosure contract."

"I think it would be interesting to help you for free young man."

"Thanks for the offer but this has to be on a monetary basis but in lieu of cash Mr Holtzman and I propose to give you a third of an even newer company."

"A third? What will this company make?"

I showed the glass and the man looked it over as if the say, "So?" But he said nothing.

"This is the windshield on a your car on a bright day or the lenses of your glasses on the same kind of day. Please walk to the window and let the glass be exposed to the light."

He did as I asked then turned the glass in every direction to see what he could see. He stayed there but turned to us. "It got darker."

"Do you see the auto manufacturers selling this as an extra cost option? Would the average person like this feature when they buy a pair of glasses? Would they pay extra for it?"

"I guess they would." It took a moment then he said, "This could make us rich."

"Only a few million each. You and Mr Holtzman have to equally share all the costs until the profits come in. I think they will be low. You have to find a solution that will allow the silver halide and silver bromide to sink into plastic lenses. Glass lenses may be made with the two chemicals dissolved in them but I'm not sure. You get the third share but have to take on the further burden of helping me learn chemistry and work on this project too. Is it worth it?"

"Oh, yes it is. The solution shouldn't be too hard. We even have a glass blowing area in the school that can be used to experiment with various mixtures."

"So Mr Berger, are you willing to join this new partnership based on what you see and what I have said?"

"I'll be glad to help. I have my own personal books I can loan you. If Mr Holtzman is your attorney then he can make up as similar document to what I will have to sign with him. When that is done, I'll be glad to help you with your various projects."

Mr Berger shook hands and then he showed me another area with more of his books that I was now free to take with me. More were available at his home I was told. The two men now drifted off while I began a search through the new books.

The Polyethylene terephthalate was currently available and used as a feedstock for various types of plastics. I tried to see how a variant might be made or how the molecule could be fabricated by studying similar molecules. This was the familiar plastic cola bottle with the acronym PET or PETE on the bottom.

Mr Berger came over later and I said, "I simply want to make plastic bottles for beverages and other products. One project much more ambitious would be to make other good coatings for glasses and contact lens."

"They make a polarising coating already. What else can be done?"

"Tints, scratch resistant coating and one that keeps light from reflecting off the inside of the glasses and reflected into the pupil. Glasses don't have to have the odd looking cut for bifocals. The grinding can be blended into the rest so it looks better. You can even have trifocals if you wish"

"I like that idea. I wonder why they don't do that now?"

"Probably didn't think of it."

We parted later with all of us tied down to more work. The two young men now did some engineering work trying to figure out the best way of making the detector. Mr Berger was going through his books looking for as many ways of dissolving the silver solutions as possible. Mr Holtzman had to make out a lot of contracts and I had to fill out some patents for the smoke detector and the ultraviolet darkening but this had to be left incomplete. There was a lot more data that had to go into it before it could be sent away.

Back in Corinne's home, she was a little put out at the amount of attention I was giving her. I did some of the rough work with paper and a clipboard while sitting on the couch with her. She cuddled up and slept with my arm around her while I tried to do the work one handed.

Mr Holtzman came in sipping a cup of coffee. He was kind enough to bring one for me. He just set it down close by and looked at his granddaughter.

"You have quite an effect on the ladies Jeff."

"I think it is because I care and I'm not afraid to show it. Shyness can be good or detrimental."

He sat in a comfortable chair across from us and crossed his legs. "I noticed Cori called you 'Daddy' today."

I put the pad on the couch and said, "I know you a lot better now. I also know that you either have me watched or pay somebody to ask questions. Perhaps you will voice your reasons and then I can expand on what I said just after you met me."

He looked out the window thinking. "I find you're a very interesting person. But I also see you much the same way the good Doctor Goldbalm does, though I am polite and offer some help for my intrusions into your life. I do believe you, when you say you are going to get a Nobel Prize although most people would not. You see things differently and are able to put things together very quickly. Now because of my interest and concern, I have the chance to risk a small amount of money and perhaps gain a great deal.

"I have asked questions about you and had others do the same. I would be very surprised if many others are not watching you too. Those others may be benign or not. You'll be a very important person one day, Jeff. I was just curious, but others may want to use you to make a fortune for them as you have possibly done for me.

"My granddaughter is very important to me. You, it seems, are very important to her. This makes you doubly important to me.

"Does this state my position well enough, Jeff?"

"Yes it does. I don't like people to be spying on me though. If done above board without people snooping through my window or listening to the phone then it is not that bad.

"Now for some additional truth on my part. Though I'm twelve and suffer from a retarded physical development. I'm a boy and will stay a boy for a bit longer I'm afraid. I have a girlfriend and I have had sexual relations with her. She's a normal young woman with natural urges. I enjoy an orgasm and some gratification but most of it is related to how much I please my lover. I imagine this would be the same for any caring adult. I would like to reiterate that hormones do not drive me yet. My mind is fairly clear, at least until I enter puberty.

"The girls coming to my house were average. Some were good students and some were not. I used hypnosis, with their full knowledge, to improve their minds. They can now study and retain more while not being subjected to as much stress as they had before. I think I was very ethical with them. None were ever asked to forget anything nor were they compelled to do anything sexual. There was never anything to hide.

"Corinne was in a great deal of discomfort when I found her. I used what I knew on her to allow her to deal with the physical pain. She had a bleeding anus and moss was not suitable. I used the Arab technique for cleaning and she grew to enjoy this. It was never sexually intended but she may or may not feel so. Corinne missed her parents and in a serious game she wanted to call me 'Daddy'. I allowed this and called her daughter. This seemed to let her relax more.

"I find I enjoy the term though we all know that the name is quite unfounded for many reasons.

"Corinne must have gone to a psychiatrist when she was returned home. If this is so, I would talk to that person to see if this is something that should be discontinued or not. I'll abide by what you or the psychiatrist decide."

Now it was my turn to just sit silently and sip the cooled coffee.

Mr Holtzman said, "Most of what you said was already found out or deduced. You have more secrets but it is not my place to intrude. It only affects me if you change what you see when you look at my granddaughter. I do not want you to abandon Cori but I do not want to have your hormones start flowing some day and see her as a mate."

I said, "I share your concerns. I analysed my own feelings many times on our odyssey and after. She's now a daughter that I would kill again to protect. When my hormones start to come into play there are more than enough safe outlets for my responses. Corinne may go from a child and daughter image to a young woman and friend but nothing more. Fifteen or twenty years from now she or I may think differently but nobody can predict that much in advance."

Mr Holtzman said, "Thank you for your candour. As for your statement, I don't see you making love to Cori but if it happened, in as you say, fifteen to twenty years then that is up to the two of you.

"You were right about the psychiatrist. Cori was hurt a great deal when her parents passed away about nine months ago and then after. Since that time and until she met you she was basically uncommunicative with anybody but her nanny or me. It could have been the kidnapping but the psychiatrist and I believe it was just you."

I asked, "Is there anything else I should know that I have to do or not do?"

"The psychiatrist and I are quite satisfied with the way things are developing. It would be advantageous for her to visit your home or you to come here at least a few times a year to keep up the bond you each have for the other."

I said, "With us business partners now, I guess this is not going to be a problem. I was not the only one taken in by Corinne. She has a sweet disposition that any parent would just love to have in a child."

Mr Holtzman asked, "It's none of my business but do you plan to keep that harem?"

I tried to not show surprise. I figured he already knew. Bringing it front and centre was a little shocking. "I didn't know I was that obvious," I said then added, "some in the group need a hand to steady them until I find a person to help them stand without me. Three members need this care. Once they have a suitable mate they will no longer need me. I do hope that they will stay in my organisation though. They are dedicated and deserve a chance to get ahead."

The phone rang and it looked like my host was angry at the interruption. I would have to ask him about his love life later, just to keep us even.



-------

Chapter 5



While Mr Holtzman spoke, I absently caressed Corinne's hair and continued working on the ideas that had to be covered in the patent. I must have been at this for ten minutes before I heard my host.

"Jeff, will you come here? Mr Sackman is on the phone."

"Sure." I put the clipboard aside then tried to slip from under Corinne without waking her. I put her head down and she just went back to sleep.

"Hello Mr Sackman. How are you doing?"

"Hello to you too Mr Congdon, and I'm feeling just great."

"Please call me, Jeff. I try to act grown up but I prefer my first name."

"Ok Jeff. What did you think of the terms of the contract?"

"I found them fair even though I'm an unknown. My name is linked to the song and doesn't assist it any. The contract has been signed with no revisions. At the moment it's in the mail."

"That's good to hear. We may have a deal for more of your songs."

"That is good to hear too. Which ones are they?"

"Crying In The Chapel' didn't fit our needs but I sent it out. Apparently one recording studio thinks it would work well with Elvis Presley. 'Help me, Rhonda' looked like a good fit for Frankie Avalon so Chancellor Records wants to buy it."

"That is just great. Have you or the studio made a commission?"

"I have taken it upon myself to initiate the sale of the songs as that is what Mr Holtzman asked me to do. The two companies offer in excess of four thousand each. I usually take ten percent so the transaction will net you with some eight thousand and ten dollars."

"I'm happy with that. Again the contract will have to be sent by post but if you take my word then it'll not be revoked."

"Mr Holtzman said you are very trustworthy and I'll proceed as if I have the signed contract in front of me."

"Please do so. I guess that means that I have to send you a few more songs."

"By all means. How many do you have?"

"Thirty six or seven I think. Does your studio have any specific needs in a song at present?"

"Thirty six or seven! My god how do you do it? You must be writing all the time and I hear you are still in high school."

"High school is more for fun and to be with people my age. You may have heard that I cleaned up on most of the material I already know and now concentrate on fun subjects too."

"Yes I did hear. You are a very impressive young man in doing just what you have done in school."

"Thank you Sir. You seem to have run into one of my cheerleaders."

"Mr Holtzman asked me to specifically put in some stipulations about rights to your songs. What did he mean by 'electronic means'? It's new to me."

"Computers are going to advance in leaps and bounds. All of them will be transistorised. Established companies will change or die. Today's computers are too costly and tubes break down more often. Eventually the individual machines will be hooked up together and the easiest means are telephone lines or the satellites that will have to get launched.

"This linkage means that it will be another type of media, just like print, television and radio. It is better to capture this probability now though it may be many years until it becomes possible then years later when it is a problem. I'm just planning ahead for that eventuality."

Mr Sackman said, "That's very interesting. There are some movies that show that computers can one day be very intelligent. Communications between them seems inevitable then. I know music can go over the phone so I guess computing devices could do the same thing.

"Oh, excuse me. You asked if the studio needs a particular song. As a matter of fact we do. The story line deals with the death of a young wife and what the grieving husband feels."

I worked through my memory and came to 'Honey' by Bobby Goldsboro. It was a very sad song but I wasn't sure if I could remember it. I always loved the tremolo in the singer's voice.

"Excuse me, I may have a possibility. I need a guitar to work it out."

Mr Holtzman said, "We have a piano if it is of any use. He pointed in the direction.

"Please give me a moment. I was working on a song and need some final touches to clean it up."

The piano was easy to find and it happened to be a Steinway Grand and not a baby grand either. I thought of the words:

See the tree, how big it's grown

But friend it hasn't been too long

It wasn't big

I laughed at her and she got mad

The first day that she planted it

Was just a twig

My fingers seemed to work as they should for the most part and when the first ten or so measures had been repeated five times the rest of the song came out. I played it all once then again out loud.

Mr Holtzman was behind me with another phone receiver aimed in my direction. I turned and said loudly, "Is it worth your time to hear it one more time or is it of no use?"

Mr Holtzman held out the receiver and said, "Play it again Jeff."

I started to play 'Honey' one more time and saw a sleepy girl coming to me. I looked at her as I sang the song and I think it helped as I tried to feel her loss of two parents. This made my own voice more expressive and the tremolo came out.

When I ended the song Corinne clapped her hands and smiled. "That was good. Play it again."

"Ok, but in a few minutes." I don't think she understood that the song talked about the death of the young wife.

I got the receiver and Mr Sackman said, "That has to be another hit. I'm even more impressed with your song writing ability. Is this one of your songs you are sending?"

"It will be Sir. Do the lyrics fit with the intent of the story?"

"Not quite but the story can be changed just a bit. It takes place in an apartment and thus no yard to plant a tree. The neighbours can now live in houses instead of apartments. I don't want to rush you needlessly but will you send the song as soon as possible? I have a recording now but it is not good enough to sell to the director and the producers."

"It might help that the singer modulate his voice so it could be thought of as crying. I'll write the song out now and send it out as soon as I can. The mails here don't have pickup, only sorting on Sundays."

John brought paper and I made out some score sheets by hand. It would not look professional but it had all the information a musician, or in this case, musicians would need to perform the song.

I had to go back to the piano three times to get some notes corrected but in less than an hour the song was done. Now if I had a fax machine things would be great.

When we were done, it went into a large envelope and John said, "Let's go out for supper and mail the song."

When we got dressed, John asked, "Any particular restaurant, Jeff?"

"How about Japanese tonight. One where the chef works in front of you."

"Hmmm, I think I know one." He looked in the phone book the dialled. In a moment I heard him make reservations.

When he came back, John asked, "Do you like sushi?"

Rather than telling the truth I said, "I'd like to give it a try. I heard about wasabi sauce too but I think it will be too strong. I'm doing this for extra credits for Home Ec." There were no Japanese restaurants in North Bay and no way for me to have tasted the food.

At the restaurant, I expended my entire vocabulary of Japanese words to the chef. He knew some English though.

I said, "I'm taking a cooking class in school. My teacher has not had a chance to see a chef perform as I had heard you could. If it does not offend you, will you show me some of the ways you do your more difficult movements? North Bay has no restaurants as you have here."

He nodded his head and said yes in Japanese and I replied with thank you that would come from a person my age.

We had one other Japanese couple with us and the chef did many things to please Corinne. During the meal he would toss the knives into the air and catch them before doing one job or another. The knives were all very sharp because I knew how easily they cut the food.

The small amount of wasabi sauce brought tears to my eyes. I loved it before but my mouth had not been acclimatised yet. The sushi was good though, and the chef made sure I got to try other varieties with different ingredients. The chopsticks were easy to handle but I had to appear awkward because I should not have known how to handle them competently. Corinne would eat better if I used the chopsticks to feed her. She liked plants from the ocean better than seaweed too.

Corinne got me to give her a bath and I climbed in too. If Mr Holtzman was going to trust me, he may as well start now. We played in the suds and made water shoot up like a clam does before doing the actual cleaning. After I washed her she did my hair. The door had been open and Mr Holtzman came in with a big towel. He just sat on the toilet and watched Corinne work.

I stood and used the shower to rinse her off and handed her to her grandfather. "There you go. Squeaky clean too." While she was being dried I rinsed myself and got out of the tub for my own towel.

Mr Holtzman said, "You don't seem to have a problem being naked."

"It's not rational to be body shy. In some periods of ancient Greek and Minoan cultures the women went topless. This may have lead to a population increase immediately but when it was accepted the birth rate went back to normal. Serfs in feudal England usually wore no clothes and this may have turned a noble's eye but not always. It wasn't too long ago that seeing a woman's ankle was scandalous. Today most of the children in tropical countries run around naked, especially in the villages."

Mr Holtzman thought then said, "It may be cultural because it's not common here."

I asked, "Were you in the military Sir?"

"Yes I was."

"Individual showers and change rooms?"

"Well, no but that was preparing for war."

"I have ten dollars in my pocket. Do you want to bet it is done now without an imminent war over our heads?"

"You are probably right Jeff — "

"What about a rural family with a lot of young children? A washtub goes on the kitchen floor and the kids go into it in rotation. They may even get to go into a real bathtub."

"I give up. It is just the way I was brought up, it may well vary with affluence and the number of children."

"Well you saved yourself ten bucks too."

Corinne went to bed after two sets of kisses and I went back to the front room for a change of clothes. I didn't have a robe and one offered me was many times too big.

John and I discussed a wide range of topics. Music was the main subject but we did get into history before turning in. I now had a lot of money from music but all of it had to stay in an American Corporation that was not set up yet. I got some good advice on what to do when showed the list that James Mason and I had worked on.

Mr Holtzman jotted down the points and said, "I'll get our own corporate attorneys to see what they can come up with, especially when you will be dealing in smoke alarms and automatically tinted glass."

I woke up the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee. Mr Holtzman and I finished our second cup long before Corinne got up. She sleepily climbed into my lap as her grandfather put her food close by. She wanted me to feed her.

"Does your Grampy feed you this way too?"

She looked at her grandfather then said, "Sometimes."

"Ok this time. If you don't use your own arms they will get so weak that you can't scratch your nose."

When we sat in the other room Mr Holtzman said, "Any new inventions today? It must be twenty four hours since your last one so and there should be at least six or seven."

"Only old ones that I haven't mentioned but they are not ripe enough to pick yet. I could use some help with my portable tape recorder."

"What would you like?"

"I need some old or broken units that I can use for parts. This makes them many times cheaper. I don't run into many tape recorders in North Bay and I have to just fix the ones I do find."

"I think I can find a few by calling repair shops here in Toronto. I may be able to get some from pawnshops. They can be shipped to your home. Anything else you need?"

"Someone that can make the dies for a plastic extrusion machine. I can make a cassette from solid stock until I get the right sizes. I have my own ideas on the problems of tape hiss. These will get the major portion of the patents. The rest of it is minor and just engineering. If these ideas prove fruitful I think I will just have to get Phillips to buy it or sell the idea to a Japanese company for a fraction of their common stock. They are bound to grow."

Mr Holtzman said, "Japanese merchandise is usually poor. It is better to go with Phillips."

"You're right, of course, but the Japanese firms are under a major handicap and have nowhere to move but up. Shares in the Japanese companies will grow and grow again and beat most North American forecasts. This won't happen overnight, but it will happen."

"Any particular company you have your eye on?"

"No, I was just looking at trends. My information comes out of the Toronto paper and that's inadequate at best."

"Off the subject, but would you still want to see the library at the university?"

"It is not necessary but I would love to get some documents that a student has that allow me to borrow books."

"That may be arranged I think. I'll just get you registered as a part time student." I saw him start to smile and I could see a plan forming. I had to assume it was sneaky but I didn't see John as mean, at least not to me.

Just after lunch, I made up some additional music paper then wrote out 'Corrina, Corrina' that had been originally done by Ray Peterson. I would have loved to change the name to Corinne but the song didn't lend itself to it.

I handed the sheets to John and said, "It is a silly song. It may not get too high but it was fun to write. Put all proceeds from the song into an account for Corinne. I know she's well taken care of but I like to help too."

John looked at the music and smiled. "I'll be happy to do this." I wasn't sure about the smile and thought it was because the song was repetitious and said very little or for some other reason.

Corinne and her grandfather saw me off on the bus going north. I had a large pile of books and a well-packed box of mirrors. Instead of studying, I just hummed some songs pulled from my memory and I tried to write the lyrics down. When I got to North Bay I had twenty-six sheets of paper with partial or complete songs on them.

I splurged and got a taxi ride home. Jane and the girls were all in her bed and I just slipped in on one side and hugged Maggie to me.

Jane woke me the next morning with a kiss. "How did it go Honey? I didn't even know you were home."

On the bus I had debated how to answer this. To tell of the songs sale then this would put extra pressure on them to tell someone. "I made a simple device that will sense smoke in the air. If the governments will release a special chemical we can get it into production. It'll make a lot of money but it will be quite a few years until I see any of it. Corinne is doing great. I made some special mirrors I need, and she made one with me."

"That's nice Jeff."

She got up and later I heard, "Your breakfast is ready."

I put my arms around Jane. "I'm sorry I didn't let you have your breakfast too."

"That's ok. I may get some tonight."

"I'll make sure of it."

The five of us walked to school. The girls were told what I said to Jane with the addition of the automatically tinted glasses. I carried two of my newly acquired chemistry books to study if the time allowed. I had to study grade ten English Comp and Lit but I had plenty of time.

Woodwork was my new homeroom. Instead of small projects that were mostly toys I got a chance to make some wood frames for my mirrors.

"What are these frames for Mr Congdon?" Mr Sharp asked.

"Just to hold some glass mirrors. I have to reflect some light down a tube. They will have to go into a metal frame to keep them from shaking. A truck on the street can send vibrations through the ground to the floor that will shake them."

"I heard you were an inventor so I guess you know what you want."

"I do in a rough way. There's a lot of tinkering though to get good results."

Mrs Cameron our Home Ec teacher said, "Today we are going to learn how to make a dress." After a slight pause she added, "Or a shirt." She looked pointedly at me to see if I was going to react. I did. I smiled widely at her.

"Who here has made any of those articles before?"

I was one of four that put up their hands.

"You have made a dress or a shirt Mr Congdon?"

"Yes ma'am. Both in fact. The young lady liked the dress and even continues to wear it."

"What things did you learn doing this project?"

"That covers a lot of points. Do you want to hear them all?"

"Go right ahead Mr Congdon."

"Well, if you say so Mrs Cameron. First you have to do the fitting with an onshore wind so the mosquitos get less to eat while the measurements at being taken and the dress made. Second would be to use the proper tools. I used fishing string to transpose the measurements. I had no shears so I used a knife for nearly everything. A large sun dried piece of driftwood was much better than rock when it came to keeping the knife sharp.

"The side of the hide with the hair had to go out which in retrospect sounds clear but I had to turn it inside out. Small pleats were used to hold the hide together and to look nice. The girl in question had a habit of eating quite a lot so I had to make sure the long thongs I cut allowed for a bit of expansion and contraction.

"Layout was difficult because I had to cut shoes similar to what the Romans used. This gave me less waste and more thongs.

"Weeks later I got the chance to use shears on the hem and I embroidered it with the beads I purchased.

"If I had to do it all over again I would just cut up one of the heavy flannel shirts and turn it into britches. I actually had sewing equipment and needn't have used the hide. It would not look as nice but would give better protection from insects and small branches."

Mrs Cameron asked, "How is the young girl doing?"

"Quite well actually. I was at her home this weekend. Her appetite is even better than it used to be and the dress had to be let out just a bit."

"That is good to hear Mr Congdon. What about the shirt?"

"I have a company that washes cars. I went with my friends to buy material and patterns. I got a chance to make the uniform but I have to admit that I was pushed out of the way by some older women who thought this was 'woman's work' and I had to prepare the meals instead. So I did some of the work but watched so I could learn."

"I have heard of that uniform. The clothing seems to work very well for your company."

"That was the intention but the girls enjoy an above average pay for wearing them. They dance and sing and soon we will try to cut a record or two if we can get some good musicians."

"Now you are into music too Mr Congdon?"

To get her off this subject I said, "I might add Mrs Cameron, that I researched a Japanese restaurant for class. The chef said, 'You need sharp knives and a fast eye, ' but his actual words were in Japanese. It took a long time and many people to translate."

"And what did you say?"

"Doumo arigato gozaimasu."

"You will have to show us what you learned in a few weeks."

"Are you just speaking rhetorically or may I try?"

"I think you may. I'm quite interested now."

We broke up into pairs and Janice Higgins pulled me to work with her. I had counted and I knew that we had an odd number today.

Janice said, "Can we work together. You can tell me more about the skirt you made."

"Ok but there is an odd number today and let's get Gloria to work with us too."

"We could do better alone."

People were beginning to notice and I whispered, "It's hard being the least popular girl in the room. Let's be friends and that means that all of us has a chance to join?"

She paused then said, "Alright, we'll be friends."

I pulled Gloria Swenson over to our group and said, "I want you in our group Gloria. You have a good eye and nice stitches." The girl was hesitant but when I said that she seemed to light up like a hundred watt light bulb.

We looked through books to pick out a dress design we wanted. I just pictured Corinne and what would look good on her without competing with her good clothes. She had a lot. I thought a blouse and slacks would be good but more work than a dress for summer. There were some remnants but we were supposed to buy our own material and if necessary the patterns too.

Mr Bain gave us an assignment that I read very quickly then answered verbosely. I then used the borrowed textbook to look at polyethylene terephthalate or PET for short. Derivatives came in many forms and were the basis of synthetic fibres such as polyester, Dacron, and Terylene. One, though, was made in the States, Dow Chemical made it I figured. They made a thin film of PET called Mylar. For years to come all audio tape had an acetate base but Mylar was superior. One of the better magnetic coatings was chromium dioxide.

PET was also the basis for clear plastic bottles. All I knew about it was that the plastic could crystallise when put into a mould and needed a softening agent to reduce the waste. PET could be recycled but only the virgin product got used for beverage bottles. A wide range of products could be made from the product. If the plastic was irradiated with ultraviolet then it would decompose faster but still allow long enough for the container to be used.

Mr Bain came around to see how well we were doing and saw the strange book but I quickly pointed to my completed work before continuing to read.

"Isn't that book a little beyond you Mr Congdon?"

"It definitely is but not as far as you think. I know something about polymerisation but not nearly enough for my next two inventions."

He smiled condescendingly and said, "You invented something, I mean beside that light thing?"

"Yes, two inventions on Saturday. One's simple and can be done here while the other you will not have the one necessary ingredient. Would you like to see the simple one? I need small sheet of glass or plastic and some silver halide and silver bromide."

"I may have some. What will it do?"

"Automatically darken the glass or plastic. It can be used in eyeglasses and possibly architectural glass for tropical areas."

The man got the two containers and I got up and dissolved them in the same liquid I did before then took some microscope slides. They were immersed then allowed to dry. Others finished their work and came over to see what I had done.

"Are you going to make any money from this Mr Congdon?"

"I don't know how much. I have two partners that are providing funding. I get the patent and a third of the profits. Prescription glasses and sunglasses manufacturers are the obvious companies that would want this process."

The teacher and students picked up the glasses but saw nothing happening. "Go to a window so the direct sunlight hits the glass."

We had to leave the room and go down the stairs and out a side door before we got some ultraviolet light to hit the two silver compounds.

Mr Bain said, "This's interesting. How did you find it?"

"Just read a great many books and found a piece of data that clicked in my mind. I tried it out and found it worked."

"What about the other project? What is it that we need?"

"Americium oxide. I can't see a high school getting any of that. We may be able to fudge it with ozone but it may not work."

"Where did you get Americium oxide?"

"I was at the University of Toronto on the weekend."

"They let you use radioactive materials?"

"The head of the chemistry department was asked to help me conduct an experiment. We used only a micro curie of Americium oxide. It mostly radiates alpha particles that are stopped by a sheet of paper. It was enough for our device to work. Presently it is being worked on by some people to bring it to market if we can convince some government bodies to release enough of the Americium oxide to us."

"Next thing you know I will find you making a bomb."

"Not likely. There are enough nuts out there making them for the militaries of the world. You're a far more active proponent of radioactive materials than I am."

"How is that Mr Congdon?"

"I explained on Saturday that a similar watch to the one you are wearing is 28,000 times more radioactive than my device. It represents half of the damage done to your body each day. My advice is to get a new watch without radium hands and numbers. They make them now with phosphors or lights."

We went back inside but Mr Bain was deep in thought.

When the class was over, a student by the name of Frank Sorensen asked me, "Were you working with radioactive compounds?"

"Very little of it. The professor did all the weighting and placed the material where it was needed. I just made a small chamber for it then designed a small circuit to monitor its state.

"What does it do?"

"The device will detect a small amount of smoke and then set off an alarm that should warn those that are in the house of a threat. The alarm is loud enough that it should wake those that are sleeping."

"Sounds like it would be useful if it works."

"I think so too. Some people are working on it now to make it smaller and simpler. If it gets simple enough it will be cheap for the average home. The hang-up is the atomic regulatory bodies in Canada and the US."

Double English ended the day and I paid attention because King Lear was new to me. I had Macbeth while taking grade eleven. I took notes and even copied down some catchy phrases. I thought, 'So young, and so untender?' suited my real self very well.

Composition was easy because I had taken two summer courses for fun in the subject. A young lady had encouraged me to do so and then again both of us had fun. This didn't make me good as my writing of 'Jaws' and 'Star Wars' proved, but I was still better than most. This time I didn't plagiarise and still finished before the end of the period.

Near the trees in front of school, I found all my girls including Angela. She and the others gave me a kiss for some reason and my sisters gave me a more sisterly one. Paige held my hand and said, "We heard a — "

Janice Higgins and Gloria Swenson were walking together and came close to our group. Paige didn't seem jealous and neither did the rest so I relaxed.

Janice was the more popular one and thus more outgoing. "Hi Jeff. We were wondering if you wanted to go to the fabric store with us." She saw all the girls around and didn't give her prospects much of a chance.

"Paige, Honey, do you have to make a dress too?"

"Yes, but I am making a shirt instead."

"Hmmmm not in pink I hope?"

"No, he doesn't like to wear that colour." Her smile turning into a giggle.

"Do you want to go shopping with us? I'll buy you a lollipop little girl."

"No, I would love to but Mom has things for me to do."

Gloria and Janice were invited to go with us then go to the store.

Susan said, "We found some guys that are fairly good musicians. They have a drummer, two on guitar and one that plays a sax. Do you want to hear them audition?"

"Sure, I'll supply the music depending on their abilities and style. Which songs do you girls like best?"

We thought 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool' would be good. We can have some of the shy ones in the back till they find it's ok."

This was a song by Connie Francis and might work well. "Sure, I even have an instrumental but they are not usually as popular."

"I know all your songs will hit number one. They are just blind here or maybe it's deaf."

Susan started singing the song and the girls added their parts as we walked. Gloria and Janice just watched in amazement. Susan was very shy before and now seemed to bloom, or at least around me. They sang the song three times before Jennifer said, "Your turn Jeff. Give us another song we haven't heard before."

I thought of young male vocalists and then narrowed it from Paul Anka to Bobby Vinton then sang 'Roses Are Red (My Love)' to Paige then Janice and Gloria. The last two were red too as they blushed. To continue with the theme I sang 'Blue Velvet' by the same singer to the other girls.

My voice was not very good and I had no accompaniment but if Susan could go out on a limb then I had to as well, besides it was fun.

We dropped off our books at my house and only Gloria and Janice were going with me. Paige made sure she gave me a passionate kiss to tell the girls that I was taken.

A block from my home Janice got close and stayed there while Gloria stayed away as if she was intruding. I picked up her hand then one of Janice's and we walked this way to the store.

Gloria was very nervous but got over it soon enough. She wasn't able to talk. I could almost see a lot of thoughts running around in her mind.

We did talk more in the store as we searched for the pattern I wanted and then for the material the three of us needed. I altered our path home and found the girls working at the carwash and we stopped to watch. They were still too busy to talk to us.

Gloria said, "Is that the shirts you were talking about?"

"Yes that is one of them. The other is similar but not the same. The original girls monogrammed the shirts too."

Janice went closer and saw the lettering on some of the girls. "Jeffery's Angels, even your sisters are wearing that."

"They are my angels. Though sometimes they are more demon than angel but that's the way girls are."

Janice asked out of the blue, "Is Paige really your girlfriend? We heard things about you two."

"She certainly is my girlfriend and if you want to remain my friend you should not think any bad thoughts about her. She's a shy person and easily hurt."

"I wasn't thinking anything bad, it was just — "

"Just what?"

"Nothing."

"I think you see Paige and I acting much as adults would. Though it may surprise you, I'm well capable of having such a relationship. I'm knowledgeable enough to avoid the majority of the problems facing us. We have to grow older and wiser but some underlying feelings will not change. Paige will not be hurt by me but could be hurt by rumours."

She said, "I'm not passing judgment, in fact I'm happy for both of you. You're younger than me but act a lot older. I heard a lot of stories too but they're hard to understand."

I smiled to reassure her. "What stories do you want clarified?"

In a moment she said, "You invent stuff all the time. Where do you find all the ideas?"

"I think about the world around us then when I read I try to find things that'll improve it."

"What about that singing? I listen to the radio and I never heard those songs before. Did you think them up?"

"Sure, it's not that hard to get an idea but it's hard to cut, trim and paste until the idea is the best it can be."

"Is your sister really going to sing on a record?"

I smiled again. "If we can find some good musicians. I can hire professionals but I don't have a lot of money when amateurs may do for practice. When the time comes all of them will go and record a few songs and you may even hear them on the radio one day." I looked at Gloria then Janice and asked, "Can either of you sing?"

The two girls were surprised. When the didn't answer I said, "When we get to my house you can try when I play the guitar."

Jane met the girls and made some tea while she looked over the clothing we were going to put together at school. I got out the guitar and found some of the copies of music I had made and started to play the music for 'Downtown'.

Janice and Gloria got their own copy and sang the words a few times. After six attempts they didn't get that much better so I figured that they were not cut out for this.

When Janice and Gloria left, the others arrived and we had a meal. We talked about the girls singing abilities. Maggie asked, "You looking for more girls? Aren't we enough for you?"

"You keep me well satisfied and they're just trying to see how far they can get. If they knew what you girls were like they would run."

Susan made a phone call a little later. In a while, two cars came over with the young musicians. I helped them set up in our front room and Susan introduced all of us and making a point of saying that I was the one that wrote the music.

They were unsure of the handshake but did this anyway. Bob was on drums. Mark and Tony were on guitar and Terry was on sax. They played some popular songs and then one of their own. It was not very good but they had practised more on it.

Susan had given them some of my work and they had been practising for close to a week. After a few run throughs, Susan sang 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool'. The other girls formed a chorus that I had specially made for them.

At the end of a few hours I knew that they were fair musicians but not good enough yet. Susan and the girls were not ready either.

"Ladies, and gentlemen. You sing and play well for a city this size but to get this song on a record we have to be many times better. The musicians play too loudly and there are some minor timing problems. The singers have the same problems and it may be just because you're not working together as much as you should."

Tony looked angry. I was only a skinny twelve-year-old after all that knew nothing of music. "I don't have to take this. Com'on guys. It's time to go."

"Tony, do you really think you could cut a record the way you are now?"

He stood and said, "Let's go." The rest started to stand.

"Tony, I didn't say you're no good. All I said is that you're not ready yet. If your feelings get hurt this easy how are you going to ever make a musician? It's rough out there and you need a thick skin. You just need to dedicate yourselves to doing the songs to the best of your ability. The songs you played have not been sold yet and you're getting first crack at them. Granted it was done for the girls but you have an equal place on the stage."

He held his lips tight then said, "What do you know about music? You wrote the music and your sister says you can play. What makes you the expert?"

I was not about to talk about the songs sold. "I have my own ear and brain. Talk to a record company and they will just say you need more time to smooth out the rough edges."

He retorted, "You have never talked to a record company so you have no idea what they think."

Susan blurted out, "He did and he sold a song."

Tony said, "Yeah, and so did my mother."

Susan was going to explain further but I put a hand on her arm. "It's ok Susan. They will get better if they practice. They will find out the truth or not in a few months."

"But Debbie Re — "

I interrupted her, "It doesn't matter Susan."

When the boys left in the cars I said, "They would get better but they will not make a good band with Tony's attitude. It's probably his age and hormones talking. You'll just have to look for some other musicians."

This reminded me of my own songs that had to be mailed. I got them out of my files and had the girls help to copy them. At least now I had printed music paper to work with. It was over two hours before we were done and could start studying. Nora came over to talk to Jane and saw her daughter and Jennifer working on the main floor and not upstairs with me. I didn't know if she thought that I had sex with the other girls but I wasn't about to ask.

That night I prepared the good copies for shipment after the girls went home. The English test was coming up and I read King Lear but brushed up on Cole's Notes too, so I hit most of the important points.

Jane got my main attention when we went to bed and she seemed to sleep much more comfortably. My other two ladies worked well together and could easily interchange with Jane without any noticeable problem. She was now a sister and not a mother and as such able to play the games we all played.

The next morning I guessed the weight of the package of songs and just put more than enough postage to ship the large envelope to California. The girls were all excited but wanted it to show MGM's instead of Mr Sackman's address.



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Chapter 6



Paige and I got to Miss Floit's room before the first class.

The teacher smiled and said, "Hello Jeff, Paige. How are the pair of you doing?"

"Not bad for health but Paige is singing flat again."

Paige retorted but only with a little anger. "I am not — "

She saw the smile and blushed. I said, "I came here to ask you something. Susan is canvassing for a small band to play with her and the other girls when they play 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool'."

"Is that another of your songs?"

"Yes, and it should hit number one or at least the top ten like the rest some day."

"How are they selling? You haven't said much."

"I have had some serious talks with MGM. I would rather not talk about it until everything is finalised. When it is, I'll tell you before it ever goes on the air. I'm a pessimist in some ways and worry that even if they buy it, the song may never be publicly performed."

"All artists are that way until they get a bit more confidence. So what about this band?"

"We tried one and the leader was bent out of shape that I said he wasn't professional quality yet. The only ones that would be, would of necessity, be professionals. I'm looking for a band that will work with the girls and improve as they do. If the band cannot improve enough I'll just have to hire some studio musicians to play with them. The girls have been taking some voice lessons but I would like to get them more involved in the singing. It's not for the money or even for the few songs I make but for themselves. They need to put out their best effort to get ahead."

The teacher said, "I know some groups and I can talk to Susan about them. I can teach voice too though I'm not that good myself. Do you have a copy of your material?"

I was hoping this would happen and handed over three songs including 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool'.

The woman looked at them for a few moments then said, "I haven't looked very close but they look good to me. Maybe all three will be number one hits or very close to it."

Today I was able to use my spare to have lunch with Paige and her friends. We caught up on gossip for the last week and basically had some fun. I told a few jokes that went over well but I didn't monopolise the conversations. When the bell rang to go to class, we all got up and put the garbage away. The girls hurried to class and Paige waved to me.

Moments later, I was knocked to the floor by one of the male students. Instead of apologising, the grade ten student said, "Watch were you're going."

I picked myself up and saw a group of girls giggling. One was Marcy Stevens. She must have found an instrument for her small revenge. She was learning quite well how to manipulate people.

During what would have been my lunch, I tried to study King Lear but I was still angry at the attack. I was not so much angry at the child or at the way Marcy manipulated him to knock me over but because my body now seemed to be influencing me. It wasn't rational and I wasn't one of Spock's people. If I were then I would have reacted more with my intellect. In the end, I had to smile, because it meant that my body was changing.

It was getting cold by the second week in October and the carwash was officially closed until springtime. The contract was for one year and we would at least get a start next year if we were forced to change location.

Miss Floit found three bands and we both interviewed them after school in the music room. Tom Sonski headed the 'North Birds' and the leader played the drums. His brother Karl played bass guitar and a neighbour, Stan Flit, played lead guitar. Jeff Camden played trumpet. They could also play the church organ, piano, accordion, harmonica and recorder. They were better than Tony and his band but not by much. They were not offended though, that they were not thought of as professional.

Miss Floit said, "You boys have a chance to learn some songs that will be very popular. You may even be the ones that bring this material to the world if you practice enough that you sound much more professional.

"Jeff Congdon has written quite a few songs and I think they all will be popular in North America and Europe. He is as talented now as you are but you will surpass him with practice. If you do your work then it's very likely that you will get to cut a record.

"The vocalists are in the same boat. They sound fine but not up to professional standards yet."

The effect of this meddling caused me to walk home by myself. The girls, including Paige, stayed to sing.

Mr Sackman and the producers were extremely happy with the song 'Honey' and sent me back notification that it was worth six thousand dollars after his commission. CanAm Industries Incorporated came into effect just then and the much-needed infusion of the money went to things that had to be done.

The envelope with the songs was now a very valuable company resource. Mr Sackman had some musicians and vocalists perform the songs to various groups and even set up an auction. Twenty-three of the thirty-seven songs sold for a total of $79,324 dollars. None of the family, though, knew of this arrangement.

I passed the English tests for grade ten with scores in the low nineties. My position in grade eleven was justified. I even managed to finish the slacks and blouse. I was pleased when I was told by the teacher that it they were done very well. Inside, I felt pleased with the compliment. Perhaps as a senior citizen, I would feel the same way.

Mr Sackman was interested in 'Jaws' but had not seen the work yet because it was being edited. I suggested the beat that could be on the sound track though I could not remember the song itself.

A small audio tape came in the mail for me with Debbie Reynolds' voice singing 'Downtown'. Her style was not the same as Petula Clark but it was still acceptable.

The girls were very happy for me. Mr Holtzman had sent up a large shipment of tape recorders of every size and shape he could find. Most were damaged but that was fine with me. One that I fixed was able to play the tape and the girls were thrilled because she was singing it for us.

After school that day I stopped at the music room to see the work on the song. The teacher smiled at me and I felt happy but also ready for my joke. I said, "Miss Floit, may I use your tape machine for a minute?"

"Sure Jeff. If you are playing, then play it quietly."

"Thanks."

I wound my tape through the guides then started the end on an empty spool. I played it low then stopped it and rewound a few inches. All the girls knew what the tape was and remained quiet. Their smiles and inattention though must have given it away.

"What is that Jeff?"

"Listen please." I turned on the sound fairly loud and we could hear the distinctive voice and the music in the background. When it came to the end I just rewound it to the start with the mechanical counter and looked at the boys and Miss Floit.

Miss Floit said, "Who was singing that song of yours, Jeff?"

"You're going to have to make at least one guess?"

Her voice came out as if she did not believe what she had heard. "Was that Debbie Reynolds?"

The girls jumped up and down cheering so I guess I didn't have to confirm her guess.

"Did you sell it?"

"Yes, but it's entirely on commission. The more popular it is the more I make. You were the one that helped me most with my songs and I thought it fitting that you hear it first or at least after the girls did. They get real nosey and then demanding when I get a simple package from MGM."

"I understand. Play it again Jeff." Her expression said she did not believe me yet.

The band and the girls worked much harder after the song was played six more times. I had a proven success even if it wasn't substantiated in print or in records available at the music shop. I felt good inside. The people could not discount my ability so easily.

Mr Berger had come back from his trip when expected. He had signed the contracts and secrecy agreements that were written by Mr Holtzman or one of the attorney's working for him. I had done some rethinking and felt it better to hold off on a long sabbatical in Toronto. I liked where I was now and I would have to learn to keep near the family for both our sakes.

PET was a new material but not so new that it was unheard of. Many products were made of the raw material and Mr Berger bought some for me and then got all the data sheets he could find on it.

I had done very little with the tape recorders or with the cassette patent. I was busy with a great many other jobs. In fact, nothing was done experimentally in electronics or chemistry as I spent my time studying.

My body was starting to respond to the exercise. I was not out of breath so fast and I was not as far back when the first student finished the race. I was still last but not as bad as before.

CanAm Industries Inc was going to provide funds for my projects. Some may be at the University of Toronto if they and Mr Berger were agreeable. Alternate labs would also do the work but I would have far less control over the technology leaking out.

I had missed the chance to have the long weekend in Toronto with the Thanksgiving holiday but stayed with family instead. It was nice to just have a terrific meal and invite friends over. Paige and I did up the turkey and fixings at our house. We cooked a large bird too, so there would be enough for everyone.

Nora and Jack were told to sit back while we used their oven for the pastries. We used a trick I knew of in later years. A large pumpkin was quartered and cleaned then just put into the oven facing up. The flesh was cooked until soft and then it could be scooped from the shell with a dull spoon. This went into a large number of pies after it was cooked.

We ran ourselves ragged while the others cleaned the house and got prepared other the meal. We were in charge of food. Jack went for wine for the toasts. Paige showed me how to make good piecrust but Nora and Jane stayed close and oversaw the production; they had little to straighten us out on. I had to roll some girls to bed that night but I was just as bad. My stomach hurt but I felt good to be with those I loved.

The next Friday night though I was back on the bus to Toronto. This time I got off earlier and found a familiar man and car waiting for me. John and Corinne invited me in for breakfast and I felt like I was home again, but just a different home.

While we sat to eat, John said, "I sold the song you gave me through Mr Sackman. MGM didn't want it but Bobby Vinton did. We expect to see it coming out in the next four to six months."

"That's great. He should do great but as I said, I don't know how high it will go in the charts."

John said, "Yes, I'm told there are a lot of high quality songs ready to go on the market soon."

"Yes, I heard that rumour too." I felt like an old fool because I had to smile. "Tell me if there is anything new with the projects I left."

"The smoke alarm has been improved quite a bit but we still need about the same amount of Americium oxide. Our application for the release of the radioactive element will take a long time. A lot of physicists were hired to make reports and they have to send in their findings with our application. The university bought some additional material for us but it has to stay on the university grounds until the clearance is given for its release.

"The silver halide and silver chloride were a little difficult to dissolve into liquid glass as you know but we found a way to kept the air away from it and it now works.

"Mr Berger found three additional methods that will allow the silver compounds to enter plastic lenses. That brings the total now to thirteen. We have enough information now to patent these two processes."

There was a pause and he asked, "How are your projects coming Jeff?"

"Cramming for the real world chemistry exam is the best I can describe it. Mr Berger obtained enough polyethylene terephthalate from Dow to begin testing my ideas. I'm concerned with industrial espionage though. Dow may not be crass enough to send an investigator but may ask questions over the phone that will lead them to the answer much quicker than we can do it. Their power, like ours, will be in the patents and the courts."

John said, "Mr Berger was informed of this and agrees that more security is needed. He has three former students that could do most of the work for you at a remote location. He even located a small glass-bottling machine that might be altered to suit this plastic of yours. What did you want those rolls of Mylar film for?"

"Well, magnetic tape uses an acetate base. Mylar is much stronger, more flexible, dimensionally stable and thinner for a given strength. This relates to more linear feet of tape on a given roll.

"Mylar, Dacron, Terylene, Nylon and many others are just different forms of polyethylene terephthalate. The binders use in this plastic can be used to bond the magnetic material to the base.

"I checked for the magnetic properties of many compounds and want to try some on the various thicknesses of Mylar. When I get enough samples, I can then see how much I can get on one of my cassettes. This should be worth a few patents too. The rights can be sold to Phillips but as I mentioned before, I would rather sell to Japan for a piece of their corporations.

"The portable tape machine will be the same way when it gets built. I have quite a few patents to prepare for that. One is a new circuit to reduce the hiss I mentioned before. I want to make new heads which will allow a greater density of information on the tape."

John said, "So you are telling me, Jeff, that you only have one new invention and that is the tape itself?" He smiled at me and added, "You're slacking off."

Corinne was watching us intently and I said, "Well not exactly. Instead of making million dollar ideas I made something else.

I opened my suitcase and took out a wrapped bundle of clothes and handed it to Corinne. I looked at the girl and said, "This is for you Sweetie. I made it myself with my two hands. There were a lot of ladies looking over my shoulder though but I did it all."

She ripped the paper off then ripped open the thin cardboard box. She pulled out the dark slacks and the pink blouse and laughed as she showed them to her Grampy. She ran around and gave me a kiss after I bent over and she began to take her pyjamas off right away. In a minute the new clothes were on and she ran to the mirror in the other room to see what she looked like.

"That was a nice present Jeff. I knew it was clothes when I had to give all those dimensions. You could have been working on your projects instead of doing this."

I said, "Family is important too. I go to school to be with people my own age even though they are not my age mentally. I needed to make something in Home Ec and I picked this. Since it was for Corinne I made it better, learned more, and felt a lot more satisfaction. It was not because I wanted a high mark."

Mr Holtzman said, "You shame me Jeff. I spend much too much time on my work instead of being with Cori as I need to be."

"Mr Holtzman, you already had a daughter, Corinne's mother. You raised her well."

Corinne came running into us and I stopped to see the girl.

"I'm beautiful."

"You certainly are. Now show your Grampy."

She stood proudly in front of her grandfather. He hummed and hawed then said, "You're right Cori. You are beautiful."

When next I called my host 'Mr Holtzman', he said, "Jeff, please call me John. We are business partners and family through Cori. You think more on my level than many of the young attorneys at our firm."

"Thank you, John. I'll try to temper that request with the company we have. Though Grampy sound good with just us."

He smiled then laughed and patted me on the back as he brought out a handkerchief to wipe the tears brought by laughing from his eyes.

John and I talked about what I needed in order to complete all my work that had been started. I said, "The experiment in the Mylar film requires it to be accurately cut to a quarter inch. That is not a hard job but the coatings have to be bonded to the film first. I am afraid I cannot do all this.

"I need someone to oversee the bottle manufacturing. Perhaps one of the three men he found can do that but I'm not sure. I've not spoken to any of them.

"When that project is patented it can be sold. There are too many ways a chemical company can changes prices to kill my business. The other project that I never talked much about is fibre optics. This is where glass fibres are used to conduct various types of light.

"The laser that I want to make will allow the beam to go for a great distance but it will suffer some attenuation. LEDs exist now. They're just a crack in a semiconductor that emits light. I think a similar device could be made to emit laser light. The second type is necessary for my multi million-dollar communications company.

"My lasers will prove a theory but will not be suitable for carrying a great many telephone calls."

John sat with his hand cradling his chin. "So you need some people in the semiconductor field to work for you and produce the two devices. How much can you do? I'm referring to the number of man hours needed by others to complete these devices?"

I said, "There are very few people in this field to begin with. Most are physicists and not engineers. With a dozen inspired people it may reach patent stage in a year. There are just too many companies with a lot of money and clout. They'll keep the people they have."

The next part had to be backed up so I said, "The corporation made close to $90,000. I may have flooded the music market but I should be able to sell a few dozen songs per year. If I'm known for good work then my price may go up. That still relates to $50,000, and not enough to support that number of men when equipment and supplies are factored in. My novels and movies may fill the gap although some I would like to produce myself. A few may get to be as profitable as 'Gone With The Wind'."

"Really! That was an all time high. What do you think you can get for the novel, 'Jaws'?"

"A best seller can go for up to fifty thousand I'm told. 'Jaws' could do that well but it probably won't. A lot of advertising though can push any book, song or movie to astonishing heights."

"I think you are aiming high but I'm not an expert."

I smiled at him and said, "As my agent you still get ten percent. It's up to you to ensure that I get the best deal. Five thousand is not bad but maybe not what you are used to getting."

John now laughed then said, "Five thousand is a lot of money to me too. I can't pick up that amount easily. Let me see what I can do. What about your other book? Can that be sold as a novel?"

"It too needs advertising. The best way's to have a movie made then the world knows the premise of the book. The movie itself may be impossible without a very expensive inventory of props and special effects."

"What's a special effect?"

"That's where you doctor the film of a movie. You take an aircraft and then splice a new portion in where an explosive device is detonated. The viewers think that an expensive plane has been destroyed with either the good or the bad guys in it. In my case, I can make a plastic cart with wheels and pull it across the ground. It is viewed from an elevated position but the wheels are still seen. The film is smudged just under the cart with the eraser from a pencil and it looks like a field of energy is supporting the vehicle."

"Can you do that? I mean can you make the cart really float?"

I said seriously, "Man has a three dimensional brain. In my opinion, I think that there are more dimensions than those we can comprehend now. This may have been postulated before but I have no proof and no way of even starting to look for this. It's just a feeling. Gravity and other phenomena I believe are intrinsically linked to these other dimensions and as such, may never be comprehended or manipulated by man."

John said, "That's too bad. I was hoping you could come up with a solution."

Mr Berger came to the house for a short meeting. As business partners, gatherings like this were necessary. I had partners in various other financial endeavours in my other life and knew that we rarely ever agreed on all points. He did bring me a cardboard box of the original chemicals used to make the first liquid crystals even though they would be of no use at room temperature. More bottles contained some of the chemicals I may not be able to get at school. These were very poisonous and wrapped very well. Some six by six polarised glass sheets filled out what I needed

After an admonition to be careful, we went over what he had done in the last few weeks in greater detail.

"I like the ways you found for the silver to permeate the plastic. I may at best have come up with one idea and then it would take me a long time. You have found many others and even provided a lot of data on each method."

Mr Berger smiled and said, "I do have a degree Mr Congdon and a few years of experience."

I said, "That experience though is needed for more than just the help stipulated in our contract."

"What new processes or devices are you inventing Mr Congdon?"

I had the man under a secrecy agreement but that didn't mean much unless I could prove something in a court of law. Getting redress may be impossible. The ideas I had were worth much more than what I could ever get from the man. I did have to trust or I could get nothing done. "Mylar film comes from PET stock. It has a great many good properties. The rolls I bought will be covered with various amounts of different magnetic materials. They can then be sliced a quarter of an inch wide. Currently Acetate is used and it's not very good. I have a chance at the brass ring as I ride around this carrousel of life and I mean to grab it."

"So you need somebody to put the material on the tape also?"

"It may be more difficult than that. We may have to cover wide strips and do a good deal of processing. A binder is added to a magnetic material. It is dried under a magnetic field so all the molecules are lined up. I can see the edges of the film not being covered adequately. A carbon lubricant needs to be added for longer tape life." This I remembered from videotape and floppy disks. The material in the centre of the strip was name branded while the outside was sold at a discount and under other brand names because it was not that good. Carbon black was added to a film of glue and added to the other side of the tape as a lubricant.

A list, over three pages long, detailed what materials to use and how to apply them. This was not a job that could be done quickly or easily. The magnetic material had to be quite pure and then be ground much finer than what was done now. Chromium dioxide from my past was used with good results. Later, pure iron was used for even better results.

Urethane, a volatile solvent, the metals or metal oxides along with some alumina oxide and graphite would be spread on the poly sheet. A strong magnetic field aligned the particles to the length of the substrate and the whole thing heated to cooked off the solvent and harden the matrix. This form was used to hold the particles together and onto the base material. This had to be kept smooth and very even in thickness. A polisher and set of rolls did most of this.

This processes heated the urethane so it would dry in an hour but this played havoc with the polyester warping. When the tape was cut it could not be done with a metallic instrument. A ruby or a diamond was good but expensive. High quality stainless steel or tungsten carbide may be good substitutes. The lubricating material had to be either applied first or put on during the process that put on the rest of the material.

The drying process was too slow and I needed to find a quicker process and not use heat. I considered a vacuum something along the lines of vacuum distilling. I had absolutely no idea what would work. It was only done to the most expensive digital tapes at the time I came back. This improvement required a good chemist and then some damn fine engineers. I had only read what the future tape was like and some blurbs about how it was done and with what features added. This last feature needn't be done until later and used to extend our patent. I had to brazen this out and hope that everybody knew I understood enough of the process to gain enough respect. This respect would let me get some good help and possibly the patents I needed to make the kind of real money I wanted.

Mr Berger read through the sheets once then did it again. It was fifteen minutes later that he brought his head up and said, "This I thought would be simple. This requires a lab and a large manufacturing facility with a great deal of complex machinery."

"I know that Mr Berger and I despair of finding the people to do the engineering along the way. Urethane takes a long time to dry and requires heat to accelerate the process. Ether I find a way to do this quicker or we will have quality problems. A vacuum may work and perhaps a more volatile solvent but I'm afraid a substitute for urethane will be called for."

"Who's going to do all this work? This was not in our contract Jeff."

"I know. You may know of some good people that could work on this for me."

"Do you know how much money this will cost? How are you going to get that kind of money? Rob a bank?"

"Mr Berger I made over $90,000 dollars so far this year. I write songs in my spare time. $50,000 dollars in material is up for sale and I hope it will be sold soon. MGM wants me to hold onto those pieces for them. A further sum of $50,000 may be realised by the sale of a script to a movie studio and perhaps double that when I sell the book rights. So I'm not actually poor but I'm far from rich enough to support all of this research."

"That's almost $300,000. I had no idea you could make that much money. Is that how you paid me for the materials I purchased?"

"Yes, CanAm Industries out of California hired Congdon Electronics out of North Bay to do a great many things. Since I'm the person controlling both entities, I have to farm out the work. You happen to be an employee of one of the contracting firms. The fact that you are our partner in another venture and hired to work for us on still a further venture has no bearing on that fact."

The man read through the papers again but I think he was just trying to get some time to think. "So you have the money to start the ball rolling. Are you asking for my help on this other project too?"

"Yes but there has to be an additional agreement for this. I can pay in cash or inflict you with partial rights to another patent or possibly a small share in what I'm doing."

"What other patent do you have up your sleeve?"

"Well there are two. Each are only worth ten to thirty million but one has the advantage of being very simple. You can take this to market on your own and you have to run the lab that makes the audio tape."

"Can I get somebody to do the work for me?"

"If he is as knowledgeable as you, then that's satisfactory."

"What is the invention?"

With paper and pencil I drew the 'child proof' lids on various products I had seen. One of these actually had my own patents on it and thus I was taking from my future self. Some were the push and turn for medicine but some were the pinch and turn for jugs of chemicals that could hurt children. Sometimes a small bottle had to match a given lid. In all, there were six different varieties of closures.

I then went into a spiel I had used in my old patent application listing why this sort of protection should be used. I then compared my product to metal and Bakelite caps now used.

Mr Berger said, "You're right. This is a fantastic group of ideas. Every container of hazardous substance can be kept from children."

"Does ten percent of this new company pay you in full for your efforts? If it doesn't then I can sell the ideas through my corporation. I'm not greedy and you get a lot of money from just the sale of the article. Now if you work on my other project making PET bottles, we can go into small-scale production of these articles. The PET bottles will all have a ring around the neck. When the cap is screwed into place a locking mechanism will not allow its removal without breaking a seal. The purchaser will see if the beverage he or she has in their hands been contaminated by a third party."

Continuing, I said, "I write all patents as usual and I get full rights but you get to pay for the search and get the use of the patent from me."

Mr Berger said, "I'm not sure that this can sell or sell for enough to cover my costs. The time I can afford to put to this project is not as much as I would like."

I turned to John, "Mr Holtzman, what is your opinion on this group of products?"

"They are easily worth $100,000 for just the rights. They'll sell for more if sold individually. If we make the bottles and the tops ourselves then there's millions to be made Mr Congdon."

I asked, "Do you know anybody that will go into partnership with me to manufacture and sell this product? You are well off but I don't want to take all of your working capital."

"I can well afford this project. There are business loans if necessary. This hinges on your bottle making machine working and then making a bottle cap manufacturing machine. This I believe was already being partially done by our colleague. I'm willing to finance the lab and engineering work in making the bottles and tops, if I gain access to this new set of patents and also ones for the plastic bottles."

We both looked at Mr Berger. He said, "I am not much of an entrepreneur but I do know my profession. Give me twenty percent of the new company and I will do all I am able."

This was not good enough. Mr Berger was a full time professor and he was working on my quest for the appropriate PET plastic. The safety company required a great deal of money to start producing with very little research and development.

John wanted in on this very badly and he said, "I will provide $100,000 for the bottle making lab work. I get full rights to the various plastic safety containers."

I countered with, "You put in four times the money for the bottling process." John's face fell. "You get half of the new company. You come to a deal with Mr Berger for his time and pay him for what hours he can devote to this project. He owes some for the other patent he received but now the two of you have to work on the pay scale. I'll throw in one more group of patents for an additional product of about the same value."

He was leery now. "What new product?"

I said seriously, "During my last 'camping trip' I had need for a fire and I was lucky to have matches. Some were destroyed when they got wet and I couldn't dry them and expect them to work. I devised a lighter made of plastic for the most part. This one is disposable but safe in a survival kit for many years and should not leak though that could happen."

Mr Berger said, "A plastic lighter?"

"Yes, not a thermosetting plastic but one made of amorphous plastic with no crystalline structure. You may use my next new invention if somebody has not invented it already. This is a method of fusing plastic. The key to this will be useful in many other welding applications."

John asked in a quiet voice as if I were constricting his wallet, "How is a lighter going to be worth over ten million dollars"

I drew a simple Bic lighter to scale then made a large exploded view. This time I put the childproof design but listed it as a patent improvement so we could get the protection extended when it was put into effect. To put it on now would just piss a lot of people off that would otherwise buy what we had for sale. The dangers were listed especially those of a welder having our lighter in his pocket when some hot metal came in contact with it.

"The fuel is butane but isobutane may be even better. It's in a strong sealed container and the fuel will not leak out. This unit should last for a thousand or more lights before being thrown away. More expensive units can be refilled with a small container through a valve in the bottom. It's best if you manufacture under different brand names to cover all segments of the market."

John asked, "Can plastic take that kind of pressure? What about the welding you were talking about?"

"I think that if two plastic surfaces are put close together and one of them is vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies there should be enough heat generated through friction to fuse the two pieces. That's an easy thing to prove. Ultrasonic cleaners have been out for a while. We make a device with variable amplitude. That's so simple an engineer could do it in his sleep. This also means that others may have invented this process first."

Corinne got up from her nap but we continued to hammer out a deal that all of us could live with. It turned out that the cost of acquiring the patent for ultrasonic welding would not hurt me if it had to happen. It did allow me an added source of income if I was the first to patent it.

I made lunch with Corinne's help and we continued to work on the smaller details. So far I had little in the way of cost tied up in the PET project and could now concentrate on the magnetic tape.

John wrote out a rough contract with pen and paper listing what each of us would contribute. It gave explicit wording so there would be no mistake later. Though it was not really legal, we did sign it until the new contract was put together. We were now tied much closer together. If the bottles didn't get made, it impacted on the safety caps and the audiotape. Videotape was out but I didn't want to cloud the issue before the contract was sighted. The same tape could be used in the VHS and Beta when they came out unless I did it first. The work though would be much harder than the audio units I wanted.

After a light meal, we started to call people that could help directly or give us names of those that could. We talked amongst ourselves to work out what could be said and what had to be kept quiet.

A few hours later the guests started to arrive. John called Sally out to assist. It turned out that she was the last in a long line of nannies who had watched Corinne. The child had found fault in all of them and it was difficult to keep any particular one more than a few weeks. Corinne put up a fuss so I tried to let the nanny try her best with the girl staying near us. I didn't quite see Corinne as spoiled in this respect; it was as if she had been traumatised by the death of her parents.

Geraldine had a rapport with children and made a good nanny. When she was killed during the kidnapping, Corinne had gone into shock. When she was raped, it only deepened this reaction. I was very surprised though by the way she had bounded back when she was rescued. I could only attribute it to my size and that I didn't look threatening.

I just tried to do my business and cause Corinne the least discomfort. I was able to get Corinne and Sally to follow me to the room set aside for me and I brought out a wooden frame for the mirror that Corinne had made with me last time I was here. The exact same sizes were around the mirrors that I had made.

Sally needed more personal distance from me than usual and I had to attribute it to fear of males or fear of me.

I did ask, "Can you sew Sally?"

"Yes, but mostly with a machine. I'm not that good with my hands alone."

"Will you look for some rags and show Corinne how to make a small cloth sack? If you turn it inside out and fill it with beans you can make a toy to toss around."

"I guess I can." She wasn't enthusiastic.

"Corinne, try to make one as well. It's good to learn how to sew. One day you can make clothes for your babies." The child lit up so I assumed she liked the idea.

The meeting had grown by the time I got downstairs. Mr Berger was taking the lead and describing the standard way of making magnetic tape. I was not breaking new ground though the process was not that old. I was only doing some minor variations that were sufficiently different that I could file my own patents.

Some person eventually tied my name in with Corinne's and I was congratulated. I remained polite and thanked them, but after a few moments I got the discussion back on track. We were after a test bed rather than a full-blown manufacturing facility.

The single physicist, the engineers, and a few professors didn't know how I fit in here but they learned that I knew a considerable amount. None of my other work was mentioned to keep this as low key as possible. An excited engineer was great. He worked hard but I needed to temper this with the way his mouth worked.

John simply said that a small American corporation was going to be the company supplying funds for the project and they had budgeted only so much per year.

The servants had stayed hidden in the large home and even used their own entrance. Some came out now and began to make a meal.

Whether all the men present would work for Congdon Electronics or not, they did offer insight into the location and insight into some of the problems I would find. Suppliers as well as shops to make what we needed were listed. Some put in suggestions for good trades people and technicians.

The proposed place for our lab to work on PET was actually large enough for both teams. This could either help or hinder the two projects. At the moment, I thought it best to have the two teams working side by side. A solution for one group's problem may be found within the other group.

I discussed the types of plastics I needed for my cassette. I had no idea. I could see the video unit in my memory and how I had to fix them on occasion especially when they were expensive. The audio unit was slightly similar and would use much the same types of materials.

We had dinner then continued the informal talks until nine. We were milking all those present for ideas but also to find out how much they could help us and get along with the rest.

More names were mentioned. I was not hesitant to ask Mr Berger to call those before it got late. They were invited to come tomorrow at noon even though it was Sunday.

When the crowd left, we compared notes and sorted potential help on a chart. I even added notes beside names. Some were experienced while others looked to be full of energy.

When we broke up for the night we shook hands. I went for a shower and found a little girl in my bed when I got to my room. I changed into clean clothes and went to what I hoped was John's door and knocked. He opened the door but not far. I assumed he had somebody in his room but I said nothing about it.

"Yes Jeff?"

"I found a little girl in my bed sleeping. I just wanted to let you know where she is."

He thought for a moment and said, "Fine, she's in good hands. Good night again."



-------

Chapter 7



I woke up the next morning with someone spreading a bad case of morning breath at me. We were holding each other and it felt good to be where I was. It was still early so I went back to sleep but moved the pillow to deflect the air flow.

The second time I awoke it was to people moving in the house. There was an analogue clock on the table because digital clocks were not invented yet. That may be another thing to make when I got LCDs done.

Corinne looked very beautiful as she rested quietly. It was time to get up though and I disentangled myself to go to the bathroom. This meant dressing. I still didn't have a robe my size yet.

When I came out I met John. "Good morning Jeff. How did you sleep last night?"

"I slept well thanks. What time does Corinne get up?"

"Usually around now. Did she wet the bed?"

"I don't think so. Does she usually?"

"I forgot to mention that. She does quite often. Her psychiatrist thinks it has a few roots but thinks it is when she has nightmares that this happens."

"Well I'll go get her and get her ready for her day."

"We do have a nanny for that."

"I know you do and I also know that you kept the servants away most of the time to make this home more like a family. Thank you but servants can be family too. I was hesitant to do much. I did not know how you and they interrelated."

"You are quite astute and I'm constantly amazed at what you see. But to answer your question, I treat them as servants. They do work for me for pay. They're not those science fiction robots. I treat them fairly when it comes to their personal lives."

"Thanks for telling me. I'll try to do the same while I'm here with you. Servants are a rare commodity in my home and usually I'm one as much as I'm being served."

I got Corinne and took her to the bathroom. She and the bed were dry. I gave her a bath but I stayed outside the tub this time. She insisted on wearing the clothes I made for her one more time and I just let her have her way.

There was nobody else at the breakfast table with us so I assumed that the person was still sleeping, they had already left or was a servant. I had met some people that liked their own gender and left the possibility open for some reason. I had my secrets and I wanted John to have his.

John did some of his work relating to yesterday and so should I. Instead I went to the piano and played some songs with Corinne. She played a few bars of a simple song and I clapped. Behind us we heard more clapping. Apparently Grampy liked good music too.

"Did you hear me play Grampy?"

"You played divinely. Maybe we'll have to get a teacher for you."

"Jeff!"

"Ah — I think Jeff has to go to school himself. His family misses him. He'll be visiting us a lot more now I think. He has a job here to do."

Corinne was undecided by her look. So when she said nothing I got her back to playing her song.

Later that morning, John said, "Yesterday you pulled two inventions out of thin air. You have any more today?"

"Only one." He didn't act too surprised.

"And?"

"The second prize I mentioned last time I was here, had to do with material that reacted oddly when heated, in a magnetic field or when subjected to an electrical current. This had been known for a long time but none have been found that react at room temperatures. There are a very great number of possible compounds and even mixtures of compounds. Some have to work at room temperatures. I just have to find them."

"It doesn't sound that important to rate a Nobel Prize. Can you tell me why it should?"

"I can make an electric clock that uses the pulses of a crystal to feed a series of lights. They could be light bulbs but they burn out too quickly. I could use diodes that emit light for a suitable display to be used on the face of this clock. It tells the time in number format."

"That sounds good but not enough for the prize."

"That was the first invention of the day. Not all of them are practical or even possible. Liquid crystals are elusive. I don't see that many people pursuing this branch of physics. Millions of tiny crystals can be made on a large area covering square feet. Small areas may be illuminated to form numbers and letters. This would be like you making the characters with the dots of your pen instead of smearing ink on your paper."

"How close are you to a break through Jeff?"

"I have been working on the plastic for the bottles and my magnetic tape. Even the tape machines you got for me have stayed idle except for one that I repaired. Some things I can make good guesses at after reading some books but other projects are a step into the dark. The laser was that way and I have a good feeling about the next laser but nothing about the liquid crystals. The liquid crystals are even further into the unknown. That's why I'm learning chemistry to try to shed some light on which way to go."

John hung his head a bit and said, "I guess I'll have to wait until this afternoon for another discovery."

We both laughed then.

John came from his office a while later and he asked, "How do you feel about the cook doing her job?"

"I guess it's ok. I don't want her to think her job is in jeopardy. Corinne and I could do it but maybe we can make something else before your guests start to arrive."

"An invention?"

"Yes, but an old one. I wanted to make some beanbags. Corinne can learn some coordination and have a fairly safe game at the same time." I talked to Corinne and found that none of the simple bags were attempted. It could have been Corinne's wish not to do this but it could have been Sally's. It didn't matter. I would make them now. "How are you fixed for some rags and some dried beans?"

"I see it's going to be an old invention for sure. I'll see what I can find plus some needle and thread."

Mrs MacIntee was the cook I found out. She was about fifty years old and contrary to the norm she was short and thin. She brought out her sewing basket and some light brown corduroy pants.

"Thanks Mrs MacIntee, this will do great. Do you by chance have the beans too or do I have to stuff them with rags?"

"I'm afraid it will have to be rags sir."

"That's ok."

I used the sheers as Corinne watched intently. I explained what I was doing in various ways so she would remember. In only a few minutes I had a sack made and turned it inside out. Corinne had fun ripping strips of material off an old sheet and she stuffed them in the sack when I held it.

I stretched the opening of the sack and Corinne put in the stitches as she concentrated on doing it right. With a lot of practice at aiming we got the few inches closed up then we cleaned up our mess. Corinne wasn't used to doing this but did it with me.

She laughed and giggled as she tried to catch the small pillow then threw it wildly to me and I had to jump for it. When John came out I said, "Grampy, play catch with us."

We made a triangle and we rotated so I caught Corinne's throws. John even hammed up on his catches so he could hear Corinne's laughter.

When it was time for lunch, I said, "If you spend a lot of money to hire an animation company to make cartoons, you can make a good return on your money if the films get sold all over North America. If you bought a toy company you could make the characters in the cartoons and sell them for even more money. The series of educational cartoons reinforce the sale of the stuffed dolls and vice versa. Buying the animation company is good too but it is difficult finding a good person to run it."

He said, "That's an interesting idea. I don't have that kind of money though or the time to run it. Perhaps I can interest somebody else in doing this."

"If you make the cartoons of one type at a time you get to sell one type of doll. One little sweet girl could be called 'Strawberry Shortcake'. Another could be 'Cabbage Patch Kids'. When they die out you can have cartoons for the same kids with a different theme. Soft plastic figures could be made for boys dealing with brave soldiers but this may encourage boys to more violence."

"That's even more interesting. It has long-term profits but has a high start up cost. Animation though is costly and time consuming."

"Go to Japan. They have low wages and would be eager to find a way of bringing in more dollars. They're innovative people. If you make the characters of many nationalities, then the sound track may be altered to cover more languages. If you ignore quality you can just have an animation of the mouth to suit each language."

"I'll think on this."

Mrs MacIntee used a spatula to slide out some food but it stuck to the bottom. The food went into dishes and put in front of us. I pointed to the clock and it was not quite noon yet. John looked too and wondered.

"At the risk of being early in your prediction, make aluminum fry pans. There is a slippery high temperature plastic called Teflon. It has been around for years. Bond it to the frypans and food will not stick. The food is not contaminated and doesn't change the taste. Less fat is needed with a slippery surface. I can't see how strong the plastic is but you have to make plastic spatulas. This use may not be in the patent for this product, so you can tie the market up. Mrs MacIntee will slide her food out of the pan and it will be many times lighter than a cast iron fry pan."

"I'll get some people on it right away. You get the patent and then fifty, fifty."

"Deal."

Mrs MacIntee just looked at us wondering what all this was about.

Later the men started to arrive, including Mr Berger. Some of last night's crowd came too. One man in particular stood out a few hours later. Hank Morgan was an chemical engineer out of school only a few years but he had some extra background in plastics. He was bright and burned with an internal flame. Currently he was in a low paying job and looking to improve things for his young family.

We all learned more as everybody contributed to our pool of knowledge. When they left, we put the new men on our chart. We all seemed to have our favourites but Mr Berger would have to get the nod to who should work with him.

Before I knew it, it was time to go. I had not seen our research facility but I did get some books in exchange for those I brought back. With our interlinked projects would ensure that all of us would strive to get the other portions up to speed.

I was given the task of providing the wording for the patents once again but still they could not be completed because all of the data had not come in. Now I would get reports from the engineers and chemists to help me.

Corinne cried when I left but cheered up that I would have to come many more times on weekends.

It was dark when I got back but still earlier than last time.

Word had spread at school about the sale of my song. Girls came up to me in the halls and simply said, "Hi." This was enough to make a dirty old man smile or even a young one.

Second period was health and Mr Renzo came in to give us his talks on staying in shape, personal hygiene, mental problems during puberty, eating right, and sex. The last item was usually glossed over.

Sex Ed was not a course and from what I had pieced together over the years had not been handled better until the late seventies. It appeared that the teachers were just as inhibited as the many of the students.

Sam Constecki now sat close to me so we could pass the occasional word or two. He was as fucked up as the rest of the students and I set him straight on many points. As we came to know one another better he started to ask more questions. I ended up giving him what Mr Renzo was trying to get across but did it more bluntly. Other kids had heard and while some laughed, most didn't.

Gloria had been encouraged to change some of her wardrobe and habits but this had been done through Paige. Later Gloria had come to me with questions. Paige had let her know that I was suggesting things to her.

Gloria treated me like one of the girls. This felt a bit odd but not when I remembered when I was older and talking to women at parties. I suggested colours and fabrics that would go good with her features. Oddly enough more of the shy girls came to me to ask questions. I was a regular 'Dear Abby' after a while.

When I had come back from Toronto the second time, Sam stopped me in the hall. "Hi Jeff. Did you get a chance to talk to her yet?"

"I was not in town over the weekend and Home Ec is in one more period. We have Phys Ed last class. I'll try to have an answer by then.

"Thanks Bud."

When I got to Home Ec class later I hurried over to Gloria. "Hi Gloria. A young man that I know is interested in finding out how to hold hands with a real live girl. He's not a jock but he's shaping up. He's not without a clue as to what to do but he's learning." The girls around us almost had their ears moving like radar antennas so I added, "There are spies all around us trying to fill up their gossip tanks." I got close to her ear and said, Sam Constecki is really nice. It's a safe way for each of you to have a first date."

Gloria was a little shocked. I guess she wanted one of the hunks the school had but she had to start off by learning to walk first.

When I did sit she leaned over and asked, "Did you really write that song?"

It didn't sound like she was interested in Sam and I answered, "I sure did."

Mrs Cameron started her class. "Today we are going to talk about fashion. Is there anybody here that wants to give us the definition?"

Two volunteers worked at it then Mrs Cameron said, "Mr Congdon, would you give it a try?"

I had to think a bit more and add to what the previous students had said. "It is a combination of things. Some can be a true meaning on their own. One idea is that fashion is a popular trend, especially in styles of dress but includes hairstyle and even perfume. It can also be a quality of grace, beauty, or honour. The third choice would be customs and manners of behaviour though this changes much slower than what is in vogue with clothing."

"You covered all the points I wanted to Mr Congdon. Tell me what you perceive as proper dress."

"That is a slippery subject. Proper is a vague and misleading word. What I perceive is not necessarily what everyone else will see. I like clean clothes that match so they do not jar the eye. Some clothing, as a whole, suits some people better when complexion, hair colour and hairstyle are factored in. Some designs of women's clothing can be great on one woman and devastating on another."

I looked at her and asked, "Shall I go into examples?"

"Go right ahead. I think most of the students here listen to you on matters like this."

I guess she wanted to see how I was more like Ann Landers or Abby. "Some women are heavier than others. They would like to minimise this attribute. Some fabrics and styles can accentuate features. A short jacket can be seen to cover less than it should and bring a viewer's eye to the hem. A woman with large breasts would want to have a dress that is open at the front to let women know what they were competing against and men know she would make a better mate."

I was going to get cut off now. "A tall girl can wear clothing that lets her be seen as graceful. Long bare arms help here.

"Clothing, though, is a way of fighting among women and men too. Some schools demand that everybody wear a specific uniform. This was done to lessen this form of combat. Parents and their children can go broke trying to buy the latest trends in clothing. I do not like ripped clothing but if it is repaired well then it shows some common sense that many parents want to instil in their children. A suit with patches at the elbows looks more comfortable somehow. Some clothing actually looks great if ripped or distressed."

Mrs Cameron said, "Not many young men would talk about breasts in a class like this Mr Congdon. Now tell me how ripped or as you said distressed clothing can look good."

"Jeans look good but if they are washed with rocks and a weak bleach they'll get light blue and look worn and comfortable. You can sell that idea to the manufacturers for some money if you wish.

"A gown can have the hem cut as if it were ripped at varying lengths. This to me looks nice. A third way is to take a pair of snug jeans that fit a woman quite well. You cut small holes in the garment. The material at the edge of the holes is allowed to fray. This exposes small portions of skin while hiding the great majority. In some ways this is more erotic than the same woman wearing a bathing suit. My female employees wear a shirt that's tied instead of buttoned. Again it covers more than a bathing suit. A variation on this is simple cut offs that are cut short and the hem allowed to fray for a few inches. Now the wearer looks confidant in her apparel as if it was just something she threw on to wash the family car."

"You seem to like female skin Mr Congdon."

"It has its allure but the girl wearing it is more important. Most young men only look at the shape and no further. A sense of humour and intelligence are sometimes out of fashion but people are odd animals. It would be nice to have a manual for their care and feeding."

"I think you're right. Now everybody turn to page 131 in your book — "

When I got out of class, Gloria pulled me to one side, which was not like her. "What should I do?" She was worried.

"Meet me across from the school where my gang of ruffians are usually standing. I'll try to have Sam there too. Just leave it to me."

I looked at her until she finally said, "Ok."

Much later I got to see Sam in PE. I didn't say anything just smiled and made the sign for ok. Now I got a bright smile in return. We did gymnastics with rolls, vaults, and then did routines on the parallel bars. I did fairly well here though I was slow. Others were told to hurry up but I wasn't. I guess I was getting some slack after all.

After class, I had a quick shower then got dressed. Sam was waiting for me. "What did she say?"

"We had no time to talk. She'll see us in a few minutes across the street."

I collected my chemistry books and the small amount of English homework assigned at the end of the class. Sam and I got into position first. He asked, "What did she say? Is she really going to come?"

"Sam, she's just as nervous as you. Girls are funny creatures but to be honest boys are too. You have so many ideas in your head that are wrong then you base you life on these faulty assumptions. Now tell me what you are doing in History."

"You got the — no I guess you don't. You already took all that stuff. Why do you want to know?"

"Because you are going to wet yourself with worry. I also think you will not relax until you know that it's safe."

We talked about what we wanted to do with our lives but always I got the question, "Where is she?"

We stayed there for fifteen minutes and I had to almost hold Sam in place. I was beginning to worry myself but I knew that Gloria had nobody to lean on as Sam now did.

The flow of people coming from the school was now a trickle but I did eventually see the face I wanted to see. Gloria kept looking down and kept the books in front of her as if for protection.

Sam saw her almost immediately. I knew this because he finally shut up about his question.

When Gloria came close I said, "Hi Gloria. I want you to meet my friend Sam Constecki." I turned to Sam and said, "Sam, this is Gloria Swenson."

I heard a weak "Hi," from each.

"Let's go for a drink. My treat."

"Jeff — "

"Sam, you are going with both of us or I'll drag you."

"Ok."

I tried to keep the conversation going. I asked all the things that he found interesting then asked Gloria what she found interesting. If they could remember then they would know what to talk about later.

The small restaurant was full except for one booth. Sam sat first and I hurried to sit across from him but at the edge so nobody could sit besides me. Sam gulped and had to move. Gloria sat beside him and she looked little better.

We ordered drinks but I still did almost all the conversation. After ten minutes I said, "Gloria, take a hold of Sam's hand right now."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to. Now do it."

They did as I asked. "Is his hand sweaty?"

"Ah, yes, a bit."

"A bit yeah. It's soaked. The reason is that he's petrified of you."

"Me, why? I can't — "

"He's so afraid that he cannot speak to you. He knows you're a beautiful girl and he thinks that he is a Neanderthal that has no business even looking at you."

"I'm not beautiful. I'm plain."

"Gloria, ask him what he thinks."

"I can't do that."

"Sometimes girls have to take the lead. Ask him."

She turned to Sam and after a moment said, "Tell him I'm plain."

Again it had to take time. "I can't. You're beautiful."

"I am?"

"I mean — " He stammered then closed his eyes. "You're beautiful."

He must have squeezed her hand hard because she pulled it out but quickly put her hand on top of his.

"Really?"

Sam opened his eyes and then said, "Really."

They just stared at each other with no talking. This was ok though.

I took out my notes and got a sheet of paper. 'Sam' went at the top of one. I listed: take Gloria home, ask to take her out on the weekend for a movie. Ask her to help you with English, (you need it). Talk about things she likes not what you like.

Under 'Gloria' I listed hold Sam's hand so he doesn't fall or get lost. He's in no condition to even walk the streets alone. Accept when he asks for help and to see a movie. Warn your mother. Bake cookies tonight and give him some after he walks you home tomorrow. A man can be hooked through his stomach as well as his eyes.

I put the money on the table and slipped out. I didn't really think that they knew I left.

It felt good when walking home. Two shy people may help each other even if the relationship doesn't last; it was a way of breaking the ice.

Jane was happy to see me. Ever since the girls started singing they got home later. We kissed and raced upstairs. We were in a 69 position very quickly. Jane came quickly and so did I. The second time was easy and we tried to keep each other at the edge for a long as possible.

When Jane started to orgasm I moved sucked violently on her clit as I lashed the small nubbin with my tongue. She sucked me more into her mouth and her hand went around to caress my anus. I thrust into her mouth violently myself. My orgasm washed over me and we both just relaxed in the afterglow.

Jane kissed the little soldier and said, "Jeff, I have some good news for you."

"What is it Sweetie?"

"Either I'm seeing things or I see three short dark hairs sprouting."

I sat up and tried to look. She was right and there was even another short one on the sack containing the family jewels.

"This is great to see but it means that we have to be careful. I love children but we cannot have them now."

Jane smiled but tears came to her eyes. Instinct was telling her to get pregnant or maybe that I was just growing up. I laid down again and held her to me and she sobbed for a while.

We heard the girls' voices coming from downstairs, it sounded as if some of the musicians were here as well. The girls had laughed loudly to give us a much needed warning. I got dressed and kissed Jane before running downstairs.

Tom Sonski said, "Hi Jeff. How are you? We had a pretty good session today."

He sounded nervous then I saw Maggie close to him as if for protection. His brother Karl was very close to Jennifer and I could just about see some of the dynamics. "Not bad Tom. I have a good instrumental idea for guitar and banjo mainly. I'm sure you'll like it."

"Do you have a name for it?"

"'Duelling Banjos', but we can think of a better name if you want. It has to get recorded though. It may not hit number one but it will come close. Your band and the girls should be famous. It also means you still have many months of practice or the song will not be able to carry you."

"That's great Jeff. We can play that when we are not practising with the girls."

"Well bring over a banjo some time and I can get the song out of my brain and onto paper."

We sat for a while and had something to snack on. I watched Maggie and Jennifer surreptitiously as they hovered over Tom and Karl. I tried not to be caught watching them. Susan and Angela looked a little exasperated at the two while Paige just held my hand.

The boys left after half an hour and both Jennifer and Maggie were the last to part with them. When they returned, Maggie looked at me then stopped with a serious look on here face.

I smiled and walked close to her. Picking up her two hands I said, "I love you very much and in different ways. I said before that I want what is best for you. I think the best is to have a boyfriend of your own. It's not going to change the amount I love you in the least. Tom may not be the best for you but he is a way for you to learn what it's like out there."

Maggie sniffled and tears formed in her eyes. She hugged me tightly to her. "I love you Jeff. I don't know what we would do without you."

I kissed her and pulled back just a bit. "You have to protect yourself. I would like to see a nephew or niece but not for a good many years. I'll get you some condoms and you'll carry them in your purse. Tom may not know how much of a tiger you are but it's best to let him think that he seduced you after a long battle that should last at least two weeks. You can find relief here while he has to make do with Pamela."

She caught on quickly and smiled. I turned to Jennifer and told her much the same thing. "Birth control will only be for married women when it comes out. I don't want to see your bellies getting bigger. This can destroy your life as well as the boy's."

Both girls were side by side and I said, "One day in three or four years you may get married or not. It probably won't be to Tom or Karl but it will be some lucky guys. When that happens, I would love to be the one that takes you down the aisle and gives you away."

I was smothered in kisses and even the other girls had some tears in their eyes.

Angela and Jennifer ate with us and I said casually at the table, "It seems that you girls have been pushing my body and it has responded. I'm growing hair and very soon it will be too dangerous to have sex without me being a young father."

Paige asked, "Is there anything coming out?"

"None yet. Hormones seem to be starting to affect my mind a little but not much. At a guess, I would say that in three to six months I'll make millions of tiny, potent swimmers. I want children but I don't want them now."

Paige looked a little sad, so I added, "I'm still only twelve Sweetie."

When we finished our meal, I helped to clean up. It was my night to wash so I manned the sink. I could easily get out of this but that wasn't fair. I was trying to show that a male had more responsibilities than just bringing home a pay cheque, especially if the wife was working at another job.

I went to the garage to work, only to find it getting chilly. I began to move my equipment and the large pile of dead tape recorders to the basement. I had put up more lighting in the basement so it was easy to work. The small room in the far corner was now the weight room just as if dad was still here. Even the girls used it to keep fit. They went to a private home to take more exercises and a mishmash of oriental fighting. They thought themselves good but there were no other students to measure themselves against.

The audio cassette was drawn to the best of my recollection. Only guesses were used for the dimensions. Two spools would govern the basic size and I went a bit bigger than what the old cassette was. With a plastic box around it, I would like to have it fit a shirt pocket. Much of the work had been done at school today and I tried to think of the design faults of the old units. The only thing I remembered was that both audio and video cassettes had metal posts to direct the tape. If the posts were not polished then they would scratch the tape and put a groove in it. This caused some sound degeneration or a white streak on a television screen if it were video tape. Later, polished plastic posts had been used.

The final dimensions would depend on the mechanics of the tape recorder. I began to strip one of the units and the mechanical attributes came back clearer. Many times it was not an electronic problem that brought the unit to me.

It soon became evident that I could not use the mechanical section of any of the machines. I needed to start from scratch and this meant tools.

Two of the machines had schematics taped to the inside of the machines. I went through this and tried to see how I could put the Dolby system in. I didn't have to do much because my memory showed how it was done in the future.

Paige put her head in the basement door and said, "Mom and I are going home now Jeff."

I hurried upstairs. Nora came over more now and it was good for her to catch me working on something besides her daughter. We talked for a few minutes then the two collected a kiss and left.

The girls were now studying and I felt compelled to do the same. The PET project was probably in good hands or at least soon would be. I knew the job was not going to be solved in a few days but a month should give us some bottles. They already knew about the crystallisation problem and would add some softeners in.

Sharing the load allowed me time for liquid crystals. Cyanobiphenyl could be produced with some work on my part but I wanted to show that I had found the molecule after a search and not pulled it out of my hat. Cyanide was very poisonous and though I wanted a lab here, I was not prepared to put the lives of my family and neighbours at risk. School had a good ventilation system where the real fabrication of the molecule would have to be done.

With the amount of gaps in my knowledge of chemistry, I had to start over again. If this was worth a Nobel Prize in my other life it was not necessarily true for this one. It took twenty years to show that the man had given the final push to the LCD industry. Like the principle, Mr Grissom, I may just not get it because I was not a respected researcher.

I was about to go to bed when I remembered English and stayed up long enough to finish that too.

We walked to school a bit early so I could have a few minutes to see Mr Bain. I brought some of the chemicals I got from Mr Berger because I knew that they would not be in our lab at school.

Mr Bain wasn't in his room so I just went to woodwork, my homeroom and studied. Mr Sharp though, gave me some tips on where to get some of the tools I needed to work the metal for the tape recorder prototype.

Just before third period Sam found me. He had the biggest smile I had ever seen. "Hi Jeff. I'm glad to see you. Thanks for what you did. I was petrified. When we noticed you gone we followed what you wrote and even compared what you wrote for each of us. I'm going over to Gloria's house after school tonight. I just don't know how to thank you."

"Just treat Gloria like a lady and don't push her. Hormones control all our lives and when we're young the imbalances cause us to do crazy things that we regret later. I gotta' go. We can talk after school for a minute."

"You got it Bud."

It was good to see that this had worked so well.

I juggled lunch again with a spare and ate with Paige and the girls. When it was time to go I looked around when I put my garbage away and found one suspicious young man. With my eye on him he did nothing. Marcy was close by with some of her girlfriends.

When we were working in Industrial Chemistry, I asked Mr Bain, "Sir I was wondering if I could do some of my own research if I have completed all that you assign me and I don't disturb the rest of the class."

"Research into what, Mr Congdon?"

"Just some chemicals that are called liquid crystals. They are interesting but won't work at room temperature. Maybe I can find some that do work in this temperature range."

"Mr Congdon, you're in grade nine. How much can do you realistically think you will accomplish?"

"I can accomplish nothing unless I get a chance to try. All I need is to check some molecules out with a magnetic field and use a battery on it. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I'll need a microscope. It's low key research that costs little to do other than time."

"Tell me what you know already. I don't want to baby-sit a kid with a chemistry set he got for Christmas."

"That is quite understandable. The amount I know will take a while to show you. I have a seventh period spare but I also have a meeting for a few minutes just after school."

He said, "I have a class during seventh period. I'll wait ten minutes after school for you."

"Thank you sir. My understanding though will not be fully evident in just a few moments. I'll need to make a presentation in a way."

The man was not usually a happy person but he did smile this time. "Ok, you got an hour. I hope that's enough?"

"I can cut it short to fit into that time frame."

The last period was Home Ec. Gloria was bubbling over and I imagine all her friends were used to it by now. When we took out seats, Gloria said, "Oh thanks Jeff. I didn't know what to do. Now I — "

I cut off the rambling, "You still don't know what to do. That's fine. In a week of so you'll calm down but you'll not be the same as you were."

Mrs Cameron came in and sat before calling out, "Today ladies and gentleman we are going to take a look at nutrition."

The teacher monitored Gloria more then the rest of us. Gloria had to talk to those around her and of course they had to gossip back. She talked to me too. When Mrs Cameron couldn't take it any longer she said, "What is going on here? I told you girls to be quiet."

I stood and said, "In 'Don Juan', Lord Byron wrote:

Alas! The love of women! It is known

To be a lovely and a fearful thing!"

Mrs Cameron said, "I see. Gloria, restrain yourself or you'll get into trouble."

"Yes, ma'am."

At the end of class Mrs Cameron signalled me to stay. "What was all that about Mr Congdon?"

"Gloria is shy. Sam Constecki is too. Both are very nice people that have a chance to have a normal life. Before the incident with the lightning I too was very shy. I saw both of them as kindred spirits that needed a small push. Even if the friendship fails it will still have allowed them to see beyond themselves."

"You are a very peculiar young man. You quote a poet and help all those about you."

"They fascinate me. As they did Shakespeare:

From women's eyes this doctrine I derive:

They sparkle still the right Promethean fire;

They are the books, the arts, the academes,

That show, contain, and nourish all the world. "

Mrs Cameron said, "Ah, from 'Love's Labour's Lost'. You're a romantic."

"It will be a life long pursuit my lady."

"Well, get out of here now."

I bowed theatrically and said, "As my lady wishes."

Sam and Gloria were waiting and actually holding hands. They both had the same stupid grin but I was happy for them.

When we were three alone, I said, "I'm happy for both of you. I don't think this's love though both of you may think it is. Go slow and do not push. If you find out later that it's just infatuation then you can still be friends."

Sam said, "I don't know if it's love either it's all so new to both of us."

"That's good that you see this. Don't go beyond holding hands and kissing. I'll have a talk again when I have more time. Do you both understand me?"

Both looked shocked that I would suggest this but it would come up. This was not like the 70s or later but babies were still born.

Mr Bain was waiting. He also had a few students asking him questions. While I waited I set up what I needed.

When the last student left he closed the door and said, "You can begin now Mr Congdon."

I wrote the formulas on the board to make the old type of liquid crystal and went into great detail into its electrical properties. I handed Mr Bain a hand written chart that covered all this.

"I secured my own supply of the chemicals I need. I would like to duplicate the original experiment so I can show what was found."

He studied the equation and then the bottles I brought with me then said, "Go ahead."

This was a test too and I followed all the safety procedures to the letter. As I did the work, I spoke of what I was doing and why. It took twenty-five minutes to get the final product. A battery with short leads was used and we could see little difference.

I got a glass dish and went to the refrigerator and took out some ice. A light source was put on the floor facing up. Above it was placed one of the polarised glass sheets I got from Mr Berger. Next was placed the clear glass container of ice. My liquid crystal was put in a small glass Petri dish. I used a thermometer, and I wrote down my observations according to time and temperature. Eventually a change was noticed and recorded. Mr Bain came over to look so he was familiar with what I had done.

I began my lecture into what a liquid crystal was and I don't think he liked it when I said it wasn't a gas, a liquid or a solid. He had just mentioned in class that everything fit into these categories. I also knew that plasma was considered another state too.

When the temperature failed to go any lower I said, "I believe there are further changes at lower temperatures. Those are not documented in a few books that I have read." The books had been on the lab bench all along with paper in them as bookmarks. They did not talk about polarisation though.

Mr Bain looked through the books then said, "Do you know all this?"

"I know very little. I'm specialising in learning about liquid crystals. I know math much better, but then again only the portion that's related to my investigations. I may pass grade thirteen chemistry in a week or so but I'll not get a high mark. I want to learn though and it's good to push a little into the unknown. This would make me a poor chemist but perhaps a good inventor."

"If I allow you to do this, how do you expect to find the time?"

"I have three spares and five lunches. There are three periods that this lab is not being used. If I can convince some teachers to allow me to shift two of my classes then I can get two more periods per week."

He thought for a long time and I was getting worried. "I'll let you work during my classes if you can prove that you can do grade nine work. The other periods may never come into play."

"That's acceptable Sir. I assume you refer to the success of the investigation as well as how I comport myself whether extra time is warranted or not."

He gave me the look again. "We'll play it by ear Mr Congdon. You get results, you stand a chance of gaining more time."

Mr Bain unlocked the chemical cupboard and I put my bottles in with the school property. I cleaned everything up and disposed of used chemicals and my mess. I even cleaned off the chalk that I put on the board. A sloppy inventor or a sloppy chemist was a hazard to everyone.

I was very happy as I left the school until I got a few feet outside the front doors. Immediately my view changed abruptly. Somebody was there and I had been tackled from behind and on my left.



-------

Chapter 8



It was a different student this time. He yelled at me, "Watch where the fuck you're going. You trip me again and I'll pound the crap outta you good and I won't let you drop a rock on me either."

My shoulder that suffered from the gunshot hurt like hell. The young man was bigger than the last, and maybe grade eleven or twelve but I wasn't sure.

I got up with difficulty and said, "Did she promise you some good pussy for this. I doubt if she will pay up. That makes you a fool."

The young man moved in quickly and threw his fist contemptuously at my face. I moved a bit and used my arm to deflect the punch. I was just quick enough to put out my foot and trip him. He fell to the ground and I was off balance. I recovered first and kicked the guy in the face then once more in the side. I didn't pull the kicks. I waited for the young man's next move. I also looked around to see who was looking.

Twenty feet away was the other boy that wanted to knock into me in the lunchroom. I hurried after him and he ran like a scarred rabbit. I probably wouldn't be able to take him if I caught him anyway.

It took five minutes for the young man to sit up. His face was ruined. His nose was surely broken and bled profusely. Before he got his bearings I grabbed a good handful of hair and said, "Do you want to continue this?"

He didn't answer and I slapped him hard. This must really hurt but he did look at me when he recovered enough. "Do you want to continue this?

"Ah, you broke my nose," he said with a slur.

I pinched his nose and he jumped at the pain. "Do you want me to rip your nose off?"

His hands came up and held my arm but he could not move me without hurting himself. "Leave me alone."

I grabbed his nose tighter and twisted just a bit. I asked again, "Do you want me to rip it off?"

"No, no leave me alone."

"What's your name?"

Just a little twisting got, "Mark Fenton."

"Who sent you, Mark Fenton?"

This time it took more twisting until I got, "Helen."

"Who's Helen?"

This took even more twisting until I got, "Helen Stevens."

"Marcy's sister?"

With no twisting I got, "Cousin," and it seemed that he gave up now by the way he slumped.

"Get up." Mark needed some help to do so. When he was on his feet I saw that he was much larger than I was. I was very surprised I was not a lump of bleeding flesh. The only thing I could do was push forward. Even if I won this fight I would definitely lose the second.

"Mark, people tried to kill me a few times, not just once. I was on the run and when I had to, I killed. Do you want to continue this over a silly cunt?" I gave him a moment then said, "She's testing how to make people do what she wants. It has been done since time began. The way I see it, you should stand on your own feet and tell her that she's just a silly little girl."

Continuing I said, "Later you'll get better and get angry at little old me for besting you. You'll come after me and perhaps beat me. You may do it a few times. But I have to say that there are a lot of rocks around here and you know that I can use them. Once I do, you'll not come after me again."

I bent over and untied the knots on his shoes. I lead him back inside the school and to the office. The secretary was going home but ran to Mark.

"What happened?"

"I think he tripped over his laces." I looked at Mark now and said, "Is that what happened?"

"Yeah — yeah I tripped."

With Mark in better hands I left and gathered up my books. I was now shaking inside from adrenaline. I knew that I was too small, weak and slow to defeat any enemy and needed surprise. The only thing going for me was that I was ruthless enough to follow through with an attack. I was not going to jeopardise all this by following the Marquis of Queensberry set of rules.

My composure was shattered and didn't return to normal even after I got home. I couldn't study so I went downstairs and just exercised. It did get some pain out of my left shoulder but I was very tired when I got upstairs to eat.

The family had known something was wrong when I went downstairs in the first place. Jane asked, "What happened Honey?"

I debated keeping this a secret but it would come out at school anyway.

"Marcy Stevens is a girl in the class I used to be in. She took a liking to me. I told her that Paige and I were an item. She didn't like the answer. She's the type of girl that wants to manipulate those around her. It may be for fun or just to experiment.

"She sent one boy after me and he tripped me a month ago. Today another one tried but I was watching for this. When I got out of school, an older young man by the name of Mark Fenton tackled me to the ground then threatened me. When he tried to punch me, I tripped him and kicked him in the face and the abdomen. I'm afraid I broken his nose. I had a little chat with him while holding onto his broken nose. Apparently Helen Stevens, Marcy's cousin, sicced her boyfriend on me."

Susan's mouth was open. "You broke Mark Fenton's nose?"

"I'm afraid I may have put him in the hospital too so it can be set. I undid his shoelaces then helped him into the school. We told the secretary that he tripped. He had a spotter though and he saw what happened. Mark should be afraid of me for a while but may come after me later. If we spread the truth around then he will come after me for sure."

I added as I looked pointedly at her, "If you tell anybody the truth then it'll spread and I'll get hurt a great deal."

Susan said, "Mark Fenton? You beat Mark Fenton? Nobody beats him."

"Susan," When she looked at me, "he fell. Remember?"

"Oh, ya."

The next morning I told Paige and Jennifer. I knew that my sisters may tell them and it was better to let them know and ask them to be quiet. They knew that Mark could easily beat me to a pulp and send me to the hospital for a long time.

A secretary came to see me in Auto. I was excused to go to the Principle's office.

Mr Grissom said, "What do you know about Mr Fenton's accident last night?"

"I saw him on the ground as he was trying to get up. I assisted him into the office then left. Is there something wrong?"

"Mr Fenton is one of our star athletes. With his coordination and agility, it's very unusual for him to fall like that."

"Too bad he's hurt. I hope he gets better soon. Is there anything else you want sir?"

Mr Grissom was still angry with me and I didn't know if he suspected the truth. On the face of it, the situation was so odd as to be ludicrous. A twelve-year-old boy that cannot move very fast could not beat up one of the schools 'star athletes'.

It was late and I went to my locker to drop off books and notes from the classes I had taken. Woodworking was relaxing anyway.

As the day progressed I found a great many people looking at me again. This was like the first week of school when the facts of Corinne's kidnapping were still coming out. So it looked like the secret was out now and Mr Fenton would be forced to protect his name and status.

I went to music class to find out what my sister's had discovered. Susan came to me. "The rumour is out and we didn't spread it."

I hugged my worried sister. "It's ok. There was one witness and he had no reason to remain quiet."

Miss Floit asked, "Is it true what we heard?"

"Miss Floit, I have done some violent things in my life when I was pushed hard. I cannot say anything other than Mark Fenton may have tripped over his shoelaces."

She paused, then just nodded her head in understanding.

The music didn't start and it looked like things were breaking up. I asked, "Does anybody here know where Mr Fenton lives?"

Tom said, "He lives around the block from me."

"Would you show me? I want to see how he's getting along."

"To Fenton's house? Are you sure?"

"Very sure, Tom."

The girls wanted to come but the boys didn't volunteer to escort me. Tom looked to be hesitant too.

The girls got a ride home and just Tom and I were in his car.

"What happened to Mark?"

"There is one rumour going around that mutates as it travels. I cannot say anything. I'm sorry. Would you pull up at the next block? I want to stop in at the pharmacy."

Once inside I found some get well cards and signed it at the counter. Tom had stayed in the car and in a few minutes dropped me off at the house. There was one car in the driveway. Surely if the young man was popular he would have his friends from school nearby.

"Thanks Tom. I can find my own way home."

"Are you going to be safe?"

I smiled, "Yes, I think so." Mark would be in enough pain still that he would not want to go into any strenuous activities, still, he might make an exception in my case.

I knocked at the door and a woman of forty came to answer it.

"Hello, I came to see how Mark is doing. Is it alright if I see him for a moment?"

The woman looked me up and down then said, "Sure, if you want." I was too young to be one of Mark's friends.

We went upstairs and down a hall to an open door. The mother gestured with her hand and left. Mark was lying on his back on his bed. His face was wrapped in bandages. I assumed his eyes would be black, which is what usually happened when your nose was broken.

I knocked on the frame and Mark slowly moved his head. When he saw me he got part way up and said, "What the fuck you want here?" His voice was odd with the bandages and the damage.

I walked in and put my books on a dresser then turned. "Somebody is spreading vicious rumours about you at school."

"Nobody would do that."

"Somebody had to be the lookout. I went after him when you were on the ground but he got away."

"Yeah, that asshole would talk."

"That asshole is spreading rumours. When you get better you're going to be goaded to do something to me. What really happened was that your shoelace came undone and you were thinking of your girlfriend when you fell and got hurt. I came along and helped you to the office. Your good friend saw you fall when you were close to me and saw wrong."

"That chicken shit cocksucker. I'll get him back."

"Mark, may I sit?"

He looked odd at me but I took a chair and put it close to his bed. He lay back down now.

"I'm sorry for the amount of pain I had to cause. I'm just too small to take chances." I handed him the envelope with the card and he paused to open it.

"Thanks." He kept staring at it and I assumed he didn't know what to really say.

"Yesterday I mentioned how some males are manipulated by women. It's usually the powerful men that are chosen to do what the women want done. An old saying is that behind every successful man is a woman. The saying for the most part is true."

"I wasn't successful."

"No but you should have been. You were overconfident. That I imagine has been told to you by the coach."

His head unconsciously nodded.

"Some of those women pushing men do it so they just have a tool that will do what they cannot do. Other times the woman knows what's best for both her and the man. That's the best way and usually they're married. The team works great. Are you on a team or are you just being manipulated? Marcy is the type to manipulate."

"Ya, I know and so is Helen. It's scary being in the same room with them. Usually I want to see a game and Helen drags me off to some place she wants to go. Sometimes she gets me to do things in front of her friends just to show that she has power over me. Last week at a party she had me act stupid in front of my friends."

"Mark, are you her puppet to dance as she wants or the co-pilot with her as the pilot and both of you going somewhere?"

"She used to love me, I think, but now I'm more her puppet."

I changed the topic by asking, "What do you want to do in life?"

He stopped his thoughts of Helen and said, "Probably work with my dad. He owns a small electrical company."

"Do you like wiring?"

"It'll be a job."

"What are your hobbies?"

"Sports mostly. I like cars. I used to go camping. I went to church t — "

"I'm not judging you Mark. What did you do at church?"

"When I was a stupid kid, I sang in the choir."

"Can you play an instrument?"

He didn't answer. "Mark you're putting up a phoney wall and hiding behind it. I'm not one of your friends that have to see you win at sports all the time. I'd like to be a friend that knows what you're like. That means I have to let you feel what I'm like."

The look I got made me think that he didn't care to learn what I was like. "I played the piano and the church organ."

"Really. Did you know that I write songs?"

"I heard something about it."

"Nobody knows, but I sold more than one."

"Really? Who else?"

"Tell me your favourite singers or instrumentalists first."

The list came out in fits and starts but covered many of the popular singers. As an afterthought he mentioned some female vocalists.

"Do you have a guitar I could borrow?"

"My brother has one." He got up with difficulty and walked to the other room and brought it back. I took it out of its case and strummed it then made some adjustments.

I sang 'Crying in the Chapel' that Elvis had sang and would again. His manager had bought it:

"You saw me crying in the chapel

The tears I shed were tears of joy

I know the meaning of contentment

I am happy with the Lord

Just a plain and simple chapel

Where all good people go to pray

I prayed the Lord that I'll grow stronger

As I live from day to day..."

When I finished the song I asked, "Who would be the best person to sing that song?"

"Ah, probably Elvis, I guess."

"You're going to have to wait for a few months but you might hear the song on the radio. You'll not be surprised to hear who's singing it."

"No shit! You sold that song to Elvis?"

"I didn't say that. I said you would hear the song and the person singing it would not come as a shock to you. As a song writer I cannot give out all that information especially if it gets spread out to the rest of the world."

"I wouldn't tell anybody."

He probably would but this was a way for him to want to see inside me. "On your word as a gentleman, you will tell nobody until it comes out on the radio?"

"Sure."

"Say it all."

"On my word I won't tell anybody."

"Elvis will sing the song. You were right."

"No shit!"

The song reminded me of the song 'The Dixie Cups' sang called 'Chapel Of Love'.

I sang this song now but I had to think. Mark didn't bother me and in a moment I sang:

"Goin' to the chapel

And we're gonna get ma-a-arried

Goin' to the chapel

And we're gonna get ma-a-arried

Gee, I really love you

And we're gonna get ma-a-arried

Goin' to the chapel of love..."

I put the instrument down and said, "That song was not sold. If you promise to sing it when you get better I'll let you try out. The girls and the musicians are going to cut a few records if they do well. Sing with us if you want. If you're good enough you get to sing this song. If you can't sing well enough you at least get to have some fun. Someone else may have to sing the song though and my voice is too squeaky for me to do it. Do you want to try?"

"What about my friends?"

"Did your friends come over to visit and cheer you up? Did they call to see how you are doing or to just find out what happened? You tell me if they are your friends. When you get better, you go to school the same as always. You play sports with your friends but now you sing too. You think Elvis is good. You would hang around Elvis if he were here, so your so-called friends can hang around you. You're not throwing away everyone that you used to hang around with. You're just adding some people that may be your friends too."

"That may be fun."

"I didn't tell you but my sister Susan wanted to come over here too." I didn't say that she wanted to rip his face off but I was not lying.

"Really? Susan Congdon. She's cute."

"She is one of the girls that are singing and hoping to cut a record. You want to give this a good try?"

Now I kept music paper with me all the time and I used the guitar to play the song again and wrote out the notes. I started from the first many times until I had it as good as I thought I could do it. The lyrics came next and I went over the song one more time.

"I get some good ideas but Miss Floit helps me polish the songs. Take this to her, and she'll be waiting."

"I don't take music."

"After school you do. Would Elvis be afraid to sing after school?"

"Noooo. I guess not."

"Well Marcus and the Gladiators will not be either."

He made such a large smile that it hurt.

I made a phone call home and stayed for supper.

The next morning Paige said, "What happened exactly? Tell me again."

I went through it all and listed what I felt and what I thought he felt.

Paige looked at Susan and said to me, "And you told him Susan was going to go over and see how he was doing. Like fluffing his pillow and tucking him in?"

Susan scowled something fierce and I said, "Well I didn't say that but I didn't lie either. Susan was just going to kill him and be done with it. Now she has a tougher job and has to pretend that she doesn't hate Mark. He actually is a nice kid that got led astray."

Susan asked, "What about the rumour now?"

"I'm not sure but Mark may have made a phone call. The guy that spread the rumour may have to take it back. Nobody is going to believe him but it gives their minds a way of understanding what happened."

There was now even more looks in the hallway but the new rumour would not have a chance to get around yet.

The teachers wanted to know more about the rumour but I pled not guilty. The furthest I went was to say that Mark may have been love struck.

When we had health, just before my lunch, Sam said to me, "Did you really beat the shit out of Mark Fenton?"

Most of this class was listening intently. "Sam, I'm the worst at running. I'm not good at gym. I'm twelve-years-old. My body has scar tissue that doesn't allow me to move well because it doesn't stretch. My shoulder had a big hole in it a while ago. Most of the girls in the school can beat the shit out of me. Do you really think that I could beat up a guy like Mark Fenton?"

"No, but I heard — "

"Did you hear that I change in a telephone booth and wear a red cape? Did you hear that I have a magic ring? If you believe everything that's said then I'll have to sell you some prime real estate out of town."

"Well I guess you're right. I didn't believe it anyway."

Mr Renzo had been listening and now moved his papers as if he had been studying them. "Can anybody list the main portions of the male reproduction tract?"

Nobody volunteered. I didn't usually. There was no sense in showing off.

"Congdon, tell us."

"May I use my own words and the blackboard?"

"Go right ahead."

I went to the blackboard and drew the scrotum. "This is a sack composed of skin that contains a pair of testicles. It usually starts to be covered in hair when the male reaches puberty. Its purpose is basically to regulate temperature. When you're hot it hangs and sweats to cool. When it's cold it shrinks so tight your voice is like mine."

This got a laugh. I continued to draw what I was talking about so everybody could see.

"The family jewels here are also called testes. They are secured at either end by a structure called the spermatic cord. The testes are responsible for making testosterone. That's the primary male sex hormone, the testes also generate sperm cells. Inside the testes you will find coiled masses of tubes called convoluted seminiferous tubules. Kinda hard to remember. These tubules are responsible for producing the sperm cells through a process called spermatogenesis.

"The Epididymis is a long, coiled tube that rests on the backside of each testicle. It transports and stores the sperm cells that are produced in the testes. It is also like an incubator to bring the sperm to maturity, since the sperm that emerge from the testes are immature and incapable of fertilization.

"When you get an orgasm, this area contracts and forces the sperm into a duct called the vas deferens."

"The vas deferens is a long, muscular tube that travels from the epididymis into the pelvic cavity, to just behind the bladder. This tube transports mature sperm to the urethra in preparation for ejaculation. I guess most of you guys know what that word means.

"The ejaculatory ducts are a combination of the vas deferens and some pouches called the seminal vesicles. These empty into the urethra.

"The urethra is the tube that carries piss from the bladder to the head of your dick. It also carries the semen and other fluids when you orgasm. When the dick is hard, the flow of piss is blocked from going into the urethra. It'll only allow semen to be ejaculated.

"The seminal vesicles as I said, are small sacs that attach to the vas deferens near the base of the bladder. They produce a fluid with the sugar, fructose, that provides sperm with a source of energy and helps with the sperms' motility. This means being able to move. This fluid makes up most of the volume that gets shot out.

"The prostate gland is a walnut-sized structure that is located below the bladder and it's in front of the rectum. The prostate gland contributes additional fluid to your jizz. Prostate fluids help to nourish the sperm too. The urethra, which carries everything mentioned, runs through the centre of the prostate gland.

"The bulbourethral glands, or Cowper's glands, are pea-sized structures located on the sides of the urethra just below the prostate gland. These glands produce a clear, slippery fluid that empties directly into the urethra. This fluid serves to lubricate the urethra and to neutralize any acidity that may be present due to residual drops of urine in the tube.

"This is the clear fluid that comes out when you guys are wacking your tack before the real thing shoots out.

"Now I want to say that the prostrate gland will end up killing a few of us in this room." I paused for effect. This was what had almost killed me and men rarely thought about it.

"The prostrate can get cancerous later in life. Part of it can be when a man slows down and instead of a boy wacking off ten times a day the man has only a few orgasms a month. Sometimes the old geezer is trying to handle all the ladies like he is our age but still gets this form of cancer. After age fifty you have to get checked every year. It can be cured if caught in time. If not then you say goodbye to all those that you love.

"Any questions? We can get Mr Renzo up here to show the correct equipment if you want."

"That was quite enough Congdon. In fact it was much more than enough." In a moment he asked me, "How did you know all that?"

"I have no hair yet to speak of. So I am just starting puberty while all the rest here have felt the effects for a year or more. I just read books so I know what I am going to face. The other things I learned I believe are much more important than a boy knowing that he can make a woman pregnant."

"What is — we will talk after Congdon. Class look at the diagram on page thirty three — "

I stayed after class because I assumed he wanted to talk to me now. He did say, "Are you looking for notoriety Congdon? You speak filthy in my class. Are you looking to get a rise out of me? I should have you disciplined for what you did."

I didn't attempt to jump in and defend myself and I think that pissed him off even more. He went on about my choice of words and the talk of masturbation.

When he wound down I said, "I asked if I could use my own words; and you said yes."

"I didn't allow you to use such language."

"I didn't interrupt you sir. Kindly allow me the same consideration. You're an adult and a teacher. You talk around a subject taking much more time than I took to cover the same ground. This may be from you being shy of speaking on this subject or because of your fear that some of your students will tell their parents that you were talking improperly. I'm one of the students and I can talk to them in their tongue and at their level.

"You use a pointer and point at a diagram which is hard to see for most of us. I drew diagrams that can be used with your pictures. All your terminology is what a doctor would use. I used the same terms but added those the boys would understand. You use technical words but not once did you provide the street terms. If you did, every boy would understand what you meant.

"The idea of educating the students is so they come out of the dark ages and understand the world about them. I think I educated them as one of their peers. My information was factual. I may have covered more than you did but not a lot. Some of the things I covered should have been done and this is a fault of the province, school board or you for not covering it.

"The only thing you can get me on is that I suggested that you get up here and be a live model. You on the other hand have said similar things to us on occasion. This makes you one of us and thus you can say more without recrimination. Looking at this situation another way shows that you get upset at the subject matter even though I'm positive you have used every one of the street terms I used. I overcame my shyness and perhaps I look to be bold but I think you should laugh with the boys even if you have to use the same terms. They'll see you as a friend as well as an authority figure."

The teacher said, "I'm still angry and you'll be late for your next class."

"Let me explain female sex organs and reproduction next class. I'll go over what I say beforehand and you can call it a way of testing my knowledge."

"Get out of here, Congdon."

I had to apologise for being late for chemistry. Mr Bain handed me a pile of tests and I just began to do them as quickly as possible as he taught the rest of the class. He was quite surprised when the pile of tests were done before the end of the class and represented what I thought of as a years worth of exams. The last one appeared to be the final exam for grade nine.

While the rest of the class was doing an assignment, Mr Bain was leafing through the tests and said, "You look to have done well so far. You want to do the other grades?"

"All but the finals. I want credit for each of them and that means a more formal place to test me. I do not want to pass this class and find myself with no place to run my experiments. I also need you and your experience."

He smiled at this but tried to hide it. "We can do that. It'll justify me giving you some extra work to keep you busy and out of my hair."

Music was the last class today and we talked of theory for a while and we tried instruments. The instruments we played though didn't include a guitar and I had to play the tenor sax, as it was the smallest. I could play a variety of instruments but none as well as the guitar or the piano. I would love to have an electronic keyboard to incorporate into a band but as of now they were all powered by air.

At the end of class, I said to Miss Floit, "There may or may not be a new member of our group. Did the girls give you the name?"

"No, who is it?"

"Mark Fenton has a broken beak as you know and he cannot sing yet. He can play though. I gave him a song that is mostly a piece of fluff but it could hit the top twenty or maybe even the top ten charts. The song is not bad as it is but needs to be looked at for mistakes. It is a way of getting the young man away from bad influences."

"That's very good of you Mr Congdon."

I wanted to talk to you about something else if possible."

"What is that?"

"I want to start a recording company in a year or so but I can test the waters with other companies at the moment. The girls and the band may not be good enough to record. Those that are good enough will get paid for what they have done. I need a person that will guide the local talent.

"There may be some problems with you taking this job while teaching so I propose to pay one of your relatives what I would pay you. I'm sorry though that it has to be commission. Most of my money is going into research."

She smiled at me. She had no idea how much money I had nor how I spent it. "I'll teach them. They have more talent than most and they really want to make a record."

"Thank you Miss Floit. You may think I'm full of manure but there's some serious money in this. Where Mr Fenton belongs in all this, has to be discovered. There's other talent in this city and if you find it, I'll assist in giving it a chance to be exposed to the world. Perhaps you could talk to some of your more promising students."

The band hurried in and so did the girls. I didn't get to see Paige much at school and contented myself with holding her. I stayed for a while and listened to the singing and compared it to the original artist. Some ideas on emphasis or instrumentation were suggested even if they were not necessarily in the original piece of music.

When they paused for a break, I said my goodbyes. Miss Floit asked, "Do you have a copy of the music you gave Mr Fenton?"

"I wrote it at his house but I do remember it."

"Play it for us."

I borrowed a guitar and played 'The Dixie Cups' song 'Chapel Of Love'. It was played as I looked at Paige, which made the song even better for both of us. There was some applause and I bowed.

Miss Floit said, "That was a good song too, Jeff. Is that one going to be recorded too?"

"The promise was that Mark has to come here to sing. Our band will just have to cut one more record but with Mark singing. If he does not have the talent then somebody else can sing it. I don't want to push Tom but maybe Mark is good enough to play in his band. I have some pieces of music better suited to an orchestra. That'll mean more musicians being needed."

I asked Tom, "Are you interested in growing a bit? If Mark doesn't work out then I'm not going to push him on you."

"I can live with that. I was surprised when Maggie said that Mark was actually a nice guy. Most people avoid him."

I left the girls to their music and then left myself. This time, I looked around to see if I would be tackled again but there was nobody. I went to Moody's hardware and looked through what I needed. The salesman saw me as a kid. Music played from a radio but it was very distorted. I made a list of the tooling available and asked for the owner. The old man came out from the back.

"Hello sir. I own a small business and need some machinery. My list of tools totals nearly seven hundred dollars."

"Show me what you wanted." He got the list and his retail price. Everything I needed was here even if it was not on sale.

He looked at the tooling and said, "You have enough money to pay for all this?"

"More than enough but this is for my business and I don't want to pay retail prices."

"Well I can see a ten percent discount as you're purchasing a lot."

"A twenty percent discount gets me coming back."

"Twenty percent? Do you know how much these machines cost me?"

"I know your mark-up is at least thirty five percent. I'm buying your better products and there is a bit more profit in them."

The owner went on with a long spiel about how good his merchandise was and how little profit he made. It went on for so long that I leaned against a rack and listen carefully to the way he worked.

When he ran down I said, "Have you ever been on stage?"

He paused then said suspiciously, "Yes, how did you know?"

"You would have made a great Hamlet or a Shylock. Your mannerisms are great. You come across very well. Why did you ever leave?"

"Not enough money in it."

"Well I'm not asking for a pound of flesh, and not your first born. I'll purchase further needs from you at the same twenty percent discount. If you deliver too, I'll fix that radio that I hear."

"What business you own?"

"Congdon Electronics."

"You the kid that rescued that little girl?"

"Yes sir."

"You got a deal young man."

I gave a cheque and I was happy to see no Provincial sales tax and no Goods and Services tax either, though, I could recoup it later. When the delivery came I would get the offending radio.

Jane was bubbly when I got home. She said, "Mr Sackman phoned. He wanted you to call him back."

I give her a kiss and said, "Thanks Sweetie. I better do it now."

I had to work through the operator still as we had not converted over to direct dial yet. When I got through he said, "Hello Jeff. I have some good news for you."

"Hello Mr Sackman. I hope you do. I'm spending a lot of money and I wish I could get your government to fund me. They do for a lot of other people."

"They are usually defence contracts. You making a bomb?"

"My book is better than that I will have you know."

He laughed at my pun then said, "The company representing Mr Presley likes your material. They bought more of your songs and want you to make some expressly for them."

"What kind of gross are we talking about per song?"

"Depending on how good they are from six to possibly eight if it is strictly commission."

"How many are they interested in?"

"They said two but with commission there's no need of advanced payment and they may take more."

"But I can't sell them while they lay on them for a year or more."

"There is that to consider."

"You know my fear of unscrupulous businessmen. What chance is there that I get what it says in the contract?"

"I have known the owner for a great many years. I'm not going to lie but he is fairly honest. He does drive a hard bargain. I've had to deal with him many times, and I know."

"Did he give the information for the song he wants?"

"You'll have to talk to him I'm afraid. Things get garbled when they go from mouth to mouth."

"I'll talk to him. I think I hear in the background at your office some of the other studios clamouring for some of my work."

When he caught on he said, "Oh, yes other record companies and singers called too."

"I can speed up the process considerably by sending you songs that are not as polished as the ones you already received. Presently Miss Floit goes over the first few of them. I did the rest. This is time consuming and tedious. Can you find a group of musicians that can knock a few notes into the right place?"

"I do that normally Jeff. The buyer gets both your copy and mine. I must say that your songs need little improvement."

"They may this time if I push them through."

"That's fine."

"Ok, do you have his name and number?"

We said our good byes and I called Sam Johnson. I was put on hold for two minutes then I got his secretary then five minutes more.

"What do you want?"

"You wanted me and my songs. Your mother should have walloped your ass."

"Who is this?"

"Jeff Congdon."

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were just one of those guys bothering me." He gave me the information he wanted for a dozen songs. He stipulated that he was only buying two. He added, "It would be better if you could come down here."

"You would talk to me for five minutes then I would have to fight you over the songs then fly back. I'm busy too. You're not the only one looking for material. The stuff I'm writing is for a great many different artists. "

"I heard you are just a school kid."

"A school kid that writes screen plays, good songs and invents things in his spare time. To be honest twelve to sixteen thousand dollars is not that much."

"Then you don't want this contract?"

"I have four songs that fit the bill now. They keep my hungry lab fed."

"Four songs already?"

"I have a lot in my head. Out of the twelve I have four that match fairly well. More are in there but I have to dig deeper. I'm digging all the time though and I just sold four more today."

"Really? When can I get them?"

"I'll write them up in a few days and send them to Mr Sackman."

"You can send them right to me and it is quicker."

"Mr Sackman is my agent. I don't go behind his back."

Jane stayed in the kitchen listening and brought me some tea when the call was complete. "Who was that Jeff?"

"A guy that promotes singers. His name is Sam Johnson. He's a busy man and a little rough around the edges so I had to be the same way or he'll push me around."

"You mentioned a lot of money."

"Yes but it is company money and I cannot just spend it on things not related to business."

"Why not? It's yours."

"It gets taxed. I have to do things just right or they eat me up."

I made one more call. This was to Mark Fenton. His voice was even worse over the phone and I mentioned that I cleared the track for him to work after school with the gang and Mrs Floit.

Right after this call, we hurried off to the bedroom. The girls would be home soon.

Susan had to warn us again but Jane was happy enough. I went downstairs and found Tom with his banjo and his brother Karl too. The only girl not here was Angela.

Tom said hesitantly, "You were going to write a song for me?"

"The song is for you to play Tom. If you are good enough we'll market the song. I'll pay you standard rates and then promote your career. By the way what grade are you in?"

"Grade twelve, I'm in the four year course."

"Ok, all that's in the future anyway. Now do you want to help me write the song?"

"Sure."

"'Duelling Banjos' is a song where I play the guitar and you copy me but try to do just a bit better than what I do. It escalates tremendously. We each have a solo portion that will kill your fingers by slay the audiences. Have you ever played a song that went very fast?"

"Well, a little. There was no call for it."

I played two bars at a plodding pace. Tom played the bars back and we worked on what to do to make it just a bit better than what I did. This turned out to be a very difficult song to do. Other songs had words to cue me to the notes but this only had notes. We were making headway though.

We ate during a break then went back to work. Later that night I got the tape recorder and recorded the long solo banjo part then played it faster. The notes changed pitch but now the tempo was seen for what it was.

Karl sat with Jennifer and he on occasion took the guitar and tried a different arrangement. Maggie was close to Tom and kept him fed with snacks.

Paige did the same for me especially when I paid with a kiss for each bit of food. Karl did once but Tom looked afraid. Jack came over to get the girls but stayed to listen to the session and added his own comments.

We broke up at nine. We all had homework plus I had other things to do. I walked Tom and Karl to their car. "Tom, I love my sisters very much. If you and she like each other enough to want to kiss then you may. I know you're a teenager and what that means. I just don't want my sister hurt."

I looked at Karl now. "Jennifer I love too. Treat her with respect and caring and we will not have any problems."

Both sheepishly said, "Ok."

Maggie had kept an eye on me from the window in the door. She asked when I got in, "What did you talk to them about?"

"Oh, I just said you like the doggy position best."

Her eyes got big but then she saw my smile and chased me upstairs and caught me in the bedroom. "Now tell me."

In a quiet voice I said, "I told both of them that I love you and Jennifer. I also said that if they treat you like ladies and don't trifle with you affections that you could kiss in front of me."

Maggie kissed me now. "Thanks Jeff. I was a bit worried."

"To be honest I still love you more than is good for me. I want you happy though, and although it hurts, I know it is best to have someone of your own. Just don't rush out and think that Tom is the only one to make you happy. Take it slow until you find someone that's the best."

"My period is tomorrow. You want to make me happy now."

The songs and the homework had to wait I guess and made tender love to Maggie. I went downstairs to work while the other two went to bed early.

I played low and got most of 'Blowin' In The Wind' by Peter, Paul and Mary done. I finished off with some easy English and went to bed.



-------

Chapter 9



The next day at gym, Mr Renzo didn't mention health class at all. I did get a little shit for not being as fast as I should be. The students looked sharply at me as if I was going to flatten the teacher. Later, though, they had lots of questions. I had even less time to answer them.

Home Ec was better because Mrs Cameron was talking about budgets and then negotiating for a good price. Since I had mentioned this the first day of class, I was asked again. I had fun talking about the machines I just bought and what I did to get twenty percent off.

I had sold appliances for years and told the students what to look for and what would only add cost but little benefit. Before I was cut off I talked about purchasing extra warranty time.

Gloria passed me a note. It said, "What did you do in Health. Sam was embarrassed and smiling all the time?" I just pointed at the clock to mean after class.

Mrs Cameron though asked the same question when she held me back.

"Did you hear this from Mr Renzo or from the boys?"

"Ah, does it matter?"

"I'm not going to talk behind Mr Renzo's back."

"Mr Renzo told me."

"What I was trying to do was to be blunt. This appealed to boys. They like being naughty. Lots of the information came from medical books. There is too much that is not covered in class that should be. I asked to deal with females and reproduction. I think I can do a better job because I have less constraints. I'm worried about unwanted pregnancies and their repercussions as well as forced marriages that usually fail. They actually keep two people in hell for all their lives."

"How much do you know about this subject Jeff?"

"Enough to teach the girls too, I think. Maybe I can give a presentation to you, Mr Renzo and whoever teaches the girls' health. If they have an open mind I can give them the same course. They can use my work or let me do it."

"So you want to be a teacher now?"

"It's fun. Infants fascinate me and will keep me occupied all day. Children up to adults are fun because they know so little but usually willing to learn. Adults are fun because I have to work around their preconceived ideas to show them the truth."

"You better hurry off to your next class, Jeff."

I found that one of my spares coincided with an empty music room once each rotation. I talked Miss Floit into letting me use it. I got the last of 'Blowin' In The Wind' done then started the Beatles song 'Let It Be'.

Miss Floit came back in towards the end of the period and listened to me. When it was just about time to go, I played what I had transcribed which was about half.

"That will be a hit too Jeff. I don't know how you do it. Maybe I should walk around in a thunderstorm with a lightning rod in my hand."

"There would be a good chance that you'd die, and it only changed my outlook on life."

When the bell rang I gathered up the papers and left. I had this feeling to kiss Miss Floit like I did my ladies but I resisted.

When it came time to leave, I went to the old corner and found not only Sam and Gloria but also Janice Higgins.

When I got close I said, "Hello ladies and gent."

Looking at Sam I said, "Two ladies now? Hmmm, you are going to have to give me lessons." All of them got red and I felt bad because they were not secure enough yet.

Gloria asked, "You were going to tell me about that talk."

"Well Sam already told you about it. I just felt that it should be said with enough information to be useful. All boys know they — they get excited. I wanted to talk about girls and then about avoiding unwanted pregnancies."

Gloria said, "You know all that?"

"A fair amount. It's fun to learn and the homework is never forgotten."

Gloria said, "I wish you could talk to us too. Mrs Warren is an old busybody and afraid of saying — bosom."

"It seems someone else had a problem saying breasts."

"Well — I just started to come out of my shell."

"I would like to help. My time is all accounted for and I end up losing sleep to make up for it. If you get me into girls' Health class then it'll be fine but I'm afraid that'll never happen. The school would not like it and most of the parents would be the same way. They don't want their little angels corrupted."

They all looked down as if this had shamed them.

"I have to get going. I got a project to do at home."

Janice said, "Let me walk with you for a while."

After half a block she said, "Gloria's very happy. I wish I could find a guy like she has."

"Are you being rhetorical or do you want some help?"

I had to wait for a minute at least. "I could use some help."

"Tell me the things you like and I will think of who I know."

"Well, I like them smart. Ah, and they should know a lot of things too."

I could see where this was going. "Boys are basically ignorant and that was why I was educating them. They think of themselves and forget that a lady has needs too. I know this but I'm taken already I'm afraid. The boys I can help are the ones that think they cannot find any girl to ever look at them. They have to be desperate to even listen to me. The others have such an ego that they refuse to listen."

"Would you still look?"

"Sure I will. That's what friends are for."

The tools were in the basement and Jane had accepted an old radio. To be different, I made her lay on the table like I had done to the other girls and ate her to two orgasms. I slipped into her and it felt so warm and delightful that I shivered. When it got close I suddenly remembered the possibility of releasing some invaders. Jane was fertile now.

This made me even more excited but I managed to hold my own orgasm off until Jane had hers. When she recovered I had her on her knees to give me mine. When the came it made me shiver more and the experience was more pleasurable.

I picked Jane up and kissed her passionately. "That was a good one. More than a few hairs, sprouting from my groin, is happening to me."

She hugged me tighter and said, "I'm happy that my boy is becoming even more of a man."

Jane helped me do some unpacking in the basement and stand the drill press up. The bench grinder had no real place to go and I didn't want it where I worked on electronic parts. Many other things had no place to go.

I looked around at the basement. We had an octopus furnace with large ducts running all over. I was not tall now but soon I would have to stand only between the joists. The lighting was better than it was but still not good.

My home in London came to mind. It was large and airy. The workshop was large and well suited for my tinkering or research. This house was very poor but I was still lucky that we even had a basement. I knew then that we had to move into the house that I needed to work in.

Jane got a kiss and sent upstairs to make supper. She knew it had to be made but gave me subtle hints so that she had to be told. All I had to do was listen to her. Perhaps that was why there was going to be many more divorces. Besides, the recent feeling of more freedom after the war may just cause a couple to not listen to each other.

I worked on making the chassis for the tape recorder and found that I needed more parts. Brass bushings or nylon had to be bought or made. I needed some hard steel that would resist wear from friction. I made a list of other things I needed and put them on the running list I always kept.

The girls came home so I went upstairs. I found not only Tom and his brother Karl but also three girls. Two looked vaguely familiar from school.

Paige came and kissed me. The way it was done was to show that I was taken and the girls better lay off. Susan introduced Mary, a tall girl of Susan's age with long red hair. Brenda was taller than Maggie but she turned out to be her age. Sylvia was the best looking of the three with long black hair going down her back. She was a little heavy and I found that she was in grade twelve with Susan.

We shook hands and the girls kept looking at me oddly until Paige came over and removed cobwebs from my hair.

Jennifer said, "Miss Floit said that these girls should be tested. They sang with us today and they did very well."

"Well that's great. I have to write some songs tonight but if we have enough instrumentalists we can get an idea of what we have. Some songs work much better with some voices."

We sat down with some tea and discussed the girl's experience. They wanted to know about Debbie Reynolds until they milked me dry on the subject then they wanted to know about Mark. They got my standard story of it being an accident. I did add that he was invited to come over for an audition too.

Jane made extra food and I could see the new girls look when I called Jane by her proper name. The boys had acted similarly when they had first heard it too.

After supper, I went over and invited Jack and Nora to come to our house with Jack's guitar. It was not necessary but it was good to not only butter up neighbours but future in-laws.

Music became more technical for them. I used recently acquired terms and what they meant. My girls were not shy about singing notes or bars and that helped the others. Some harmony was better than others and this reminded me of Diana Ross and the Supremes but I didn't know if I could pull this off with some of the later Afro/American dialect.

The girls did have talent but I was not the one to make an assessment. I wasn't even sure how good my girls were or even the band. There's a lot of difference between very good and professional. Sometimes the difference was just in attitude.

Sylvia's parents both came to pick up the girls and they stayed to chat. They thought Jack was the father and it helped when I called him dad. Sylvia talked the rest into singing and playing the songs that would one day go onto a record and I hoped my cassette.

Tom, Karl and Jack stayed longer as I finished up 'Let it Be' and went on to 'Sweet Caroline' that Neil Diamond sang. They saw for the first time how difficult it was to remember the song well. The guys played the notes that sounded right to me and I talked about what should come next. I sang the words to the song at the same time. This all got written down quicker now that I didn't have to play the guitar.

Before calling it a night, we had most of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' that had been done by Simon & Garfunkel.

I started making wooden boxes in Woodwork the next day. In my previous life I had fabricated hundreds of them. Christmas was not that far away and I needed to find gifts. Mr Sharp listened to my needs for metal and plastic and instead of directing me to a store he said, "Go see Mr Clarke in Machine Shop. I'll talk to him first if you want. He has a lot of odds and ends kicking around."

"Thank you sir. That is a very good idea."

It turned out that there was a lot of scrap in Auto as well that I could get. Some classes rebuilt bodies and their tinkering could rebuild a car fairly well. Sometimes the rebuilding done by kids was not as good as professionals and I had heard horror stories for thirty years.

I finished off 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' during a spare in the library. This had to be guessed at but I had the previous portions of the song to go by.

When I came out at the end of the period I almost ran into Sylvia. "What were you doing in the library Jeff?"

"Finishing off one of the songs I started after you left last night."

"Where do you send them?"

"I have in agent in California."

She put her cool hand on my neck and caressed my face. It felt nice to me but I could see that she was very worried about doing this especially in the school. "Maybe you will write one for me?"

"If you sing good enough I'll supply the material and the chance to record."

She bent close and stopped dead. With a worried look she said, "Thanks," instead of what she wanted to say.

She ran off and she looked just like the young girl she was even if she were older than my current body.

I took many more tests in Chemistry but not the final exams. This took the full period and I was not done when the bell rang. Mr Bain separated the ones done and said, "Not bad, these were grade twelve and thirteen. I don't think you would cheat so you can finish the rest off at another class."

"Thanks for trusting me."

"I have been thinking of our arrangement." I was now worried. "In university the professors have lab assistants. They are usually grad students but not always. Are you interested in helping me and I'll help you more."

I smiled now. "You got an assistant. I do glassware but not windows."

During Gym, Mr Renzo pulled me aside, and said, "What would you tell the other students about female anatomy?"

"That will take an hour to tell you and half an hour to tell the class. I have a spare in period seven. Can we talk then?"

"I have some seniors then. They can get some help from their peers and I can listen to you."

"That sounds good. Will this lead to a lecture on procreation at some future time?"

"I don't know yet. I may get in trouble about that. Contrary to what you may think I do worry about the younger generation. I don't want them hurt."

"It's the girls that usually get hurt more but many boys find their life ruined too."

During sixth period I had Home Ec Mrs Cameron pulled me aside far nicer than Mr Renzo and she whispered, "I was told you are going to do a lecture. It is very difficult for a young man to talk about a female body with a female present. Are you able to overcome this handicap?"

"I'm not shy to the degree you may think. I may get queasy standing in front of the school but not a few people. Adults are more responsible in general, although I have met some that are not. This could be turned into a strategy meeting though where the experience a teacher has can be used to make a great presentation. If you wish to bring more educators you may but I found that if you get far beyond six they tend to make this sort of thing unwieldy."

Now Mrs Cameron stared at me again. "Ok I will see. This will be a chance to test you to see if you have the chance to be a teacher."

"That is much more than my guidance counsellor gave me, and this is good because I too would like to know."

Ten minutes later I was in Mr Renzo's office. I prepared my talk in my mind while I waited another ten minutes.

Mr Renzo came in and said, "We are going to a classroom."

A nearby room was empty and I found Mrs Cameron sitting beside an older woman.

Mr Renzo said, "I heard that you are not bothered by women if you talk about this subject."

"Not really. If this is what I think it is, I need input from the three of you. I know the subject material but I think I can get it across to boys easier. I understand women after a fashion but I cannot get inside their heads."

"Go ahead then."

I walked to the older woman and stuck out my hand. "Hello Ma'am. My name is Jeff Congdon. Whom do I have the honour of addressing?"

"My name is Mrs Warren. Have you heard of me?"

I smiled at her but instead of letting go of her hand I held it in two of mine. "I have. One of your shy students mentioned that you had a problem with mentioning breasts and used the word bosom instead."

She pulled her hand away. I said, "I hope I have not said something offensive. In a way it was a way for me to understand you as you listen to me."

When the woman recovered she didn't react antagonistically. "I try not to use derogatory terms if possible. The ladies I teach can get the wrong idea."

I sat on the desk with my feet in the seat facing both women. "May I voice an observation that I have seen? The words though will be medical and the only two ladies here are the two of you."

"I can handle that."

"Human nature has not changed in hundreds of thousands of years. We have learned a great deal and this along with our various customs have guided us. I say customs because there are a great many varieties. The Chinese and the East Indian are good examples. They suit each group very well but they are not what we have here in this country.

"The ladies you talk about are the same as what were found hundreds of years ago because many of the things that drive our culture have not changed. The situation has changed since the last war and our culture is in much more of a transition than it had been before. World War One brought some changes but not many. The last war brought us a great deal of new ideas and gadgets. These gadgets are changing our culture for both good and ill.

"What I am getting at is that women are very resourceful and not weak at all. They can take a frank discussion like this and voice their own opinion. The word 'sex' is a dirty word to some. They hide from it. It is even reflected in our laws that men wrote. Boys cannot purchase condoms because some shortsighted politician thinks that a boy will not have sex without them. They feel that if condoms are freely available the boys of this world will practice 'safe sex' instead of masturbating."

"The sad fact is that humans are not as rational as the politicians would like us to believe. Sexual relations cannot be legislated out of existence. It will continue either behind closed doors or hidden some other way. The result will always be pregnancies and abortions."

I thought of going into what the birth control pill would bring but avoided it now for many reasons.

"I have heard of people from some very poor areas not being told about how children come about. They actually believed the stork or some other fable brought them. This may sound like a laughing matter but it emphasises how important education really is."

Since there had been no outcry so far I assume that they're in agreement for the most part. "It now has to be determined how far to go with different age groups. At present they get their information from friends, that method is as accurate as gossip. How far do you think I should go with a class of grade nine girls, Mrs Warren?"

"Ah — well you do know how to speak. I don't know why you went into all that though."

"I went into it because I was worried you were too shy to deal with this particular topic. I'm pointing out that I asked a question but you avoided giving your opinion."

"The school board does set some guidelines but they are vague. I cover what I feel I must though."

"Tell me what topics you cover please?"

"Well first there is hygiene then there is what to do when a women has her curse."

"Instead of euphemisms, wouldn't menstruation or even vaginal discharge be more accurate?"

We waited then she said, "My girls are ladies. They don't want to hear that sort of thing."

"Are you positive of that?"

"Yes I am."

"Are you really talking from your own feelings or those of the girls you teach?"

Mr Renzo said, "Leave the lady alone Congdon. Can't you see she is upset."

"Why is she upset, Mr Renzo?"

"I don't have to tell you."

"Ah, but you do. I came here to put on a presentation to adults with the help of you three not to children. Are you going to give me the answer 'because' like an infant. Are you protecting a woman or a fellow teacher? Perhaps you're protecting your own feelings about this subject because they are a bit too delicate."

I turned to the other female teacher. "Mrs Cameron, tell me what Mr Renzo cannot."

I waited as the woman looked for a way out. "Come, come Mrs Cameron. What would you say to a recalcitrant student?"

"Mrs Warren cannot deal with the subject well. It is part of her upbringing and perhaps part of the nature she was born with."

"Thank you, Mrs Cameron. I agree with you fully."

"Mr Renzo, do you agree or have you another opinion?"

"We're not raised the same as what we used to be."

"That's true. The situation will not improve but actually accelerate, as more information is made available. What will come about will be less pregnancies and that will be because we cannot reach everybody."

I tuned back to Mrs Warren who was now near tears. "Ma'am, you are setting an example to your charges on how to be a lady. You're probably brave enough to stand up to bullies and even your superiors for what you believed in. Are you brave enough to find out if the ladies you talk about want real information or some platitudes that they have to guess at."

"I teach my students very well Mr Congdon. I don't know where you get off thinking I don't."

"I like you feisty better Mrs Warren. I challenged you though. Are you brave enough to find out who is right?

"You are no teacher Mr Congdon. You have no licence and you are only twelve years old."

"You are absolutely right but you don't want to find out do you? You're not brave now in your one weak spot. The trouble is that the gym teacher teaches health. If the gym teacher is not brave then he or she cannot pass on the necessary knowledge."

Mr Renzo looked ready to blow up. "Mr Renzo, are you responsible for all the students that you teach so they learn the necessary skills?"

"Yes, but not your way. You — "

"You taught me about self reliance. You taught me about team spirit. One class you mentioned about doing your best no matter what the odds. I'm asking you about team spirit. If you cannot skate very fast there's still a need for a goalie. Doing your best is what a soldier does. Everybody does his part. You cannot be the general and fight in the trenches too. Let me try one small foray into enemy territory. Make up a test. Give it to a control group after you taught them and then the same test after I used my way on another group."

I turned to Mrs Cameron, "Monday in your class, I think you should find a reason to leave. Mrs Warren can be in the supply room. I want to prove that girls are intelligent human beings and not mindless automatons that some people wrote about in books."

Before she could object I said, "I had a discussion about Galileo Galilei recently. People, especially the church, said he was wrong and even persecuted him. A simple test of dropping two different sized stones proved that he was right. This was where we first learned about science.

"Will you be strong, Mrs Warren?"

I got an unexpected ally when Mrs Cameron said, "Try it Gail. I think Mr Congdon is right. If he does his job then the girls know what they need. You will not have to teach it. We both have seen too many teen pregnancies so our message is not getting out. The girls learn from the street very well and at least Mr Congdon is in their age group."

"I don't want to listen to his dirty words."

"Those words aren't dirty Gail. They are medical words. If I have a lump in my breast I don't think of it as my bosom. I hope the doctor doesn't think that either, especially if there is something wrong.

"Will you come Gail? We can do some inventory in there while Mr Congdon gives his explanation to the class."

It took a moment but then she said, "Well — I guess I could."

"That's great Gail."

Mrs Cameron hugged her fellow teacher and this seemed to help. When they pulled apart I said in a soft voice, "I'm sorry for putting you through that Mrs Warren. You were not prepared to accept what I had to show the students until you came to terms with it yourself. We still have to work on what has to be said. I can do it my way but I don't want an irate teacher to storm out of the supply closet accusing me of leading some older girls astray."

For the rest of the period I went over what I would tell the girl's about boys' more endearing characteristics. I listed a great deal about them from the way they stank because of not cleaning themselves to their bad habits.

My three students were embarrassed when I acted like the average boy as I absentmindedly scratched my nuts then picked my nose. The first booger was flicked off and hit my imaginary brother's pillow but I left it there. The second one stuck to my finger and I used various means of removing it to no avail. Finally I flicked my hand and hit a desk. The pain was so great that the finger went into my mouth along with the tenacious booger.

I had seen enough comedy skits on the subject to keep this up for hours. I had not even got to anatomy yet though I skirted the subject enough that they knew what I was coming to. Boys made great subject material.

When the bell rang I bowed and said, "Thank you ladies and gentleman. That took a long time but it taught a great many things. We'll have to discuss my educational skit later I am afraid.

"Would the three of you consent to more talks? You'll hopefully be entertained as the students will, but also informed."

Mrs Cameron pretended to pick her nose and then laughed again. "Perhaps you should have been an entertainer Mr Congdon."

"Isn't an educator an entertainer too? Now hurry to class you three. I don't want to get in trouble if you three get detentions."

English was next and I got a dirty look but no verbal comment.

I did as Mr Sharp suggested and found I had access to all the scrap and salvable material I needed. I owned a small lathe but I was not ready to purchase other heavy machinery.

I mailed the package of songs and this time I went directly to the post office. I paid extra to get them to their destination quicker. I studied the rates and applied the correct postage.

The radio was finished and Jane called to have it picked up. Instead of working on the tape machine construction, I took out some worn heads from the tape recorders. I studied these and used a small vernier calliper to measure the head as accurately as possible. The information was placed on a sheet of paper. With some tools I took the head apart and drew pictures with more measurements.

I had done this many times before, in the future. Heads changed and when something had to be scrapped it could be investigated first. My notes would also be good to substantiate claims. Alexander Bell was not the only one with a phone system. He did keep great notes and this is how it helped his position in court when his patent was challenged. I couldn't do this for all of my work but it could be done for the patents associated with the tape machine and the liquid crystals.

My book had the drawings of the future cassette. I deduced that the reels must be two inches in diameter. This basic idea governed the overall size. It eventually held ninety minutes of tape. If I went to three inches then I could more than double the thin tape or still have two hours of what was currently available.

The old cassette players didn't use quarter inch tape anyway. They had three sixteenths of an inch. Existing heads were for quarter inch though and this I would keep. Multiple tracts in a studio would mean a lot of money when a time track was put in plus three basic tracts. Now dubbing tracks was possible and the combined information stored on the third track. With some overwriting many sounds could be added until one man could play all the instruments of a band one at a time then sing too. This really necessitated wider tape and I knew that some audio tapes in my time were two inches wide. Computers though were making this obsolete.

My head had to have four areas to write at the same time and not the usual two. The two had been only possible by flipping the cassette. I was going to do this by shifting the head or making all four sections of the head pick up at once. This would only be possible with the wider tape. This would be augmented by my improved new tape.

I was down to the magnifying glass but there was still too much detail I was missing. To make the head smaller would mean me working with a microscope instead.

I wrote down what I remembered of the heads of the future. Some had a piece of glass that resisted wear and was smoother. Some tape had abrasive in it so that the head would not wear the tape out. Some of the pins and rollers though were cheap and they cut grooves in the tape.

We had a quick meal with no guests other than Paige and Jennifer. I continued to work though. After two hours I went upstairs and worked on altering the schematic with Dolby B in it so that I could now use four tracks. If the head never got made the changes were useless.

Jack came over. I guess he was hoping for more music but saw nobody singing. "What are you doing Jeff?"

"This is a major undertaking. I have to make an improved head for a tape recorder. There are thirteen patents I figure if I can get the entire unit to work. Not only will people use my machine like a transistor radio but also it will go into cars and into sound rooms for musicians, radio and television. I think there is more than just a few bucks to be made here."

"How much?"

"I cannot make all the equipment. I will have to sell the rights but use some myself. In ten years I should be well over forty million dollars net before taxes."

"Jeff, even big companies don't make that kind of money."

I gave the retail and wholesale prices of a portable unit along with what it would cost to build. I did the same for all the other kinds then wrote down the numbers that would be produced in North America and Europe. I would set the cassette's price because it would be a closed market with patent protection. The rights though would be sold for a good price. I wasn't going to go like Sony and hold the rights to the Beta cartridge. They did, and the public went for a larger but poorer quality substitute.

I went into my recording company, which he never heard of because I had not started it yet. My tapes could supersede records if I did this right. Annual record sales were listed for the last six years and he could see how I could make well over two hundred million in gross receipts.

"So Paige is going to be one of your singers?"

I pulled him close and said, "Paige may have enough talent to sell records, but I don't know how many. If she does even moderately well, she will have a career but she is too shy to be a professional unless I'm with her to tell her what to do. She'll tell our children that she was a professional singer and have the mementoes on the wall to prove it."

Jack smiled a while until he looked at me and wiped the smile away. "I could almost see the room."

"Do you see her in the den talking to one child while the other nurses in her arms? Around her on the walls are the awards of her achievements. Later she sings softly to both of them. Paige's parents are listening from the other room sitting in comfortable chairs."

Jack said, "I can see that very easily. You paint a nice picture. I just hope both of you will be happy with the other."

"I know one answer but only time will bear me out."

It was Friday night but I did my homework to get it out of the way. Paige and Jennifer were staying over and Angela came later being driven by her father.

He came in and we talked for a while. I returned the favour and brought out some wine, cured meats and cheese. Paige and Jane were the hostesses and stayed to talk. Angela was in the other room gossiping with the other girls already. He left twenty minutes later. To stay shorter would not be right but he wanted to get home for his own pursuits.

The girls got the story out of me again about Mark. This was mainly for Angela's benefit. They got the second instalment with me going to Mark's house. Apparently nobody had told Angela about how Susan was mentioned. Susan pretended to be mortified but her nipples were erect.

They had heard of my talk to grade nine boys in health and I had to continue with this too. Luckily they didn't hear my talk with the teachers or my possible talk to girls later.

A practice session with a future class may be fun.

"Ladies, I may get a chance to talk to some girls later while in school. Can I practice on you?"

Susan asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Pretend you are all grade nine girls. That goes for you too Jane. Just play it by ear and voice questions as if you were the normal girls you would find in a class."

This was good for an hour as I went over some of my skits about boys, then I did one about girls as boys saw them. I didn't expect mixed classes but one or the other opening jokes could break the ice.

A different lecture on male anatomy was given where I explained what a girl would see and what it was. This too would change with audience. I pretended to draw on the board to get an idea of how long I was going to be.

I gave the girls in front of me the proper anatomy lesson. The various portions were listed and what they did to aid procreation and for sex. This would be where I got the most flack. I went into detail on their menstrual periods and what to do about it. I listed medical problems from yeast infections to lumps in the breasts. Everything was prefaced with see a doctor.

The sexual act was avoided but I mentioned how the foetus was formed and just a few words about child development.

Finally I explained what happened to a girl or boy once they got past a certain point and they could not stop. This was the second place I would be attacked. I went into instinct, morals and psychology to cover all the bases.

My closing remarks explained how girls were the ones to bear the children and the ones that society looked down on. I listed the broken lives of both if the boy just didn't skip town.

The girls asked questions while keeping in character. Nothing I had said was new to them.

Susan said, "You made some statements that are true but I can see the teachers getting angry at you for saying them."

"I'm going to be attacked in two places."

"Why don't you get some girls that have gotten pregnant to talk about how it effected them?"

I had to think now. "That is a great idea." I thought more and could see more and more possibilities.

"My presentation is too long for one period. What I could do is give the basic anatomy lesson then let some brave girls, that have gone through what I want the others to escape. They can say how it was with them. They can go into detail that I cannot do. If a girl was raped and she is brave enough she can talk of this. If she was seduced then she has to tell what her feelings were before and during the act but then talk of the consequences."

Jennifer said, "I know some girls like that. I don't think they would talk though."

I said, "Maybe they would to a small group. If they get brave they can talk to a larger group. Having a half dozen girls talking about their problems will re-enforce each other."

Talk went on for hours. Names were mentioned and what happened to the girl and child if known. I wrote what was said down so it would not be forgotten.

Our lovemaking was different. The girls were more loving with each other. With me they were more dominant, even Paige. I had a bad feeling about this but it was not aimed at me directly.

Over breakfast Saturday morning the girls continued to talk. In an hour I could not see this settling naturally. This was now a feminist movement. The girls had the bits between their teeth now and there was little I could do to direct them. My social conscience was healthy but the girls were working themselves into a froth.

What I had thought safely bottled in Susan came out again and aimed at males in general. I had to physically order them to sit in the front room.

Once seated I said, "Susan, not long ago you were very disturbed. You hurt me and you hurt others."

"But I don't do that any more. I thought you forgave me."

"I did but you're doing something similar again. Males are half of the human race. You cannot fight them. You have to think smart. Talk to girls but don't start a mob you cannot control. Tell all the girls what they are facing without knowledge. Get help to cement what you tell them. Boys have to be educated too but you have to see how much you can do with one generation.

"I started this because young people need to have their eyes opened and then given some options. I'm also the one that goes to Home Ec for a reason. I think you can see that I'm very heterosexual."

I looked to another. "Jennifer, you're not only following Susan without even watching where this is going. You have more reason than most to fear men but I think you have found a middle ground where you're safe. Don't go overboard in what you want to do.

"Angela, you were beat up by your brothers. I've helped and I don't think you're hit now. You even said that your brothers listen more to you. You too are safe. Don't paint every male with the same brush you painted your brothers. Boys are not smart but they can learn. Don't use a stick to teach them or they'll rebel. Use the carrot and a very short stick if they don't see reason.

"I see problems at school. I was going to do a minor change that would perhaps go all over the school. You'll get the girls paying attention to you, which is good, but if you turn them into a mob the people will come after you because you started it. Some girls will turn on you while others will go the other way. Boyfriends will find themselves trying to date fanatics.

"Some of you have boyfriends. They are nice people. Other boys can be nice too if guided. Run this battle if you want but do it with your brain not your emotions. Emotions will give you strength but they will lead you into too many mistakes. Brains will win and, although I hate politicians, some compromises have to be made."

The girls looked subdued and now spoke rationally. The fire had not gone out but it had been covered.

I phoned Mark again and just shot the shit. He had not gone back to school yet and I thought it had to do with his black eyes. I mentioned my talk with Sam Johnson but had to say who he was. I didn't mention all the songs but it was a way of tying Mark to music and away from some of his friend's influence.

Just before noon the phone rang. John was excited.

"Jeff, we got some preliminary work done on the bottles. They came out beautiful. We're busy now making new moulds. I have a jobbing shop making a machine to make one of the types of caps. We are going with glass bottles for now."

"That's great. Did you get anybody to see if ultrasonic welding is possible or even if it has been patented?"

"Jerry, ah, Mr Berger is doing that. It looks like it'll work. We wanted to try it before doing an expensive patent search."

I said, "I sent off some songs on a special order. I'm setting up my workshop to get the tape machine made. Most of the improved circuit has been worked out. I need some values for the tape so the information can go into the new head I want to make."

John said, "That's good about the music. I'm sorry to say, the tape will take a long time. We have to make the machine. Magnetic tape is too new. There are no old machines for sale."

I asked, "How are we doing for money?"

"I had to borrow some. It looks like it is going to be expensive."

"We have something more to sell."

"What"

"I made a sandwich for school and wrapped it in waxpaper. Even with an elastic it isn't good. Get a sheet of polyethylene about sixteen inches wide. The two sides go through a machine and it heats the plastic and puts four to six ridges on each side. This is three quarters of an inch from the edge.

"A bit further in on one side you make three more ridges but they are higher and close together. The other side gets two ridges that are similar.

"A machine folds the plastic sheet and it pinches off a pouch with heat to seal the edges.

"Pop a sandwich into the sack and the two strips on one side slide into the groves between the other three ridges.

"The bag is air tight. Try the same thing with water and it'll all stay in. All you have to do is make sure that the pinched off bags have the two grooves lining up with the two portions sticking up."

"Jeff, what are the original ridges for?"

"Grip, when you grasp both sides to pull the bag open. You can make the bag by the mile. Sell it to families for sandwiches and larger sizes. Thicker ones are for the freezer. Get the breakfast cereal companies to use this. Their product can be resealed. They are not going to buy it if it is expensive but that is common sense." They had not done so in my time but I could hope now.

"How are those two and three ridges going to grip?"

"The plastic is extruded so it is an easy to control features. The two ridges are larger at the top while the two groves are tapered inward. Just make the surface clear to see what is in the bag but a large area has to be white to allow a pen to write on polyethylene."

"Anything else?"

"When the patent is running out make one set of ridges one colour and the other set another colour. When the bag closes the combined colour will be different. It also shows that the bag is really sealed."

"How much is this worth?"

"What ever you can get for it. It may cost a bit to make some bags but this is needed for the patent. You don't have to make them, just sell the rights."

"What do you want to call them?"

"Cori Bags has a ring to it but Ziploc is good too."

"Ok, now what else do you have?"

I thought of what we had now and what I had in the future that was new. "I can only think of the phone now. Bell will try to get away from a rotary dial that wears out. They will go to push buttons. I don't know when they will. I think a two way radio can get mounted in a hand set and it travels to the base unit then it gets into the wires. Bell own everything on its lines but I cannot see that lasting more than ten to twenty years. We sell the phone then. Not quite a money making idea for now but for later."

"Will Bell buy the idea?"

"They have the market tied up. Why would they? I have just been too busy with other things to think on the problem."

John laughed with real mirth. "It's fine Jeff. You come up with more ideas in one week than most do in their entire lifetime. A young lady wants to talk to her Daddy I think."

"Well her daddy wants to talk to her. It's going to cost you for all her mothers want to talk to her too."

"I'm charging the call to the business and part of it comes out of your share." He then laughed very loudly.

Corinne came on. "Hi Daddy. I miss you."

"I miss you too Sweetheart. The people at the school that don't even know you, ask me how you are doing. All those other mommies are waiting around the phone want to know too."

"Really?"

"Yes really."

We talked for a few minutes then Jane got the phone and it had to go through all of the girls before it got back to me again.

"Bye Daddy, I love you."

"I love you too. Now hang up the phone and give Grampy a big kiss. He needs some love too."

"Bye." She broke the connection.

Everyone was quiet thinking about the girl that burst into our lives and meant so much to us.



-------

Chapter 10



The girls used the phone to contact friends and I started to make lunch. We ate together as usual but this time Susan was talking of her plan. It had some thought put into it. I politely shot some holes in it so she could find ways to patch her strategy.

The basement called me and I went down with a bit more hope in wringing out some information to make something that I had seen thousands of times.

Jane made supper and she whispered to me, "They are still very excited. They called lots of people. Some came over to talk then left again. It's like what I saw on one of those war movies."

I would have liked to have some family time but the girls were busy. I went downstairs to hide again. I had lots of designs to work on and the only thing to do was make them, then they had to be tested. The wiring in the heads had to be finer than any of the existing units. The ones in the future had this kind of compactness. I wasn't even sure if wire this fine could be purchased. I may have to draw my own then lacquer it.

It was nearly ten when I came up. Only Paige and Jane seemed to notice. I held Paige's hand and said, "Do you still love me?"

"Sure I do."

"Then let me take you upstairs and show you how much I love you."

Her smile wasn't fake and she even pulled me. At least I know that she hadn't burnt her bra yet.

I started slowly and made tender love to the one that would be my wife one day. Between kisses, licks and nibbles I told her how I felt about her. She responded like a tiger and I had to restrain her for both our pleasures.

When her time came she put a pillow over her mouth and yelled into it. My cock was as hard as it ever was and I knew that more hormones were pumping through this body than ever before.

I said, "Honey it is that dangerous time of the month for us. I'm more dangerous too. I think it's time I took that other gift."

"Yes Jeff. Take it. Take me."

I licked her again then moved her legs even higher and attacked her lower opening. In minutes she came again for this was very sensitive to her. A tube of KY let my finger slip into her as I sucked her clit again. She squirmed on my finger and orgasmed once again.

She turned over when I urged her and she presented me with her cute bum. I told her how much I loved her. My fingers in her bum were nothing new and I was not big. With a great deal of patients and some pauses I was all inside her once again. Her ardour had subsided but not a lot.

"Jeff it feels funny. You're bigger than your finger. It feels nice though. I am really full but a nice full."

I used my hands to keep her interested and she started to move back against me. I moved in counterpoint and in a minute we were moving much better.

With my hands on her hips Paige started to respond just to what was in her. She moved quicker and quicker. Her head went from side to side and this only happened when she was building to a big one.

When it came she pushed with her hands and her back sagged towards the bed. Her head went up and she screamed her joy calling my name twice before she collapsed.

I had come at the same time and held her tight to me as I worked my hips as fast as possible and tried to shoot sperm as far into her a possible.

I fell on top of her and then took some of my weight. This was the strongest orgasm I had in this body and I didn't want to leave my position in her. I did soften though and I slipped out. Around us were the rest of the girls.

Maggie asked, "Is she alright?"

"She had a good one and I had the best one of my life. In a moment she well come back to us and you know what she is like then."

"Yeah," she said, as she started to take off her own clothing.

"Jane, get us a damp cloth and a towel, please."

"Yes Jeff."

I pulled away. I was happy to see I was not completely soft. I had not managed to stay parked where I should be. I washed my wife and gave her a kiss. She was clean and I dried her. My own cleaning took less time.

Paige came around and the tiger was hungry. She jumped on me and swallowed all she could get. The girls were not laggards and worked on Paige and themselves. Jane took the opportunity to sit on my face.

When she had her orgasm she just took me and put me behind her. "Take me now. I have been waiting a long time."

Paige was very distracted so I used more KY and slipped into Jane. Jane was worked up and her orgasm came very quickly but I stayed in her and kept pumping. The second one was longer and she showed all the unmistakable signs of a huge orgasm. Jennifer saw it coming too and muffled the sound with a kiss. Jane just fainted from all this excitement and stimulation.

Paige was beside me now as I held onto Jane as she fell forward. She said, "Was I like that too?"

"You were just as passionate. Fifty years from now I'll be doing the same thing to you but I think that a good number of times you'll go to sleep just like you did a few minutes ago."

"Is that bad?"

Paige loves to be reassured. "I want a passionate wife. One that gets so turned on that she faints. You turn me on so much that I would make you pregnant every year and you would slosh from all the semen I would put into you."

She pulled me tight. "I like that idea, husband."

I slept contentedly while snuggling to Paige. She did the same to me as if we could get even closer. It was still fairly dark when I woke up. I could feel Paige so near me and so comfortable as if this is the way it should be. My hips were thrusting though slow and rhythmically. I had slipped inside my woman and it was difficult to pull back. Paige pulled me closer when I pulled out as if to put me back. I could see her face and could tell that she was still asleep.

I moved closer trying to find comfort between her legs and Paige brought up her knee as if to give me a better home. I just got close and pushed her leg down. She gave a small groan but settled.

It felt odd to not trust my own body. Puberty was coming much faster than before and one day soon I would be shooting live rounds.

Paige woke up much later to see me looking into her eyes. "Good morning wife. Did you have nice dreams?"

She pulled me to her but kept her morning breath away. "I always have good dreams with you."

"Let's get up and make breakfast. Jane usually gets up early to make it for us."

Paige raised herself on one elbow to look over my body at Jane. "Do you love me as much as you do her?"

Paige was always fishing for compliments probably because of her submissive tendencies. "I love you more than life itself. You're the mother of my future children and the light that guides me."

I got a cuddle then and felt Jane move. "Let's get up sleepyhead."

We had a shared shower that took much longer than needed but we both enjoyed it. Drying took quite a while too and I found some areas on Paige just too delightful to pass up.

Others were starting to get up. Jennifer and Angela slept with Susan and Maggie. We only had to share with Jane and a few damp spots.

I made 'Red River Cereal' while Paige went to get some preserved fruit. The oven was cleaned out while stirring the porridge. I started coffee and tea. I cut some apples up into small pieces and got some grapefruit from the fridge. I cut the grapefruit in half then used the curved knife made for the job and separated the fruit into small sections. Lots of brown sugar went on them and all the fruit went on a metal tray.

Paige cut up the peaches into bite-sized portions. Then she started to put together a large omelette. She had turned out to be a good cook and loved the compliments she got from all of us.

Paige cooked her omelette while I worked beside her, stirring in what I liked too. The girls came down and were told to just sit. Maggie just stuck out her tongue when she sat in a chair facing me and opened her robe. That breakfast was good too.

When the cereal was done, I ladled it into small bowls and served it with peaches. The apples had gone into the hot cereal just a few minutes ago to get them soft.

The broiler was turned on now and we sat down to eat. Paige had to tend the eggs yet. I helped Paige serve the omelette then put the grapefruit into the broiler for four minutes. The girls looked at me but said nothing. The grapefruit was done just in time and I served this in more bowls to hold the fruit in place.

Jennifer said, "What is this?"

"Broiled grapefruit."

"Is it any good?"

"Try it and see. It's hot and stays hot a long time."

They did like it but were stuffed when we were done. Maggie and Angela cleaned up for us.

Around ten, we started to get some visitors. I saw that they had been asked to come by Susan or one of the other girls. The first few were Susan's age but then older ones arrived. Instead of working, I stayed and answered the door and greeted the guests. Some left but four young women stayed along with two infants. It occurred to me that the other four may have or had children too.

Jane stayed with the guests and I made some refreshments. When lunchtime came, I began to make a meal for all of us. One child started to cry and the mother picked him up. The baby had a blue blanket and I guessed the gender. "Do you have a bottle that I could warm up?"

"Ah, yes but it's empty."

"Will cows milk do? Do you add anything?"

"Just milk, thanks."

I washed the bottle and sterilised the nipple. Most young mothers did this but soon found that it was not necessary. I knew that a child had to get used to our unsanitary conditions and build immunities or suffer all their life for it.

I filled the bottle and put it into a small pot of warm water. With no microwave, this was the usual method. I tested the temperature and brought a clean tea towel just in case. Though I never had any children of my own I did take the time to be with them. Infants were great but some I could only take in small doses.

I went back with the bottle but the mother was busy talking. I put out my hands and said, "Come here big guy." The mother gave me the child before she realised that she had done so. I sat on the floor for all the seats here were taken. This child was big compared to my size but still manageable. With a last minute adjustment he started to eat.

The women just looked at me. They saw that the child was not in danger and just went right back to talking. I heard disparaging comments about males in general but then again a lot of guys were assholes.

When junior started to fuss I used the tea towel on my shoulder and burped him. Bouncing him a little got another out and he went back to his bottle.

His little hand came out and played with my hand or anything in front of his face. He drank quite a bit and I burped him again. The noises now coming were not all from his face. In a moment he expelled enough gas to let the ladies know what had happened. It didn't take long until my other senses detected this.

I got up with some difficulty then walked to the mother. She put out her arms for him but I took her bag instead. "Us guys are out of place at this hen party. We are going upstairs."

"He's — "

"I know."

We had no soft top to lay the child on so a floor or bed would have to do. The diaper was full and I never liked half measures when cleaning a child.

I turned on the bath until the water was warm then turned the water tap off and put a towel on the side of the tub. Junior was put on the floor and the safety pins removed. He went quickly into the tub and I turned the water from our shower apparatus on him after checking the temperature again.

The water changed colour until it got clean again. The towel went in then so did Junior. I put him on his back and I cleaned a bit more then used some soap. He liked the bath and I soon turned him over and cleaned this area. The rubber hose was long enough and I turned down the pressure and let Junior play with the water as it formed a small fountain up a few inches high.

I cleaned the rest of him though he didn't like water in his face. We used a lot of water but he was happy and clean. The bathroom stank though with the dirty diaper. I folded this over which I should have done sooner.

A wet Junior went onto my shoulder and we went to my room with a few towels. He laid on a towel as I dried him and said in a conversational tone, "Coouchy coou." Junior was not interested in philosophy.

Just as I was done his little dick got big and urine started to shoot out. I was just in time to get the towel over the offending appendage. Junior shivered then burbled a bit. Kids were never grateful for anything you did for them.

With a pillow on each side of him I hurried to the pack then started to dress him properly. I talked to him about his choice of clothing but he didn't seem to mind. When I was done, he looked sleepy so I just made sure he was safe and adjusted the pillows so he could not fall off the bed. A flannelette sheet from the pack went over him.

I put stuff away now and went back to the bathroom. The dirty cloth diaper was there and I had no idea of what to do with it. I held my breath eventually and shook off most into the toilet. Junior was sure potent. I washed the diaper in the sink to get most of the crap out then wrung it as best I could. The wet towel in the tub was wrung out too and put into the dirty hamper.

I looked around for a place to put the damp diaper. There were no plastic bags from any grocery store that I knew of. Plastic garbage bags were never seen though they may be around. I looked through the diaper bag and saw a section partitioned off and I stuck the diaper there. A pacifier was there but it was the type that was banned because a baby could swallow it.

The bag and I were the only things that came downstairs. The mother asked in a calm voice, "What happened to Roger?"

"Roger left a mess that was more bio-hazard than not. I cleaned him and then the mess. He thanked me profusely by baptising me. He's now sleeping on my bed with pillows on each side of him."

The mother said, "How much of that wet is from Roger?"

"Only a little."

The other woman with a child said, "Laura needs to be changed too. Do you take care of girls too?." I knew she was needling me about sex and didn't know that I knew more than the usual twelve-year-old.

"Girls are the bane of my existence but I love them anyway. They work me shamelessly. They put demands on me that Atlas would shiver at. When I have done what no mortal man could do, they say, 'What took you so long.' What makes it worth while is when the day is done one of those Valkyries comes down and bestows her kiss to my lips.

"I am sorry but even with the kiss I still have to make lunch as one of my many tasks. Perhaps one day they will do a story about me like they did for Heracles."

"Don't you mean Hercules?"

"Hercules is but the Roman name for the Greek Heracles."

I cleaned my hands again and began to work. I set up a buffet because there were not that many chairs. Jane came in to help. It took a half hour but when I was done I went back to the front room and to the other woman. "I'm free to rescue yon damsel from her soiled and odious garb."

"No, that's ok. I'll change her."

"She is not as odious as Junior. I don't mind. I even get a chance to see what a girl looks like."

The woman ever so much pulled her child back but soon all the girls that knew me were laughing. She looked around for an explanation and Susan leaned forward and whispered in her ear. The woman looked shocked. She then looked to Paige then me then Paige again.

I put my hands out and said, "I don't drop them often."

The woman hesitated then handed me her daughter. "Come on Laura. I have to introduce you to a guy upstairs with a big — appendage. He is your age too."

There was more laughter but at the top of the steps I heard her ask, "Is she safe?"

Paige's voice was louder than usual. "Oh, yes. Jeff kills people that hurt children."

I resented the woman's accusatory tone but then realised it could be related to my comment about dropping children.

Laura got cleaned up too but was hungry instead of sleepy. Her mother got her back. "Your child is like many other ladies I know. She works hard and has to eat a lot."

The mother looked a bit offended at me insulting her gender but saw my smile. This would make us even, but usually women had to be ahead by quite a few points to be even.

Work called me back to the basement but so did my studies. The latter won. Sunday at this part of the century didn't allow me to go shopping for what I needed. The wire and other parts might not be available to anybody unable to make their own.

The chemistry books gave little information on liquid crystals and very few book were ever published. I had none of the specialised books. The phone rang downstairs and Jane called, "Jeff, Corinne's grandfather."

John was happy and excited again. "That idea of the resealable bags was great. An engineer and two machinists worked on it non-stop. The bags work great and only a few fail."

"I could have used a large one today. I changed a diaper and I had no place to put it. That reminds me, invention time. Do you have a paper and pen?"

"I always do when talking to you."

"I do not know if these exist or if there are patents on them. If there are none then we make a lot more money."

"What are they?"

"A dark plastic bag that is just a rectangle of two by three feet. It is made of some strong but flexible plastic. Garbage goes into it removing the need for a can. We make smaller bags for the kitchen, bath and bedrooms. We produce large units with handles for leaves in the fall. A thin steel wire sandwiched between two strips of paper are used to tie the bag.

"Idea two is a smaller white bag with ads on it to replace paper bags at stores. The ads relate to where you're shopping. It is fourteen inches wide by twenty-four inches high and pleated so it opens wider. It has large loop handles on the narrow ends or cut out handles on the wide ends.

"The third idea will make hundreds of millions but I don't know about net profits. We make a baby diaper out of disposable materials and covered on the outside with white plastic to keep in the moisture. It's closed with a piece of tape at the hips. Part of the tape is permanent but the other portion can be removed to see if the load is full or empty then resealed if it is not. Regular diapers are rectangular. This one is cut so the centre is much narrower. Make a large size to sell in pharmacies for those adults that need this protection.

"Forth is like a girls panties but made of cloth covered by plastic. The legs and waist have elastic to keep the moisture in. The money is in the one with a liner like the diaper for children being toilet trained. This is worth just as much as the diapers.

"The fifth idea is the pacifier. It needs a large shield between the nipple and the ring so the child doesn't swallow it. Worth little but saves lives.

"The sixth idea is a baby bottle with a disposable plastic sack inside it. This is worth a lot of money too. It is a six-inch cylinder made out of hard plastic. It is almost two inches in diameter with no ends. The top has a lip like a soda bottle. A simple and clear polyethylene bag is put into it then folded over the top. The cap is made of the usual nipple material and spreads to pinch the liner against the outside of the cylinder. When the baby drinks, he doesn't collapse the nipple or take in air because the plastic bag collapses. Put slits in the side of the cylinder so the parent can see how much milk remains. There is less to sterilise and caps can go on to protect the nipples in transit.

"A electric warmer with liquid water can heat up the cold milk because it comes in contact with the plastic bag. I think the glass bottles are the same way.

"Make a plastic covered and lined bag to carry baby needs including a place for soiled diapers. A few complementary sacks that you now make can go into each one or into the bags of the diapers or pants.

"Oh yeah I almost forgot. This is worth a lot too. Cars are starting to use seat belts but there is nothing for a child. Make a good and sturdy plastic seat that will use the automotive seatbelt and an extra strap that goes to the deck just in front of the back window. It has a bolt in clip that auto dealers will eventually put in all cars and a portion that clips into it so it can be tightened or completely removed. For now the parents need to install this bolt.

"Very young children face backwards for safety and the older ones can face forward so the seat has to be alterable. Thinner and better belts are used to secure the child to this seat. While you're at it make another seat with two bail handles to transport infants so they can be put on a table or floor and stay in a reclined position. They had a strap seat belt too."

"If you put things that are safe and within reach of the infants or children they will remain quiet longer when they have to be driven.

"I just remembered cleaning and thought of a plastic container of small moistened wipes. Best to have a cap with a small hole to pull the wipes up through so they do not all dry out. A captive cap covers this hole

"That is about it. Just ran into a situation that I knew had to be made better."

John said, "Is that all? Babies must inspire you more than that."

"Yeah, and expensive strollers with fourteen inch pneumatic tires and brakes on both back tires. The baby boom we have been experiencing will mean a great deal of change. They will get rich and want many flashy things for their much smaller families."

"I was only joking Jeff. I'm amazed at the ideas you have. Tell me though why a mother would buy disposable diapers? The cloth would be much cheaper."

"I rinsed out a diaper today. Did you ever do that?"

"Well — no. I can't say as I have."

"Ask a mother with an infant. They're the ones buying diapers not you or me."

He said, "The things you described are simple and our people can bring them to life. Are there any complicated parts or ideas that need a drawing from you?"

"Just the two chairs. And the two glues used on the diaper unless the plastic strip is bonded with heat and the other portion has the glue. Make sure that the end is folded over so it can be pulled off easily. Now what else did you call me for? It was more than the success of the bag."

"The team working on the bottling machine ran off hundreds of bottles and the vast majority were perfect. I just wish I had the cap machine set up for the caps we need instead of the child proof variety."

"That brought another idea to my mind. Twenty four or forty eight bottles are hard to transport for the customer. Soda can is sold in packs of twenty-four as well as six. We make thin cardboard tray with sides an inch and a half high. Fill it with the number of bottles then wrap with polyethylene. I think it shrinks if it gets zapped with hot air. The resulting package is now very secure and rigid.

"Lots of things can be wrapped this way including the diapers, pants and large bundles of paper products. The heavier packages get a strap to help carry them from store to home. We'll call the process shrink wrapping. Before you know it everything will be packaged using our system."

"Well I am glad I didn't put my pen down. I don't know how much that will bring or if it is patentable but I can check on it."

"How is my girl doing?"

"She is taking a nap now. I have to get her clothes washed at night because she wants to wear them all the time."

"What does the psychiatrist say about that?"

"It might be a problem but many children have a security blanket. They keep it for years until it gets so ratty it embarrasses the parents."

"The security blanket reminds me of the idea about creating an animation studio like Disney. Blankets, sheets, wallpaper, lamp, and toys will sell for a premium price if they are the same as the characters in the cartoons."

"You mentioned something like this before."

"But not the full line of products. We have another thing to make."

"What is that?"

"A group of people from all walks of life, including women and children are gathered together. They are bound by secrecy agreements. You give them the idea of the cartoons and the other side products. They can add the ones you and I do not think of."

"I like that idea too. By the way, are all those ideas you mentioned including the 'Ziploc' in our fifty, fifty deal?"

"Yes they are but only in Canada. I just hope you don't run out of money so we can get some of these things to market."

"I can sell the simple 'Ziploc' idea fairly quickly."

"Before you sell, give samples away to people where they can get back to you with comments. Pay them a buck no matter what their opinion is. That's 'market research' and can be used to let any prospective buyer know how popular the bags will be."

"I will do that or something similar. MGM has your screen play and they seemed to be very interested. Mr Sackman just presented the work and has to stay clear. There's going to be a lot of negotiations on price."

"Does this mean you hold off negotiations long enough to go to California during the time it is coldest here."

"Jeff, you're sneaky and underhanded. You should think of the legal profession instead of marketing."

I tried to get out of some work. "John, will you get somebody to ghost write the novel 'Jaws' for me? They have the script but he can add in the details that aren't in the movie."

"I know a few authors that could do a good job for you."

"You get ten percent of this too John."

"I'll get it done as soon as possible."

He asked a few particulars and I suggested that the author read 'Star Wars' to get a feel for my style.

When the call was over, Jane asked, "Corinne?"

"She was taking her nap. MGM is interested in my book. I know the novel will sell to the public but I don't know if MGM will buy it."

"Why wouldn't they buy it? It 's a great book."

"You might be a little bias. Don't you think?"

She looked a little embarrassed. "It's still a good book."

"If they do buy it and they make it into a movie there will be a premiere. Usually on that day, all the stars that played in the film along with everybody else that helped make it show up. What do you want to wear?"

"Wear? Me? There! Me? Never!"

"You sign the papers too Honey. This and the other novels will make you go out into the spotlight." I pulled her close so the others couldn't hear. "You belong to me. You are going even if I have to take you naked."

"You wouldn't," she whispered.

"You're my personal slut and I'll lay you on the stage and make love to you there."

"But — "

She was very excited. I had only skirted around the use of disparaging words in the past but I did paint verbal images. It seemed to have worked, for her eyes were glossy and she was breathing hard. My hand went to her breast and her nipple was erect.

"A man has to take care of his slut. If the premiere happens, I'll take you out and dress you the way you need to be. There will be no panties."

She just gulped and I slid my hand up her leg to caress her.



-------

Chapter 11



Monday morning, Mr Sharp unexpectedly said, "Jeff, Mrs Cameron would like to see you. She said you may want to take an extra Home Ec class today."

"That is a hard choice to make. I like this class or I would not have taken it. If I go to Home Ec, I have to eat all my mistakes. Would you get better response from your students if you instituted the same rules?"

He smiled and pointed. "Get out of here."

I smiled back and left.

It wasn't until I knocked and was let in that I noticed that this was Paige's class. "Hello, Mrs Cameron. You summoned me?"

"Yes, I did. I wanted a young man's point of view about a lady's fashion, hygiene and other matters. You usually have enough to say that I can get some inventory work done."

"Hygiene can take a long time by itself Mrs Cameron." The teacher got up and opened the door into the back of the room but left it open.

"If you need me just call loudly," she said.

"Thank you Ma'am."

I put my books on the teacher's desk and stood in front of the room. I looked at Paige and said, "Hello Sweetie. I didn't expect to see you until lunch." She looked a little stunned at me being here.

The class looked at me expectantly. "Mrs Cameron wanted me to talk about hygiene. Before I begin though I have to talk about boys and their problems."

I looked at the girls again and asked, "Everybody that has been in the boys gym put up their hand." I did but nobody else did.

"I see you already know to avoid the place. I can't. I have to go there. The boys sweat from working out and just walk to their next class. Most of them have no idea that they smell so bad. It's considered uncouth to bring that to a person's attention so the person is shunned instead. Better to say, 'Hey, Bud. You were working too hard. You need a shower.' Too bad that doesn't happen."

The girls were smiling now and I went on with the way boys acted and used the snot skit and the girls laughed a lot and I heard laughter in the back room.

"So boys are dirty and uncaring. This is because they were not taught well enough. Some are so boneheaded that they will not change their ways because they're too lazy. You have to catch them early and keep at them to get something done.

"Boys are strange, especially around girls. We boys walk around talking about sports and all of a sudden our pants get tight." It took a moment for some to catch on. "This is a natural occurrence. It sometimes happens for no reason. Nothing excited him at all." I reached into my pants. "A guy has to reach in some times and make himself more comfortable. He can't do it around other guys or they will think that guys turn him on. Most of them are so unsure that they need their mommies all the time. The trouble is that their mommies never told them the real facts of life.

"Now a boy's anatomy is different than a girl or a doctor would never be able to tell us apart." I went to the board and drew the male genitals. I drew them as big as I could make them.

"Not all guys are as big as this."

I got some good laughs but some girls were not sure what they were laughing at. "The average man is about six inches long and over an inch in diameter when he is happy to see a girl. When the girl is mad at him it is two inches long and the diameter of a thin broomstick. Times like that it wants to hide.

"When a boy gets excited other things happen to him. His heart goes to beating a mile a minute. His eyes get as big as saucers. He sweats buckets. The most important though is not that he is sporting what some guys call 'wood' but it is his attitude. An old saying is that men have very little blood to serve the brain. When a man gets an erection the lower head gets all the blood and the man does not think right. This happens more in the younger males with little experience. Older males that have an overabundance of hormones act like that all the time.

"To paraphrase, when a boy gets horny he does not think of tomorrow or anything else beyond the woman in front of him.

"Now when a male is erect some clear and slippery substance leaks out. I'll get to that later. When he gets very excited during his orgasm, a teaspoon of white liquid comes out. This is a mixture of many things but the most important are tens of millions of little sperm cells."

I described what I had done on Friday to the boys. I was cruder in a way now because I used all the synonyms for the terms a boy would use.

I drew the female anatomy on the board. "Now back to hygiene. I have known some women that would shame a man in being dirty. Girls are not all sugar and spice. They are blood, bone, skin, and flesh. This all stinks if not kept under control.

"Women as a group think more of themselves and their family but they are far from perfect." I explained about the fertility cycle now and all its component parts.

"Now if one of a boy's wigglers finds its way up to the fallopian tubes, an egg may get fertilised." I went through all the things that were needed to have the egg attach itself to the wall of the womb.

"I have to get off the subject a bit now. Girls go crazy too when they get horny. I'm referring to instinct. That's the same thing that makes a boy crazy. If you go beyond a certain point you'll not be able to think straight and you'll take risks that over time will make you a mommy.

"I was talking a bit to some ladies over the weekend. Every last one was like you girls. They were just a bit older and had boyfriends. It went from petting to other things then to having sex. Sometimes the boy promises on everything he holds dear but doesn't pull out. He can't help it for his instinct says to make more of his kind. Other times he does pull out. Millions upon millions of kamikaze sperm cells leave. In a few moments he is back in, but what the couple don't know is that not all the sperm cells left. It only takes one to make a mommy of each of you girls.

I had to talk around the subject. I couldn't tell how to have safe sex, I had to do it so that I was explaining bad practices. "A girl that knows her natural rhythm will risk the chance of getting pregnant because she loves the feelings she gets during the act and perhaps because she loves the boy she's with. She relies on him to support her and the child if and when a pregnancy occurs. Other times are safe but the number of days is never enough.

"The girls I mentioned talking to on Sunday told me that they and their boyfriends loved each other stronger than anyone ever had ever done before. When the girls got pregnant they found the boyfriends either drifted away or ran away. The woman now has to almost rip out her heart in making a decision. She must either give the child up for adoption or fight from a losing position to raise the child. Some were lucky to have understanding parents that would help but that doesn't happen often enough.

"Some mothers have no idea where the father of their child is. Some know because he is going out with a different girl. One of the guys actually got a second girl pregnant and abandoned her too."

"The guy is a criminal in my opinion. The second girl was just plain ignorant of the facts. I talked to both, so I know. The second one still thought that it would not happen to her.

"Think of it as a car accident. You drive around enough and there is much more chance of getting into problems. Do any of you here believe that a driver thinks he will be in an accident? It always happens to the other guy until the driver sees it coming and cannot avoid it.

"I'm not promoting sex. It's an instinctual act that can be governed somewhat by the rational mind. I doubt if anyone here will end up a virgin when she dies. This means that you will engage in sex to some degree. You get to pick when, where and who with. I'm saying that your body is your own. Some men think that they own it."

The girls looked at me in wonder.

"If you think for a moment, it was not long ago that women got the vote. Now tell me how many women have been elected to office since then? While we are at it, let's look at those women that made it. They have offices that are of insignificant status and basically have no power. Our laws came from Britain, men made them. When we Canadians started making our own laws, men made them. The laws passed since women got elected make up a very small portion.

"So I showed that men made nearly all our laws. Now we come to contraceptives. This is what will make women truly free and it's being denied you. This is done by laws enacted and enforced by men.

"You, as women, have to wake up. Now that you have the vote, you have half the population. Sounds to me like laws can be made that suit both halves of the human race. Men have always treated women with care but this made them second-class citizens. The men open the door for you which is nice but not if it keeps you from doing other things.

"Now I have gone far beyond hygiene. I showed you that you could get pregnant because some of the ideas that you had were seriously wrong. I have avoided talking about some things but did say that the odds are stacked against you. You want freedom to enjoy life but you're the one to bear the burden of any mistake. The laws in this country are slanted against women. I also have to say that many places in the world a girl is not even allowed to have an education. You are freer than them but you're still treated as children, not smart enough to understand things that only a man can know. Tell me how smart your fathers and mothers are. Is there a lot of difference?

"This talk was to a group of young adults. Women that have more experience in life can share their experiences much better than me. I have tried to be as non-bias as possible but I do not know everything. The class ends in twelve minutes so ask questions now and I'll do my best to answer them. Some answers will be only partial and I cannot answer at all because of where we are."

The questions came out slow and simple at the first. Paige saw this and knew what to do. "Jeff, when is it safe to have sex if you are using this rhythm method?"

"It is never fully safe but three days before and three days after the fertile period are the most dangerous. It is more a matter of statistics and I know you girls don't want to talk math unless it is about multiplying.

"Are there a lot of other things a girl could do that would not lead to her getting pregnant?

"A great many but that is one of the questions I cannot answer in detail."

Paige asked a third question. "What about abortion?"

"That is a medical and legal question. A doctor can perform the procedure fairly safely but he cannot just do it on demand. The lawmakers hope that if a pregnant girl cannot find relief then she will not get pregnant in the first place. That is as foolish as restricting condoms because a boy will not engage in sex without them.

"Basically that is the way our system of laws work or doesn't work. A rational person thinks of the risks and weights them against what is to be gained. Most people are not rational and the laws don't work for them."

One girl asked, "Ah, — Why can't a boy pull out?"

"Some can if their little brain doesn't take all the blood. It's also about being too young or having so little experience that their instinct demands that they make the best chance to have children when they have so few opportunities."

More questions came and they were getting more difficult to answer. I skirted some or I would run into dangerous waters.

When the bell rang the questions continued and Mrs Cameron had to come out and raise her voice to expel her students. I gave Paige a small kiss but I was not allowed to leave yet.

"That was much different from what Mr Renzo said you did in his class."

"I had to cover a lot more territory. Ah, where is Mrs Warren?"

"Ah — she is not feeling well."

I whispered, "Was my topic that emotional?"

"She must have been hurt at one time and she has never been able to get over it."

I hurried around the teacher and headed to the storeroom. Mrs Warren was crouched over while sitting on a small stepladder. I got very close and remembered a handkerchief in my pocket. I had made it and it was even clean, I think.

With the cloth in my hand I sopped up some of the tears and she immediately sat up straight. I continued to dry her face. My other hand held hers, still clutched together. I had thought the term old maid may have hurt her but now I realised she may have been one of those women that had a child out of wedlock.

"I'm sorry if my words caused you pain. The girls just needed to know."

The woman sobbed and I took the handkerchief to her nose and I said, "Blow."

She did then she held the handkerchief in her own hands. "I'm better now, Mr Congdon."

"After all we have been through we are closer than that. Call me Jeff. Though I caused you a good deal of grief I want to be friends."

She started to cry again and I moved closer and wrapped my arms around her. Her arms went around me and the crying got worse. I whispered some soothing words to her. They seemed to calm me and I hope they worked on her. It was at least fifteen minutes later that Mrs Warren was able to get a grip on herself.

She stood up and I held her to me. She used the very wet handkerchief in one hand as we walked to the door. I stopped her just before it and whispered in her ear, "I better peek out. The girls will think that I lured you in here and had my way with you. I'll do the respectable thing though."

She smiled at me then her face changed dramatically and she started to cry again. I pulled her back into my arms and held her tight. Her cries settled down sooner and she stood again. She pushed me back but only a bit. "Maybe they'll think I had my way with you."

"Only if I walk out with a shit-eating grin."

"Watch your tongue Jeff."

"Yes Gail."

She looked a bit unsure and I said, "You are Mrs Warren but in private we are friends. Friends lean on friends and gain strength from those around them. Barriers between friendships are not good."

"Yes, I think you can be my friend."

"Good, then we need to sit down and have a cup of tea. Maybe even find a dry hankie."

She chuckled. "Some do get quite wet."

I peeked and found the classroom empty. We came out supporting each other. The blackboard had been hastily cleaned. I found more material and made two impromptu handkerchiefs. Gail traded for one. When we got to the hall I found it empty. I had thought it a good chance that the students would just be held out here. Apparently there was and empty classroom for them to use.

"Where can we sit without being disturbed?"

"My class?"

"Can the spare teacher take this one too?"

"I guess."

"Where to?"

"The teacher's lounge I guess."

She guided me in the direction but I helped support her. She still used the handkerchief and her face was a mess. We came by the washrooms and I guided her into the girl's and came in with her. With her leaning on the wall I washed out the wet handkerchief and cleaned Gail's face with it. I had a comb but had to use my fingers instead to put her hair back in place. Paper towelling was used to pat her face dry.

"Do you have to go pee?"

She paused then said, "I'd better."

I guided her over to a stall and waited a few yards away. When she came out she looked for me and I walked with her to the sink. She washed her hands and put a few errant strands of grey hair back in place when she looked at the mirror.

"Jeff, we're in the girl's washroom."

"Better here than in the boy's."

"I guess."

We continued our walk and nobody saw where we had been. The teacher's lounge smelt of cigarette smoke and the ashtrays were full even at this time of day. I sat Gail down on the vinyl-covered couch and I sat beside her.

She started to cry again and I held her.

On impulse I asked, "How old is the baby now?"

In a few seconds she said, "He must be — " then she looked as if I had punched her hard. "What do you mean?"

"Your baby."

"How did you know?"

"Gail, we're friends. Friends can keep secrets. I thought I had hurt you with my statement about an old maid. Later I knew it had to be something much more troubling. Then it was only a small step to knowing that you were like those women I was talking about."

"You can't tell. Teachers could loose their jobs." She was very worried.

"Gail, relax. First you have been working for the school board for a long time. They may only screen new hires for things like that. They would not fire you. Besides if they did I would get a very reputable law firm to fight for what is right. The school board would back down very quickly. I don't fight with gentlemanly rules anymore and that goes for legal fighting."

"Are you sure?"

"Gail, I'm not going to lie to a friend. You know I'm smart. You would not lose your job even if you took out an advertisement in the newspaper about it."

"How?"

"Just trust me for now and we can talk about that later."

"But — "

She was upset and I went into my hypnosis routine once again when a person was in pain. She went under very soon and I worked to deepen the trance. The clock said it was almost time for the bell so I gave her a trigger phrase and slowly brought her out after saying that she was much stronger now and could deal with her problems.

"What did you do to me Jeff?"

We didn't have much time so I said, "Corinne was raped in her bum. She was in pain and I put her in a trance. It kept the pain at bay for a week. I did the same thing to you. Now you have more of your mind to deal with what troubles you. Your subconscious is very strong and now there is more of your brain fighting for you. I never said to forget anything and you heard everything I said. Friends don't hurt friends."

"Ok, I guess."

The bell rang and when it stopped, I said, "You are not ready to face the world yet. Let's go to the office and tell them that you are going home on a sick day."

"But my classes?"

"They will be just fine. Now let's go before the next group of teachers come in here to pollute our lungs."

We got to the office with Gail only holding onto my shoulder. A lot of people stared at us along the way but Gail was putting on a good front. Gail went to get some time off and I convinced the secretary fetch Susan and Paige.

Gail came out sooner and gave me a weak smile. "I got some time off."

"I called my sister and Paige. They will be here in a moment."

"Why did you do that?"

"Paige will tell my friends that I will be taking the day off. Susan will be coming with us."

"She doesn't have to do that."

"She does. I will explain it in a few moments."

Paige came in first carrying her books. "Hi, sweetie. I brought you here because I'm taking the day off. Mrs Warren and Susan are going to our house for a while."

Paige looked at Gail and saw some of the effects of strong emotion on the woman's face. "Ok."

"We may have a meeting like yesterday."

Her eyebrows came up. "I'll hurry home then."

"After school though."

"Yes, after school."

Susan came in with her books. "Hi Jeff, Mrs Warren." She looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"The meeting yesterday needs to get reconvened."

"Oh!" She looked at Mrs Warren. "Do you want me to leave school?"

"Yes, it's important."

"Ok." She looked at Paige. "Tell the others."

"I'll do that."

Susan and I went to the secretary and told her we were leaving. Usually you needed a pass and a trip to the nurse but we didn't ask this time.

We got to Mrs Warren's car and she said, "Where are we going?"

I told her the address and we were home in a few minutes. Jane put some water on for tea and Susan got on the phone right away.

Mrs Warren now sat down and the way she looked made me think that she didn't understand how she got here. Jane sat down with her and tried to get her to talk. When she found she was largely unsuccessful, she said to me, "More mail came from the patent office. More mail came from your partners in Toronto and another letter from MGM. It is probably your songs instead of the screen play."

"Thanks."

We heard a portion of the telephone calls and after a while Susan said to me, "I got hold of some of them. Libby and Nina said you have to baby-sit if they come." She said with a smile.

Susan stepped in and had her shot at Mrs Warren. "We had a meeting here yesterday. Jeff took care of the babies. It seemed he did a good job. I think the mothers are pulling his leg but they did like the way he took care of the children."

"Yes, he is a remarkable young man."

I said, "Well this young man is going to start to get ready for the descending hordes." It was almost eleven now. The number coming is unknown, but I wanted to be prepared for the worst. I dug out our pots and began to make some spaghetti sauce. Most sauce was in cans but it, in my opinion, could be made edible if enough fresh ingredients were put in. There was not enough ground meat, nor enough spaghetti for the possible number of people coming.

"I'm sorry but I have to run off to the store for some supplies. Susan, will you please tell Mrs Warren more about the reasons for the meeting? Give her as much background data as possible."

I got on my bike and raced to the store. The list was in my head and I rocketed through the store to get everything I needed. I even got some things for the babies while I was at it.

When I got home, there were quite a few visitors. This time Mrs Warren was sandwiched between Jane and Susan. There was plenty of room but I figured the two women knew what they were doing.

I got two skillets out and began to brown the meat and prepped some of the fresh vegetables that would go into the canned sauce. I envied John's six-burner gas stove that he had in his kitchen.

More people came in and eventually one woman came into the kitchen. She was carrying Junior, or more properly, Roger.

The woman said, "We never did get introduced. My name is Libby and you already met Roger."

"I'm glad to meet both of you. In case you forgot my name is Jeff."

"Oh, I won't forget you. We heard a great deal about your exploits. Everyone that knows you talked about how smart and resourceful you are."

"They lie but I love them anyway. Do you know why I asked you back?"

"I didn't know you did that. I thought it was Susan's doing."

"We are skipping classes and doing it with a teacher. Have you met Mrs Warren?"

"Yes, she was my teacher three years ago. She sounds a lot different now."

"How?"

"She seems to be getting excited like we all were yesterday."

"That is what I hoped."

"You did?"

"Yes, she needs something to believe in and the group needs a steady hand. I was afraid of the group working on emotions alone and ruining your chance."

"Chance for what?"

"A chance for change. You young ladies have a great deal of power."

"What kind of power?"

"Political power. All of you are intelligent. The only hang-up is your preconception that you are a woman and unable to do anything relating to planning. You need a woman to run for political office in the federal and the provincial government and try to make changes. Women are more chattels than human beings and you need to change that. To do this you need a lot of planning from a lot of dedicated people."

"We can't be politicians."

I turned down the heat under the meat and took the woman's hand and went back to the other room. It had been quiet so I assumed they had been listening to us.

"Hello ladies. Forgive me for interrupting your meeting. Mrs Warren, please tell Libby why she is unable to do anything relating to politics. Mention intelligence, conviction and the inability of women to deal with men."

"You want me to what? I'll do no such thing!"

"Then tell her how she is able to do these things by standing up for what she and all of you here believe in."

She scowled at me then she nodded.

I went back to my proper place: in the kitchen. The conversations in the other room were quite heated. I sautéed the vegetables and I used the last element to heat up some vegetables for the infants. Babies didn't always have to be fed from a baby food jar.

I needed more pots so I ran next door. Because I should be at school I knocked on the door.

"Hello Jeff. Why are you home now?"

"Politics for now. I need to borrow your largest pots and you may as well come over and see if you can join the newest political party in Canada."

"What party?"

"I don't know the name but it will support women, children and the family. It may be fun but be warned that a lot of men will be angry at what the party stands for."

"I'll get the pots and be right over."

Nora hurried over, handed me the pots, and dashed into where the talking was loudest.

I started to prepare the sauce and cleaned up the mess to keep ahead of it. The telephone rang and I answered, "Congdon Electronics."

"Is that you Jeff?"

"Yes, Mrs Cameron. I assume you want to know where Mrs Warren is and how she is doing?"

"Yes, I do."

"She is here talking to a lot of other women. They have not come to blows yet but I hope they are giving birth to a political party."

"What political party?"

"The one that fights for what women believe in. As a suggestion I think you should see if there is a spare teacher handy. Call in a sick day. The brawl will be going on until late so you will not miss that much. I'm making a spaghetti dish. Come on over and grade me on it."

"Where do you live?"

I told her and she just hung up.

A half hour later I put the water on to boil. Babies cried and new mothers came in to get milk. I had a small burner that I used to heat the milk for them. The teapot was emptied a long time ago but we did have our electric kettle and plenty of tea bags.

The pasta went in the pot as soon as the water began boiling. I tried to keep everything from burning or sticking while cleaning cups and dishes. The doorbell rang one more time but I left the answering of it to others.

When the pasta was 'ail dente', I ran to the front room and found Mrs Cameron in the midst of a conversation. She was listening at the moment and I got close. "Hello Mrs Cameron. May I have your assistance for a few seconds."

She didn't look happy but hurried after me into the kitchen. "I need to strain the spaghetti now."

We took the heavy pot and dumped the hot water and pasta into a colander then I had to put a portion of the spaghetti into a mid sized bowl then strain the rest. When this was done I said, "Thanks. You better get back, the 'New Suffragettes' need your input."

"What did you call them?"

"The New Suffragettes. If that's a good name put it forward as if you thought of it. I want to help but they have to see that they can do it without a male. This's a very delicate time and they need all the strengths they can get."

"I'll do it your way. It is a catchy name."

"Now get out of my kitchen. I'm busy."

The spaghetti was almost ready so I put the pot on the table. All our plates and cutlery were put there too while I made tea in a large open pot. I had cheese but no wine.

I filled one plate with pasta; and put more sauce and then cheese on it and took it to Mrs Warren with some napkins.

She smiled at me when I came over. Her eyes were bright and excited. She was getting really involved it seemed.

"Thanks Jeff, I never knew things were this bad or that there could be this much hope."

"Part of the hope is because we have stability now. The younger girls burn hot but the ideals need a moderating influence. You can supply part of that."

"Me?"

"You and like minded women. Now eat up."

I turned to the ladies nearby and informed them that the food was ready and to come and get it while it was hot.

The kitchen was a busy place now as the women came to load up their plates. I took the boiled vegetables off the burner, mashed them, then pushed the mush through a fine sieve. We had one small spoon but it didn't have the plastic on it that I liked. One more thing to invent, I thought.

I apprised the mothers of the food for the infants. As they started feeding the babies I noticed one boy of about two-years-old clutching to his mother's hand in the strange environment.

I asked the mother, "There is pasta in the kitchen. Would your son like a little bit."

She looked at me as if judging my motives and ability. "Jeremy is finicky and makes strange. We can get some after thank you."

"May I try though?"

"Jeremy? Go right ahead if you want."

I got a bowl and a little spaghetti and fixings. No fork was available. Nora came rushing to my rescue as she put her own utensils on the table with more plates.

"Thanks Mom. You always come through," which earned me a smile.

I hurried back to the woman and the boy but the child would not eat. I handed the bowl to the mother and asked, "I have done this before. Use two fingers and pluck a piece of pasta and let it dangle into my mouth like a mother bird. It won't be long until you have a second bird eating."

Yeah, I know it sounds silly to the uninitiated, but I know from experience that a parent will do almost anything to get a finicky child to eat. The woman didn't seem to want to do this but I got down to Jeremy's level and found a dangling piece of spaghetti coming toward me. I chirped like a bird. Sauce dripped onto my face but I did get the pasta. I got one more before Jeremy tried as well. We then played baby birds competing for a limited supply of food. Jeremy liked the food and took the fork but he would rather have the long worms.

I went off to get cleaned up then washed plates and flatware so everybody could eat. It was very hectic. I don't know how but more people came and I didn't think anyone left. The phone was usually busy which seemed to help with the influx.

The girls came home from school with more than the usual cast of friends. Young mothers were grabbed and taken away to talk with young girls. I got everything cleaned up, and now thought about what to make for supper.

Everyone seemed to be busy or just talking animatedly. Paige came in for a kiss but wanted to be where the excitement was. I got on the bike and raced off to the store again. There must be close to eighty people in the house. I bought bread and buns then all sorts of cold cuts, hotdogs and cheese. I also bought fresh fruit and frozen juices. With that number of guests I made sure we had enough toilet paper too. What went in, had to come out.

I went through the section for babies and found how poorly it was stocked. The products may not be made yet or the store didn't want to sell them. I made a quick mental list of all the things that were not present that would be their in a modern market in 2008. I also took note of those products that had died.

Once I got home, I spread out the fixings and heated up some hotdogs. I had a few curious looks into the kitchen then took some of the dogs out to get passed around. This brought more people to the kitchen but they had to make their own sandwiches.

I had to put on a new skillet for hotdogs; and there was a steady stream of people that were helping me get rid of the old ones so I could put new ones into the pan.

Mrs Cameron came in. She looked at what I had done and came over. "I see you're an even more resourceful young man than I thought. Your mother said you planned both meals, purchased the necessary ingredients then prepared it all with only a small hand by me."

"To be honest, it feels odd in a way. Men usually deal with high finances and the women provide all the supplementary things necessary to make everything work. Now I'm doing that and feeling like a midwife."

"Midwife?" Her eyes then lit up. "Of course."

"Last I saw Mrs Warren was doing pretty good. How's she doing now?"

"I have never seen her as happy as she is now. She told me a secret that she says you found out right away. I have known her for twenty two years and I didn't know."

"Sometimes somebody taking a new look sees things differently. Don't forget I was the one dredging up all her painful past and she had to stay in the room and listen."

Later Jack came over looking for his family. I fed him some sandwiches and coffee then he fled to a place much more quiet.

It was almost eleven when the last guest left. If I could only put a small generator on each of the women's jaws there would never be an energy crunch.

I had to use hypnosis on all the girls to get them calmed down enough to sleep.

There was a cold rain the next day that warned of sleet. We wore rain gear and held umbrellas. Most of my books had been left on Mrs Cameron's desk so I was unencumbered and could get to hold Paige to me.

At school there were a lot of stares once more and I wondered what rumours were running about now.

Mr Sharp asked me, "What happened yesterday?"

"I think I was present at the birth of a political party. It was quite an auspicious occasion. I should have taken photographs."

"What political party?"

"I don't know the name. It may not even pan out. I think you should talk to Mrs Cameron and Mrs Warren. You'll get a clearer idea."

During the trip to the next class I saw some of the older girls now walking regally instead as their normal selves. Some had been at the house but others I was sure had not been.

I didn't have Home Ec that day but I did have gym. Mr Renzo questioned me but I put him onto Mrs Cameron and Mrs Warren for answers. The first good thing to happen to me was that I got to help some of the other students in Chemistry and then start to set up my lab in the back. The second thing was the use of a microscope so I could investigate the audio heads, and devise a way to get the four channels on the tape.

At the end of class I went to find Mrs Warren and I found her with Mrs Cameron and three others of the woman's faculty. She was very bubbly but then again so were all of them.

Gail thanked me once again for what I did. What really happened was that she was now partially free of the guilt she had been harbouring for thirty years.

I went home with the expensive microscope. Jane already had some people over and it looked like this may be a regular occurrence. Jane was given the job of entertaining until the girls got home. If this was going to work it should look like the girls alone did it.

I investigated the original magnetic head first. Under the microscope I saw that it was very crude from what I had seen in my earlier life. The head was made of a mixture of metals called mu metal after the Greek letter. Magnetic fields flowed around it instead of through it. Eighty percent was nickel with various amounts of iron, manganese and copper. It was easy to draw into wire but I needed some larger pieces. Luckily these could be ordered. Machining them would be another job. Some of the heads were laminated like a transformer to reduce eddy currents. I just had to get one head to handle four such transformers where only two were used now.

I smiled at myself, thinking that a laser could cut these parts even easier than a machine. The layout of the heads was now done with an eye to laser cutting. The laser would not be moved but the work would have to be guided like it was on a milling machine. CNC would be perfect but no real computer had been made yet. I didn't count Univac as much of a machine.

While I was at it, I made some drawings of the layout of the tape recorder with an eye of using the laser as well but I was not going to wait for it. Too much of the circuit depended on the characteristics of the head. My new tape would be much better but I had none yet. Eventually when I got pure iron the performance would shoot up again.

Reel to reel tape recorders move tape quickly and when you came to the end, the tape simply came off one reel and the whip end spun around. This could not happen in a cartridge. A leader was used and when this was detected in the last section of tape the brakes were put on. None of the reel-to-reel machines had brakes. That was not a hard thing to add though.



-------

Chapter 12



Wednesday I saw more of the proud looking girls. Their backs were straight and they walked with graceful steps. If the queen had come, she could walk no better. Some nodded their heads at me as if signalling that I was at least partially acceptable.

When I got into Home Ec, Janice came to me quickly before the class started. I thought she was going to ask about a suitable boy but she said, "Jeff are you going to give us a talk too."

Mrs Cameron came in right behind her and interrupted, "Class, we will be doing some cooking today." I heard a few groans and the teacher looked at me and smiled.

When the teacher had a chance, she said, "I want to go over your talk with the executive board."

"The executive board of a soon to be made political party?"

"Something like that. Nothing political but we want some things stressed more."

"That's agreeable but I'm telling you that politics will creep in no matter what we do."

"I think so too but I will be on the look out for bias."

My English class was at the grade eleven level. The girls in the class were not acting the same as those in twelve and thirteen but they were doing something very similar. I happen to like a proud woman but they had to have some substance to them. When they were proud, they could get back up after being knocked down. I think that very few of these girls had this quality.

As the day progressed, I began to notice a change in the males. They looked perplexed for the most part but I heard an argument between boy and girlfriend. This may not be that unusual but I had not noticed any before.

At lunch I ate quickly and headed to the pay phones. I had to wait a few minutes until one was free then I called one of the local real estate agencies.

"Hello this is Jeff Congdon. I'm looking to rent or lease an industrial property in the city."

"Hold on a moment. I will see if an agent is available."

A quick talking man got on. "James Cochrane here. How may I help you?"

"The name is Jeff Congdon. I'm looking for a small industrial plant that I can rent or lease. My electronics company has some growing pains."

"You sound like a kid."

"You sound like an agent that just lost a customer. Put me back to the switchboard or I will find another company that will deal with a 'kid."

"Hey, hold on. Don't take offence. You just sound like a kid."

"I am twelve-years-old. Now old geezer are you going to transfer my call or do I hang up?"

"You that kid in the newspapers?"

I hung up the phone then put another dime into the phone and called the same company back. There were not that many agents in a city the size of North Bay.

"North Gate Realty."

"Hello again. Will you give me an agent that does not have the name James Cochrane?"

"There is no other here Sir."

"Do you have another agent working for your company?"

"We are a growing company Sir. At the moment the only one available is Mr Cochrane."

"Does another agent work for your company?"

"Sir we are the fastest growing real estate company in the city."

"One last time. Answer or I hang up."

"No Sir. Mr Cochrane is the only one." That made him the probable owner too. Chances were that the woman was his wife or girlfriend but she could be just an employee. She did sound worried though. That could be from many reasons.

"Put the fool on. One more chance is all he gets."

"Yes Sir."

"I'm sorry Mr Congdon. I had no idea who you were."

"It didn't matter who I am. You think a twelve-year-old is somebody to shit on."

"Oh, no Sir. I don't."

"I don't believe you. Now do you have some industrial buildings? I don't need that much area but I want a good floor and enough power. I may buy it later."

"Hold on a moment please and I will look in our catalogue."

In a moment he said, "We have one nice property on Willmott. Good floor and all the power you could use."

"The one at Front Street?"

"Ah, yes Sir."

"It's a barn. It may have the floor but I have to heat it."

"We have another on Morrison. It is quite large but a portion can be sectioned off so the heating is more reasonable."

"What business had this building before?"

"Pointer Furniture."

"Yes, it's big. Anything else?"

"A building once the home of Booth Paint is for sale. It had a fire and was partially destroyed. The owner will sell at a reasonable price."

I read about this in the local paper though I had not seen the building in forty years. "Has the fire department condemned the building?"

"The building is in good shape Sir apart from the back section."

"You have just one more chance. You work for the seller but I asked a specific question."

"Yes Sir. It has. He has to tear it down in a month."

"Do you have an idea what the cost of demolition will be?"

"Ah — yes Sir."

"Tell me."

"From eight to twelve thousand dollars."

"What is the owner asking for it now?"

"The list price is only forty three thousand dollars."

"Did the company just sell paint or make the paint on this location."

"Just sold, I think. They just had a warehouse. May I ask why you ask?"

"If they made the paint or mixed large quantities they would have some raw materials to dump. The logical and cheapest place is on the property. If the land is contaminated then it may cost more than the price of the property to clean it up."

"You can just use a front end loader and take any of the soil to the dump if you want."

He was right but any environmentalist would cringe at the thoughts of doing this.

"Are you free to drive me from James Morris High at three thirty to the property, allow me at least a half hour to view it then drive me home?"

"I can do that if you're interested."

"Sir, why would I spend my time viewing properties I was not interested in?"

"I will be there at the right time. How will you know my car?"

"You will have a ribbon tied to the antenna. I will find you Mr Cochrane."

During Gym, Sam hurried to me. "What did you do in Home Ec? There are rumours all over the school. Some say that you hurt Mrs Warren and others said you took her to your house. Are you — doing something with her. She's old."

I had to chuckle. Some of the women in my previous life were older than Mrs Warren but I was older still and I enjoyed their company in bed. "I don't have what it takes I'm afraid, Sam. Too young and not suave like you. By the way, how are you and Gloria doing? Did the movie turn out right?"

He looked around then got close to my ear. "We kissed."

I opened my eyes wide in mock surprise. "You didn't?"

"Yep. Two times."

I whispered back, "You're a regular Don Juan."

"Ah Jeff, do you know anybody for Ian? He is kinda shy too."

Ian was overweight but was taller and usually third last in races. He had an acne problem but was still a nice guy. "Maybe. Got to have a talk to him but we have to hurry."

We were the last to the gym but that was nothing new. We got the privilege of doing ten pushups because of this. I did my ten with difficulty and did five more.

Mr Renzo said, "You trying to be smart Congdon?"

I was out of breath but I said, "I'm weak and slow. I exercise at home and here. I was trying to get a bit more in, as long as it didn't kill me. Next time I will do only twelve and build up slower. One day I am going to surprise you and not come in last."

"You have the ambition. That won't surprise me at all."

I stopped by at music and found the room empty. It looked liked the girls had hurried home to talk politics. I thought of my self as Mary Shelley. She was the woman who wrote Frankenstein. Maybe the monster would be peaceable or die a slow death. I would rather it lived but lived smart and not emotionally.

A few people stopped me but I made a quick exit from the school without being more than three minutes late.

Mr Cochrane's car was easy to find. I came up from the front and waved to him. The man was tall and quite thin and looked to be approaching forty. Small things caught my eye. His car and clothing was were clean but well worn. He looked to be working hard to make a good impression.

I put out my hand and said, "Glad to meet you Mr Cochrane."

He was not used to treating someone my age as an equal or as an adult. "Glad to meet you too Mr Congdon. Won't you get in? We can be at the property in a few minutes."

The inside of the car was clean but very worn. I could feel loose metal plates on the floor under the mat, probably to cover some holes to keep out the elements.

"How long have you been into real estate, Mr Cochrane?"

"About three years so far. It is not an easy nut to crack if you are thinking of getting into the business."

"No, I'm the one to buy and sell. Merchandising will be where I make my money but that's a while off yet."

"What are you going to sell?"

"I have a plan for five major companies. They sell everything you basically need but each has a little overlap. I plan on working this as a group. I move into an area and put up all five businesses. Each is larger than anything you have ever seen before. I pave the area around and customers find easy parking and good prices. If they need something else the right place is close by.

"You going to put up one of those places here?"

"Toronto and other large cities first. It's too small now to make a group here economical. When the city grows and the area around it, I'll have smaller versions of my businesses."

"Oddly enough I actually believe you'll try."

"That is better than I thought too. I see you as still having difficulty dealing with a person my age. In your case, time will tell if I make something of myself or I don't. What did you do before becoming a realtor if I may ask?"

"I was in the military, then tried my hand at car sales. This led to an assistant manager's job but I didn't like the job, especially when I had to be a hypocrite to do it properly."

That says something for you, Mr Cochrane. Not everybody thinks that way."

We pulled up to a fairly modern building. It was two stories and looked to have offices above. It had three trunk ramps but no metal docks. The outside of the property had a six-foot chain link fence topped by three strands of barbed wire. Some of the wire was missing or shifted so people could climb over.

When Cochrane unlocked the gate, it would not open far. There was mud still on the ground which we avoided. There was no asphalt so we had to steer clear of the mud. The front door was glass; it was locked and blackened by smoke. When it was opened, I could see straight through the building and see other businesses in the background. The locked door served no purpose.

There was a lot of metal racking inside but it was burnt and some twisted. Paint cans were all over and the contents sometimes covering the floor. The walls were heavily water damaged. The burnt remnants of a lift truck squatted in the centre of the floor. It was used at one time, to move merchandise to the top of the high racks.

Paint had flowed into the sewer and it may now be plugged. The back portion suffered the most damage. The floor above this area was gone and I could see the steel trusses.

We searched out for the transformer vault and it appeared to be undamaged. The boiler for the heat appeared the same way but it was in a pool of water from a stopped up drain.

"What was on the second floor Mr Cochrane?"

"That were offices mostly, but there was a very large apartment. That was not damaged much except for the smoke."

"What is vacant land around here worth?"

"Industrial land goes for around three thousand to four thousand dollars an acre."

"How many acres here?"

"Slightly more than six and a half."

"Was the building and contents insured?"

"Yes it was. Mr Watson made a lot of money but I'm not sure. It's just a rumour."

"The man wants forty three thousand dollars for a building that has to be torn down at a cost of eight to twelve thousand. The land you say is worth roughly twenty three thousand on average. Why is he wanting roughly fifty three thousand dollars for some property worth less than half that?"

"Ah — it is his property and he sets the price. Between you and me, I would not pay that much."

"How accurate are the demolition figures? Has a company come and priced the job?"

"Mr Watson gave me the figures."

"Do I have permission to have some experts look at the building?"

"Mr Watson said anybody could see it anytime as long as he was not bothered except by an offer."

"I'm interested in purchasing instead of renting. Please get a form signed by Mr Watson that allows me and my representatives on the property."

"I already said you could come here."

"What proof is there? Get me the form. Make sure it allows me at least a month and then any and all of my representatives."

"I'll do that."

"Now who do you know in demolition?"

"I only know small time construction companies. They are hurting now and you can get a good price."

"Mr Cochrane, call some companies for me. If I purchase this place you will earn your commission."

"What do you want me to ask?"

"I want written and signed quotes to demolish the building and taking away any and all materials including the paint cans. I want another quote to remove the back half of the building and then reframe the open section. Again all debris has to be removed. Tell them to check the trusses and roof for damage. The sewers are plugged with paint. I need a price on clearing it. The walls need work so I need not only carpenters but also electricians and plumbers to check this out. I need the place warm in the winter and able to shelter my belongings."

I continued, "I may buy this place and I'm asking for a lot of work that may not pan out for the contractors. I want you to know that I have more than enough money to buy this property in cash. The contractors will give temporary verbal quotes to you. All written quotes go to me and I want to see them signed in front of witnesses."

"It does sound like you want to buy this place. Where did a kid like you get the money? A reward?"

"Mr Cochrane, you are an intrusive and obnoxious man. You have the social niceties of a dead fish rotting on the beach. Right now I feel like walking away and going to a competitor to see what they have to offer."

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"A reward would be nice but the fact is, I got nothing except some help to clear my name. You had no right to voice that statement. I doubt very much if you would have asked an adult that question."

I was driven home in silence. I did give my thanks for the lift.

The house had visitors again so I did what any sane man would do and hid. There was a television and some work on the mechanical aspects or the tape recorder to keep me busy.

There were some papers to deal with and I went through them carefully. Some concerned patents but the rest were contracts for my songs. The wording was the same as the others and I just signed them then got Jane to do the same.

Jane had not read any of the documents but she did know that I was selling the songs. "How much are you getting Jeff?"

"It varies, but all are over four thousand dollars. Some may go as high as eight or possibly more."

"Why can't I tell the girls? They get excited when you get ahead."

"I don't want to give the girls the wrong idea. I'm making a lot of money but spending a lot too. They'll also have the urge to tell all their friends what I am doing. One song is enough to let them know I can write songs. Many songs mean a lot of money. I don't want hassles with people about money. It'll come but I want to hold it off as long as possible."

I kissed her now then said, "You, I trust just because of the way you are. Your man is important to you and you protect him."

She started to choke up a bit and I could see she was near tears. "I will always be yours."

"Yes, you will but it's possible to find somebody else that can make you happy too. You can serve both of us."

"I only need you Jeff."

"But I want you happy when I'm not here."

I made a long list of things I needed for the laser. Though the carbon dioxide gas laser would make less money its discovery would happen sooner than the audiocassette. YAG crystals containing a small amount of neodymium. They were used in another lasing medium in solid-state lasers. These were simple to make, though I had never done so. Yttrium, aluminum, and garnet were the three words that made up the term YAG. All it took was a molten bath of these materials and a mechanical process for dipping a crystal in the bath and rotate it while extracting it. Eventually a large crystal could be made.

Neodymium could be added to glass and made into a laser medium as well. Flash lamps had to be made to power the last two lasers.

The first two types of laser were used in cutting and I could kill two birds with one stone by using the laser to make the tape recorder chassis and some of the parts.

The list was finally done but I knew that I didn't have everything I needed. The glass needed to be cut and fused back together and all I had ever done was make some simple projects with some tubing. I needed someone to do this for me.

A person making neon signs could possibly do the glasswork. The university had skilled workers that could do some for me before shipment. I wanted Mr Berger to get my order.

The professor could possibly assemble the purified materials I needed for the other lasers if I was going to make them. Other commodities I could probably procure locally. One such example would be the ham transmitter to fire the chemical in the gas laser to capture all the free oxygen while the other was to cook off all the gases from the neon sign electrodes.

I was going to go for power right off the bat. Carbon dioxide had to return to the ground state before it could be re-excited. The other gases helped this happen but it was slow. Laser cutting machines used a continuous flow of new gases from cylinders. A high vacuum pump was necessary to keep the pressure very low. With this fast turnaround time, much more power could be generated.

I sent the papers and the shopping list off that night. Getting a bank loan would be too difficult without some heavy backing. Jane could not do this and if I used John, he would be basically co-signing.

The notification of more songs being sold would allow me to put some money toward making what I needed. The building, though, would have to be mortgaged. I did have the money to buy some properties outright but then I would have nothing left for my projects.

The school was changing. The girls walked around much more authoritative but this all came at the boys' expense. I was stopped in the halls and asked what I had done. It was not just the students, but the female teachers acted similarly.

The male teachers were more insistent that I tell them what I knew but I still directed them to the women for answers. They had no doubt already asked and didn't get satisfactory answers.

When I had English, I asked some questions on grammar that had to do with what we were now taking but could help me too. Clark, the largest guy in the room glowered at me when I asked. He was not a great student so I couldn't see why this question bothered him. I wasn't taking away anything from what he was striving to learn. The other possibility was that he just didn't like me now. He hadn't before either but I was at least tolerated.

When Sharon, a very popular girl asked for further clarification on my question the looks on Clark's face got worse. When the class ended I was pushed out of the way. I was not sure who pushed me but this was not the usual rush to get away.

Ian Haig, the student Sam said could use a hand found me in the hall going to class. "Hey, Jeff. Got a sec?"

"Sure Ian. What would you like?"

"Sam — ah said — that you — might — be able to help me." The last came out in a rush in case he was going to hesitate again.

"If you have time after school then walk with me to my home. I would stay and chat here but I'm very busy."

"Ah — where?"

"Across the street from the front of the school."

"Ok, thanks."

This would be another monumental task. Ian had a low self-esteem, probably a result of him being overweight. His skin was a mess and both his social skills and habits needed an improvement. He was much worse than Sam had been but I did promise Janice that I would help. I guess I was helping Ian too but he might not think so at first.

Miss Floit asked toward the end of the music class, "What is this thing you have done Jeff? The school is acting strange."

"It is something I may have started. My sisters took it over and it blossomed. I'm very willing to bet you were asked to go to some meetings to discuss various issues."

It took a while but she did say, "Well — yes I was. They weren't the kind of thing I felt I should go to."

"Miss Floit, you're a woman and as such you should at least go and see what's being said. I'm not involved now except when I make a meal or take care of the children. The women are striving to make some changes in our society. Some people are comfortable where they are and want no change. Others have a vested interest in keeping the status quo. Though, I doubt, if you are in the last group, you should go and see what everything is about. You'll know much more about what's happening. I'm usually trying to stay out of the way."

"What kind of changes do they want?"

"It was only fifty years ago that the women had no vote at all. Women did what they were told and society still advanced. I don't think this is enough. The Suffragettes came out and got the women the vote. This was only one step in gender equality. More has to be done. If you think this should happen a certain way or only a certain amount then you should go and voice your opinion. Hotheads need to be curbed and a reasonable path followed. The ones opposed to quick change have to have their say too. I suggest you talk again to those that spoke to you before. If nothing else, it's fun and you're with friends."

"I don't think those are the type of friends I want, Jeff."

"If they were your friends before they are your friends now."

"Not when they are acting crazy."

"I hope that in time you'll see that you can still have a different point of view and still be friends. We are disagreeing and I don't think any the worse of you."

Marcy Stevens bumped into me outside music. I wasn't sure if it was planned or not but I did look around for an attack. She laughed at this and said, "Are you and your girlfriend having a squabble? I haven't seen her around you for quite a while."

"You seem to be very inquisitive. What makes you think I want to give you any information? You would try to twist it in such a way as to hurt me?"

"I was always your friend Jeff."

"Friends like you I don't need. You promised your playmates some very special favours so they will play with me. Are you going to pay up or is it all a big lie?"

Marcy now was getting angry, "I never promised anything."

"A male does not do something without an idea that he'll get paid. If you didn't promise then I think you better tell your playmate that he was mistaken."

Before I said too much, I smiled and left. Maybe the word would get out that Marcy was not one to pay her debts and thus not worthy of being given any credit.

Ian was waiting when I got out of school. "Hi Jeff. How are you doing?"

"Not too bad. You asked earlier if I could give you a few pointers. Do you still want the help?"

"Sure, I kinda' need it."

We started walking and I said, "I have to know how far to go. Small things I can mention then it is up to you to continue or I can be something like a trainer for a boxer. You have to be around more and you have to do a great many things you don't like."

"Like what?"

"You have to exercise more to get in shape and your diet has to be changed to make you into a lean, mean fighting machine. Your opponents are going to get knocked over."

"I don't want to fight Jeff."

"I was referring about getting you in shape to take on the ladies."

"Oh."

We were silent for a moment then Ian said, "What more can we do?"

"We can start by making a list of what some successful guys are like. Then we see which of them you can copy to better your chances. We can start with a nice haircut and a winning smile. What else would you add?"

"I guess some new clothes."

"Clothes are a good choice but they only have to be neat and clean. What else do you have?"

By the time we were half way home we went over the major points then talked about particular girls and their qualities. In the last block I shot those superficial attributes down as best I could. "You want a girl that's not ugly but is able to keep up her end of a conversation and has some class. This is not from the way she looks but the way she acts. Does she talk behind your back too shoot you down or to boost you up? While we are at it, are you going to run around and tell all your friends how far you got? You know that as soon as the girl hears of this, you'll not get another date with her and she'll tell all her friends."

"I wouldn't do that Jeff."

"You can't say that. You're not in that situation. Wait until you get something worth crowing about and you'll just have to tell your best friend. You have to show him that you're successful. That's usually the end of your success. Like they said during the war, 'Loose lips, sink ships'. In your case it will be a friendship or possibly something much more valuable."

Some girls were already in the house. One was Sylvia who came over to see me. "Hi Jeff, how are you doing?"

"Just fine Silvia. I would like to introduce Ian Haig. We are going to work together for a while."

She didn't seem interested so I quickly said, "Ian this is Sylvia. She is one of the pretty songbirds that comes to the house on occasion."

Ian at least was able to get out, "Hi."

Sylvia ignored him and asked me, "Did you manage to get a song for me?"

"Hold on a minute please." I sat Ian down and introduced him to Jane and she offered him a drink. I said, "I will be back in a moment Ian. I have something to tell Sylvia."

"Sure."

Sylvia got on her coat and walked outside with me. Before I got to the end of the walk she said, "What do you have?"

"Actually I have a problem with you Silvia."

"What?"

"Manners are the rules to follow if you want to fit into our society. I learned some when young and learned more after. Ian is a human being and deserves a minimum amount of courtesy."

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking of the song."

"When you're excited you have to watch even more. In the next hour I want you to go up to Ian and have a two minute chat to be sociable as you would if you went to a party."

"He's — fat."

"So were you when you were born and you were ugly too. You changed though and so could Ian."

"I was never ugly," she said haughtily.

"Do you want to talk to your parents and some doctors? Babies are all blue and misshapen and slimy when born. Are you telling me you came from the stork?"

"No, but — nobody ever called me ugly."

"I was ugly too when I was born. It is a minor fact of life. Another fact of life is that we make deals. You be nice to Ian for the remainder of the time you're in school. I don't mean boyfriend nice just be the nice and caring person which you don't seem to be and I will get a song or songs for you to try. If you're good enough in any one of them I'll see if we can cut a record."

"Oh, Jeff, I can do that."

"Remember, be a real lady not a large child. You get a chance at some songs but no promise to make a record unless you're good enough."

She didn't like my choice of words but said seriously, "Ok."

When we got in Jane was holding the phone. "Your agent in — California."

"Thanks Jane."

"Hello Mr Sackman. How are you this day? We are in for some snow soon and I bet you just want to have fun in it with us."

He laughed and said, "I've seen snow a few times and even drove in it. It is not something I like. I wanted to tell you that I sent over the songs to Sam Johnson and he loves them. Of course he didn't want to say that, but I could hear it in his voice."

"What did he offer to you for the songs?"

"Twelve for the four."

"Why is he coming in so low?"

"Bargaining position I guess. He usually does this and doesn't budge."

"Will you tell him I want thirty two for all four and he has a week to reply. Tell him you have some others interested if you can say that."

"Oh, I can. I have people all the time looking for new material. I don't think Sam is going to budge on his figure much."

"He wanted to deal directly with me and I told him you're my agent. He didn't push the matter. I'll take less but I want to talk to him now. I'll try for thirty and some effort on his part for a project of mine. You still get your percentage of the cash but the rest is a favour."

"Sounds good. I'll phone him. When are you going to be available?"

"Let him stew, and say I will be back in two hours."

"I'll do that Jeff. On another matter, it looks like MGM is really interested in your story. It should be cheap to make too."

"Thanks for the information. Do you need any more material?"

"I can always use more. A larger variety allows me to fit the music to the singer better."

"I'll see what I can do then, Mr Sackman."

"Bye Jeff."

Ian had wide eyes and said, "Do you sell lots of songs?"

"I write lots of songs. There is a lot of difference between doing this and selling them."

Jane said, "A Mr Cochrane phoned. He asked that you return the call as soon as possible."

I looked at Ian and said, "Sorry Ian, I told you I was busy most of the time. Maybe after the call."

"Sure."

Mr Cochrane said, "Hello Mr Congdon. I have some disturbing news."

"What is that Mr Cochrane?"

"On my own initiative I found the order for clean up from the fire department. I showed this to one contractor and he said he wouldn't do the demolition for less than eighteen thousand. His ball park figure for construction ranged from twenty to twenty five thousand dollars."

"I was afraid of that. You did very well for me. I think I have to forget this property. What else is available?"

"Well — I did get a call but the property is not on the market yet."

"Tell me about it Mr Cochrane. I'm not going to pay you the regular commission for just the information. It'll be worth something though."

"The land is just beside the one we saw before. Only that small stream separates both properties. The company name is North Bay Lumber Ltd."

"I remember it. It sold wood, lumber products, tools and construction materials."

"Yes, the building trade has suffered a great deal. With Kawartha Paper laying off more people, customers are hesitant to make any expansion plans. Sales have been slow I assume."

"How much are they asking and what is it worth?"

"The land is ten point three acres. The land is worth thirty to forty thousand dollars. The building on it has a retail section as well as an unheated warehouse. They are asking eighty nine thousand but we have not appraised it yet. There is a further hundred and ninety to two hundred and twenty thousand dollars in stock that has to be disposed of first."

"Why doesn't the owner get a loan to tide him over until the economy improves?"

"The owner is the son of the man that built the company. The father passed away three years ago. The son doesn't seem able to handle the business very well. Gossip mentions that there are some marital difficulties."

Marital difficulties in the future meant that the wife got half whether she deserved it or not. In this time she would have to fight for a fair settlement.

"I have an idea Mr Cochrane. Do you have time to take me to the present owner? Maybe I can negotiate a deal."

"But my commission?"

"It is not listed and it is not listed with you. You get a hundred dollars for the information because it's new. You also get it even if I don't buy the property."

"Ok, I can do that Mr Congdon. I'll be right over."

I turned to my guest. "Where do you live Ian?"

He gave me the address and it was in the general direction we were going. "I'm going to look at a property that may be for sale. We can talk until he gets here an we can give you a ride home."

"What kind of property?"

"A lumberyard and store for purchasing trim, windows and doors. They probably sell some hand and power tools."

"How can you buy that? It would cost thousands of dollars."

"Ian, I shouldn't have let you know any of this. The next thing I know it'll be all over the school. That is going to cause me some problems."

"I won't tell anybody, honest."

"You are a kid but you may be a man too. On your honour you'll say nothing of what you have heard at this house or what you will hear later to anyone. That means anyone except me."

He stuck out his hand. "On my word, Jeff."

"On your word it is, Ian," I said as I shook his hand.

Mr Cochrane was in front of the house in ten minutes. Small snowflakes were falling but that was nothing new for the north. I introduced the two people and they shook hands like gentlemen. Perhaps Mr Cochrane was learning after all.

I learned that the owner's name was Hugh Durden and I got all the gossip about him even if it were not necessarily true. I had a lot of questions but had to write them myself because our agent didn't keep a notebook.

When we arrived, there were few cars or trucks in the lot. Mr Cochrane asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"I want to walk into the store and see how the employees treat the customers. You can be my spy." He smiled at this. "I also want to see what stock they carry and look at their prices. I want to buy the complete business as it now sits if I can come to a good price."

"Ah, Mr Congdon, that is worth well over a quarter million dollars there."

"Mr Cochrane, I told you about my dreams. This may be my first store even if it is small. It'll have to stay small too but a quarter million is a very small amount in what I'll one day have. Now let's see what the business is like, then meet Mr Durden."

The store was quite large. I could see water damage to the high ceiling. The employees seemed to be adequate and polite to the few customers. The tools, paint and equipment had a patina of dust that could have come from the wood being cut. It could also be because the stock didn't sell fast enough.

We walked in the back and I looked at the sheds and the quality of the wood they had. I had been in enough lumber yards to know a few things and it looked like the quality was allowed to slip and poorer grades of wood purchased.

Mud was everywhere and the snow was at least making it look nicer.

Ian was sent to see what he felt interesting. Hugh Durden was not happy to see me. He was angry at Mr Cochrane for getting this meeting but he was only slightly more polite.

"How does a boy expect to buy my business? It takes a man to stay here all the time to make it work. Where are you going to get the money. Nobody will loan any money to you. Get out of here."

"Fine if that is what you want. I'll have you know that I can buy your property now in cash from my own account but you are a man that runs a business and doesn't want any part of 'poor' little old me."

I turned to Mr Cochrane and winked. "Let's go and see if there is another business to purchase. The Pointer Furniture may be a better location anyway."

Mr Cochrane started to get up and tried to think at the same time. He did get out weakly, "This business had slightly more return for the investment than what you were going to do with the other building."

"That's true. I could pick up that building for less and it's in the city. There are no railway tracks to block traffic and it's already cleaned out."

I turned back to Mr Durden. "Do you really want me to leave now? My money goes with me when I leave this room."

"You have that kind of money? Where did you get it?"

"I have a commodity to sell and I make good money doing it. The fact remains that I think I may want to purchase your stock too. Most of it is lower grade lumber that has to be sold at less of a margin. That kind of money though needs my partner to talk to the bank for me."

"Kid, do you know how much this property and stock is worth?"

I was still standing and walked close to him. "My name is not kid. You were told it was Jeff Congdon. If you want to do business with me, a better attitude is needed. If you don't believe a twelve-year-old boy then believe my bank account. I have a mind to leave no matter what your price is."

"Look ki — Mr Congdon, it's hard to do this. What are you offering me for my business?"

"I have no idea. What are you offering in assets? I came here to make sure I was put on the list of people that could purchase this property if and when you put it up for sale. I need a list of your assets so I can go to the bank. You have to have the property appraised as well as your stock on hand no matter who purchases this place."

Mr Durden listed what he had for sale and put his own figure down to what it was probably worth. When he was done I asked for his liabilities including his commitments to his present and former employees.

I said, "I will need tax records and other documents when and if I present you with my offer."

We left later and Ian was anxious to see us. "Did you buy this place?"

"I have no idea what it is worth. All I wanted was a place to store my equipment and do some work. The business though is one that I wanted to get into. It is not very big but it suits this community at the present."

"Not big? This store is huge. It is bigger than our grocery store."

"Ian, this store is close to an acre in area with more area in the back and sides devoted to storage. The stores I am going to build will be from sixteen to twenty acres in size with more area devoted to storage."

"I can't even see a store that large."

We dropped Ian off and on the way to my home. I said, "Mr Cochrane, will you be my agent for the purchase of property in this area."

"Sure I can."

"I don't mean as a real estate agent getting a commission but a man acting on my behalf that will look into the purchase of various properties."

"What are you looking for?"

"First, you receive a pay based on hours worked. A man now makes a little less than a dollar an hour. I will give you double that. You're still able to sell real estate too. I'll give a bonus each year based on how well you have performed. There may be other duties you can do for me that should earn you a fair wage. Are the terms acceptable?"

"It is better than I was getting, I guess."

"You still get the hundred dollars too for today. Now for what I want you to do. Find out who owns the properties in the neighbourhood. Get a map and draw the property lines on it. Any businesses that look on a shaky foundation, I want you to mention. The lumberyard is large enough but I need to put up a new building of about two hundred thousand square feet in a few years. I need to pave the area for my customers. This land is zoned commercial/industrial and I want to put up a large grocery store of a similar size. Basically I need a mini version of my future businesses. If word gets out about this, then the prices go up. I'll not be pleased if that happens, Mr Cochrane."

"Ah, I understand. You mentioned six businesses. Does that mean you need another fifty acres?"

"Only four of those businesses are large. In this case I'm only putting up two more stores and they will be mini-sized anyway. Much later I will have the land to put up the rest. I need forty more acres but I will take fifty if it is cheap enough. The property we looked at next door should go cheap but that is a small area."

"Ok, I will look for what you need, Mr Congdon."

I handed him a cheque for the hundred dollars I owed him and his eyes lit up. This must be a major portion of the money he made this year.

Inside the house, the usual commotion was going on. It seemed a bit less than yesterday and maybe the ones not drawn strongly would just leave. Susan told me that Mrs Floit had not arrived but then neither did any of the other teachers.

I switched gears and thought a lot more of the end of town I had been in. It was undervalued in my opinion. The only bad point was that rail lines cut the town and all the crossings were level with the tracks. This was not very good for a family that had to shop and get home. The rail yards in North Bay were extensive because it was a major stop off point.

If I got the city or province to put an under or overpass then it would see a lot more traffic. If I owned the businesses then I would see a shift in where people shopped and reap the benefit.

The stream though had peaked my interest right away. I had seen some areas where the stream had been widened and deepened. A bay was formed with docks and expensive condos put up around the bay with private docks. Theoretically a person could sail home. The bedrock may be just too expensive to move. Other ideas came to mind but all revolved on how much return I would get on my investment.

I phoned John because he would be the only one that could see that I could make more money. The housekeeper answered and said she would give him a message when he got home. I didn't ask about Corinne because John was not present.

The property I was now interested in, might be termed a distress sale and I may be able to pick it up cheap. The stock maybe worth two hundred thousand but I may be able to get it for sixty cents on the dollar. The eighty nine thousand figure for the buildings might go as low as fifty thousand. The ten acres may go for two to three thousand an acre. Using the average the total was still a hundred and ninety five thousand dollars.

I needed a manager to run the business. There was no way I was going to have Mr Durden. He would run it the way he did before and that would kill me in a few years. This property would be the first Home Depot and I would have to copyright the name along with the other companies I wanted. They didn't have to be the same as from my time but it pleased me to keep them.

Home Depot was so successful, in part, because of the knowledgeable help in each of the departments. This only worked well if there was enough floor area devoted to each department. North Bay couldn't keep the store profitable with its population and that of the surrounding communities. The only way to do this was to have a staff that could handle more than one department.

I always remembered the live demonstrations being put on showing the average homeowner how to do various tasks around the home. This would get me a lot of customers but the equipment now was inferior. Pipe was galvanised steel and nothing was easy to connect or disconnect. Even normal calking was not available and putty had to be substituted.

All the future buildings would be made of steel. Many barns and other buildings were made of this, but sadly it was not used yet. The special alloys that went into the steel and the coatings had not been developed yet. What was more of a problem was that I didn't have the foggiest idea of what any of the items were.

The racking was heavy gauge steel that I could get made if I wanted but I doubted if it was already available. Another thing not available would be the power to run a group of businesses like I envisioned. Nobody would bitch about this business but any new establishment would meet a lot of flack from existing merchants. This would be through city hall and I knew enough to get contracts signed before I went into a situation like this.

I wasn't daydreaming but I was not getting much done either. I did the little homework I had then worked on the tape recorder. No matter what the head design was the rest would be similar to an existing unit.

Jane got me at a little after nine to answer the phone. I thought it might be Sam Johnson because he had not phoned back but it was Mr Holtzman instead.

John said, "How are you Jeff?"

"Just fine thanks. You and Corinne?"

"Both good. What did you call for? Do you have some more inventions?"

"Only a few small ones."

"Do you want to tell me now?"

"Sure, the first is some baby clothes. It is like our one-piece long johns without the trap door. The foot though is closed in with a piece of flexible plastic on the bottom. When the baby outgrows the garment the feet can be cut off and used without.

"Second is some baby spoons with the bowl dipped in soft plastic so the child doesn't bang a tooth into bare metal when he or she moves unexpectedly.

"Third is some heavy gauge steel racking that can go twenty to thirty feet into the air. I have to send drawings but it's simple. Warehouses and my business will need lots of this.

"Forth is some corrugated steel siding. It has to come in thirty to forty foot lengths. Basically, the longest lengths that could be legally transported by truck. It has to have rust inhibitors in the metal and a good coating of a special malleable paint that is baked on. A skeleton of steel beams goes up and the siding is screwed directly to it. The roof is steel trusses and a steel outer layer too.

"The screws may have been invented but I'm not sure. The end is similar to a small drill bit but then it changes to a sheet-metal screw with a hex cap. An electric drill will hold the screw and the installer pushes a screw through the metal siding and into virgin steel. It is a one step process and it drills through the angle iron before the threads catch. The material has to be very hard.

"The building is very cheap to put up and I'm going to buy a lot of them. Barns can be made similarly but have a slopping roof if they want."

John asked, "What about the composition of the steel siding?"

"Sorry. You need a steel mill lab do this. I think, though, it would be like a heavy duty galvanized tin roofing. The panels would be four feet wide but look like four individual and smaller panels. The money in the patent would go to the steel mill. A construction company can be started after the product is made to work on some large projects. Those I am sorry to say, are going to be few in number."

John replied, "I assume by this talk that you want to start merchandising now and not later."

"Yes I do. A lumberyard may come up for sale soon. It is only an eighth of the smallest size I want to make but it is a good proving ground. It also sets up my credit rating."

"By credit rating I assume you want to borrow money?"

"I have almost enough but it is better to use the bank's money so I can write it off. I figure I can get the place for a hundred and thirty to a hundred and sixty thousand but I have not seen the assets yet nor the liabilities. There is a lot of land nearby and I want to get it before it goes up in price. I can put in some of my other businesses but on a small scale."

"Is a line of credit what you are after?"

"Basically yes, but I want the option of locking in the interest rate at a fixed amount on amounts I have bought. You are the only one that can assist me and I know that you are in debt now too."

"My name is still good and I could get more. How much do you want?"

"A million should do for now."

I could hear John choke. "Only a million? That is a lot of money."

"It is now but in a while it will be chicken feed. I still need a line of credit going to a few billion someday and nobody will raise and eyebrow at me spending that kind of money."

"What all do you need the million for?"

"I was originally looking for a place to set up my laser experiments. This had to be in an industrial or commercial district for the power I would require. That still has to be done. Like the plastic bottles tying to your caps, my tape machine ties with the lasers.

"I sent a large list to Mr Berger and I'm afraid this will run into a lot of money. I need some help too. It may be easier if I lived in Toronto but I want to do this work here. So my shopping list included an engineer or two."

"Jeff, engineers go where the work is."

"I hope so. I have to keep ahead of things and I need the money soon. It also gives me some serious bargaining power."

John said, "There may be a way if you put all the property you buy as collateral then I may be able to swing this. I want you to know that this weakens what I can borrow now. I can only get so much."

I suggested, "Try for two million on a line of credit. The power is there and we can both use it."

"That may be possible but I'm not sure if I can swing all this."

"I'll put some of my patents on the line if it will help."

"That might do it."

"I think it's time to start a Canadian corporation. How does North American Development Incorporated sound?"

"Do you want me to set this up?"

"I should have done this before now but yes, set it up. It can better handle this money without me getting into tax problems. I'll render unto Uncle Sam what is his and unto Johnny Canuck what is his."

"I'll start the paperwork as soon as possible. Are you coming down this weekend?"

"I can if you can get me to see some of the bankers. Seeing me is more understandable than just hearing about what I have done."

"It's on short notice but I'll see. Usually some have a party we can crash."

The girl's party was breaking up and I told them they had homework to do. Susan was going to object until I told her in no uncertain terms and she meekly did what I asked. We both knew she needed this once in a while. The rest got their homework and we worked on it until eleven. Paige and Jennifer were supposed to go but Nora relented when she knew they were behind.

My love life had gone drastically downhill with the girls busy at dealing with women's issues. I wasn't going to cramp their style but they could at least get the people together for a few hours instead of taking up an entire evening.



-------

Chapter 13



Friday morning had an inch of snow on the ground. This was almost nothing to us. A few fools forgot that they had to use more room to stop and got into accidents. I knew that even this much snow would stop some warm cities because nobody had any experience driving in this condition.

I listened to the girls talk as the snow crunched under their boots. I wondered why Sam Johnson had not phoned last night and put it off as his method of saying he wasn't really interested in my songs. That was ok because two could play that way.

The girls were cheerful and I enjoyed holding Paige's hand even if we had gloves on. She was far more outgoing now but didn't push her position much. At the moment though she was not in disagreement with anybody.

I was able to think of what to buy everybody for Christmas and both sisters' birthdays. Susan's was November 28 and Maggie was a bit later on December 14. Paige and Jane were not until the early spring. Jennifer and Angela were two and four weeks before my birthday.

A great many of my boxes were laid out in first period. All were in wood and I went to town cutting them up for my sliding boxes. I was doing so many that I felt obliged to purchase the wood I was using. One day the school board might be purchasing their wood from me.

English Comp was next but little was new except we had a new girl in class named Alice Henderson. The boys drooled around her and she smiled all the time. She was a very beautiful girl. At the end of class she pushed through the ring of male admirers and she came directly to me to introduce herself.

She said, "Hi, my name's Alice. I heard some nice things about you."

"Hi Alice. People lie though and you should not believe everything you hear." She giggled as if this was a good joke.

"We just moved in on James near South Street."

"That is around the block from me."

She looked pleasantly surprised. "Hey, isn't that great? Will you show me the way home the first day? I only made the trip once and that was when I got a lift."

"I would be honoured to walk you home. I'm sure one of your admirers would give you a ride home instead if you wished."

"I would rather walk until I learn the way better."

"Good, I'll meet you outside after school."

"Thanks Jeff."

I walked to Auto thinking about the angry male stares at me but also the way the girl pushed herself at me. Any boy with any haemoglobin would be tripping over his dick or their jaw when talking to her. My hormones were not as active yet but I still saw a lot of potential in the girl. Not only was she a blonde with hair half way down her back but she was very healthy with large breasts.

We worked on a 1949 Plymouth in auto but I worked in my head on a mechanism for making synthetic rubies and my YAG crystals. Most of this I was sure could be done mechanically. All the device had to do was rotate slowly then come up out of the bath to cool a bit then go back but not quite so deep. The liquid on the crystal cooled to form a larger crystal.

I wanted my crystal to be thicker and longer than the ones I had seen. They would give much more power.

After lunch, I met Sam and Ian in gym. I hurried up so I would not be late but the guys wanted to talk. Sam wanted to tell me about his date and Ian wanted to talk too but not in front of each other.

When we got out to the gym without saying much I started to do some pushups and suggested that the two with me do a few too. They looked at me then at each other then did a few before Mr Renzo came out. He didn't say anything until we did the number we wanted. We got more gymnastics and I worked as hard as I could to do them well. Sam and Ian were again told to work hard too.

"The girls like a hunk. You got nothing better to do so make the best of it and exercise."

At the end of class, Ian came close and whispered, "I didn't say anything about — you know. Did you want to hear what I found out in the store?"

"Yes I do Ian. Sam wants to talk to me too about what is happening to him. I'm going to Toronto after school and won't be back until late Sunday. If I get back sooner I'll call you then, but better to see if we can find some time Monday. We might have to do it over the phone though."

"Keeping a secret is fun but it is hard too. Are you going to buy that place?"

"I still have to see what they're offering. I talked to my partner yesterday to get a line of credit. Do you know what that is?"

"Never heard of it."

"Good project, find out what it means. Call a trust company because banks close early."

Music was last period and I saw Miss Floit smile a few times. We practised and I realised that I was getting fair with the sax. I raked my mind now for a month trying to find some good sax music but couldn't think of any. None the music I knew stressed the instrument.

I hurried out of school. The girls now had their own agendas and to be truthful, I was happy for them. Music lessons had suffered, the band had not come to the music room after school but that didn't say they weren't practising. Mark Fenton hadn't shown up either and I would have to see if I could get him back to school.

Sam and Gloria were where they usually were but I found a vision of loveliness in a white fur coat that looked like arctic fox. She even wore a fur hat. The animal rights activists would be angry with her but to me, she looked perfect.

Sam and Gloria were greeted first but I did smile at Alice. Sam liked the girl too and Gloria was a bit upset.

I whispered in her ear, "It is alright for a man to get an appetite some place else as long as he comes home to eat. She is pretty but he's thinking with his lower brain. It's instinct. Pound him if he keeps it up but give him a chance to recover himself."

"Ok Jeff," she said but I could detect a lot of uncertainty in her voice.

I got in front of Sam and scowled until he came to his senses and looked at his feet. It was not the time or place to tell him that he had hurt Gloria.

Turning around I said, "Hi Alice. That coat you have on suits your features very well. I'm surprised you wore it to school."

"Well my mom didn't know I took it. I wanted to make a good first impression."

"You don't need that. You saw all the guys falling over themselves to talk to you so you know that it was overkill."

"Do you think they really liked me?"

She said it sweetly but she had to be blind to not notice. "You know they did." Other males came by and slowed when they got close. It was like having a fashion model standing on the corner with us.

She got closer and held my hand. Will you show me the way home now Jeff?" I said bye to Sam with another scowl and a smile to Gloria.

On the way to her home she asked me all sorts of minor questions and appeared pleased to hear that I played the sax. She appeared to be a dopey blonde or maybe one that had to act that way to get a male. Most men would be intimidated by her looks and may need a way to feel superior. I had seen trophy wives and in half the cases they had to hide how intelligent they had.

When I asked questions she answered as quick as possible then asked me something and demanded longer answers as she pulled my hand to her. I felt the fur through my gloves and a few times when she was talking she let my hand hit her breast.

When I got to her neighbourhood I found it more upscale than those on the backside of the lots. The houses were bigger and as the homes went further east and away from my home the houses got even more expensive. I had come here with my bike when in my other life but not recently.

Going north and away from school, the houses were even more expensive with large stately trees. None would be termed mansions but they were still impressive buildings and I had seen a lot over my years.

We got to a large home that looked like it may only be one over from being right behind our rental home. Being close to the huddled masses must have brought the property values down.

"Jeff, come in for a moment. I want you to meet my mother. We're your neighbours now and this is a good time for it."

"Ok, that sounds great." Actually it did. Knowing the neighbours and staying on good terms, helped me on many occasions.

I stomped off the snow and went in the large front door. In the alcove Alice wanted my coat so I gave it to her. I assisted her off with hers and she said, "Oh Jeff, you're such a gentleman."

"Shakespeare said, 'The prince of darkness is a gentleman.' Anybody can be a gentleman. It is the intent that matters."

A woman came out just as I put the coat on a hanger. She looked very beautiful too and I would guess about thirty-two. She slunk towards me with a very welcoming smile on her face.

"Why hello young man. I didn't think my daughter would bring home a friend the first day of school."

"Hello ma'am. You hardly look the mother though. At first glance I thought you an older sister."

"Why thank you young man. You quote 'King Lear' and compliment a lonely housewife."

I put out my hand. "My name is Jeff Congdon. I'm almost your back door neighbour."

"Why fancy that. Your name is familiar though. Where have I heard it before?"

"I have a small repair shop with my name in it."

"Oh, it was something much more exciting."

"Mom, I heard that he rescued a little girl recently."

"Oh yes. I remember now. You not only save the girl but killed one of the nasty men." Her face was smiling but she looked to be putting on an act. If I didn't know better I would think she already knew a lot about me.

"I gave you my name but I didn't catch yours."

"Oh, I am sorry. My name is Joyce Henderson. I was just preparing a snack for Alice. Won't you have some pastries with us?"

"Why thank you. It's one of my weak spots."

When we got to the kitchen I could see the coffee percolating and Joyce said, "I just made some fresh coffee. Won't you have some with us?"

"I would love some."

The pastries turned out to be homemade and also some very rich and flaky French pastries. She brought out some fine china and placed one of the larger pastries on my plate. The coffee was decanted into a silver pot after it had been heated with hot water.

Joyce asked me similar questions to what her daughter asked and I gave the same kind of short answers in return. I sipped the coffee and found it a premium brand but the two women just had one sip of theirs.

"I'm sorry but I have to catch a bus."

Both women anxiously said, "Where are you going?" Both not quite using the same words.

"Toronto, I have to do a bit of shopping."

Joyce said, "Do you have to go now?"

"I'm afraid I do. As it is I'm cutting it short."

"Well we won't keep you then."

Joyce hugged me in the kitchen but I knew she was not European and this was out of place. At the front door Alice smiled at me and said, "I wanted to show you my room."

I smiled back and said, "Maybe later, but I don't usually go to a ladies bedroom."

She gave me a forced smile and said, "Well maybe I can change your mind."

I hurried around the block and wondered about Alice. She could be a nymphomaniac or someone out to have somebody that was in the newspapers in her room. She did seem very put out when I didn't go up there with her. To be honest, I would love to go up and see what the sheets were like if nothing else. Alice was a very beautiful woman and she seemed to push all the right buttons.

I was in a hurry anyway and managed to kiss Jane away from the guests that were already here. I even got a chance to kiss all the rest in a bit of privacy. I had to throw all my things into a new backpack that I had bought but it was not as large as the suitcase.

The sidewalks were slippery and I almost didn't make it to the bus station. Taxis took too long to get to the house.

While on the bus, I spent my time trying to study but some people were going to Toronto to see a hockey game and were getting quite boisterous. They had been drinking and this didn't help much. If it didn't cost so much and I was older, I would get a car and not have to put up with this. Of course I would have to put up with the traffic then and that could be worse.

We made good time even though there were a few accidents. People racing home from work and not thinking.

The same unnamed man picked me up again. When I got into the car I asked, "I never got your name. It was good to forget at one time but now you are almost like one of the family."

"The name is Gregory Sir."

"Well Gregory, it is nice to meet you. I like to be called Jeff."

"Very well — Jeff."

We had a few more words before we got to the house. John pushed me back into the car. I didn't even get a chance to see Corinne.

"Hi Jeff. A tailor is waiting. We have to hurry. He has some suits that are not quite off the rack but close enough that we can get them done quickly."

"Thanks, I was worried about that. I only took casual clothing and they are wrinkled now. Two beautiful ladies pulled me aside and I was not able to take a taxi with a suitcase. I had to use the pack and run."

"It has been quite a while since I have run anywhere. There is a party hosted by a vice president of the Bank of Commerce. I don't usually accept those kind of invitations but I wasn't quite not invited either."

I said, "That is too bad. I had my heart set on slipping in and letting the host try to find out how I got there."

The tailor showed me three jackets but I liked another hanging on a hanger. "That's expensive Sir."

"Will it take much longer to alter?"

"Perhaps ten minutes more Sir."

"Good, I want that one. Please allow for a lot of expansion. I just started to grow again and expect to get very wide though not more than six feet."

"Very good Sir. I will do what I can."

John and I waited in another room and talked business. We kept away from the most delicate matters but there were lots of things that we could still talk about. I did discuss the device to grow the YAG and rubies but figured that it was already invented. The mechanics of the simple device was not though and probably didn't need to be.

We talked about the lumberyard and what I wanted the store to one day look like. Even a store in Toronto was not usually over an acre in size and I wanted it two to three times that size.

"Do you have any competition in that area?"

"There are three small outfits that cut trees and sell the green lumber. Some trees come from the locals that want their own lumber though usually plywood is just as cheap."

"What about location?"

"It is in a dual commercial/industrial area. The lots are large but the businesses are small. At first glance the area is poor because it is on the other side of a busy set of railway lines. I plan on getting the city and province to put an over or underpass in the area. Customers have a secure way of getting to or from my businesses. If I buy the properties close to this crossing it will get a great deal more exposure. If the businesses are new and flashy then the buying public will shift to my area."

That will put some pressure on you from small business men."

"Yes it will but I will sell them the land at a good profit or put up some strip malls and they can buy the finished products. North Bay is not growing now and I can get some good prices for the land and the labour to build."

"Did you find any new devices or processes that can make us some money?"

"I have to wait until it hits me on the head. I need to see the need then I can see the best way of filling it. You didn't find any engineers for me, did you?"

"Jerry was looking into that too. I had your fry pans made and they were everything you said they were. Mrs MacIntee uses them because she knows we made them especially for her. The ones in the future will not be machined from a solid billet but made in a forge."

"I think you can cast them too. A thicker bottom will spread the heat better. Steel fry pans will work but I think they will be garbage."

"We will look into the casting too then."

"I take it you are searching for an existing patent."

"We certainly are and it looks promising."

"What about your 'Ziploc's? You seemed quite happy last time you talked about it."

"Oh, I still am. We made them all sizes and even made your refuse bags. There was a bag already in use but it was not patented for the uses you mentioned. We put the patents in anyway and they only await your signature."

"Did you make a cap to fit the bottles yet? I can't see you not doing that even if the products don't match yet."

John smiled, "You caught me. We made some and put the type of cap you wanted with the break away seal. There are a lot of patents there for you to sign too. Your tape making enterprise is not as quick to start but it is held up by the need for equipment to be made. Some drawings were made and the men were able to jury-rig some equipment. We were pretty sure your ideas would work so we let the young engineers work on this and left the older ones to work on the other projects."

The tailor brought me in three times and in an hour I was dressed in a good quality suit. Not as good or cheap as one made in the orient but it was still good. Shirts, ties, shoes and even socks were ready.

Usually a party was well over by one in the morning but it was still going when we got there. As I suspected the host knew of our arrival and waited.

Mr Sebastian Forsyth III looked about fifty. He had enough white in his hair and he looked more distinguished. I soon found that people wanted to talk to me about Corinne, the songs, books and inventions that had been patented. John must have paved the way and that was the reason the party was still going on. It was better this way, though it would have been nice to know it ahead of time.

John seemed to be in his element and described what he could about some of our products that had some protection. The baby items though made them chuckle until John mentioned the independent analysis of the buying public showing that this was a very high profit product that would be in great demand.

During a short lull in the conversation I pulled John's ear close and whispered, "Make menstrual pads for women with a soft top. Put two wings on it with the same type of glue used on the diapers. Bend the wings around the crotch of the panties to stay in place. Good for nearly as much as the diapers."

"I like that too."

Our host stayed politely away but came closer now. He said, "Did you invent something again?"

John said, "Another product worth a few hundred million I guess. I can see a little R&D but not that much. It should sell in all the industrialised countries. Jeff comes up with them all their time. I have a full time staff now just searching and writing patents."

Mr Forsyth bent over to keep the conversation quiet. "Got any more?"

"Oh, lots I just have to see a need or something else that triggers the idea."

"Well, look around the room and see what you can come up with." His arm gestured around the room but at the start it pointed to the wall. At the bottom was an electrical outlet.

There were a group of people around us listening to what was being said. I said, "Will you come here please?" They did come and I added, "You pointed in this direction first. This is an ordinary outlet. By the way, it should be grounded. I can make a device that will shut off the power so fast that if you held a faulty piece of electrical equipment you would not die from electrocution. It protests people in the bathroom using an electric shaver, in the bathtub, by the pool and on wet grass. It should be so small that it will fit into the ordinary outlet. Another unit could be made to plug into any grounded outlet. Does that seem useful to you?"

Mr Forsyth said, "It sure does. Just last week a gardener was killed down the block when he picked up a radio. How does you device work Mr Congdon?" Others around our group were nodding their heads too.

"I just thought of it and it is not patented. It may even be already made but I don't think so. This device alone would be worth five to ten million dollars worldwide. Not a big invention but nothing to sneer at either."

Mr Forsyth asked, "Are you looking for a partner to manufacture this?"

"I guess I am. Mr Holtzman is my partner on a great many projects. Getting the funds to get them to market is getting troublesome because of the large number of very marketable ideas. I imagine we can come up with the patent in a week and a survey to what the unit will cost to produce. It'll take more than the proposed line of credit. An outright sale of the patent is possible too and the purchaser get to reap the majority of the profits."

"What is a good name for this product?"

"The descriptive name would be a ground fault circuit interrupt, but GFI rolls off the lips better."

Our large group walked through the house. Since we started in the kitchen John sprung one of the inventions he was saving. "Plastics come in a great variety and the number is growing each day. One high temperature plastic now graces the insides of a light but sturdy aluminum fry pan. There is no need for a heavy cast iron or even the new stainless steel skillets. You would be amazed at how an egg or almost any fried item just slides from the skillet as if by magic."

There was some side talk now and John went into detail describing how light it was and how the coating was almost frictionless. I could see that he would make a good salesman.

He said, "We have another product for a busy family." He reached into his suit and brought out some folded plastic. He handed out four and kept the last for himself.

"This ladies and gentlemen will make anybody taking a lunch to work or a busy mother needing to store her perishables." He demonstrated how the bag was opened then moved through the crowd to the sink. He proceeded to fill the bag and then sealed it as if doing a magic act. Luckily it was a small bag because he tossed the bag to me and I caught it. I held it by the two bottom corners to show that the bag was not leaking.

"Quite a remarkable bag the young inventor is holding. Food can go into it and then into the freezer. It's sealed against freezer burn because air can't get in. Anybody seeing the water being held in the bag could easily believe how well it sealed."

I spoke up this time to interrupt his sales pitch. "Got another invention Mr Holtzman. It will make good money but not like the majority of the other things."

"Tell us about it. I think we can trust the people here and besides it will get to our patent section in a few hours."

"A one mil sheet of polyethylene is laid over a large metal drum. The drum has many dimples in it. The dimples can be of different sizes on different drums. The drum is hot and air is sucked out of the dimple and it deforms the thin sheet of plastic so it looks like a very large muffin sheet. A four mill sheet of the same plastic is heated with another smooth drum and this bonds to the first sheet. What comes out the end is a continuous roll of small trapped bubbles. This bubble wrap can protect almost anything during transport. It can be bonded to the insides of envelopes and something could even survive the mails. Its weight will not be a handicap when postal rates are factored in."

The people were thinking of the product and I said, "A thicker variety could be used as a cheap air mattress for children. It's bulky with the trapped air but very light. I hope I didn't get you too sidetracked with my idea."

"Oh, no Mr Congdon. Feel free to add any comments you want. Money is a very welcome commodity. Do you see more millions lurking around this room?"

I looked around and didn't see much. It didn't have the microwave but I was not going to get into making and marketing this. One of the parts had to be made first that would bring the price down.

"Perhaps only two. A metal box with high temperature glass at the front. Resistance elements radiate heat above and below the rack in this small oven. Good for cooking sausage or toasting a thick piece of bread. The cooking space should be a foot long by six inches wide and four inches high. Good for when the large oven is too much. If made right the unit can be simply plugged into a standard fifteen-amp outlet to work.

"That can make some money too, and the other invention?"

"The faucet on all sinks including the bathroom and the shower can be controlled with a single handle for both temperature and volume. A small metal strip inside can even regulate the temperature as the hot water runs out. There is no washers to replace and thus very little maintenance. Dirty hands are no problem. A clean section of an arm can push the lever up to start washing without dirtying the handle."

John got out a small notebook and was quickly jotting down a few notes. When he was done he casually said, "Anything more here, Mr Congdon?"

"Not at the moment. If I had a two small devices from the transistor family I could make a microwave oven that is very small and again only uses fifteen amps. I have to wait for them to be invented though. Their creation follows a natural progression."

"We will have to talk about this later. How much is this worth in your opinion."

"Every home will have one as they all have a telephone. It'll be worth a great many millions but the development of the parts will cost a lot too. It is very worthwhile though."

"Well let's go and see what else you can find."

On the way out the light switch caught my eye. "I can make a dimmer that doesn't waste much power. It will even fit in the metal box in the wall."

John stopped and wrote the information down.

My Forsyth said, "How does it work? I figured he was testing me. Anybody can come in and spout bullshit.

I walked over to a metal refrigerator and drew a sine wave. "This is a graphical representation of what the electricity in the wall looks like. If I have a device that can trigger the on phase here, I only get the remainder of the wave until the device shuts off when it reaches zero again." I did this by pointing at the leading edge of the wave. "When I move the starting portion further along the wave I get progressively less of the power."

"How can you know that?"

"Sir, I own and run an electronic repair company. This is a simple device to make. I actually did only think of this now as I did all the other things I just mentioned. Mr Holtzman asked me what I had done recently and I told him nothing had come to me. It was the truth at the time."

"You are a very resourceful young man."

"Thank you Sir. Many others have mentioned this too but lots of times the cupboard is bare."

"But not for long," he said.

I nodded my head.

The party broke up later and Mr Forsyth whispered that he wanted to talk to us in private.

I asked John, "He smells money now and wants some. He probably has lots of money and can borrow a great deal more. Do you want him in as a partner in some of the minor inventions? Another partner will complicate things though. Selling the inventions would be best. Would he get rights to just Canada or the world?"

"His family's very rich. Being a Vice President is just a way of getting to be President when his father retires. They are not into manufacturing so they would just sell the patents again."

We nibbled at the food and I drank quite a bit of coffee trying to stay alert and it took another hour before the three of us were ushered into a small office.

Mr Forsyth said, "Well gentlemen, I'll come right to the point. I would like to buy into this partnership you have. I can get two million dollars in cash if necessary to do so."

John said, "The Company, even the way it is, will be worth almost two hundred million in as little as five years with the finances we have. That is with the current projects we have and not with those mentioned tonight."

Mr Forsyth rubbed his chin. "What are the ones tonight worth?"

"The one Jeff whispered to me my be worth fifty million net but will take a few years to develop but will grow as the population grows. It's the patent protection that will be difficult. It is a product already on the market but has a very innovative way of improving it. Our product will then be copied if not improved."

"May I ask what it is? I swear that I will tell nobody without your permission and not use the idea myself."

John looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders. He said, "We are investigating the possibility of disposable diapers as I mentioned earlier. This triggered something in Jeff and he thought of the feminine pad. It now slips around and may not be that comfortable. He suggested putting glue on the tabs for the diapers. This could be used to secure the pad to the woman's panties. This now would hold the pad in place much easier."

Forsyth thought for a while and rubbed his chin again. "I'm surprised that nobody has thought of this before. It's simple but I can see many companies copying the product."

I said, "I think if we put our minds to it we can come up with all the different ways and patent them all. Not hard when nobody else is breathing down our necks."

Forsyth asked, "I imagine there are a great deal more ideas that you're working on that are still not patented yet."

John said, "We have quite a few. Mr Congdon thinks their value will be measured the billions of dollar range, and not the usual million."

"Anything you care to tell me without going into detail?"

I said, "With the same stipulation you made earlier?"

"Everything I hear tonight will just be among us three and go no further."

"I made a simple device that makes a special kind of light. I'm working on three more types. Two of them have the ability to cut metal with just light and to weld it back together. The money though will be in communications. I can take all the telephone calls currently happening in North America and put them through a laser for transmission. This and the transmission medium are what are going to be worth billions.

"Another project involves magnetic tape. I have developed a special circuit to remove tape hiss and I'm working on a vastly improved head. With some simple additional modifications I can make close to the same money as my lasers.

"I have mentioned a few ideas of things that are good to get into. They are not patentable but I see them growing. We have neither the time nor the money to pursue them. Our biggest need is a competent engineering staff and a supply of managers."

"What are your goals Mr Congdon, if I may ask?"

"I am going to bring about some social changes and in the process be, by far, the richest person on the face of the planet. The only ones coming close to my wealth will be those that took a slight risk and assisted me."

"I see you don't mince words. All this from selling your laser and tape machine?"

"Not in the least. That is just a way to get people to see that I can do great things. Once that's done I ask for a few measly billions of dollars and make a retail empire that covers the globe. Computers are going to be very small and very cheap one day. I'll make the instructions that go into them. One of my companies will make the parts for the machines. Lastly I'll get into media so I can spread what I want known to everybody that will listen."

"What can I do so I can share in your dreams?"

We talked for hours and ended up having breakfast too. Mr Forsyth after some investigations of his would buy into a limited number of patents and companies. This would give us some capital and he would do his best to see that we got our line of credit. If we continued to back up our purchases with real estate property or verifiable intellectual property then some of the debt would be converted to standard loans and the line of credit returned to the original figure. Now I aimed higher though in hopes of getting the two million. Over time we knew that two million was just not enough.



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Chapter 14



At nine thirty we got to John's home and I just wanted to sleep. Corinne wanted to talk and play. I had a quick shower and talked to the child for a half hour then went to sleep. Corinne got on the bed later and watched me wondering why I wanted to do a stupid thing like sleep when I could be playing or talking with her.

I got up at four with a headache from changing my sleep pattern. Corinne was happy that I came to my senses. I wanted to do some shopping before the stores closed. Sunday shopping was presently and for years to come, against the law.

After leaving a note, I got Gregory to drive Corinne and I out shopping. The selection of goods was much better in Toronto but still not up to what it would be at the turn of the century.

I came back with a load of clothes for the family and friends. I also came home with a very tired little girl that was happy to be wearing some new shoes I got her.

Mr Berger was at the house when we got back. He presented me with a pass to the university library and a paper stating that I was a part time student but one taking no courses.

"Thanks you Mr Berger. Did you have to threaten anybody to get this?"

"No, Mr Holtzman and I used the smoke alarm as a way of getting the university to do this. They are getting a small percentage if and when the material gets approved. I promised nothing but they were told that if you didn't have access to the books you couldn't invent anything more."

We had supper and discussed what had changed in the last week. Much more had happened in Toronto than North Bay. I mentioned what was in the letter I sent that Mr Berger would not get until Monday. I gave a partial list and he wondered how he was going to get everything.

"Jeff, the glassware and such is easy. The purified materials may be harder or nearly impossible. The high temperature refractory vessel can be ordered but I have no idea about the delivery time. The list you gave me gets very close to fifty thousand dollars. The rest of the list will only make the total higher."

"Research cost a lot of money as you're well aware of."

"The items you gave me don't sound like the things needed to investigate liquid crystals."

"Some portions can be but they are for the tape recorder. The various thicknesses of mu metal have to be cut. I want the lasers to do that cutting. It is a way of showing a practical application of the tool. I should be able to cut with air and water too but those are for later."

John said, "Air?"

"A while ago you were incredulous of using light. None of us has seen this yet but we do believe."

Mr Berger simply asked, "How do they work?"

"The water is driven from a small hydraulic cylinder that is pushed in turn to a high pressure, and much larger diameter cylinder of hydraulic oil. We should aim for 60,000 pounds per square inch. The water rushing by will wear out anything including diamonds. Presently diamond dust and a small brass wire is used to drill a hole in a diamond as a nozzle. To make it cut steel you simply mix abrasive dust into the water.

"The air method may already be around. An electric current strips some of the electrons from the oxygen molecules in ordinary compressed air. A further direct current is used to guide the ions to steel and it cuts cleanly and cheaply. I don't know the maximum thickness of the cut but the metal doesn't get so hot that it warps."

"We will look into those processes Jeff."

I added, "Both processes are cheap. I'm going to be making synthetic rubies soon that will work in place of diamonds but won't last as long."

John asked, "For the laser project?"

"For one of them."

We talked until eight thirty when Corinne went to bed then we left for our research facility. Mr Berger had to go through a guard at the door. He went through the security arrangements and I was signed in as a researcher. I was not a James Bond type but I did see that security was good. Though the engineers were only here in two shifts, the property was monitored around the clock.

There were some engineers around who told us what they were doing. Some of the men I had never met but they all apparently knew me. The bottle-making machine had been converted from glass to plastic and worked well. Even on Saturday a machinist was working on a new mould. The small cap-making machine had five different types of caps made and four of them were the safety variety I mentioned before.

The set-up for making magnetic tape was disappointing. I was shown drawings but very little of the machinery was available. The chrome dioxide was in a large drum. It had been through a ball mill many times to make the powder as fine as possible. This was done on nights because of the noise of the balls falling on each other and striking the powder in between.

Mr Berger and John were very excited about the progress and I guess I should be too. I saw very little of the difficulties and only saw the need for the tape for my machine. We stayed an hour and went home early. John and I had to catch up on a little sleep.

Corinne got me up in the morning and I attacked while pretending to be a dog. I blew a raspberry on her bare belly and her high pitched screams hurt the my ears. She had a chance and escaped while I tried to catch her while running on all fours. She shrieked once again and fled to the hall. She had bright eyes and was breathing hard when we went down to eat.

Corinne, Grampy and I played until noon then had a light lunch. Four prospective engineers were slated to come over at one o'clock. Two were mechanical while the other two were chemical and electrical. Mr Berger promised to come over too if he could find the time.

I had some drawings ready. One was the child's car seat, drawn as well as I remembered it. I made up for my poor drawing talents by making a lot of smaller drawings of some features. There were two varieties of child carriers used to put a child on a table or floor and be safe and secured. I had to draw the stroller. Mine had one front wheel sixteen inches in diameter. The back two were similar and all of them were pneumatic. The brakes were always on and the parent had to pull up a rod like a future lawn mower to get the device to move. A large carrier was provided to lessen a possible load. The engineers would try to see if they could get it to collapse for storage.

The heavy racking was very familiar to me. All my future businesses had this equipment in the back for storage. It never failed although a lift truck buckled one leg when we had an inexperienced driver.

I drew the steel sheets for constructing a building but this was not really important. I did add the insulation and other things necessary for the walls. The trusses were shown with a gently sloping roof. Customers would need air-conditioning but I would try for chillers if cool water was available.

The self-tapping sheet metal screws were drawn. Again they were not fancy but were perhaps something new. I added a soft plastic material under the head to seal the hole.

From last night, I drew the light dimmer and the GFI. The transistors for these were just on the market now. They were not what was best but I could fudge the properties a bit to make it work. The current comparator circuit and the trip coils would only be a little problem.

The sanitary napkin was drawn next with the plastic flaps. The material of the pad would have to be worked on because in later years it got much more absorbent and much thinner. Variations in designs were added though it wasn't something I usually investigated. The ladies over the years used a large variety of sizes and shapes.

Pictures of various sizes of bubble wrap were given with only one showing some dimensions. A toaster oven may or may not be around now but I drew it as I remembered them. It was really the rods inside the oven that would be different. Most elements now were ceramic with a coil of bare nichrome wire running in the grooves. This meant another drawing for electric element design but now they would pop in and out for cleaning. That didn't happen in any stove now.

I was able to get them all done because most I had sketched while I was in school.

I handed them to John and said, "I threw in one more. It is an improved element for an electric stove. You will see a connector drawn beside it."

"This looks fantastic, but why are they sticking up so high above the surface?"

"For normal cooking they are too high. But the use of large pots reflects a lot of heat back down. This will warp the oven because it is made of thin metal. The extra space allows the excess heat to escape."

"That makes sense. So we can put lower profile ones in though?"

"Yes, if you want something that looks pretty but fails under heaver use."

He was looking through more drawings when the doorbell rang. The housekeeper went to answer it.

"Is this the GFI thing?"

The people coming in interrupted us and the drawings were put on the table. A new nanny came to get Corinne so I had to assume the last one didn't make out very well.

The first arrival came in and introduced himself. His name was Andrew Bush. He happened to be the chemical engineer. He stated his age at thirty-two but looked older. He was thin to the point of emaciation. His movements were quick as if fearing an attack but this was probably his nature.

Andrew's field was more toward petrochemical processes, however, he did know a fair amount about plastics and explosives. He had heard of us from some friends and came to see if he could improve his standing. He was currently working in the paint industry and the pay was poor. He had a wife and two children as dependants.

We had only talked for a few minutes before the doorbell chimed again. This time John got up to meet the next person and Andrew asked, "If you don't mind me asking Jeff, I thought you were John's son or possibly grandson. You seemed to be remarkably well informed."

"John is a friend and business partner. I'm the one that finds a need and devises a strategy to overcome fill that need. The patents are mine and all future patents will be mine as well. I'm the one actually doing the hiring."

The man just looked at me. Something like this took a while to be understood.

The next man came in and we had to stop this conversation. The next applicant was a tall redhead with a prematurely receding hairline. John introduced the new man to Andrew then started his questioning. I chimed in with my own questions as they came to me. James Slatter didn't seem to like me questioning him but he did answer. He was one of the mechanical engineers. He had spent some time in the auto industry then went to farm implements. Currently he was employed in a machine tool company related to the auto industry.

Charles (Charlie) Turner was the next. He was a bit overweight. He laughed a lot and had a good sense of humour. He was older than the other two at around forty years. He too had worked making farm equipment but had a stint working for an aircraft maker. Under some questioning he admitted to working a great deal outside his profession. He claimed, "I have to eat and feed my family. When things get bad we all do what we must."

Dale Pouchette was the electrical engineer. I soon found he spoke little of his ancestors tongue. He was the shortest man here but he was very strong. I did most of his questioning, as I knew much more about electricity than John. Dale worked for both Ontario and Quebec Hydro. He was currently working for a company making specialty motors.

The housekeeper brought coffee and some pastries while we continued our talk.

I said, "I'm the one that is doing the hiring. You might well wonder how this is happening. I have a surprising brain. When I see a need, I usually think of a way to satisfy it. Other times I just stare at it for days with no solution coming at all. I write and sell popular songs and might get into books and screen plays too. My inventions though are all money-makers though some are just things that needed to be done. I haven't kept track of the number of patents I own — "

John interrupted, "Eighty seven before today or what's on the table."

"Thank you Mr Holtzman. I have eighty seven patents to my name. Some are related to pure physics alone and it was just done to mark my place as the one finding a new branch of physics. There's one more area I want to expand and that is why I need a chemical engineer. This deals with liquid crystals. My hunches are usually good and I want to see if I can find some that work at room temperature.

"The device I made that produced coherent light in the ultraviolet spectrum sits in my basement at home. An engineer can duplicate it in an hour. I plan on making three more devices. One will produce visible light but I can't see it doing much other than a way of learning. The other two will be infrared and they will have enough power to burn through or weld almost any material.

"I need a mechanical engineer to work on the fabrication of the necessary crystals along with the electrical engineer.

"I'm building a very sophisticated audio recorder that should see a very wide usage in the radio and television industries. To do this I'm making a new head design and an improved circuit to remove hiss and a much superior type of magnetic tape. The tape itself will be in a plastic housing I call a 'cassette' so it does not have to be threaded by hand. These cassettes will also be sold with pre-recorded music. They'll be played in the portable units I want to manufacture. I see a market for home and automobile units also.

"So you gentlemen see, I'm a busy person. The tape, the cassette and the recorder could net me close to fifty million dollars on a gross income of a hundred million. I will have a high profit margin due to my ownership of all the patents. The real world enters here and I'll not be able to even meet part of the heavy demand.

"My company is growing, and you gentlemen have a chance to get in on the ground floor. I do not know who if any of you here will be asked to join our group. The information I gave you was confidential but it was something you had to know. First, does anybody here resent working for a twelve-year-old?"

Each engineer was asked and they answered verbally. James Slatter was asked more questions concerning this to make sure he knew what he was getting into.

The questioning went on for only a while then they had to fill out a detailed form listing past employers. I planned on trusting employees but only after finding out if they deserved the consideration. They also had to work with each other and not be inept. My old companies got most of the new employees by recommendations from those already working for me. This put pressure on the old employees to make sure I got a fair shake. I had to start from fresh all over again. This time I had some very valuable secrets instead of used televisions.

The men left after a light supper with us. The two mechanical engineers would have a chance to devise the device that grew the long crystals for me. This was nothing new, for synthetic rubies had been grown for a long time. John would pursue the investigation on each man as he did on all the other employees. He was also going to register Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy, Zehrs, Home Depot, and Starbuck's in my name along with variations on the name Congdon.

Mr Berger never did make it to the meeting but I drew a rough sketch of some neon sigh electrodes fused to sections of Pyrex three inch glass tubing. Other sections would have the glass-tubing cut at an angle to suit the wavelength of the carbon dioxide laser. If I were off by too much I would use a tube cut to a different angle. The ball joint allowed a bit of tinkering but lost some of the cross sectional area of the main tube.

We really needed the line of credit. I would be broke if the prices Mr Berger quoted were even close.

Corinne and John saw me off on the bus. The large package of clothing was wrapped securely and in the bottom compartment of the bus where luggage usually went. The suit though stayed at John's house along with some clothes. I doubted if I would need the suit in the next two weeks.

I took a taxi home with the package in the back seat. The driver helped me carry it to our veranda. I treated him kindly with a nice tip.

The next morning came much too early but I was still able to function. The large package was still unopened and I got only one inquiry and that was from Maggie. I said, "They are presents for those I love. Please let me give them when it is time."

Maggie smiled a bit though it hurt and said, "Ok."

When I got to Home Ec, Mrs Cameron told me that the executive board had finally come up with what should be said. Instead of feeding nearby ears I wrote out, "Use three or four of the young unwed mothers to talk to a class at a time. They are stronger in a group. A message from a woman that has been through this ordeal is much stronger than from a young boy. If this is not acceptable I will do what I must." Mrs Cameron read the note twice then nodded her head and returned to her desk.

During lunch some of the senior young men stopped me in the halls and gave me a piece of their mind. Their problems with their girlfriends were laid at my door. I was not threatened outright but the implication was obvious. They were just angry and figured I could make it all right again. There was not much chance of that happening until the girls needed some male attention or until they extracted some concessions from their boyfriends.

During English class Alice kept batting her eyes at me and doing other foolish things. I knew that if I was were knee deep in hormones I would never have noticed this as foolishness. Clark was not pleased either.

I caught site of Paige in the hall and all I could do was wave. She smiled and threw me a kiss. A girl did not usually do this during this era yet meek little Paige was doing it to me. It made me feel good for some reason.

Chemistry was more fun. I followed the teacher's notes and explained a simple fact of physics. It related to Bernoulli's law; and I just mentioned it in passing as important and probably on a future test. Some wrote that note in their books. For a half hour I was able to work on my project. I even stayed five minutes after the last class to finish the experiment then clean up.

As I was leaving the school I saw a group of people just inside the doors. When I passed, Alice broke from the group and said, "Hi Jeff. I was just going home. Will you walk with me?"

At least she wasn't claiming not knowing the way and I was still trying to be a gentleman. "Sure Alice." I got some glares from the males for my gallantry. I was sure there were a lot more bad feelings aimed my way.

After two polite questions Alice asked, "Why did you go to Toronto Friday?"

She must think me a boy wrapped up in her sexual coils. "I went to see friends. Why is it that you are so curious about my trip?"

"Oh, just being a girl I guess. Did you do anything interesting?"

"I went to a party then just stayed around the house."

"Whose house? Where do they live?"

I was evasive but still polite. Her questions started to make me think. I watched what I said, doling her some information that was false but not overly so. I pictured her as a spy for some reason, then thought how foolish this was and saw a person compelled by some inner need to find out information for gossip. I decided to play the game as best I could and continue feeding her false information.

We walked to the front of her home and she begged me to go in with her but I told her I had a headache. She let me go with a little anger showing through the cracks. She reminded me of an addict needing her daily fix of gossip instead of drugs.

Alice acted odd but I had met a great many odd people in my life. In retrospect I thought more of her affliction. She was much more than just the average noisy person. I considered what I had said to her and built a better framework with names and addresses. Since she may even check I would have to look in the Toronto phone book and do this with more accuracy. In a way it was becoming a game for me and I could pretend I was James Bond. Of course he always got the beautiful woman, hmmm, maybe I would as well.

Jane kissed me passionately then pulled me upstairs. Today there were no visitors and it felt much better this way.

"I missed you Jeff."

"I missed you too Honey. You want to spend some quality time with me?"

She said nothing but nodded her head a lot and smiled.

She sucked me until I was hard and pulled me onto her. Her period was over a few days ago so she was very safe. She growled, implored and pulled me very hard until she came loudly.

After a short rest I began again but went slower and showed her the love I felt for her. I whispered things to her and she responded to the mental visions as much as the fact that I was moving within her. Her second climax took much longer to arrive and at the crest I started my own orgasm. She pulled me to her, a hand on my butt pulling me tight to bring more of me into her.

I held her for ten minutes until we heard the noise downstairs. The girls were back with some guests.

After a quick shower I went to start some of the many tasks awaiting me. On the way to the basement I heard some familiar voices and changed course to investigate. The girls were all there but so were Mrs Warren and, surprisingly, Miss Floit.

I strolled into the room when there was a lull in the conversation. I cordially greeted all the women. Paige got up and hugged me. I was glad she had not become a militant feminist but then again I wasn't too sure of the direction of this group.

Mrs Warren commented, "I was given the note you gave Mrs Cameron. That was very nice of you. We thought the same thing only we wanted you to continue if you wished."

It looks like they were trying to be nice to me. "The girls come first. I might add that the young mothers are important to me too. If they find a direction and a way of feeling strong and important then that's a good thing too. I enjoy talking to people especially girls."

They smiled at me. I said, "It isn't about hormones, well, not all hormones. Girls can be very nasty but usually act like ladies. The women are causing a big stir in the school. They are now walking around without an inferiority complex. It's making the guys angry. Some of my fellows gave me a piece of their minds because they don't like the changes. I think I can fit in better by giving the boys a little sensitivity training. If the girls make sure the ones that pass with high marks are seen to succeed then this is going to be a snap."

We talked more but I was not included as much. I was happy about that. Miss Floit seemed to be happy to be here. Jane came down fresh as a daisy and dressed young, I like the change in her. She put on the large kettle then came in to take part in what was happening.

I excused myself to do some business. When I called North Gate the receptionist was very cheerful and not only recognised my voice but called me by name. "Hello Mr Congdon. Mr Cochrane is on another line at the moment. I believe it's something for you."

"Please have him call me back when he has the time." I gave her the number even though Mr Cochrane already had it.

I hesitated to call Ian because we had no call waiting and wouldn't for thirty years. An extra phone line would be great addition. The phone in the kitchen allowed people in the other rooms to hear one side of the conversation unless I spoke softly and directed my voice away from the doorway.

Looking at a picture of a lamp in the border of the wallpaper reminded me of the lamps I used to have. Some used capacitance to turn the light on or off. Other lamps changed intensities to achieve the desired brightness. I busied myself making this circuit until the phone rang.

"Hello, Congdon Electronics."

"Hello Mr Congdon. It's Mr Cochrane here."

We went through a few moments of pleasantries that would get lost in later years but were still nice even if they wasted time.

"I followed your instructions. I have a large map of the area showing lot lines. Some of the properties are still owned by the city including one they repossessed. This particular business sold aggregates. There are a few buildings on it. The crusher and conveyor systems has been sold and the building torn down.

"There are four more properties I'm looking into. They look to be more industrial than commercial and there are few vehicles in the parking lots. It is difficult to find out this kind of information but I'm doing my best."

I said, "I'm sure you are Mr Cochrane. Just list your hours accurately and keep very good records. Though I expect this for me, I know the tax department will be very curious how I spend even a penny. Do you have the asking prices from the city for those available lots?"

"They range in price but centre around four thousand dollars an acre. The one with the building is no different."

"Tell me about the building."

"It is the usual one story affaire with a flat roof. There is a fence around the property so I couldn't check it very well. I would estimate the size to be roughly three or four thousand square feet. Windows around the building suggest just offices. I was never in the building and can only guess from the street."

"Mr Cochrane, will you get both the keys and permission to enter the property? This sounds like a good place to move my business to. I'm curious why the city is not asking more for the building."

"Would you like to see it tomorrow Sir?"

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll meet you after school again. I will call if I'm unable to make it."

When the call was over, I thought about the building. It was the right size. The building may be damaged by fire or have a lot of water damage from a leaky roof or even some fool not shutting off the water and the pipes bursting in the cold. With one of the other buildings torn down already then the building could have been vacant for a long time.

I called Ian and his mother answered. She sounded nice and I stopped to talk to her for a while. I heard children's voices in the background. We talked like old mothers for a while, discussing what we had to do to raise children correctly. Indirectly I learned that Ian was the oldest one of her five member brood.

She called Ian when some pots fell and an infant started crying.

After our own greeting Ian said, "I wanted to tell you earlier but didn't have the time. When I was in the store at the lumberyard I saw the police talking to two employees and looking at a broken glass door. He was writing into a little black book and asking questions as he pointed his fingers."

I said in a British accent, "Mr Holmes, what do you make of this strange incident?"

Ian said in a Scottish accent that was probably his own, "It's elementary my dear Watson. Thieves gained entry through the glass door and absconded with some valuable property."

I didn't expect this from him and broke up laughing; I heard Ian doing the same thing. I had no idea that he had read Sherlock Holmes, and it showed much more depth to the young man than I previously thought.

Ian went on to talk about himself. He listed the improvements he was attempting, especially in exercise now and eating less. I talked of my own problems finding time to exercise and said that I made time to do it one way or another.

"I have to see another property tomorrow. This one's vacant. It's in the same neighbourhood. You can investigate the business with me. You better bring a flashlight though."

"I'd love to come Jeff."

"Mr Cochrane will be picking us up at school."

When I got home, I found Jane still in the next room. She was happy to have company. I started supper while we chatted without being seen.

The two teachers sat down to eat with us. Miss Floit said, "I didn't understand what was going on here. I thought it was some sort of reactionary carping. To me that is very distasteful. I was thrilled to find out that it is more educational in nature. Things that a girl has to know are not provided by the school. Some of it is a natural reluctance to speak of — of certain things, but it does have to be explained one way or another."

The conversation got on to the subject of the school population and how some girls were acting. One notable exception Maggie pointed out was a beautiful blonde haired new girl.

Susan said, "Oh, that's Alice Henderson. She is one that knows what's happening and likes it the way it is. She twists all the boys around her fingers." She looked at me and said, "She likes you Jeff. She tried to ask me some questions. She's very nosey."

I replied, "I think so too. I walked her home two times. She lives right behind us and over one. She is so intrusive that I have started to fabricate a new identity in my mind so I can feed her data from that."

Jane asked, "Why do that Honey?"

"She strikes me as a person that loves to find out everything she can so she can gossip. I have no intention of letting her know that you snore, that Maggie doesn't do the laundry as good as the rest of us or that Susan walks around in her pajamas on Sunday."

I got three women grasping for words to throw at me and I just laughed. They saw that I was putting them on and added, "I want to feed the girl garbage. When she starts spreading it around I will know where it comes from. When it gets bad, I'm going to expose her gossiping to her friends. Maybe burnt fingers will teach her something but I don't want to let her know anything more about us."

Maggie said with an excited grin, "What did you tell her so far?"

"All minor lies as to where I was in Toronto."

Jane said, "You were with Corinne and her grandfather."

"Yes I was but I think I'm now going to be with a leading mob figure."

"He isn't! Is he?"

"It's just my story. The mob figure invited me to his home." I looked at Miss Floit. "What did we do there?"

She smiled then said, "You have to have a reason for going there. How about you have a girlfriend?"

"Good." I pointed at Mrs Warren. "What is her name?"

"The mob is Italian to me. I had a friend by the name of Erminia."

"Good." I pointed at Paige. "Describe her."

"Ah — oh she's blonde from the north. She looks more like German or Swiss. Tall, you like older tall girls. I see you look."

"I do like them that way too but I happen to love one shorter girl that is not blonde. She has no reason to worry about me ever leaving her."

"I know that. But you do look."

"Paige Honey, I look at the short ones too." I pointed to Jane. "How did I meet the family?"

"Oh, that's hard. Oh, you — no. Your knowledge of mathematics was so good that one man came here in a long black car and took you to Toronto. The mob guy wants to use your knowledge to beat the odds at gambling."

"That's great." Turning to Susan I said, "How did it turn out?"

"You give me all the hard ones. Can you use mathematics to get the scores?"

"No."

"Well the mob guy found that out but was not mad. It was only something he was checking on. You had a meal there and met the daughter Erminia. She is really intelligent too. You find her fascinating. You need to get a picture someplace to show Alice."

"Now that's good too. Anything more?"

"Some real big guys came to the school and asked some of the teachers about you. If you and Erminia become an item the father wants to know all he can about a prospective son-in-law."

"Now you are marrying off a twelve-year-old boy. Angela tell me what you would add."

"Erminia has some big brothers. They might inherit the family business some day. One likes you but one doesn't. That way you can get help or be hurt."

"That is great too. Jennifer?"

"Oh, you go there and shoot guns. You came home smelling of the powder. Did you get to shoot anybody?"

I said, "A traitor to the family ran for his life. As a prospective son-in-law I had to execute the man. But this can't happen for a while. Much too soon to get this close. Miss Floit, what is going to happen in the next few times I go to the house?"

"Some gun shots came close when you were in the car with the father. It was not reported to the police."

"Now that is Excellent! Mrs Warren?"

"You visited the places the gangster owns. The pool halls, the place where they pick up money from gambling and — and money from girls."

"That is interesting too. The older ladies tease me while dressed scantily. Jane?"

"When you were shot at you pushed Erminia down and protected her with your body. The father gave you a holster that goes under you suit and it has a small gun that most people cannot see."

"Ok, and I like that I have to wear a suit now."

We went around the table a great many times. Ideas were introduced then some had to be scrapped so better ones could be fabricated for future developments. Susan had me taking over the family business at the end and running it better than anybody else.

I went and got one of the many small notebooks that I used to jot down my ideas. I gave dates now and added my thoughts as to meeting the family. I left some room to insert real names; for I was going to get John to give me real mob figures' names and addresses. Being a lawyer he would know some shady characters. I even mentioned this to the women around the table, which brought out a lot more ideas.

This was not going to work. I ripped the pages out and wrote on loose-leaf lined paper. "I have to write the story on this and then transfer it to another notebook later." We touched up this story. It was good that I triple spaced to get it done right. We even went to future weeks and laid out what should happen each week that I went to Toronto.

Mrs Warren said, "You should write books Jeff."

She didn't understand when we all laughed. Paige said, "He already writes novels."

Miss Floit had to leave and told us, "I had a wonderful time. Educating some young ladies and one older one takes a bit of perseverance and a bit of trust too."

She left with a wave and Mrs Warren said, "I better go to the bathroom first, but I want to say that I had a wonderful time too."

Susan had to make some phone calls so the group broke up. In a moment I heard a flush and Mrs Warren came out. I helped her into her coat and even got her to sit so I could help her with her boots.

She started to cry and I did up the laces and then hugged her sitting body to mine. "I wish I had a grandson like you Jeff. I see my son some times but he never acknowledges me. Oh, don't tell anybody that."

"Friends help friends. I don't have any grandmothers. You could be mine and I could be your grandson."

"I'd like that. Won't your family get upset if they hear about that?"

"Not about you having a child and they wouldn't mind me having a grandmother. Does that mean I get to wheedle some cookies from you on occasion?"

"All you have to do is ask." She got closer to my ear and said, "I'm alone almost all the time. I never got married to anybody. I took the name Mrs and it seemed to help."

I said, "Marriage isn't for everybody. In your case I think you would and can make someone very happy. Just remember old men are set in their ways and you'll not get them to change very much.

"I'm much too old to marry. My students are my children."

"You are the one being silly now. A lot of older women marry. Why if I were a few years older I would chase you too."

"You would have to be more than a few I'm afraid."

I whispered now. "From the way you talked I take it your son has no sons. Does he have any daughters?"

"He has two. One from his second marriage and I teach one from his third."

"He was not a happy man I guess. I assume that he was taken from you when young, because if you had raised him I think he would be happy and find the right woman the first time around."

"He was taken right from birth by his grandmother. She was a powerful woman. Air travel was very expensive and she flew me to Brandon Manitoba to have the baby. It was far enough away that nobody would know. I came back here and my friends didn't even know I had a baby. She helped me get my teacher's certificate."

Gail and I walked to her car. I put her in and cleaned off the small amount of snow that had recently fallen. When she rolled down the window she said, "Thanks Jeff, bye."

"Bye grandma. Remember to drive cautiously."

She smiled and amended her statement. "Bye grandson."



-------

Chapter 15



I was able to have lunch with Paige the next day. We enjoyed ourselves even more because Marcy didn't come around to bother us or abuse me. There was not even a large young man ready to do damage either.

Other young men bothered me though. It was not the same group but either they had the same complaint or Marcy had found a more subtle way of attacking me. I could see her quite easily stirring up the guys by blaming me for all their ills.

I did another small experiment in chemistry and at the end of the day I hurried out, only to find Ian close by. We hurried and got into the snow that had been falling all day. There was more blowing than falling because the accumulation was less than five inches. Mr Cochrane was not stupid and had chains on his tires.

Mr Cochrane looked out the window and gestured with his hand. He said, "First good fall of the year and definitely not the last."

This far north the snow never had too much of a chance to melt. To me it was better this way than dealing with the slush or worse, frozen slush of other areas. "The town looks nice in white."

Mr Cochrane handed me a long roll of paper. "Here is the map I promised you and there is a smaller one in the roll. You can lose it easily."

I opened it up and then rolled up the edges I didn't need. The lumberyard was in a red crosshatch to mark it. Blue pencil crayons marked the city owned property. One was already marked with the former name of the aggregate company.

I asked, "How long has the building you mentioned yesterday been dormant?"

"Could be three — no three and a half years now."

"You find out any more about the others?"

"Northern Plastics is not doing well. They make mop heads, dustpans, brooms, pails and some plastic toys."

"Camden Wood Products makes kitchen cabinets and is in even worse shape because nobody is buying their products."

"Central Automotive works on repairing damaged cars. They are doing well and with this snow will do much better."

"Those properties, I estimate will give more than fifty acres."

I vaguely remembered another bay of Lake Nipissing further along this section. It was on the map and Central Automotive was on this side. "Mr Cochrane, what is across the small bay from the automotive business?"

"A small marina is directly across and goes around the headland. The Marina parcel is only a few acres."

"What about the remainder of this little bay?"

"That is outside what I researched. One property may be owned by the city but don't quote me. That may be the back part because it's swamp. More than that and I would really have to guess. Do you want me to look that up too?"

"Yes, do that. What happened to the crusher and other property owned by the aggregate company?"

"No idea. Want me to investigate?"

"That too. Get some specifications for what electrical power is available and find where the substations would go on the map. Find a topographical map too of this area and the city in general. I want to check drainage."

The snow plough had come by a short time ago so we parked on the road. The gate was unlocked but we had to kick away some snow before it would even open for us.

As we got near the building, I could see the black on the interior of the glass and figured it for a fire. When the door was unlocked we were able to get inside. All of us had flashlights. Mr Cochrane had been smart enough to even bring extras. The majority of the office furniture had been removed. What remained was broken. That's probably why it was still here. A rim for a large truck wheel was in the middle of one room with a broken window. I saw blackened pieces of wood and a ceiling black from smoke.

We checked the building and found three more broken openings. The back door was lying on its side. The furnace had been vandalised, as had the four washrooms and the small kitchenette. I checked the ceiling for water damage and asked the other two to do the same. The roof was flat and I found only two leaks.

I looked out the back door and found some small buildings that looked to be in worse shape than this one. I assumed they either held supplies for the machinery or sheltered vehicles. There were three large piles of either sand or stone still there. Snow covered them so the identity was unknown. These had to be worth something too.

On the way back through the building, I jumped on the floor where the water damage was seen as well as the area under where the largest fire was.

Ian looked perplexed. I said, "Checking for a spongy floor to indicate how much it has begun to rot. I was hoping though to find some good concrete floors though. I need a good base."

Mr Cochrane said, "If you get this place then you can remove the floor where you want and leave the rest. I don't think we are more than two feet off the bedrock."

"Yes, you're right. It is things like that the mean a better bonus or not. I liked the large map that covers a fair sized area. I also like that you put the chains on now rather than later. It shows you're thinking ahead."

"Thank you Sir."

When I finished, I saw that the building was not that bad. By my estimation it was close to a hundred feet long and sixty feet wide. That made six thousand square feet if I were accurate but even if I wasn't I could not be that wrong.

On the way out I saw more of the chain link fence with the barbed wire removed or just pushed aside. Off in one corner I could see a hole in the fence that you could drive a car through.

We dropped Ian off at his house. I promised to take him to future inspections when the time came.

"Thanks Jeff, I didn't do much but it is fun to see lots of this stuff."

"It's fun for me too. There is a story about every place we go and it is important to find what it is."

When I was driven home, I invited Mr Cochrane inside to look at the maps better. I introduced him to the family and asked him to stay for supper considering that ours was almost ready.

The map was laid out on the table now with better light. I said, "I am thinking of developing this bay as a waterfront area. That information like all the rest is very confidential. To do a good job I need all of this bay and even the swamp. Without alerting anybody else I have to find the composition of the bottom of the bay and its depth. If I can, I will put a retaining wall in the swamp, dredge the bottom and put all of the fill behind the wall.

"Luxury condos will get built around the bay so the owners not only have a parking lot but access to their boats. North Bay is too small to warrant this but the rich from Toronto will come here for the summer. I have to find a reason to keep them here more of the year."

"They can ice fish."

"They will do that if we make expensive huts and use a tractor to take them onto the ice. They can watch television, cook a meal and fish from their easy chair. Once we do that then somebody will do that in Lake Simcoe further south and the Torontonians won't come further north."

"We have good cross-country skiing."

"True but only a small fraction of the people we need."

He said, "We are called, 'The Gateway to the North'. We have a large lake, lots of smaller ones. There is a major train yard so things get shipped through this area before going south, north or west. We make paper and support a lumber industry."

He added, "What do you make Mr Congdon that will draw southerners here?"

"I can start a research centre which should get paid for by government funds. My machines can shoot out beams of light that can be used for line drawings but that is for tourists because it will be boring for the locals after a while.

"Eventually I am going to open a movie studio, but only so many films can show the untamed wilderness. I could have a studio here for musicians but I cannot run it. My forte is in the equipment."

Mr Cochrane said, "If you are good at equipment, what can you make that will draw people?"

I said, "I am no good at designing amusement parks but even if I did somebody else would make one just north of Toronto and nobody would come here."

"What can you make here that is not made anyplace else?"

"Manufacturing I guess could work too. I need an electronics industry but Japan will grow so fast that it would die pretty soon. The other things my partners are making are much better off in Toronto. It costs a lot to ship materials north then ship the product south."

"If you don't mind me saying the best thing to do is go into the movies you want. Much of the sets are all inside a building anyway. Research is the second best and if you are really good then the school you mentioned could be added. The condos are better if you have access to the Great Lakes but the French River is not completely navigable."

It suddenly occurred that I had let my guard down. Not only had I talked too much, but I also showed the man that I was not thinking straight. If I was able to manufacture all these things out of some nebulous ideas, why wasn't I able to think around this simple conundrum?

This mistake had to be corrected or I would be looked at even more scrupulously. "I guess you're right. Mechanical things fit together very well but a city and lives are not the same type of puzzle I'm used to. I'm glad you are around to point some things out."

The man brightened considerably and said, "I think it is part of my job Sir."

"How about James and Jeff while it is just the two of us?"

"I like that but by calling you Mr Congdon, helps me remember to keep my mouth shut. As you mentioned, I was not a very polite person to you."

"That doesn't stop me from calling you James does it?"

"No Sir. James is fine."

"Well James I am setting my sights on the plastic company now. Why don't you use our phone and see if the owner or manager is still at the plant. Ask for a tour of the facilities. I will just be 'Jeff' that is going to be walking with you."

James phoned Northern Plastics and found through the secretary that this was permissible though there may not be someone right away to show us through. Actually, the best time for a tour was Thursday or Friday at four in the afternoon.

James ate his meal like he was starving and Jane kept filling his plate. For a thin man he could really pack it away and Jane was interested in how much he could hold.

After some desert that I thought was going to burst James, we went back to the map with a better idea of what we needed. The bay still looked good but now perhaps it could be used for a small condo grouping and some fancy homes. Perhaps one of them would even be mine if I didn't end up living someplace else.

James kept an eye on Jane. I was not sure if it was for her cooking, beauty or after I told him that she was a widow. Jane was sneaky and her own glances were never caught by him. It must be something in the 'Y' chromosomes.

The next morning I kidded Jane about how she went through the back door to snag a new admirer by using a hook to the stomach. She denied it but after a moment had to smile at her lie.

During the break between third and forth periods, Paige hurried to me and whispered, "That girl, Alice is starting to ask questions too. I think this is going to be fun."

"Remember, don't go beyond the plan."

I had gym later and changed next to Sam and Ian. All guys watched each other when young to compare size. Ian though stared longer and I got an uncomfortable feeling before I pulled up my shorts to go into the gym. I didn't know if Ian was going through a phase, just comparing, or leaning more towards males. Boys interested me when I was young but that was just a part of growing up. I never did anything about it.

It was snowing again after school, no surprise there. We collected some lake effect snow off of Lake Nipissing. What I didn't expect was to see Alice waiting with some guys just inside the doors. When I passed, she again attached herself to me. I assumed she would get a ride home since there were so many guys ready to do anything she wanted.

Just outside the main doors she asked, "Where were you yesterday? I waited for twenty minutes."

"Some things I found are dangerous and I can't tell you."

"You can tell me anything."

"Not if it puts your life in danger."

She looked appraisingly at me and said, "My life is not in danger."

"And that is the way I want to keep it. Now just shut up about it or you can walk by yourself."

When we got to the street I watched every car that came by and those that slowed down I watched even more. Of course I felt no threat; and I hoped that my acting was good enough.

Alice watched and talked too but her questions now were more general. She had asked for clarification earlier and I had not talked to her for two blocks. When we got to where I could safely leave if I was not going to take her to her front door she said, "Jeff, come with me. Jo — Mom isn't home and I want to make sure there is nobody in my house."

"They won't be after you yet, Alice. The more you stay away from me the safer it will be."

"You have me worried. What if they are in my house now? You have to come."

I did go into her house and she hung her coat up and I hung mine. She tried to act or to humour me. She took my hand and pulled me upstairs. She whispered, "Let's check the upper rooms first."

"Ok." It didn't take an Einstein to know where she wanted me.

Once in her room she pulled me too her and kissed me with a passion I was amazed at. She wrestled me to the bed and fell on top of me. Being a gentleman I didn't resist to my full abilities.

When I had a chance, I said, "We have to check the other rooms." I tried to come across as a young boy and one still worried about an enemy.

"I am frightened. You have to stay with me."

In a moment she opened my pants and fished me out. She slid rapidly down my body and sucked me into her mouth. She nursed on me and gradually removed my shoes and pants. She had good technique and I wondered how much practice she had got.

I saw her remover her own clothes without releasing me from her mouth. When she was naked she tried to pull away but now I held onto her long beautiful blonde hair and pushed into her mouth. She gave up her struggles eventually and in a few minutes I had my orgasm.

When I relaxed, I let go of her hair. Alice quickly moved up to lie beside me and hugged me to her but she didn't try to kiss me. Though I was dry she must know that not all men liked to be kissed right away.

She didn't say anything about how I held her and I saw no fervour about her. It was much more of a professional look as if assessing me and wondering what to do next.

"Was that nice Jeff?"

"Mmmmm, that was good."

"Do you want to have me? I didn't notice any juice coming from you."

"I am just starting. I don't have any yet but I will soon."

Her face tried to convey lust but her acting was not that good. "I want you in me."

"When was your last period?"

"Ahh, a week ago."

"Ok, Honey. I have to be careful."

She sucked me to get me up again and then settled onto me. She slid in easily though she was not that wet. I had to up the number of men that had enjoyed her. Jane at least had some muscle control to compensate.

Her acting didn't improve but I tried to help by playing with a nipple and a clit. In ten minutes she gave a good imitation of an orgasm. I assume it was to find a way to get me to have my own but it didn't work.

Alice laid down on me and purred as if she was really content. I pushed her off after a moment. Now side-by-side and looking at each other I said, "Get up Honey."

When we gained our feet I held her hand and said, "Where is the shower Honey?"

"Why, we don't need the shower."

Now this was odd. Not many people avoided a shower.

I simply said, "Take me to the shower, now."

We did go but after a moment to think. Alice looked outside the door but I was sure it was not to see any of the phantoms chasing me. It had to be her mother. She did slip before and start to call her Joyce. This inferred that she had lied to me about being in a vacant home. This might be another way to push Alice's buttons though.

We went to the main bathroom and started to shower. Alice was now much more nervous outside her door. She resisted me in everything I did but she did what I asked eventually. I washed her body very well. I even did her beautiful hair. I knew she was really a auburn. It was only after she gave up fighting me that I found her showing some true emotion when I caressed her body. To frustrate her I stopped when I got her very high then got her out of the bath.

"Why'd you quit?"

"I didn't quit Honey."

I got a nice smile that probably wasn't entirely contrived.

She dried me and I dried her and this was fun. She was a very beautiful woman who was probably used to getting everything she wanted.

We walked back to her room and I purposely left the door wide open. Before she got to the bed she wanted to have it closed. I just pushed her onto the bed. She went across this time with her feet still on the floor.

I picked up one leg and said, "Hold this Honey," then I did the other. I kissed her inner thighs and only after I was sure that she was really excited did I go for the juncture of her legs.

I did one of my special jobs where I took my time and kissed and licked the outer then the inner lips while only touching the clit in passing. Alice was now moving all over. She tried to release her thighs and hold me but I pulled away. This happened four times until she learned. Of course starting over was good too, even if it was tiring.

Alice now was very wet and I used my fingers in her. I was soon able to get three then four in because my hand was still small. This drove her to her first climax and she grabbed her pillow to scream into. All this in a supposedly empty house.

When she started to relax, she released her legs. I ordered her in a quiet voice, "Hold them."

She did as she was told and I went back to see about her second orgasm. This one took less time and when she was at that point of no return I put my finger into her anus. She buckled more and more. Her cries now told me she was not worried about anybody coming in. At the height I added another finger to her anus and she screamed out her joy and thrashed about in the way that made me happy for all the work I had done.

This time when she relaxed she held her legs and I got up and slipped into her anus.

When she knew what was happening she said, "No, I have never had anybody there."

"Honey, I am not big and you gave me your virginity in a way. Now try to enjoy it."

I pumped away in a much tighter opening and we both seemed to enjoy it. I held her legs and said, "Play with your clit Honey."

"But that — "

"Do as you're told." When she had not responded I looked at her seriously and whispered, "Now!"

Her hands came down and she played with her own clit. My own hands played with her large breasts and the now sensitive pink nipples. Together, the two of us came to an orgasm with little difficulty. My little prong was really hard and I pushed very quickly into her causing her to voice her true feelings again.

When I did start to wilt I pulled out and I heard a weak, "No," which made me happy. I pushed her body around and this twisted her comforter. I was able to lay down beside her now and hold her. This time she held me and I was sure that she had some real feelings this time and it was not an act.

When she recovered enough she immediately turned to look at the doorway then relaxed. "I didn't think you were that good."

"It was good Honey because we were honest with each other. Now get your pretty bum up and we will go get cleaned again."

"But — "

"Get up now. You spend too much time arguing. Haven't you just noticed that when you do what you're told you enjoy yourself more?"

"I do not!"

I got out of bed then walked around the bed. I offered her my hand and she got up. Washing now was less of a job with less area to cover. When I finished cleaning her though I pushed her to her knees and then she reluctantly sucked me in. I held her head to control her and try to push enough buttons so that she stopped arguing with me. It was not very long until I felt that feeling running through me and I pumped into her face for my own pleasure.

I knelt in front of her and while still controlling her face I kissed her lightly then more demandingly until she held me tightly to her. With me urging her to move we got dried again then eventually got dressed. We parted in her bedroom with one more kiss and I let myself out. I had not seen anyone but I smelt some perfume just inside the front door.

When I got home there were only a few extra people present. All of them though were students. The radio was playing low in the background. Out of sight I kissed Jane and she asked, "Did you make another conquest Jeff?"

"I was pulled into her bedroom and pounced on. She held me still until she had my pants down. I was prevailed upon but I was a gentleman. I still don't understand Alice. I'm too young for her. The only thing she might see is my ability to make the inventions that were made public and the songs including one that they think has been sold."

"They don't think that now Jeff."

"How come?"

"Nora heard it on the radio. She raced over here right away and by the time the radio was warmed up and found the song was over. I listened through the day and heard it three times."

"That's nice. Do the girls know?"

"I didn't tell them. You didn't tell me to."

"You can do it now if you want Sweetie, or you can wait for it to come on again."

She smiled at me widely and said, "Ok."

Paige came running in after doing her chores and spilled the beans before Jane could. The radio got turned up but the song didn't come on for an hour and a half later. The girls and the guests congratulated me. One of the newcomers ribbed me about the song thinking I was a one shot wonder, but I didn't say anything about the others.

Later that evening John called me. After the greetings he said, "The bank was around to see what we were doing. If we wanted the loan I had to let them in. They seemed to be impressed about the bottles and the safety lids."

"How long do you think before we hear anything?"

"They should make a report but there will have to be a board meeting for the loan. I still think two million was too much. I don't know why you talked Mr Forsyth into asking for five."

"So they will feel good about giving us two or perhaps even three. I told you that already. A million dollars just isn't that much money unless you make only a dollar an hour."

"I make considerably more than that but a million dollars still frightens me."

"It's only money. I heard my first song on the radio. I heard that it has been played four times on the one station we were listening to."

"Congratulations. I'll turn on the radio and hope that I hear it to. By the way, the preliminary background checks came in for Andrew Bush, the chemist and Dale Pouchette the electrical engineer. They look good to me. James Slatter, the mechanical engineer seems to have a drinking problem but I don't know how bad it is."

I said, "Some good engineers are drunks but manage to keep it under control. I think we should still wait until all the reports come in."

"You're right but I know you need some help."

"One of the real estate properties here has a small factory turning out some plastic products. It is in trouble now I am told. There is nothing I can do about it until I have the papers for the line of credit in my hands."

"That is a wise move. Any new inventions?"

"One that just allows you to turn on and off a lamp by touching a metal part. Worth something but not much."

"I got a call from Dow Chemical. They sold the raw Teflon to us and are interested in purchasing the patent. I can't see them making the frying pans."

"They give any indication to how bad they want it?"

"Not in the least."

"We hurting for cash yet?"

"I can handle what we have on our plates if we tighten our belts."

"Then let Dow stew for a while. Best to contact the various kitchenware manufactures ourselves. Dow has to sell their product to everyone if they sell it to even one person."

"I contacted a few companies already. They weren't too interested or maybe that was because they wanted to buy in cheaply."

We talked more about what had happened in the last three days until I said, "John, who is a well known mob figure in Toronto?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I always tell you John. How come you answer the question with a question?"

"Being a lawyer I guess. They are dangerous people."

"There is a new female student that is very interested in me. It has to be my recent notoriety. She is a compulsive busybody. Instead of telling her to leave me alone I decided to feed her a line of bullshit. We sat around the table recently with two teachers and made up a story that is a composite of all of our thoughts."

I told him the story in as much detail as I could. "So now I need some names to put into the blanks."

"There is a neighbour of mine, Mr Scordino, that is interested in you too. He happens to be Italian and shall we say has tenuous links to some well known figures in our city."

"Will you get me an invitation? I'll brush up on my Italian and we can discuss the story together for a laugh. We can do some business too that weekend if you want. Usually I come up with something to sell."

"By all means come down. You are always welcome. The large magnetic device for your tape may even be done by then. Perhaps we will see some tape roll off the end of the line soon."

Thursday between second and third period I was almost attacked by a young man. He felt his girlfriend did him wrong and I was naturally the one to blame. A male teacher is all that saved my ass. At the time I held my books to my chest as I was pushed against the row of lockers.

By fourth period this was common knowledge as well as the fact that my song had been sold. Some students had actually heard my name mentioned as the writer.

Alice acted stupid in class again but it didn't seem like her heart was in the production. At least part of the smile looked genuine.

Seventh period today was a spare. I had just gone to the washroom to empty my bladder. When I came out the student that wanted to hit me earlier in the day was in the hall. He started to yell and threaten but before he could punch me a fist came at him and knocked him back.

Alice stepped in and kicked him in the stomach when he fell and was going to do more when I pulled her off.

"Alice, Honey you amaze me. I am in need of a friend and you step in and lay this asshole out."

Mr Grissom, who is hardly ever out of his office, walked up to us. The few students that were around started to flee but he stopped them with a command. He looked at me and said, "Is this more of your handiwork Congdon? If it is you are in for some time off."

"I hate to disappoint you Sir. You jumped to a false conclusion. No matter how much you want it to be true. This student was attacking me for the second time today. If you look, he is considerably bigger than me. I came out of the washroom and was immediately attacked. If it weren't for this courageous young lady, it would be me on the floor instead. I think she deserves a commendation for not only protecting one of your students but for showing that a woman can be the equal of any bully."

"Girls don't do that Congdon. Tell me the truth."

"Ask those that saw this if you refuse to believe me. I don't know why you want to think that I am always to blame."

He did ask one then the rest volunteered their comments as the guy on the floor got up and wanted to come at me again. He only stopped when I got behind Mr Grissom.

Mr Grissom asked the guy, "What the hell were you doing?"

The young man said, "That guy told my girlfriend to leave me."

Mr Grissom looked at me. I said, "I have never told a girl to leave anyone. There is a good chance that some girl that knows this guy's former girlfriend gave her some good advice. This guy is a hothead. Does he beat or threaten his girlfriend to get what he wants?"

The person in question lunged at me and when Mr Grissom pushed him away but he got hit in the cheek with a fist. It may have been an accident but the principle hauled off and decked the guy.

Alice was jumping up and down very animated at the excitement. Mr Grissom looked around as if to explain. I said, "Thank you for protecting us Sir. We saw him assault you and then you decked him to protect us. I might add that you did a very good job. One day I would like to do as good."

"You all better get to class now."

We all scurried away. I walked with the still excited Alice. "Did you see what he did? Did you see what I did? My god, I hit him, and he was bigger than me."

The corridors were quiet now and she pushed me into a space between some lockers and kissed me with a passion that was not faked.

She rubbed her body against me and I looked around for a better place for this. A few feet down was a girls' washroom. I just pushed Alice away and dragged her into the room.

Alice kissed me again and I kissed her back. My limited supply of hormones kicked in and I began to caress her breast. Alice groaned in want.

With my last rational thought I pulled her into a stall and put my books down so they would not be seen then took hers too and put them on top. I reached under her dress and quickly pulled down and off her panties. I undid my own pants and then sat on the toilet. Alice stepped in and locked the stall door and worked very quickly to sit on me.

Her orgasm took almost ten minutes and I had to kiss her to keep the scream from going far. It was only when she was coming down from the high that she stopped to think where she was.

"Oh my god, we are going to get expelled if we're caught."

"Go slower this time. We will just skip classes."

She just gave a wistful smile and said, "My legs are too tired."

I volunteered, "Sit on the sink and I will make you happy." I got a bigger smile and she just shook her head.

We got out just in time because a teacher came around the corner and didn't see exactly where we had come from. We were asked questions because the teacher was still suspicious. I said, "Alice just saved me from a beating. Mr Grissom punched the guy attacking us and Alice was still upset."

The teacher was now very interested and we stayed to talk about it. Alice got excited again then visibly brought herself back under control. It was too late for class so I suggested that we sit in the office until Alice recovered.

At the end of the day, I was the one waiting for Alice. She was still excited and now she had a lot of girls around her. The guys couldn't get close.

It took much longer to get away and when we did I asked, "Is Joyce going to be home?"

Alice's excitement faded quickly. "Yes she will be."

"The girl that saved me from a beating needs a suitable reward."

"I could go to your house?"

"Alice that would really complicate my life now. Paige is the one I am going to marry one day. Though there are others I have to take into consideration. You are one of those girls." I wanted to keep the door open for the hypothetical Erminia.

"Maybe I can get Jo — Mom to go shopping or something."

"Friday I am going to Toronto again. I simply have to go."

"What do you mean, 'have to go'?"

"None of us are truly free and I am just less free than most. I cannot talk about it now or ever."

"But — "

"No buts. Accept the situation. There is simply no other way."

"Ok."

Joyce was at the door when Alice opened it and I simply waved to both. I still couldn't get over how Joyce was so young looking and Alice older looking than any of her classmates. Alice's father though was only spoken of in the vaguest of terms as if they hated to mention his name. It had occurred to me that the two of them were hiding from someone, that someone could be the father.



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Chapter 16


James and Jane were sitting down drinking some tea when I arrived. He seemed to like some of Jane's pastries. He jumped up when I got there. I had to smile and said, "Sit and eat. We are not in that much of a rush."

He nervously said, "I got most of the things you wanted. The planning department provided me the maps without a problem."

"Did you find out about the crusher?"

"It was bought by a scrap yard. I went by and saw that it has not been cut up yet. I don't know how good it is though."

"James, did you ever see a very large truck with a revolving drum on the back? It would be used for mixing cement as it travels instead of mixing it at the plant and transporting it in an open container."

"All I ever saw was a dump truck hauling the dry ingredients. It gets mixed with water at the site. Is this something new?"

"I don't know. I invent things. Maybe this truck has already made its debut but none have come this way yet. How is concrete prepared now? Is there a company in the city making it for us?" This was not that important but it did represent some additional patents. This time a mechanical engineer would do the drawing and thinking for me. North Bay was too small to need a big cement plant anyway.

"As I said, it is usually mixed at the building site if there is a lot needed."

He brought out the maps he mentioned and pointed to the major substations and the directions of various lines. The city had not gone overboard in making these substations. If the properties sold then they would have to be upgraded.

James and I drove to Northern Plastics. The lot was ploughed for more than fifty cars but only a dozen were visible.

The secretary was a pretty redhead but she didn't have any eyes for a twelve-year-old. We sat for only a few minutes before Mr Boise came out and introduced himself. At my insistence, James only introduced me as Jeff but the man had seen my picture and shook my hand with a compliment to what I had done for Corinne.

This building we toured was about six thousand square feet too and had tables for assembly and for moulding the plastics they needed. Very little of the space was being occupied.

I checked out the moulding machines and asked questions now that I was found out. This had to do with the size of the moulds; the types of plastics, whether thermosetting plastics could be handled; and the information about how good current machines were over this particular model before us.

Other machines used different plastics for different applications. I could see a few improvements and I had never been in a plant like this before. We spent an hour going over the plant.

Mr Boise asked James, "Were you looking to get a product made?"

"I am sorry, I don't. A prospective buyer though asked me to come and see this facility. He has one product but it is made of many individual parts. He was going to get it made in Toronto but wanted to see what this city had to offer."

"We are the only plastics plant in town. What's the name of this buyer?"

"That is confidential for the moment. My advice to you is to make sure your books are up to date so an adequate picture could be formed of this company. That is if you are interested in selling this property."

"Oh, I am interested alright. That is, if the price is right."

On the way back to my house, I asked, "James, would you like to stay for supper? I am sure there will be something good to eat."

"I would love to, Mr Congdon."

"I asked you not to pry into my personal life but now I feel I have to do the same to you. Do you happen to be married?"

"I was until about six years ago. It didn't work out."

"I thought your receptionist was your wife."

"No, that's my sister. She handles the books and the phone."

"That's ok then. My mother seems to like you. She's a widow and does much the same for me as your sister does for you. I just had to ask because I don't want my mother hurt but she has to have a social life too."

"That is good to know Sir. I noticed her looks from time to time and didn't know what to do about it."

"The best thing is to ask her out. I can't see you going wrong."

"I would love to Sir. By the way how often would you like me to turn in my hours?"

"Every two weeks is good to start. Later, when you have to give me more of your time, then it can be every week. If there is any high cost items to be purchased just talk to mom."

Over our meal, I talked to Susan and Maggie about Alice and what she had done for me. "She may be an asset to show that girls can do much more than sew and make meals. You still have to watch her inquisitive nature. Once she gets in this house it will be hard to keep her out again."

I found out during the next day that the student that tried to assault me was expelled for a week. Mr Grissom had talked during opening ceremonies about there being no fighting or the next expulsion would be considerably longer.

The chemistry books gave me some insight into something that could help me. I was not finished by the end of the class but could come back during my third period to complete the experiment. When I finished, I was very excited. My variant was able to work very near room temperature. Perhaps some other related molecules would do better.

In gym, Sam said, "I heard you were in a fight."

Ian came over and listened. I said, "Somebody wanted to teach me a lesson from his point of view. Alice happened to be walking by and hauled off and punched him herself. When he was down she put the boots to him. That is one beautiful and amazing girl."

Sam said, "I'll say. She is one bea — u — ty — full babe."

I said to him, "You hurt Gloria when you stared at Alice. You're just starting to understand girls. Do something stupid now and you will find that you have no way of doing any further research. Gloria will leave you in a flash."

"She isn't like that Jeff."

"Yes she is, and you're warned. You do something foolish and you will be dating your hand and thinking of a girl instead of holding one." It occurred that this applied to me too. I loved Paige and just wanted some fun with Alice. Paige was subservient but not stupid.

For the rest of the school day I pondered about Paige and myself. I had not changed my feelings but I just wanted a bit of breathing room to enjoy some other girls. My sisters and Jane were great but they had been increasingly busy with their own agendas.

I walked Alice home and waved to Joyce but hurried around the block to my house. Paige was there with some of the other girls. She was doing most of the listening. When I could I asked Paige to come with me for a few minutes.

We hurried upstairs and kissed in my old room. Holding Paige was many times better than holding anybody else. I sat on the bed with my back against the headboard. I pulled her to me and kept my arms around her.

"Paige, I haven't told you in a while that I love you. I miss holding you and I miss talking with you."

"I love you too Jeff and I always will."

"You know that after I got hit by the lightning I changed. I said to you then that I might want other girls. I want to tell you that I did have another girl."

"Alice?"

"Yes Honey. She is beautiful, smart and she protected me. I just want you to know that it is my hormones and a bit of an investigation but that is all. I do not love her. I like her though and we may be friends but never anything more. The way I feel now, holding you, is greater than being with anybody else."

"Are you going to see her again?"

"I want to. I want to see other women too as I get older but I want to come home to you. I just felt guilty about what I did. I don't want you to ever leave me. I just don't know what I would do without you."

"I know you love me Jeff. Sometimes I worry but I just remember your promise."

"I remember your promise too. You were going to take me for better or worse. I'll try to be discrete or invite the girl to meet you. Maybe you would like her too but I don't know about Alice."

"She is pretty but I am afraid of her. She's too pushy."

"I get the same feeling. Speaking of feelings, when are you and I going to get back together? Even if we don't make love, it is great being just the way we are now."

"I feel that way too. I like to help the girls and I'm glad you decided to get us to do this. It — it's something bigger than me now."

"That's great but as long as it isn't bigger than us."

This time I took a taxi to the bus station. Once again the bus was filled with hockey fans headed towards a Maple Leaf game. I tried to study and fill in some of the ideas on cement trucks and the concrete pumper that I was fairly certain had not been invented yet. As I wrote, I remembered a stone slinger and added that to do. This was simple, with a conveyor belt that wrapped around the truck but was able to drop its load where it was wanted the same as the pumper but here it could be many stories higher.

Around Barrie I noticed that there was a lot more snow flying and we were going slower because of the conditions and traffic. When it quieted down on the bus, I put everything away and tried to get some sleep. It seemed to work after a while.

I got into Toronto an hour later than usual. I got off at the usual street and looked around for Gregory. He was across the street this time and the car was covered in snow. He must have been waiting for a while.

I watched traffic and got across the street as quickly as possible with my large pack. "Hi Gregory. I'm sorry for keeping you out here during the storm."

"That is perfectly alright. I got a chance to read and listen to music."

We drove for a few minutes but Gregory was always looking in his rear view mirror. I asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think we are being followed. Our license plates are probably still covered in snow, but it may be somebody that knows you or us."

"Can I turn around and look or will that alert them?"

"You won't see much. They have as much snow on them as we have. They are staying fairly far back though and that makes them more professional."

"Can you lose them?"

"Maybe. Have you ever been on a subway before?"

I had many times but that was in the future. "No, but I heard about it from people that have."

"Two blocks from here is one of the entrances. Why don't you get on one and go for a ride. I'll block the entrance but you will have to call a cab to take you to Mr Holtzman's house. Do you have enough money?"

"I have more than enough. I don't feel worried and at least this breaks the monotony you were talking about before."

"It sure does but they are probably trying to follow you not me."

"When the time comes turn a corner and stop by some cars. I'll bail out but leave my pack. If you leave right away they may not know I have left. I'll see if I can get a glimpse of their back plate."

"Very good Sir."

We were lucky in that the street we turned on was empty. I jumped out and slammed the door after saying a polite, "Ta-ta for now."

The car raced off and a the following car turned the corner. It accelerated to catch up but I was only able to see the last three digits. I also noticed that it was a 1957 Buick with a black paint job. When the car was far enough away I did as was Gregory suggested and I took the subway. Ten minutes later I was in a taxi and heading north.

I tipped the driver generously and hopped out. John was with Corinne, and he had a perplexed look on his face.

"Welcome Jeff. What happened to the car and driver I sent?"

"It looked like I was followed. Out of respect for your privacy I came alone while Gregory is trying to lose them."

I was talking as I moved and pulled Corinne away from the open door. When my coat was off I picked her up and swung her around. "How has my little girl been doing?"

"I baked a cake for you," she said instead.

"You did! Show me."

Corinne had already eaten but liked to be fed from my plate. John used a light banter to ask about the car. I gave what information I could the same way so as to not alarm Corinne.

A half hour later the phone rang. A happy John came back from answering it and said, "Gregory lost the car and will be coming home now."

We talked of about business but I continued to devote much of my attention to Corinne. Gregory brought my pack in and I thanked him. So did John. Gregory seemed to think this was better than a raise.

John made a few calls of his own while I fished out the papers I was working on. "Not much today but worth a million maybe."

"What is this?"

"They are plans for concrete handling equipment. The truck is very big with large wide tires. The larger trucks have a second set of steering tires just behind the driver that turn a fraction less than the front set. The mixing is done in the a spinning drum and that is driven by a hydraulic pump off the front of the engine. When you want to empty the drum it just goes in reverse and a large auger welded to the inside of the drum moves the wet cement out. This is a neat idea and somebody may have already patented it.

"The second device is a diesel driven pump designed to handle concrete. You need aluminum pipe in sections that clamp to each other. To get even higher, a second pump is put in series. The truck I mentioned, just fills the hopper and the pump takes it to where it is needed. The discharge pipe can have a flexible control so one man can put wet concrete far into a work site without a truck getting stuck in the wet soil.

"The second kind of truck just has a conveyor belt attached to it to deliver crushed stone or sand where it is needed without a man having to use a wheelbarrow or a front end loader.

"All of these machines reduce manpower requirements. They put the material where it is needed even though the intervening space may be blocked or impassable."

John said, "They sound great but I don't see how to market this."

I said, "Making even one of these items will cost a lot of money. Buying into a construction company that wants to get big is a possibility. Failing all that, you can interest any of the large truck manufacturers into making these vehicles. A construction company wanting to purchase a dozen stone slingers or a few pumps would help. The cement companies should buy the trucks. Dry ingredients and water go into the truck and it is off. By the time it gets to the site it is fully mixed. All you need is a tank of water to clean out the drum before the residual coating of cement dries."

I added, "This may be a very bias question and it isn't meant to be. Does Mr Scordino have anything to do with construction? If he is a neighbour he is not one of the faceless poor."

"No, he certainly isn't poor. He may like these ideas of yours and not because he is Italian. He worked in the construction industry all his life. Do you see us selling him any of this information?"

"It is nice to have favours owed us. I will let him know what they are probably worth and what he can do to make a lot of money. I will explain that it is just too costly to do this ourselves."

John called Mr Scordino but instead of coming over later he would like to see us now. Corinne went with us dressed in her warmest clothing. The trip was only about a block. I had to convince John to walk a bit even if it wasn't what he usually did.

Instead of a bruiser answering the door, an older woman with grey hair and wearing an apron, greeted us. She said in fair English, "Come in, come in." She greeted each of us by name and bent down to hug Corinne. The child had been warned of this and hugged back to please me.

"Let me take your coats. Carlo will be out in a minute."

I said in the dialect I knew best in Italian, "Thank you. If I may ask, what were you preparing?"

The woman smiled at me and turned her head to one side. "Some meat sauce. Carlo wants you to eat with us and I have to make the gnocchi."

"Would Mr Scordino get upset if we talked in the kitchen? I am learning to cook and it is always good to see new recipes. Do you use cheese in your dough?"

John didn't understand so I said, "I am looking for extra marks. I tried my hand before but I didn't have the knack to make the gnocchi properly."

I turned back to the woman and said, "You know our names but I like Jeff better and this is Corinne to me but Cori to her nonno."

"My name is Maria."

From around the corner came Mr Scordino. He was propelling his own wheelchair quickly to get to us. He said, "I'm sorry, I was detained." He looked at John and said, "Hello Mr Holtzman."

"Hello Mr Scordino. We were just trying to see if you have any better recipes."

Corinne was introduced and she actually went close to and hugged the man though he had to lean awkwardly to do this. He spoke in Italian now saying how nice Corinne was. Even a person not understanding the language should understand roughly what he said.

"You must be the young man I heard so much about. You invent a wonderful device, fix televisions, run many small businesses and find time to — to do other nice things."

I was lucky because the man spoke the same dialect of Italian that I knew best. I didn't know that much but could fudge it with Latin and French if pushed. I now spoke in his language. "Thank you sir. Part of it was just being a business man and part was just doing what any young man would want to do if presented with the same situation."

This time he paused and looked at me. "Your Italian is fair. Where did you get a chance to learn our language?"

I said in English, "I had some friends that speak Italian. They speak a different dialect but many words are similar. Before that I had a friend when I was young and spoke more to his family than to him in this language. Learning to speak another language is not that hard for me. I already know French and Latin so Italian is not that difficult."

"Come, let us talk in the other room."

"Sir, I hope you don't think less of me but I have passed many different courses in high school. The only ones I work at now are those that I do not know that much about or those that are difficult. I am learning to cook though many boys are not taking this subject. I was hoping that Maria would show me her recipe and we can talk there."

The man smiled. "The kitchen is good. I too like to cook but some people in this house do not like my cooking."

"You use too much salt or too much oil all the time."

Mr Scordino put his hands in the air as if seeking spiritual inspiration then he propelled himself into the kitchen.

Maria got out a glass of milk for Corinne then looked at me. I nodded my head and got a glass too. Some dried pastries came out and we snacked. Maria dumped a large pot of boiling water into a colander then began to make more of her dough and talked as she did so. I think she was unused to being the one leading the conversation.

The two older men just whispered but Corinne and I washed our hands and helped roll the small portions of raw dough into the characteristic shape. I had made this many times before and there actually were a lot of variations.

In between jobs the large pot was simmering on the stove and had to be stirred. Maria cooked up a small amount so she could put her sauce on them to sample.

I said, "Some families take a small amount of cooked pasta and put it in a bowl of the water it was cooked in. A bit of red wine is added. I have tried it and found it simple but nice.

Mr Scordino had to try it. He said, "I heard of this too. Now is the time to see if it is any good."

While the pasta was cooking, Mr Scordino said, "Mr Congdon, Mr Holtzman said that I might be of service to you."

"You just might but so could your wife if she will listen to my story." The man nodded his head in acceptance. "I met this very nosey girl that is four if not more years older than me. She moved into the same neighbourhood and happens to be very beautiful. My life is private and I devised a plan to let her be satisfied in a way."

Maria took a chair and listened now. I said, "While sitting around a table much like this at my home, my family, my girlfriend, my other friends, and two of my teachers played a game. We went around the table and added to a very farfetched story. None of it is true but we need names, places and other data to make this story come alive."

Mr Scordino asked, "What is the story so far?"

I listed each of the people that had contributed various parts until I got to what it would be a few months from now. I qualified my story by saying, "A movie studio is now looking at a script I have made. If this story is good enough it may make it to the theatres and to television."

I had to go through the plot of 'Jaws'. Maria took care of her food and I made the lead in to the first shark attack. I did it in such a way that I frightened both Maria and Corinne. I think Mr Scordino's heart was beating fast too now. In a few more minutes I went through the remainder of the book.

"That is a very interesting story. I am sure it will frighten the audience though."

In reply I said, "People like to be frightened. Will you assist me in making my story for the girl better?"

"Who is this mob person?"

"I have no idea. It was just something to make a story. I don't want anybody mad at me but it would be nice to use some real names that are seen now and again in the newspapers."

We had the dish I had suggested. Corinne sampled mine and didn't want any more. John ate his but I didn't think he would ask for more. Maria and Mr Scordino seemed to like it though and polished theirs off before sampling four or five pieces of gnocchi in sauce.

Mr Scordino was quiet then asked his wife in Italian about many of the people in their community. Maria gave her answers but asked a few questions of her own. They started to get excited and this I knew is when things got creative.

Though it was still early, Mr Scordino offered us some wine and had some for himself. He started to tell me names and places of people that had gone back to Italy but usually found a way back here once in a while to look after business. One man, Mr Banano, was thought to be dead but this was only known through some confidential contacts. For me, the man would have to remain alive in my story.

Maria ran upstairs and I got up to stir the sauce until she came down with a photo album. There were a great many pages with a beautiful blonde haired girl in it. Mr Scordino said, "This is my granddaughter. She has never been out of Italy. This picture is a few years old and she will be getting married soon."

I said in all honesty, "She is a beautiful girl." I looked at Maria and said, "She has your eyes and jaw. I also see the way she poses. This too is like you."

Maria smiled and turned quickly to take care of the cooking. Mr Scordino said, "You have a good eye Mr Congdon. The family think the same thing."

"Please call me Jeff. You invited me into your home and helped me with a problem."

"Of course, Jeff. Please call me Carlo."

It took a while but I got John to enter into our new story making venture. It was fun to be pushed to come up with an answer that fit in with the idea before and hope that it was not too difficult for the person after you.

Corinne was allowed to try but I was the one that gave her an easy lead up. She was too young but did add some information.

When I had enough data I wrote it down then went for detail. This was turning out like a board, game and this was another way of making money but I was not interested.

A little over an hour later the information was all gathered up. I said to Carlo, "Over the last few months I have invented a great many articles. John is working with me to bring them to market. We have plastic bottles and child proof caps that will keep busy fingers from getting into trouble. We are working on improvements to sunglasses and new ways of diapering babies."

"Why would you want to do that Jeff? I mean babies are a woman's job."

"Carlo, they all make money or will when the patent rights are sold or when we sell the product. I just invented some board games while sitting here but they are too much of a bother to sell. I have other things in my mind but they are too costly to bring to market. You may be able to do this if you want. I take no part in it, no partnership and no money ever changing hands. It is just a gift with no strings attached if you want it."

"Gifts always have strings, Mr Congdon."

"Have I upset you? I came here for your help and you gave it to me. I just want to repay the favour if I may."

"I am sorry Jeff. I get upset when I think I might get pulled into a deal that I do not want."

"Let me tell you what is on my mind and you can take it if you want."

"Ok tell me."

"Toronto and any large city needs building materials. Picture a large dump truck with a conveyor wrapped around it. When crushed stone is needed up to fifty feet from the truck, a man can guide the belt to where it is needed. It is attached to the truck and has joints. This is one idea. It is not complicated and if you want it you just take it and talk to an engineer. He will draw up some plans and then you get a company to modify an existing truck.

"You make the money by selling the truck all over North America. It takes a lot of money to build the truck and a lot of money to make more. The construction trades will buy this truck very quickly. It saves them money in putting stone where it is needed. Do you see a value in this tool?"

"Mr Congdon, Jeff, I worked in construction. The truck you talked about would sell very well. I know many people willing to buy at least some of these trucks but not replace all of their current fleet."

"You're right Carlo. This truck is only a tool and does some things very well but not all. Will you try to build this truck? If you say yes then the idea is all yours. I want nothing from it."

"Sure, I would love it. I cannot see how to build a lot of trucks though."

"Nothing is perfect when first built. Make one and sell it. Try to make some improvements. When you have done a lot of work get a large truck manufacturer to make it for you. Either you sell it or they do, and you get a cut for every one sold."

"You can do this too Jeff. Why are you giving it to me?"

"It cost money to build a truck then talk to people to buy it. Later more talk is needed to get it built by a large company. It would take up a lot of my time and money. I can make more money on other things."

He sat rubbing the empty glass in front of him for a few moments then said, "I will do this Jeff."

"Very good. Do you want two more ideas? All you have to do is get them built and offered to the world."

"What are they?"

I went into detail of the various sized cement trucks and how cement companies would be the best to purchase this idea. A similar conveyor belt could go on these trucks too. In five minutes I went into a cement pump and the light metal pipe to put the liquid concrete where it was needed much easier than with a crane.

"All these ideas have to be patented. I suggest you hire some engineers to design them for you then make a few. I just thought of another idea."

"What is that Jeff?"

"It is two ideas. Someone may have invented this but if they didn't then you do so. Picture a small helicopter flying upside down."

"Ok."

"A man holds controls like those on a motorcycle and walks behind the slow moving blades. The blades are all trowels with a metal ring around it. The man guides it over the partially set concrete to level it. A small gasoline motor makes the blades turn."

"That sounds very interesting. What is your other idea?"

"The same but it has an extra set of blades and the man sits in a chair between them. This is only good for very large projects but will make any construction very competitive. They need less employees and can get their jobs done sooner."

"Are you selling this idea?"

"They are gifts too. I would like to see them built. That is all."

We had lunch of gnocchi and I had to fill in a lot of paper giving some clearer ideas to what is I was talking about. Corinne was getting bored and I used this as an excuse to leave. Maria was sorry to see us go especially Corinne who she continually spoke Italian too. Carlo seemed to be very excited about the prospects for making money and Maria looked happy that her husband was now much more animated.

I now had three pictures of a pretty blonde haired Italian girl in my pocket to put some credulity to my story.

Bookmark December 25, 2007

While Corinne went for a nap, John and I went to our workshop to see just what had been accomplished. I was surprised to see that the tape was actually being made now. The process was very slow and the four foot wide roll of Mylar film was very large in diameter. It was not sliced though and that would have to be a second process. The machine for this job was in the works and would be ready in a few weeks.

The bottles were made in three different sizes but they would be a start. As predicted, a softening agent had to go into the plastic so it would not prematurely crystallise.

Mr Berger was happy with all the progress being made. There were presently twenty-nine engineers working for the two or three of us depending on who owned what. A further group of eight tradesmen worked with the engineering staff to make what was needed.

I got to read a great many more patents and sign those that were ready to send in. When this was done I was told that much but not all of my equipment had come in. Mr Berger paid a man at the university to do some custom glass blowing. It was not as complicated as I first thought. The various ends had been cut at the angle I wanted then a sheet of quartz cemented to the cut.

More information had come in about the engineers I had seen. More had been canvassed and they too were being investigated. I had more cash now to deal with purchasing a property but I needed to do some arm-twisting in North Bay and that could only be done when I was going to spend a lot more money. My research facility would have to be started soon. This would handle the equipment and engineers. They in turn would need homes at least after their evaluation period was over.

I said, "I think we better check a bit harder now. I don't like being followed. They will be bugging my home and the telephone next."

"Can you do anything about it?"

"I could make two small machines that go on a telephone. It encrypts the voice and only a similar machine set the right way will make the sounds recognisable. I will have to make a small device that will detect bugs. Before any sensitive information is discussed the area is swept for electronic vermin. If you are tricky you leave the bugs and give misleading information while trying to find how the bug got placed."

Mr Sebastian Forsyth had talked to John about the rights he acquired and he was given some free advice from our 'technical department'. The status of our loan was still up in the air. Through a little verbal arm-twisting, we found that the man had sold shares in his new company and got back all the money he gave us and still had a large portion of the shares for himself.

Working with the engineers showed that I didn't really know that much about what I was supposedly inventing. I had to stay back and let them do the work. I was able to answer some questions because I had seen the process in a factory or some similar procedure.

Sunday was evenly spent between the shop and Corinne. I sang 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head' by B.J. Thomas and it was so well liked that I wrote out the song. I added 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Ole Oak Tree' and 'Bad Bad Leroy Brown'. I especially liked Jim Croce.

Corinne and lots of the staff at the house were entertained as I worked and made myself ten to twenty thousand dollars. All this when a man made only two thousand dollars a year.

Before it was time to go I added 'I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song', 'Time In A Bottle' and "Morning Has Broken'. My musical abilities were improving; too bad I would never make an artist. Corinne didn't cry now and I felt better. She knew I would come back when I could. There was no way though that she could visit without security and finding out who was following us.

John had talked to some police but nothing much could get done on the weekend. Without the use of a computer it would be far harder.

Again I went home sooner but now took a taxi to another ritzy area frequented by some of the mob figures and called another taxi. If I had to go back by bus it was a sure thing that somebody would be there to see me and possibly ask the taxi driver where he picked me up.

Since I was early, I went looking around for the Buick. I didn't find the vehicle but I found some people looking at me. It was possible that it was just the fact that my picture was in the paper or that I had some oddly coloured skin on my face.

I put the six songs to paper. The bus was crowded and a girl of fourteen was forced to sit beside me. Her mother and younger brother were just across the aisle.

The girl was at first putout but looked at what I was doing until she could contain herself no longer. "What song are you writing out?"

I smiled at her and put my pad down. "Hi, my name is Jeff. I didn't think you wanted to talk to me." I knew her name, for her mother had used it twice.

"My mother made me sit here."

"Yes, I heard. You should be glad to know that I don't bite and I am relatively disease free. Though one time my cat had fleas and they liked to nibble on me too."

"We have a cat too. I know what you mean. Are you copying songs or making your own?"

I had to lie and said, "They are all my songs. If we are lucky you will hear this on the radio someday soon."

"Really? My sister's boyfriend likes to think he can do that too."

"Would you like me to sing a few? It helps if I verbalise as I write."

"Without music?"

"I cannot sing very well and I cannot play like I have to if I were going on the stage but I can write the music."

"Ok, sing."

I sang 'Morning Has Broken' for her and her eyes were very bright now. Putting emphasis in the song as I looked at Patty. I might have got a kiss but this was still the fifties and her mother was close.

The next song was 'Time In A Bottle' and I even got some applause from those around me.

"You are really good — ah Jeff. You could make some money selling those songs or even singing them yourself."

"I send my songs to my agent. He does the selling. I still go to school."

"You have an agent?"

"Yes I do. You probably heard one of my songs already."

Now her eyes got very bright and she hopped around on her seat to look at me. "Which one?"

"The first one that I sold was 'Downtown'. Have you heard it?"

"Heard it! It is my favourite. Debbie Reynolds is my favourite singer."

"But I heard that this song was by a famous person making a lot of songs."

"What was his name?"

"Ah, I can't remember."

I took out my wallet and showed her my library card to the University of Toronto's Library. My finger was under the name."

"Jeff Congdon? That could be it. Do you live in Toronto?"

"No, I am from the country." This reminded me of another song and I held up my hand as I tried to remember the song. Once I had it I went through it a couple times. Patty wanted to interrupt but my hand kept her quiet.

I started to sing, 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy'. I could not sing it nearly as well as John Denver but I tried. "There you go. I just made a new song. You can tell your grandchildren that I wrote it while looking at you."

John Denver sang a lot of good songs and this time I put my hand up and nobody around me said anything. In ten minutes I sang 'Take Me Home' by the same singer.

Patty and her family had to get off at Orillia and I thought that if I asked her to go on with me, she'd jump at the chance. Such is the power of an entertainer. She got a copy of 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy' for her to keep with my name on it and a warning that this was not to be duplicated. I was quite sure she would list all the songs she would ever hear that I made and look fondly at the original of one that was made for her alone.

I took a taxi home from the terminal. It was cold and I didn't feel like braving the short walk it would have been if I had got out earlier. The fact that there were black Buicks in the world clinched the deal.



-------

Chapter 17


It was a cold morning although there was no new snow. We talked as we walked to school, and I was worried about the girls.

"Jennifer, why don't you set aside some time for music? You too Susan. You can still have your social gatherings but you did start the other tasks."

It was Susan that answered. "I guess we could." She looked around at the other girls and they seemed to nod in acceptance. I guess they were looking for a way to get back to their old routine, they just needed a small push in the right direction.

I started to sing the songs I had done on the bus. I sang 'Morning Has Broken' and 'Time In A Bottle'. They were done by the time we arrived at school. I think this encouraged the girls to continue with music.

"Let's have a hootenanny in the near future.?"

Paige was holding my hand and she shook it to get my attention. "What is that?"

"Hootenanny can mean something you don't know the name for like a 'dingus' or a 'doohickey'. It also means a sing along where the audience participates with the musicians. Your political and cultural aspirations could get a tremendous boost by making everybody happy at a gathering. Singing can do that. Get the boys to play too and then they are seen as sympathetic to your cause." The girls really seemed to like this idea.

As I walked to class I knew it was not a good idea to have any hootenannies at our house. It was not big enough.

I studied from the new books I got from Mr Berger about cyanobiphenyl materials. I was still after the super twist variety and ones that could work in other temperature ranges. Mr Berger had given me half a dozen ideas that I wanted to pursue. I knew that there were literally hundreds of thousands more waiting for me or any other researcher.

Gym was not quite the chore it once was. My exercising at home and the little I was able to get at school was building up my stamina and strength. Sam was more apathetic in his efforts but he was getting better too. Ian was progressing faster. He washed more and his acne was clearing up a bit. He looked less of a slob now and I saw that he was responding better to what others saw in him.

I played the sax as usual during Music. I wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to play with real musicians. Miss Floit asked about my music writing.

"I wrote some more songs but I think I should find some that will bring a audience full of people together."

"Why are you going that way?"

"Music and singing promote community. One song that I am calling 'I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing' could be the first. A movement needs a theme song and I am just trying to throw songs out until one fits. People will hear the song and think of what the people singing it are striving for."

"We don't need songs we need things done."

"To get things done you have to be in the public eye. What better way than singing songs that promote brotherhood and understanding?"

This she seemed to grasp but the next part was difficult. "We need a place to meet where we can sing and play instruments. My house is too small and only suitable for small groups. The gym is big but the walls will distort the sound. Do you have an idea?"

"I can't think of any. In the summer we could have it outside but that is no good for now."

The summer and outside reminded me of Woodstock New York. I made it to the event in 1969. The thought cheered me up for not only was it a good way of making money because this life's Woodstock would showcase my songs after I was well known.

I learned about doing laundry in Home Ec. Rather, it was teaching the subject. I, at one time did all the laundry and now I did it when it was my turn. Paige usually got in and did this for me while trying to prove that she was going to be a good wife. I let her only do this some times because I had to show her and the other girls that I could, and would, do this work also.

We did learn that there was going to be a new student tomorrow or the next day and the gender was not going to be female. The girls were well pleased with this. I fell into my own trap wondering if the guy was queer or wanting to learn to be a chef. I kicked myself mentally for being so biased when I wanted others to think first before acting.

After school, the music room was busy again and I just stopped in for a moment. The boys were back to playing and perhaps this political sidetrack would not hurt them.

During the day I filled out my newest booklet on my fictional life with the mob. I stuck the photos in the back where they could be found. In a way, I felt bad about my duplicity. I had sex with Alice and I couldn't help feeling bad about tricking her now. I justified it with myself by thinking that it would make her think a lot more before spreading rumours. I hadn't heard of any so far but that was the only thing it could be.

During our walk home, I let slip the last name of the deceased mob figure. Carlo and I had argued for a while about my simplistic ideas and things had changed a great deal. Erminia was now a granddaughter that came over to Canada because her parents were killed in a bomb attack in Italy. These murders were for control of a lucrative gambling empire in a large Italian city. Many other things were altered but now it looked much more plausible.

Today, I just came back from designing a large gnocchi making machine that would put all the competitors out of business. The product would be shipped all across Canada and make the mob leader even richer. This was to enrich the legitimate part of his empire.

"I was just doing a job that could make a lot of money, now stop asking about what I was doing. It's dangerous."

Alice wore a ring and when I released her hand, she turned to say goodbye. I looked at it for a moment and paused until she got curious.

"It is only a ring Jeff. Jeez it is like you haven't seen one before."

"Erminia has one just like it," I said mildly then looked surprised that I had said this.

"Who is that?"

"I can't tell you. I shouldn't have let it slip. Forget the name. It's dangerous to know."

She now had a last name as well as the fictional name of a woman. A mafia run food industry was now involved that was poised to take over the world with good noodles.

When I got home, the house was quiet. Jane was not around but there was a note to call Sam Johnson. Jane came running in with an armload of groceries and gave me a kiss before going out to get the rest. I debated letting the man wait but a deadline was approaching.

I phoned Sam before the girls came home and this time I got to him very quickly.

Sam said, "I thought you would have been back to me sooner Mr Congdon."

"I wanted to give you enough time to consider the material."

"I thought you wanted the money."

"Oh, I do but it is not important right now. I wrote eight songs yesterday that should bring in quite a bit of cash. You only want to purchase a few."

"Eight in one day? That sounds impossible. I have been in the business for quite a few years and never heard of that before."

"It is not nice to call me a liar, Mr Johnson. You know next to nothing about me. The one thing you do know is that recently you purchased some of my other songs at an auction. My name was on every one of those sheets of music."

"I am sorry Mr Congdon. You're right; I don't know you very well. A great many musicians are using your name now. Your agent is doing a good job of telling everybody how you find doing everything so easily. If you will excuse my curiosity, did you really rescue that girl and kill that guy?"

"That is a subject I don't like to talk about. You are correct in that I killed a guy bent on killing the little girl and me. At the time I had enough running. I had just been shot in the shoulder and knew I could not travel very fast. I did what was necessary and only wished I was able to see the other two die as well."

Sam didn't speak for a moment but then cleared his throat and said, "Mr Sackman says you are just twelve too."

"That's correct."

"He also says one of his clients is looking at a screenplay you wrote."

"That is true also. In a while the book will come out and you will get a chance to read the story. I'm working on a few more novels that could can be converted into movie scripts. They're more work than writing songs but gives me an alternate source of income."

"You sound too good to be true," and he very quickly added, "but I know it has to be. Tell me what you want for the songs you sent me?"

"I will take forty thousand for the four songs. For a favour I will drop the figure to thirty five."

"Thirty five thousand! Are you crazy? I might be able to see twenty for them."

"Mr Johnson, You asked for specific songs that would work well for your client. I supplied those songs. There are even more but I expect that your client will work with the new material he now has before biting off a bit more. As you know, my name is more respected now and I can command a better price. I know that the songs I sent you may not fetch quite what I stated if sold to others but they will still purchase them and make me a considerable amount of money."

"I have overhead here, Mr Congdon. I simply cannot afford thirty five thousand."

"It is thirty five thousand and a favour Mr Johnson."

"What is the favour?"

"Your client sings 'Happy Birthday' to my sister and talks for a few minutes from a script I will give you. I then want the song pressed into a hundred forty fives so I can give them away as gifts."

"Do you know how much it costs to make one pressing?"

"As a matter of fact I do. That is why I dropped the price by five thousand dollars. It is more work but the cost will not be the full five thousand."

We argued over the phone for a half hour. The girls came home and stayed out of the way while I negotiated. I explained how November 28 was coming up fast and I needed to have the records in my hand before that.

The songs were not sold. I wasn't concerned because somebody would buy them. I figured it was just a way of Sam saying he really didn't want the songs that much.

Just before five o'clock someone knocked on the door. Susan let in a tall, well built man and a short woman with large glasses. From their expressions alone I could see that they were trouble. I inspected their identification and jotted down the details on a piece of paper. My note taking seemed to anger them. Susan went out and investigated the car on the street and brought back the make and licence number. It wasn't a black Buick.

It seemed that the provincial authorities didn't want to pay Jane for her and our family's upkeep. They wanted to exclude me from their talk with Jane but I refused, though I did send the girls off.

The man, Mr Peak said, "How can you afford a house like this? Most of the funds given you must go for rent."

Jane had been paying the owner under the table to hide her former income so the house really looked like a bargain. Neither Peak nor Miss Pringle believed the figure but couldn't do anything about it.

They worked on Jane trying to get her to admit that she had an alternate source of income. The way the woman looked at Jane I knew she had heard of Jane's former occupation.

Miss Pringle said, "You are making far more income than allowed."

I said politely, "How is my mother making more income than allowed? You saw the figures. She made less than two hundred dollars total and at no time did she make more than the twenty five dollars a month that she is allowed to earn."

"The income in this home is much larger than two hundred dollars."

I asked casually, "What provincial statute allows your agency to add the income of a dependant child to that of the mother?"

"There are many instances where it combined income is mentioned. Your own income allows you to support yourself."

"Are you suggesting that a twelve-year-old boy move out on his own Miss Pringle?"

"I don't know why I am talking to you. I am not suggesting that. I just think you should do the supporting of the family if you are able."

"My company is set up in full accordance to the laws of both Ontario and Canada. The money specifically stays in the company. My lawyer and not my mother handle all legal matters. Furthermore she has no say at all over the company. That is all in my lawyer's hands. My mother signed away that right when the company was set up. I get a small salary and my sisters get one as well. It so happens that the majority of the money that they should get is fully protected in separate trust accounts."

The woman said, "The fact remains that you are going to be taken off the welfare roles."

"That sounds very final."

"It is."

"What is the name of your superior, please? I may also need his or her phone number and address to fight this."

"You cannot fight this. It is final."

"Oh, but you're mistaken. I can and will fight it on my mother's behalf. The courts may well be avoided but in the end the true legal decision will be given. By the way, are you refusing to give me the information I requested? I thought a government official had to give me this if it is requested and I certainly did."

I got the information and the couple left. I watched them go. Mr Peak was pissed and he tried to accelerate too quickly and almost slid into another car going by.

I never liked living on the dole. At this time of the century people hid this information if they could, along with other things like being fired. People had a great deal more pride in their lives and some even refused a government handout because it meant that they could not support their own family. Things changed rapidly until social assistance was not seen with a certain stigma, it rated as an acceptable way of living.

What I had said was correct. My family made very little direct cash. It was all protected the best way I knew how. Congdon Electronics sent much of its profits to CanAm Industries, Inc, and had little left to tax. I was not quite ready to fledge though.

Jane was very worried now and was crying as she sat at the table. My sisters, along with Paige and Jennifer were the only ones that remained. I held Jane from behind and she had to sit up now.

"Jane, you know I have enough money to take care of us if worse comes to worse." The girls had no idea how much I made or even how much I made for the one song they knew that I sold. "Girls, you all know that I have been sending in a great many songs. I sold more than one song and I have enough money to buy this house if I must. I also have enough money to keep my family fed and clothed. If you think about it now you have had more money than at any other time during your lives."

Maggie asked, "You can buy this house? You have that much money?"

"Yes I do Honey. I was putting off buying a home until my other businesses started to produce. When Paige and I are married I plan on moving to Toronto to keep a closer tabs on my businesses. I will provide for all of you and that also means Jennifer and Angela. Of course Paige too. That means I have some important jobs later for each of you."

Susan asked, "Are we going to have to move?"

"Not unless we want to. I do want a nicer home though, with room for me to work, and a lot more space for each of us. I don't want to leave anybody to get there." The last was said as I put my hand on Paige's shoulder.

Everybody was depressed. It was martial arts night though and the girls left. They bitched at having to go, but did for me. I exercised, finished up the details on the songs and then studied. I turned into bed earlier than usual and took Jane with me. I made her happy for a while. Later Susan and Maggie got in with us. I hugged my girls and knew that the most important things were still under control.

The next day I mailed the songs to Mr Sackman on the way to school. At lunch, I called Mr Mason and told him of the problem with the authorities. He was honest with me and said he would get back after he read up on it a bit more.

In my chemistry class and one of my spares I found a second variant of cyanobiphenyl. Its temperature range was different and didn't fully overlap the other one I found. Again I cleaned up and made sure my notes were kept hidden. I may be the only one to know how important this was but, with more people interested in me, I had to remain cautious.

We had a new guy in Gym class. He had long blonde hair and seemed to be very outgoing. When I saw his face I thought he was a girl at first. He seemed to make friends very easily.

Jamie Sutherland was in my music class, too; the teacher and the girls fussed over him. He seemed to be well used to this kind of treatment.

Alice was fingering her ring as we walked home. I watched her and had to smile to myself. She said, "Is Erminia pretty?"

"She is a beautiful young lady with long blonde hair but she knows when to remain quiet. You always have to ask questions."

"I am just sizing up the competition Jeff. A girl is allowed."

"Alice, I like you but we are not boy and girlfriend. I told you that Paige is for me. We can be friends though."

Alice looked sad and I didn't know if it was an act or not. "Friends can keep secrets. You know I am your friend because I bopped that guy for you."

"You certainly did and I would do the same for you but that doesn't mean we share the same interests."

"I could get to know you better. It was fun making love."

"It was fun for me too but even if you were faking it when we started."

She looked surprised for a moment. "Guys I found get hurt if they don't think they are good with the ladies. I was just letting you get used to me. I hope you know that after I was not faking anything."

"Yes, I know that, and that was when I enjoyed myself too."

"Jeff, you talk like a guy at least my age. You understand things that adults cannot comprehend and you know more about pleasing a girl that most men I've met."

"What does that tell you Alice?"

"That you are a person going places and if your friends help you they will go with you."

"I do rely on friends for a lot of things. If they are capable and trustworthy, I see them getting ahead even if it has nothing to do with me. It's just hard to see where everyone fits because I haven't found a secure place for myself yet."

"Mom has gone shopping Jeff. We can make our own friendship grow."

I smiled and said, "More than friendship can grow."

There was no smell of fresh perfume in the house but Alice dragged me upstairs without a chance to look. We took off our winter clothing and placing our books on a nearby table. Within minutes we were naked and I pulled Alice to the showers. Her talk of other lovers made me want to at least start with a clean slate, so to speak.

Alice started on me when we were in the tub. She sucked me expertly while her hands went around to play with my anus. In a short time we were half dry and on her bed. She made sure to close the door this time.

When we resumed she had a small jar of lubricant and she put some on her finger. She sucked me again and her finger worked into my back passage. She either had more experience or I was more sensitive than I would be in later years for it felt much more erotic than it ever had before.

I pulled her hand out and then backed up. "I want some of that too. You like your bum massaged too." Alice really smiled and handed me the bottle.

We got into the classic soixante-neuf position but I could not use my fingers well. I pushed Alice to one side then slid out from under her. I used some tissue on my fingers then cleaned hers. Alice didn't object at all now when I greased myself up and slid slowly into her.

It took a while before she started to respond. "Play with that pretty pussy of yours."

There was no argument and she began right away. My fingers were busy on her nipples as I continued to thrust. She built up slowly and in time to my thrusts for I wanted this to last. Eventually it was getting too much for her. She grabbed a pillow and put it over my hands on her chest and in another minute she started to convulse. The pillow went over her face and she contracted violently and I had to hold on or get expelled.

My own orgasm was a mere shadow to what Alice had. When she recovered I looked at her sweat-streaked body and said, "Can you take another and live?"

"I'll die trying," she got out breathlessly.

The second orgasm for both of us proved too much for Alice. When I recovered I left the room for the bath. I found the scent of perfume in the air. I had a partial shower and went back to clean Alice as if she were a little baby. As a precaution I put a soft towel under her bum before covering her up.

When I went downstairs to get my coat it looked like my leather pouch had been moved but just a bit.

I had not finished wondering about this latest development when Jane bounded to me as soon as I arrived home. She and gave me a quick kiss looking very happy now.

"Tell me about it Honey. It must be good."

"Oh, it is nothing. Just that Mr Cochrane asked me out tonight." She suddenly looked at me worriedly. "Can I go?"

"Jane, I want the best for you. Go with all of our blessings. Are you carrying protection?"

"But — "

"Yes or no Jane?"

"Yes, I have lots."

"Bring a few more just in case. If you don't make it back tonight I'll make breakfast tomorrow."

Jane cried happily as she kissed and hugged me. I asked, "Where are you going?"

"To a movie then a restaurant."

The girls came home with the band again. I continued to hold Jane and called Susan. When she came into the kitchen I said, "Jane has a date tonight with Mr Cochrane. Take her upstairs and make sure she is dressed properly."

"Can I give her those special panties?"

"The ones with no crotch? The one where a man can fondle a woman and put his fingers right into her without removing the panties? The ones where she can get fucked without taking her clothes off?"

Susan and Jane had that look now. Susan said, "Yes, those ones."

"Take Jane upstairs to take the edge off. I will keep the guys busy."

The two raced upstairs while I went back to talk to the band. Tom was still standing and talking very closely to Maggie. Karl was further away and in the same position with Jennifer. Angela was with us today avidly watching what was going on with her two friends.

Stan and Jeff had done all the work to set up for a session.

I pried the four boys away and tried to get back on track with Duelling Banjos. It was easy to see that they had progressed with the music. I had given the outline and more than half of the actual notes. They had continued with the song when I had not been with them.

Tom said, "Ah, we didn't know when you would get back to us. We can change anything you want."

"It sounds good Tom. Since you guys have been altering the song, play for me."

Tom and his brother Karl played as their lives depended on it. The pace picked up dramatically and I was surprised how fast they could really go.

I was suggesting some changes when the phone rang. Maggie called me over to the phone. It was Sam Johnson.

"Hello Mr Johnson. How are you today?"

"Fine. You still sticking to that unreasonable request?"

"I am afraid so. If you don't buy them then someone else will."

"Will you take thirty two for them and I still throw in the records. They are not as cheap as you may think."

"I will take thirty three. I want a hundred and fifty, forty-fives though, and they have to be here before the date I mentioned or it is back to the original forty."

"You got a deal Mr Congdon. I'll send the papers right away. Shall they go to Mr Sackman or directly to you?"

"To my lawyer I think is best." I gave him the name and address. "If the contract has any of the usual loopholes I will send it back to be fixed before I sign anything. Make the language simple. You get the songs under the same conditions as the previous contract. Elvis sings and reads what I send."

"I will do it but this takes time."

"I will send out the wording tonight." I pulled the phone aside now because I heard no talking in the other room. I whispered, "I can call back later with the text when I am alone."

"How long?"

"An hour. Wait a minute. Do you want to hear another new song with a good amateur band playing it? You can sign them up and I provide the material."

"If they hurry."

"I will ask now." I turned to the group. "Mr Johnson is a big time record promoter. He has quite a few clients and one of them is a young guy by the name of Elvis. Play your song now so he can hear it."

The song got off to a rocky start then started again and I knew the playing was even faster.

I nodded to the very worried looking young men and picked up the phone. "What did you think of their performance Mr Johnson?"

"They were not bad. Is that song yours?"

"Yep. You get it if they get to put it on a record."

"When will they be able to come down to Memphis?"

"Christmas break, I guess, but you need to talk to them about it."

"Ok."

I held out the phone to Tom. "We have a deal going here. Just listen but make no commitments. My agent will make out a contract if you are good enough. Now talk to Mr Johnson."

"H — hello — Mr Johnson."

In a moment we heard, "Tom Sonski."

While the talking was going on I brought out the sheet of what I wanted Elvis to say to Susan and the rest. I couldn't see where I needed to make any improvements.

The conversation went on for three minutes. Johnson, I knew was a busy man. I got the phone back and there was enough noise now in the other room to repeat the message. Sam even repeated the message back to me before hanging up.

When I got off the phone, Susan and Jane came downstairs. Jane was looked well dressed but not overly so. Both women looked to be bordering on serene. That changed rapidly. Everyone was talking, well, except for me. Paige left the group and came over to me and just put her arm around me.

The talk didn't stop when James came to the door. I even had to open it. It wasn't till they saw him standing there than they told him the news.

The boys were late getting home and phoned their parents to tell them the good news. They did leave later and I saw Maggie and Jennifer get a lusty kiss then Stan and my namesake gave Angela and Susan a kiss too. I think the last two boys were astonished at what they got back in the kiss department.

Paige gave me a good kiss too and hurried home with Jennifer to tell what they knew to Jack and Nora.

The news was at the school before we got there. The phone lines must have been running hot last night. I was able to get to Miss Floit's room and give her my side of the story. Perhaps this would get her other students to work harder.

When I got to homeroom, the guys congratulate me and the ones that didn't know were soon told. It was in my next class that I found that Jamie Sutherland was the new boy taking this class. I had not been sure. He had Home Ec, Gym and Music, the same as me. I began to wonder if he would have auto as well.

Mrs Cameron looked a few times at Sutherland and I could almost see the gears turning. She introduced the boy then he had to tell a bit about himself. He came across as outgoing and had a squeaky voice, a lot like mine. I was sure he was well into puberty though.

We were told to mix up a cake. It seemed like this kid was as good as I was. He worked professionally with sure quick stokes of his mixing spoon. He and I were the first ones to put what we had made into the oven and I got a smile from him.

"Hi, the name's Jamie Sutherland."

I put out my hand. "Jeff Congdon. I see you know your way around a kitchen."

"Done it long enough. My dad didn't like to cook and my mom — was gone."

"I am sorry to hear that. My dad died and I ended up doing the cooking too." Jamie smiled and it looked like I had found a person similar to me.

I was able to introduce him to Janice Higgins and Gloria Swenson before being called to order. Jamie seemed to be even more distracting to the class than I was.

Auto was the last class of the day and Jamie wasn't in it. Later I went to music and found the after school session well attended. Those that were not dedicated enough before were present in droves now to hear more from Tom.

Tom caught sight of me and hurried over through the crowd. "Tell them Jeff. I'm still not sure of all of this."

"How much do you want me to tell?"

"All of it."

To the group I said in point form, "I have sold more than one song. Sam Johnson represents some big name singers. He called me last night to make some final agreements for some songs he wanted. Tom and his group are working on a song that should easily hit the top twenty if not the top ten. I gave Mr Johnson a chance to listen. It turns out that at spring break the band and the singers will be able to go down to Memphis. There they will get a chance to see how good they are. If they are good enough they will get a chance to make a few records. It is also true that they may come home empty-handed. The music business is not for the weak of heart. Only the best of the best are even able to try out."

Questions came at me now but I just smiled and ignored most. I used the term, "No comment," quite a bit and perhaps I was the first to use the term this way.

Alice still had some girls around her and of course the boys were still there. I wasn't sure now if the girls were there because of Alice's ability to belt someone or to be near the boys.

One of the grade eleven girls that we had English with wanted to walk with us. Charlotte claimed to not have a ride today. She was pretty but not in the same league as Alice.

I looked at Alice for some clues but she seemed to be neutral on the matter. Charlotte looked to be interested in both of us. The best I could come up with is that she had some musical talent that she would like to get put on the market.

After two blocks Charlotte asked, "I hear that you play music and sing at your home. Do you mind if I come over to listen?"

"You are going to have to ask the others. I go home to work. Occasionally I help with the music but it doesn't happen often. The music Tom will play in Memphis will be mostly my work but he and his band added some too."

"Memphis?"

"If you were at the music class after school you would have received much more detail. I imagine you could listen there too. If you have some musical ability then you can see if there's a place for you to fit in."

We went a block out of our way to drop off Charlotte though Alice seemed to just want her to not cause us to alter course and walk more. When we were alone she said, "What did you think of Char?"

"She is a nice girls."

"I mean as a girl."

"She is a nice girl."

"She might want to get into bed with you."

"Alice, I have a girlfriend. You and I have some fun once in a while. I have no need for another complication in my life."

"I bet she is good though."

I said, "You are good when you are not pretending. Is your bum too sore? Are you looking for a replacement so you are not hurt?"

"Oh no. I love the way you do things. I just thought you might want a change."

"Alice, I don't need a pimp."

Alice got very angry now and her face got very mean looking. She said, "I can go the rest of the way myself now."

When I got home I found that Jane was on the phone. She sat close and fiddled with a small cord at her neckline. She just smiled at me and continued to talk and fiddle. I was going to head downstairs to exercise when she waved her hand and handed me a note.

The note said that Mr Holtzman called and would call back later. In much more florid script she wrote that Mr James Cochrane called with a bit more information. He wanted to give it to me in person.

This made me chuckle for he and Jane had come home late last night and Jane seemed to be very happy today. It also occurred to me that this was a security breach too. I had to make that bug detector and now was as good a time as any other.

I went to my room to work so Jane would have some privacy. The detector was fairly simple and it just took some care to tune the circuit. It took an hour to make the schematic. Most of it was from memory but the rest could be worked out.

When I got to the basement I found a television and a note on it with the problem. I checked the set with my own antenna then changed a tube. The set worked fine now so I cleaned the dust out then hooked a signal generator to the antenna leads. I adjusted some chokes that were set at the factory when the set was made. The components aged and values changed. When the picture was as clear as possible I used some nail polish on the threaded shafts to lock them back into place and began my own project.

I made the antenna for my bug detector first. I could calculate the impedance but I used a piece of test apparatus to get a reading. Jane called into the basement, "James is here Jeff."

"Thanks, I'll be up in a minute."

When the solder job was done I unplugged the iron and put things away. When I came upstairs I shook James hand and said, "Hello James. Jane looked to be pleased with the way you acted yesterday." Jane was nearby and acted shocked and so did James. He did start to smile.

"I have to say that I enjoyed myself very much too. The food at the restaurant wasn't as good though as I have been eating lately but the beautiful cook has to have a rest once in a while."

"You might be the cause of me putting on weight. I seem to be getting some dishes that are too good to stay away from."

"Yes, all that can be extremely habit forming."

I said, "Before Jane dies of embarrassment, I suppose we should get back to business. What do you have to tell me?"

"I made a list, so I wouldn't forget."

This was a lot more than a simple list. The document was typed out and looked to cover a dozen pages. All the questions I had asked recently were listed then answered one at a time. Some questions he thought I should have answers for were added. There were even reasons why an answer could not be replied to. One of these was the price of the stone crusher I had asked about. To ask the owner now would alert them to my wanting to reopen the aggregate company.

The document took a long time to read. We got a cup of coffee while I read. The acreage I needed was listed on a map with many different outlines to get that sum I wanted. Sometimes it even excluded the lumberyard entirely and separate notes told why this was a good idea.

"You certainly did a good job in gathering all this information. I didn't know you had all the necessary knowledge locked up in your head."

"I took two courses at a college but that only gave me a rough idea. It is actually using those ideas with you that allow me to learn more. Besides it's fun."

James had moved our newspaper that was now delivered to the house over to one side when the coffee came. A picture on the front page reminded me of Corinne and I pulled the paper closer for a better look. The little girl had been playing in an abandoned refrigerator and the door closed. With no way to get out from the inside the child had died. There were no laws that required that doors be removed and every one of the devices had a strong mechanical lock when a magnetic strip would be much safer.

Pulling myself back to James' report I said, "I have been working on financing. I am hoping my partner will be calling to tell me about it, one way or the other."

James said, "I think you need a very large loan if you are going after all this property." The report had the values of each of the properties and what they could be purchased for with the current distressed conditions.

Three of the coloured areas covered the small bay that I liked. The lumber yard was only in one of these areas. It was adjacent to the other two though.

"What is beyond the yacht club?"

"Mid range residential properties mostly."

"I may still do my condo idea but make it small. What in your opinion, will the city council say about extending the residential area to cover this area?"

"They are hard pressed for revenue. If you want to come in and build it just broadens the tax base."

I sipped my cold coffee and looked at another idea. "Maybe I can do two areas. One could be an area that is an extension of the residential area. It would have a buffer zone around it of city owned parks. The other areas will be my commercial and light industrial sections."

James said, "That may work too but again I need to know the acreages."

With a pencil I drew along property lines. The buffer was put in and listed as parks with a nature area backing onto the bay. This would keep the noise down. The trains going by would cause another problem. The law required them to sound their horn when crossing some level crossings or bridges. I also knew that in Toronto this didn't happen all the time especially in residential areas.

This brought up the problem with traffic congestion at these same choke points. I needed a great deal of construction to get the road raised over the tracks.

All this activity would drive up the price of all properties including the mid level residential ones nearby. Just by being across the street from a commercial area dropped the value of a home. Across the street from a new and posh neighbourhood would raise those prices.

"James." I ran my finger along the line of existing homes. "How many homes are here? What kind of price can we get them for now as opposed to after the new construction goes in?"

"They range from eight to ten thousand. A few are perhaps twelve. Some have not been kept up and are not worth their nominal price."

The telephone rang and I answered with, "Congdon Electronics."

I answered questions with as few words as possible and my questions were the same way. I hung up after saying, "Bye John."



-------

Chapter 18


When I regained my seat I said, "How many of these can we get? I want to put out the possibility of letting the current tenants stay in the house until we are ready to upgrade the street."

Both were staring at me. Jane was the one that broke first. "Well?"

"Well, What?"

"The loan?"

"Oh, it looks like I got it."

"How much?"

"It's on a sliding scale. The line of credit is based on what I currently own. When I use the money to buy any particular property then that loan can be transferred to a separate mortgage with the new property as collateral."

"How much can you borrow?"

"Jane, you are my secretary in this business and you need to know." I turned to James and said, "James, you work part time for me but I see that you are going to spend more time with me instead of your business. Since you will be dealing with my lawyers and accountants you need to know as well."

I paused again trying to draw this out.

Jane said, "Well?"

"Three and a half million to start."

Jane collapsed in her chair and James quickly grabbed her to keep her from being hurt. This was the same as saying I got a twenty five million dollar loan in 2008.

James held Jane protectively but stared at me. For the majority of the people even thinking of a million dollars was just too hard to imagine. He did say weakly, "Three and a half million?"

"To start. If I show a profit then I can keep borrowing to a theoretical maximum of say twenty million. The bank just doesn't have enough money to do more."

James almost stumbled now and I moved over to get Jane sitting better.

When the two were recovering I phoned Mr Sackman and told him the price I got and the deal for the hundred and fifty records. The last was said in a whisper. Mr Sackman thought this very rich. Not the records but the price I was able to get for my work. He knew I would be getting the papers to speed things up and he would get his copies for his records.

The girls came home later without the band. They were laughing and still excited about the what the band's prospects. When they heard in the music room that they were going too, they jumped up and hugged each other. The furthest most had ever gone was to Toronto and most had gone far less than that.

They didn't notice how out of it their mother was but they were out of it too.

I said, "I have to go to Toronto Friday to sign some papers." I looked at all the girls and said, "I want you to come too. We can do a bit of shopping and do some visiting. Corinne would be glad to see you and John will put all of us up for a few nights."

They might have had plans but now they wanted to go with me. I said to Jennifer and Paige, "I am going to talk to Jack and Nora then to Angela's parents to see if I can get her go too."

We ate an exciting supper with James. He was asked to come too but the weekend is a valuable time to show a home and he had one to show as well as look at one more that might be going to be put up for sale.

I too was excited about the money. When I left my old life I had much more than that sum and when I knew what was happening I just gave it away. Money was useful but was not the be all and end all for me. Trying to be the richest person on Earth was more of a game, but a game that would allow me to make a difference in the way people saw each other.

I went next door with Jane, Paige and Jennifer and plead my case. The two parents didn't mind too much. Paige was over at my house just as much as before but, it was me that was not home.

I called Angela next and asked, "Angela, my Sweet. Would you like to travel with me to Toronto? You miss school on Friday, and we stay over on Saturday and Sunday. The whole gang is going. There should be some shopping and sightseeing as well as a nice restaurant and possibly some form of entertainment."

"Toronto?"

"Yes Sweetie."

"I'd love to go."

"Then put on your father."

Giovanni came to the phone and I worked hard to phrase everything in Italian. Talking recently to Carlo didn't help for it was a different dialect. He asked a lot of questions and I simply replied that Jane was going with us. With a great deal of promises he gave his permission and I heard a delighted squeal in the background.

That night I made a note about the magnetic strip used in the future. This invention made me feel good and it was not about the small amount of money I would make. I knew I would be saving children's lives too.

The thoughts of building reminded me of carrying cement. It was usually carried in multi compartmented train cars and trailers for trucks. The dust was so fine it acted like a liquid and could easily tip a truck. While I was at it, I added the deflector seen over the cabs of future trucks. This allowed up to a seven percent savings in fuel but that was in high-speed transit. The speed nowadays was anything but. The Americans though, had better roads and could use the idea.

The next morning in English Comp, Alice took a seat near me. Usually we sat at the desk we wanted to be around friends but it was not a rule. She said, "I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I was wrong." This didn't sound like any girl I had ever met. A moment later when the teacher turned to the board, Alice passed me a note. When I unfolded it I found that it was a letter.

The note said that she was sorry for everything she had ever done that displeased me. Now this I had never heard of either. Alice didn't appear to be in love with me nor infatuated but she was trying very hard to get back in my good graces.

Instead of replying like a love struck boy I decided to think on this new turn of events. It did look like Joyce had gone through my papers when I had gone up to Alice's room. A mother could be very protective of her child but then again Joyce didn't look that old to begin with. It struck me that Joyce could be an older sister or even a lover.

English didn't go very well because I was still thinking about Alice.

During Home Ec, Jamie Sutherland tried to sit near me too. Gloria or Janice usually rotated so I always had a partner. Jamie was not aware of the unwritten rules or he simply didn't care.

"Jeff, I heard that you know some important people. The rumour going around now is that you talk to Elvis all the time. What is he like? I'd love to meet him."

The sparkle in his eyes made me uncomfortable but I said quietly, "Never met the man and never talked to him. In fact I never talked to any of the singers."

"That's too bad. Elvis is dreamy." Just after he said it he looked shocked and tried to take it back. "I mean I dreamed about being in his band."

He looked so uncomfortable that I said, "Me too," though I would rather have been with 'The Beach Boys' instead when I was nearing the end of high school.

All youngsters went through a phase where they were checking out their own gender. Sometimes the search never ended and they played both sides of the fence. My family, their friends and my future wife all had sex with their own gender and me too. Girls were just safer to be with now and I was sure most were predominately heterosexual. I surely didn't begrudge them their fun and I would not bother hurting Jamie for something he was not capable of altering.

Four times during class I caught him staring at me with worry on his face.

Lunch was the one I had with Paige. She was still very excited about her upcoming trip. We were going to leave right after school and be in Toronto earlier than usual. There was an express bus but we would be cutting the time limit very close. Everybody had packed one small bag. Jane would go to Angela's home and get hers with a taxi then take all of the bags to the bus terminal and wait for us there.

When I got near Paige I found a familiar face near me. Jamie had a worried look again and I think he needed some reassurance. This time instead of usurping a seat I simply stole one from a nearby table.

I said, "Sit here Jamie and stop worrying."

"I'm not worrying."

"Fine, then not worry a bit less. Let me introduce you to the ladies at the table." Paige was first and in a stage whisper I said, "She holds the keys to my heart." I went through all the rest for I had been here often enough to meet them all. It turned out that Jamie was well known among the girls. This time he was very embarrassed about meeting them. It seemed that his confidence had been shattered.

We ate and told jokes. At least the girls had been forced to listen to a few and repeat them at the table. The shyest turned red even if the joke was not off colour. Jamie knew a lot of jokes himself and told them well. When the period ended it looked like Jamie was back to normal.

I went to chemistry after a kiss to from Paige. The girls blocked the view now so we had some privacy. They usually giggled at us being so naughty in the school cafeteria.

I worked against the clock for my next experiment. So far I had two hits against seven losses but that was by far the best that any researcher could hope for. At the end of the day I had to clean up and put the sample away to be tested next week.

I took too much time in chemistry and I was late for gym. I hurried as best I could. The locker room was almost empty but Jamie was there with only his shirt off. He was back to being worried. I got close to him and started to take off my clothing. I whispered, "Jamie get into your gym clothes now. We can talk on Monday if you want. You are just going through a stage where you are thinking crazy thoughts when there is no need."

"You won't say anything?"

"Jamie, I thought we were going to be friends. Friends keep secrets. Now get dressed or are you afraid of showing me your hairy bum?"

"It's not hairy," he said but now with a smile.

We had to do pushups and this time I was able to do more than Jamie could and just enough to please Mr Renzo.

I had a quick shower right after class and had a visitor in the room. Jamie was very nervous but had a shower too and flashed his bum at me on the way out. When we were getting dressed he said, "Tell me about your scars."

"I will on Monday. One more class then I have to leave. I won't be here tomorrow."

"Where you going?"

I was about to say Toronto but that would lead to other questions. "To a friends house. I'm staying the weekend."

"Mmm that's nice to be able to do that."

After last class I made a mad dash to get rid of everything non-essential. Most of the girls left by the door used for those taking commercial subjects. The taxi should be waiting there. Paige was there first but I kept her outside with me as we waited. Jennifer and Susan came running then Angela and finally Maggie. Jennifer and Susan were the biggest and went in the front seat. Angela and Maggie went in then I did. Paige hadn't been thinking and I patted my knee.

"Want a seat little girl?"

She pretended to be put-out and said, "You are a dirty old man even at twelve."

The driver said, "I can't have more — "

Jennifer was right beside him and whispered seductively, "Just this one time mister."

It worked.

I gave the driver a tip anyway and got a receipt like I usually did. You had to fight the taxman with all your weapons.

The roads were snow-covered but still freshly ploughed. It was just that all the snow was packed hard. I was worried that we were going to be late but the bus was just a bit more so. Jane handed us our tickets and we grabbed a bag each and got on the bus. It was already crowded and we had to sit in the front. In a way I didn't mind but would like it better to be able to see the area behind us. The black Buick was still in my mind.

The driver saw me as I got on and he said, "Hi youngster. Are you going to sing for us again? I really liked it last time."

I looked at the man and he was familiar though there were not that many drivers doing the Toronto run. "I will see how it goes. Got some pretty girls with me that can sing very well. Perhaps we can practice."

"You do that with my blessing."

I sat beside Paige and she said, "What was that about?"

"Last Sunday I sang on the bus as I came back home. Most of them were worked on with Corinne and John. It appears that the passengers had nothing better to do and couldn't very well run from my voice."

"You should have brought your guitar."

"Yes dear. You're right."

"Don't forget it either, buster."

"No dear, never." She just laughed and held my hand.

Jane sat with an older woman while Maggie, Susan and Jennifer sat right behind the driver. An old man sat on our seat with us and pretended to ignore us the best he could. Angela was sitting beside a man of thirty and looked uncomfortable. There were other seats but none that were completely empty. I whispered to Paige and got up. When I got to Angela I said, "Paige wants to talk to you."

"Ah, ok."

I took her place and turned to the man and said, "Hi. The name is Jeff. How far are you going?"

"None of your business, boy."

I didn't know what his problem was but I just said, "Fine," and tried to ignore him.

The bus bypassed many towns it had stopped at on previous trips. At Gravenhurst, though, a lot of the passengers got off and only a few got on. We were able to take up all the front seats facing each other, while I was happy to take the next vacant double.

When the bus was on its way again I said to Susan, "We are going to sing a cappella in a low voice. Start with 'Downtown'. The passengers have heard it already."

"But this is in front of people."

"Sweetie, in the spring you are going to be in Memphis. If you do well, you will sing in front of more strangers. Then you will sing on stage. They will all have come to hear your voice." Looking at the others I said, "I want you to sing too. It is important that you learn this and besides our bus driver likes live music."

We heard from the front seat, "I sure do."

"On three. One, two, three."

The girls got off to another rocky start but did fairly well with the song. I called out the name for another song then added the one, two, three, and they were off again.

This happened one more time until Maggie said, "What about you Jeff? How come we have to do all the work?"

"I'll sing after the next song." Standing and then turning to the back of the bus I said to everybody. "The lovely ladies in the front of the bus have been singing their hearts out. Would you like to hear some more of their voices? If so, clap your hands in appreciation for what they have done so far."

I clapped myself and the driver honked his horn the passengers got the idea and then started to clap. When it died down I said, "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. The ladies will now be singing 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool'. This, like the previous two are original compositions. This spring they are going to Memphis to see about cutting their first record."

Turning to the girls I said in a Lawrence Welk voice, "And a one, two three — " The girls sang louder now that they knew that people wanted to hear them.

The clapping this time was very loud and the girls' smiles almost hid their blushes. When the applause stopped I said, "Here is another of my songs. It is called, 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy' for obvious reasons."

I sang it loud as it should be and tried to emulate some of the great singers that performed the song. I must have done a fair job for they clapped for me too. In a moment I stood in front of Paige and held her hands as I sang 'Time In A Bottle'.

Paige was all red now and I thought her face would break with the size of her grin. I already knew that she would follow me anywhere even without the music.

We sang other popular songs that we had been practising in Music. It was a shame how glee clubs had fallen from favour in North America. Germany had the right idea and had a strong culture too.

We had made good time. It was only ten thirty and we were only a few more minutes to from the station. I gave a travelogue to those that wanted to listen.

There was a commotion behind us and the man that had been nasty to me had fallen from his seat. He didn't get up so I rushed to him. Two friends of mine had died of heart attacks but I had managed to save a third.

I looked at the signs and came to a decision. I yelled to the driver, "The man has a heart attack. Forget the station and head for the nearest hospital or he'll die."

There was some loud honking of horns and we turned sharply. The man's breathing had stopped. I dragged him into the aisle and felt his carotid artery. I couldn't find a pulse. As part of my businesses I made sure the employees took part in first aid. I was not above doing it myself and helped get the employees to do it as well.

It was best with two people but nobody knew what to do. Usually the person died anyway but I did what I could. I breathed into his mouth then placed my hands over his chest for the right number of times. I was frightened stiff and had to go slow to do this right. The only thing keeping me going was the thought of a very pretty lady who was now alive because I had done this for her. Or would in forty-two years, I amended.

The hospital was close and the constant beeping of the horn gave us some room. At this time of night though there was little traffic. The doors slid open as we stopped and two medics and a cop hurried onboard. I had to assume they were outside the emergency entrance by chance or by luck.

I simply said, "Heart attack. I kept him ventilated and massaged his chest."

They got him off the bus very quickly. I grabbed the guy's small suitcase and then got my own. "Come on guys. We can catch a taxi from here too."

I was last out and I said to the driver, "I have the guy's suitcase. I'm taking it into the hospital. He may have some larger bags under the bus."

"No he doesn't. I would have remembered."

"Ok, I'll give this to the nurse. By the way where did he get on?"

"Same as you, North Bay."

"See you then, and thanks for the ride. I'm sorry for hijacking your bus but you better get to the station now or find some angry passengers."

The girls went into the hospital with me and I gave up the suitcase to the nurse. I had to give some information but I had little to give. The man was still alive when I phoned for a large taxi and then I phoned John's home to tell him we had arrived.

A station wagon arrived and we all piled in. I sat in the back seat looking backwards and found no black Buicks or any other car following us.

John welcomed us into his home. The girls were amazed at the interior. The outside looked great too because of the covering of snow and the reflected lights from the city, stars and the moon.

John said, "How was your trip? No inquisitive people?"

I said, "The trip was quicker this way. We got a chance to sing on the bus and entertain the passengers at the same time. I didn't write anything new but the girls did great. I didn't mention on the phone when you called but Sam Johnston will be interviewing the girls and their band for a record or two in Memphis this Spring Break. They are really excited about the possibility of being famous."

"You all must be tired after all that ride and singing too. Let me show you to your rooms."

Paige said as if in pain, "You didn't tell him about the man. He would be dead without you, and he was so nasty."

John looked at me and almost gave a Spock eye.

"A guy with a lot of personal problems rode with us. I believe he had a heart attack. It was very lucky we were near a hospital. I just gave some cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When we left the hospital he was still alive."

"What did you actually do?"

I described pulling the man onto the floor of the bus then doing everything in the textbooks to put oxygen in his blood then massage the heart so the oxygenated blood could flow.

John said, "I never heard of that before. Where did you learn it?"

I knew this was going to happen and said, "Common sense I guess. The man needed oxygen and he needed to get his heart to pump the blood. It is like my inventions. I see a need and usually something comes to me."

John said, "The man is very lucky that you were around."

John gave Jane a room by herself. Susan and Jennifer shared another room as did Angela and Maggie. Paige and I were last.

John said, "I have another room for you Paige but I hear that you might like to bunk with this young man."

She held my hand tightly and got close to me. She was frightened of being alone and I wanted her with me. She did manage to squeak out, "I want to sleep with Jeff."

"That's fine. This is your room then. You know where the bathrooms are. And now you can enjoy your stay."

We had a quick shower together and I knew that Paige was still too upset about everything. Making love to her would make her settle down but I thought that she should get her sleep instead.

I used a trigger phrase three times before Paige seemed to respond. In just a few minutes I had her deep enough to tell her that she was safe and I was here to protect her now and always. She cuddled up to me and we both fell asleep.

The next thing I knew the bed was being bounced and small hands were urging me to get up. Paige was already awake and probably urged Corinne on.

"Good morning ladies. It is nice to see you again my daughter. Did one of your mommies tell you to get me up?"

I got a nod of the head and a smile.

With the confession I attacked her and blew on her belly then did the same to Paige. After that I was in a losing position and the two ganged up on me. Using dirty tactics was not possible now and I lost. Reinforcements came but none of them were to assist me. I was forced into a foetal curve but they still abused me. I ignobly had to say that Queen Corinne won the war.

I got the girls dressed including my daughter and we went downstairs to see how we were going to rough it in the wilds of Toronto. The cook was up early and smiling widely when we arrived. I wasn't sure if we had awoken her or not but it was a good possibility.

"Good morning Mrs MacIntee. I have to introduce you to my family and extended family." I did this one at a time and the woman from Cape Breton returned the greetings. I wish I had that sticky paper now that didn't stick so well. I could write the names on it but had no idea how the glue was made.

The girls didn't know what to do or how far to go in this environment. I laid out what was acceptable by an ordinary guest and then by us. This calmed them down and they began to look around with interest instead of apprehension.

I started by asking Mrs MacIntee, "What breakfast food do you make the best?"

The woman smiled at this opening and went into all her specialties. I started it off by asking for an order of french toast with maple syrup.

Corinne had what I had but was given forkfuls from other plates to make sure she had enough to eat. My little glutton responded well with the girls present.

John came down just as we were half way through the meal. He was dressed in an expensive suit but put the jacket over an unused chair.

"Good morning everybody. I trust you all slept well?"

The girls didn't know how to reply and I said, "I slept very well. I had my teddy bear to cuddle up to and the world was all right."

"That was not what I heard earlier."

"Two teddy bears are more than a match for poppa bear and definitely not a match for all the rest."

John chuckled and some of the girls started to blush.

I asked, "When we are doing our paperwork, would it be alright if the rest of the family went shopping with Gregory? I would rather him be with my family than with us."

John made a point of counting heads then said, "I think we can squeeze seven passengers in the big car. I am assuming they are taking Cori?"

"A daughter has to go with her six mothers."

"I foresaw this happening so I co-opted a young secretary from my office. She knows many of the chic places to go. She can act as a guide and the large car will still accommodate all of you."

The girls got cleaned up for their expedition into the untamed vastness of Toronto's shopping districts. Miss Carlyle came in about half an hour later. She was a beautiful woman of twenty-five I would hazard, and very well dressed.

I was introduced and the woman seemed to be hesitant to talk to me. She seemed nervous but I didn't quite see that she was that way normally.

The family came in and I did the introductions. The woman reacted favourably now. The car soon came to the front then Gregory came in and stood to one side. Houses now were not made with cookie cutters and a garage was where it should be, a distance from the house.

I put my coat on and escorted the family out. I had to push a bit for the girls stopped at the top of the steps. John, I saw had a Rolls-Royce and was going to use it during the winter. I doubted if the girls knew the make of the car but could see that it cost a great deal.

The family and Miss Carlyle piled in. Jane ended up with Corinne on her lap but the rest fit fairly well. I handed Jane an envelope and said, "There are some things I wanted you to purchase." There was not only a list but also a great deal of money, and how much each of them was to get.

The door closed with a solid sound and Gregory smoothly eased the beautiful behemoth left down the driveway.

I said, "You shouldn't have brought the car out so it could go through the salt."

"It was my treat. I had it undercoated. It shouldn't suffer any damage."

When we got back inside, I sat at the kitchen table and brought out the three inventions. This time I had a list of why each was important and some tips on getting the best benefit from each.

"I like this magnetic seal Jeff. I suppose you heard about the child that died. It doesn't look hard to make the magnetic material and the soft rubber can be run off by the mile. The wind deflector looks to present a sizable resistance to the wind. What about when the tractor is not pulling anything?"

"It doesn't happen much. I see much better highways in the future. Business cannot wait eight hours for a shipment when it can be done in three. It will cost a lot but I see highway 11 being four lanes each way in years to come. There will be no stopping unless you take an exit ramp. All the roads crossing will have bridges over or under this highway. Toronto is going to grow phenomenally. The number of cars we see today will be only a small fraction of what will happen soon. Major construction means unsightly elevated highways but that is the only way to go. All this means a demand for concrete and steel."

John said, "So that is why you have been thinking of all that equipment. Should we get involved in this?"

"Not yet. The various levels of government have to understand that by spending money on infrastructure they can reap the benefits in payroll, commercial and industrial taxes. The country grows because it has the room to do so. This has to be a priority across Canada. Large trucks and trains carry what we need. Trade within Canada will make us grow."

I caught my breath and said, "International trade is going to be even more important. Canada wants to hide behind tariffs and duties. Other countries do the same. Even our taxes are poorly set up. I have to do a great many things to avoid being taxed fully by both Canada and the United States. This hurts trade and when we ship things back and forth across the border we are unduly hurt."

"What can we do about it? We may be making money and gaining more power but we are still very much small fry."

"Small fry or not we have to add our squeak or we are all going to lose out. The Americans don't like it either. We need to talk to some bigger players. The problem is that most businessmen are timid and will hide behind the rules so they can stay big in Canada. They know when we move south the Southerners will move north. Those with a vested interest in the status quo are just afraid of losing their position even if it means not making a lot more money."

"Well, let's go talk to those big players. I think they will be waiting for us."

I had a shower then put on my suit. It would be nice to arrive in the Rolls but trying to act ostentatious was not my style.

Another man drove a simple Cadillac into the city and onto Bay Street. We got out and walked to the receptionist. It was still a bank, though, and quite busy. We were given an escort up to the second from the top floor and the pretty woman riding with us watched me in particular as if I was a curio.

We were presented to another receptionist who promptly asked us to take a seat.

I asked John, "Why did Miss Carlyle act so strangely around me this morning?"

"She handles some of our mutual business concerns. She also knows about this meeting. I can only guess that she is perplexed how you can do everything you did."

The receptionist got up and walked to us, instead of just talking to us from behind her desk. She said, "Mr Lipton will see you now. Will you follow me?" We were lead through some lavishly decorated corridors. I recognised a few of the paintings and didn't think any of them were reproductions.

The end of the corridor had tall cherry wood double doors. I was surprised the receptionist didn't knock first or that there were not guards armed with halberds protecting the portal.

The room we were directed to enter was of some lighter coloured wood with cherry accents. A long table of the same wood had close to twenty people around it. Only seven of the people were women and I had to think that they were only taking the minutes or were executive secretaries. The receptionist had left and closed the door behind her.

Mr Forsyth got up from his chair and came to shake our hands. "It is so nice of you to come." He put a hand behind John to guide him closer to the table and he went about introducing both of us to those seated. All the women were skipped but one. This one I knew, had to be very capable to get this far.

We were given seats at the far end of the table, but when I sat I was not as visible as I would have liked. When the meeting began I saw that we had not got the loan yet or they wanted a performance to get it. John was asked a lot of questions that were similar to those that had been asked last week. They grilled him for close to ten minutes before turning to me.

Mr Garner was an assistant VP. "What do you see as the purpose of the money you requested Mr Congdon?"

I stood but I was not much taller now. "Mr Holtzman mentioned the expansion of our research and development laboratories. He also listed those few companies that we want to market our products. It might sound pretentious but I am the head of research. I have my own need for research, and a means of developing what I find. The money I generate though will start my retailing businesses. Other businesses will be made to produce niche products or services.

"My goal is to gain the clout that my businesses and money bring. This power will be used not only to gain more influence but also to change the way we currently think. Our culture, in my opinion is too paternalistic. We need to embrace a more open business community where we all can grow."

Mr Garner asked, "What is it that needs to be changed?"

"This morning I talked about how long it took to get from North Bay to here. The trip is two hundred and twelve miles. At sixty miles an hour it's a three and half hour trip. The trip usually takes five and a half hours. We need a much better transportation system to get our goods to market. This is not only to the north but we need highways east and west for Canadian markets. Most of all we need access to the south."

After a pause, Mr Lipton the president of the bank said, "To go south means a prohibitive barrier at the border for your goods."

I said, "All the greatest economies grew because of the work ethic of the people and to trade. To reduce trade is to bleed us. The Americans bleed too from our practices. We need to become more competitive and this means we have to lower trade barriers. That not only means American banks coming into Canada but our banks going south. Our profitable industries will flourish while those that are weak will die."

We took a break for lunch but the meeting was not over. We talked about global trade and how the existing organisations were not doing enough. We moved on to double taxation and a need for a North American strategy. This was emphasised by the trading blocks that I said would form.

As a parting shot I mentioned how I saw the federal government giving banking status to other institutions. This competition will put you in a better position to handle other banks when they come to our shores. "Banking itself will change. Our economy will change from a savings oriented to one based on debt. That means many times more loans and you are going to have to accommodate them or lose business to trust companies. Your hours have to be extended to compete."

They didn't like the sound of this and John tried to get me to leave it alone. Banks were all-powerful and didn't like the idea of competition.

Mr Lipton said, "I thank you for your observations but I don't think you have enough years under your belt to guide the banking industry in Canada."

"You're very right about my age. Let's remember today's remarks. Time surely will tell who and how much each of us is right."

John and I went home without the documents being signed. It was not that the loan was not disallowed but that they had to discuss it more.

John said, "You went too far Jeff. Bankers are not known as rebels. They fight for all of their prerogatives. You're right that they will be difficult to change but rubbing their faces in it only aggravates them."

"That is too bad I guess."

John looked shocked. "You don't want the loan?"

"Oh, I'll get the loan. If not from the Commerce then from another major bank. I just haven't told anybody how they can get into billions of dollars of loans per year. The profit in twenty years will be more than the banks now gross. Before you ask I would like to keep it a secret. We are business partners for certain things that have to be developed. I am still developing some of my own products. Besides its time has not yet come."

The girls had not come back so I sat and worked at the table. I was anxious. I let my new flowing emotions guide my mouth. John was at loose ends. This was a working day and he was home waiting for a telephone call. The loan was not necessary to our survival just a way of speeding up what we wanted to do.

A pair of corporate lawyers showed up. This was supposed to be after the line of credit was finalised. North American Development Incorporation became an entity. I got the same type of dummy directors that my other corporation had and cost me just as much. Signing papers and providing lawyers with work turned out to be a major expense.

At three ten the phone rang and John waited exactly four rings before picking it up. His back was too me and I heard a lot of simple answers. In fact it was just like I had done to the family when John had called me. This might not even be the phone call we were waiting for until I heard, "Alright Mr Forsyth."

I didn't take the bait and John finally said, "They were all set for giving you three and a half million. They didn't like what you had to say and some members of the board cut it back to two and a half million in spite."

"And the rate?"

"Unchanged."

I said, "If you remembered we only needed two and then that took into account the expansion." I had to smile anyway and then so did John. In a moment were together hugging each other for what we had accomplished.

We were back in the car in minutes and hurrying back to the bank to get the papers signed. Mr Lipton had a sour face when he signed so I guess he was the one that wanted to strike a million dollars from our loan. Though John was a lawyer he had other lawyers from his firm go over the contract to make sure it was what we had wanted. At this level things were done right or heads would roll.

I felt like celebrating but I was not allowed into bars yet. The president of the bank felt compelled to invite us to the party. I almost felt like accepting but I didn't want my hormones to get a chance to talk again.

The girls came home at close to six. They all looked bushed. The car was full of purchases and a taxi station wagon behind it was full too. Miss Carlyle said her goodbyes and fled. She looked even more tired than the rest.

Mrs MacIntee was waiting for the girls' arrival. After a whisper in Jane's ear they all ran upstairs to get a shower for the meal would be ready in half an hour.

John and I were back in casual clothing at the time. When the girls came down though they were strutting their new duds. They came one at a time so we could see how good they looked. This had not been suggested by me. The clothing all showed style and I would have to thank Miss Carlyle for her efforts. It was not just the colour of the material but the way it draped and accentuated each of their better features.

The girls walked across the floor to the dining room until Corinne had to run and I picked her up. The clothing was no better than what was in her closet but it must be the infectious atmosphere that got her to feel this way.

I stood beside John and let him share in how his granddaughter felt. "Grampie, look."

"It's beautiful Cori."

We ate as a large family and we sang for fun and practice. John it turned out was a fair pianist and provided the music for the various songs. He and I sang 'Thank God I'm A Country Boy' as a duet. With the house around us the song didn't ring true but he was happy with his effort.



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Chapter 19


That night Paige and I bathed in our own en suite. I couldn't wait and made love to her in the enclosure. She returned the favour as I held her head to me. When we got out I carefully dried each inch of her body and kissed the portions to make sure. She shivered though as I continued until the job was done to my satisfaction.

We hurried back to bed so I could begin again to make love to my future wife. The door opened slowly and I stopped what I was doing. The eye looking at me was only three feet from the floor. When she saw that I was looking at her the door was flung open and she jumped on the bed.

Corinne's elbow landed on Paige's chest with an 'Oooof'. She looked at the stunned Paige and said, "How come you have no clothes on?"

Paige didn't know what to say and she just looked from me to Corinne and back again. I said, "Paige and I are going to get married in five and a half years. We are practising how to make babies for when the time comes."

"Really?"

"Yes really. Now let me wash. It looks like you're sleeping with us tonight."

"Can I Daddy?"

"Yes Honey. We just have to get dressed."

I pulled Paige out of bed to get cleaned up again but this time we were much quicker. We walked to the dressers and found some sleep wear. The bed was queen size and Corinne was making herself at home in the middle. I left the door open and tucked in Paige with a kiss then got in and did the same to Corinne. Her little feet were cold but I got used to it.

The next morning I woke up to a kiss and tried hard to know who it was so I could respond correctly. I opened my eyes and saw Paige smiling at me. "Let's have another shower."

I looked at Corinne and she was sleeping with her mouth open, and she was probably blowing into Paige's face as she slept. I just nodded my head and slipped out of bed.

Once in the bathroom I just put the towels we used last night on the floor and put Paige's now naked body on top of them. I locked the door this time. Paige responded beautifully and grabbed my now longer hair and made sure I stayed put. Her breathing got quicker and more erratic until she let go with one of her hands and used it to muffle her scream.

Paige was safe as her period would arrive in just two days. The tiles were hard on my knees even with the towel. I slipped in easily because she was very wet. Her legs wrapped around me to make sure I didn't escape. It was times like this that I went very slowly and as usual it drove her crazy.

Paige got more and more vocal as I tried to reach far into her. My fingers of one hand pinched one nipple then I used the other hand. When her orgasm struck her I bent over and kissed her. My own pelvis was working frantically as she held me to her. My groans of ecstasy triggered more in her; and she pushed up her pelvis to get even more of me in her.

I rested on top of her while supporting some of my weight. "I love you."

In a dreamy way she said the same to me. A turned handle and a rattle told us that we were just in time. From outside the door we heard, "I have to go now."

I got up with some difficulty. My knees were sore. I helped up Paige and got her to stand in the shower area. When I unlocked the door Corinne rushed in and sat on the toilet quickly and we heard a mini Niagara. I got into the shower now and closed the sliding doors. When the water was warm we began to clean ourselves.

The sliding door opened then and a little girl came in with us. She simply said, "Do my hair?"

It was difficult but the two of us did the little girl. When we were done she bent over and looked back to me with expectant eyes. I used the soap and a face cloth to clean her bum then work carefully in the crease.

When I was done, I was about to speak when Corinne said, "That was too scratchy."

"You're lucky, little daughter of mine. Usually daughters don't get to have a shower with their Daddy and one of her mommies. Now you have to get out so I can do Paige."

She didn't like it but did get out. I dried her in a clean towel and wrapped a smaller one around her head like a turban. I sent her to the bed to wait. Paige was much more fun to do but I was professional. We had somebody waiting on our bed. In a few moments I was done too and we dried each other off.

We heard a knock at the bedroom door. "Anybody home?"

"Just about finished. I wrapped a towel around Paige and pushed her out of the room with a pat to the bum. I was just a few seconds later after picking up all our mess.

I said, "Good morning John. I have a squeaky clean little girl. Do you want to smell her feet? They don't smell now."

"I don't sniff her feet any more. She is too ticklish and I almost got a broken nose."

I started to get dressed and John excused himself. He now closed the door and I picked out things for Paige to wear and even helped her dress. The usual kiss for now covered body parts was neglected.

Paige gave a piggyback ride to Corinne as the pinch monster came from behind. This ensured that the rest of the house awoke and got on with their day. Paige and I both dressed Corinne and we walked down stairs after our hair was done.

Corinne ran to her Grampie and hugged him. "The pinchie monster almost got me."

"You need monster spray. It keeps them further away."

Mrs MacIntee came out of hiding and began our breakfast. John asked, "What were you thinking of doing today?"

"I don't think any of the ladies are shopped out. Any chance of getting Miss Carlyle to put in some overtime?"

"I can try. She looked happy but bushed yesterday."

"What about Gregory? I don't know what you have planned for him or what his free days are."

"Actually Gregory has the day off. The other gentleman you met with him once is his replacement."

"I remember very well. I never got his names and only recently for Gregory."

"Anton is his name but he likes Al better."

"He is much too big to argue with. Al will be perfect with me too."

"How are you going to get all your purchases home?"

"I was thinking of shipping them by truck. We can take some of the things they just have to have for Monday."

"That sounds good. I made some enquiries, and the man you saved is still alive. The doctors felt it was touch and go for a while but he looks to have no mental problems. They claim it was your quick action that saved him. The man asked the doctors to find you. He is sorry for the way he acted and wants to apologise."

"I guess I have to go by the hospital then."

Miss Carlyle was interested in an extra days pay and I made sure it was time and a half too. I shook hands with Al and I found that he was even larger than Gregory. The girls, after being fortified, left once more but with Jane was at the very end. She asked, "Did you get it?"

"I had too big of a mouth. They only allowed me two and a half."

She whispered, "Million?"

"That's right."

She almost hopped while getting into the car. She had kept her mouth shut very well and I was even more proud of her.

John phoned the hospital and asked for the hours the man with the heart attack was capable of having. John and I went slumming in the Mercedes, and parked close to the hospital. John was in this hospital before and we used a side door. We took two flights of steps up the floor we wanted and walked to the nurses' station.

John said, "We are looking for Paul Brown."

The pretty nurse said, "I am sorry but visiting hours are not for another hour."

John said, "I just phoned. This young man here is the one that saved Mr Brown's life. We were told to come now."

"Let me check please."

She made a quick phone call and hurried back to us. "I was mistaken. The doctor will be coming soon to meet both of you. It's room 3289."

We walked about six rooms down and found the right room. This room had four beds but only one was occupied. A woman of thirty or so with brown hair was holding the hand of the man in on the bed. She looked very worried. As I walked further into the room I saw a girl of about my age with dirty blonde hair and faded old clothes. It was obvious that the family was seeing difficult times.

The family noticed John first then me. The patient had a mask over his nose and mouth instead of a tube that directed oxygen to his nostrils.

John said to the woman, "Hello, My name is John Holtzman. Jeff, here, I believe has met your husband on the bus."

The woman didn't let go of her husband's hand and said, "Oh thank you Mr Congdon. The doctors told me that Paul wouldn't have made it without what you had done." Her voice was British and I assumed she was one of the war brides.

"You are very welcome. If I may ask, how did you know my last name?"

The woman looked confused then said, "It was on the forms when Paul was admitted. The nurses here heard a lot about you in the news recently too. They mentioned how you saved a little girl and now my husband. I don't know how I am every going to repay you."

"There is nothing to repay. Tell me how he's doing."

"They have him on some drugs that cloud his mind."

"Is he awake now?"

"Just barely. He squeezed my hand when you came in."

I moved over to the side of the bed with the girl and said, "Hi Sweetie. The name is Jeff. What's yours?"

"Ah Laura."

"Well hi Laura. I would like to get closer to your dad. That way he can see me over the mask and he doesn't have to sit up."

The girl moved to the side and I got closer. Paul had his eyes open but the pupils were open wide. I reached out and pulled the cord to dim the light. "Is that better?"

I got a nod. "Good. I am glad you are getting better. Is there something I can do for you?"

I got a shake of the head and a gurgle that sounded like, "No."

With a hand on Paul's shoulder I asked his wife, "Do you live here in Toronto?"

"No we live in North Bay with you. Paul used to work at Kawartha Paper but he was let go. We were looking for a job in this city when — when."

"That's ok. Where are you staying now?"

"We haven't found a place. We just came in on the bus."

"I will see if I can find some accommodations."

"But — we were just going to stay here."

I knew it had to be money problems. "The hospital knows lots of places that take in some people in your shoes. Usually there is no cost involved. You just have to know enough to ask. I'll do that for you."

A doctor with a white coat and the compulsory stethoscope hanging from his neck came into the room. Instead of his eyes settling on the patient, they lit on me. He then checked the patient and in a moment said to me, "Hello Mr Congdon. How did you know what to do for Mr Brown?"

"I don't mind answering but I like to be introduced to my questioner first."

"I'm sorry. My name is Doctor Feld."

"Hello doctor." I put out my hand and after looking at it shook it.

"This gentleman with me is a very good friend by the name of Mr John Holtzman. Mr Holtzman. This gentleman is Doctor Feld." The two men shook hands.

When they both looked at me I said, "Hmmm Mr Brown fell to the floor of the bus, I felt for his pulse at the carotid artery. His chest was not moving at the time either. His diaphragm was not working so I inflated it with my own breath. I happen to know that very little of the oxygen we breathe in is changed to carbon dioxide. This breath oxygenated his blood somewhat but it was going nowhere."

I now held my hands together and put them on the mattress of an unoccupied bed. After telling him what ribs to push over I did the stroke. I went through all that I could remember from the first aid courses I had taken. This included going back to oxygenate the blood then return to the heart massage.

"But how did you know to do this. Doctors do this on occasion."

"Doctor, I simply see things that need done and find ways of doing them. You might not know it but I have over a hundred patents to my name. They deal with a wide range of things. I even see many things in this room that should and could be changed." This I hoped would get him off the subject.

"Like what?"

"On your word to not tell anyone else. I believe the ideas are patentable."

"Fine."

"You better get out your book Mr Holtzman." When John did I began. "A small plastic clip secures the oxygen line to the portion of flesh between the two nostrils. There is now no need for the mask. The patient can now breathe and speak with much less difficulty.

"Instead of harpooning a patient all the time, a small rubber seal similar to what is on the bottles of injectable drugs is attached to the intravenous lines. The drug gets to the patient with no additional discomfort."

I added, "I repair and now manufacture electronic devices. I can make most of the devices much cheaper and smaller. This allows more to be used for diagnosis and monitoring. A simple thing to do would be to have a small company buy hundreds or thousands of small televisions. They come into the hospital and mount a sturdy bracket on the walls by each bed. A television is mounted to the metal bracket with a shiftable frame. A small speaker is made that fits in the ear and plugs into the television. This allows others to not be bothered by the programming."

The doctor was understandably shocked, "You can make smaller and better medical equipment? You are only twelve I heard."

"Sir, I am working on using light to cut like a scalpel. It will weld a torn retina without intrusion into the eyeball. It can burn the ink from the skin to remove a tattoo. In the near future I will have a tube that can go into a patients body and you can see what is at the end of it. You can check for problems in a stomach, colon, lungs and even the heart. Making smaller machines is a simple matter."

"How can you do this?"

"Ahhh, well the answer to that is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. To develop the machines will take further millions."

Doctor Feld said, "Could we try the nasal clip?"

I turned to John. "We have engineers, physicists, chemists, technicians and tradesmen. We don't have any from the medical profession."

"You could hire him?"

"Why not? It is a study but it won't make much money but will save some lives and make those that do live more comfortable."

"It is up to you."

I turned to the stunned doctor and said, "Doctor are you interested in a small grant to test out some of our medical products? One is the nasal clamp and the other will be the unit for attaching to the intravenous line for administering drugs."

"They have to be cleared by some medical authorities first."

"I am aware of that. It's no better than what we are doing getting some equipment passed by the 'Atomic Energy Commission'." My eyes lit up then for I remembered the use of radioactive cobalt used to treat cancers. They were probably already in use and all I remembered was the use of radioactive Iodine-125 that was used to treat prostrate cancers. Other things might come to mind but there was no way I could explain how this information just popped into my mind.

I looked at the doctor then John. "There is something I should look into now. This will take more than a few minutes."

John asked, "Where are you going?"

"To do some research." My eyes and cheek twitch went to my right in the direction of Mrs Brown.

At the nurses station I found three nurses now. I said to one, "Hello, would one of you be able to tell give me some information please?"

The nearest one smiled at me and said, "Yes?"

"The patient in room 3289, Paul Brown has his wife and daughter with him. I do not believe they have a place to stay or the money to afford one. What mechanism is there in place to help people in this situation?"

I was shown a list of options with contact numbers and names. After I thanked the nurse I went to the pay phones and put my dime in and dialled the first. It took close to twenty minutes before I found a vacancy but the family had to meet a counsellor to assess their needs.

The counsellor was actually in the hospital presently and would come up in a half hour to talk to the family.

When I got back to the room the doctor was gone and I said to Mrs Brown, "Somebody will be coming up in half an hour to talk to you. In the meantime will you tell me a bit about your family? Are there other children?"

"Oh, we have an older daughter. She is seventeen. Our son Barry is going to be twenty in a few weeks."

She stopped talking so I tried to sound as friendly as possible. "My sister Susan will be seventeen in a few weeks too. I have another sister, Maggie that is fourteen. You may or may not know that I am twelve going on a hundred and fifty."

They laughed at this and the woman said, "We got that idea already. It is amazing what you have come up with already. Mr Holtzman told us some of the things you are doing. He also told us that you were the one to who saved his granddaughter."

"Responsibility and some traumatic experiences make all of us either grow up or fail. Tell me about what the doctors say about your husband's prognosis."

"They say a few weeks in the hospital and then to convalesce at home."

"Hmmm, that sounds like an extended time. Does Barry have a job?"

"Barry is confined to a wheelchair. He fell from a tree and cannot make use of his legs."

"What about your unnamed daughter?"

"Jena is going to high school still. At the moment she is taking care of Barry, but he can get around fairly well but just needs some help from time to time."

"Do you have any skills that could earn you a job?"

"Sorry, I did fairly well in school but had to leave early to take care of my mother. After that I was just a housewife and a mother."

"What kind of job was your husband looking for?"

"He was a millwright for the last six years but had to go back to a job in the mixing room because of cutbacks. The last cutback saw him lose his job all together. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"I am trying to find some sort of employment that is suitable. What hobbies or interests do your family have that are out of the norm? Does somebody play a musical instrument? Does any of you have the ability to fix a car? Even if you can play chess very well."

"Jena can play the violin fairly well and so can Paul. The rest of us don't have the gift. Paul always fixes the car. He even fixes his friends and neighbours too. Barry did too but that was before the accident. Laura does very well in school. She is in grade eight now, so she is the same age as you."

"Any hobbies?"

"Laura likes to dance. Barry has been working on fixing some radios. Jena likes to cook. My hobby is keeping the family running."

John asked, "You have any ideas?"

"I have a few. Many doctors that treat people that have had a heart attack, do so, much too conservatively. You must know that I haven't read any medical texts but I believe a healthy diet and a moderate amount of exercise will get Mr Brown back to a productive life much sooner. Millwrights usually have some machinist abilities and handle most simple things handled by other trades. I can find him a job helping me build gadgets when he recovers.

"Barry interests me, though. I need a technician to help me with the repair business. I just don't know how much he has to learn before he can take my place."

The wife was all smiles now. I talked about the repair business for only a short time until a thin bald man of close to fifty came into the room.

The man introduced himself as Mr Pettigrew and gave his organisation. After we introduced ourselves the man wanted to talk to the family alone. I said to the woman, "This is a good time for us to leave. Tomorrow I will come back for a visit."

The woman thanked us and Laura expressed the same sentiments. Both had a smile on their faces. I went to Mr Brown and saw that he might be awake. "Bye Mr Brown. I'll drop in tomorrow to see how you and your family are getting on."

There was a movement of his head and arm then his eyes came open. "Thanks — for everything."

As we left John said, "You were kind to them. Again you surprise me. I just couldn't see a lad of twelve doing this."

"I am a lad of twelve that now is walking in the adult minefield. I have to watch what I do and what my mouth says. Already it lost us a million dollars. My hormones are starting to kick in now and I am not as responsible as I was. Now I have to be constantly on guard that I don't do something wrong."

John stopped to look at me. "I already trust your judgement even with the hormones. My granddaughter slept with you again."

"It was with 'us' not me alone. I'm not that far gone. Paige and I are enough for each other and I had not even thought of Corinne that way. She did make me think of what our own children will be like. You might not know it but she caught me with my pants down so to speak. I explained to her that Paige and I were practising at making babies. She seemed content with a male's body, which made me feel good, and the fact that Paige was experiencing something other than pain. I hope the situation promoted her cure but I'm not a psychiatrist."

"A while ago you contradicted what a doctor would usually say to his heart attack patient."

"Again it was common sense when you understand that some of the heart muscle is now dead. You cannot simply pretend that the patient is dead already. They have to watch what they do and build up their strength."

"Jeff, what kind of machines were you thinking of building? You mentioned something like this before."

"The ones I was thinking of are existing machinery that could be miniaturised. There are two others that could be built but they need the use of a computer. At the moment computers are not being developed fast enough. When they improve enough I may get into this field."

"Can you speed up computer development?"

"Yes I can but it will take all my time and I will need much more money than we just borrowed. It would be exciting but would take over my life. Better to think up smaller projects that I can accomplish by myself or with a reasonable amount of help."

We visited the lab and I checked on the progress of our projects. The three-foot diameter roll of Mylar had now grown with the addition of the magnetic material. It was still in one large roll though and I was waiting for the machinery that would slice it accurately into a quarter inch widths.

The small pill bottles were coming out to the machine that used to make caps. I tested the way the cap fit the bottle and saw it was as good as what it had been done in my time. I said, "Make some bottles that are dark but still let a bit of light through. Some drugs are light sensitive, you better put that in a new patent even though it is used for glass bottles already."

John said, "This suggestion, I'm happy to say, has already been taken care of. The engineers here get quite enthused at times and make some very good suggestions. As per our agreement you get the patent still."

I replied like a petulant child. "He just wants to pick on a little boy." I smiled then and said, "Tell the guilty party that he is going to have to think of a lot more ideas now. Give the guy the project for the nasal clip and the device for injecting drugs into the intravenous line. Another idea may be to have the main tube have a few areas for attachments. Other substances could then be administered through the tube."

I questioned Mr Berger and the other chemists about my cyanobiphenyl experiments. Since they were all under the agreement to keep this information secret I explained about what I had done with the two successful experiments. The next experiment would have to be completed tomorrow. I at least made a good showing of what I knew and received a further half dozen ideas. They agreed to give John any further idea written on some paper.

With the cash flow problems neutralised for now I asked, "What about engineers now? I built the majority of the bug finder but they have to be improved and miniaturised. I haven't even started on the voice encryption device yet. If I am going to get started on the medical equipment I may need more than I wanted for my other projects."

"How soon before you will be ready for them?"

"It will probably take a week to get a property but the one I think will do has been damaged and needs some repairs. This should take two to three weeks more. I still have to arrange for housing for the engineers and I need to purchase machining tools. This will be getting within a few weeks of Christmas and the people would want to be home with their families. The best time I guess is the new year unless you can find an accounting loophole that will let me get more deductions by having something started in 1958."

"I don't want to take an engineer on that will be no good to me. That means a short-term contract until I know how good they are. They need to sign the secrecy agreement no matter how long they stay."

John said, "I can get those made up. Perhaps it is better to hire more and see how they work here first. Those that pass the first hurdle can go north."

I said with a smile, "It's good to have a smart partner."

"I think the same."

When we got home the girls had already arrived, showered and changed into some of their new clothing. Not all their purchases were apparel but presents for individuals that were bought in secret in my name. Jane and Paige had the majority of this duty. Susan and Maggie had to buy things for Paige and Jane. I knew there would be a lot of snooping but they only went so far to satisfy their curiosity.

I told the story of the Brown family at supper. I also tossed out some of my ideas on how to help the family without resorting to charity. People didn't like being given something unless they could pay it back at some future date. Too bad that quality had mostly left our culture by the time I was cast into my past.

Corinne went to bed much earlier than the rest of us. Before she went I whispered in her ear, "You stayed one night with us now I have to stay with just Paige."

She whispered back, "Are you going to make a baby?"

"No just practice still. You are going to be ten when we get married and you can be our flower girl. The babies will not come for at least five more years after that. You will be old enough to baby-sit. They will all call you Aunt Cori. Do you like that idea?"

The girl avidly nodded her head with a smile on her face. Paige asked, "What happened?"

"I suggested that maybe you would want her for our flower girl and later as a babysitter. She liked the idea."

Paige blushed deeply but I guess she was pleased.

We had not brought any books other than those I wanted to trade with Mr Berger but I did go over some of the subjects that needed to be studied. John watched for a while then went to his office to take care of the work he had been neglecting.

Paige and I had some quality time later and the door was locked for safety. We got to sleep much later though and stayed in each other's arms through most of the night.

The next morning Paige woke me up with me in her mouth. This only lasted long enough for her to climb up and sit on my hips. Paige and I were almost at that point when there was a tiny knock at the door. I worked harder with my thumb on Paige's clit and my other hand pinched her nipple harder. Paige looked wild now and plunged down on me and her groan of contentment was loud enough for me to add to it.

Much later I found that the knocking hadn't stopped. Paige was on my chest and I turned so she lay on the bed. I got up and went to the door. I whispered just loud enough to penetrate the door, "We are not done yet."

"Can I watch?"

"No Honey. We will be down soon."

"K'."

Paige was looking at me with a smile and a dreamy look. "I would love a daughter like her but sometimes — "

"Yes I know. Now get that pretty bum up. We have things to do."

"We can do things here too."

"Maybe later. We have things to do besides that."

"But not as nice."

"Nope, not nearly as nice."

We spent time sorting all the things that were purchased. The gifts were sealed in large paper bags and the person whose name was on it could not even touch the bag. A lot of bags had Corinne's name on them and these had to get stored here instead.

Paige and I went to the hospital to see the Browns. Nothing much had changed but they looked more worn. Mr Brown appeared to be more awake this morning. I suggested to the ladies, "I would like to go out for our lunch. I think you need a short break."

Mrs Brown said, "I'm quite fine thank you. You might take Laura though if you want."

"I don't think that is good enough." I walked over to the husband and I said, "I invited your family out to eat. Do you think they should have a break for a while?"

"Clara, let me have a short rest. Go for a walk and see something besides these walls. I'm not going anywhere."

"But, you might need something."

"The nurses will provide. Have a break. I want you to do this."

Now I knew her name to be Clara. She wasn't happy about going with us. At the nursing station I mentioned that we were going out for a meal.

A taxi took us to a nice restaurant that John had suggested to me. The two Browns didn't want to abuse my funds and I had to get them to order much larger meals.

Clara asked Paige, "How do you know this young man?"

"He is my next door neighbour."

She would not say any more so I added, "I asked this neighbour to stay next to me for the rest of our lives. She has the option to change her mind but I cannot see myself doing so. Her parents know of my intentions by the way. Potential in-laws can be nasty if not approached correctly."

Paige did her blushing routine, Clara just held her mouth open but Laura finally got out, "But you're so young."

"I'm much more committed to things. It's true that we are both young but time will tell. I'm grown up enough to not hold a woman against her will."

We talked of other things until the meals came. During the meal I enquired about their living accommodations. Clara admitted that the double room she now had would go to another family that had booked it earlier. She was not going to be kicked out though. The room she was going to get was very small and had only a small cot.

I asked more questions so the woman would see some of the problems she was facing. I suggested, "We are going back to North Bay today. Laura still has school to attend. The ideal solution would be to allow Laura to go back with us. She goes to school Monday with the knowledge that she is not a burden on either of you and she continues with her education."

Laura said, "I don't mind staying Mom."

"I know that. But Mr Congdon's right. You need your education." She looked at me and said, "Will you see that she gets home safely?"

"I will do everything within my power to ensure that Laura is well taken care of. While I am at it I can talk to Barry and see how much he knows about television and radios."

"That does take a load off of my shoulders though."

Laura looked disorganised. I could not see her wanting to just sit beside her father's bed all the time. Being at home without parents though was not a nice proposition either.

We went back to the hospital to talk to the husband about what we had talked about. It took very little time until he agreed with us. After Laura said her tearful goodbyes I gave Clara some cash. I said, "This is not charity but a loan. When you get back on your feet you can pay it back."

The woman now had tears in her eyes and kissed me then Paige and finally her daughter as we left. I had two sniffling girls with me as we got into the cab.

We talked quite a bit on the long trip to the Holtzman home. Laura was stunned when she saw the building and Paige had to hold her up. Inside I introduced Laura to the rest of the family. The girls did their best to make her feel comfortable.

Paige saw that the girl needed a change of clothing and got one of her plainer looking new dresses. There was no need to make her feel out of place with a dress better suited to being at a party.

Laura had an odour about her. It may have been worry but it could also be other things. Paige understood and took her upstairs to try the new clothes on. Boys had dense heads at twelve but girls were not that much brighter. They were taught by parents that were raised with the idea that one bath a week was good enough.

I had asked for a new suitcase that would hold my suit. The old one was now surplus. Maggie took it upstairs to my room where Laura was now having her shower. Perhaps the two of them could show Laura the right way to do things.

We had to hurry though. There was another express bus, but it left earlier than the other ones. Paige walked down the steps dressed in a new dress, as did Laura right beside her. Behind was Maggie and she too had a new dress. Laura had an uncertain smile.

John said to them, "My, you all look very pretty."

The words clicked in and I began to hum the old Herman's Hermits song, 'Mrs. Brown, you've got a lovely daughter.' I had to smile to myself now for I didn't want it to be seen as making fun of anybody.

We kissed Corinne and shook hands with John. This time we took two cabs to the bus station. We had our suitcases and now one more person. The purchases would be sent north to us tomorrow.

Something was not right at the bus station but I didn't know what. When I went to get the tickets we were deluged with reporters that seemed to spring from the woodwork. They asked questions without even waiting for the answers. The girls were getting upset and so was I.

"Do you really want some answers or do you want to hear yourselves talk?" The question may have been heard but not regarded as much.

I simply yelled, "Quiet!" When the babble stopped I said, "I find all of you offensive, odious, impolite and I think the term stupid has to apply too. I'll point at you one at a time and you get one question. Ask two and I will ignore you and your paper until the end of my days."

I pointed to the man on my right, "Your name and who you represent?"

"How did you know that — "

"I will give you one more chance. I assume the average intelligence here is not even up to the level of moron. Your name and who you represent?"

"Elliot, the Star."

"Thank you mister Elliot. Now ask your question after considering that I am angry at all of you."

He did consider. "Jeff, will you tell us how you knew that Mr Brown had to all intents and purposes died."

"First of all I am Mr Congdon to you all until I find reason to go on a first name basis. I have seen a heart attack before. The symptoms are not secret. I recognised this very soon after the attack started. As to what I did and why, it was just common sense. I have very little knowledge of medicine but I did think of this procedure very quickly. I call it cardiopulmonary resuscitation but the medical community can call it something entirely different. Some doctors are familiar with this procedure. I had to restore normal breathing after the cardiac arrest. This includes the clearance of the air passages to the lungs. A finger is used to fish out any foreign matter including dentures. With the diaphragm not functioning, I had to resort to the mouth-to-mouth method of artificial respiration. The heart had momentarily stopped. I knew it by checking the pulse, or lack thereof, at the Carotid Artery. This required that I massage the heart by exerting pressure on the chest. The timing is important for each event and I then had to repeat the procedure till we arrived at the hospital."

I pointed to the next, "Your name and who you represent please?"

"McGuire, London Free Press. How..."

I held up a finger. "Hello Mr McGuire. Your question please?"

"Where did you learn all this?"

"I read extensively. When I witnessed a heart attack before, I was helpless. I didn't know what to do. This gave me added reasons to think much more about this kind of occurrence. I simply thought long and hard on what should be done and this time I was able to do some good."

"How did — "

"Were you born mentally deficient or do you think that I am? You had your question Mr McGuire."

I pointed to the next. The questions continued. I called Jane over and got her to get our tickets and warn me about when I had to get on the bus. When it was time to go, I finished the answer and asked myself, "How did you know to intercept me here?"

The last person I had answered said, "We talked to the bus driver and he said you went back home around this time."

"Thank you for telling me. Now I have to go or I'll miss my transportation."

I just got on the bus and the door closed. The diesel engines roared and I got a seat between Paige and Laura. The two girls stared at me. None of them had seen me act this way before. When I was older I had used my size to get my way. I was more polite then but what I had to say was never that interesting. Store openings, a bad fire, and a few break and enters had been small time things but not back then.

The rest of the passengers were whispering or staring at us. I was used to it but I saw that the girls were uncomfortable. Paige teased Laura with things until Laura began to ask questions. Paige was very blasé about their singing, the band playing and their coming trip to Memphis. Since I was just in the middle I moved over by Angela to let the two girls talk.

Angela asked, "What plans do you have for her, captain?"

"So we are back to captain and ordinary seamen. It might surprise you that I am not as powerful as at one time. Your opinions mean a lot to me. None of you really even nag. You say what you need to say and do what you need to do. None of you asked me about the meetings at the house. I supported you though and sometimes I did it by being away. Anyway back to the girl. Her family is in trouble. If they can fit in somehow then I will try to make room. As for the girl personally, I have no plans or even the interest in gaining something that the rest of you share with me."

Angela looked at her hands and said, "Yes, I know that. Sometimes we push just to see you move. You push us enough."

"If I didn't, you would not get the grades you are getting. You are all very important to me. So important that I'm investing part of myself in each of you."

We remained quiet for a while and I went over the Herman's Hermit song. I hummed and tapped my thigh as I thought of the words. Like most songs, the musician said what had to be said and repeated parts. I got out some paper then wrote out the lyrics as good as I could remember. The song had come out in 65 I think and at that time I was around nineteen.

I made changes so I had the right number of syllables and I tried on concentrating on the British voice that had to sing this song. Bloke was not used on this side of the Atlantic.

I now used music paper to transcribe what I remembered of the song. It took quite a while and when I was done it was still not right. I would need a band to work with me or at least some instruments.

Paige called me over and I made the move. She simply smiled and whispered, "As a future wife, I have to make use of a husband. I want you to sit so I can lean on you and take a nap. Laura may want to take one too."

I took my position and Paige hurried to take hers. She gave some instructions to Laura and she balanced out the forces on me. Paige went to sleep but I doubted if Laura did. She did hold my arm though and it felt nice. I still didn't feel for her like I did for the rest.



-------

Chapter 20


We got into North Bay at a little after eight. We all went to our house in two taxis. I opened the door first and knew there was something wrong. I could detect the faint smell of cigarette smoke. It was old but not that old. Being at the front of the bus all that time kept the smell of cigarettes away from me.

I pulled Jane off to one side for a moment and whispered, "Someone was in our house. Don't say anything that can harm the family. Tell the other girls though. I don't want to upset Laura." Jane nodded in understanding. I looked around for additional evidence. Nobody smoked in our house but visitors still could. Eventually that would stop too.

I found a shoe print of a man's shoe on the linoleum. An ashtray had a butt in it. I checked around the house and found four more butts. Two were in one container.

By now everyone but Laura knew of what I had found. I took Paige and Jennifer home but outside I said, "There were five butts in the ashtrays. The person or persons were in the house long enough to do a great deal. I suspect that there are now listening devices in the house. I am almost positive that the phone now has one on its circuit. Talk normally but just watch what you say. If you are too quiet or talk too proper then they'll know that you suspect. Until I get a device built, don't even whisper in your house either."

Nora and Jack were happy to see us back and examined some of the things that the girls purchased. Paige acted happy and said about what she had coming in the next few days.

Jack asked, "Where did the money come from?"

"I sell songs remember. I have enough money to indulge my future wife and our friend."

Jack was reminded of this, which he probably wanted to forget. I said, I have to leave, we have a guest. These two ladies can fill you in. Goodnight."

Angela put on a coat and came out onto the veranda. I said the same things as I said to Paige and Jennifer.

"Who would do such a thing?"

"I'm making a lot of money now. People may want to find out what I can do then find a way to use the information before I do."

We went back in and Angela began to talk normally or at least tried to. She called her dad and said she was back and asked for a ride. Laura called soon after and said that she would be home in an hour or less. There were a lot of questions and I let her answer any way she wanted. If the phone were tapped then the person would know when the article came out later.

Giovanni came over and we invited him in. Jane sat with us as we discussed the two days of intensive combat shopping. Angela was going to mention riding in a Rolls but I stopped her and added that it was a tight squeeze getting everybody in. She already knew that she had to keep quiet about where we stayed.

I called a taxi and when it came I did the same thing I had done to Jack and Nora and gave the girls the go-ahead to talk about the Browns after we left.

The Browns rented the same as we did, but their house was much more normal especially for the area. The house was smaller than ours and they still had three children. The door opened when we arrived and Jena waited for us. The walk was not shovelled but I didn't know how much work had to be done in the house or even the work ethic of the family.

Jena, I recognised from school. She was even in my grade eleven English class. She was a low to mediocre student but that didn't make her stupid. Barry was there sitting in his wheel chair. He was quite thin and his arms were large for his body.

I explained what I had done for their dad then explained what was going to happen in the next few months. I then handed over fifty dollars. "This is from your dad. It was for expenses until he gets back."

Jena asked, "Why did he give it to you?"

"I think it was because I can better protect the money. You know about me or should by now."

I turned to Barry and asked, "Your Mom said you fix radios. How much do you really know?"

"Are you that guy that runs a repair shop?"

"That's me."

"Well I don't know as much as you by a long shot. I read a lot of books and I tinker with the radios I get my hands on. Usually I'm able to get them to work but I have little in the way of test equipment."

"Do you want a job working on some of the units coming into the shop? I can't pay that much but I can have you trained at the same time."

"I'd love — "

Jena jumped in, "Can't you see my brother is in a wheelchair. How is he going to work for you?"

"Jena, I see two strong arms, a quick mind and a willingness to work. Do you only see the chair?"

"He can't do that work."

"I think he should get a try then say whether he can or not. I did mention training."

"Have it your way."

I said to Barry, "Show me your shop and books."

He didn't look happy now but did turn around and rolled the chair to his room. It was not very clean but then he was a boy or more properly a young man. He had some simple test equipment and three books. Two radios were in the room but nothing was apart.

I closed the door and asked in a whisper, "Barry you still have the job but I have to know some personal things."

He was nervous and said, "What kind?"

"Can you go to the bathroom by yourself. That means with no assistance from anybody else."

"Ah, I can but it's hard."

"Do you have any bars mounted in the bathroom to allow you to hold on so you can support yourself?"

He looked at me questioningly and said, "No, should there be?"

"Yes. You need things that allow you to slide off and onto your chair without falling. Now are you able to stand if you have something to hold onto?"

"I can do that for a while but I can't take any steps."

"That is fine. Now one that may hurt. How much education do you have?"

"I was in grade eight when it happened. I couldn't go back to school."

"There is some good and bad news I have for you. You get the job and you have to learn much more electronics. The bad thing is that you have to take correspondence courses to get not only your grade eight but thirteen too."

"Why? Anybody that can read and is interested can do this stuff."

"Barry, you don't know me at all. There are many calculations that have to be made to work on some circuits. If you don't do this you will be working in the dark and hoping to get something right. A resistor that is unidentifiable can be deduced by analysing the circuit. You need a great many other small things to allow you to advance."

Taking another track, I said, "You have to trust me when I say that I have a great many patents to my name. I have the potential of making millions of dollars every year. To assist me you need to have an education. You can stay as a repairperson but what happens when I open a new business and I need a manager? You may be that person or maybe, even with an education, you can't do the job. The only way to find out is to learn all you can."

"You want me to manage stuff for you?"

"I said might. A person can go to school all their lives and cannot manage a department in a business. I am doing things now that no one has ever done before. I am pushing back the boundaries of physics. I can prove a little of that and you will learn more in the next few months. I am offering you a chance, not the job. You need to learn. In fact an adult now has to learn for their entire life.

"I'm going to shoot a beam of light to the moon and know to the thousandth of an inch how far away it is. I am going to make more money than you ever believed existed. You can grow with me if you can hold on."

"I can try."

"That is all I ask."

That night I whispered into the girls ears what I suspected in more detail. The first thing I did was undo the screws under the phone and have a look. Sure enough there was a small diode across two terminals. I used long nose pliers and a screwdriver to remove it. The device went into a small container for storage. Perhaps I could get a partial print off of it. The butts were collected and stored separately.

Rather than search more I just went to bed and felt violated for what had happened. Instead of giving information to person's unknown, I slept in my old bed and so did everybody else.

The girls were shown the diode and I explained how it worked on the telephone to send information to a tape recorder some place. The person planting the device was either lazy or thought that they didn't need to be as careful because they were dealing with a boy, some girls and a widowed housewife.

Things started to get better only after I found a third compound that was good for my LCD. Jamie was again worried and I had to reassure him all the time or I feared he would fall apart. It was tough to be a teenager.

After English class both Alice and Jena wanted to talk to me and as they eyed each other I just went to my next class. At lunch, I phoned North Gate and left a message for James. He would have to meet me after school if he could or at home later. Pagers and cell phones had to be invented soon, at least pagers.

I loaded the phone with coins and called John's office. He was not there but I gave my name, which was instantly recognised. I said, "Please tell John that my house was infested when we got back. Add that I am developing the extermination method. Ask him to find out about the black Buick too."

During most of the classes I worked on the pager. I had to smile because if I did this right the pager network could be used for the cell phones later. The LCD though had not been completed yet. The pager might be the first device to incorporate it instead of the wristwatch.

By the end of the day I was bummed out. The pager could not be fabricated yet because not enough of the vital parts had been developed.

During music I played the sax to the discordant sounds around me. I told Jamie where I would be for our talk, and that I may not be alone, but would try to be.

During gym he changed close to me again and it looked like he was flashing himself to me. I smiled back wondering what was going on inside me. I was getting an erection now. During the class I looked at Jamie. He was a beautiful specimen of a young man. He pretended to be very macho but he was a marshmallow with a very thin crust. I didn't know if he was gay or not. He possibly was trying to find his way. The same things may be happening to me and I was over sixty years old and should know my sexual orientation by now. When I was young I had male friends but nothing had gone very far. It had been exciting at the time and I found that it was not what I wanted.

When the school day ended, I hurried outside and found James waiting. I opened the door but didn't get in yet. "Hello James. How are you today?"

"Great but it is still cold and I am not used to it yet."

"I opened my big mouth too much on Friday and got docked a million dollars. Instead of three and a half I got two and a half."

James was not over it yet so I showed him the paperwork so he would know for sure. Jamie came running over with a smile and I had to smile back. He was so beautiful. "I have a short meeting now."

I closed the door to let James read and think while I talked. "Hi Jamie. Glad you can make it. It's still hectic. There is lots of things I have to explain and a lot of things to share with you but out in the cold is not good."

"You could come to my house."

"I would like that but not just yet. Now, before we get interrupted, I wanted to say that all boys including me experiment with our own gender. If you repeat that then I will be hurt by those you feel threatened by."

Jamie looked like he was relaxing. I added, "During puberty and after, everybody sets their sights on a male or a female. The truth of the matter is that it is not like black and white. Nobody is that way. All of us are grey. Some are almost black and some are almost white but most of us are just close to one extreme or the other. Do you follow what I am saying?"

"Yes I know. I have been dealing with this for a long time."

"The next thing to make sure you understand is that we experiment to see just where we belong. There is nothing wrong with this as long as nobody is hurt. The next thing is our culture. Girls can kiss with nobody raising an eyebrow but not two guys. In lots of the world, women are only used for breeding while the guys have fun with each other. Some of this is cultural but a lot is what is really inside us and what we want. So what I am saying is that I am your friend, I would not say anything. Even if I were your enemy I would not say anything. It is something that can destroy a person because of the way others view it."

Jamie said with a smile, "I didn't know about the other countries. Maybe it would be fun to visit."

"If you did you would get lots of takers. You have a beautiful exterior but I know how soft you are inside. Next time you slip don't make a big thing of it. Just laugh it off. It looked like you were ready to cave in any minute and that is not good. Just remember I am your friend and I would say nothing."

Jamie jumped at me and hugged me. It felt odd in a way but it felt good too. The odd was not all cultural hang-ups though and I wondered if in this life I would be radically different.

Alice must have seen me for she hurried through traffic to get close. I said, "Here comes another beautiful person but she has big sharp teeth and is not a marshmallow at all."

Alice looked at Jamie as if apprising a competitor but smiled at me. "Hi Jeff. I wanted to talk about last time."

"Yes?"

"Not on the street silly."

"I don't know if I can talk now but would you like a ride home?"

She thought for a few seconds and said, "Ok."

I opened the car and crawled in. Whispering to James I said, "Put that away and don't talk about any business. You're an uncle."

James folded up the paper and put it in his pocket and said, "Sure nephew."

"Can we get a ride? I don't know where one destination is."

"My time is yours."

Jamie got in the back then Alice did. I closed her door and got in the front. "Uncle James, this beautiful lady is Alice Henderson. Alice this distinguished gentleman is a maternal uncle. He's a smooth talker so watch out."

Alice was polite but I could tell she was not that thrilled about meeting an older man.

"Uncle James this other distinguished gentleman in the back is Jamie Sutherland. Since you have the same first names I doubt if you will forget the other. Jamie this is Uncle James."

Jamie was much more animated and much more polite too.

We drove Jamie home first and I saw it was in the same neighbourhood as the Browns. In fact their house was across the street and just around the nearest corner. We parted with a wave and a polite thank you. Again this was not what it was like in even thirty years.

When we stopped at Alice's home she invited me in. "You were going to talk to me."

I said to James, "I'll walk around the block in a few minutes."

"Ok Nephew."

James left and he had not been given even a, "Thanks."

"Come on in Jeff."

"I don't want to. Tell me what you want."

Alice's features changed then reformed again. It looked like she was back to playing games. She looked ready to cry. "Won't you come in?"

"No thank you. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"I wanted to tell you that you were right last time. I wanted to apologise. For the way I acted."

"The matter was not that important but I'll forgive you if it makes you feel better."

"But I wanted to show how important you are to me."

"Your words are good enough Alice. I'm sorry because I have to go. I still have a great deal to do."

"What is it?"

"I can only say it is related to Toronto. I will see you tomorrow at school."

Alice looked like a fisherman that saw a large fish getting away. "Ok, we will talk tomorrow."

James was waiting in the car when I arrived. He got out to meet me and said, "Jane said I had to wait out here today. Is she upset with me for some reason? I can fix it somehow."

"No, James. It is nothing like that. We all went to Toronto, as you know. When we got back I found that our home had been entered. There was a bug on our phone and I'm sure there are more in the house. We cannot talk in there. A few weeks ago a black Buick followed me. I do not think it is a physical threat but more of a spy thing. They want to know what I am doing and see if they can make some money too. It could also be a threat to my business actions though and I hate to be thought of as paranoid."

"I would be paranoid in your case. Do you want to go some place and talk?"

We can do it in the car but soon we have to sweep this vehicle too before we talk."

"Sweep?"

"Search for eavesdropping devices. You know; bugs."

"Oh!"

We sat back in the car and I said, "Can I have the paperwork back?"

"Oh sure."

"Talk to Northern Plastics on my behalf. I can get you some papers to say you are working for the North American Development Incorporation."

"Where and who is that?"

"Me. Now ask to have a corporate accountant look over their book in preparation to present an offer. Mr Boise may or may not have moved on our suggestion. I was with you because I was your favourite nephew. Don't mention my name as the purchaser. If they dig they can find out but it will take a while. I plan on offering only a hundred and thirty thousand."

"Ok, anything else?"

"You said Central Automotive has a newer building and should go for a hundred and fifty. Offer them a hundred and thirty. The company will stay where it is and I will hire the previous owner to manage my company for me. Hurry with this property if possible.

"The neighbourhood across from Central Automotive has eighteen large residential properties. See what you can buy all of them for. I have your figures for what they are worth. Get them for twenty percent less. Offer to rent back the homes to any that want to for three quarters of what I have to pay in mortgage. You may have to go to the county seat to see who owns what first. Keep this low key if possible. Tell the homeowners that the owner is going to expand on the Central Automotive property and their homes will be worth less than they are now. That is the truth because of the heavy construction.

"Go to the fire marshal's office and find out about the order to tear down the old paint building. If it looks like they are stalling call Mr Mason immediately. If the order still stands, offer ten thousand for the property and I will tear the building down myself. The man is probably sweating bullets about now on how to comply with the orders.

"When this is all done I want to put an offer in on Camden Wood Products. You said they are worth a hundred and thirty thousand normally. You and Mr Mason, my lawyer, and the corporate accountant will offer twenty thousand less but then we will take care of all debts. We will have to factor in long term debt as in pensions.

"North Bay Lumber should be offered a straight hundred and eighty thousand. It is worth more so I could be bargained upward."

James said, "That should total six to seven hundred thousand dollars."

"That is the estimate I came to as well. The marina land is leased from the city. I want the land. It should cost another thirty five thousand but offer twenty-five. I am not going to evict the tenants but reserve the right to move the slips to a nearby location."

"The old aggregates property gets the same price of twenty five thousand even with the building. Two other city owned lands you have marked out in blue total twelve acres. I will pay twenty-five total for them too."

James said, "That is around eight hundred thousand dollars."

"It will end up being more. I want all the businesses to continue functioning with existing staff. That means we have to do some negotiations with the managers. The only one I do not want is Hugh Durden. I want you to tie in with a very surprised Mr Mason today. Inform him of the breach of security and set up an appointment after school tomorrow. You will have to pick me up again. Tell him the corporate accountant will come up from Toronto when he is asked to come."

James was still stunned. "James, you will work hard to save as much money as you can. That means we all work out a strategy to see how best this can be done. I will reward you with the bonus but also with the job of running the lumber company. You can hire your sister to assist as you think best."

James went off to do what he was asked. I was concerned about his ability to drive with the way he was currently thinking.

I went into the house and after kissing Jane went down the basement to continue with my bug detector. Around eight, John called. "I hear you found something interesting."

"Hold on a minute please." I turned the radio up loud and picked up the phone. "I removed a small device from the phone that allows the handset to transmit what is said in the house without the phone even being off the hook. The phone could still be tapped but I am not telling them anything they won't soon know anyway. I found five butts that the person or persons left behind. By tomorrow at this time I should have a working bug detector. I may have to fiddle with it for a few days and send a copy to you. You might be surprised what you find and where it will be."

"I can't wait to get it but I already have fair security."

"I just had an idea for money."

"What is it or should you say it over the phone?"

"It's ok. We make a movie about this. What actor is cute enough to be me?"

"I can only think of Peter Lorre."

"Why thanks, and I was going to get Humphrey Bogart for you. Did your search come up with anything?"

"Still the weekend."

"Ok, and I'm thinking about the communicator I mentioned earlier."

I was still pissed off at being violated when I went to school the next day. I got one more experiment and it was another dud. If I had my own lab I could do four to six experiments a night. I had a total of fourteen more possibilities to go and maybe two would work if the averages held out. In that case I couldn't show that I had done this myself in school as opposed to pulling it full blown from a hat.

Alice looked like she was saccharin and spice and not everything nice. Jena looked at me this time with a different look. I did talk to Jena for a few minutes and offered her the job of teaching her brother.

"You what?"

"Barry didn't complete his grade. Give him a hand and get him books. You have to even give and mark assignments. Get him to read the books you had to read."

"Why? He isn't your brother."

"No, but he is an employee and for him to advance he has to learn. I will see about correspondence courses later but I want him to start the habit of learning now. Are you going to do it?"

"I guess."

Jamie on the other hand was even nicer than Jena or Alice. I was angry with myself because I reacted whenever he came close. He came close in three classes. I even caught him eyeing my dick to see if I was erect. The fact was that he was correct. After that he showed me that he was erect too which didn't help at all.

Mr Sharp in woodwork pulled me aside late in the afternoon and said, "The Toronto papers just came in. You're on the front page."

"It is hard to deny it, I guess. Jena Brown is in grade eleven though and I am not sure how she is going to handle this. Perhaps you can talk to the teachers to be on the lookout for her? She's under a lot of stress."

"I can do that."

After the last class I hurried to the office. I was soon able to see Mr Grissom. "That was a good thing you did Mr Congdon. Not many people would know what to do in a situation like that."

"Thank you sir. My brain sometimes jumps to a conclusion when enough facts are present. It is a little like mathematics. You get enough data to produce more data and all of a sudden a solution jumps out at you. It helps me with my work. I did come here on another matter."

"What is that?"

"The man in the paper has a son of twenty. He fell from a tree when in grade eight. He lost a lot of time and couldn't go back to school. Later there were other problems so he felt he could not go back. He happens to have picked up some abilities in repairing electronic components. I gave him a job but he's under trained. He needs to learn with someone that has the time to teach him. I will pay for this. He also needs to graduate. To do this he has to go to school, take a correspondence course or find somebody to assist him in this too. What do you suggest?"

"I'll have to think about it. Can you really pay?"

I took out my wallet and showed him the contents. The man's eyes went very far up. "Please don't mention this. I need the money quickly for many things but I do not want to be robbed."

"I will see what I can do."

James was waiting and I ran to the car and got in. "Let's go before I get caught up again?"

On the way James said, "That girl yesterday. She looked to be hung up on you."

"I know and I don't know why. She is older than me. I'm not a beautiful person even if I'm not ugly. I don't think she knows about my money so she isn't after that. The only thing that makes sense is that she knows that I am a celebrity because of rescuing Corinne and making some saleable records."

"What about what was in the papers?"

"She was after me before that."

We pulled up into a parking spot in a parking lot and we were soon in Mr Mason's office. In moments the three of us were seated at his office with a large oak table.

"Hello Jeff, Mr Cochrane."

We gave our own greetings and I slipped out the document to show him that he didn't have to go on hearsay about the loan.

"Hmm I haven't very many millionaires as clients."

"I'm not. This is borrowed money. I will be a millionaire in a year or two. In thirty years I will be a multi billionaire even if you don't believe me."

Mason said, "Oh, I do believe. When a twelve-year-old boy can come up with two an a half million today then if he says he will make a billion soon, I have all the faith in the world that he will."

"Thank you for the trust. What did you get from your, no doubt stimulating, meeting with my friend here, Mr Cochrane?"

"You want to buy up a good sized portion of our city. He talked of a strategy on how to acquire the most before the prices start to shoot up."

"Basically that's right. I have plans for each of the businesses I want. If I get them they will make me rich and our city will prosper. If I do not get them then I simply go to Toronto and they get the benefits. It costs a lot to ship all the way here then ship to a large market like Toronto again."

"That's true. I heard that you now have a Canadian corporation."

"Yes. North American Development Incorporation is the name. Over time it will be an umbrella corporation that controls the others. I would like some secrecy in these purchases. My life will be very difficult, especially at school if this news got out."

We talked for well over an hour with many sheets of yellow paper being used to refine our goals. James' knowledge of real estate and pricing helped considerably. They liked the idea of going after the auto repair business before the nearby homes.

"What type of problems are we going to have in converting the marina and the repair business into luxury residentials? I still need to have a park and trees to separate the high priced homes from the commercial."

"If you own all the land then most of the problem is solved. Residential does not bring in as much revenues but it will attract the rich and they will spend."

I pointed to two parcels of land and said, "I'm suggesting, not telling you two. Form a partnership and see if you can get an option to buy these two properties from the city. In a year of so others will see how important this area is and the price will rise. I could buy the properties or the options but I want those that help me to get ahead themselves."

I ran my finger along another street that crossed the railway lines. "Later I want to get an overpass built. This will be a major access to my businesses. The increased traffic will allow businesses along the way to prosper too. If we own some of those establishments then we will make the money."

Mason said, "I can see both ideas being very lucrative. I am thanking you in advance for the idea of options. I would be very happy to form a partnership with Mr Cochrane."

James said, "I like the idea too. I don't have that much to put into the partnership except my knowledge."

I said, "You have more than that. Now how do we approach Central Automotive to start the ball rolling?"

I left the two of them to work out the details. I had found out a few other details and one was that Goldbalm was still performing a great many tricks so that he could postpone his court date. Lawyers liked this for it made them money for each appearance even though they did little or nothing. The documents from Sam Johnston came in and both Mr Mason and I went over them before signing them. He promised to get them out in the mail tonight. The amount of money I got for the four songs raised his eyebrows significantly.

I wanted to go home and clean my house but instead I got a taxi and went to the Brown's home. I knocked on the front door and Jena opened it.

"Hi Jena. May I come in for a moment to talk?"

"If you want to."

Laura was nearby and came to see me. She was smiling and now quite shy. She was also cute and part of the reason for remembering the Herman's Hermit's song.

"Hi Laura. How was your day at school?"

"It was fine until just before I had to go home. They asked me lots of questions about daddy and — "

"I understand. Let's sit down for a moment."

We went into the living room and in a moment Barry came in. I shook hands with him and again he felt uncomfortable doing such things. When I was in Germany the men shook hands before, during and after a meeting. The gesture was not part of our culture although I thought it should be. Its allure was because it was a better way of dealing with each other with some tactile contact.

"The news from Toronto came out today. I expect all of you to be questioned to some extent. It is frustrating to have to answer the same questions over and over again. Sometimes they ask stupid questions just to confuse you. They want some words that will pull at the heartstrings of the readers. They would also like to see conflict if possible. Newspapers are just like backyard gossips in a way."

I added, "Have any of you talked to your mother yet?"

Jena said, "No."

"May I use your phone?"

I got a shrug of the shoulders. The long distance operator was soon on the phone. I had the call billed to my home number and directed the operator to connect me with the floor of the particular hospital. There was talk as the call was transferred up the ladder until I got the nursing station.

I thanked the operator then asked to speak to Mrs Brown for a few moments.

The woman came to the phone after a minute. "Hello Mrs Brown. Jeff Congdon here. How are you?"

"Not bad I guess."

"Are you sleeping well?"

"I get some in my room but more in the chair beside Paul."

"I phoned you to let you talk to your children. The call is being billed to my home so there is no charge to you. Laura looks to want to talk the most. Here she is." I handed the phone to the girl.

"Hello Momma — "

The talk went on and I sat back down. I told Barry, "I asked Jena to help you with some of your studies. These don't have to take all your time but it has to be done."

"How do I learn more about electronics?"

"You need a tutor for part of the time but you also need to read. I talked to Mr Grissom. He mentioned that he would look into this for us."

"Did you want me to go back to school?"

"That would be best but you would have difficulty fitting in with those much younger and in the same grade as you. We will just have to have a special school."

Jena got the phone now and excitedly talked to her mother.

"I noticed some books on electronics in your room. Will you get them for me?" Barry was happy to oblige and was soon back. I asked, "What are the parts that you don't understand?"

He took the top book and in a minute pointed out a section. I explained what the author was trying to convey but before I went further Jena handed the phone to her brother. Barry now talked while I studied Jena.

I patted the seat beside me and she came reluctantly. I asked, "What does Barry find the most difficult?"

"Everything is difficult. Maybe it is because he is my brother. Can't you get somebody else to do this?"

"Jena it's a job that gives you some money of your own. Secondly it's probably not just your brother's attitude but yours too. When I talked about using the phone I got a shrug. When I asked to come in you just said, 'If you want to.' That's not the actions of a person that who is trying very hard. What are your aspirations? Surely it's more than to be a mother and a housewife."

"Why should I tell you? You are only twelve for god sake."

"At twelve, I am still more intelligent than many adults. As for why, that is because if you don't tell me I will not know. I am not one of your friends at school that will stab you in the back if the opportunity arises."

She took a while until she was ready to talk and I did nothing but wait patiently. "I wanted to be a dancer." The way she looked at me made me think she was getting ready for ridicule.

"What kind of dancing?"

"I liked ballroom dancing."

"I heard Laura likes dancing too and playing the violin."

"Yeah, we both would dance. She doesn't like playing much though. I taught her some dance steps. We didn't have lessons but mom is a good dancer and we could see more on television and the movies."

"Your mom says you like to cook too."

"Well, it's ok but dancing is more fun."

"Good, don't give your dream up yet. The ladies that I usually hang around with are going for an audition. You never know what the future will bring."

"How am I going to get a job doing that? Nobody is going to hire me."

"If you are good not just fair but good, I may have a way. My agent actually works for MGM. There are thousands of dancers in California but if you are worth the risk I can see if I can get you an audition."

"Really! Me! In California."

"Jena, you have to be good not just good for North Bay but one of the best in Ontario. You are now competing for spots that get chosen for the best in North America. This is the same as a boy playing road hockey and thinking he can get into the NHL. Only a select few can ever make it. Now tell me what else you like besides dancing and cooking."

Barry called and I said, "Excuse me a moment Jena."

Clara said to me on the phone, "Thank you very much. You don't know how good it is to talk to my children. Thanks to for also giving the money to Jena. I didn't tell her that you fibbed."

"Well maybe I did a little. I did talk to Barry and he has the potential to do something for himself and for me. Jena is going to spend an hour or so teaching Barry about what he missed in school. He has a lot to catch up on. The principle at my school, Mr Grissom, is looking into what can be done to help. Barry needs some advanced training in electronics before he can do much for me."

Clara said, "I know he can do some things but don't push him."

"I am not an evil taskmaster. I point in the direction I want to travel and a person either tries or he doesn't. Sometimes if you have high expectations you will get a lot more than if you expect little."

Paul was doing better but would still be hospitalised for a few weeks. Mr Pettigrew, the counsellor, was going to put in an application for assistance so they would not be saddled with all the hospital bills they would be unable to pay anyway.

Before I left the Brown's home, I looked at the bathroom. Many of my former contemporaries needed grab bars mounted around the bathroom to aid their mobility.

I ate a late supper then went right back to work on the bug detector. Jane said the truck came from Toronto." Her eyes glistened. We took all the stuff and put it away."

"Remember that some of those things are presents. No peaking."

"We won't."

I just completed the detector at ten o'clock. I tidied up the device. It looked truly like an abortion with the parts spread out on a piece of plywood. It was cumbersome but we did find bugs. We worked in silence with the girls gleeful. We found a total of five listening devices that we left in place. I wanted to trace them back to the tape recorder wherever that might be. Perhaps I could find the people behind this.



-------

Chapter 21


Wednesday was almost a non-event. I was still not ready to participate much in school life. Jamie invited me over to his home but I had to refuse. Mr Grissom gave me some pamphlets and even some phone numbers to try, but because Barry was now twenty, getting him educational help it was not going to be easy. There was no such thing as an adult education centre anywhere that I knew of other than at a college or university.

Ian though was coming around enough that I was able to introduce him to Janice Higgins. "My sister Susan has a birthday on the 28. The 26th is a Saturday. We are having a surprise party in her honour. Both of you are now being invited to attend. I'm warning you that you will regret not showing up if you miss it. The party is going to be special."

Sam and Gloria's relationship had cooled a bit but they were still together. At least they were not as shy now. I also asked them to attend.

I only had three classes with Jamie and decided to invite him to the party. He was quite excited about it and said he would attend if possible. I didn't feel the same thing for Alice for some reason.

At lunch, I phoned to find out what I could about educational possibilities for Barry. None of the answers looked very promising.

When school was over I found Alice ready to walk home. We had just got off the school property when James pulled up and said, "Hello, would you to like a ride."

Alice said, "No."

I didn't like her reply and I also knew that James wanted to talk. "Sure Uncle James." I turned to Alice and said, "He's already here, we may as well take advantage of it."

"Well, ok then."

We talked of inconsequential minutia until we dropped Alice off. She said, "Will you come in for a while?"

"I have too many things to do. I'm sorry Alice."

She gave me her sour/angry look and went in. James said, "She is one weird young lady."

"Yes she is. Now what is so important that you came to get me?"

I got a big smile and James said, "We are ready to close the deal on Central Automotive."

"How much?"

"He's in trouble. We got him to accept a hundred and twenty five. Twenty five of that is for the owner and a hundred thousand in debts we have to assume. The deal includes a large storage area with cars reserved for parts or for repair and resale. This may represent five to ten thousand dollars in value. The business was recently sold and there are no long-term employees to worry about. Mr Curtis, the present owner, wants to know how much you are offering him to stay?"

"Tell him we will be audits of the books monthly. He gets a three-month temporary contract. He gets paid eighty dollars a week salary. That means he has to put in his regular hours. I will put him on our corporate bonus plan but that is set at corporate headquarters and changes from time to time."

I continued, "We still have to check the books. He may be far more in debt than he stated. Do you think we can keep the sale quiet? We can claim that it will hurt the business if people think it is under new management."

James was not looking at me and actually blushing. "Out with it James. What is it?"

"I hired a good accountant. He went over the tax records and all the books. They were not kept up well but they are accurate. There are some small adjustments for taxes, water, hydro and fuel oil bills that have to be made."

"James, you keep amazing me. You are doing extremely well. How good is this accountant?"

"Pretty good, even though he's young. I know experience counts but he is hungry."

"I'll pay his bill today but offer him the same pay you are getting for future work. He will be in on the bonus plan too. He can do much of the easy stuff without calling up someone more specialised in corporate matters. Now what is keeping Mr Curtis quiet?"

"With the explanation about lost sales it should work. I'll talk to the accountant about your offer. I even think he will take it."

We were by now at my house and I said, "Let's go for a drive. I want to see the building from far off then drive up the road I mentioned yesterday."

We drove into the commercial park and went by all the properties I wanted to purchase. I was happy to see a notice posted on the gate of the paint warehouse stating the order to have the building demolished.

James said with a smile, "That went up today. Mr Mason was the one that talked to the fire marshal."

We drove by the plumbing supply business and I said, "James, will you turn around. I want to go to the plumbing shop. I need some things."

We both went inside. The clerk was quick to come forward to help.

He looked at James but I was the one that spoke first, "Hi, I need four, three quarter galvanised street elbows and four flanges with a three quarter threaded hole in them. The kind used to support the pipe as it goes through the floor."

The clerk didn't recognise what I meant. I said, "A young man is in a wheelchair. I want to mount two sturdy flanges on the bathroom wall and put a street elbow into each of them. A short length of pipe connects both elbows and I have an instant handgrip."

"Sorry, we don't have anything like that. The ones we have are not threaded and are just clearance holes."

"Can we go with one inch parts and a three quarter flange. Perhaps a plumber can tap the hole for me."

"Hold on a minute." The man got the flange and the street elbow and saw that there was enough material and it was sturdy and made of steel instead of cast iron.

"Let me see how much it will cost. You want four?"

"Yes."

He walked to the back they came out with an older man. Again I had to explain what I wanted and why.

"A dollar and a half for the four," the old man said.

"A buck and I get to watch."

The old man just looked at me and nodded his head. All four of us went into the back and the man drilled out the hole to make it the right size with a drill press then tapped the four holes by hand. When he was done I said, "I need two holes in each that have to be countersunk." The man just looked at me and did what I asked.

"There you go Sonny."

"Thank you sir." I handed him a two dollar bill and added, "For doing a good job. Are you interested in one more? It isn't plumbing but it means that you go to a house and bolt these to the studs in the bathroom then cut the pipe to the proper length and thread the ends. Not much chance of it leaking I think."

"Five bucks plus materials."

"You are an old robber. The job is worth three but an old coot like you needs to eat. You get five for the job and you take some fine sandpaper and make sure there is nothing to cut the young man's hands if he slips. You further have to get the young man to show you where it is needed."

"Old coot, eh?"

"From my perspective, everybody over twenty is an old coot. You are just a bit further along."

He smiled now and said, "You got a deal you young whippersnapper."

I gave the man a five dollar bill. "I am sorry but I need a receipt for the materials and labour. The government is going to kill me in taxes."

Both men laughed at this thinking it was a great joke. I paid for the materials and gave the address of the home. I even used the phone to call Jena to tell her of the plumber's arrival.

Before we left, I walked the aisles looking at what was currently for sale. There was some copper pipe but the majority was still galvanized black iron for water. When natural gas ever came this far the regular black pipe would be used. There were some compression fittings for the copper but the selection was limited. By 2008 all soldered connections even with lead free compounds was banned. Only compression fittings were allowed unless it was on a waste pipe.

I had drawn up the ball valve and patented it seven different ways. The fixtures here were all with washers. There were some supplies for plumbers that allowed them to install things not carried by Canadian Tire. The selection, though, was again minimal. I remembered walking down the aisles of Home Depot and seeing all the plumbing fixtures and here there wasn't even a stainless steel sink. There were no fibreglass shower enclosures or even hot tubs. The claw foot cast iron tub came in two sizes and most were the standard small size. The baked on porcelain coated sheet metal tub was not here either.

James and I trampled through a field covered in snow. He brought out a pair of binoculars and I looked at the shop and grounds. There were a lot of wrecks but some of them could be customer's cars waiting for repair.

"I see a new industry worth millions but it will cost millions to get it going."

"What is it?"

"Bathroom and kitchen fixtures. I had an idea a few weeks ago to make Camden Wood Products very busy and profitable. It does tie in with the rest now that I think of it."

"What will Camden do?"

"I know how to make a plastic counter top that looks and feels like granite. They were going to make this product and install it on very expensive cabinetry. The rich can now find a way of spending more money on their homes. Eventually they will come down to the point that even a real estate broker can afford it but it will take quite a while to pay for."

"Why would I buy it if it is that expensive?"

"Looks great, resists stains, stands up to hot pots and is strong. Women will be demanding this mainly but the kitchen will be just one more place for people to assemble. It won't be just a room to work in but a room to enjoy."

"I like it already and I haven't even seen it. Now what about Central Automotive?"

"They don't have what I want in their junk pile. Maybe we will have to find some in Toronto."

"What?"

"We take a luxury car and stretch the body so many more passengers fit in it. This makes it a real limousine. It may be too costly to cut up a new cars but perhaps two wrecks would work. One supplies the front end while the other supplies the rear. All you need is an extra set of doors if you want them."

"Who buys that? The rich?"

"Yes, the rich or those wanting to pretend to be rich. A young male on graduation night might rent one with a chauffeur to take his date to the prom and then out afterwards. It would be quite impressive and a comfortable way to travel. Think of the all that room along with a small fridge, bar and a television."

James said, "I know what you want with the lumber company and the only thing left is the plastics company."

"They make the sinks made out of the same material as the counter tops. They also make some of the basic counter tops for sale without the cabinetry. My first project though is for two small plastic spools that hold magnetic tape in a small plastic box. Now you know everything I am going to produce for sale."

"So the rest is for residential purposes and for your experiments?"

"That's it. The crusher may be used if I need a lot of concrete to build. It can also be used to break up quartz or other rock for some of my other projects. I figure if my first group of companies are going to sell to the public then it may be a good idea to make lots of my own products. I win both ways then."

Maggie and Susan swept the house for bugs one more time. I offered ten dollars for each additional bug they found. I followed the wires into the basement and located individual transmitters hidden in the ducts or in hard to see places. My searching turned up six units so I figured that Susan and Maggie were going to make money. Two of the units were actually receivers as well. So they must not be fed by wires but by radio waves.

I had a reason to smile again. Many devices used the household electric wires for other purposes. An intercom worked on it but with the sixty hertz power was just filtered out. There were in my day a lot of control circuits that used the hundred and ten volts and put the signals into the same wires that fed it. A device somewhere else in the house could then be controlled. I don't think spying was that sophisticated yet.

Paige, Jennifer, and Jane came down to find more transmitters but for all I knew they may be in the attic too. An outlet was not the only way to tap power.

It had snowed again but there were still tracks in the back yard that I had not noticed before. One set was from a young person or from a woman. The garage had another transmitter and the bug. When Susan and Maggie came running with smiles I gave the detector to the other group and had them turn up the radio upstairs. The music would get to the transmitters and the power was much easier to detect.

I hurried upstairs and inspected the television and radio but found nothing inside. A thumb print by the opening to the attic was enough for me to brave the insulation and look. There were three of them. One was over each of the bedrooms. Their power was taken from some clips that punctured the insulation on the house wiring.

The total so far was ten units. To me they were cheap units but in actual fact they were current technology. The cost of each was over what the average man would make in three to four weeks. Ten units made this thirty to forty weeks. Each unit had to have another receiver nearby and a tape recorder. They may possibly have voice-activated equipment in this year but I was not sure. Otherwise the sheer man-hours to monitor the conversation would add up to a very expensive operation.

The people that could afford this were governments, companies bent on finding out what I knew, but my guess was possibly someone out to get me personally. The only one I could think of that may want this was Goldbalm.

He had the money, he was curious enough and now that he was coming to trial he may want to find a back door to his defence. If he could blackmail me then I could be forced to destroy the crown attorney's case. Not only would he save a heavy fine but also what would happen to his name when the case was dropped.

None of the bugs had been deactivated except the one on the phone. That particular one could be looked at as a fluke. I was toying with the idea of deactivating the one in the garage and wait to see who comes to fix it. I could not monitor the garage twenty-four hours a day for weeks nor could I apprehend the person that came.

We went back to acting like we were. I taught, cajoled and joked. A written note told everybody what I was planning and what we had to do. In an hour it would be time for bed and I felt exposed with all the microphones around me.

I was barely civil at school. My focus was on making a better bug detector. I could put more amplifications stages in but it was not sensitive enough in wide areas. I could detect only certain frequencies and I needed something better than a short wave receiver. Ten bands plus AM and FM were not nearly enough. The units I saw were probably military in origin and different units could transmit in different frequencies.

Working from the other guys perspective I saw how cumbersome this set up was. The job of ten transmitters could be done with one if it switched from one to the other very quickly. This was no good for data but very good for simple voice. For the rest of the day I would be smiling. I just remembered that Bell phone didn't have this yet and when they did it would save them from continuing to lay new trunk lines, at least until these were overloaded.

I ignored my problems and worked on a circuit that would do just as I was thinking. It would give a tenth of a second to each caller and when the signal got to the other end nine exact copies would be added to it and the human ear would not hear anything different.

At the end of the day I had the telephone circuit done in rough form but not my improved bug catcher.

I saw James' car just as I got out of the school. I pointed to my right and stabbed my finger three times. He nodded and left. I didn't need any aggravation from Alice. In a few moments I heard James' car and got in.

"Hello Mr Congdon. We have some good news for you."

"Hello James. What do you have?"

"The owner of Central Auto will accept your conditions. All we need is the signature of an officer of the corporation."

"I am not feeling as smart as I should be. Do you know where Mr Mason is?"

"He should be at his office."

In moments the three of us met. After shaking hands and congratulating them on doing such a good job I said, "The board of governors has voted unanimously to have you take your proper place as officers of North American Development Incorporation."

Both men were a little stunned by this. I added, "The pay for sitting and running the corporation is very minimal. As I get more people that I trust, I can let go those that are just sitting in for pay. I don't know whether I should move the corporate office here or leave it in Toronto."

James smiled and said, "I never sat on the board of any corporation before. I don't know what to do."

Mr Mason said, "I'm afraid I'm in the same boat."

"I will have to make out a quick guide for you. Since you have been verbally informed then you can proceed with the sale. James, I want you to hide that you are on the board. I'll need you in certain events otherwise I want to keep your involvement hidden as much as possible. Too many people from this city, being on the board, will tell others that the company is really run from this city. With all the talking I have done, the ownership might get traced back to me."

Mason asked, "What are we going to do about the sale? It needs to be completed and the funds transferred."

"Well you can sign now. The account is not even set up at the local Bank of Commerce. Too bad they are closed for the day. I should have started a corporate account days ago, instead but I was too preoccupied with the bugs in my home. Set up the account tomorrow with provision for unnamed others to sign on later. I'll phone Mr Holtzman from here. I still can't trust my phone. He can work through Sebastian Forsyth, one of the vice presidents, to put some money into the account with a telephone call. I can't see the local manager objecting to this."

I paused to think then added, "I screwed myself. I could have just presented the document I got for the line of credit to this branch. Then I could draw as needed. Then again, if I did that then the manager would know my name. This would be far more than a juicy bit of gossip and he would not keep the secret for long even with threats from the head office."

Mason said, "I see your point. Perhaps this Sebastian Forsyth can just set up the account in Toronto and we can draw money from there."

"That may be best. This way the local manager doesn't know how much money is pouring into the city and can't alert his friends."

I was lucky that John was in his office. Since his name was on the line of credit, he too could manage it. He would set up the account and call tomorrow when it was done. A hundred thousand dollars would be transferred this time. It would pay off Mr Curtis and we would assume the debt for the remainder. The rest of the money would be spent on salaries for the auto business and as deposit monies for purchases.

I told John, "I used my device one more time on my house and found five more bugs and some short range transmitters. The pick up point has to be close. My gut feeling says it is Goldbalm. That equipment is valuable and the cost of monitoring can't be cheap. All the devices except the phone are still operational. I was thinking of disconnecting one in the garage after simulating a problem. That will mean that someone will come to see if they can fix it. I may have an inflated head at times, but there is no way I can handle this situation. Can you hire some people to keep watch?"

"I don't know. I will have to check. How many do you need?"

"Three is best, I think. I want them all well rested if and when the time comes. I don't want the police involved in this so they have to be able to keep quiet. Politely asking the individual who hired him or her will not work."

"I understand what you mean. This means a different group of people being involved."

Off the subject now I said, "The next goal is to acquire some of the homes close to Central Automotive. If some of the current owners leave we can use the building to house the engineers. My requirements have gone up though. I need two more chemical engineers. They should be very familiar with acrylics."

"Mmmm something patentable?"

"Yes but not a lot. I did think of something at school that we can sell for a million or so if you want to interest Bell in it."

"Only a million?"

"It's a device that will allow ten times the number of calls to travel through their trunk lines."

"That may be worth well more than a million, especially when other countries are involved. I wonder if it will work with the Trans Atlantic Cable?"

"That's why I have a good partner. I didn't think of that. I'll work a bit more on the rough schematic and bring it down on the weekend. You'll have to find a trustworthy group of engineers to work on it."

When the call was over I said, "Make sure you both document and bill the corporation for the call.

James said, "You can make a million dollars just like that?"

"The counter tops and sinks are worth hundreds of millions but will take twenty years to get to that total. The valves will do the same but they are a lot cheaper but get sold to a great many more households. Everything I do is aimed at making money."

"Not your pipe work yesterday."

"Well most of it then."

After supper I asked Paige to come over. She read the script I gave her and smiled.

Close to one of the microphones I said, "Paige I need you."

"Mmmm I like when you say that. You want to sneak out to the garage again?"

"Yeah, I like that. Mom and my sisters are always snooping."

I left with plastic and three blankets while the girls all smirked at me but remained silent. The plastic was put on a clean section of the floor and then covered with a blanket. We stripped quickly. Paige was just getting over her period but I didn't care. With the blankets over us we rutted for a good half hour with Paige getting very theatrical.

We brought our bedding in with us and I put it away. Now the eavesdroppers knew that I used the garage for sexual liaisons.

I worked on my Mark II bug detector, one that had to work on a fluctuating magnetic field in the audio spectrum. The other unit did this too but there were ways of improving the circuit. As more ideas came to me I could add this device to one that searched for RF.

Paige and Susan came down to the basement. Paige said, "Jeff, I want you again. Can we go out to the garage?" She pushed Susan into my arms.

"A man has to do what a man has to do."

"Susan and I went out to the garage. I used Paige's name as I ate my sister. She kept her clothes over her mouth to muffle any sound and came to a suitable orgasm. I moved up quickly and entered her. Five more minutes was all it took for both of us to have another.

This time the blankets and plastic stayed in the garage and we hurried into the house. Paige was there with a grin and held me. "Ewww you're cold."

"So are you. I need to get the garage heated."

"And put a bed in it."

We both kissed Susan and she hurried upstairs to get warm. I was cold too and it was even later when I got the Mark II completed. This time I had some headphones on that fed the harmonic to me from the bug. I walked around while the music played louder than usual. The bugs were easier to find now and from a greater distance too.

Jamie was really happy to see me when I got to Home Ec. He stood beside me when we were doing some cooking and showed me that he was erect. The same response happened to me and he smiled and moved closer. It was when he dropped an oven mitt that I knew he had some experience in sex. He backed up into the front of me and rubbed his bum against my erection.

"Sorry Jeff. I get fumble fingered sometimes."

When I smiled he whispered, "Do you want to go to the washroom?"

"Much too dangerous."

"You want to come to my house?"

"I would love too but I am going to leave right after school again."

"Where do you go in Toronto anyway?"

"It has to be a secret Jamie. I can't tell you or anybody."

"I had a friend like that in Toronto. I went to his house every weekend and sometimes during the day. It was lots of fun. He took me to a lot of places and we did a lot of things."

I understood now that he went to meet a male lover. He also thought that I was going to meet a lover too. This meant that Jamie was well informed and experienced in male/male sex. My hormones made me more erect but my mind showed me that Jamie might never be heterosexual. He was such a young and beautiful boy and I felt sorry for him. I felt like a hypocrite for at the same time I wanted to push my erection into him.

Instead of straightening him out and hurting him for giving me one of his darkest secrets, I said, "I see an older man. He's nice too."

At music, he flirted with me but used only his eyes. Getting ready for gym, he bent over and showed me his butt and opening on the pretext of picking something up. When he got up he looked for the effect and smiled. During the shower he looked around then quickly got on his knees in front of me. One arm went around my legs and the other fed my cock into his mouth.

I was instantly erect. It could be from the danger but I think most of it was just pure Jamie. I held his head and stroked into his mouth. It was very hard to do, but I picked him up and kissed him like I did Paige or one of my other lovers. I whispered, "Honey, we can't do this here. Not ever. Do you understand?"

"But I need you."

"You took a stupid risk. We could be caught. Think of what that would do to us."

"I'm sorry Jeff. I just couldn't help it."

"Get rinsed and get out now. Make sure that piece of meat is down to a manageable size."

I continued to rinse myself while thinking of all the gruesome things I could and I got out of the shower as quickly as possible.

Chemistry was the last subject of the day and I had difficulty getting focussed. I did get one more experiment done. It wasn't a success but I had lots more to do.

James was ready in the same place he picked me up yesterday. He happily said, "You own the business and we have some good responses on two out of three homes we visited. We have the rest of today and tomorrow to work on some of the others."

"I feel like a businessman now. Real estate is much more tangible than a piece of paper. You should get the people at the shop to beat on metal to make the neighbours realise they are living close to a noisy, dirty and smelly business."

James laughed, "Mr Mason thought the same thing. By the way I tendered your offer for "Booth Paint, Mr Watson got very angry but then abruptly agreed. Mr Mason is to go over there on Monday to get the papers signed. I just want to remind you that it will cost eighteen thousand dollars to demolish the building."

"With the paint removed and the burnt equipment dragged from the building we can apply for a permit to burn the building if the wind is right."

"I never thought of that. There must be a cost to having the fire department there and watching. The cleanup cost will be a lot less."

"Arrange with Mr Mason for the cleanup after the sale. One of the companies will be involved in repairing the building at the aggregate site once it is ours."

"I will mention this when we contact the contractors."

I got home, had a quick shower and after a snack James drove me to the bus station. I even had another snack to eat on the way. This was not the express bus though and I just settled in to work on the various electronic projects.

A heavy set man that washed at least once a month sat near me and looked at what I was doing but didn't say anything. When he got off later I had no other neighbours until I got to Toronto.

I got off the same place I had two weeks ago and Gregory was waiting but this time it was an old car he was in.

"Hello Gregory. Camouflage?"

"Hello Mr Congdon. I borrowed it from a friend. If they get my plate number they will not get Mr Holtzman's name or address."

"Smart."

"Thank you."

We waited for a while and didn't see any other cars stop and wait. Of course, they could have already been here and waiting, knowing I would eventually arrive.

We headed east instead of north. In a moment Gregory picked up a walkie-talkie. The reply coming back was in code.

Gregory said to me, "We have a red Ford pickup staying with us. It is carrying furniture for window dressing we think." Gregory turned south at the next main street and the walkie-talkie spoke more code words for 'Poppa'.

"The truck made the same turn."

Gregory spoke in the device and turned into a smaller street and raced ahead for one block and headed north. At the next block he turned west. Any vehicle trying to follow him had to be less than a block away of it would lose the quarry.

"Was that Anton?"

"Yes, he is going to follow the truck now if he can. He has a friend that will relieve him so his vehicle isn't seen too much."

"Now that sounds professional. I am glad you're on my side. I don't think either of you are sloppy like the guy that went into my home."

Rather than ask about the Buick from before, I decided to wait and ask John.

It was late when we got to John's house. Corinne was asleep but I was wide awake from the excitement of the chase. There were four men waiting with him and I immediately thought of the security detail I wanted, however, I soon found that they were all engineers.

When the greetings were over John said, "Will you show us your preliminary circuit?"

I brought out the sheets of papers and then gave the most important piece of data verbally. "The human voice takes a long time to make each and every sound. If you take one tenth of a sample of the voice and transmit it across the country a device can copy that sample as many times as you want. Ten samples total can be run one after the other with the ear detecting little or no difference. The one tenth sampling allows nine other callers to use the same wire at the same time."

I went over the circuit in detail, explaining what I was doing and why. "I am a fair technician and I can come up with some profitable ideas but you gentlemen may find that you have a different method of doing the same thing. You will not hurt my feelings by presenting a better design."

The men started to talk amongst themselves and brought me in to explain some other point or other. They did seem to be excited about the project, for they could see the monetary value of what I had said then showed to them. When they started to ask me why I didn't do something an easier way I knew they had left me behind. Besides, I had learned not to compete with men like this.

Off to the side I asked John, "Did you find anything out on the Buick?"

"My contact still has to do his regular work. The request caused him a little trouble because he acted out of character. I found out this morning that the automobile belongs to Mr Anthony Sinclair. His address was checked, and it appears that he has not been home for quite a while. An investigation of the house found a little book with Goldbalm's name is in it, along with a great many seedy characters."

"Any correspondence that gave him orders?"

"There was none. We did find some eavesdropping equipment in his home. All of it was old or inoperative. If this man was the one that planted the devices he could have taken his best equipment only."

"Was there any photos in the house?"

"None."

"Was he ever arrested and photographed?"

"The man is now forty five and we have a photo of when he was roughly eighteen. It won't be very good after all these years."

"I saw the tracks in the snow of a younger man or more probably a woman. There was little I could deduce from the shoe print."

John asked, "How are you coming with your bug detector?"

"I made improvements but I am afraid the men by the table can do much better than I can do. Even if you can't find a similar device already made you should still have one. The second design only works on the magnetic field produced when a microphone moves in time with a person's voice. Maybe we can make a sound projector emitting sound just higher than a person can hear. When this is aimed at a target my device might be able to find the microphone better."

"We will work on that to. There is too much money now involved and the sharks are coming in trying to get a piece."

"What about the three men I wanted?"

"I have three in mind. I took the liberty of defining their duties. You will not be bothered by legalities but we will get information."

"Are they going to stop before a person is maimed?"

"Yes, force is needed sometimes but I'm not a barbarian. I also picked out some additional personnel to fill your engineering roster. What are you going to do with them?"

"The extra ones are to work on variations on the ball valve I patented. I want to manufacture kitchen and bathroom fixtures. By the way, have you ever seen a stainless steel sink?"

"Sure. They are rare but they have been around since the thirties. Why?"

"They are nice. Why are they so hard to find?"

"They cost too much for one thing."

"We will have to see about getting the price down. What I see in my mind says that they are too nice not to use. The plastics engineers are going to make a plastic concrete with powdered rock in it. Pigment will be added and the form vibrated. When the plastic hardens it will make a great counter top. Sinks can be premade then bonded to the counter top to look like it is one continuous piece. The plastic company will make them and the cabinet makers will make the cupboards to go underneath."

"What will it look like?"

"Like coloured granite. No seams, strong, stain resistant and marks can be buffed out. A variation will use ground quartz as the rock. Should look very nice."

"You were going to buy that repair business. What is that going to make?"

"I bought it already. Picture your Cadillac but it is now eight or more feet longer. The back has a bar, television and a mini fridge. It is painted solid white or solid black. Your driver has to wear a uniform now. It may be hard to park but that is not your worry. Not everybody can afford them but then not everybody can afford a Cadillac either."

John smiled and asked, "I might like one of those for myself."

"I need somebody here to drive the first one around in Toronto so he will interest customers."

"I know just the guy."

"When the acrylic table top is done I need to have it installed so people can see it. Are you interested in having your home invaded and your kitchen gutted? This has to be the entire room. You get something worth what a small home costs."

"I think I can arrange a working vacation at that time."

"This is not a quick job. The workers have to stay here while they work. Lots of noise and mess until they are done. If they get treated nice they should treat your kitchen nice too. You are going to get another part of your home to show off to your guests."

"I like it."

"I have taken Mr Mason and Mr Cochrane partially into my confidence. They are purchasing the properties in the corporate name. I need to have them formally recognised so they can legally act on my behalf."

"That only takes a phone call. Tomorrow you can have the papers delivered here to show this. Anything else?"

"We have been doing fair at negotiating but I see problems later. A large presence is needed to put the city council in its place, and to assist in getting the lumber company and make sure the area around the small bay is re-zoned residential/park. That means I have to rip down a new building and build somewhere else."

"I know just the guy. Just tell him what you want and he will get it done. He has lots of friends in both the provincial and federal governments."

"I need more bean counters soon. I may have acquired one but I am getting too busy to do everything."

John asked, "I assume this is a full time position?"

"Yes but after a three month trial period. I may need lots of accountants. Engineers I can keep busy for centuries, not just years."

John unconsciously rubbed his jaw and I saw some of the stubble spring back as he did this. Razor blades are all made of blue steel and you flipped them over to use the other side.

"John, do you have your book?"

Instead of answering he brought it out. I said, "Make the blades for safety razors out of stainless steel. It is already used for surgical instruments. Go for the medical aspect and the sharpness of a scalpel. Explain how acids on the skin pit the ordinary steel blade. Ours should give more shaves."

"Second make a very small stainless steel blade mounted in a small plastic head. The head is secure but has a degree of freedom so it can pivot to fit the contour of the face. The heads attach to a very comfortable plastic handle that feels like rubber and has ridges so it doesn't slip. When a blade gets dull the head is discarded and a plastic rack allows the next head to be attached. These heads are sold in packs of five or six with the first package being the handle and three blades."

"Years later introduce a head with a blade just above the other. A strip of a slippery compound can go just above the blade to lubricate the shaving process. Again years later have a third blade introduced."

John said, "That means going up against Schick and Gillette. Both are big companies in a very small pond."

"It is just an idea. I don't know how to market it unless we have our own company. That also means that it has to have the majority of its sales in the United States."

"Maybe we can sell the idea to somebody that wants to try this?"

"Like Sebastian Forsyth?"

"Or someone that has more available money than he has."

I went to sleep soon after talking with John.



-------

Chapter 22


When I woke up the four engineers were still there with six others. Mrs. MacIntee was making breakfast, and when she bent down to put a plate in front of me I impulsively kissed her cheek then said, "Thanks, you are a great cook."

"Thank you too Mr Congdon."

"I think we have known each other for a while now. We can go by first names. Mr Holtzman runs his home his way but I like to be more personal."

"My name is Rose."

I went upstairs later and woke up a sleepy little girl by tickling her foot. When she woke up enough she screamed, "Daddy," and jumped off her bed and onto me as I was hiding on the floor.

"I knew it was you."

"And I thought it was going to be the tickle monster. I think I need a better costume." We came downstairs together. I had a bit more breakfast as Corinne ate. The coffee here was always good.

Looking at the telephone device on paper I suddenly realised that this could be my encryption device. I could transmit data or garbage over the other nine tenths of a second and reserve one for voice. I was thinking of using the Toronto CBC station as a way of interacting with my voice and with a time delay John could use the same station to filter out the garbage.

I walked over to the group and said, "How much of my circuit is left?"

One of the engineers from last night said. "I am afraid there's very little."

"Will some of you gentlemen make a pair of units that will send and receive? Make it so that I can feed nine more inputs in from nine separate tape recorders. The other unit will record all ten signals."

"I am afraid that will cost a lot of money young man. Nineteen tape recorders and then the building of the circuit will be more than a young man like you can afford."

I smiled at him and said, "I'm afraid it is you that are mistaken. Design the circuit as I asked. When Mr Holtzman gets here we can discuss the actual construction."

Toronto was going through a warm spell so the snow was not as dry as in North Bay. I got Corinne onto the toilet then found her clothing. None of it was suitable for play but it would do the job then get dried out later. Ten minutes later we were outside making a snowman. Corinne rolled the balls until she couldn't any longer then I helped. We really had to struggle to get the second sphere in place. The head was still large and Corinne patted fresh snow into the areas that needed it.

We came in later wet and cold. Our yard was the only one with disturbed snow but the only one that looked inviting. Corinne wanted to dump her wet clothing but I made her pick it up so it could dry.

"If you don't do that then you are making someone else work. If we were at my house now would you want Paige to go behind you and pick up your clothes?"

"They were wet."

"And they would be wet for Paige too. I pick up after myself and my daughter has to do the same thing. When you lived with us you had jobs to do. You helped us and we helped you. Remember how we pealed the potatoes together and then made french fries?"

She nodded her head.

"They were extra special good because we made them. Now let's go downstairs and get some hot cocoa."

Mrs MacIntee had read our minds and made the drink. I gave her a kiss then Corinne did too. The old women started to sniffle but I still thought she was happy.

Before the engineers went to sleep or left, I talked to them about how to detect bugs. Some had no interest in helping but some did. We attacked it at the voice coil, at the wires that transmitted the current and at the transmitter itself. Apparently there were quite a few bug detectors on the market but it was not something the average person could purchase.

John got up later but he was still sleepy. Corinne dragged him to the front window to show him our creation. I put a mug of coffee in his hand and said, "The engineers are hesitant about fabricating the device. I want my voice to feed the unit along with nine tape outputs." I whispered, "This is our encryption device." The louder I said, "You can get ten recording units here to see how well the unit works."

"Why are they hesitant?"

"Because you hired them not me. They want to get paid for what they do."

John looked at the closest two men and said, "This young man is making both of us many millions of dollars. Build whatever he wants even if he says it has to be out of solid gold." After a pause he added, "Tell me first if it is gold though."

The men laughed. John then asked, "Did the circuit get improved?"

Another of the original four said, "The performance was significantly improved. To do this the basic idea was kept but most of the rest had to be altered."

I said, "He is saying they scrapped my circuit and built a good one instead. I think if these men continue with this even more improvements can be found. We are going to have to test the unit, though. That's where the tape recorders come in."

"You don't seem disappointed that your circuit was scraped."

"I'm a self educated twelve-year-old. I come up with ideas and partial solutions. These men are highly trained and any one could beat me at designing circuits."

Corinne, John and I sat in the kitchen. I whispered, "I transmit nine songs and my voice and you do the same thing from your end. If you go away from the house we make nine much smaller oscillators to fill in for the music and this is much smaller. I don't have to filter out your voice from the montage but just pick the right fraction of a second to work with."

"Get the engineers to make this too?"

"I can use their design and add the oscillator circuits myself. If we sell the design we just have to key the two units to the same group of frequencies and then use harmonics to remove them from the voice component."

"Is it worth much?"

"To spies and companies that want to have private communications. You and I should use them all the time."

"Well I guess we have to pursue this too. The ghostwriter has finished your 'Jaws' book. Do you want to go over it?"

"I still get tripped up on foolish things in our language. That's why I am taking grade eleven English."

"So you want me to send it off to some publishers?"

"You better. 'Star Wars' is done too but it needs to be tweaked. Will you take care of this book too?"

"Sure. MGM hasn't responded to the script though.""Perhaps if you phone Mr Sackman you can see what he thinks. Maybe we have to ship copies to some of the other studios. I made another song but I haven't got the notes down right yet. Are you awake enough to be my assistant on the piano?"

"Let me drain the old coffee out and we can give it a try."

"Before you go, did somebody get some information from the driver of the Ford pickup?"

He couldn't be apprehended and we didn't want to alert them that we were trying. Next week we can try again."

"Next week is Susan's birthday party so I won't be here."

"Ok, we will still try to find who the driver is through his plate number."

I sat at the piano and played songs for Corinne. She loved everyone even if I sang off-key on occasion. Daughters were that way sometimes. John came in and looked at the notes I had written then played them without me singing. The score had some mismatched notes that were easier to find when somebody else was playing.

The song I sang with my fake British accent. We didn't have the percussion where it was needed so I slapped the piano in its place. Corinne loved the song and John and I worked with some of the bars. We must have played the song five more times before it was tweaked enough. Corinne even liked it the last time it was played.

John said, "That was a good song. too. I am sure the parents and especially a young lady I met will love hearing it."

"That reminds me, I have to go see the Browns and tell them what is happening at home. Another industry you can get into is one that makes stainless steel tubes that are attached to the walls. People getting in and out of a wheelchair would use them and so would the old and infirm."

When we left the room and joined the engineers they all stared at us. It was enough for me to stop and ask, "What?"

One guy finally said, "Are you that kid that is writing all those songs?"

"I do write a lot but I think only one has come out so far."

"Yesterday we heard five more or that was what the commentator mentioned. He rattled off a list that had just hit the radio and a long list of others that were going to be performed soon."

"Did 'Corrina, Corrina' come out?"

"I think that was one."

I picked up Corinne and said, "Your song was on the radio Sweetie. Let's turn it on and wait for it." It was an hour and a half later but it did come on. When it did, so did all my other songs that had been performed. The DJ even made a few comments about me. Corinne heard and hugged me. After all, I was her daddy.

The engineers were more cooperative at giving me help after this and I got more details of the new circuit, including innovations. This circuit was not nearly as simple as mine but should be a lot more stable. The engineers left through the day to get some sleep and to plan how to build the circuit. In a way I regretted not getting more education. The military taught me as a technologist and my repair business taught me more, yet looking at things from an engineer's standpoint was different.

There were some problems with the machine to slice the audiotape and it would not be ready for a few days. If I wanted some I could just have some shipped up by truck.

There was now a bit of interest in our tinted glass. All of this was from American manufacturers. They were hungry and adventurous the way they should be.

Sebastian Forsyth and his group had made prototypes of the Ground Fault Interrupt and the light dimmer. They were still tinkering to get the size down. Otherwise they were very happy with their product. John was anxious to sell them the partial rights to the touch control lights. We had grossed a hundred and forty thousand for the other two and John hoped for seventy more for the new product. They had the plans for a while now and were still debating the purchase.

My recent idea of using the house wiring for both power and control would fit well into their company but there was more money at stake for this group of products.

The razors though might require an entirely new group. It better be a group that was hungry and aggressive.

The bubble wrap and the Ziploc bags were showing some activity too. For a wonder it was mainly from some Canadian companies. John was holding out for a lot for the bags because he liked them so much.

I went to the hospital alone to see the Browns. The nurses intercepted me and asked for autographs. I gave three and they seemed to be happy. It was kinda nice being a celebrity this way. The Browns were happy to see me. Apparently the nurses had questioned them about me. Paul was off his painkillers and was quite lucid. He thanked me again for helping him especially after the way he treated me. I accepted the apology and he seemed better after that.

We discussed their children. "I had two metal tubes put on the bathroom wall. Barry should be able to move independently now. I think that in the future all public buildings are going to be fitted with ramps and electric doors to assist those in Barry's position. They will even have one bathroom stall that is larger than normal and fitted with the bars. I'm an outsider and will only go so far in interfering but if you make a ramp for Barry then he could get in and out of the house on his own. He will feel better by being able to deal with the world on his own."

Paul didn't seem upset at the suggestion. So I went on with my friendly questioning. "Mr Brown, your wife told me that you work as a informal mechanic when working on cars. Have you ever designed something or radically altered an existing piece of equipment?"

"Lots of times. A part is not always available and I have to do some fancy workarounds to keep some machinery going."

"I can give you a job right now that lets you use only your brain and your hands."

"That sounds great. What do I have to do?"

"I imagine you have seen those large augers that go on the front of a large truck to throw snow far from the side of the highway?"

"Sure did, I even worked on some."

"Good, I want one auger about two feet across made up of two shorter augers and a gear box in the middle. A five to fifteen horsepower gasoline motor turns the double auger to feed snow into the centre section. A spinning disk composed of four fins ejects the snow collected straight up. A chute at the top directs the snow a hundred and eighty degrees from right to left with an exposed worm gear on the outside of a flange. The motor drives the wheels both forward and reverse. Weighted tires with chains will give it mobility. The operator walks behind the machine to control it. Viola, we have a 'snowblower'."

"That sounds pretty complicated Mr Congdon. I don't know if I can do it."

"You haven't started yet. Tell me in a few weeks if you can't do it. I think that if the motor turns a large aluminum disk much like a flywheel then another wheel with a rubber rim could ride on the wheel. The distance from the centre will give the different speeds to the wheels. The throttle would be like on a tractor with a leaver, the speeds would be governed by some indents that would hold the leaver.

"This invention is mine though and all rights go to me. I can make it myself but I have other things to do to make money as you now know. There are some other people that work for me. They could design this too but there is too much work. When this snowblower is done, I have some two cycle gardening tools to make. They are a lot less complicated but the projects may be fun.

"Mrs Brown, would you purchase your husband the supplies he needs for this work. Keep a list and all the receipts. This is very important. You might also consider doing some shopping here in Toronto while your husband works. It will give you some fresh air. Staying here for two straight weeks is not good for you either."

Both people seemed to like that idea.

Mr Berger had completed my entire shopping list for me. The charges would soon be due so I paid him for what he had done for me. The cost was over forty six thousand dollars in all. I didn't begrudge the money one iota.

The specially blown and cut glass should do as I hoped but I never got a chance to see actually it. The crucibles had been purchased and the mechanism to grow the crystals looked to be well designed. Good thing, since the engineers I hired designed it. None of them had failed the background check, although they all had some problems. The most expensive articles were the heating apparatus for the two crucibles, the vacuum pump that had to go to a very low pressure and the minerals I needed to make the actual crystals.

In this shipment were the mu-metal sheets I needed to make the recorder heads. They weren't expensive, just hard to find.

That night I camped out with Corinne. I threw some blankets over the grand piano and we slept underneath. I knew she was going to sleep with me and this way was more proper in my books. We spent a lot of time trying to convince Grampie to join us but he refused. Corinne had her hide dress ready for wear in the morning.

Rose made and served us what she claimed was a pioneer breakfast. We ate it around our pretend campfire in the large room. Because of Rose, I remembered 'Cracklin' Rose', Neil Diamond's hit. "Rose, would you be upset if I made a song about a woman with your name but she is not like you."

"I don't think so. Is it bad though?"

"A man that loves a woman named Rose but she is not a nice woman. The song doesn't mention that men are not nice though. It may take a few hours to complete it and maybe we can get you to hear it before I have to go."

"I would like that."

As usual, I either remembered the words or the music and this time I concentrated on the words. I played with Corinne and even pretended to go fishing. I found that Corinne loved to pretend and her fish were always larger than mine. She even picked pretend blueberries that were always big and sweet.

We cleaned up and went outside to make a Mrs Snowman. This time Grampie came out. I think I had to shame him a bit to do so. We came in sooner this time because of the additional help.

I said over the lunch table, "John, did you do anything with the idea for the truck to haul bulk cement?"

"I talked to Carlo. He loves the idea. His life has been turned upside down since you visited. He is like a boy again. His toys though are a lot larger and more expensive than they used to be."

"Does he have enough money to do more than the basic research?"

"I don't know. Our firm only handles his legal dealings."

"Speaking of that, I need a good corporate bean counter to go over the books and give me an idea of where I have to transfer funds to keep from being double taxed."

"Just make some arrangements for housing and I can find a few. You mentioned other accountants before. How many do you need?" John asked.

"I think I will just need one CPA now, but I will need another one specialising in corporate affairs. He or she may only be needed for a few short periods each year. The business I am purchasing should have eighty employees. When we get our new products ready the number should jump to five hundred, especially when I get the plumbing fixtures factored in. Long term numbers should be much higher."

"Sounds to me like you should hire the corporate accountant full time and give him the job of working with the payroll and other duties."

"Will you look for one for the short term and keep an eye out for one that wants to move north."

"I can do more that keep an eye out. Just get yourself settled and give me a call when you are ready. The same thing about that other help you needed."

He was referring to the security detail so I asked, "Are these men adverse to moving north? I could find alternate work for them and it would be good to have them handy if they were needed. I need managerial types but I don't want strong-arm tactics. I would like to get good managers that can step beyond themselves when the need arises. Employees to me, are like family and I don't want goons around them."

"I can see exactly what you trying to say. Perhaps I will have to ask some extra questions of those available. Short term employees are what you end up with until we find better people."

"That is the best I can hope for, I guess. I did change my mind though on making the encryption device. You have a lot more engineering assistance. Have them build the device. Just tell them to find a way to make a variable oscillation that will mask the voice. You have to have two matched units for this to work."

"I can ask. They don't come up with ideas as fast as you do."

Until it was time for the bus to arrive, I worked on 'Cracklin' Rose' before going home. When enough was done I got Grampie to assist. We had a fair version by the time I had to catch my bus. John called Rose and the rest of the staff were brought out to listen to us. Rose was very pleased with the way it turned out.

"Rose, I am going to sell this song. Maybe Elvis will sing it or somebody just as famous."

"Thank you Mr Congdon. That is the best gift I ever got."

Very little improvements were made on the trip north. The Brown's song was mailed from Toronto. The rest of the time I was thinking of my trap and what I was going to do once I had the person. I had been in fights. Some I had won and some I had lost but this would be the first time I had a person that was actually captured and then questioned.

When I got home, I was greeted like a son and brother. The bugs were still doing their job. A sealed envelope with my name on it was on the table. James was happy to say that he had two homes that were now mine. One of them was currently vacant. This gave us an option of moving away from the bugs but it would be far away from Paige and I didn't want that. The note was ripped small and put in the garbage. I didn't think our garbage was searched but I wasn't going to take chances.

Susan's birthday was this week and I still needed more wooden boxes but I did have some other gifts I bought her.

On Monday, English was a double and I had Jena smiling at me as well as Alice. One at least looked natural.

We had Health instead of gym but Mr Renzo did the talking himself. He was more open about what he said and seemed to be more relaxed which allowed him to answer questions better. Jamie had not been quick enough and could not got to sit near me. The news was out about the songs so a lot of people had more questions or perhaps even the chance to sit close to a celebrity.

Today was the lunch with Paige and the table was full even before Jamie came over. The nearby tables were in demand too and he had to sit elsewhere. I sang the last two songs I had wrote and I was sure the names would get back to Jena.

Home Ec was bad for Jamie because the girls were very pushy to get near me. Mrs Cameron gave me a chance to tell the class what songs I had sold and a few words about who had sang them. My statement that I only dealt with their managers was a let down for them.

Music was the same thing all over again but this time I got to sing the songs that were on the radio as well as the two newest ones. This used up a large portion of the class but again the students worked harder when they knew they might succeed like I had done.

When school ended I didn't even get a chance to slip out. A great many of the ladies wanted to talk to me. Alice was in the forefront but Jena was right behind. I caught sight of Jamie but he couldn't get close. I saw some pads of paper out and pens clutched to them but nobody came forward to actually ask me for an autograph. I knew that once the dam broke I would have to sign until my arm got sore.

When I got out of the school I still had the three with me. There was nothing I could do except take them with me. It was a good guess that James was nearby. Luckily he had seen me and went to the original place to stop and wait. This kept our other spot to sneak away secret.

Introductions came again but only Jena was new. Alice was really pissed that she was let off first.

"I have to see Barry and Laura. Jamie is just a few homes away. You can come if you want to help me teach him some grade eight subjects."

Alice made a face and said, "No! I have other things to do anyway."

We drove to the Browns' and both Jamie and James came in with us. I introduced them to the rest. Barry hustled me to the bathroom and I saw how the bars had been attached to the walls. They looked pretty good even though they were zinc coloured.

"They work great. I used to take a long time because it was so hard and now it isn't."

Back with the group I said, "I went to see your parents. Your dad is fully awake now. I wanted something made and since your dad is an industrial mechanic I gave him the job. It should keep him busy and help him forget his problems. Maybe even get your mother home earlier."

They all had excited questions but they were all family related.

Jamie insisted that I go to his home and since it was only a few doors away I could hardly refuse. James waited in the car as Jamie and I walked to his home.

Once inside I saw that it was not clean. This usually meant that there were no mother or woman around but not always. His father got up as soon as I came in and he smiled all the time I was there.

Jamie invited me to his room and his father told me to go too. The guy seemed to give me the creeps.

"I'm sorry, my uncle is waiting for me."

The father quickly asked as if it were really important, "Who's that?"

"I just said, my uncle."

I left with a handshake and walked to the car that was now in front of the house. As I got in I saw the father staring at us from the window.

James said, "That guy looks mean."

"He gives me the creeps. I am glad I don't live in that house. I don't know how Jamie does it. The father sounds polite enough for an adult but he is much too intense."

We drove about a block and stopped. "We got the old paint warehouse and another house for you. We managed to see ten of the owners. One guy owns two homes. I guess they are all thinking of the deal. Some are old and it doesn't look like they want to move."

"I was afraid of that. How are they responding to the idea of renting back their old home?"

"The two that sold are going to do just that. If it gets too noisy or too dirty then they can move where they want later."

"Maybe I need another business."

"What is that?"

"I get the provincial and city governments to give me some money and with some of my own I make a senior citizen's complex."

"I never heard of a senior citizen but I guess you mean old folks."

"Yes. One kind will just be like a large apartment complex where everything is taken care of. Another kind is made for those that need meals and a small amount of care. The last kind is for those that need a nursing staff and doctors on hand all the time."

"They can get that at a hospital."

"But a hospital costs a lot more to do the same job."

"I don't see how?"

"You will have to look at the books a hospital keeps. A one-day stay in the hospital is very expensive. I could do it for a lot less and still make money."

"How much money?"

"If I get funding from the government to build, then I can spread across Ontario then Canada then the States. If you think about it for a while you could make a hundred million in ten years and by the end of the century, when there is a lot more senior citizens the figures will go into the billions."

"How can I get some of that?"

"I don't know your abilities yet James. You are smart and you go to the effort of using your brain instead of supporting that hat of yours. I would need a manager for each complex then there are ones for each region. It grows from there until it gets to the one managing all of the homes."

"And you over that."

"Who else? I told you I was going to be rich and this is only a very small piece of it." The truth was that I had only considered this a little bit. There was really good money later when the governments were wanting to cut costs. Doing this now may not be as profitably but I would have a feeling for the industry when the time came to really expand.

The problem was that I was going to be able to borrow only a finite amount of money and it was best to put it where it would do the best in growth and the best in helping people. In this light the complex was a better thing to build.

"James, are you busy tonight?"

"As a matter of fact I am. If it was a meal I was invited to then I feel bad about missing it. Is that it or something that is important to you?"

"It was the meal. I want the homes then the businesses before the people get wind of this and think that they should get a lot more for their properties. I also think that Jane likes to see you too. Before I forget, Uncle James, your niece is having a birthday party on Saturday. Susan will be seventeen on the twenty eighth though."

"Well, I have to make time for family."

Down in the basement I wrapped some of the presents for Susan and worried if the records would be in on time. Even the customs could hold the shipment up until too late. Paige helped me so it wasn't that bad.

The phone rang just as we were finishing wrapping. It was Mr Chile the reporter and owner of the North Bay Times. "May I come over for a few minutes and write a small story about you? I missed out on what you did for Mr Brown and now I hear that you are writing popular songs."

"Come right over Mr Chile."

The girls ran to straighten out the house. Mr Chile sat at the kitchen table and had some coffee with us as he asked questions. He got the story now of the band and how it got a chance to audition. The girls gave the explanation and it seemed contradictory at times. The trip to Memphis and the new songs were added to the story. The incident on the bus was mentioned and the present status of Paul Brown given.

Mr Chile left after scoffing down a second helping of pie that he said he couldn't possibly eat, but did.

As we arrived at school on Tuesday, I saw Jamie hurrying towards us. I gave Paige a kiss and urged the girls to go on ahead.

Jamie stopped right in front of me so we were only a few inches apart. "I saw you kiss her. Do you love her?"

"I do love her and one day we are going to get married."

Jamie looked like I had punched him. "I like you too. You said you liked that guy in Toronto."

"Does that mean you can't like me?"

"I guess not. It was just — just — you know."

I said, "I didn't know you felt that strongly Jamie."

"I don't." Then in a lower voice he said, "I guess I do."

"Well I like you too. Your father though makes me feel ... odd."

"Me too. I don't like him. He's — "

His head went down. I used my hand to raise his chin and he closed his eyes. "He's what Jamie?"

He didn't answer and I asked again. "Tell me Jamie. We are friends and I see that it is something important." He still said nothing. "Tell me why you can't tell then."

When no answer came I reluctantly let his face go and backed up. His eyes flashed open as he looked into my eyes. I just turned and walked around him to go to school."

I got nearly twenty feet when I heard a loud panicked filled voice say, "He isn't my father."

I turned around and Jamie was still there. I just opened my arms and he ran to me. I hugged him to me and he started to cry. People passed us and I didn't care. He finally recovered enough to say through his sniffles, "I wet your coat."

"You can do it anytime. That is what friends are for. Let's go to class now."

I felt bad for Jamie. It looked as if that man was one that was having sex with him. He definitely didn't seem to be the type that would want to make love. I felt a lot of violence from the man I had thought was the father. It didn't look like Jamie wanted to be with the man from the way he spoke. Jamie could have been kidnapped but that didn't sound right. But something was definitely wrong.

During English, I saw that both girls were smiling at me. Then Alice's face suddenly turned very ugly when she caught Jena's smile. This looked like trouble. I befriended Jena and helped her family. Perhaps the smile was more about the promise to see how well she danced. Alice though looked like she was very jealous and I have seen some jealous women get very vicious.

After class I waited a bit and both girls came up to me. "Hi Alice, Hi Jena. Any word about your father?"

"No, all I know is what you told us. I don't think he likes to spend money on the telephone. It costs too much."

Alice jumped in and said, "He should get a job then he can afford the phone."

I looked at her in shock. "The man is in the hospital. He got there from worry about not having work. He had gone over three hundred miles away to look for work. What is wrong with you Alice? I know you try to put on that phoney exterior but I know you are not that bad inside."

Alice tried to pull herself together and gave me a that contrived smile of hers. "I don't know what came over me. Maybe we can talk about it tonight."

"Maybe on the way home. I have a lot of things to do tonight."

"All you do is write songs."

"Yes I do. It takes time to do each of them. How else am I going to get ahead? Be a hockey player, with a body like mine?"

Alice just walked around us and left.

I said to Jena, "You better go to. Alice is not a nice person, she looked at you like she wanted to hurt you. Watch out for her."

"Ok."

I made a mistake in chemistry and ruined the experiment. It all stemmed from the way Alice was acting and I had to admit, Jamie too.

Music seemed to relax me or as much as the discordant sounds would allow. Jamie seemed to have recovered but his eyes stayed on me most of all.

Auto gave me another chance to get my mind off my troubles. I even paid more attention to what was being said. It was all simple as I had done everything covered in Auto, but I now owned a repair business and I needed more ways for it to make a profit.

During lunch I found Jamie there too. "Did you skip class?"

"I had to."

"I guess it is ok but don't make a habit of it. I like my friends to be educated and smart enough to keep working on their education."

"Ok."

"Ok, what?"

"Ok, I won't do it again."

"Good. Now eat your lunch and we can talk where it is quieter." He smiled widely and I said, "We will 'talk' outside I think. Being twice foolish is not good."

His face fell but he did hurry to eat what he brought. In five minutes we got dressed and left the school. When there was no one around I said, "Jamie tell me about the man that you are living with. Don't give me any stories. I will feel the same way about you at the end as I did days ago."

When Jamie didn't say anything I said, "First of all, he isn't your father. Do you love him?"

His eyes flashed at me. "No, I hate him."

"Good, so we have a start. Does he have sex with you?"

It took a while but he did say, "Yes, it isn't love either. He hurts me and he doesn't care."

"Would you like to leave him?"

"If I could live with you, I would go."

"Jamie, this is a legal matter. Children's Aid has to get involved and even then you would not come to my home. I don't have a dad and my mom is still on welfare. We have to find another house. Paige's father took in a girl that was being beaten. Perhaps they will take in you."

"Oh."

"It is not all that bad. They live next door."

"But they will find out I — "

When no further comment came I asked, "What will they find out?"

"That I am queer."

"Jamie, you are my friend. You are too young to be positive. If you are then you are still my friend."

"Do you think we can — ever do stuff?"

"Until I met you I thought I was strictly focussed on women. I fooled around a bit when I was younger but I hadn't started puberty then. It was fun but that was it. Girls were much more interesting. Now I found you. Girls are still going to hold my primary interest but there is a lot of room for you too."

"What do you like best?"

"I think you have the wrong idea. You have a beautiful body, you are smart and you are educated. My glands want your body but my brain wants your brain. Do you think two brains can have sex?"

"I'd like to try and find out."

"Good, so would I."

We walked around for a while and only talked of small things. I wanted to know a lot more about Jamie but he had bared his soul enough for now.

During Home Ec, Jamie hurried and was in class before I got there. When I sat next to him I saw that there were some disappointed girls. Jamie acted just like a friend now with no sexual overtones. This made me feel better because both of us would be much safer.

That night I worked in the garage. To a listener it may appear to be a repair to a television. A six hundred hertz tone was generated and aimed at the microphone. I used a short wave radio that I had brought in to search for the tone. I had earphones on and they were wrapped with cloth to not only keep me warm but to deaden the tone generator's sound. It took a long time but I did find the frequency. I only needed one.

Cable television in my old life had gone around to the various neighbourhoods in search of extra television sets on their cable. At the time you had to pay for each and every receiver hooked to the cable. I knew that here and now, there had to be a receiver that was within a quarter mile. Its pre-amp had to boost the signal coming in so it could be processed. This made a similar signal source in the transmitter before me.

I turned my equipment off and went into the house. I now had to build a short wave radio sensitive to one frequency that could be carried in an automobile.



-------

Chapter 23


Jamie came in with a bruise on his face. His walk was odd; and it could have been from a fall as he said. It was during gym that I saw the bruising on his arm much like a strong man had squeezed him on both arms. After gym I said, "Jamie, will you do as I say? I am your friend."

"Yes — yes I will."

I pulled him back into a corner and hand him face away from the light. "Bend over and touch your toes and keep your hands there."

"Why?"

"Am I your friend?"

He did as I asked but did it slowly. I got on my knees and pulled his cheeks apart. He started to get up and I said, "Stay there please."

Jamie's anus was bruised and I could see a tear on one side and what could have been one on the other.

"You got a cute butt but you got to get up now."

He turned with tears and embraced me. He was crying uncontrollably now and I just held him.

"Was it the guy you are living with?" There was only a head nod. I got him out of the shower and we got dressed but we were late for the next class. When we came into Home Ec, Mrs Cameron didn't say anything because she had seen the look on Jamie's face.

Mrs Cameron said as the class ended, "Mr Congdon and Mr Sutherland, will you remain for a minute?"

She looked very maternal now when she said, "What's wrong?"

Jamie didn't answer so I said, "He was hurt by his guardian. At the moment you have to leave this as it is. You trusted me before and now I have to trust you. Please don't say anything until I figure out what to do."

"What happened?"

"That is for Jamie to say. I repeat, don't tell anyone. We need a sympathetic ear but no interference just yet."

"Ok. I will not say anything."

Outside the class, Jamie turned on me and said, "Why did you tell her?"

"Jamie, you know I'm smart. I also know a lot of things you have never thought of. What I did was for the best." Again we were late for class but now we were separated.

During my lunch, I called John and left a message. "I need the three wise men."

Jamie went home with me. The family could see that something was wrong but said nothing. Mindful of the bugs, I turned the radio on loud and Jamie and I talked. Jamie just couldn't talk about some things but other things came out easily.

We found that he was born in Saskatchewan and only came to Toronto five months ago. Jamie had been caught in a sexual act with another male and the information became public knowledge. His family shipped him off to a maiden aunt in Toronto. The rest of his family had basically disowned him.

This was tearing him up inside. I turned the radio down and we just talked like kids but the veneer was very thin. We had dinner and my family made Jamie feel at home.

We were doing homework when someone knocked lightly on the front door. I went to answer it and found two big men and one thin man with wire framed spectacles.

I said, "Hello."

The small man said, "You must be Mr Congdon. Mr Holtzman said that we should come up here and enjoy your winter weather."

"Please wait a moment. I want to put my coat on and come out for a moment."

I quickly told the family that I had some friends here and I wanted to talk about girls outside.

The thin man said, "It is much warmer in the automobile."

"Lead the way if you will."

When we got the doors closed they introduced themselves. Mr Benard was one of the large men. He had a misshapen nose and very large hands. When we shook, my hand was lost in his. The other large man looked had an unmarked face. His name was Mr Victorio. The thin man with the reedy voice was called Mr Folger.

Mr Folger seemed to be the brains and said, "What can we do for you Mr Congdon?"

"I have a young thirteen year-old friend in the house. He is going through a homosexual phase but that may change. A man that is supposed to be his guardian raped his ass last night. I'm not interested in the Children's Aid coming in right now but I would like the man to understand that the boy's ass is not his. From what I have gathered this is not the first time this has happened."

"What specifically do you want us to do?"

"I don't want him dead. I have never been a violent person but this man seems to have uncovered the place in my mind where it is hid."

"That is clear enough to us Mr Congdon. Anything else?"

"The house has ten bugs in it that are still active. I plan on trying to lure out the miscreant that planted the devices and for the three of you to catch him, them or her. One set of tracks were small."

"That sounds fairly simple too. Where will we stay?"

"In the house. You have my room but I would like one person to be awake at all times. The people in my home will treat you as relatives and you will be part of our loving family. I believe you happen to be my father's nephews. Your different names will be because you are from three different sisters."

"That sounds good. Will you point us to this rapist?"

I gave him the address and added a description of the house and what the man looked liked. They grinned when I gave the last piece of information.

"When you gentlemen are done please just let yourselves in. There is no need to stand vigil tonight; for the trap has not been set yet. I will put out sheets, blankets and pillows."

"Thank you very much Mr Congdon. We are not usually welcomed into a person's home."

"What you are doing for me goes beyond money, Mr Folger."

When I got back in I said in a whisper, far from the closest microphone, "I called some friends for help. They are all my cousins and my dad's sisters' sons."

Jamie whispered, "Why are they here?"

"I asked them to come down to talk to the guy in your house. They talk rough and I will see about getting you a new family to take care of you."

"But — I don't know. He is going to hurt me again."

"Jamie, he will be in no condition to do this again."

Maggie asked, "How were you hurt Jamie?"

Jamie just hung his head and I guess that was enough for the girls to know. Maggie put her arm around the boy and pulled him to her. Jamie started to sniffle then the crying got worse. In a few minutes all of us had wet eyes.

I pulled Jane away just enough to say, "Your nephews are going to stay for a while and so is Jamie. The girls are going to bunk with you and I guess the men will get the girls' room instead of mine. It's larger and with two beds. The other man gets my bed. Jamie and I get the floor downstairs."

"We can make up the other room?"

"Do that tomorrow when we are at school. Two of the men are very large. The one that is small did most of the talking. They are doing a favour for me now. Treat them like family but they are not for you." Jane looked at me and I let her know that she couldn't slip on this.

We barely had enough sheets but not enough pillows. We got the beds ready. When Jamie calmed down I said, "You are staying here with us. This can only be temporary. My cousins will take the beds and you and I get the floor." This seemed to cheer him up.

Some good dance music came on and Susan pulled me into her arms and danced with me. Maggie didn't take no for an answer when she wanted a dance partner and Jamie got to his feet. By the second dance I knew that either he was a natural or had a lot of practice on the dance floor.

A car pulled up just after eleven. Again there was the tiny knock and I opened the door. Only Folger and Victorio were ushered in. Jane knew the names from my descriptions but we had no first names. She did as well as she could and the men gave first names knowing fully well it was for the microphones.

Edger Folger said, "It is nice to see you again Jane. It has been quite a few years."

"Oh yes it has. Last time you were here, Maggie was a baby. Now the two of you just have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you but I have some job prospects in my head and I need to write them down before I forget."

Maggie ran off to get the supplies and I talked to Carmen Victorio. His voice was deep and the way he talked I knew he was not all brawn by any means.

Jamie was hiding behind us and I saw both men assess the boy. From their looks it didn't seem sexual. Edger wrote, 'Can I talk freely?'

I shook my head and he wrote that Clarence Bernard stayed because the house was empty. Under the note was a P.S. saying that he was more than enough for anyone.

Edger then yawned a bit, which may have been theatrical and said, "We had a long drive. I think we better turn in for the night."

I said, "We get up at seven to go to school. Would you like some of my pancakes in the morning? We usually have a large breakfast."

"I may have a few but I doubt if you will fill up your cousin Carm."

"You may be right. I better get up at five."

Jamie had slipped around us and took the paper and pen and added, 'Tony leaves me alone for up to three days sometimes. It may be a long wait.'

Edger smiled at the boy and put out his hand to shake. It took a while but eventually Jamie shook it. Carm did the same thing and it looked like Jamie was not as frightened as he was before.

When the lights went out I got close to Jamie and held him to me and I could feel his muscles relax. I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek and this helped even more.

I woke up the next morning with a sleeping octopus on me. I was being prodded with an erection. Since coming back to this time I had not had much of a problem with this yet. In a way I felt — pleased that it was for me. I extracted myself and found that this was a good enough time to get up.

I cleaned up quickly and began the things that needed to be done to start the day. Mindful of Carm, I did mix up a large batch of pancakes and would make another as these got used. I pulled out the large griddle out and I began to make the cakes. Close to seven, I went back into the front room and found Jamie on his back pitching a tent with the duvet. I stared at him a good while then had to race back to my cooking. With new cakes on I quickly walked into the room and bent over Jamie. My hand came out and held the tent pole and gave it a shake.

When Jamie woke up enough I said, "You were stabbing me with this all night. I am going to have to find a scabbard for it."

My words took a while but he woke up enough to feel my hand still moving him. "You better stop that or I am going to make a mess."

"Get up Sweetie. When the girls take over the bathroom you will not have a chance. Go now or you will have to wash in the snow and pee there too."

Jamie threw back the blanket and we both saw that his erection had worked its way out of the opening in the pajamas. "Pretty impressive I think."

Jamie looked down and smiled. "You like?"

"Sleek and built for a man's job. Now move your hairy bum."

Jamie took two steps then pulled down his pajamas then bent over. "See no hair," then hurried to the bath.

Some pancakes were dark but still good. In a while I heard girls' voices as they tried to get into the bath. Jamie was red faced when he came down.

"You get caught playing with your favourite toy?"

Jamie thought on this then smiled and said "Almost. I was just doing it another time to make sure I stayed down for a while."

"Well I have some things that have to go down too. Sit at the table and I will stoke the fires that make you what you are."

My meal was eaten beside the stove as I worked. The girls came down and greeted Jamie like a long lost brother. All of them used their hands on him as another way of communication. One of them must have thought of this and made the suggestion. It was good to see Jamie responding to the touch.

We were nearly done when we heard a heavy tread on the stairs. Carm came into the room to look around.

"Good morning Cousin Carm. Pull up a seat beside that pretty woman and I will see if I can fill you up."

"They all look pretty. But I think I will pick the prettiest."

He took a seat beside Jane and she was now all smiles. I brought out the cakes and threw one more on Jamie's plate and put the pile in front of Carm. "Eat before they get cold. And you better watch or they will steal them on you."

"I can share."

I poured coffee and made both milk and sugar available. I continued to use the griddle pilling up pancakes for Edgar and me. I made out a paper and wrote on it, 'Clarence didn't come home? What do you think?"

Carm read it and nodded but continued to eat. In a moment his hand came out and quickly wrote that their third member would stay until he was relieved.

Edgar came down later and his quick eyes caught the note and read it but if I had not been looking I would not know that he was doing so.

"Good morning Cousin Edgar. Won't you sit and eat? Coffee or tea?"

"Coffee sounds great. I may even get something to eat I see."

"Family gets special consideration."

"Your other cousin Charley will be coming into town today. All of us have some business to attend to and we may not all be here at one time."

"Mom can prepare your meals but you may have to take her shopping. Today is our regular day to do that."

"I'll drive Aunt Jane to the store and we can have a talk at the same time. Did you know that Samantha has had another baby?" Jane took the idea and started to fabricate a story for our listeners. It did sound like the workings of a close-knit family.

We all walked to school and I told Paige and Jennifer the truth and then mentioned how each of the men were supposed to be related to us. She asked, "But why are they here?"

"We need to find out who planted the bugs and more importantly, why. Then it is just a matter of gathering enough evidence against the mastermind." They didn't know about Jamie so I added, "While they were here I decided to use their services in another matter. The guy supposedly taking care of Jamie hurt him a lot. There are bruises all over him. The three gents are going to have a heart to heart talk with this Tony to convince him that this is an unacceptable practice. Bullies are not known for being too quick to come to an understanding."

Jennifer said, "I sure don't want to be in this Tony's shoes."

"Jamie has already moved out. We just have to find an official home for him."

Jennifer said, "Something like what I got?"

"Yes, very similar."

During the day I worked to find the best choices for Jamie. There were some people like Mason that effectively worked for me and would do what I asked. Jack could do this too but that may be more difficult for as he didn't have another bedroom.

In second period English Alice and Jena smiled at me but both must have had an eye on the other. When Alice started to scowl Jena looked right at her.

After class they both hurried to me but then stayed a respectful distance away as if going closer would cause a fight. Jena said, "Hi Jeff. Barry and Laura have been asking about you. They wanted you to come over for a meal with us some time."

Alice took a step closer but stopped warily. "Mom and I were thinking the same thing. Since you leave every weekend, will you come over tonight?"

"I am sorry but I have company at my house. I might be able to come over if you can cook for ten more."

She didn't seem happy and said, "Perhaps another time."

This pleased Jena and she smiled, "I guess that means we are out too. I would love to have you all over but I don't have enough time to prepare and Barry is not that good in the kitchen."

The next class was music and I had to hurry. I immediately checked on Jamie and he appeared to be happy. I relaxed a bit knowing his was much better than what he had been yesterday afternoon.

It was during lunch when I was going over what I had done that I realised that my conversation with Jamie this morning had been transmitted to people I didn't even know. Going over my dialogue I saw that it wasn't that bad but it could be used against me. The best thing to do was to find the receivers and the audiotapes.

In Home Ec, I saw Mrs. Cameron watching us like an eagle. After class I waited until everybody left but Jamie and me. "In a few days we are going to get the Children's Aid involved in this and find Jamie a new home. The man that was supposed to have been watching out for him has not come home and I recently found out that this is common."

She looked at Jamie and saw the way he clung to me. She said, "Jamie, you don't look to be your old cheerful self but I think you are in good hands. I assume you are staying at Jeff's home."

"Yes I am. It makes me think I am back in my old family with all the people around. You even have to fight for time in the bathroom."

"It was much the same in my home when I was young. Good luck young man and if there is something you need just ask."

"Thank you Mrs Cameron."

Before I went to the next class I told Jamie where to go to find James if he was coming.

During a spare I had to work on my 'Star Wars' books. I had difficulty concentrating on anything else. Chemistry had turned up another dead end but at least I expected that.

Jamie waited at the side door and we both hurried to the side street. There was still a lot of traffic but I spotted James car and raced to it. We both got in the back seat this time.

"Hello James. Thanks for taking some of your time to pick us up."

"I was in the neighbourhood. Would you like me to drive your friend home?"

"Yes, but he is now living at our home."

James looked in the mirror and said, "I think that's a good idea for some reason."

"We do to. The man, Tony, was very abusive. He is also not around for some reason. He abandoned Jamie in my opinion. This has not been the first time either."

When we got home, I walked into the house with both of them. Edgar was sitting at the table with Jane. I introduced cousin Edgar and mentioned the other two and gave a brief description. James was described as an associate on a speculative venture.

Edgar got Jamie seated beside him and in a moment the boy seemed to respond to some kind words. "James and I have some things to see. Let's go out to a restaurant unless Mom has made something special for us."

Jane said, "I was going to make meatloaf and that doesn't take long."

"Let's save that for tomorrow."

Jane smiled, "That's ok with me. We hardly ever go out to eat."

On the way to the car James said, "What is up with the kid?"

"It wasn't his father we saw. It is a delicate situation and Jamie deserves some privacy."

James seemed to understand and said, "We haven't made any more purchases. Mr Mason went to the scrap metal yard and ask about some heavy metal that he can use to secure his shoreline. He looked at a few items that would normally look good and enquired about the crusher. The price is twice what it was sold for. Mr Mason claims he has to wait until the dead of winter to move the heavy metal and stone to where he wants. This gives him some time to negotiate."

"The dealer is going to believe that Mason would use metal instead of rock?"

"He claims he can tie off to it with heavy cables much easier than rock."

"That sounds plausible."

"We put our plea before the fire marshal. He is not opposed if the paint goes first. I suggested that this controlled fire could be used as a test for different fire fighting techniques and a way of training his men. That seemed to make his eyes sparkle. I think that deep down all firemen are fascinated by fire."

"That could be. Will the city council agree?"

"The fire marshal figures they will. He even suggested the danger to the workers that would be dismantling the building if there were no fire."

"Yep, sounds like the man likes to see a fire. I asked for a negotiator to come later for the large deal with the city. He may be useful with the purchasing of the businesses too if not the homes."

"The homeowners just need time to think. This did come upon them pretty quick. From my experience they need at least two weeks."

"What details did you find out about our other targets?"

"Camden Wood Products may well go out of business at the end of next month. Some equipment has been put up for sale in the Toronto paper."

"What does Mr Mason think?"

"If we leave it too long valuable property will be sold off."

"Who are the major creditors?

"The owner has his own money tied up in this and the vast majority is the Bank of Commerce. He also owes the city money."

"What is the bank's exposure?"

"At a guess I would say between a hundred and thirty and a hundred and forty."

"How much would the empty building and land be worth?"

"Well if the owner continues to sell off the assets then it would be fifty or perhaps sixty thousand."

"See if you can rent that large place you wanted to get for me."

"Pointer Furniture?"

"Yes, find the rent for a secure area. I need enough to purchase all the assets of Camden. Then ask the owner how much he wants for everything."

"Yes Sir."

"Hire the employees to move the equipment to Pointer Furniture. Tell them that a new company is coming to town that will probably hire them. Christmas is coming on and I don't want them to leave."

"May I point out a couple of things Mr Congdon?"

"What are they James?"

"You said you are going to set up a company for making quality cabinets and your new counter tops."

"Yes."

"You said it would grow, well perhaps you should negotiate a lease with option to buy for the Pointer Furniture property. You will have the equipment there already and you have room to expand. You only have to pay for the area you are actually using but a clause in the contract can come into effect if somebody wants to buy the property. You get it for a predetermined price."

"James you are a sneaky person. It comes from your car salesman past. I'm glad you are working for me and not against."

I got a big smile. "Thank you Sir but there's more. If Camden fails then you should get everything you wanted for an even cheaper price. The city and the surrounding business see one more failure and they will jump at the chance to accept anything you offer. The lease of Pointer Furniture is almost nothing, because you have not agreed to purchase it."

"That is fantastic news." It was good news in more ways than one. I needed a place to make plumbing fixtures too and the building could do that. The fact that I might be able to screw the Bank of Commerce out of eighty thousand dollars felt even better. I would not be able to get all of that but even half would make me feel good.

"Anything about Northern Plastics and North Bay Lumber?"

"The plastics company is holding on. There was even a few people called back to produce some stock for the Christmas season. We have been keeping a very good eye on Mr Hugh Durden. He has put his home up for sale. From what I hear he is not letting his wife know about this. This leads me to the fact that they are breaking up and he means to cut her off from all funds.

"What is his home like?"

"One of the best in the city. It is about mile from you on a quiet cul-de-sac. The house and property is worth perhaps ninety thousand dollars."

"That must be a lot of house for it to command that much of a price. What can we get it for?"

"If I were in Mr Durden's shoes I might accept a figure as low as forty."

"What is his wife like?"

"They are not in my circle of friends but I hear she's a lady. She is not perfect. She likes to spend and have some fancy things, but she treats Mr Durden very well."

I said, "I don't particularly like Mr Durden but I think I like him less now. Talk to Mr Mason. He might know more about the situation and about Mrs Durden too. Next find out what rights Mrs Durden has in relation to the sale of the house and the business. I may or may not be interested in the contents of the house too."

"The contents? Would you move in?"

"I don't have far to go and I am near Paige. My plan is to gain the house as cheaply as possible. This may mean that Mrs Durden gets royally screwed." James looked upset now. "If I get to buy the company then I want to see if the wronged woman can step in and get a portion of the much larger asset."

"Oh, I like that. I can see a great deal of animosity when the furniture is sold. Mrs Durden would be almost put out in the street."

"Find out about shared bank accounts. If we can get the money that pays for the business to be accessible by the missus then she can get her hands on it."

James said, "It seems that I'm not the only one with a bit of Machiavelli in them."

"Do this so my corporation is not seen as the bad guy. Throwing a lady out of her house is not good even if she gets her revenge later."

"We will work on this. I would almost do this without pay but I have to eat."

"I want you to prosper. I also want to see how far you will grow."

By now we had driven to the other end of town so we dropped in on the Browns. Laura ran to the door to see me and her eyes were wide. The way she ushered us in let me know that she really welcomed me. I couldn't help it but I hugged her to me and she seemed to melt against my cold clothing.

"It is nice to see you again Laura."

"I like you too — I mean I like to see you."

"You were right the first time. I like you as well. Now where is the rest of the family?"

Jena came up from the basement. I guess she had been doing some laundry because I heard the machine running.

"Hi Jeff, James. How are you guys?"

"We are not bad I guess. Would the three of you like to get dressed up and we all go out to a restaurant? Just my family and three members you haven't met yet."

"But we are not ready. I'm a mess."

"Go get dressed."

"Ok."

Laura, put on your new dress. You look beautiful in it."

"I do?" Her eyes were big.

"Would I lie to you?"

"I guess not." She now turned red.

I turned to James. "You have to come too. I need to pay the driver for his efforts."

"That can be arranged."

I called out, "Barry!" Then walked through the house to his room. His door was shut and I heard the music was heard inside. I knocked and I heard a mumble I took to mean that I could enter. When I opened the door, I saw that he was busy reading some textbooks. "Hi Barry, pirates have attacked and they are going to carry you off to the restaurant with the rest of your family and mine."

"Restaurant! I haven't been to one of those in years."

"Where are your clothes?"

He pointed and I saw his wardrobe but I made the selections. I put them all on the bed. "We have time for a quick bath if you want?"

"Push me there quick before my sisters get it."

I helped him navigate then turned the water of. Clothes were hung up to dry and I took them down. Jena came running in to rescue the clothes and was embarrassed at what I had found. "Jena, I have two sisters and my mother. You have nothing that I have not seen many times before."

"Ok, it is just that Barry has to be helped into the tub."

"I will do it. Now go get dressed."

Barry and I worked quickly and then I got him into the tub and him sitting. He was not as shy as I thought he might be. I said, "We should have some of those bars here too."

"Yeah, the others work great."

I left him to work and went to the telephone. I called Paige's home and got Nora. "Hi Mom. How are you?"

"Good Jeff. I'll get Paige."

"Wait a minute. I want all of you. I want to go out to eat at a restaurant. The family is going and the Browns too. In-laws get preferential treatment. It's my treat. As you know I'm selling some songs here and there."

"I was cooking supper but it can wait until tomorrow. When are we going?"

"Get Paige to tie in with her mother-in-law. Tell her to crack the whip. James is coming too and the three Browns. I better see if there is a restaurant that can take all of us."

"Call me back if this is going to work. I'll get dressed but make supper too."

I looked in the phone book and chose what I thought was the best restaurant available. It has some seats but not enough. The second best was almost as good and I reserved seats for all of us. Nora got the call and Jane would get the information from Paige.

Somehow or other we all made it to Rocco's at the right time. They were not set up for a wheelchair but we got it in the door anyway. Edgar was taking the house and I whispered to 'Charley', "Can he handle Tony? He is a lot bigger than Edgar."

"Don't worry about the Captain. He can take me half the time."

"Really! I hope you guys stay around. I could learn a lot from you."

"We were told you were looking for permanent employees."

"I am. I'll ask questions during the meal. Talk about what you know and what you can do and make sure you list your families. I don't usually hire a man but a family."

Charley and Carm, it turned out, had been in the Canadian military and learned how to do nasty things to an enemy. This came out slowly so those at the table were not shocked. Both were very educated and intelligent men but apparently Edgar was even more so. They joked about their mishaps and if I didn't know better, I'd swear they were fighting as they listed how the other made a fool of himself on various occasions. Jamie and the rest listened open mouthed at this and I had to see that this was an act they did once in a while. It didn't mean that it wasn't true but just that it was done to ease the tensions of those around them.

Carm was married with two grown children. Charley was on his second marriage and was paying alimony and support for three children. Edgar was a widower. Three years ago a semi had hit the car they were in and they all died including Edgar's mother.

We stayed a long time but it was spent eating a lot and drinking the occasional beer. Jamie really liked the men and when we left he was roughed up by both of them so it seemed the feeling was mutual.

When we got home I got the girls to study and to make sure Jamie did some work too. I went down the basement and resumed work on my short-wave receiver. Charley came down to investigate and said, "Do you mind me snooping?"

"Not at all Charley. By the way, I like how you and Carm have sort of adopted Jamie. He looks up to both of you and it has nothing to do with how tall you are." I pointed at the microphone then at the hidden transmitters and counted them off with my fingers.

Charley smiled at me and inspected the units. "He's a nice kid. He can't help the way he is."

"I am late at going through puberty. I like Jamie too but some of it is hormones I'm afraid."

"Not many people would admit that. It can lead to a lot of grief."

"That is very true. Mostly I like the ladies though. One day I plan on marrying Paige. She wants the same thing and I even told her parents. I have a good deal of my life planned out."

"Show me what you are working on."

I talked as I wrote out on a paper a second conversation about what I had done.

"You need an inverter I think."

"Yes I do." I wrote on paper, 'Perhaps I could just pack the large short wave radio around in the car and powered by a large inverter.'

"I can find one for you tomorrow." On paper he wrote, 'We had something like this to find enemy transmitters.' I knew the units he was talking about and listed them myself then said that they were hard to get hold of.

More words were written, 'You know a lot about military hardware.'

'Yes I do and it is all crap. I could make better when some new parts get invented.'

'What new parts?'

'I read the papers and get magazines. I can make good guesses to what is going to be done next. Just like a general does when preparing for a battle. These parts will come out tomorrow or in ten years but they will come.'

'What kind of parts?'

'Let's talk in the car. I'm getting writer's cramp.'

We got our coats on and got into the car. It hadn't cooled off much in the mean time. "Well what do you have to say now, Jeff?"

"How much electronics did you get trained in?"

He went into quite a bit in the military then went further in the civilian world. The man was an electrical engineer but without the papers.

I talked about the current kinds of solid-state devices then started to speculate, or I tried to appear to just speculate. Integrated circuits had come out but they were very crude and very simple. I mentioned some of the ways they could be made much smaller and many times more powerful. I went into the military radios made at the end of the century. I stayed away from jargon but I listed what they would do.

I began again and followed up on different components that had to be made and where they would fit in. I mentioned my laser, then told him what I thought I could do with the new types that 'should' work.

"How sure are you that these lasers will work?"

"As sure as I was that the last one would work. I was so sure that I spent almost fifty thousand dollars on supplies and that wasn't even counting the building."

"Sounds like you're sure. You have any room for me?"

"Ever since the meal I wanted you as part of my family. You, Edgar and Carm make a dream team I think. I don't really know that much about the other two but I want your brains."

"Carm is electrical too but he also likes chemistry. What I am trying to say is he likes to blow things up. The Captain, well he is more into organisation. He would be a great general."

"Charley, what can I offer Edgar so that he will join our family?"

"He likes structure. The military gave him that. He has to have a set of goals laid out for him then told what resources he has to attain those goals. He doesn't want things without a challenge but he doesn't want to be pestered by politicians or his superiors."

I said, "So he wants some obtainable goals and the means to gain them without somebody undercutting him."

"Pretty much so."

"What about Carm?"

"If we are in, Carm's in."

"Charley, I can offer you a goal. I have not one laser idea but many. I know how the things should be built and could do them myself but you are even more qualified to carry them out. You get to be in charge but I have to get in there and work too. In the end I will make a lot of money and get at least one Nobel Prize."

"Only one?"

"I am working on the other one at the same time."

"I should have known. I suppose there is a third and forth planned too."

"Got to plan for those contingencies too. Are you in or out Charley?"

"Do you have a challenge for the Cap?"

"The capture of this city for a start, then and the building of the largest industrial and commercial empire there ever was."

"That could possibly do it."



-------

Chapter 24


I woke up now very mindful of the microphone. A hand was holding my erection while Jamie was cuddled to my back. I could feel that a portion of his anatomy had slipped out of its confines and was now between my legs.

When I moved to get up Jamie moved to keep me in place as if it were important we stayed this way. It took a little work but I got away from him and covered him with the blankets again.

I walked into the kitchen with my pajama bottoms sticking out and found Edgar there having a coffee. Instead of starting my work I poured a cup of my own and sat at the table.

"Good morning Edgar." I took a sip of the coffee.

"Good morning Jeff. Did you sleep well?"

"I guess I did. It was a bit uncomfortable but it is something that I could learn to get used to."

"Reminds me of my days as a boy."

"Charley and I did some talking. I think you and I should do some too."

"I think so too. Charley already talked to me by the way and I want to hear the specifics."

"That is going to take a long time. My goals, strategy, troops and equipment take a long time to even list then I need some commitment before I go to a clearer picture. All I know is what I have seen which isn't much. I need to see how you can fit in without conflict."

"Yes it may take a long time. Tonight?"

"Should Carm come too?"

"He doesn't really need to."

I cleaned myself for the start of the day and then made breakfast. Jamie was bright eyed and so was Susan. I was pretty sure she knew that there was going to be a party. Jamie seemed to be just happy to be with us.

There had been no packages delivered or notices to pick up a package at the post office. It looked like my main present wasn't going to be here in time for the party. I had not heard the term yet so I guess I had to be the one to coin the term, 'shit happens.'

There was a load of finished and collapsed wooden boxes at the back of the class. I was reluctant to continue with no records to put into them but I did more or less to allow me to forget my troubles.

Mr Sharp said he would take them to my home at the end of today because he knew about the party but not what the boxes were to contain.

Preoccupation with Jamie and the bugs made me make another stupid mistake in chemistry. It was this sort of thing that could get me killed. Instead of cleaning up I continued and before the end of the period I found my fourth compound; it was one that didn't overlap other temperatures very much.

Gym was fun and Jamie and I were surprised when Ian got into the shower with us. He was very shy but tried valiantly to hide it. We all left soon after and Ian had a smile on his face. I got close to Ian and stage whispered, "You did that to show us you have a big kielbasa didn't you?"

Ian was shocked and was about to hotly deny it when Jamie said, "He is hung like a horse. I would do the same if I were like him." Ian was not that big but now his ego was a lot larger.

At seventh period we had Home Ec, Mrs Cameron was trying to hurry because it was only a half hour to the start of the weekend. The natives were restless and so were the keepers of the zoo.

A phone call interrupted the class and Mrs Cameron answered it. What seemed odd was that she was looking at Jamie when she was doing this. She pointed at me and signalled the hall. She herself went out also. I hurried up and closed the door behind me.

"Jeff, Jamie's guardian is in the office asking for his charge. Do you have a magical hat?"

"I do have that and three rabbits too." I thought for a minute then said, "Can you tell the office that we skipped class and left. I want Tony to think this is a regular occurrence."

"What is going to happen?"

I reached out and held her hands in mine. "You don't want to know. At least not yet. Can you do this for us?

"I'll go down to the office and tell him that if it will help. I want to see what a boy rapist looks like."

"Don't look nasty or he will think something is up."

She hurried off to the office and just abandoned her class. I walked in and said, "Ladies and gentleman. Mrs Cameron went on an errand. Pack up what you were doing and start your homework. You can't leave but you will have less work to do after."

I hurried to my own books and started to clean up. "Get cleaning now. We have to leave."

"Leave?"

"Now boy or I'll tan your hairy butt."

The girls all heard and laughed or snickered. Jamie just hurried. In just a minute we were at the telephones. The receiver was picked up on the third ring. Jane answered and I said, "Hi, who is home now?"

"Charley and Carm."

"Tell them we found what they lost. Jamie and I are going to be walking around the outside of the school."

"Ok — "

I hung up; time was of the essence. Jamie didn't know what this was all about but seemed to trust me. We got to our lockers and slipped our coats on. This time all my important papers and books stayed here instead of going home.

When we left the school ahead of the bell Jamie finally said, "Why are we doing this?"

"Charlie and Carm are coming here right now. Tony is in the office looking to get you. Our friend Mrs Cameron has gone to tell him that we skip classes and did so again today. Tony will then start looking for us outside the school."

"But he'll catch me."

"Not with me here to protect you."

He looked at me sceptically.

"Well, I will still try. Tony comes after us and ends up finding Carm and Charlie. Who is in more trouble, Tony or us?"

"I guess it's Tony."

We walked past the front of the school but ready to slip between the houses to get away. It was on our third pass that somebody came running out of the front doors. We were lucky because we were close to a corner. I guided Jamie around the building at a walk then we ran like hell to get to the next corner. I wasn't sure but a running man just came around the previous corner.

The first house had a neatly shovelled walk and I stopped a very frightened Jamie and got him to walk up the concrete then lie down on the veranda so we were protected by the short wall. In just a moment we saw a man run around the corner. Our heads were to the boards and looking through the gap at the bottom of the wall. It was Tony all right.

Tony ran past our position and to the next corner. This time he turned away from the school. "Get up we have some exercise to do."

"Jeff, he is going to catch me."

I could see that Jamie was almost petrified with fright. "Not if I can help it. Now get up."

We ran back down the walk and back the way we had come. This way we would be close to the school. Jamie slipped once and did a spectacular cartwheel. I got him up and we continued but at a slower pace.

At the corner we turned back to the school because that was where I wanted to hide. Half way to the front door a large car came around the corner and Jamie said, "That's him."

I turned and ran between two homes and more or less dragged Jamie after me. I had to push Jamie over a fence before I could get over. Tony had seen us and now went on foot toward the fence while we tried to make the next street. I looked back and Tony was gone.

"Wait," I yelled then went back the way we had just come. Jamie was now crying in fright but I got him back over the fence and to the street we had been forced to vacate. School was out now and students were on the streets.

I saw the car again and pulled Jamie down behind a parked vehicle. Jamie was blubbering. I held him to me but listened for the motor. When one passed I looked up just high enough to see. The car turned the next corner and I picked Jamie up again.

We ran to the corner and up half way up the block. To the right was a narrow laneway used to pick up trash from behind the large homes. Jamie was just too hard to pull and I made the turn. Cars had been down this way because the snow was packed but it was a bad choice. There were tall fences on both sides and no way through. High drifts of snow blocked all the gates.

We almost gained the street when a car turned violently into the alley, and slid into a shed and crushed it. Looking around I could see no escape. Jamie really cried now and almost went catatonic. I slapped his face three times and dragged him to the high fence.

I linked my fingers and said "Put your foot in my hand and I will get you over the fence. Do it now, it's the only way." I heard the car reversing then the high-pitched squeal as the wheels spun on the icy surface.

Jamie heard the noise and ran to me and put his foot in. I heaved just as he was at the height of his push. He was holding on with his hands but the top of the fence was at his waist. "Go," I said as I tried to push the soles of his feet over the wall.

He just disappeared as the car came into view and I raced to get by as the car went forward. The driver's door was flung open but only grazed me. I bounced against the next section of wall and I got about ten more feet before I was tackled into the snow bank.

I didn't get a chance to kick or even punch. The man was large enough to pick me up by the scruff of my neck.

"So it's you. I kinda figured it was."

"Let go of me asshole."

"You're the one that is the cause of all this."

"I said let go of me. This is assault."

"Mmmmm I think it may be more than that. The other option may be just as good."

He frog marched me to the car and I screamed as loud as I could. It got me a slap and my head driven into the side of the car. The man switched hands and got the keys from the ignition. Tony turned around and I was able to push hard against the car and I almost got away. He just whacked me into the car again like I was a toy.

I was dazed but the next thing I saw was that I was being thrown into the large trunk. The lid was slammed shut and I was in complete darkness. I felt blood on my face and my ears rang with the beating. The car went into reverse and bumped into every depression.

There had to be a way to get out. I knew that I could not turn the locking mechanism while the tongue was still in the lock. May hands searched for any tool and found the jack. In a few seconds I had the tire iron. I felt the locking mechanism and used the tire iron to knock the tongue out of the lock. The car was bounding around so much that it was a hit or miss basis. Even when I hit I could do little.

It must have been five minutes later that the tongue came out of the mechanism and I tried to turn the portion that the lock usually turned. I finally drove the tire iron into the lock and the trunk started to open. I grabbed the brace and managed to hold it mostly closed. Looking out the gap I saw only bush, snow and an empty road behind me.

We were getting further and further from the city. The car was going too fast for me to survive jumping out. Even if I did the trunk would fly open on its springs. I could see only two ways of dealing with this.

Holding the trunk lid with one hand I used my other hand to feel for wiring going to the taillights. They came out easily from the sockets but they didn't break easily. Working one handed I moved a wire so it rubbed against a gusset that strengthened the body. It was agonising minutes later when it broke free. I tied the wire where my fingers were and then made a loop. The car was slowing down now for the first time. I grabbed the jack and slipped it through the loop for weight and just waited to see how much of a stop we would make.

The car started to speed up again and I rolled over the edge and hit the road. I don't know how long I was there but I knew I had to get up. Once on my feet I tried to run back the way I had come but then had to be satisfied with a walk. It was cold. I did up my buttons and raised my collar because it may be a long time before I got warm again.

I had to turn around at every sound. I knew that eventually Tony would check and find me gone then retrace his route. It wasn't that I could hide anywhere. There were snowdrifts beside the road and not even any laneways to homes.

One car came by from the Bay and I jumped up and down waving my arms and it just drove around me. Ten minutes later a car came from behind me and I just looked for any weapon I could find. All I had was a pen in my shirt pocket. I held this so I could stab for it was good for nothing else.

I was hoping it would be somebody else but it was Tony. He stopped ahead of me and got out of the car. There was no use running. As he got close I hid the pen from sight.

"Congdon, I am going to feel real good about hurting you. You damaged may car and cost me a lot of money. You're going to pay me back every single cent."

The man was too strong for me and I had only one chance. I kept my hands to my face and started to cry. Tony slapped me once but I kept my hands in place. Another slap came and I made more noise. The third knocked me to the ground. Tony got close to me then kicked me in the stomach. This almost made me heave. He reached down to pull me up. As I gained my feet I lunged at him and stabbed the pen at his face.

He howled and backed off with both his hands protecting his face. I ran in as best I could but towards him. He had turned to keep his face away from me but his legs were spread. I kicked with all my might and I think I lifted him just a bit. He fell now to the snow and again I moved in before he came to his senses and kicked him in the jaw.

He stopped all movement now. I hoped he was dead but he was still breathing. I could see the unmistakable outline of a gun. The car was still running and I debated leaving him but he would probably die. Not a bad idea but I wanted him to meet my new cousins.

I ran to the car and with difficulty backed it up as close as I could without running over him. The man had poor laces so I went back to the trunk and took out more lengths of wire. I bound his hands as well as I could then tried to heave him into the back seat. I debated taking the gun but he couldn't get to it and it would make great evidence. It took all my strength and I still don't know how I got him in.

It was difficult to see through the windshield because of my size and difficult to shift gears and push the gas pedal. Instead of driving into town I stopped at a gas station and called home.

The phone was answered on the first ring. A tough no nonsense voice said, "Yes?"

"Hi Edgar. Will you come to the to the BP station at the end of Moyen Road. I got Tony. He's hurt but I still want some answers."

"Where are you again?"

"Put Jane on. She knows the place and can guide you."

With no reply I heard, "Yes Jeff."

I explained twice on how to get here and she said she now knew the place. Edgar said, "We're on the way."

It was ten minutes later that they drove up. Jane was going to get out but I pushed her back. "Don't make a scene."

Charley and Carm got out and got into the other car. I said, "He's still armed." I got a nod from Carm as he got in with Tony.

Edgar waited for the other car to leave then followed. We separated later and Edgar drove us home. On the way, I was questioned about what I had done in detail. We stopped out front of the house but the car idled and I was asked more questions. The girls and Jamie were on the porch and I waved to them as if this were all a game. I rolled down the windows and said everything was all right and I would be in when I finished talking.

We must have gone over all the details twenty times and examined them from every perspective. Jane was a crying wreck and I had to console her as best I could.

Edgar said, "There are many ways of handling this. I think the best thing for now would be to go inside but don't say anything to the rest. You might be able to say something later but under questioning a person cannot say what they haven't been told."

"Ok by me. I would like to forget it too." I looked at Jane and said, "I don't want you to say anything at all about it. Just say that it's 'Classified'."

"Ok Jeff."

I helped Jane into the house and everybody was staring at me. "I must be a little scraped. Paige, Honey, will you help me clean up? The rest of you don't bother Jane. We can't say anything yet."

I got a look at myself in the mirror and I was a mess. Paige helped me off with the coat and then the rest of my clothing. I had lots of pains now and a few good-sized bruises. Paige got in the bath with me and treated me like a baby or a king. When I tried to get a feel she said in a crying voice, "No Jeff. Not now."

She cleaned me from head to toe then back again. We both walked naked to my room and found everybody but Jane there watching. Paige even dressed me before getting into some of her own clothing stored here. She sat me on the chair and combed my hair. When she was done, there was little sign of trauma.

We went back into the hall and nobody had moved. "Come on gang. I'm not hurt much and you're acting foolish. Let's go downstairs and eat. I for one am starving." They didn't move so I got close and hugged then kissed Susan who seemed the worse and she broke down crying. It took a few moments but I got her settled then I had to do Maggie. Paige was next and she just bawled and soaked my shirt. Angela had made it over and she too needed some comforting then it was Jennifer's turn. The girls were still crying but now it was different. I did the same for Jamie and like the girls I kissed him too. He seemed to cry the worse of all. Maggie pulled him to her for comfort.

We got down the steps carefully, I was pleased to find that Jane had whipped up a meal. We all sat down and I had to get up because Jane now needed some comforting. She cried as if I had died. I could understand this better because she had heard the details but the rest hadn't.

The rest had to be urged to eat but they did. Some got up and took their plates to the sink but Jamie came back crying and fell to his knees beside me and wept on my leg. "I left you. I left you. I should have stayed."

I ran my hand through his hair as he continued to beat himself for what he should or should not have done. In a whisper I said, "You did what I wanted. I was the one with the poor planning but in the end it turned out fine."

They were all upset and I considered an old remedy. They sat in the front room and I used my voice again to put them under a trance. Jamie went under as quick as the others. I didn't worry about any microphones this time. I droned on until all of them were very relaxed. I told them that I was hurt just a bit but I was recovering very well. I mentioned my own frame of mind and said how I was more interested in their worries than mine. The suggestion I made to them was that they try to look at the facts and not their own worries to see that they needn't carry on as they were doing.

When I awoke all of them they did seem better and some even tried to smile. I tried to now pretend that this was a normal school day and I had them get out their homework. A better thing to do was sex but the microphones precluded this solution. Exams were coming up and I quizzed them and even had them ask each other questions. Paige and Jamie at least had some of the same classes.

Two hours was as long as I could stretch this sort of things and we began to sing. Jamie had a nice voice but he wouldn't sing solos. He could though play the guitar and I sang some songs though I had the worse voice of the group. Usually I try to do a little for me like exercising, research, study or some electrical work. Tonight I had to stay with the group.

With three extra girls in the house, Jennifer went home but took Susan with her. Angela would sleep in the same room as Maggie and Paige would sleep on the floor with Jamie and me.

Jamie had seen Paige nude upstairs and she was enough of an exhibitionist to change into her pajamas before us. Jamie came to a decision and did the same thing though he took off his underwear. I did this the same way though I would prefer to sleep without clothes.

I slept between two people that I cared for and who cared for me. I had problems sleeping myself. I was not sure what 'the other option' was but pain was part of it for sure but it may include my death too. Sometime during the night the door opened and my 'cousins' came back. One deep voice said, "He's one lucky stiff." I wasn't sure what they were talking about. Either it was the two beautiful and sexually exciting people around me or my run in with Tony. The latter sounded much more probable.

My dreams were more of the nightmare variety and I woke up often and then it took a while to get back to sleep. When I woke up finally the morning light was shining in my eyes. My two bed mates were gone but I was warm under the blankets. The bathroom was my first objective and it was good that it was empty. I found my body hurt all over. I had a hot shower and stretched to relieve some of the pain.

When I came down after dressing I found the house much more silent. Jane was here sitting with just Carm and Edgar. Jane smiled a lot and fed me breakfast. My jaw was a little sore so I had to eat carefully.

Edgar had as serious look on his face and said, "Jeff you did a good job on Tony. We had to take him to the hospital to save his life not that it was worth much. We got to question him for only a while but he was in no condition to answer. Next time leave his jaw alone."

"What's the situation now?"

"Well the name Goldbalm came up. There was even some evidence in his home but we want the police to find it. I called Mr Holtzman and he was very upset. He did give us some suggestions as your lawyer. I think he pulled a few strings in Toronto and this heated the telephone wires to here. The Crown Attorney and the police want a lot of information. We held them off until you recover."

"What did Mr Holtz — " I whispered, "The microphones?"

"They have all been disconnected but still in place."

"Ok, What has Mr Holtzman suggested I say and what not to reveal?"

"You went to Toronto to shop. When you came home you found evidence that your home was entered. You then tried to find out who has done this."

"You are working on a new invention and needed some skilled help. You called Mr Holtzman and he did some type of search and he sent us up when we became available. Carm and Charley where the help you needed. They are not engineers but they can build things faster because they have experience. I'm here as a manager for this particular project because you want to get the project up and running but need the social interaction at school.

"Jamie Sutherland was new to the school and became your friend. He acted odd one day and you found out that he had been sexually molested. Jamie was upset and didn't want to go home. He mentioned that many times he was abandoned with little or no food."

"You are still twelve-years-old and know a lot of things but not much about the law. You have had some problems with the police being over zealous and decided to let Jamie decide what to do in this matter. Jamie is the one here that has to say what happens."

"The day after the sexual molestation you talked to Mrs Cameron. You didn't tell her lots, but she read between the lines. That was not enough for her to pursue the matter. She warned you because you are more responsible. You and Jamie decided to run because of fear that he would be beaten and raped again."

You were both chased and it was only you that was captured. The rest is as it happened. You called your mother and the only responsible males available happened to be the three of us."

I said, "So I don't know about Goldbalm's involvement. Why was Jamie with that man?"

"Bait."

"For me? I was never into boys."

"Goldbalm must have had a reason and went to a lot of work to get Jamie and you together."

"What is going to happen to him? I want to keep him close. I don't think he had many friends and after his incident in Saskatchewan he would have none."

"We are all looking out for Jamie's well being. There most certainly will be a trial, and during that you and Jamie will be asked if you had sex. It will be part of the defence plan. Jamie told us that he had an erection when he woke up and was cuddled to you for warmth. You are in the friend category and not a sexual partner."

I said, "That is true, but between you and me it may not have stayed that way."

"I was young too at one time Jeff. I know about those kind of things"

"How long is the questioning to go on? It is Susan's birthday party."

"Your mother will go with you along with your lawyer, Mr Mason. They are being given two hours today and two hours each day until they get all they need."

"I wish it was you instead of mom. She can't handle the stress that well."

"Yes I know but there is nothing I can do."

"Is Jamie being questioned now?"

"Yes he is, and Mr Mason and your mother are with him. The Children's Aid is there as well."

"Well, let's get the show on the road."

Edgar drove me to the police station. Although there were no reporters, there were some people around the building that stopped to stare at me.

I was soon introduced to Mr Tatum, the Crown Attorney, and to Inspector Jacobson. Jane sat to one side and Mr Mason sat across the table. The inspector asked me to go through my day yesterday. I mentioned Mrs Cameron but tried to be vague on the wording. I had also asked her not to say anything and wanted her as far out of this situation as possible.

The hide-and-seek was done with a hand drawn map. The culmination in the alley was done as accurately as I could, including Tony's cryptic remark about the other option.

From my abduction on I went very slow with a lot of pauses as I remembered everything in detail. I would love to say how I was a stone cold operative but in reality I was a person scared to death with my mind working feverishly for an escape.

Tony's second approach was done in the same way. I described the man and how I saw him. I described the slaps and the kick and I explained how I feared for my life. My own attack was shown as a desperate plan that had succeeded against all odds.

They asked me about the time frame and again I was very vague. "When you see that you might die soon, time perception is very odd." This would give enough time for the cousins to get Tony to the hospital.

They wanted me to write out a multi-page report in my own words and I put my hands on the table with the knuckles up. "I think the Crown should supply a stenographer and I will try to sign each and every sheet of paper."

"But that is not the way it is done Mr Congdon."

"That is going to have to be the way it is done now. My mother and Mr Mason are here to sign the document too so that the words on the page matched the words I spoke."

It was closer to three hours when we finished but I knew I was treated very well. I think that the number of witnesses helped a lot too. The police at this time were not as sympathetic as in later years, and dug hard to get at the truth.

Mr Mason told me that Jamie's situation was being looked into and he would stay to see what he could do. If necessary, he would take over as guardian.

When we got home we found the party had started or at least the guests had arrived. The abduction had put a severe damper on the party and I tried to get the party going. To do so I gave a quick rundown on what had happened. I used only a few words hoping to lessen the impact. James brought the Browns later. We were not set up for the wheelchair but Barry was happy enough.

Susan had to get up and be the birthday girl and then the party started to move. Barry talked to me later and whispered, "Did you really put that man in the hospital?"

"Barry I was angry enough at the time to put him in the grave. One kick would have done it. I consider him vermin on the body politic."

He looked at me frightened and I added, "Barry he was trying to kill me. Was I supposed to just let him?"

"I guess not but I couldn't have done that."

"Because you were never in that type of situation. Think about protecting your family and you can get an idea of what you might be capable of."

More people came to the party until the house was full. Jane was run ragged trying to help. The Cousins were not around, they were wisely hiding upstairs.

Another car pulled up in front and a short thin man got out and stretched his back. He looked at the house and walked up to the front door and knocked. I had been watching so I answered the door.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"You must be Jeff."

I smiled for his voice was unmistakable. "Yes it is Mr Sackman. Won't you come in?"

"I would, but I have an important package in my trunk."

"Would you like a hand?"

"Maybe more than one."

"Is it the records?"

"All one hundred and fifty of them."

"Let's bring them in the side door and into the basement. I made a lot of wooden boxes and I want to put a records in each of them."

A hundred and fifty forty-fives was a heavy load but we got it downstairs. I called Paige to assist. "Mr Sackman, this is Paige, and the future Mrs Congdon. Paige, this is Mr Sackman the agent that handles my songs."

Paige turned red but did have a smile. Sackman said, "It seems that this young man knows how to push buttons. You blush most delightfully. When is this event supposed to happen?"

"Jeff says we have to wait until after he is eighteen."

"A long time but I think the wait will be worth it."

I looked at the record. It came in a nice sleeve and a full colour picture of Elvis on it. The record had a name on the label which said, 'Happy Birthday Susan — Elvis Presley'

We carried some of the boxes upstairs and stacked them in a corner. When Susan finished talking to a friend I brought her over and introduced her to Mr Sackman. She had never spoken to him but she was familiar with what he did.

He handed Susan one of the boxes. "Your brother went to a lot of trouble to make the box and negotiate for the contents. He is making me give you this because I had to drive all the way here on our Thanksgiving holiday and deliver the package."

"Did you drive from California?"

"No, I flew to Memphis then Sam Johnson made a deal to get me to deliver this here. I flew to Buffalo and just drove north. This is my first time in Canada."

"Thank you for all you have done. But you shouldn't have done all that."

"I wanted to come anyway and this was a good excuse."

Susan slid open the box and found a picture of Elvis. When the box was tilted the record came into her hand. When she slid open the envelope she saw the record. She looked at me, "Can I play it now?"

"Sure, but get the rest to be quiet for a moment."

Susan turned on the record player and put the record in place with its little plastic adapter. Susan got excited when she read the name of the song. The volume was turned too loud but she didn't turn it down. Elvis sang 'Happy Birthday to Susan with the full accompaniment of his band. The song changed to Elvis talking. The words were to Susan directly and he talked of how he wished he were at the party now. He mentioned my name and then went on to talk about Maggie and Jane. Paige, Jennifer, Angela, Sandy, Faith, and Karen were added as Jeffrey's Angels.

His voice asked to turn the record over and Susan ran to comply. On the flip side Elvis continued to talk of the music business and how you had to try hard. Then he listed many of the people that were now present in the room by full name. Some couldn't sing but that wasn't mentioned.

The soliloquy ended with Elvis saying, "Perhaps we will meet on Spring break if I can find the time."

Susan ran to me and kissed me hard. "Oh, that was the best gift I ever got." By now the rest of the group were hovering around Susan too and asking all sorts of questions.

I managed to extract myself and Mr Sackman said, "That was a very thoughtful gift. I am sure it will be treasured for years."

"If the record remains in good condition it should be worth thousands of dollars in years to come. There are only one hundred and fifty of them."

"Well ... actually there are a hundred and fifty-four or five. I have a few that were run off. Had to have some spares just in case."

"That doesn't change much. In time they will be very valuable."

"I received the last song just before I left to come here. It looks like another hit."

"Thanks, let me take you to the Browns and you can see for yourself." He looked at me oddly but it was not quite what Spock would do. I introduced Mr Sackman to Barry, Jena and Laura.

"Ah I see the reason for the song. Both of them are very beautiful."

The girls had heard the song and blushed. He added, "The song will be sung all over the world and millions of people will know about you two."

Jena's eyes got big and I thought she might faint but I hurried to help her. I heard vaguely, "All over the world!" I sat her down and put an equally stunned sister beside her.

To let the girls recover I said, "Barry here is good at electronics. He is getting some additional education and I think he will do great."

Mr Sackman said, "You can never get enough education. The more you get the more you find how little you really know."

Barry said, "I will never know as much as Jeff. He knows everything. He can even fight like the devil. He just put a kidnapper in the hospital."

Mr Sackman just looked at me. I said, "Yesterday I was abducted and driven out of the city. I broke loose from the guy's car. There was no place to hide and he came back for me. He wasn't prepared for what I had to do and I ended up putting him into the hospital."

"Will you tell me the whole story later?"

"If you are going to stay at least one night."

"I guess I can do that. I was going to drop in on Mr Holtzman on the way back."

The party now flourished. The band members came over and began to play while the girls sang. Even those that couldn't sing well sang with the rest. Jack and Nora came over to wish Susan a happy birthday then heard about the abduction.

The Cousins came in with Mr Mason and Jamie. Jamie came to me. I hugged him to me and he hugged back as if he never wanted to let me go.

"How do you feel Jamie?"

"I can stay here for a while until they decide."

"I guess you do feel good. That makes me feel good too." I held his hand and made introductions. James was brought in so he would know what was going on too.

In a moment I called Maggie over to take charge of Jamie and I took the adults upstairs with me. In Jane's bedroom I asked, "What was decided about Jamie?"

Mr Mason said, "He stays here with your family until a suitable family is found. As his lawyer I get a say into who that is. Anthony Sinclair will not be going to trial for at least a few months. His jaw has to heal but the other damage is irreparable."

I said, "So that's is his name. He is the one that followed us in Toronto. Did he loose the eye?"

"Yes he did and he has two crushed testicles. His urge for little boys will be dramatically lessened."

"When he goes to jail then someone may take a liking for his ass."

"That might very well happen."

Mr Sackman said, "Will you tell me more now?"

"You still staying the night?"

"Of course."

I gave him much more information and tied in what I had said to the woman that tired to frame me earlier in the year. "She asked me a few times what I was afraid of most. I was not sure of her and picked the least likely which happened to be some boy/boy sex with a young boy that died. I might add that I am only just starting puberty. Goldman must have used that information to bait this trap."

Edgar said, "Everything makes more sense knowing that tidbit of information."

I said, "I think if you talk to Jamie's aunt you will find that she took Jamie to Goldbalm to get him cured. Goldbalm took to boy from her to perform the cure and arranged with Tony to get some blackmail evidence on me. This cost Goldbalm a lot but if he was convicted he would lose a lot more."

Edgar said, "We found out that Anthony Sinclair was active in the mob. He was convicted of two killings but got off on lesser charges. A lot more were credited to him."

"I thought he looked the type but I wasn't ready to finish him off. I wasn't worried about another body on my resume but the fact that Jamie may not be able to stay around here. Now that we know about a tie to Goldbalm perhaps a jury can convict him of some even more serious crimes."

Edgar said, "Aren't you worried about him coming after you?"

"I have some damn fine legal talent. I'll make sure the Crown Attorney prosecutes to the full extent of the law. That possibility will be mentioned and by the time Tony gets out of jail he will be much too old to do anything."

"We frisked Sinclair and found not only the one you saw but two guns, a knife and an ice pick. We put them back before turning him over to the hospital."

"I felt the gun at the chest. I didn't think of any others. I tied him up pretty good. I should have at least warned you that he could be better armed."

"We were trained for that and you weren't."

I asked, "Did any of you gentlemen find an inverter? I have a bug nest to find."

Edgar said, "We already found it. That is what we were doing when you first phoned yesterday. Charley and Carm found it this morning."

"Where is it?"

"Almost behind your house."

"Where Joyce and Alice Henderson live?"

"How did you know?"

"Alice and Joyce are always asking questions. That's why I went to the effort of fabricating a story especially for them. They didn't learn much but might have found a lot more with the bugs. What do you suggest I do gentlemen?" Mason and Sackman got the information about the bugs.

With two lawyers the options expanded a lot. They truly were devious. My only stipulation was to hit the people hard for spying on me. Joyce and Alice did seem odd in hindsight. Alice was too old for grade eleven and Joyce was too young for being the mother. Their beauty and sex appeal blinded me just as Jamie did. Puberty was not helping my thinking.

Edgar asked, "Do you think that Joyce and Alice are the ones running this operation or just the operatives?"

"You're right. They are both bright and I guess capable. I am not going to be foolish and think that a woman cannot do most things a man can. In this case it has to be somebody more powerful. The house is well furnished and Alice wore a fur coat and hat. She's beautiful enough that the fur is not necessary."

Edgar asked, "Is she a real blonde."

"No, a brunette."

Edgar smiled and both Charley and Carm laughed. The other three took a while to catch on.

Edgar asked, "Did you check on the mother too?"

"Not yet. I was kinda busy."

The noise from downstairs was getting less and there were presents to give out. "Can we continue in a few minutes? It's still my sister's birthday."

Nobody had left yet and I guess they were waiting for me to return. Presents were given then and Susan hugged and kissed those that gave her things. I got a few hugs and kisses because I had a few presents. When it looked like the party might begin to break up I whispered to Susan, "The record I got for you was one of only a hundred and fifty or so. I have more of them. Would you like to give one away to each of your guests to remember this occasion?"

I got a squeal and a very tight hug. I took her to the pile of boxes and she loaded me up with them. Going into the other room she handed each guest one of the boxes then hugged them. There were a lot more delighted squeals because some of those people's names were mentioned on the record.

When they were all given out, I said through all the noise, "The records are special. There were only a hundred and fifty made. Therefore they are very rare. In fifty years the records will be worth many thousands of dollars. If you wear them out they are worth much less. I suggest you cut squares of fine paper to go under the record. Don't even touch it without soft cotton gloves. You have an heirloom that will help you when you want to retire. If I were you I would put the box where it will be safe." All the records went back into the boxes and the lids slid shut.

Jamie came up to me with tears in his eyes. In his hands was one of the boxes. "This is for me?"

"I invited you didn't I? It's yours to keep and it is valuable even now. There are only a few of them." He just reached around me with one hand and hugged me.

At almost five I found four more guests. John was coming up the walk with Corinne holding his hands. Al and Gregory were right behind and looking for threats.

Corinne was an instant celebrity and the adults were welcomed. I made introductions and found that Gregory and Al knew Edgar, Charley and Carm.

John produced a present for Susan and then Corinne gave one too that was held by Al. John now got a hug and a kiss. She even had to reach up and do Gregory and Al. The men didn't seem to mind.

The adults were talking and Jamie never left my side. He whispered, "Jeff, can we go out to your garage? It's important?"

The word 'garage' made me stop thinking of the party. "Jamie, you know that I care a great deal about you. We are friends. Please tell me how you heard of the garage?"

"I — I."

Jamie looked stunned and the colour left his face. The wooden box slipped from his fingers and hit the floor and he still stared strait ahead. Something was very wrong here and it was frightening me. I took Jamie's hand but he didn't want to move.

Charley caught my eye and I waved him over. "Charley, take Jamie upstairs where we were talking. Something's wrong."



-------

Chapter 25


He didn't argue but couldn't get Jamie to respond. When the boy started to collapse the man moved faster than I could believe possible and scooped him up. Everybody now was concerned. I picked up the box and said, "Jamie is still upset. He is just going for a rest."

I hurried up the stairs and found Jamie on the bed and Charley kneeling beside it trying to think of what to do. I sat on the bed looking at the boy and Charley said, "Do you want me to go?"

"No."

I stroked Jamie's face to get the blonde hair out of the way and at least now his eyes were shut.

Charley nervously asked, "What happened?"

I got pen and paper and wrote, 'Either Jamie was caught in a lie or something far worse. I have heard in some wars that the enemy soldiers are conditioned to love their capturers. Jamie - Tony, or Jamie - Goldbalm.'

Charley's face changed radically and I had to move away. He got up quickly and was about to leave. "Charley," I yelled. "Turn around soldier!"

He did stop and reluctantly did as I asked, "Stay here and protect one of our unit."

I hurried out of the room and closed the door. At the top of the steps I called "Cap, will you come up here?"

Edgar looked funny at me but said nothing. I said, "I made a point to make the garage a special place for having sex. It was used to feed disinformation to the enemy. Jamie referenced it and I asked how he found out. He went catatonic on me. I told Charley about brainwashing and he may do something nasty to Goldbalm and or Tony."

Edgar said nothing but went to the bedroom and closed the door behind him. I came downstairs and there was only silence. "Jamie will be alright. He just needs a rest."

John came to me and whispered, "What happened?"

"It effects the family so we better go upstairs and I will tell you what I think. I may be wrong."

In the girls room because it was larger I mentioned what I said to Edgar but used more detail. Carm said, "Then the boy may not be a homo at all."

"I don't know Carm. He may be but he may also just have been going through a phase. Someone may have wanted that phase to last a lot longer. Jamie came to me soon after coming to school. He was like Alice but didn't ask as many questions. He may have been consciously aimed at me but his subconscious looks to have been aimed too. We need some good shrinks and I want them neutral to start with. I don't want them protecting one of their own if this is what the problem is."

Edgar came out of the room closing the door behind him. John got in front of him and asked, "What are your conclusions?"

"The child is showing some mental distress. I believe it was some type of conditioning too."

"What do we do about it?"

"He will come out of it among friends better but he does need some professional help. I don't think that kind of help is available here."

"That means Jeff goes with him or the professionals come here." John turned to Mason and said, "Is there a judge handy. We can get a court order now keeping Jamie here and get them to provide medical help."

"You might get that in Toronto but you won't get that here with Judge Greensen."

"Will you come to Toronto with Jamie?"

"Will I need my fancy duds?"

"Take them."

John made quite a few phone calls while Edgar got Charley to take Jamie to the bathroom. The boy was still unresponsive. Both of us figured he would soil himself on the way there. Many of the patients were this way.

I gathered my own clothes and then some for Jamie. I borrowed Susan's suitcase for the extra clothing.

The party was breaking up downstairs and I went to see the guests off. I apologised for being a poor host. James was going to take care of the Browns.

I gathered my girls and said, "Jamie has some mental problems. We are taking him to the hospital in Toronto. He needs a friendly face there while he is recovering. I don't know how long it will take before I can come back."

They all had long faces. I said to Maggie, "Don't think I am going to go through something more sensational for your birthday."

"I want a quiet party and I want you here when we have it."

Edgar was walking through the front room and I stopped him. I said, "We haven't had our talk. What do you think so far?"

"We are in for a month at least. We can talk later about a permanent solution."

Mr Mason was nearby and I signalled him to come over. When he got close I said to Edgar, "We need to straighten out the bug situation but after that I don't think there is any security problems other than secrecy. I need a building with a solid floor to begin experiments. Mr Mason and James know about this. I am trying to acquire a large section of land. Perhaps you two can work together on this. I will phone to give updates on Jamie and you can ask questions if you need to."

Edgar said, "Carm wants to go. Charley does too but he should stay here so I can keep an eye on him."

"That works."

John was doing some talking with Mr Sackman and they stopped when I approached. "John, what do you think of Corinne staying here? Charley and Edgar are here too. There is school for the girls and I won't be here but Jane is well capable of doing what is needed."

"She will be just as safe here and though not as comfortable she will feel more loved. She can stay if she wants to."

Jane was nearby and she ran to do the asking. Corinne was already with her mothers.

We had a snack and took extra with us. I got the plastic sheet from the garage and some blankets and towels.

I kissed the girls goodbye, they were crying as I got into the car. Carm was already inside and he was holding Jamie in his lap like an infant.

"Carm, pick Jamie up for a minute." When he did I put the plastic down and a few layers of towels. A blanket went around the child even though it was going to be warm soon. John got in the front seat and Gregory was our driver. Mr Sackman had Al with him in his car.

I waved as we left but the girls were still crying. On the way, I used my voice on Jamie but only after warning the rest to what I intended to do. It took a half hour but eventually Jamie started to respond. I got short sentences but nothing was asked that could set him off again.

When we drove through a town we stopped at a gas station and I got Jamie to use the toilet. When we got back in the car though he still had the plastic just in case. I took off his coat and shoes to make him comfortable and Carm cuddled him to him. Jamie seemed to respond and then went to sleep.

Carm asked, "Where did you learn that?"

"Books and a bit of personal experimentation. I have done this to myself, and it really helps. I have used it on others to reduce pain and discomfort. I never made suggestions that they forget anything and never make compulsions other than to feel good. Probably hypnosis and drugs were used to condition Jamie but there may be more that I don't know of. I'm not going to ask stressful questions."

It was a long trip and I woke up leaning against Carm. He didn't seem to mind so I just went back to sleep. There were no nightmares this time.

Carm shook me awake and he said in a soft voice, "Put Jamie's shoes on him." I did as I was asked then looked around. We were definitely not in a subdivision but coming to a large building on what looked like a golf course.

Carm and I got Jamie's coat on him before the car stopped. John got out and went inside and in a moment an orderly came out and wanted to take Jamie. He didn't get him. Carm got up and carried the child in. I carried Jamie's suitcase.

We all went into an examination room and a tall, thin, bespectacled doctor by the name of Doctor Palver came in and introduced himself to us. He made a preliminary examination and then asked for specifics. Everybody looked at me so I said, "Let's talk outside this room."

The doctor said, "Why?"

"Jamie was not reported as deaf. You of all people should know why."

"Ok."

We got into the hall and I went into my background only so far as to give a reason for a psychiatrist to be interested in me. No names were mentioned. The present court case was mentioned. I left Alice out of the equation but talked about how Jamie entered my life. The bugs came next. I mentioned the act in the garage. Jamie's rape was mentioned and even how I saw the evidence. I gave the doctor all of what I heard Jamie say to me. This included his expulsion from his family in Saskatchewan to his spinster aunt taking him in, here in Toronto. The situation that happened yesterday was added then the fateful question.

"How do you know he is following a compulsion?"

"He went Catatonic. You are the expert. I'm just good at seeing things and coming to a reasonable solution."

"Did you have sex with Jamie?"

"I hugged him and kissed him like I do to my family. Our home has been recently crowded so we slept together on the floor for a few nights. I was poked in the night but it was cold in the house. As for an erection, you no doubt were the same way when young. To give a definite answer; you will get no, I have not had sex at any time with Jamie."

"Ok, let's go back."

The doctor injected a drug into Jamie and began to ask some questions. None of them were difficult or stressful. When he got to questions about the man he was living with in North Bay, Jamie immediately stopped responding. Simple questions didn't work now.

Doctor Palver said, "I am sorry but Jamie will have to stay with us a while longer. There is something definitely wrong." John asked a lot of pertinent questions but there was little the doctor could supply us.

When we were part way down the hall Doctor Palver called John back. After a few seconds John waved us on. I had to guess that this was a ploy to find out if what I had told the doctor was truthful.

When we got to John's home we found Mr Sackman and Al there ahead of us. We sat down now and discussed what had happened with Jamie. I felt helpless in this situation and instead focussed on the offensive.

Goldbalm had been using all the tricks his lawyers knew about to buy him time. The time was spent on a new offensive against me. Part of that offensive had involved corrupting one child of only thirteen. Even if his body was a year older than mine his mind was still that of a child.

After a few hours of this mental flagellation planning for revenge we parted company. Al and Gregory left for their quarters while Charm, Mr Sackman and I had our own rooms. I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. I simply took a hot shower and got dressed. The kitchen was empty but it still felt like home. I pictured the new counters and all the equipment I wanted to put in place.

Microwaves were monstrous in size and my toaster oven hadn't sold yet. Somehow it didn't fit this home. There were automatic dishwashers but they were all for restaurants and not for the home yet. The other basic appliances had changed little. Ice cubes and water in the door of a fridge was just a nice add on. Coffee pots though were all percolators that circulated the boiling water through the grounds until the desired strength was reached. Drip coffee makers were around too but they were all manual.

It was when I got to the windows that I noticed something. Windows now were single pane. They rose and fell in tracks with a cast iron weight in the frame to assist. The outside had storm windows for the winter and screens for the spring. These windows were hard to clean and very inefficient. In the future there were a lot of double pane systems that used plastic to keep the sheets apart, while some windows were actually a glass box filled with nitrogen. Plastic was good enough for me as long as I could get at the outside of the glass for cleaning.

The area outside the home was beautiful but still I could see the ugly hydro poles. The utilities could all be buried. Transformers though had to stay above the ground. They failed too much otherwise.

I saw the world as it would one day become and it was not a lot better than what we had today. Things like computers would be new but more efficient refrigerators were just a qualitative change. Some of the good things of today could possibly be kept but I had no idea how this could happen. A person's word and work ethic would be whittled away by one individual after another. All it took is for people to give their word then not fulfill their commitments. When that happened enough contracts and penalties had to be stipulated and of course lawyers would grow fat.

Not all lawyers were bad, I reminded myself, as I heard one coming down the steps.

"Good morning Jeff. Have any difficulty sleeping?"

"Oh, a bit."

"Sinclair?"

"No, some were just about Goldbalm but I am just looking at the way we live. I see the world changing even as we watch. Values will change and the world of today will look like utopia in some cases."

"How are we going down hill?"

"Television gets watched more each day. When the writers of movies have run out of ideas they will push the boundaries of good taste until we get into violence and then more violence. Children learn from their parents but by now the parents are sitting down watching television and the images are taking their place. The exciting shows depict a violent nature and thus children think it is quite alright to shoot and kill with a gun."

"People are not all like that Jeff."

"What percentage of the population is not like that? Do they happen to be the older generation? Tell me what portion of the children that will not be swayed by watching violence on television? Don't forget it will not be one show but it will be many shows that come day after day and year after year."

John said, "Then I guess you have to write scripts that depict our good qualities."

"Feel good movies are ok but all we need is for one writer to show a cop shooting bad guys. A youth can side with either good or bad and thinks it is ok to use a gun. Censorship does not taste good and not good for our liberties. The government wielding a big stick like that can mean a police state if we let them. Better that the media police itself. Then if one cash strapped company buckles under and puts out a gory spectacular then the excitement seeking populace will crave more."

John said, "We are our own worse enemies. I guess we are fated to grow then decline then finally fall completely while another civilisation is on the ascension."

"That was true before but we are coming to a world of one government. It may not come for a hundred years but it is coming. We will be dead but the pain and suffering will go on. When that one government falls then what, a new dark age? Little of our food now comes from the old ways. Tractors and technology are going to cause a farmer to get rid of horses. When the collapse comes then the horses may be no more."

"You are worried about Jamie aren't you?"

"Yes I am. Even if he was programmed to come after me, I cannot say he has not effected me."

"Jeff, all of us go through this stage. It is part of growing up."

"Yes I know but it doesn't change the facts." In a moment I said, "What do you want to eat?"

We both made breakfast. I think it was the first time in years for him. We got up again as two more guests arrived.

Around two o'clock I could take it no more and asked John about seeing Jamie. He moved quickly so I guess he wanted the same thing. Carm looked pitiful sitting in the easy chair in the corner so I knew he had to come too.

When John got off the phone he said to me, "They are running some tests at the moment. He is back to what looks normal. He has been asking for you. They say the tests should be done in an hour."

"Sunday traffic is light so that means twelve minutes to the hospital and at least five more to get in. Who's going besides Carm and me?"

John looked around and saw Mr Sackman and said, "You two can go this time. I would like to see how the boy is getting along but you can tell me this time."

A thought just struck me. "Who is paying for the stay?"

"I guess I am because I signed him in. This was done semi-legally because I assume your mother would agree and she would be the one in charge of him."

"Semi-legally! You're a shyster but I am glad we are friends. I want to take care of the bills. I couldn't sign the papers anyway. We can use the usual mumbo jumbo that you are doing this on my behalf."

"Ok, I can make an addendum to the admission form."

Carm knew the way and drove carefully. I had the feeling that he would be an aggressive driver but he wasn't. We went in the same way as yesterday and had to actually sign in. When Carm was signing I said, "Put you are family instead of friend."

We walked to Doctor Palver's office and saw that his secretary was now in attendance. "Hello, my name is Jeff Congdon. The gentleman with me is Carmen Victorio. He is Jamie's second cousin."

"Hi, I didn't know that the patient had a second cousin here."

Alarm bells were going off again. "He is the one that brought him in yesterday. Jamie was carried in his arms. We would like to see him. I heard he was specifically asking for me."

"There were are some tests being run and Doctor Palver asked that you just wait here a few moments until they are done. Please take a seat."

We did but Carm had to wiggle a bit to sit down. Chairs were not usually made for him or for Charley for that matter.

The secretary wrote some things down then looked up and stretched. She had a low cut dress for this time of the year and even for this part of the century. She looked very healthy with her breasts coming close to bursting from the confines of her dress. She was a good-looking woman of about thirty. Her hair was not done up as if to be an attractive asset but her dress was.

She was looking at me all the time she stretched and I got the feeling that she was showing me her charms for a reason. Women had tried to seduce me for over forty years and this was easy to see.

When she put her pen down she asked in a conspiratorial voice, "I had to type up the report yesterday. I see that you are a very amazing young man. You rescue damsels in distress and then get yourself out of a very serious matter."

"Just a knack I have — " I looked on her desk and added, "Mrs Charnwood."

"Just call me Lucy, young man. Did you really stab that man then damage him so much that they had to hospitalise him?"

"Did you know who the man is or what his past was? He had a police record."

"No, I don't believe I did."

"He worked for the mob. After visiting the police station, I found out that he had killed two men and many more attributed to him."

"Oh, my god. I didn't know that. How did you know that though?"

"I have looked into killer's eyes before. I think one of his subtle hints was to pick me up by the scruff of my neck and throw me with one hand into the trunk then flee the city. Would that give you the same sort of information? Last I heard kidnapping was a capital offence. I'm no lawyer but to me that means he would hang for what he did. That made it a life and death situation for me."

"I can see your reasoning very well. How did you defeat him? You said he was very strong."

"He started to beat me and I let him. When he got close I did all I could do for I felt I would die otherwise. When he was down I made sure he stayed down. When fighting for your life, gentlemanly rules are thrown out."

"How do you feel now about what you have did to the man?"

"Do you mean, that I might wish that I had hurt him less?"

"Yes."

"I asked the man twice to let me go when I was first tackled by him. He didn't respond to the entreaty in a civilised manner. If he had done so I would be happy to let the matter drop. I may have wished to do less damage but plunging a pen into the man's arm and through a heavy coat would not hurt him much. In fact he would probably proceed to kick me to death. I am not remorseful at what I did but I could not see any other way of disabling him."

"Did Jamie make any — shall we say suggestive moves toward you?"

"I need to go to the bathroom. Could you tell me which way to go? I can answer when I come back."

"Just continue on from the way you came in. It's — three doors down an your right."

"Thanks." on the way out I winked at Carm.

I went up the hallway past the bathroom until I came to a man in a white smock. "Excuse me."

The man looked down to me and I said, "I was supposed to meet a doctor but I forget her name. She is about thirty with light brown hair that is tied up in a bun."

"Medical doctor?"

"She is a psychiatrist."

"That would be Doctor Davits."

I put a confused look on my face and asked, "Do you know her first name? The last name doesn't ring a bell."

"Madeline."

"Thanks, that was it."

"Her office is on the second floor."

"Thank you Sir."

I hurried to the elevator and went up one floor and soon found her office. I walked in and the receptionist gave me her canned smile.

I said, "Hi, I was talking to somebody about a problem. Doctor Davits name was mentioned. Would you be able to tell me what her speciality is?"

"She is a doctor young man."

"And she is a psychiatrist. Would you tell me what she specialises in and within the realm of psychiatry?"

The woman now gave a full Spock eye at me then considered before saying, "She deals with the more violent types of antisocial attitudes I believe."

I smiled at her and said, "Thanks. That at least doesn't apply to me."

I hurried back to the other waiting room and sat even closer to the woman. "Hi again. You asked about Jamie making sexual advances. Let me ask you a question first?"

"What is that Mr Congdon?"

"A man like Anthony Sinclair is pursuing you. He tackles you from behind then throws you into a trunk of a car and drives you out to a lonely country road. Tell me what you would feel like and then exactly what you would do in this situation."

"I can't even begin to visualise that. Please tell me about Jamie?"

"You are obviously an intelligent woman with at least thirty years of experience. Have you been in a situation like this before or it is too traumatic to contemplate?"

The woman now looked at me with a more intelligent look. "That is not proper for you to know Mr Congdon."

"So it did happen. You asked me questions and I answered truthfully and fully. Why can't you? Surely the scars are not that deep. I have heard that it is good to get your deep seated anxieties out in the open instead of letting them festering deep down."

"Where did you hear that?"

"It is what I feel. Now back to the question. Tell me about your own traumatic experience. I feel that you were not as lucky as I was. How badly were you molested?"

"You are only a young man, it's not proper to be discussing it with you."

"But Madeline, you know what happened to me and I know you're still wondering how you should have dealt with a similar situation. Not all of us are prepared for a situation like that. Threats of bodily harm were as foreign to me as they were to you. I was just lucky enough the first time that I had a chance for rational thought. Our customs and the bible tell us to turn the other cheek. You didn't react strongly enough because of our customs. You held back. That is nothing to be ashamed of. You are a product of our culture. I think that you must have relived the scene in your mind thousands of times and castigated yourself for not acting differently."

I paused to read her facial characteristics. "Oh, you did act differently, didn't you? That is the healthier thing to do. Was the person hurt greatly? All those long years of study to see if you had done the right thing? Yes Madeline, you did the right thing. You had to protect yourself. If you had to kill or maim then it was warranted. I just wish that I had been there to help you. Better if I was large and older and able to keep you safe."

The woman started to tear up and I moved beside her and pulled her to me. "It's alright Madeline. Let it all out. You did what was right. You had to fight against great strength. You can never give in or you will collapse inside. You have to be strong and sure. You have to learn about aggression, but some of it is justified. That's not in just a code of law but in the way we are. We cannot let others beat us or they will do it again and again.

"School yard bullies as you know are insecure individuals that have to show dominance over others so they feel elevated. You were never like this and neither was I. Family violence is similar." I felt her move suddenly and knew this was a sore spot.

"Madeline what happened to you within the family was justified no matter what others said. Threats, coercion and finally the actual conflict have to be looked at from an observers point of view as you have done many times. The little girl though, has to be talked to by the woman that she grew into. You have done this before but the message never was accepted as it should. Tell the little girl that a little boy was in a similar situation and he did what was right and what was just."

"But I killed him."

"I killed too. You found out how I was shot and had to still get up to fight. I was very lucky to do this. He was going to kill me and to kill Corinne too but not before doing to both of us what the person wanted to do to you."

Madeline cried harder and held me to her but it was only a few minutes before she shook differently. I knew she came to understand where she was.

I said, "Doctor Davits. Madeline. I was in danger of being killed and I did exactly what I had to do. You may have done the same thing or had revenge later. If it was revenge then that is what is eating you up. If it wasn't then you are still upset about what you had to do. Tell the little girl what I said. If that someone hurt you then they would hurt you again or even some other little girl."

Her sobbing had stopped and I reached over and plucked four tissues from the box. I bent back and daubed her eyes to keep the cosmetics from smearing. Then I opened it up and put it to her nose. "Blow Honey. You are among friends."

She did and it came out loud. She turned red and I folded the paper and got her to do it again. This time she took the tissue herself.

"You are a remarkable young man Mr Congdon."

"If we are friends then it is Madeline and Jeff if you are not a real friend then we are Doctor Davits and Mister Congdon. Think now. Everybody can use friends but my friends never backstab nor do I."

"It's Madeline, Jeff." She looked at Carm then.

"I have not known Carm for very long but I think he is a very reputable man. He won't say anything or we will have to turn him over our knees and paddle his butt."

Madeline said, "That might be a difficult proposition Jeff. Maybe if we work as a team."

Carm said in his deep voice, "I will say nothing to anybody on my word."

Madeline said, "Thank you Carm. It's not becoming for me to act like that."

I said, "You acted like a human being. We are far from perfect and have to always strive for that perfection. If I'm not mistaken, each of you has to talk to another of your colleagues about your problems. Talking to friends is so much better in your case. I think you can see your problems as I see mine."

"When did you catch on?"

"When you questioned Carm's relationship. You must also remember that I am now on my guard when I get questioned. You would make a poor spy. Mata Hari distracted her targets when asking questions. She was much more subtle in her approach."

"I'll have to remember that for next time."

"Your dress and body were seductive enough but that stretch was pure come on. Your hairdo said doctor trying to act professional and your dress had a crease in it saying it was freshly put on and screamed come and get me."

"Anything else?"

"You should have been more busy and worked with different folders before asking questions. I would not have gone so deep so fast. A secretary has to look busy."

"How did you find my name?"

"Instead of going for a wizz I asked for a psychiatrist with your attributes?"

"And how did you find out about my personal life? Did somebody tell?"

"Relax Madeline. I went to your office and found out that you deal with aggressive behaviour. In my opinion everybody ever born is insane. To be otherwise implies that they are perfect. We all know that nobody is that way. My second opinion is that many, though not necessarily all, psychiatrist go into the field of their choice to understand the conflicts within themselves. I just worked from that premise and looked at your reactions. I prodded and you reacted so I knew which way to go."

"All of that?"

"Yes, I deduced one hundred percent of what I said. I had no help other than what I had just mentioned."

"Could I check your IQ?"

"Madeline, everybody is curious about me. Goldbalm was the most obnoxious but he has soured me towards your profession."

"But as friends?"

"Friends don't need to know they just accept."

"Friends are curious too, Jeff."

"They learn by inference and not direct questioning. I do have a way for you to learn more about me."

"How?"

"Do you have any information about my wealth?"

"No, not really."

"Let's just say that I make a lot of money selling popular songs. I make further funds from the sale of certain rights to the patents I have. There are more areas to cover but they have not quite ripened yet. So this means I can afford to hire the necessary personnel that I need for the many business ventures I am involved in."

"You want to hire me?"

"I have a lot of engineers coming soon to North Bay. In a year I will have over a hundred that will span many different fields. Your field is not covered."

"You want me to go to North Bay with you?"

"No. You visit from time to time to work. Some things may be done with the phone and the mail."

"But I am a doctor Jeff."

"I am well aware of that. We have a doctor now checking the practicality of some of my devices. You on the other hand may interview the engineers. What I am doing is worth a great deal of money. I need to minimise my exposure and that means that I weed out some of them or put them in less sensitive areas."

"What are you doing that is so important?"

"Friends can ask that. Prospective members to our team can ask that and in fact I will even tell you. I have three or four ideas in one of the fields of physics. Soon I will cut and weld metal with light. This light will be worth a great deal of money to some companies. The other project has to do with a special type of crystal. I have four already and soon I will have more. They will eliminate the television tube. I will produce watches that show digits not hands. Small devices that can slip into a pocket will be a computer far more powerful than anything made now. It can store a dozen full length novels, contain all the photos in your family album, play popular music with better quality than a cheap transistor radio and keep all your appointments for you."

"That is certainly a lot."

"Oh, that is only the two. More are coming and many have already been made. Some inventions may take decades to come to fruition but they will come."

She said, "And I get to study you too?"

"As a friend not a doctor."

"I'll have to think on this."

"What I told you is in confidence too. You know what shrinks are like."

She smiled and said, "Yes I do."

"Let's see Jamie now."

We walked down a long hall and through two locked doors. Inside this area was another hall with doors that could be locked from the outside if necessary. Young people were walking around in pajamas with the occasional nurse or orderly.

Madeline knocked on a door then walked in as if fearing an attack. Jamie was on his stomach reading a magazine. When he saw us he wiggled off the bed and threw himself at me. I hugged him as hard as he hugged me.

"Jeff, I knew you would come. Why am I here?"

Madeline put her hand on my shoulder. I said, "You were acting a bit odd. We came here to find out what was wrong but they made some mistakes in where they put you."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I was just talking to Madeline." I moved out of the way and said, "Jamie this is Madeline. She is a friend of mine and I hope she will be a friend of yours too. She and Doctor Palver are going to find out what's wrong and fix it, then we get you back home with us."

Madeline had squeezed me when I talked about the other doctor. I turned to the woman and said, "Mr Holtzman signed the papers on my behalf. I am paying the bills not him. I choose to have two doctors seeing what can be done. Will you accept this other patient?"

"You are paying?"

"A simple phone call will confirm it and the next time Mr Holtzman comes he will note it in the admittance form."

"On that basis I would love to help Jamie."

"First off he was mistakenly put in the wrong part of the hospital."

Madeline said, "I will still have to talk to Doctor Palver as well. He may not like the situation but I think we can accommodate you."

"Good, friends do that for friends. Now while Jamie, Carm and I talk would you phone Mr Holtzman and get him to talk to Dr Palver? Saves you some grief and John is used to that sort of thing."

She agreed and left. Carm and I sat on the bed while Jamie wanted to learn more about why he was here. This time Carm said, "You were asked a simple question. You just stood up with your eyes open as if in a dream. You wouldn't talk to us but you did to Jeff after a while. You will get fixed in no time and be back with us."

I said, "You should have seen Charley when he found out. He was real angry but not at you. I think he, Carm or even Edgar would walk through fire to help you."

"Me?" he said with a smile.

"They sure would. Now we have to talk of your future. You are free to do anything you want but I am making some businesses and need help desperately. What do you like? Tell us so we can think of what is the best fit?"

Jamie talked a lot about himself and even Carm did too when he was prodded. Both liked electric trains and the talks took a tangent. I just relaxed and watch the two of them interact. It must have been nearly an hour later that Doctor Palver and Doctor Davits came to see us.

The former was not happy but said in a jovial voice, "Hello Gentlemen. I was just checking my records and found that Jamie was indeed placed in the wrong area."

I asked, "Jamie is among the walking wounded. And since he has no obvious disease, is there a way he could help the children? This could be on a volunteer basis. He can read to the younger ones."

Doctor Palver compressed his lips. He was angry but held it in. "I will have to see about that."

We went through a lot of activities for the move and the two locked doors were unlocked but orderlies were at each. Hopefully Jamie would not know what section of the hospital he was in.

When the move was completed, Carm stayed to talk to Jamie and I left with the two doctors.

"Doctor Palver would you and Doctor Davits have a short talk with me if you have a moment?"

We walked through the hospital without saying anything. When we got into the office he said, "What did you want to talk about?"

"I am sorry to disrupt your routine. You acted very professionally and I have no problem with your actions. Both of you are psychiatrists so you would naturally want Jamie in your section of the hospital. It is more work for both of you to go to his new location. The reason for having two doctors is legal too. An unscrupulous person or persons may have programmed Jamie. Two opinions are much stronger than one in a court of law. You may find that Jamie has not been programmed and that is good too. I also think that two doctors should ensure that Jamie has a much better prognosis and an earlier recovery."

"We will do all what we can for the boy, Mr Congdon."

"Thank you. And again I apologise for inconveniencing you both."

I went back to Jamie but the doctors had not followed. I went to the desk and asked if the hospital had a store that sold robes. There were none available.

Carm was talking about fishing now and using his hands to mimic his actions and then to show how big the fish were. They only paused when I came into the room. When they stopped for some air I said, "When the lake freezes over and the ice is thick, you can go out on the ice. You put a small cabin where you want then make a hole in the ice. You sit on the wood benches beside a wood burning stove and talk, drink beer and fart."

I looked right at Jamie and whispered, "Did you ever light a fart?"

Jamie hunched down and in a whisper told us, "Yes, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't."

I asked, "Carm did you do it too as a kid."

"Jeff, I lost two good friends doing that. The first one got blown up in the explosion and was never seen again and the second one died in the gas attack. I cried at his funeral and they put a big plug in me. I just can't do it anymore."

I showed a pitiful expression. "That is too bad. My friends just turned green and had to stay home from school for three weeks before the colour left."

"I did it once and burnt all my hair. You always have to wear underwear."

Jamie looked from one to the other of us with an expression of awe and we just got more outrageous.

"That happened to me and all I had was fuzz." I put my hands on a shoulder of each. "I am fuzzless now gentlemen," I said solemnly.

Then came Carm's turn, "I fought in the last part of World War II. Once our unit came on an enemy position. We had no weapons and had to get through the lines. Our rations were designed just for this situation. When the wind was right we all farted and the enemy fled thinking one of their number was the culprit. We managed to make it through the line and back to our own side.

"Carm, I had an experience like you once. My friend and I were camping. We were each in sleeping bags. My butt went out of the bag and aimed at a lit candle between our bags. We had eaten hotdogs and beans for two days. Well there was no explosion but a flare like a flame-thrower just above my friend's bag. His sleeping bag was destroyed and the flame burned a hole nearly two feet wide in the side of the tent."

Carm reached out his big two hands and pulled our ears close to his mouth. "The Department of National Defence is working on secret chemical tests to defeat any enemy by simply contaminating their food. Their own farts will be so bad they will not be able to function. We are working hard on a special gas mask but so far the material all melts in just minutes."

I nodded my head in understanding and said, "A few nights ago I was sleeping peacefully on the floor of our front room. Somebody I know farted and the blanket slowly rose in the air and hovered there for over a minute."

Now it was Carm's turn. "I have heard of just that thing. One of our cooks made the food in such a way that they and their tents floated over five miles away."

Jamie started to think now; we just watched his expression change as he went over what he had heard. He fell on his side and grabbed the big pillow and began to beat both of us with it. Carm fell to his side and protected himself while whimpering for mercy. I was lucky. I had fallen to the floor and was temporarily out of range.

Jamie swung a few more times then collapsed on the bed laughing loudly. Carm grabbed him and started to tickle him. Two children about ten years old and dressed in pajamas stared at us from the corridor, wondering what was going on.

I walked over to the boys and said, "We were talking about farts and how bad they are. You would not know how dangerous they are too."

They were both boys and they readily agreed with what I said. I invited them in and introduced them to Jamie then Carm. Their eyes got really big at seeing him.

The two boys then took us on a tour of the ward. There were a lot of children and Jamie would be among the oldest here. When we finished I asked for the tour again. There were six large rooms with ten beds each and a dozen rooms with just four beds each. The area could take over a hundred children but it looked to be just half full.

I went to the nurses' station and said, "Hello, I noticed that there are two televisions in this area. Are they functional?"

A young nurse was about to answer but an old nurse said, "You aren't supposed to be here. Where are your parents? They must be told that children are not allowed to come here. You have to go."

"You are quite forceful. Were you by chance in the armed forces defending our county?"

"I was here in the hospital during the war."

"If you had been on the front lines the enemy would have dropped their weapons and fled. To answer your question my mother is living in North Bay and my father had been dead for six years. Now do the two televisions work?"

"They do not, now please leave this floor."

"You are casting me from the ward without regard to any adult authority figure. I could get lost and it would be on your head. I do not live in this city and I do not think I could survive that long without heat and food."

"Who did you come here with?"

"Carm and Jamie."

"Where are these two?"

I pointed down the hall. The woman left right away and I both smiled and winked to the two younger nurses. We came into the room and Carm was sitting on the floor reading from the magazine James had been reading.

The old nurse just stood with her fists at her hips. "What are you children doing on the floor?"

Before the children jumped up I quickly said, "Madam you obviously need your hearing aid checked and your eyeglass prescription changed. Little Carm was reading to his troops. General Jamie Sutherland was ensuring that little Carm's diction was proper."

"They are not supposed to be on the floor. It's draughty."

"Then you should turn up the heat. It looks to me like they are enjoying what was being said though. Now back to the televisions. Is there a contract with a particular repair company or does the hospital repair the units themselves?"

"We do it."

"There is a representative of Congdon Electronics here that will repair the televisions for free."

"Free? I don't believe it."

"Do people donate things to the hospital?"

"On occasion."

"Well then a civic minded company can donate their services."

"It doesn't matter. You have to leave." She walked further into the room and wagged her finger at Carm for allowing me to come into the hospital. Carm just sat there and kept a straight face as I imagine he had before his commanding officer many times. Carm just took it all and when the woman ran down he jumped up and got very close to the woman but didn't touch her.

The nurse jumped back so fast she collided with me and we fell to the floor. She scrambled to her feet very quickly and fled the room.

I wagged my finger at Carm and said, "Your parents must have warmed your bottom a great number of times."

In a deep voice he said, "As a matter of fact they did. I also saw how you placed yourself in position."

"That was shear coincidence." I turned to Jamie and said, "I am going to be banished to the hinterlands until I get a chance to talk to the hospital administrator. I stepped on a lot of toes already. I will try to get back here tomorrow but Carm should make it if I can't."

"You are going to try though?"

"Sure. Maybe Carm should go now too. The nurse is probably scraping poop out of her panties right now."

Carm and the kids were smiling at the thought and Carm helped the children to their feet and shook their hands before leaving. This was odd to them but they seemed to enjoy it. When we came to the station the old nurse was not around. We walked through the hospital the way we had come and I said, "Tomorrow I am going to get six televisions for the wards. If you want to learn how to haggle I will show you how it is done."

"I do a good job myself."

"Yes, but you lean over the poor guy and he will give it to you if you let him live. I am going to show you how to do it without physical coercion."

Carm was in a much better mood when we went back to the Holtzman home. John seemed very anxious, as was Mr Sackman.

John asked, "How is he?"

"He appears normal now but the doctors have not cleaned up the mess yet. We joked for a while then I met a new enemy to be bested. We won a small battle then had to retreat."

"What happened Jeff?"

"The head nurse sees me as a disease carrying organism that is invading her area. I was in the process of being evicted when we won a small victory."

"Well, what happened?"

"Little Carm was sitting on the floor with Jamie and a few recruits for his army. The enemy general came in and started dishing out shit. I by accident happened to be right behind this formidable enemy when Carm took to his feet. The General tripped over me and we both fell to the floor. She made a strategic retreat and then so did we."

"Jeff you don't do things by accident. How is the head nurse?"

"I have no idea. She was not at the nurses station when we withdrew. I mentioned to Jamie that she might be scraping out her panties."

John tried to control his smile and said, "That will complicate things Jeff."

"Not much. I will make a peace offering and the hospital administrator will lay out the red carpet."

"Red carpet?"

"Well maybe I will get the schedule of the head nurse and sneak in when she is not around."

We lounged around the house for a while. John had a good gym and I asked Carm if he would help me learn to fight. "I get into situations that I get out of by luck and very little skill. I want to be a lean, mean, fighting machine."

"I like that saying. I think I will use it myself."

"People will believe everything you say except lean. You are a mountain of muscle and bone. How about extreme, mean fighting machine?"

"My biographer will accept that."

"Good."

We boxed without equipment and I had to rely on Carm pulling his punches. Not all were pulled though and I got right back up. I had gone to the unofficial dojo when I could but it was not as often as the girls. I got a few kicks in and Carm was weak in this area.

"Where did you learn that trick?"

I had to lie because it came from my training in the future. Instead, I blamed it on the old Chinese man. "The Japanese and Chinese have many forms of unarmed combat. It is even a sport that many Asian people participate in. The old man is not as good as some but to a novice he's great. When I get a few bucks together I want to build a good dojo in the Bay and get a great sensei.

"Sensei?"

"Teacher. There are some old guys that could whump even your butt. They are thin, hard and fast."

Carm caught on fast and I got knocked down a lot and started to bleed but kept going. Carm got soft and I got to hit him a bit but not much.

That night we went to the Japanese restaurant again and we were lucky enough to get not only the same chef but also some willing diners that would translate for me. During the evening I learned a few more words of Japanese. In addition, I picked up the address of some people that might want to teach some form or another of martial arts.

Carm did not like the size of the portions but he didn't mind the food. John still wasn't a fan and Mr Sackman was noncommittal. Before it got too late though I phoned home. The girls were still upset but getting over it. They were glad to hear that James was acting normal now. Corinne had to talk to me and then to Grampie. She liked the idea of using the phone to talk to him. Even Carm had a chance to report in and we left so he would feel comfortable dealing with military matters with no civilians around.

Mr Sackman already had 'Mrs. Brown, you've got a lovely daughter' but we played it anyway. John and I then played 'Cracklin' Rose' which was new to him and he liked this one very well too but could 't think of the right singer to peddle this to.



-------

Chapter 26


Mr Sackman left the next day. He took the 'Star' newspaper with him to read about what happened in North Bay. He said, "With this I can make you even richer."

John went to work. Carm and I went with him and used his car. We toured Chinatown; and it was a lot smaller than what it would become in years to come. I bought oriental vegetables, rice, spices and a great many more articles including various kinds of tea.

When I found that Carm had not been paid yet I gave him some money as an advance. He purchased a silk robe for Jamie that I thought would look good on him. I purchased silk jackets, skirts and slippers for my ladies and Jamie even though I knew that they would outgrow them.

While looking at the people around me I remembered the series, 'Kung Fu' and thought it a good series to film in Toronto as the most modern segment had been. I had no idea who could take David Carradine's role.

We stayed long enough to eat an authentic Chinese meal. This one was large enough for Carm and he seemed to like it. The meal was not what the North American native ate, though but rather it was what the Chinese themselves ate. Carm was happy and content when we left.

We searched for a large and prosperous electronics store and I went in with Carm to find how cheap I could get six units. I spent most of my time haggling and it was in the forth store that I got my best deal. They would take all six units to the hospital and install them then repair the two dead units and return them all for a fixed price. I paid in cash from my wallet, that seemed to surprise the owner but then again I had Carm with me.

Carm did admonish me. "You shouldn't carry around that much cash. The store owner tells a friend and the friend tells a crook and you get robbed or robbed and hurt, if not killed."

"You are completely right but who in their right mind would go up against you?"

"There are some people not in their right mind and a gun held by a kid is bigger than me."

"You're right again. I'll wear a money belt and keep only a little cash in my wallet from now on."

We dropped our groceries off at the Holtzman house. I told Mrs MacIntee that her song was on the way and that I was cooking supper.

We dropped off the car where John worked and then took a taxi to the hospital. The hospital administrator was too busy to see us until I mentioned that I had a donation to make.

He welcomed us into his office and basically ignored me and fawned over Carm.

Carm put him straight. "Mr Congdon here is the one that is making the donation. I am just his bodyguard I guess."

"Bodyguard? Why does he need a bodyguard?"

"Look in the papers."

"Oh!"

He turned to me. "I am sorry Mr Congdon. I had no idea who you were."

"I am still a twelve-year-old kid to you but I am one that wants to help the hospital."

"You are mistaken. I read the article and it says you are destined for great things."

I put the receipt down and said, "These televisions will be delivered to the hospital tomorrow and the two defective units repaired and returned within a week. You must keep this receipt for warranty work and I must be issued a receipt from the hospital for income-tax purposes."

The man looked at the figure at the bottom and said, "Thank you very much. This is very generous of you. I have never heard of a man as young as you doing anything like this."

"Perhaps I can contribute more as my own fortunes improve."

"Again thank you Mr Congdon. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Mmmm there might be at that. I want to visit a new patient. He's the other boy mentioned in the newspaper. The hospital has a policy of keeping young visitors out. I do hope this does not apply to my good friend Carm or to me."

"Oh, no. I'll send official notification to the floor to make sure that the staff is made aware of your status."

Carm and I walked through the hospital. He said, "You handled that quite well. Do you get everybody to do what you want?"

"Carm, you are here for pay but I also think you are here because you really want to be. Am I behind you twisting your arm?"

"No, I guess not."

"I see good people and I see where they can fit in my large family. People that read the papers know that I am going someplace. They either take what I offer or they don't."

The head nurse was at her station and started in where she stopped yesterday. Carm put his elbow on the counter and his chin in his hand and stared at her. The woman just ran out of steam eventually until the phone rang. The nurse was called to the phone and she listened then her face fell. She came back and stood tall and said, "You may visit."

The first words out of my mouth was, "Thank you ma'am." Carm had said not one word to her before this.

Jamie ran to me and during the hug kissed my cheek then did the same to Carm. I could tell that Carm liked this. Carm handed him his package and Jamie eagerly opened it. When the black robe came out Jamie's eyes got very big. He put it on quickly and tried to find a place to look at himself. He came running back and gave Carm another hug and a kiss.

We got lots of questions and I gave Jamie a point-by-point listing of how to treat silk. From behind my back I handed a much smaller bundle and Jamie quickly found matching silk slippers. I didn't mind the payback at all either.

I said, "We got you some silk pajamas too but you may not want them."

"Why?"

In a low voice I said so only he and Carm could hear, "The slippery silk kinda rubs your dick and it gets hard. The next thing you know there is a big wet spot then later a big wet spot. Kinda messy if you have no place to wash up."

"Really, no joke?"

"No joke. And if you just wear them as you walk, it will give you an erection. That could knock someone's eye out if you are not lucky."

Carm tried to hide his smile but I think Jamie was well warned.

Jamie told us about his tests but was not that sure about what exactly was happening. The two doctors were going to phone the house every night and give us a verbal update.

A lot of children drifted closer because we were the only visitors and they wanted some company. I said to all of the group, "I have to start a movie company. I have some SciFi books that will have to be changed into scripts. I also have the ideas for a television series. The first show takes place in China in front of a Shaolin temple. I went into detail as to what the temple stood for and described their way of fighting.

Jamie now stood on the floor and displayed his robe and I talked of the young boy that stood quietly in the rain while the others fled. I used Jamie as a living doll to show the stances. With little dialogue from my characters I had to put a lot of episodes into one. They liked the 'grasshopper' and the water worn stone idea.

Before I knew it an hour had passed and my throat was dry. Carm continued by talking about life in the military. He actually gave a good rendition as he mentioned the good and the bad points. He took a long time explaining boot camp then talked about what could be learned in the military if the recruit decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

We left later and had a pack of kids following us. It gave me hope for my books and possibly my movies but the kids seemed to be lonely and there was little I could do.

We took a taxi us back to John's. I washed up then started the meal. Mrs MacIntee watched as I did everything. At the same time I talked about the new kitchen I was going to give her and asked for ideas that would improve it. Soon she was working with me assisting in doing the simple things.

"Your song went out today. I would think in two to three months you would will start hearing it on the radio. It might also be kept in reserve by the person who buys it until they need a good song."

"That's ok. My husband likes the idea and is spreading around the words now. He distinctly told them that I am not a store bought woman though."

"It was only a song with the same name as you have."

"I know and I still like it." She changed the subject, "You talked about this island and how it could move to different spots in the kitchen"

"Yes, the new island will move and the wheels lock and will keep it in place. The bottom carries some of the things you need in the kitchen."

We cut up chicken breasts then cooked them with the right sauces and spices. John came into the house and his nose brought him to the kitchen. "Good afternoon. I see the two of you are having designs on my waistline."

I said, "We learn to cook properly because in Home Ec you have to eat the mistakes too."

"I guess that will do it. What did you find out today?"

I continued with the preparations and said, "Jamie is looking good and in great spirits considering that he is cooped up in the hospital. Carm bought him a beautiful Chinese silk robe. I got some televisions for the hospital and not only bought my way past the nurse but got a tax deduction."

John said, "I had to call the Crown Attorney in North Bay and tell him not only your location but that of your little friend. He told me he would pass the information on to Children's Aid. We were on the phone for quite a while and I could hear that he was excited with the prospects of an actual case of brainwashing a minor and how it will help his case."

I asked, "Is someone besides the Children's Aid going to track down the aunt? She would have to know who took her charge from her. Goldbalm is the logical person. He is going to have to fabricate a lie to explain how Mr Sinclair was able to take custody."

"We are checking that too. Mr Sackman was worried about your safety but knows that the situation is perfect to increase your public awareness. The value of your songs and other works are going to increase. He told me that MGM is getting more serious about your script. Now that your name will be more widely known we can demand a higher price."

I asked, "What about the book form of the two novels?"

"They usually talk through the mail. We haven't got a rejection slip yet."

"I think the novels will sell. One if the movie is made and the other even if I have to make the movie myself."

"Jeff, then you have to deal with distribution. You may have to open your own theatres."

Now this was an interesting idea. Imax theatres didn't come out for another ten years. "John, that is a great idea. I just thought of very large format film that has to be shown through an equally large projector. The cost would be a lot more than conventional films but the images could be a hundred feet high." I thought then of the Steadicam system. This would make a fortune for me but the television cameras now were very large. Movie making though could use the system on their track-mounted vehicles.

"A hundred feet high?"

"It can be reduced in size though. With six audio channels, a person would believe they are actually in the action. It think if the movie was projected inside a large dome it would be even be more compelling."

John asked, "Is this where you want to put most of your money? It will eat it all up and more."

"You're right. But if I get enough spare change I can start this before somebody else thinks of it."

"Good but better to hope your books and scripts sell."

The food was almost done and Mrs MacIntee was not ashamed to sample what was I made. "Not bad for an amateur," was her smiling comment.

I had made lots so I could feed Carm too and leave enough for the staff to taste. Rose promised she would share. John and Carm liked my meal better than the Japanese or authentic Chinese meals and complimented me on it.

The expected phone call came and John listened to what the doctors had to say. He played with his pen but wrote down notes so there would not be any mistakes.

When he got off the line he told us, "Jamie had another episode." Both of us were now worried. "It was a mild one this time. The doctors now are even more behind your idea of mental conditioning. They think that Jamie can be brought back to us but they have no idea of the time needed. They both think that the pair of you are the anchor he holds his sanity by."

"That puts a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. His link to me may be his conditioning. Carm, though, is a new friendship. That feels a lot cleaner to me."

"Cleaner?"

"He wants sex. With the evidence of this happening then I could be blackmailed. Carm is just friendship."

"Are you sure? You mentioned that he met a person in Toronto for a liaison. This could have been to tie Jamie to a man. He is a very beautiful child and many people would be interested in his body."

Now it was my turn to think and I said, "You may be right. It makes me sick to think about it, especially if Jamie was destined to be heterosexual after some harmless experimentation."

I called home again and Susan immediately picked up the phone. She was hoping it would be me. The school was in an uproar again, especially after the Toronto papers talked of the kidnapping. A bad feeling came over me when I thought of Sinclair's mob past. I talked to all the ladies including my youngest but instead of putting her to Grampy I asked for Edgar.

"Hello Mr Congdon. What is it you would like?"

"Sinclair is a mob figure. The second solution may have been my death or involve the death penalty if Sinclair was caught. I am trying to get across to you that this may be very much more serious than I thought. Whoever is behind this, faces some heavy jail time. All they have to do is hire an assassin to make sure Sinclair never mentions names."

"I concur. I will inform the police."

I added from all the crime films I had seen, "An orderly, a nurse or a doctor can slip in and administer some poison that will not cause any symptoms until the culprit is long gone. While you are here, I'll put Carm on."

While Carm talked, John said, "That does make sense. Kidnapping has the same penalty and the people behind Sinclair will face the same prospects."

Instead of going shopping on Tuesday we went to the research facility. The engineers and tradesmen were very interested in what had happened. I had to give a short talk on it from my perspective. I got a dig in for more security and hoped it would help.

The quarter inch tape was now cut and on very large spools but there was little I could do with it. It worked well in a standard recorder and I gave Carm the job of using sound of various intensities and then try to see how sensitive it was. It was not scientific but we could get a feeling for our product.

John had arranged for some of the chemists to be transferred to me for an experiment. I had four of them before me now.

"Gentlemen I want to make something simple for the home. I want you to make a sturdy vibrating platform that may have to be mounted on rubber. Make a lot of small moulds to cast some different compositions of fine stone, and pigment, then blend in an acrylic polymer. A large platform will be required to test full scale projects.

"I want to cast sinks too and then bond this unit to a hole cast in the counter top. Somebody will have to find some large stainless steel sinks to be mounted in the openings too.

"My suggestion to you is to measure your counter at home very accurately. The product I believe can be sold for a high price and you'll get one of the perks for helping me."

Previously, we had made one valve suitable for a bathroom so I could patent the mechanism. With some mechanical engineers and tradesmen I gave them a similar task to perform. I didn't need the valves pretty because that could be done in real production.

"Gentlemen, I will be setting up a factory to manufacture these articles. We will be making new designs all the time. This requires a both a management team and the actual research. When we are done we can have a talk about it."

I didn't know how many engineers would want to enter management or trades for that matter, but I was still desperately short of people that could take orders and give them out again.

John, at least, had got Stelco interested in steel siding, our racking system and some new types of sheet metal screws. We would get a cut of every component made if and when a second contract was negotiated.

Before we knew it, it was time to eat and visit Jamie. We had a rental car now that Carm drove.

Carm said, "What is so special about that tape I was fooling with?"

"It is thinner and stronger than the old tape and the coating is more sensitive. This means that you can get much better quality music from this tape."

"Worth much?"

"Fifty to a hundred I guess."

"Thousand?"

"Million."

"Oh."

We found Jamie a bit more subdued than usual but that was still acceptable. He had three boys with him and he was talking to them when we arrived. He was just as excited though when we he saw us.

We were introduced to his friends. I soon found out that he had told them about my latest adventure. Jamie though stayed close to one boy and even put his hand on the boy's shoulder. I was happy for the friendship until I took a good look at the boy. In many ways he was similar to me including the burns that the child was in the hospital for in the first place.

Carm held the fort while I tried to get hold of the two doctors. Madeline came after being paged and I mentioned my suspicions. In a few minutes she was with us. For a while she acted as an observer as Carm told a story. She then touched my shoulder and left.

Out in the hall she whispered, "I think you're right. It not only looks like you're right but the burns may be the clue to unlocking this puzzle."

"You may find the two hiding in a closet someplace with Jamie completing his seduction."

"We can't have that but I want the two boys close so I can observe.

With Madeline a bit distracted and happy now I said, "I have some bad news for you too."

"What is that?"

"Last night I did more thinking on this matter. The man, Sinclair, who was abusing Jamie was a mob figure with a history of violence. There is a chance that his employer may decide to remove him from the equation to avoid kidnapping charges. Jamie may be in a similar situation. The North Bay police and Children's Aid know of his whereabouts."

"They wouldn't tell."

"You are very naive if you think that. A person posing as a reporter could buy the information."

She was now very worried. "What do you want me to do?"

"In my opinion they would try to walk out of here with him. It could even be forged papers. I would like to place Carm here just in case but he doesn't fit into the stock pajamas."

"Jamie would be safer back in my wing."

"That's true but again a woman coming with papers supposedly signed by a judge would get him out. I may be acting a bit paranoid but I think I'll talk to Mr Holtzman to get an order signed that makes Jamie remain here."

"You do that and I'll tell the nurses that Jamie is not to leave."

I phoned John from the nursing station with Madeline beside me and told him my latest nightmare. He assured us that he would do what he could as soon as possible.

I put the phone down and Madeline said, "I will talk to the hos — "

Down the hall came the man we were just talking about. Beside him was an austere looking woman. I grabbed Madeline's arm and pulled her away so we could hear what was going on but not be seen as Jamie's doctor. "Go get Carm. Tell him to act right or we lose a suspect."

"But — "

"Go!"

The administrator saw me though and came over. I was scared but now it was about the danger to Jamie. The man said, "Hello Mr Congdon. I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."

"What is it Sir?"

"I have a court order here that requires young James Sutherland to be placed in the care of the Children's Aid Society."

I had to act right and hope that Carm had time to act. "But he is here being treated. Even if he has to be protected he still has to have medical attention."

The woman now said, "We have some very good specialists that can deal with a wide range of problems."

"Jamie has settled in here and had very good doctors. I think he should stay here and the Children's Aid can still monitor him."

"That is not for you to say young man." I made a quick look around and didn't see the doctor or Carm.

"Ma'am I don't think it is up to you either. Let's find Dr Palver and ask him if he thinks his patient should be relocated."

"Young man, I have a legal document here signed by an officer of the court that puts the lad into my care."

"You can have the document signed by the Prime Minister. The boy's health and the doctor's word have more precedence here. The boy is in a very fragile situation."

I turned to the hospital administrator. "You must have had this happen many times over the years. From what you know, does the child's doctor's wishes supersede that of a court document that was obviously signed in ignorance?"

"This woman has the proper documents."

"Will you answer my question?"

"Well — I think there have been cases where the doctor objects, the court will reconsider."

The woman said, "Well let's find Dr Palver and get his opinion."

I said, "That is fine with me." I was stalling for time and I could hit them later with the fact that Jamie had two doctors.

We walked over to the ward and Jamie came to us but Carm and Madeline were not present. The woman's supposed affiliations were not mentioned because I had convinced the administrator that if Jamie were not to go then there was no need to get him upset.

Dr Palver came over and he looked pissed at being called. We adjourned to the end of the hall and there we argued our cases in front of the doctor.

Dr Palver said, "Jamie is coming along and I think he is better suited to remain here. There may be better doctors though at another institution. The Children's Aid is not known for spending a lot of money on any particular child though."

The woman said, "I have been directed by both the Toronto police and the North Bay police to bring the boy into custody to protect him. A case before the courts now indicates that there may be some risk to the boy's safety."

Dr Palver said, "How is his safety affected?"

"A known felon and mob figure was killed early this morning in North Bay. He was the man that was living with the boy."

I asked, "Was that Mr Anthony Sinclair?"

"Yes it is. They do not know the cause of death but deem it important that the boy be placed in protective custody."

The woman had made a mistake here. It would be the police not her agency that would come for Jamie. "Nobody knows Jamie is here except your agency and the police."

The woman shook her head and said, "Money can get that kind of information."

Dr Palver said, "In that instance I would have to agree. The boy would be safer elsewhere and also make the hospital safer with him someplace else."

The woman smiled and said, "I would like to take the boy as soon as possible."

"I said, "Who could get Jamie in the hospital? Besides, there are two doctors that have to be considered. See if Doctor Madeline Davits agrees."

The woman turned on me angrily. "Why are you doing this? If you have any feelings for the boy you would want him safe."

"He's safe in the hospital and he's getting excellent treatment. In a few days he may be able to tell us about his hidden past and then go to a safe place."

The woman was now even more nervous. "I have the court documents and I have one doctor's approval. That's enough."

"Not without Doctor Madeline Davits' approval. Otherwise I will call the police and see if there is a different way of dealing with this. They have to see reason."

"Fine, get your other doctor."

Twenty minutes after I last saw Madeline she came hurrying to us. She gave me a quick smile. Again we had to convince her but she said, "For the boy's safety I concur with my colleague. James should leave the hospital."

I was very shocked by this and wondered what was happening. I got a wink though but I was still not sure.

"I came here twenty minutes ago and took the boy to my office for some testing. He's still there at the moment. I can have the child at the front doors in ten minutes after I get his property."

I continued to argue and Madeline listed a great many reasons why Jamie should go. There had to be some plan because Madeline was continually nodding her head.

I gave in and said, "If it is better for Jamie then that is the way it has to be."

She said, "Why don't you get Jamie's clothes and run along to my office? An orderly will dress him. Be careful of his leg. He tripped and hurt it."

"Thank you Doctor for your help."

I walked slowly to the ward and picked up Jamie' suitcase, robe and his coat and footwear. When I was out of the section I hurried to Madeline's office. Jamie was actually there and so was Carm, but dressed as an orderly.

Carm said, "Take your clothes off and put different ones on. We got a wig for you and the hood comes up. You even get a ride in a wheelchair."

I saw now. "We have backup?"

"By now there are probably a dozen unmarked cars. We want to catch who is in the car too."

"So that was why you were so long."

Jamie was hopping up and down and said, "Does someone really want to kidnap me?"

"You are just too cute. They want to see that hairy bum of yours."

"No, it is the big kielbasa you were talking about."

Four big orderlies came to the office and Carm got ready to do what was needed. They stopped when the saw us. From a distance the oldest one said, "Doctor Madeline Davits sent us here. Absolutely nobody takes Jamie from here but her."

I looked at each of their faces and said, "I have killed one man so far. You better not be lying."

He hastily said, "The police are waiting too."

"Ok."

I got undressed very quickly then put on Jamie's coat that was a bit too large for me. Carm put a wig on me and I had no idea where it came from. I got in the chair and Carm put the suitcase in my lap.

Carm asked me, "You need anything?"

"Give me a leg from that chair."

Carm just grabbed the chair and ripped it apart with one pull. I got the leg and it happened to be the only one unbroken. It went beside my right leg.

We said our goodbyes with smiles I didn't feel. Carm hurried to the door then slowed down. The woman was there with Madeline and the administrator. I cried and kept my head down. Madeline bent down and blew my nose and said, "This is better for you, Jamie."

The woman gave her thanks and wanted to take the chair but Carm said, "There is snow and the chair has to come back."

"Ok."

Carm followed the woman and I saw her signal a car oddly and a large vehicle came off the street and pulled into the parking lot. When it got close, it was two men that got out, not just one; and the driver stayed behind the wheel.

One of the men came close and said to Carm, "We'll take him from here."

Carm moved to one side and as quick as lightning struck one man then the other. The suitcase went to the side and I got up with the leg. The woman was fishing something from her purse. I brought the leg down on her wrist. She had a small gun in her hand. I tackled her legs now and climbed on top of her. The car moved quickly and fishtailed in the snow. The rear bumper hit me but not that hard. The woman's other hand though happened to be in front of her and was not as lucky and the tire chewed it up.

The car only got to the exit and found cars both in front of and behind. I didn't know that though for I was making sure that Carm was safe. The two guys seemed to be fair fighters and Carm was a little worn around the edges.

People came running to us but an authoritative voice told them to stop or they would be shot. Men with suits and pistols converged on us. Carm and then I backed up to let them take over.

Madeline came running to us and ignored the police. She bent and hugged me, "Are you ok?"

"Am I being too violent Doctor? I get these urges to hurt sometimes."

She pulled back but still held me. "Maybe I should check you to find out why you are not as excited like the rest of us are."

"I was scared spitless but I was ready for it."

We went back towards the hospital and in an upstairs window I saw Jamie and waved to him. I said, "Carm look up and to your right." Carm waved too and we went inside.

There were a lot of spectators now and they stared at Carm. The adrenalin was still flowing and he was looking for enemies. We went to the administrative offices and sat. Madeline examined my head and checked my pupils before moving to Carm and examining him.

"You two will live. I better put some bandages on you though."

The police and Madeline descended at the same time and they got to talk to the one she was not treating.

John was called right away but it was still a few hours until we were free. When the police were finally going I said, "Carm, did you bring the wheelchair back in?"

"No, I guess I forgot."

"It's hard to find good help."

"You forgot the suitcase."

"Oops."

We visited Jamie for a while but he was jumping all over the place he was so excited. In an unfair turn of events, Carm got a small room that he would share with Jamie while I had to go downtown to look at some pictures.

A captain, no less, talked to me. "Jeff, these people we just picked up happen to be from one particular portion of the mob. We wanted you to look at some pictures to see if you have seen any others in your travels."

"Sure, but tell me the name of this gang's leader."

"The leader is Joe Banano. We haven't seen him for a while but suspect that he is behind this attempted kidnapping."

I looked at John and he said, "Tell him."

"Everything?"

"Better that way."

Instead of looking at the mug shots I started my story of Alice and her supposed mother Joyce. I listed the days and the questions asked until I started to fabricate a story. I went into detail about the two teachers and the family sitting around the table making a suitable plot and filling it with characters. Mr Scordino was listed as a person in the know about what was happening in the Italian community.

"Mr Scordino helped me improve on the plot and added the name Mr Banano who he says has recently died in Italy. The plot was altered and I put the information in a small notebook. One day after school I was over at the Henderson home and when I went to pick up my lather bag I found it had been moved. I assumed at the time that Joyce was the one that had read the notebook."

"Why not the girl?"

"She and I were occupied in her room and she had no chance to do this."

The Captain gave me the Spock eye but said nothing.

"If you check with the police in North Bay you will find that my home was bugged. The people doing the job didn't think my family would notice the small clues. When I found the transmitters I knew that the range was short and it was not long after I thought about both Alice and Joyce. In my opinion they sold the information to somebody and this eventually brought in the Banano family."

I interrupted the Captain's thinking suddenly when I said, "The woman impersonating the Children's Aid worker wanted Jamie. I just stalled for some plan to be put together. When it looked like the doctors may keep Jamie and question the court order she mentioned that Anthony Sinclair had died of unknown causes. She was then going to take Jamie to safety. Maybe it hasn't happened yet."

This got some quick action on the phone and in a moment he said, "You are right. He died and there was even more security put on his room. Then there is a positive link now."

We stayed two more hours while I got a stenographer to make my report. As in North Bay they didn't like this at all. They did have John's signature on the document too.

When we got home we found a very anxious Mrs MacIntee. She came to me. "Are you alright?"

"Just a bump on the head and Carm is nursing some sore knuckles and a few small cuts. He's staying with Jamie at the hospital."

"Thank God. I heard the news on the radio and all of us are upset."

"Well we're in great shape but that means that I have to phone my home and tell them the same thing."

It turned out that the family had heard but the news said that we were only slightly injured. Edgar got the phone soon after I called and I gave him the same information I had given the police.

"It seems Alice and Joyce have not been home for the last few days. The police came here to gather the bugs. Now they have a good excuse to search their house for the receivers. I think the police should be notified that a suspect may decide to flee the country now." John did just that a moment later.

I stayed in Toronto for almost two weeks. I did more shopping and managed to talk to some martial arts teachers. One was even interested in moving north if I would lease him a dojo.

The engineers had made the counter top for me and also gave me three different colours. I immediately told them to try quartz as the stone, which they happily did. I had a selection of six ugly valves that worked very well and may make me some money when they were beautified.

A joyful Jamie was happily discharged from the hospital and Carm seemed relieved. He didn't like staying in hospitals either.

On the legal front, Jamie was now able to implicate Goldbalm and the man himself was in a hurry to go on vacation. His bail stipulations had been that he could not leave the country so at present he was a guest of the crown at the Don Jail. Other legal complications were not resolved. They were still questioning the people that tried to abduct Jamie. Knowing that they were sent out to kill a person that may talk would effectively keep their own mouths closed.

A newly formed consortium was looking at my razor idea and John was holding out for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. They were some of Forsyth's friends and they saw how prosperous his projects looked and wanted in on another venture.



-------

Chapter 27


We arrived on the thirteenth and tomorrow would be Wednesday, Maggie's birthday. John was going to stay over and go to the party even if it was just a small one with just our extended family. Paige came running to see me. We hugged and kissed right in the street. The ladies were lined up and I kissed all of them but had to do it more chastely for real family.

Corinne was happy to see both her Grampy and me. All the girls kissed Jamie more thoroughly than I had been greeted, and he seemed to like it. Carm was reserved but he soon softened and I think it was because he had fought beside me in the hospital parking lot.

Jamie greeted Charley and Edgar more warmly because they had a chance to talk to him over the phone. He felt that the men were much more sympathetic to him though I knew the girls were just as supportive.

John didn't like sharing a room and went with Gregory to find a good hotel. Corinne stayed here with us though. She didn't mind at all. The girls knew we were arriving and made a nice meal. Nora and Jack came over and even provided some of the dishes. They also wanted to ask me some questions that could not be properly answered in a newspaper.

The house was very crowded but it was family so I was happy to be here again. Phone calls started to come in and I had to say a few words to each caller. The grapevine seemed to work very well. Mrs Cameron was the third caller and I had to explain how sorry I was that she got involved with this. I also added, "If it wasn't for you, Jamie might have been dragged back to Sinclair's home and raped once more and possibly killed when they were done with him."

"Do you really think that man would do that?"

"When the police were involved with the bugs then they knew they had to watch their step. Jamie would not have been allowed to leave. The mob would have kept him and you might guess what role he would play. Even in as little as a few years he would have died. If they were going to kidnap me, then Jamie would not even get that long. He knew too much."

"Oh, my god. I had no idea."

"You helped save us. Thanks again Mrs Cameron."

Mrs Warren phoned about number eight and Miss Floit was eleven. I thanked them all for their concern then kept the phone off the wall so I could get some peace.

I asked Susan, "What was it like at school?"

"It was like a funeral for a while. They were very excited about you being kidnapped then they found out it was by a mob killer. After the guy was murdered and Jamie's location was given out, we gave updates on your and Jamie's condition. The fight in the hospital parking lot was in all the papers and television. They had a half hour news report just on you. I didn't believe even part of it but when I asked James he said they were all true."

I said, "They got a lot of things screwed up but it didn't matter."

"They said you sold close to fifty hit songs and say you have over a quarter of a million dollars when your inventions are added."

"I do have some money but that is not the figure."

"I am glad in a way. I like having money but being rich scares me."

"Did you have any personal problems?"

"All my friends now keep me separate as if I am special. I like to joke with them but I can't seem to do that now. They even think I speak to Elvis every few days."

I smiled a bit at her and said, "Do you want to talk to him for a few minutes?"

"No! It is hard enough to live with a rumour."

"What about Maggie?"

"It is the same I guess. Her friends treat her differently. Paige had it worse in a way. They know she is much more than your girlfriend and she had to take your place for a lot of things. She stopped a few fights that didn't concern her by saying that it was not right. I think the kids at school will treat you a lot different now. Mark Fenton came out and told everybody how you beat him easily and then treated him like a life long friend. Everyone shuns Helen and Marcy now. They are getting a taste of what they did to others."

"Susan, you're going to have to get used to some of the changes. It is not just the money; it's the violence and the notoriety. I thought I was helping by getting Elvis to talk to you but it may have been a mistake in a way."

"No, I loved it. That is what girls dream of. But instead of the girls sharing my joy they separated themselves from me."

"That is what I meant."

"I think you are even more recognised than Elvis. The kids would run quickly to him but run even faster away from you."

"I can fix some of that and besides, people are funny. If nothing happens when I am around then they will soon forget that I am different. How else do people re-elect crooked politicians?"

"I hope you're right."

I didn't go to school for classes but I went into the building. Paige and I walked around and I gave out the boxes with the records in them to my teachers and to Mr Grissom. Everybody had done something for me and this was a small token of what I thought of them. I informed Mr Grissom that Jamie and I would be coming to school tomorrow though.

It was Edgar, not James the drove me around. "Well, is now a good time to have our talk?"

"The timing is good but I would like to have Charley and Carm here too. It saves time and each of you can think of stuff if the others are here to help bring it out."

"We can do that. A lot of people are just afraid of those two in the car with them."

"I feel the opposite."

We picked up the other two and we drove to the area close to the auto shop. Edgar said, "You can begin now."

"Well, to start off I'm in need of people I can trust. It is not going to be a few measly million dollars though, it will be big money."

Edgar said, "Big money?"

"Multiple billions. I can trust each of you so far but some of the engineers I cannot trust very much. The value of the patents I already hold will go well over a billion dollars in twenty years. The next set will be much more. I have talked to Carm for the last two weeks and got an idea of your strengths and weaknesses. You are not saints but you are not evil either.

"What I propose is to give you tasks as if we are in any standard organisation. You must be familiar to the term 'being promoted to a level of incompetence'. You'll each get a chance to excel but one day you will be brought back one level so you can function with that level less stress."

Edgar said, "What are we going to do?"

"For the moment you three will stay in the same city but one day you will have to separate to different countries or continents. We can try this in small steps though. I told you about my laser ideas. This needs security, for the things I am going to do are worth a great deal of money, but I need you for everything else too.

"Some of the engineers in Toronto did a few simple projects that are worth a great deal of money. One is an expensive counter top that will be soon become a status symbol. A large factory has to produce these.

Edgar asked, "What's so special about them?"

"They look great and don't damage easily. A kitchen with this material will look fabulous especially with the valves I am going to make. To answer your next question, the valves are just easier to operate because there is only one handle that controls the temperature and flow of water.

"I am told that I own all the assets of Camden Wood Products through a dummy company. This does not include the building and land. Camden Wood Products will take some of these counters and put the complete units directly into a customer's hands or through a construction arm, right into his or her kitchen.

"Central Automotive will make some stretched limousines. The rich will like the comfort and style but we will be copied all over the world. There is nothing to patent. The world I see will get more violent and so some other vehicles will be made to repel small arms fire.

"On another note, I want to hire a few men to run a school for me. They will teach bodyguards how to drive in such a way that the occupant of the car survives. Some times a driver sees he is entering a trap and now has to act with split second timing. So we need police and former military to help us.

"From what I have been told North Bay Lumber is ready to be sold. This will be the first retail outlet of my chain. You might think it is very large but it is a small fraction of the size I need in a large city. I will need managers desperately as I expand. Some will have overall control of the building but others have to control individual departments. They need to train the foot soldiers that deal with the public. To do so they need basic training. This school had to produce a great many qualified graduates. North Bay cannot possibly supply the numbers I need, because I want the best."

Edgar said, "I was told you were going to expand to one area at a time and put up all your businesses in one general location."

"That sums it up. One store sells groceries. Our lumberyard sells construction materials but everything is stored inside the building and everything is at least good quality. A third store sells bulk food and things that are used to decorate a house without competing too much with the lumber yard. A forth store sells electronic goods. In years to come the range of products just has to grow and grow. The fifth will be a combination of all the rest but have a good but cheaper line of products. The last store just sells premium coffee but it is not just in our group of buildings but on every major street in North America. It will be the equivalent of Coca Cola and Pepsi for the people that are not drinking soda."

Edgar asked, "Why all the land here?"

"Partially luxury residential but mostly just an area where the products that are made by me can be monitored for quality. As time passes more businesses have to be built and I need room to grow."

"Where does each of us fit in?"

"Edgar, you are going to head my laser physics branch at least temporarily. The engineers do their work and you ensure they do their job and don't run off with the assets."

"I think Carm is best suited to work in the old Pointer building making the counter tops. I know you like to blow things up but for this job you have to look at how not to blow it up.

"I need to find a new manager for the lumber yard. I believe James is the best for this position. Charley is going to get the dirty end of the stick. Very soon when I own a plastics company like Northern I have to make small plastic cases with two spools for carrying magnetic tape. This cassette will be a standard I hope and will fit into the new tape recorder I'm building. I have hundreds of small plastic articles to make and you have to work with engineers to get them made.

"I write songs as you know but soon I want to start a recording industry. Another company will use the cassettes to record and then distribute the songs. Carm may then shift over from his manufacturing company and work in this area until I find a replacement.

"The tape recorder comes under another company banner and has to be developed to play the cassettes. It has to be specially made with not only the circuits but also the new heads. They will be heavily patented. We will make just a few hundred thousand for the domestic market then go to the United States and set up a factory there to make the same units for that country. In five years I'll sell the rights to the Japanese and they will send the finished units to us."

"The emphasis of the companies will all change. The lasers will start an industry so vast you cannot even comprehend it. The tape recorder business will live on by supplying special units that will be used in radio and television for editing audio.

"With enough engineers I can get an affordable video tape machine to market but it will not be that profitable. The Japanese have to want it and make it truly grow.

"In the lab at school I am making special crystals that I can use in a device that can simulate the alphabet and numerals. In a few years I will try to supplant the cathode ray tube in televisions in a more complicated but similar device. This idea is worth billions of dollars but will cost a lot of money to develop.

"So you know most of what I want to do in a general way. Where you fit in is up to each of you. I have proved that I can make money so it is with no great leap of faith that you can see me very rich in the future. To start out I will pay each of you what I pay the engineers. It is not that high but I think it's adequate. I have a bonus system but it has not been formalised. All I can say is that a family member will get a bit more money in the stocking for what they have done that year."

Charley spoke for the first time and asked, "Where do all these ideas come from?"

"I look at things and just see some ways to improve them. The way you walk through a cluttered room and see how things can be arranged to make it neat. It does not always work and sometimes I need to get stimulated by need. I look at this car and see that it is much too heavy. The manufacturer needs to use a lot of engineering to make thinner parts. They have to get the metal parts coated with zinc for corrosion resistance. Plastic has to be used much more. Even the addition of a plastic liner in the wheel wells will do great things.

"The engine can be altered in a great many ways. The points on the distributor can be changed for a switching transistor triggered by a magnetic pickup. It never wears so the device never has to be replaced. The tires themselves should have the steel wire wrapped around the tire perpendicular to the direction it rotates. It may not seem right but great things can be done if it is wrapped radially."

I was asked more questions but I got the feeling that they were hesitant about breaking up their group. I mentioned this to them and said I can work slow and in steps so there would not be problems but that I need to go internationally.

We sat in the car for a long time and I said, "Let's go to a restaurant for a meal and we can talk more."

We drove down town and got out at a small dinner. I was never here before but I was recognised immediately. We got a small booth when one came available and took our meal with us. Our conversation was of inconsequentials until the noise level rose around us. We hammered out a tentative deal that didn't hurt me and was more geared to the growth of the company. I had to temper this with the responsibilities they had. I saw how much I was going to make one day but still had to give these men the incentive to grow with me.

Edgar said in a whisper now, "Out of the eighteen homes you now have all but three. We would like to have the vacant one to use."

"You have to rent it. All businesses have to operate on their own. The home was slated for being refurbished. This will basically gut the entire house. The valves and counter tops go in but much better wiring and plumbing. Take the house but be prepared to move again soon. You at least get the chance to pick out how the interior will look. By the way, what about your families? One house is not usually good for three families."

Edgar said, "We were going to involve our families in the corporation. They will be moving up here for a job and a single large home will work long enough until we find places of our own."

I said, "Housing prices are going to raise after I start to develop the land and businesses. Engineers need places to stay too. Talk to James and we can buy a block of homes before the price goes up.

"On another related idea, the three homes that you mentioned are owned by older people. I want to build a large apartment building but it will only be four stories high. Another area will get a large one-story building suited to those senior citizens that need some assistance to live. I need the governments to chip in for the upkeep and start-up costs. Finally I need another similar building that is basically a hospital. Here the oldest members of our society live along with those that just need long term or palliative care."

"Palliative care?"

"It means soothing without curing. In this case I mean it to contain those patients with no hope of surviving a disease. Hospitals now hold those patients at a great cost to us all. There are many things that will be similar to a hospital but there is also many things not needed. Our cost can be much less. We give superior service to the residents and provide a necessary form of assistance to the community. Again this has to be partially funded by the public coffers. I talked previously to James about this. With the right funding I can move across North America. This business alone will reap billions of dollars by the end of the century."

Carm said, "There aren't that many old folks to spend that much money."

"Social dynamics deals with the population as a whole. We are growing now but soon the growth will slow. We are building schools that will one day have to be closed down. You might look at this as a baby boom that started after the war. With increased education, parents will see that they are not living on a farm and cut back on the number of children. The babies of this boom will grow old. There will not be a lot of new people working to support the large numbers of old people. Medicine will improve the chances of living to a very old age. All this breaks down to a need to grow now and be in position to take care of all the children of today when they get old."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me, but there's a lot of old folks that need help now and we can help them and help ourselves too. I like making money and I like to help people, in this case I can do both."

We went back to the house and found John and Jamie assisting in getting the party ready. They were putting up paper ribbon onto the walls at Jane's direction. The three men were dragooned into helping and John was not allowed to leave. The tyrant had us in her clutches.

John asked, "Where were you?"

"Talking to three new members of my family. We were working out what they would do to help and what they would get for it."

"Sounds like hiring to me."

"It is but I want employees to be close. You have your management style and I have mine. I get better results but I have to work much harder to get it. That means going to birthday parties and other social gatherings but then the children see me as an uncle that they can work with when they get older. The parents will make sure I don't get any duds."

"I can see that working quite well."

"One of my projects needs government funding. Hospitals cost a great deal to operate. A hospice can take care of long-term patients at a fraction of the cost and still make money. They will be privately owned though. The senior citizens need a safe place to live and those that are very old need assistance that ranges from meals and laundry to the actual changing of the diapers I told you about. This too needs government assistance. How do you think I should proceed?"

"I have to think on that."

When we got down off our perches from putting up the paper, Corinne gave John jobs to do as she mimicked Jane's behaviour. I just smiled as he did them.

The girls got rides home from school and the street became cluttered with cars. Jane shamelessly used some of the new arrivals to assist in the last minute details. My meek mother must be putting on a show or stretching her abilities and I was proud of her.

The party grew quickly and a great many people came over until there was no room. Edgar, Charlie and Carm fled then so did John. Jamie and I had to stay because they came here to see us too. An hour later when Jamie was looking frazzled I said, "Go upstairs and talk to the others for a while. You know they like you. When you feel better come back down until you have to leave again."

"I want to stay here with you — and Paige."

"You can but you need a break. Come back in ten minutes."

"Ok but only ten."

Paige whispered when he left, "He can't wait."

"He has to and I have to come to some sort of idea how to proceed. My brain is battling my glands all the time. At the moment I want to throw you over my shoulder and run up the stairs to our bedroom."

Paige twitched in excitement. "We can go to the garage."

"We have guests and Maggie is too important to leave on this special day of hers."

James and Mr Mason came over to wish Maggie the best and pulled me aside. Mason said, "Mr Durden has finally put his home and contents unofficially on the market. James' sister is the one that is going to be negotiating for it. This will keep it out of your name. From what I can see his wife has no idea that this is happening. My wife is an acquaintance and found out that Mrs Durden is planning to see her family during the Christmas season."

"Will he be selling the business at the same time?"

"We have no close contact with him but I see his employees becoming more dispirited. It may have been something he said or just the way he's acting."

"Have you contacted Mrs Durden?"

"Not without you advising us."

"From what you said before, Mrs Durden will not get a share of the house if it is sold but have you found a way to let her get a share of the business?"

"Not really. She may have some redress through the courts and should get possibly ten percent of the house and a similar percentage of the business."

"If we pay by a cahier's cheque to their mutual account for the business, then Mrs Durden has a chance to get in and take the funds."

"She can do that but I am afraid she will take it all."

"We buy the house and contents but not the clothes and personal effects. Everything has to be itemised. He is going to be anxious to get this completed before his wife comes back so we can get a good price. Find out where Mrs Durden is going to vacation then we have to inform her in person and get her assistance in allowing her to get half of the business when it's finalised. This all hinges on us getting the house and the business."

"You don't have to worry about Mrs Durden too much. She comes from a very wealthy family and likes to spend much of her personal wealth on luxuries."

"I still want her to get a fair share but I don't want Mr Durden to get completely screwed either."

"We'll see what we can do."

Paige came over when the men left my side. "What did they want?"

"Just another business deal."

The party officially ended at seven but guests lingered on. To help the situation I left the house with Paige and Jamie. Paige was more sympathetic to Jamie than Jamie was to her presence. I talked about a new and larger home and showed how Paige would only be allowed to visit until we got married.

"Jamie you will get a room too. You by that time, will be with the best family we can find for you."

"I want to live with you."

"We went over this before Jamie. The Children's Aid is involved and we only have so much room to manoeuvre. You may not be able to stay with us. They have to agree with the family we find. You were in the news and people will want to know that you are safe. That means that the agency has to look good. Our family has no father and they will think that you are with me for sex."

Jamie stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at the ground. I held his hand and pulled him along. "Paige knew this almost from the start and so does the rest of my family. It was very obvious that you have feelings for me, and also that I love you. Paige is willing to share when the time comes but I was thinking that you never had a chance to try a lady to find out if they are good too."

Jamie didn't say anything but he now stayed with us. I didn't release his hand. "Jamie no matter what, we can't do anything until after the trial. Mr Holtzman told you that the attorney is going to get you to tell a lot about your life. Goldbalm knows that if he breaks you then he will get a much lighter sentence. They are going to start with your life in Saskatchewan then what you have done since. He'll not want to cover where he was involved but the Crown Attorney must take care of that. Your whole life will be an open book. If we have sex then they would want every single detail just to harm me."

"I won't tell them."

"They expect that and will dig and dig. They are processionals and will get to the truth."

"I won't tell them anything. I will just keep my mouth shut."

"Then you can't get the man that hurt you. We just have to stay friends. When the trial is going on you have to remember that we are going to be the ones that love you the most and we all understand. Everybody that is close to our family knows about how we feel for each other and it doesn't matter. You have this solid rock that you can hold onto and that is the friends that love you."

Jamie moved closer to me and I think he saw a bit more of what his turbulent future would be like. We had gone over this before but each time I added more detail to the structure. Being told that he was exposed all the time was a shock.

When we got back to the house we were cold but happy. Most of the guests had left and in the next half hour we were down to just our newly extended family.

We had some hot chocolate and I said casually, "I told Jamie how we were going to support him at the trial."

This was enough to get Charley to sit beside Jamie. He started talking about his past. He went through his life as a boy and though he was not explicit he mentioned that he did some things with his friends. Carm did the same thing but said that he was always too frightened to try much.

We were surprised when even Gregory did the same thing. John must have experiences too but he said nothing. I took a turn too and told the truth in detail even if it was not much. I went on about how Sandra Harrison tried to trap me, and what I had done to bring this all about.

Jane urged Paige out of her chair and she took it. While holding my hand she went into her past and told Jamie and the rest of us what she had done as a child.

Susan was going to start too but I stopped her. Jamie had enough information, any more and would just confuse him. "Jamie, all of us go through puberty with a whole bunch of similar problems. We make decisions based on not only how brave we are but on how we feel inside. You have not gone through puberty yet and you will continue to change. No matter how you change though we will all love you."

Jamie didn't hide his face; but he was both crying and smiling.

John said, "I meet a great many people in my life and some of them are attracted to their own gender and some are attracted to both. They still are productive members of society. You have a solid group of friends to start with and as time goes on you will meet more. Some foolish people that are afraid of what they feel inside, will lash out at you, hoping to muffle the voices in their heads that say they are like you too. You are young though and thus resilient. You just have to think of a strategy that lets you deal with those around you. Some hide the facts and some emphasise them, which is bad too. I think being yourself is best and then learn to grow a thick skin."

Maggie took Jamie's hand and pulled him away. I assumed it was going to be about her own personal experiences.

I didn't talk about the big business deals around the girls but I did start now with the apartments to the hospices. John gave his ideas for the cost and cautioned some care or it would suck up all my funds.

I said, "What about looking for a building that could be purchased and improved on then rented out to seniors? It is a start and a loss in this will be partially absorbed by taxes?"

The idea was pushed all over the table. The original cost, and the renovations would be high. The time without tenants had to be factored in too. To bad we didn't have any concrete figures to go by. The girls gave their own ideas with my encouragement. I wanted them to get use to thinking big.

John wanted to leave early tomorrow but his granddaughter didn't.

Corinne said, "I want to stay here."

Before John could say something, I said, "We can visit you for a few days during Christmas if you want. Corinne just extends her visit two more weeks."

"Yes, we can do that." He looked both sad and angry. I would be too if I was losing a part of my family.

I had the opportunity to talk to Carm and Charley later. "Charley you are one of the bravest men I know and Carm come is a close second. Not many men would admit to having impure thoughts of their friends even when they were little boys. I admire both of you very much."

Jamie and I slept again on the floor that night. He whispered, "You said you love me."

"Yes I did and it's true. Part of it is my glands though and I can't do anything about it."

"Will you hold me?"

I said nothing but wiggled closer. Jamie felt me poking his leg but just wiggled closer and sighed.

My three new 'cousins' were going to go to the old Pointer Furniture building and look into what they needed to do to start the three businesses. All but the gas laser could be built here. All of them wanted to get their hands on the former Camden Wood employees. The company had declared bankruptcy and we had our pick of them.

Jamie and I walked into Mr Grissom's office to inform him we were here. I diplomatically told him how we were going to disrupt his school and asked for advice. This way he would not be as nasty because he would see that we had little choice in the matter.

We parted after I told Jamie that I loved him and he seemed to straighten up as if better able to carry the burden.

In woodwork I had to give a brief synopsis of what had happened even if all of it was in the newspapers already. I listed Jamie as a person that was controlled by drugs to do what he was told. This happened in every class I had that day and would continue until all the classes I had were covered.

Mr Sharp thanked me again for the wood box he had himself delivered and for the vinyl record. I said, "Some presents eventually get thrown out but a wood box like this usually stays and reminds the recipient of the gift when it was first given."

"You said that before but I see it clearer now."

In English class, Jena smiled at me. I knew her father was home but I had not had a chance to go over and see him yet. Alice was not around and I would bet the police wanted to talk to her. I was equally sure they asked her friends lot of questions to see where she might have gone. Our teacher kept me for a moment after class and asked, "Do you think Alice is safe?"

"She and Joyce have fled. I cannot see that anybody is really interested in them except the police. They came here to spy on me. They thought I was too much of a fool that was controlled by his hormones to see this from the very start."

"I hope she is alright."

"I do too."

In gym I talked with Sam, Ian and, of course, Jamie. Jamie looked a bit strained but was still bearing up under the load. The party yesterday allowed him to get a small sample of what it was going to be like today and I hoped it worked.

The first two boys were much more confident now. They had come to the party yesterday with Gloria and Janice. The girls comported themselves as what popular girls would act like.

The other girls would be coming home with me right after school because I had been gone for so long. Jena met me first and urged me outside so she could talk. "Dad and Barry are working on something for you and dad wants to know what to do with it."

"I will give him some money and he can build one to start. He can use it to clean his driveway and walk to test it out. Nobody builds a perfect machine the first time."

"We don't have the money to do that."

"I'll come over tonight and we can talk. How does your dad look?"

"He is tired all the time but he is happy to be working. He said you told him to work slow or he will die and he is doing that."

"How is Barry coming along?"

"He looks happier than he was. Maybe it is because he is working with dad."

"So your dad is using his mind and Barry is using his hands?"

"Yeah, that's about it."

"That is the way an apprentice learns. Barry learns by doing and your father can't do much until he gets strong."

Paige came up to us with a big smile and took my free hand. "Any more big deals?"

"As a matter of fact we were talking business. I have to go over to talk to Jena's father and Barry tonight. Do you want to come?"

"Tonight is shopping night and I have to go and do all the work while mom watches to see that I am doing it right."

I grinned. "Jena was telling me something similar. Her father comes up with ideas and Barry uses his hands to move things."

The rest of the girls and Jamie came out next. Jamie only came close and put his hand on my shoulder. James met us after Jena left so I guess he wanted to talk. We got a ride home but I stayed in the car with James. "Mr Congdon, I have a question."

"Just ask James."

"What position does Mr Folger have?"

"Mr Folger was in the military and has a good mind for getting things done. He may not be the easiest person to get along with because he thinks that everybody else is in the military and either under his command or above him."

James said, "He was directing how we should buy the homes. A car was dragged into the lot last week and it exploded just minutes after the tow truck left. The smoke went over where two of the last homes were being negotiated. I am not sure but I think he was planned it. The home owners were frightened by the blast and didn't like the smoke coming their way."

"It looks like he is doing what I talked about before. I did not tell him to do this. He did it completely of his own volition."

"That was one thing. He has been giving orders to Mr Mason and to me too."

"I asked Mr Folger to see if he could speed some things up. I think the thing to do is consider what's right. If he has a good idea then do it. If it is not right then don't. If you have things that need to be done give the jobs to Mr Folger and he will see them to completion."

"I don't think he will do them."

"Try the idea first. Not arbitrary jobs but real work. I want you all to work together but a pecking order will eventually appear. Now on another matter: do you know of a large apartment building for sale? I need it for the people coming to help me."

"I know about some small units but no big ones are on the market."

"How about some solid structures that I can get cheap but need work to bring their value up significantly. I don't want my people living in squalor."

"There are a pair of sixteenplexs. They look like dumps and need a lot of repair work. They have been on the market off and on for a few years."

"Let's go see them."

"I thought you wanted to stay hidden."

"I have been hired by a person from North American Development Inc. They saw my charm and keen wit so I have a job working part time. In fact I work under you. You are the boss but you listen to me. Stupid suggestions get knocked down quickly, even if we are in front of strangers."

"Ok,"

We headed into the seedier part of town; it was a short trip. The street had some old homes with one very large lot. A building four stories high took up half the frontage while a similar unit took up the same amount of room on the other street. The rest of the lot was mostly bare rock and some asphalt filling some of the holes. There were some cars on the property and a lot of wrecks too.

We went into the front door and I found the place smelling of urine. The walls though were brick, which was unusual for a building here. James knocked on a door and in a moment a tall thin man answered.

"Yeah?"

"Hello Mr Gibson. A company from Toronto has asked me to look into larger rental units. I came here to check this building out again and report back. Could we see one of the units?"

"I guess." The man closed the door. He didn't seem too happy with the work involved. In a minute the door opened and the man led us up to the top floor. There was no elevator here.

Cooking odours permeated the air while animal faeces speckled the landings. The man worked the key for a while until the door opened. The apartment was a spacious one-bedroom unit. The floors were hardwood but were now warped with water seepage. The roof may have been fixed or not but the damage was already done.

John and I wrote down notes and when the man indicated me, James said, "He is learning the ropes. The people that own the business heard of him and gave him a job after school."

"Is he the kid from the papers?"

"Mr Congdon, I want you to meet Mr Gibson. He's the manager of both buildings."

I put out my hand and said, "Glad to meet you Mr Gibson." After shaking I said, "Is there a chance of seeing a two bedroom unit?"

We locked the door and went across the hall. There were actually four two bedroom units and four three bedroom units along with eight singles in each building.

"Out of the sixteen units, how many are currently rented?"

"About half at the moment."

"Have there been any major capital expenditures in the last five years?"

"We got the roofs done about three years ago. The furnace had to be replaced in the other unit last year."

"Are heat and hydro rolled into the rents?"

"Yes they are."

"What about hot water?"

"Each unit has their its own tanks. They are all rentals."

The questions got simpler and simpler as I found out all the small details. I could find taxes and water information at city hall. James asked quite a few important questions and chastised me for not asking them in order of importance. I simply said, "Yes Sir."

When we left, James said, "What did you think?"

"The building is good as you said but the cost to make these units comparable to what they had been when new will be horrendous."

"Ah, but the city has a plan where they are encouraging homeowners to increase insulation and another is to upgrade the wiring."

"Now that is interesting."

I knew the asking price of the buildings and the current rent but I didn't have an idea what the renovations would cost. We sat in the car and both of us wrote out what was needed to make these apartments better than new. One of the things would be to convert to electric heat even if it were more expensive. The wiring could be extensive and meters could be put in the half basement beneath part of the building. When James gave me what he thought the buildings were worth. I deducted twenty percent and said, "Call the fire department over and see if they approve both structures then do the same with the department of health. A week later try eighty percent of your figure."

James didn't like to do this I could see, so I said, "The place is a pigsty. Even if we didn't want to purchase the place it can't be left like this. People could die in a fire or die of some disease. We ignore this and we have their deaths on our consciousness. This is not like lying to a customer that's buying a car."

"You're right again. I'll see to it tomorrow. I don't think Mr Gibson will be pleased to see me the next time we meet."

"Do you know any contractors familiar with these two buildings?"

"The two I usually do business with have worked here before."

"Take them our ideas, if you trust them, and see what they think. I'm not looking for a quote quite yet just a ballpark figure. Tell them that if I get both I will have a competition. Each gets a building to work on. My counter tops, cabinets, faucets and soon my windows will go in. We might be able to salvage the hardwood floors but I'm am not sure."

"Are your people going to install the cabinets?"

"We will rebuild the kitchens and bath but the outlets, plumbing, floors, and painting have to be done first."

"So they gut the building basically?"

"Yes they do. We need to check the roof, put in an elevator, a second set of stairs and a separate meter for lights and heat in the hallways. I made some smoke detectors. They are not approved but I want provision made for them. Just think of them as a second lighting fixture with only one switch which that is locked on."

We went over to the Browns' and dropped in. We got a coffee and looked at the plans that Mr Brown had been drawn up. "They look good to me. Do you want to build it?"

"I would love to. Barry is my hands and I have to work in my shop."

"Dress Barry warmly and take him to the shop."

"It is hard to get him down the steps. Remember you were talking to me about it?"

"May I send some people over to build a ramp?"

"How much will it cost?"

"I'll pay for it."

"Then be my guest."

I took out some cash and said, "Keep all the bills and keep notes too. The tax man is a nasty form of low life but he does a necessary job."

Jena was keeping track of her hours and I paid her and got a receipt. I told Barry, "I'll pay you when this job is done."

He smiled very widely and said, "That's fine with me. This is fun."

"You forget to study and I will be angry with you. You have to work with your dad but you have to study. If your dad looks like he is overdoing it then phone me and don't believe what he says. Men think that after a heart attack everything can go back to normal." I looked Jack in the eye and added, "Funerals are so depressing."

The cousins and James had supper with us and I said, "We looked at two rundown buildings with sixteen apartment units in each. I would like to buy some counter tops from you Carm and I need the cabinetry made for all thirty two kitchens and vanities then you have to install them."

"Charley, I am throwing out all the bathtubs and putting showers in. If you can make a plastic enclosure big enough for two people and two showerheads I will buy them from you."

Carm said, "You want stainless steel sinks in the kitchen and those plastic ones in the bathroom?"

"Mix and match. You have two buildings. There are three bedroom units so some of the vanities need to have two sinks in one seamless unit."

"Is this hard?"

"No, just a wide top with two holes to accommodate two sinks. You can make some apartments nicer and use them until your homes are done. I don't see the apartments being done until the summer though. The men can work through the winter but it is just too big of a job."

"Can we see the units?"

"I haven't put my bid in yet. They stink of piss and they are rundown. I want to take lots of pictures and put words in to describe the mess. We take more pictures when the buildings are done."

Carm said, "This is fun. I get to play and it is all with your money."

"Fine, but you have to deal with the accountant. Everyone works a standard way, then everyone is happy, especially the tax man."

James now talked about the buildings in general and what was to be done to each unit. He followed up with what was going to be done to the building itself.

Maggie asked, "Are you really buying two apartment buildings?"

"I am going to put a bid in. There's a good chance it will be rejected. I'll write it back at a higher figure. I might not get the buildings, so I look elsewhere."

"Before I forget Charley, I may need new windows for the entire building. They can have wood frames but it all has to be covered in white vinyl plastic. We need to make some aluminum hardware especially for the windows so they can be tilted inward for cleaning."

Charley said, "I see that I am going to make a lot of money here. Is that bonus you were talking about based on how much profit I make?"

"Partially. Most of it is arbitrary because everything is changing and I don't know how much money I will have when bonus time comes around."

After the meal I drew a quick sketch of the ramp I wanted built at the Brown's home. There were just some overall dimensions with a note that nothing was cast in stone. I just wanted it safe.

All four men went over the drawing and could not see any real improvement. I said to Edgar, "Central automotive has a damaged Suburban. Will you go over to them with Mr Mason and show that you are working for the owner. Check to see how busy they are. If they have spare manpower then I want the suburban rebuilt. A hearse could provide a good body too. Raise the roof, behind the driver to six feet clearance. I need either electricity or hydraulics to raise an aluminum platform from ground level to the height of the floor of the vehicle. It can then be tipped vertically so that it is retracted inside the doors so they can close."

"A person in a wheelchair gets elevated into the vehicle and then he or she can usually shift over to a fixed seat. The driver can then collapse the chair if it can be done. In any case it is secured so it doesn't come loose during an accident."

"A small truck may be better. How many passengers?"

"A small bus may be good too but there are not that many wheelchair bound people here but if I'm not mistaken. Six or eight passengers but I am leaving it open to what you get."

"When do you want it?"

"This is a make work project that will also assist people. Keep track of the hours you spend on it and I can write it off."

When James left to find a contractor, Maggie whispered, "Do you own an automotive store too?"

"It is a repair shop that's busy this time of year with all the fender benders happening."

"What is a fender bender?"

"A small accident."

"You keep coming up with new words. Can we get a car fixed up so we can use it?"

"It's better to have someone drive you. A taxi is cheaper than buying a car. Also, if a rich person is involved in an accident, the other people claim a lot of extra injuries. Much better to use a taxi. I promise that when things progress a little more then we will get a car."



-------

Chapter 28


Things had not settled down at school. People who didn't know me avoided me as if I would suddenly attack them. Cops wore guns in later years and the police were usually known for being stable. The gun was not noticed as much. I hoped that they could see that I was not going to do anything unless I was threatened.

The people that did know me avoided me as if they didn't want to hurt a celebrity. I just tried to act as like a dopey kid and hope they bought it.

I was able to eat lunch with Paige, a rare treat for me. We even found a chair for Jamie. Jamie fit in as if he were one of the girls. I would have to talk to him a bit about camouflage.

I caught sight of Marcy Stevens sitting by herself but I tried not to see her eyes. She looked miserable. I sorta felt bad for the girl, even if she had acted the bitch. Oh well, I couldn't do anything for her and still have her still learn something from the lesson.

James usually gave us a ride home. He said, "The contractors built the Browns' platform. I took a look and it's solid. The Brown's seem to like it too. Barry had a lot of fun going up and down it. I would bet money that this is the first time he has left the house by himself since the accident."

"On another note, the fire department sent a man to each of the apartment buildings. I have no idea yet what happened or what they found. The Health department is not due until tomorrow. We are supposed to have the controlled burn at the old Booth Paint plant tomorrow too. I had the plant cleaned out of anything that could be salvaged. I even took the glass. You were mentioning about making windows. The fire department is using this as a training session and I convinced them to let the public see how they work."

"That's great. If you think it worthwhile have the chief use a megaphone from the top of a truck to tell the public exactly what is happening. He can give a few ideas about safety and the number of people hurt and killed in fires every year."

"The old geezer might just do that if I suggest it. He always was a ham."

"Anything more about the properties?"

"Nothing has changed really. Mr Boise of Northern Plastics was told that you are now working for NAD Inc. So you will not be making any competing bid."

"Very good thinking. Is there anything, in your opinion, that I'm not looking into or doing that I should?"

"I heard you talking about Christmas bonuses and I could use the money if you think I have anything coming."

"If anybody disserves the money it's you James. I'll work on it this weekend. Maybe I better meet the accountant and then get a list of those people working for me."

"You need my sister Sir."

"Relax James. If you put her on the payroll then I'm sure there were valid reasons. In the future though, we need somebody to handle personnel without being a tyrant or a pushover."

"I can look into that Sir."

"Then come on in and have supper with us. I'm sure Jane wants to see you."

"Ah, she doesn't look at me quite as much as she used to."

"One or more of the cousins?"

"I would rather not say."

The three cousins were away. With a smile I got Jane talking to James and pulled Paige up the steps. In a moment she was racing me. We went into Jane's room and took off our clothes. My mouth was on her clit in seconds we were in a dangerous time so after our first orgasms I got the lubricant out and slowly worked into her back passage.

Paige was moaning as her hand played with her clit and I was busy trying to stimulate her anus and play with her nipples. When it was almost time Paige started to grunt in time but I heard the door open. Hormones were flying in me and I didn't care. I continued for a few more minutes and I had my orgasm. Paige had hers seconds later.

I looked in the mirror now and saw Corinne looking intently at us.

"Corinne, my daughter, you are not supposed to come in when the door is closed."

"I knocked like Mommy Jane said but you didn't answer."

"Next time you have to wait for an answer before you come in."

"K'. Are you practising again?"

"Yes, we haven't done any practising for weeks."

"Why not?"

"Paige was here and I was in Toronto."

"Oh." There was a long pause. "Can I watch this time?"

Paige was not apparently embarrassed and even chuckled. "You are too young to understand about this yet. Maybe when you are ten or so."

"That long?"

"I am afraid so. Will you leave now and close the door please?"

"K'"

She did leave but the door didn't close all the way. "Close the door Honey." The door immediately shut.

Paige wiggled her butt. "You are still hard and in the right place. What to try for another?"

"I missed you for almost three weeks and I am going to stay hard for you for another three weeks."

Paige just moaned then put her head back on the bed. We came down much later and Paige was walking funny. I had used more lubricant and she had not complained. If anything she encouraged me to do more. She did have a contented smile though.

Jamie had a sad pout on his face. This face could be like Helen of Troy, it was so beautiful. Paige sat on one side of him and I did the other. "Don't be so sad Honey. The court case will push ahead faster now if anything. When it's done there will be no reason for that beautiful face of yours to pout."

"I am not pouting. I'm sad."

"You are pouting but I love you anyway."

Paige held his hand and said, "I love you too. Do you think the three of us can make love sometime? I know Jeff loves you and I want to see how you moan. I did. Did you hear me?"

We heard a short, "Yes."

"Don't be angry. You'll get what you want but you just have to wait."

"I can't wait that long."

"Sure you can. I waited all my life for Jeff to have me. You can wait at least a few more months."

Paige and I had some additional time in the garage when the others were doing chores or jobs. We made sure Corinne of Jamie didn't see us go. I didn't like sneaking around but in a way it was fun.

On Saturday I met Mr Bayer, our accountant. He was very young, very thin and very naive. I liked him though. I went through the people that had worked beyond what they had been asked to do. I couldn't figure out what to do except that James had saved me a lot of money. Charley and Carm had spoken about their youth and Carm had gone out unarmed to catch those in the hospital parking lot. Mr Mason had given me lots of additional help and didn't charge for it. The engineers that made the device for growing seed crystals had to be similarly rewarded. They had been hired but it was my way of paying them for work they were tested on. Miss Floit had to be included too.

I simply gave James five hundred dollars, Carm, Charley, Edgar and Mason received three hundred and everyone else got a hundred. It was a lot of money for the time, especially when it was in addition to their regular pay. This represented over twelve weeks pay for the average man. I paid my girls and even sent money to those that had left already. I mailed each of them a small wooden box with a simple record in it right after Susan's birthday. Corinne and Jamie got a similar sum and during the next week we went out shopping for presents.

The cousins went home to spend Christmas with their families. Edgar wanted to stay even if the threats facing us were a lot less now. Besides, we would be in Toronto anyway.

We spent the next week visiting friends and neighbours. Mrs Vachone was not feeling well but did enjoy the visit especially with Corinne. The girl was the darling of the neighbourhood anyway and everybody knew her. The little glutton was putting on weight too.

Mr Mason told us that he was now supposedly negotiating for a company headed by James' sister. He didn't expect a commitment on the house deal until the last minute. We apparently were the only one bidding though Mr Durden said otherwise.

We got off Friday the 23 from school and immediately got on a bus. The girls sang Christmas carols. Maggie even got some of the strangers on the bus to sing with us. Corinne turned out to be either a ham or completely unselfconscious and sang the two songs she knew. Al and Gregory came out to get us in two cars. There were a lot of packages to bring so this was a good idea. Corinne wanted to sleep with the girls, which is what she was getting used to but they were weaning her off slowly. There were a lot of stories to be told but the vast majority were about Corinne.

The next day I took some gifts and gave them to those of John's servants that I knew. I was very surprised to get other gifts in return. Gregory and Al got better thought-out presents. I still owed them for taking care of two people that I would gladly kill if I had the chance.

When we were sitting at the table having a snack John casually said, "Oh, I happened to sell the razor idea for what I was asking for it."

I rubbed my lip with my finger and yawned from behind my hand. "Oh, that's nice. Will you pass those nice cookies please?"

I don't know if John was trying to get a raise out of the family or me but it was Jamie that said, "Well how much was it."

John mumbled while looking up and counted on his fingers. "Seventy five for each of us, I think. Things like that don't seem to inspire me like they used to."

Jamie said, "Seventy five bucks is still a lot. I got a hundred and you should see how much I can get."

John said, "Jamie you misunderstand. We deal in money so much we leave out portions of speech because they are understood by each of us."

"Oh."

Nobody said anything but then we talked about the weather and relatively simple things till Jennifer said, "Okay, how much was it?"

John stifled a yawn and said, "What was that dear?"

"What was understood? How much money was it?"

"Well you would understand it easier as seventy five thousand dollars each." Now in an even more bored voice, "I suppose we will have to talk in millions soon. It does make it confusing."

Everybody was stunned and I tried to copy his style. "I suppose Bell is bothering us during the Christmas season wanting to give us money?"

"Oh, they enthusiastically took copies of the fourteen patents and one pair of our working models. I was going to ask for ten but thought I should ask for thirty. I just hate dealing in odd amounts."

"Do you think a median figure of twenty is too high?"

"I did before but not now. I was thinking of having an in-ground pool and line it with an inch of solid gold. You see, then I don't have to paint it."

"I hate to rain on your dreams but I am afraid the weight would be too much and the pool would sink into the ground. Besides I think it a bit too ostentatious for this neighbourhood."

"You're right as usual Jeff. Perhaps I can make it an indoor pool."

"That works. A little flashy but you can keep the lighting dimmed."

The rest were looking back and forth and didn't know what to think.

"I suppose so. It would have to be a small pool anyway. My share would barely get me ten tons and it doesn't go as far as it used to."

I just nodded my head in understanding. "Would you pass those other cookies? I think I like them better."

"Yes, Mrs MacIntee usually had more of the food you like when you are coming."

"A lovely lady. I should have made a song that wasn't as derogatory to her name."

Poor Jamie bit again. "Ten tons of what?"

John said, "Oh I guess you weren't paying attention. It was only ten tons of gold. Hardly enough to have a decent sized swimming pool. If Jeff gives me his portion I could have twenty tons and make one of better proportions." Jamie's eyes got very big and I think we had all of them reeled in except Corinne.

"You can't get that much. It cost too much."

"My dear boy. Didn't you hear me when I said that we had to deal in millions now? Jeff had an idea and we may get thirty for it but I think twenty is about right. I suppose we can get new chairs here too. What did you think Jeff, will your new kitchen include table and chairs?"

"I'm sorry but the guys in the factory only know how to make cupboards."

"That is a shame. Then again we can build solid gold chairs and table."

"Too heavy to move to clean under it."

Jamie was almost crying while trying to understand these sorts of figures. John now in a normal voice said, "Relax Jamie. We were pulling your leg. There is a lot of money in this invention but I have no idea what it will bring."

"But you could get twenty million dollars?"

"Sure but probably a lot less. There are not many places that would need or that could afford what Jeff invented."

Everybody relaxed now but the spectre of all that money had gotten each of them to think.

Instead of exercise I walked out of the house and down to Carlo and Maria's. I had a shovel and proceeded to clean their walk. There were no tracks but it should still be cleaned. When I got to the door it opened and Maria said, "Why are you doing that Mr Congdon?"

"Hello Maria. I am eating too many sweets and need to burn some off. Besides I wanted to know if you and Carlo were home."

"We are home Jeff."

"May I bring my family over? Corinne still eats a lot and she has a hollow leg."

"Bring them over. They are all invited."

"In fifteen minutes Nonna."

She smiled a big one for me and I walked back.

The family, including John, walked over. The door opened before we got there. Corinne called Nonna and Nonno and gave each of the people a hug and a kiss. Two tear-streaked adults were introduce to the family. Even Jamie didn't mind the custom of kissing the cheek of the old people.

It came out that the closest members of their family had gone on vacation and only a few people had come over to visit. I had to give the synopsis of what had happened to me with Anthony Sinclair. Carlo gave me an insight in what the man was really like. As you could imagine Carlo had been asked a lot of questions when his name was linked to mine.

Carlo said there was a lot of things he could not mention but did talk of a shake up in the Banano family. The new family head was young and stupid. This was a fatal condition recently. He talked around the fact that perhaps the death in Italy could be linked back to Toronto.

We left a few hours later and we mentioned business only once. I referred to Barry and his problems. "Carlo, there are a lot of people that want to get around by themselves but find it very dangerous to do this. Make a company that makes stainless steel tubes that can be attached to the walls or counters. People that have had a serious accident need them to hold on to and so do those that are getting on in years."

"That is a good idea. Is it for sale?"

"It is a gift. What are friends for anyway?"

We visited a business associate and his family. The engineers and some tradesmen were there also. They liked to talk shop because there was little else we could relate to. I complimented the host on keeping class distinction out of his choices. The fact was that we had a lot of English qualities in us and it wasn't until later that we began to act with less bias. The English and Americans were the same and they too evolved into kinder societies.

On Christmas morning we opened a lot of presents. Corinne got the most, which was no surprise. The girls saw mounds of boxes and bags in our house, so they knew that their presents just had to wait until they returned home. I seemed to have got the second most presents. I was pleased in a way but I had over sixty Christmases to get used to the idea.

The girls and Jamie got expensive clothing that they would need for the next few parties. When the gift giving and opening was over they all disappeared upstairs. I knew that Jamie had another present waiting for him. I was going to stay down here and honestly say that I had nothing to do with it.

Paige and Jamie were in our bedroom. He had slept between us last night. She said, "Jamie, do you trust me? I mean really trust me to not hurt you?"

"Yeah, I guess. You don't even talk much."

"Good, I want to give you another Christmas present from those that love you. Will you take it now?"

"What is it?"

"We want to make love to you and make you feel some of what we feel."

"I don't understand."

Paige brought out a small thin dildo suitable for anal stimulation. I had bought this in Chinatown on an earlier shopping excursion. "This is especially for you because we love you." She handed the article to Jamie and said, "You can use it yourself if you want but I think you would like it better if somebody else used it for you. Jeff bought two for me. One goes in the front and one like that goes in the back."

Jamie looked at the article in his hand and didn't meet Paige's eyes. "You use one of these in your bum?"

"Jeff will be able to make me pregnant soon. When the dangerous time comes we use my bum. It is nice but not as nice as my front."

"How do you use it?"

"Well we have to make it slippery first. Then it feels really good to use a finger to get some inside too. It's not that good to use it by myself so somebody else moves it for me."

"Who?"

"Jamie, we are one big family here. We don't have too many secrets inside the family and nobody finds out about the secrets from outside the family."

"Ok."

"So if I tell you then you cannot tell."

"I won't tell anybody."

"All the girls take turns with a toy like this. We all do each other."

"Really?"

"Yes, and the one that does it best is Maggie. She is so slow that I want to scream to make her hurry. She knows best though and when I come, it's even better than when somebody else uses it."

"Really!"

"Yes, she is that good. Would you like me to use this on you? I won't hurt you."

"What about Jeff? I mean — You are going to get married to him."

"He worries about both of us. He wants you to be relaxed and he wants all my babies to be his. He won't get mad about this at all. Do you know who bought this for you?"

"Ah — no."

"Jeff bought this especially for you. You might think of it as Jeff in a way."

This did make him smile. "What do you want me to do?"

Paige caressed his face and said, "You are a good boy and that's why I love you. Now let's get our clothes off. I like to be naked when we do this."

"Ok."

He waited until Paige started then he worked just as fast. He even undid the hooks on the bra for Paige. "Now let's try the doggie position first. Get on the edge of the bed but keep your knees apart Honey."

The boy did this but started to slow his actions as if getting second thoughts. Paige didn't go fast but got some lotion from the drawer and gently rubbed it into the skin of his back, bum and legs. The hands went underneath and caressed his chest and nipples before working across his abdomen to the prong that was sticking out.

"Stay here Honey," she said as she reached under the bed and pulled out a large towel. This went under the boy to save the comforter. "We can't have a mess if we don't need to."

Paige masturbated Jamie in a painfully slow manner until he groaned in want and frustration. Paige then took out another tube and squeezed some liquid on her hand and massaged it into the boys anus while stroking him with her other hand.

Her fingers went easily into the anus now and she worked even slower to make sure he didn't go prematurely. Jamie was now moving back and forth trying to get that little bit extra but he never got enough.

When it came very close Paige just stopped completely and picked up the dildo. It got more lubricant and the large glob was massaged into the anus. Ever so slowly she slid the phallus in as she whispered words of love.

Paige then got to her feet and moved just the phallus into the boy. She knew all about the prostrate and she stayed close to it all the time. The strokes were long sometimes and made Jamie groan loudly and sometimes they were short to just stimulate the gland. This brought a different tone.

Paige took her own sweet time but then decided that Jamie needed his present. She moved much quicker now and Jamie now saw hope. Paige continued with her words of love as her hand made rapid short strokes. Jamie stopped talking. His back went horizontal then sagged in the middle as his head pulled as far back as possible. When the time came the boy screamed his joy and emptied himself on the towel.

Paige continued but did so much slower. Jamie collapsed on the towel and Paige stopped her thrusts and removed the instrument of joy. She then rubbed the panting boy's back and said how much she loved him.

Downstairs John and I were talking about getting large quantities of quality parts for my tape recorder when we heard the scream.

"God, what was that?"

"I think one extremely happy boy. Now what can we do to get more accurate resistors?"

"Was that wise?"

"I was down here. A boy/girl relationship cannot hurt him and in fact may improve his chances."

"You think of most things but are they using protection?"

"That device won't make a boy pregnant no matter when it is used."

"Oh."

The talk went on a lot longer and I took notes. Paige and Jamie didn't come down so I figured she was going to make sure he was really drained.

The two came down for lunch. Jamie was not only hesitant but he was red faced. I walked to them and hugged and kissed Jamie first then Paige. I said to Paige, "Was our boy happy?"

"Oh, he was happy lots of times. I got excited myself and you have to get one of those real long ones that I can use in me at the same time."

"I only thought of the idea. I don't know if they are made. Maybe we can do these in a plastic factory."

"Make lots."

Jamie blushed more and looked down at his feet. I picked his chin up with my finger. "Don't be ashamed. Now you are more in the family."

He said nothing but he looked less worried.

We sat at the table and John avoided looking at the boy. Maggie and Paige sat on each side of him and at any opportunity they would touch or talk to him. By the end of the meal he was back to his usual self.

John and I walked down into his basement to get some wine to give as a gift. The house was old but even modern ones had low headroom in their basements. "John here is another idea but it is not patentable."

"What is that?"

"Your basement and most other homes have a ceilings that are low. Most homes these days are connected to a storm sewer. For a very small increase in the price of a home the basement can be excavated much deeper and the walls extended so the ceiling is just as high as the rest of the house. With a good barrier on the exterior walls the basement should be very dry. This area of the house can then be used for entertaining if the interior partition walls are omitted."

"That's a good idea but my home is already large enough. It's a good idea for new homes."

"I can see them retrofitting existing homes by supporting the house as they dig underneath it then pour concrete."

"There you go coming up with a new word again. I don't know where you get them."

"Some terms begged to be coined."

We went to various parties and did some shopping. The money from the razor blades was not here because the deal was only verbal. The cash had to change hands. I agreed to leave fifteen thousand in the kitty if I could get one tenth of the company. I wasn't sure how this would work out because the company would have to go public to get enough money to expand. Besides they only had rights to Canada.

Sebastian Forsyth had another party and all of us were invited. Parties were places to talk business and I exchanged the idea for various types of track lighting for a future discount when I bought his products.

On the twenty eighth we went into the city and found the most popular dojo. I had been here on an earlier visit to discuss opening a dojo in North Bay. This time the girls saw a much more structured learning environment.

After the girls showed their stuff, the Sensei told me that the girls knew some things well but some simple things not at all.

I told the middle-aged Japanese man, "That is even more of a reason to move north. The temperature is much colder than Japan and the number of people less but I am the one that will put up the building and buy all the equipment. I will even pay salaries."

Like last time he said, "I will have to think on this."

I could sweeten the pot some. "Many people in North America like oriental food though the recipes have been altered to fit our tastes. I will open a chain of restaurants in major cities and one in North Bay. I like the name Mandarin. This restaurant will be the type where a person pays one fee and can eat anything that is on the steam tables, salads and fresh fruit on the ice beds and dessert on their racks."

"How can you make money? People will come in and eat so much that you will lose."

"Some people will do that but most can't. The restaurants will be very large and savings can be made when ordering large quantities of food. I'll make money on high profit beverages. The restaurants will need a great many of your countrymen to operate it if not your family. It will be company policy that half be Caucasian. Too many oriental restaurants cannot communicate with the native customers."

Food service was a good industry to go into. A restaurant in a busy city could pay itself off in as little as five years.

"I will think on this as well."

When it was time to leave Toronto, Corinne was very sad and so were the rest of the family at the parting. It was like leaving my real daughter here with her grandfather. Jamie was out of it though. The girls had taken him under their wing in a matter of speaking and his bum was being penetrated regularly. Besides, the girls like playing with their new toy and in a way he took the place of Corinne though he was treated much differently.

Jamie was returning the favour and was learning cunnilingus. He was being trained by five out of six of the best practitioners. They taught him to do it the way a female would and this was much more erotic to a woman. Without meaning a pun he was getting a taste for it. The girls had tasted him and soon their bums were going to be made available to the boy. Paige was mine, and didn't want to participate in this activity. I appreciated her loyalty.

We got back to the Bay at noon the day before school started. The girls and Jamie moved a great deal of clothing and other gifts into the house but a truck was coming soon with the rest.

As soon as we were settled in I made a few phone calls. I had talked to James last night from Toronto, discovering that the Durden home had not been sold yet. Neither party had acted as if they were anxious but I knew that Mr Durden was also negotiating with us for his business.

Mr Mason's wife had been keeping in touch with Mrs Durden but had not let any secrets slip.

At school I continued to act like a kid of my age would. Some of the teachers caught on and treated me like a kid, which helped me fit in. This would be a long process though. In Mr Bain's class I asked to work through my spares. I listed my partial successes and he agreed. The students had enough of a break that Maggie and Susan felt they fit in better. Paige didn't mind her new found status and kept her circle of friends that deferred to her a lot more.

In the middle of January we picked up the two apartment buildings. The price was very close to my eighty percent offer. There were just too many work orders against it now to be that profitable. By this time the contractors had gone in and assessed every one of the thirty-two apartments. Part of my ever increasing staff sat down with the contractors and me to pick out a good theme and then find subtle ways of varying it without spending a lot.

We had fifteen tenants who were required to leave one building for the other or just leave. Two tenants were deadbeats and eviction proceedings started. Three of the families were offered labourers' jobs in helping us strip the first building.

Carm had seen our products in Toronto when we were there when Jamie was in the hospital. He had a lot of input into the products and enjoyed the idea of creating.

Charley worked closely with an artist to find a good design for the doors. A foreman at the former Camden Wood Products, assisted him by pointing out which things were economically feasible.

A sign went up on the Camden property and the bank was now looking for the owner that had signed the loan. Edgar said the man had taken a liking to the weather in Florida. The time was not ripe to approach the bank yet for the building and property.

Mrs Durden was due back in thirteen days but we didn't change our strategy. Mr Durden was getting antsy though and he was starting to get angry Screaming at his employees and even cursing his customers.

Two days before the woman's arrival we bought the house and contents. A mover went through the house and picked up everything not on our list. All the furs and jewellery had already been moved.

I continued the process and had the rest of the furniture moved to the Pointer Furniture building. We were rapidly filling it up.

Things began to move on the sale of the lumberyard too. Mrs Mason flew down to see Mrs Durden to tell her what was happening and relay the only choice the woman had to get her share of the money.

We held off on a very lowball figure and the deal dragged into the time that Mrs Durdean should be coming back. Mr Durden was sweating bullets and finally sold us the property. He had a ten thousand dollars check to show him that we meant business but he was told a cashiers check would now be arriving from Toronto and get here tomorrow at noon.

The next morning Mrs Durden was in Mr Mason's office. She was so angry she couldn't sit down. She smoked constantly and yelled at her husband even though he wasn't there.

We had used another lawyer for this sale to keep some distance from what I planned to do.

Mr Mason said, "Mrs Durden, this is the only way this can be done. If you refuse to cooperate then there is nothing we can do. You can go ahead and confront your husband but it won't get you any money. You can go through the courts but I doubt if you will get the half we are holding out for."

"I want to wring his neck. All the years I helped him and nurtured his company." We all knew that she did next to nothing to help but she liked to believe this.

"Ok I will do it. Tell me again so I can get it right."

Mr Durden's lawyer's was handling the transaction at his office. Everyone signed the papers after all the documents were scrutinised. The cashiers cheque was handed over, then they shook hands.

Edgar watched the office and a pleased Mr Durden left for the bank. A telephone call got everything ready and the stage was set.

Mr Durden walked into his bank but the manager and the usual teller were not there. He waited in line and when his turn came he presented the cheque. The money was put into his account first while the teller looked up the account that was to get the money.

At another teller, a woman presented her a cheque drawn on the account that just received the money. Mrs Durden stormed into the bank and harangued her husband for everything known to man. The woman cashing the check demanded service even though there was free entertainment.

Half of the monies for the lumberyard went from the joint account that the cashiers check just filled and then to an account held by only Mrs Durden.

When this was done Mrs Mason walked up to her friend and gave her the passbook showing that her account had just had a sizable deposit. The woman smiled in triumph and just continued with what she had been doing. Mr Durden turned and ignored his wife and wanted the transaction concluded. In a moment it was he that was yelling and screaming about being robbed.

Mrs Durden flashed him her account book and said, "I have my money now anyway. I got half but I should have taken it all."

"You robbed me."

He went to attack his wife and two men stepped in to stop him. An employee had called the police and a frothing Mr Durden was taken away. Mrs Mason and Mrs Durden checked on the money then strode off as top dogs.

With this part handled, Mr Mason, our accountant, Mr Bayer, James and the cousins descended on the lumberyard and politely asked the customers to complete their purchases and leave. Mr Mason presented the assistant manager on duty the documents as to the change of ownership. Mr Durden's lawyer was phoned and he verified that NADI now owned the property.

A hand made sign went on the door to go along with a notice was already in the local newspaper. The staff now conducted an inventory while the business was closed.

The fight in the bank was the talk of the town for the next few days. A great many women sided with the poor wife that was far richer than she let on. The men sided with Mr Durden though. When the lights went out in 77 there were a lot of extra children conceived. There would be a lot fewer births nine months from now.

School went on as normal for me. I had people to take care of the viable businesses. Since the New Year, I found two more compounds for the LCD monitor but there were still a lot of gaps when the possible temperatures were considered.

A trial date came up for Goldbalm and the courtroom would was filled with just reporters. His lawyers tried another delaying tactic now because of the new charges. The judge laid into them which surprised the reporters. They got their stay but they better be ready to start the proceedings or the judge would throw the lawyers in the clink for contempt of court.

Northern Plastics was the last privately held company in the industrial park. We just came in with my eighty percent offer and we were promptly shot down. We got a listing of the inventory but it wasn't until our second bid that we got to see the books. I still wanted Mr Boise to stay on even though I had asked Charley to do this. I was hoping though to just train Charley and move him on to other companies.

We were using more of Pointer Furniture and decided to just exercise our option. Much of the building was now covered with counter tops and finished units ready for the first apartment building. My thermal windows were in another section. A company in Toronto was casting our valves and then doing the machining and plating. We just didn't have the manpower to do more. I didn't want the city fathers to think that the city was going to boom until I did some negotiating.

It wasn't until the week before Corinne's birthday that we finally settled. Mr Boise knew his business was worth more in good times but not now. We did pay a hundred and ten percent of the deflated estimate but the owner would stay on and train Charley.

New machinery had been purchased for this event and came the next day. A whole range of new products were in demand from the plastic buckles for backpacks to the shells and spools for my cassettes. Machines were being made to strip the magnetic material off the ends of the tape and put a new strip on that would tell the tape recorder to slow down very quickly as the end was coming.



-------

Chapter 29


We went to Toronto with presents for Corinne. John had some for me too. MGM had bought Jaws and the novel 'Star Wars' was going to be published late in the fall. The deal for the razors went through and we even got an offer from Bell or rather AT&T. It was a lowball figure and I was not letting them get away with it. We had sent the same design out to various countries in Europe. They had not got back to us even though they had the parts and drawings for just as long. A similar circuit was sent to CN Rail and CP Rail because they had telegraph lines that could benefit. CN also owned some vacant land that would one day have the CN tower and the Skydome. Here I would accept a trade for land that was now of very little value.

Al and Gregory picked us up. John and Corinne met us at the door. Some decorations were already up but the girls jumped in to help. John held Corinne as we talked business. She wiggled a bit and then ran to be with the girls. John saw Angela pat Jamie on the bum when he was up on a ladder but all he did was wiggle it more.

"I see he has changed a lot."

"The girls are try to turn him into a heterosexual. He likes the attempt but I still don't know where he will end up. My brain wants him to go after girls. I would hate for him to start a family and have children then figure he should have gone the other way."

"I know a few people like that. Sometimes they gave up a lot of love and the backing of the community to follow that other path."

"He has five more years to develop and I hope he learns that he has to be committed to himself very early and stick to it."

"I hear his birthday is coming up soon."

"Nine days from now on March the fourth. Paige's is two days later on March sixth and Jane's is on March eleventh. We will be going to Memphis later to sing and have a vacation."

"When will your new home be done?"

"I think the end of April to the middle of May. We have to wait until the concrete can't freeze. The inside of the house is mostly gutted in many places. I'm installing new plumbing and wiring throughout the house. With the future in mind, I have wire put in for a lot of devices that will have to come about someday. The house presently has hot water heating that is quite old. That will come out in the warmer weather and I am putting in forced air. During the summer the whole house will be air-conditioned."

John said, "That will make this house seem old."

"It is old but it still is a very nice home. If I owned it I would do the same things I am doing to mine and even put in the deeper basement. I am getting away with some of the expenses by taking advantage of grants and claiming much of the improvements are so new that they need to be tested. That way the renovations come out of the R&D budget. In fact, your new kitchen will be written off the same way."

"Does your family know about the house?"

I smiled at him. "Not yet. It's far enough out in the country to be surrounded by trees. It even has a guest house that's as big as where we live now."

Corinne's party was well attended, and even Carlo and Maria came over. I had made more hand made clothing. Corinne now had a full dress of thin deer hide with thousands of beads on it. The dress was my idea and design but I only got to do some of the bead work. She got moccasins with moose hide soles for strength and durability. I topped off the outfit with an ornate headband sprouting three eagle feathers. Paige made a cloth doll that got lashed to a board I had cut. This represented the traditional way a Native American papoose was carried. The board was strapped over the shoulder.

Corinne took off her clothes right away to get the costume on. There were some boys at the party but none of them were interested in a yucky girl and probably felt bad to have been dragged to a party.

The usual things were done at the party and the children went to play. John, Jamie, Carlo and I were the only male adults at the party. I didn't feel too out of place. My picture had been in the newspapers a great many times and they knew who we all were. Jamie didn't mind being fawned over by women. Jamie responded to the women by becoming erect, a Pavlovian response to the girls' conditioning of him. The women noticed, of course, but wisely avoided bringing this to his attention. They talked even more to him because he was very beautiful.

When things were winding down, I brought a spool of tape out and put it into the tape recorder. We sang a few songs in honour of the birthday that had not made it to the charts yet. Jack Revere and the Raiders sang 'Indian Reservation' which hit number one in 71. My voice was not strong and authoritative like it should be but I sang:

"They took the whole Cherokee nation

Put us on this reservation

Took away our ways of life

The tomahawk and the bow and knife."

The percussion was loud and the beat stirring; and it was the best I could come up with for Corinne. The children didn't understand the ideas behind the words but they enjoyed the thoughts of freedom and the percussive sounds.

We sang a few of the songs the girls would introduce in Memphis. The girls drew spirited applause and Jamie smiled as if to say that we were his friends and we sang great. His voice was sweet too and I was sure he would make girls all over the world drool over his words and his looks.

John said when we finished, "Those songs were just great. I liked that one about the Cherokee. It has to hit number one and stay there for a while."

"Thanks John. Song production has dropped a bit. I'm too busy with other things. I have to work hard now for one to get squeezed out."

"Maybe if you relax for a while it will get easier."

"It could but then I have to abandon all the rest of the things I'm doing. Even if I make a half million a year the other businesses will beat that in a while. I may have bitten off too big a chunk of life. The only way I can manage is with a lot of good help. There are thousands of people looking for work. If I buy from others then I don't know the quality or if I will get robbed."

"That is a problem with me too. You check references and you hire them for a probationary period and hope they aren't acting. You do all that and still get burned once in a while."

"I wanted to hire Doctor Madeline Davits to assist me but she keeps putting me off."

"She has patients that depend on her."

"I thought of that. Perhaps the city has to get developed more first."

"That could be it and the lack of sufficient numbers of patients she would have. You might still route all your prospective employees through her or somebody else."

I changed the unproductive topic and said, "We have all the established businesses I need. We need your charmer to do his magic."

"He's in Regina now and should be back Tuesday. I'll see what his schedule is like."

There was no shopping on Sunday so we just visited then bussed back to our home.

Mr Mason was going to buy the rock crusher now. The ground was frozen solid so moving the behemoth would be easier. If we waited until the spring it would be harder and costlier to move. We lined up some additional construction people and companies but no contracts were signed because we didn't tell them what they would be doing.

Warren Sondly came up on Thursday to meet us. Mr Mason conned someone into giving the man a chance to plead our case before the full council. He was perhaps thirty-five, tall and athletic looking. His hair was wavy and pulled back. His clothing was impeccable and I didn't like him.

He was greasy in the way he spoke. Within minutes I think he would have had Jane upstairs in her bed with her legs spread. Susan was similarly treated and her eyes glowed; because she would do the dragging given the chance.

He went through all the females then he saw Jamie and he did the same thing. I was the only one that he couldn't charm. Edgar, James, Mr Mason and I sat at the table and went over the maps. The same data had been sent to Toronto but now there were more words with the pictures.

Sondly asked, "What do you want all this land for?"

"Room for more companies, room for expansion and a place for some R&D."

"What are you developing? An atomic bomb?"

"Just a new way of precision cutting and welding and then a small electronic display that can produce numbers and letters."

"All that land for just that? There must be more."

"Some will be turned into park land and some into single family homes. Does city council need the board feet of lumber being used?"

"No, but it helps to know what they are hindering and helping. Usually they will try to see what they can get out of this personally."

I used some coloured pencils and marked where houses would go then where proposed businesses would be built. I mentioned the aggregate yard and the proposed location of the crusher. There was no use telling him too much. The lands that James and Mr Mason wanted were added to the pot along with one more. I would get it cheaper now than they would later.

"We need an overpass built here and here. There are a lot of trains coming through and this is both safer and ensures that the customers come this way."

"Ah, so that is why you want this land here and here," he said as he pointed to the map.

"Precisely. My name cannot be used, and Mr Mason is a local director of NADI. The corporation is bringing both business and work to this hard pressed area."

"Tell me what you think is a fair price for each of the areas. Do you have a figure for the cost of the two overpasses?"

We gave him all the data and suggestions on how this could be financed through the government and the railway. He left for his hotel room and I felt a need to take a shower. Nobody else seemed to feel this way though.

The next day was Friday. Jena talked to me whenever she could. She must have memorised my class schedule and knew where I would be at any particular moment. She met me every day after school and on occasion got a ride home with James and me. Much of the time she was telling me how her family was getting along. This was informative but I went over there every week to see what progress was being made anyway. The snowblower had been improved a few times. There was enough white stuff that we didn't have to make our own. Jena even ran the unit to test it out and made money cleaning people's sidewalk or parking spot.

It was easy to see that she was interested in me personally but I shied away from new commitments. Alice still bothered me and of course so did Jamie. I was not as trusting now but I still got roped in to a lot of hard luck cases. People were always short of money and most of the loans were never even intended to be paid back. On the home front I sent back the December welfare cheque with a note of thanks and that I was now supporting the family. January's cheque never came so I guess the government did learn.

Ian was still going with Janice but Sam and Gloria had split up. The latter two were at least more self-assured and would be able to find their own friends now.

Girls found me cute though I still had some blotches on my skin. Paige was not even perturbed. She knew where my heart was. When there were dances, it was always Paige and me. I like to show off and show her off and it was fun for both of us. I rarely sang but I played with Tom's band on occasion.

Friday evening James and Charley went to the council meeting and put our proposal forward. We had typed out the proposal and provided a copy for each of the councillors. It covered the main points but didn't go too deep into detail. The council though tabled our request for another week so they could review the situation with their staff. They liked the overpass idea, as it would bring jobs to the city.

Edgar was anxious to get started on the lasers. Now that we had storage we sent for the shipment of materials. We only uncrated a few items. A month ago I had told him about a man named Czochralski, then what he had found in 1917 about growing crystals like rubies. "The floors are wood and they bounce just a bit. You need to set up where it's solid."

"I can build a shed close to the transformers."

"Give it a try. In ten years you will say the process is easy. You need to make records of everything including if you burped. Some of this will be documented proof but we have to work on it to find what's best."

"Do you want the ruby or that yttrium-aluminum-garnet?"

"I like the ruby but the YAG will be more productive. The ruby will be far too weak. When you get this type done we can try another type I thought of. Should be simpler but things like that can be deceiving." I was referring to the neodymium glass laser but I could not remember as much as I did about the rest. There was even a compound that could be used to modulate laser beams but for the life of me I couldn't remember what it was.

The next Friday, Warren Sondly reappeared before the council and he was put off again. He asked for a definite date and was just told to be back the next Friday.

That night I was over at the Browns' home. Barry was more cheerful than usual. His dad was happy too, and moved with a joyful bounce. The two of them worked well together and now both had a purpose after losing something valuable. They had been working with two stroke engines. All of these were from brand new chainsaws. They made a leaf blower but the neighbours objected to the noise even with the windows closed. Two cycles were noted for this problem and to put a better muffler on would cut the efficiency of the motor dramatically.

Mrs Brown's two daughters sat on each side of me on the couch as she fetched me some coffee. Jena and Laura both seemed to have designs on me and they sat close. Jena started when there was a pause in the conversation by talking about dancing and taking my right hand into hers. Both of her hands moved then as if trying to put my hand on her leg.

"Jeff, I know that if I get a chance to show Mr Johnson how I dance he will do something for me too."

"Jena, the man sells records and promotes singers. He can do absolutely nothing for you. I said before that you could work at the carwash. The girls sing and dance while working. The pay is great. The only other temporary thing is to see if I can get the school to put on a musical. I can write the music, we can all work on the plot and then you sing and dance."

"But I can't sing."

"I don't think you have tried hard enough yet."

Laura took my other hand now. "I dance too and play the violin. Could I get a chance?"

I had to shift around to look at the girl but Jena didn't release my other hand. "I guess 'Tiny Talent Time' could start sooner."

"What's that?"

"Just a television idea that features young talent. The children could dance but some could sing or play an instrument. Girls would be more prominent performers and came on in groups for security and to keep time with the music. Some would be very young."

I had an idea but stopped for a minute at its implication. I turned back to Jena. "Television shows are done in various ways. They can be done privately then sold to stations from all over the continent. Sometimes they are just local and done in a studio. These too may get syndicated to other stations if good. I will suggest to NADI that they promote a small-scale review of local talent. It will not get televised immediately. An audience will see. If this turns out then it can get televised."

She thought on this then said, "That is like putting on a local musical."

"Jena, you have no idea how good you are compared to the rest of the world. You get to find out this valuable piece of information and see where you have to expend more effort. You can look at this like a contest; it should be fun."

"So only some people here see me?"

"Mostly it will be the family of those that are going to be on stage. It is small scale but has the possibility of growing."

"I guess I could do it if Laura does it too."

"Me?" came from the other side of me.

I turned around again. "Just a minute ago you said you could dance and play the violin."

"But — "

When nothing more came out I said, "I risked a lot of my time in writing some songs. All the work could have been wasted but people liked my music and I made some money. You have to risk some of your time too. I hear your dad plays the violin too. You have a chance to learn something more about dancing from your sister. It may turn out very well."

Laura thought about this and pulled my hand to her chest. This was not spontaneous. She used it to rub one of her small breasts. She stopped quickly when her mother came back but her father and brother were already watching us.

When the coffee was put in front of me, I thanked Mrs Brown and Jena pulled my other hand back on the inside of her thigh as if shifting her weight. Her mother's back just happened to be turned. I wondered what the girls would be like if there were no family around to hold them back.

I called a taxi to take me home but Jack said, "I can drive you."

"That's fine. It is getting dark now anyway and a taxi is actually more convenient. What you can do if you want is get a trailer and load it with most of your tools and pull it out of the city to test the equipment. Nobody there to be bothered by the noise."

"I do have a trailer. I guess we can do that."

"When you find a place check the odometer to see how far it is. Keep track of the mileage because it has to go on your expense account and I can deduct it. If you form a limited company you can do all the deductions yourself."

"Who do I talk to?"

"My accountant's name is Mr Bayer. Talk to him first. He won't charge anything."

James came over later and looked tired. I knew just how he felt. I had taken over an existing businesses and there was so much to do in addition to integrating the new employees. I had gone to the yard with a clipboard and walked behind James as we toured the business. There was a great deal to do and retraining employees that had done this job for years was very difficult.

Bookmark December 26, 2007

The steel company was not getting back to us about its products and that made me angry because I couldn't use what I had devised. Space had been set aside for our new cabinetry in simulated kitchens. The store was being altered and there was no room to bring more things in. I was copying shamelessly from the way Home Depot did their merchandising. Garden tools would be right at the front door but I had very little of my own products to put up there.

James said, "I just can't believe how bone headed some people are. You told me what you wanted and I see that it is simple but they don't want to even try it."

"They are hired on a temporary basis. Trade some employees with Carm or Charley. Everybody gets a new start. You avoid firing them and they keep a job though it isn't what they are used to."

"I might have to do that for a few. Maybe I can do that to the worse and the rest will see that I mean business. Oh, Mr Mason got the crusher. He was afraid it might be sold so he snapped it up. The scrap dealer is keeping it outside his gates on some bedrock. There is little chance that it will get stolen," he said with a laugh. The device weighted over fifty tons and was coated with thick grease that would be a problem to remove.

"James, I am sorry but I have one other small job for you."

He said resignedly, "What is it?"

"Just check on the availability of some high pressure hydraulic hose on Monday. Quarter inch is good."

"What for Sir?"

James had stopped seeing me as a boy and I think now didn't like calling me Mr Congdon or Sir."

"We mount a gasoline engine to a cart. It drives a high-pressure pump that connects to the city water. The water comes out from two thousand to four thousand pounds per square inch pressure. A small orifice can direct the water at concrete or anything that can needs cleaning. Doing it close to a car will peal the paint off."

"Can it really do that?"

"I have talked before about even more pressure. A sixty thousand pound unit can peal the bark from a tree and even slice the wood. Adding some things to the water and it will cut steel and the holes will look very smooth and even."

"First you talk about four then sixty thousand pounds. How can you come up with all this?"

"The dirty crusher needs to get cleaned and the idea just came to me. The other idea I thought of before."

The cousins had taken up residence one of the vacant houses I had purchased. An hour ago Jennifer and Angela had held hands with Jamie and taken him upstairs. Jane was the only one still on the main floor and I could see that she was squirming to get upstairs too.

When James finally left Jane turned off the lights and raced upstairs holding my hand. Jamie was naked on Jane's bed and on his back. He was eating Susan while Jennifer was sucking him slowly. His knees were up and Angela was licking his scrotum as she slowly worked the dildo into he butt. He had graduated to the larger size now and must like the fit.

Paige and Maggie were on the floor in a sixty-nine position. Those on the bed were groaning and moving very slow as to prolong the agony. Those on the floor were not constrained by this and worked harder to get each other off. When Maggie screamed her release it set up a chain reaction. Paige came next then Susan on the bed. Jennifer sucked fast and Angela worked the dildo as fast as she could.

I left Jane and took Paige to my old room. The rest would have lots of fun but I never wanted to let Jamie in any sexual activity relating directly to me. Not only would it bother him, it could keep him from speaking honestly on the witness stand.

Paige and I made tender love that could last for hours. I kissed her lips and then the rest of her face. Paige responded to me but forced herself to do just what I wanted. I worked my way leisurely down her body until I was between her legs. This time I pushed her legs up to control her and slowly teased her to a very satisfying orgasm.

We moved around and got into a sixty-nine position and she did her best to tease me as I did the same thing to her. She got excited and went faster on me and that made me go faster on her. Today the feelings were much more intense for some reason. When the time came I held Paige tightly and let the orgasm wash through me.

The feeling though was much stronger and my hips moved forcefully. Paige paused for a moment and I pushed even harder until she started to suck again. In just a few strokes I relaxed but still kissed and sucked my lover.

Paige wiggled out of my grasp and turned around. She had a big smile on her face. "Jeff, you gave me something."

It took only seconds to understand and I pulled her to me and kissed her lips. "No more firing blanks. It felt so strong this time and I didn't catch on to what it was. It felt so much better."

I remembered what I was like in my previous life and said, "Paige, my future wife, I'm going to make you sore in coming years. I'm going to stretch you then have sex with you all the time. You're going to walk bowlegged most of the time and slosh the rest."

She squeezed me and said, "I'll walk around naked so you will see what you are getting."

I kissed her and said, "If you do that you may not be able to walk."

"Then I'll just stay in bed with my legs spread."

I knew that it was very safe now and I said, "Let's practice making babies."

We did just that. I found that I had given something up. My dry orgasms allowed me to stay erect. I was losing this ability after only four times. Now I would have to learn the stamina I had when an adult.

In the morning I was awakened by the door opening. It was late because Paige and I had stayed up late. Jamie was standing in the doorway.

"Good morning Jeff."

"Good morning Sweetie. Did those mean women hurt you?"

He smiled at me. "I stood up under their punishments very well. They'll try to break me again today I think."

"If only men were born with the lower head that would vibrate, we could set the women straight once and for all. They can have orgasms all the time and we have to wait to reload."

"I'm working on an automatic. But my back is going to give out."

Paige had woken up and said, "We get more joy but we have to go through nine months of pregnancy and then childbirth. We need compensation too."

I bent over and kissed her lightly. "That's true, and then you have to change diapers."

"You said you were going to help."

"And I will. I'll even get up at night to feed the little ankle biters when they get off their natural food."

"Ankle biters?"

"Oh, they are the same as rug rats."

"Any other names for our children?"

"None that I wish to say just now."

"Hmmmp," she said as she got out of bed and strode past Jamie dressed in her birthday suit.

Jamie whispered, "Is she mad?"

"No. Paige is one of the most even-tempered people I ever met. Most of that was in play although a woman thinks a lot differently about her future children."

I too got up and Jamie's eyes went to below my waist. This got me erect and he just smiled at me and tilted his head to one side. "I wish I could give you a baby too."

"You gave me you. That is more than enough." On the way out the door I kissed him and he held me as the kiss continued. It was me that had to break this up. "Not until after the trial Sweetie." I got a pat on the bum as I left and another smile from Jamie.

After breakfast I went over one of the many copies of the map I got from James. It showed the land I was interested in with the property lines drawn in lightly. I had marked up a great many maps like this and now used coloured paper cut to scale with numbers drawn on them. Some represented ten thousand square feet while some went to four acres in size or a hundred and seventy five thousand square feet. This was the largest size I thought this community could support.

I moved the small pieces of paper around to see the best grouping. The homes, future condos and an enlarged marina were more or less stationary. The buffer area to keep out the noise of the trains was also factored in. In the future, high steel beams were driven into the ground with sound deadening material slid between them to keep out the noise of the highways or the railways. That might just work here. Then either the idea or the product could be sold.

A few weeks ago I thought of a golf course but didn't see how this would work. I knew that in the future, the golf courses had some fancy deals with the city because their value was so great that they would have to pay an unimaginable amount of taxes.

A golf course, if it were good, would bring tourists in conjunction with the marina. I had tried to see about incorporating a subdivision on the course so an avid player could pander to his inner needs. This idea might bring more long-term residents and more prosperity to the city.

The family didn't know exactly what I was doing or I didn't think they did. I kept many things from them because of the way the knowledge affected them. They were just starting to get back to normal with their friends. They knew I made money from songs, and now the razor blades and perhaps something relating to AT&T eventually.

Paige looked over my shoulder quite a bit but said nothing. I could see her even now taking over the things that a wife should do to support her husband. This was the reason she now kept some distance from her friends.

On the map I toyed with one large building housing all of the retail businesses but that was dangerous from a fire aspect. Taxes were based on the floor area of a store so if I made the ceiling very high with the racks I invented then the cost would be a lot less. Concrete or asphalt would cost a lot to cover the parking lots I envisioned. Drainage was important or water would freeze and heave any material I put on top of it. Sewers had to take away effluent and rainwater. Electricity and other services had to come in and I didn't want any of this aboveground.

This led me to both recycling and garbage. I would have to get a compactor made and the trucks to move them. Even the open topped hoppers had to be made but they would bring in some good money.

There were just too many things to think about for even one business let alone the community I was actually creating.

I called a taxi and with a clipboard went down to the apartments. The contractors only saw me as somebody that reported to James, which is what I wanted. The local men had wanted any work possible because of the depressed economy and I gave as much as they wanted. I got six days at straight time. Anybody that wanted to leave could and we would get ten that wanted to take their place.

The building had been gutted already. The only thing left to go would be the flooring and the windows. It was still too cold to take those out. Insulation, paid for by grants, was put in. Copper water pipes went up for the tenants and for the fire protection sprinklers too. The fire department was happy to give us any assistance they could when we asked for their advice. Much heavier wiring went to a sub-panel in each apartment connected to a separate meter. Electricity consumption would go up a lot but now the tenants would pay for it and thus encouraging them to conserve.

The standard receptacles of my day had taken a long time to come about. The grounded variety was currently available but not made the way I wanted. My American corporation bought into an American company that made these outlets, but now they used my patent that showed them that they could isolated the upper portion from the lower. My receptacles were also polarized by having a smaller slot made for the hot side of the transformer. In addition, it had the provision for grounding the fixture. In essence, I hurdled thirty years of incremental change to the basic two hole outlet in one leap. These went into the kitchens in large numbers.

These were imported into Canada and were going into the units even if they didn't have the approval yet. The wiring was done with the latest codes I could remember which made them nearly forty years better than now. Electricians balked at some of this but after one man was fired the rest saw reason.

I was surprised when Mr Bayer dropped by. He knew that I was more important than I let on but he didn't know exactly how. We worked on a first name basis though.

"Hello Jeff. Kinda cold to be looking at the building from outside, ain't it?."

"Hi Aaron. Just seeing if there were any improvements to the steps or the elevator."

"Those are expensive to put in, and I wonder why it has to be done."

"The apartments are going to be luxurious for this city. The rents will be higher so the amenities will have to match. Not enough effort is put into making buildings accessible to those with physical limitations. We accomplish that as a bonus."

"I wondered about the ramps and now I see the reason for the electric doors. Did you see the pictures of what the kitchens will look like? I even saw a sample of the countertop. It is like coloured granite."

"They do look nice. There are even in four different colours."

"Yes I heard that too. I wouldn't mind getting one of those units myself."

"You married?"

"Just. We have one on the way already."

"The next gonna be two years after the first one is born?"

"Yeah that's about it."

"Put your name in. You would only rate a two bedroom for now unless your wife has twins."

"Who do I see?"

Now that was a problem because I never worked this out. James took all of the odd jobs but he was busy. The cousins and Mr Mason were the same way. "I really don't know. Talk to Mr Mason I guess and he may be able to direct you."

I bummed a ride to the warehouse with Aaron and he saw first hand what the furnishings of the apartments were like. He kept books for this area but had not seen the inside until now. I was interested in speaking to Edgar so I tracked him down. He was talking with an electrical engineer that I remembered from Toronto.

When I came in I was introduced and Edgar said, "I pulled a lot of strings and got one of your engineers brought up early. I hope you don't mind. He's going to bunk with us."

"Edgar, you are the head of a major division of my company. You have a budget and I guess it starts now. Just keep the construction to a minimum until you get your new quarters."

"That works good for us sir."

"I need a sample of the first batch of crystal. I have to polish both sides to see its index of refraction then compute the Brewster Angle."

Mr Hornby, the middle aged engineer, asked, "What the hell is that?"

"When light goes through a substance, a portion of it can be polarised. The angle I think is different for different materials. I will just have to look into it." I looked at Edgar and said, "See how long you can make the crystal. Power should be based on cross section and length."

Mr Hornby said, "I heard this was another of your lasers."

"Yes, this will not be a toy but able to cut and weld thin sheet metal."

"You could use a punch or shear to cut. They are cheap to use too."

"You're right, but over the years I will be accurate to within a thousandth of an inch in both location and size. The burr I leave around the hole will be very minute. I can even weld a painted sheet of metal to the door of a car and not damage the paint. Of course I won't be welding right on the painted surface."

"Cars aren't made that way. They are dipped in paint."

"Agreed, but one day soon they will be. The same as they will use galvanised steel soon and my laser will weld that too."

"If you say so."

Later today was Jamie's birthday party but Paige's birthday party was rolled into this one. Next weekend Jane would have a private family party but it we were also going to be celebrated it today so visitors would only have to come once.

The house was in turmoil when I got home. This is what I was trying to avoid the most. John and Corinne were not due for another hour. I decided to help with the work as everyone was pitching in. Nora was here too, and this was mainly because her daughter wanted the party here at our house.

We finished barely ten minutes before John and Corrine arrived. As usual we were polite to each other then sneaked away to talk business. My ideas were selling better now but not great. Money was coming in, unfortunately it was going out just as fast.

During our talk, Mr Sackman called me on the phone. He said, "I loved the new songs you sent. The song of the Cherokee is going to be a better hit than your other songs."

"Thanks, I just hope you get a forceful person to sing it. Someone that would represent a young man hurt at what he sees happening to his people."

"Quite a few groups showed interest in the song. One of our singers did the honours but he's not as well known as the popular singers of today."

"Thank you Mr Sackman. I know that will bring in more money."

"That is my job Jeff. I found some people that are now interested in discussing business with you. Did you do something important recently?"

"We sent in an invention to AT&T and it also went out to a lot of other communication companies too. It may be very profitable but I can't be sure of how much."

"Well some people think it is good enough to be very interested. Will you be able to come down for a meeting?"

"I'm going to Memphis for spring break in two weeks. We can meet then, however, if we talk sooner then more can be accomplished at a meeting."

"Will you need a lawyer at the meeting?"

"Not in the least but I may want a friend that knows the law. If the friend has some money to risk he may get a piece of the pie. Mr Holtzman and I work that way but there is usually only the two of us."

"Am I a friend?"

"You are but like high stakes gambling you have to know how much you can bring to the table."

"I'll contact the people and ask them to call tonight or tomorrow."

"Tomorrow from one hour before noon to two hours after in my time zone. I'm not going to spoil my day waiting for a phone call."

"I agree with you. I would like to wish a happy birthday to a young boy I met."

"Paige and my mother Jane have birthdays coming up very soon and are celebrating their birthday today too."

The three people were happy to receive the message and Jane said she hoped she would meet Mr Sackman again.

John and I continued talking and soon Mr Mason came over with Mr Bayer, our resident bean counter. Mr Bayer was very happy to meet John. We talked at Mr Bayer's level. He knew next to nothing about what we were doing.

Three separate cakes came out but it was Paige's that was orange and the one I wanted. There were a lot of boys in the house and they seemed to like chocolate. We sang happy birthday to Jamie and he blew out the candles with a big smile.

Fifteen minutes later Paige's cake was readied as the phone rang. I answered it as the candles were being lit.

"Congdon Electronics. Jeff here."

"Hello, my name is Hans Leopold. I believe Mr Sackman was in contact about me."

"He mentioned no names but are you the third or the forth?"

After a lengthy pause he said, "I thought you said he didn't mention names?"

"He didn't. I read papers though and only a financially secure individual would phone, and your family name is well known." Everybody was looking at me for the song and I said to Mr Leopold, "Excuse me for one minute. I have to sing a happy birthday to my future wife."

"Go right ahead."

I sang the song but fifty others were doing the same thing. Paige blew out all the candles but one which smouldered. I kissed her and said, "Happy birthday my love."

"I love you too Jeff."

Back on the phone I said, "I'm sorry for the interruption but family is very important to me."

"That is quite all right but I thought you were twelve-years-old."

"Quite right. I'm just more focussed than any twelve-year-old you ever met. How else would I get where I am now."

"That 's quite understandable. Mr Sackman said you would like to have a chat because I would like to meet you if you happen to be in Memphis."

"We will be there. Sam Johnson has purchased a few of my songs and will audition my sisters, my fiancée and their friends. A band, composed of local boys will play some of my works. The idea is to have fun. There should be adequate time to talk business. Perhaps you can mention which of my inventions you wish to discuss later?"

"There have been so many that I do not know where to start. They seem to grow every week."

"Are you interested in long term gains in the billions or short term gains in only the millions?"

"Nobody has ever asked that before. The word billion is not used much, even in banking circles."

"Not yet but I have multi-billion dollar ideas for a forward looking banks. This is not for one institution but for all banks. The rewards are astronomical."

"What is that subject about?"

"It has to be mentioned at one of our meetings. Some of my ideas have patent protection but not all. The noise is loud here and we only have one phone. May I phone you back later? Say in two hours?"

"Yes you may. I will anxiously wait for the call."

The party had gone on without me and John asked, "Who was that Jeff?"

"Hans Leopold. He sounded about thirty five so it must be the forth tacked after his name."

"Really! Mr Sackman did very well to line up a meeting with a Vice President of the Chase Manhattan Bank."

"There are others going to phone and I have to get a piece of cake before it all gets eaten. Will you have some orange cake with me?"

"I already had chocolate so I guess I have to have orange too."

"Spice cake is next."

Jane blew out her candles just as if she were a girl and I loved her for it. John even gave her a kiss and I think he was shocked by what he got back.

Corinne gave her a kiss and I saw Jane's eyes tear up as though she smiled hugely. She put the girl down and gave her a corner pieced of her cake with more icing.

I made the call when the house was quiet and talked for an hour to Mr Leopold. John had given Mr Sackman a synopsis on the patents. The ideas that were not patentable had remained a secret.

The next day I got three more phone calls from interested individuals. Some I had heard of but didn't remember the details. Mr Rouson was the second to the last caller. He was into electronics and was very interested in my ideas on the future. Rouson offered us a place to stay just outside of Memphis. He and one of the other men were going to stay in the home with us during this time. I accepted.



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Chapter 30


The two weeks before the trip were hectic. The band and everyone else expected me to get everything ready. I got everyone's birth certificate as this was all that was needed to cross the border. Flashing money at a problem was not good so I just made use of the bus system one more time.

I purchased tickets ahead of time for an express coach to Toronto, followed by a short stop over and a regular bus to Fort Erie and then over the bridge to Buffalo. In Buffalo we would get onboard a flight to Charleston, West Virginia then onto Memphis, Tennessee.

I also had to find something interesting for each of the people coming to see me. They could go through what was available but something dear to their heart would get them to accept me much quicker. Like any salesman, I needed lots of samples.

Jane went to Angela's home and that of each of the boys. She told the parents how I was paying for the entire trip but I would be collecting a portion of any money made. This was just a sop, as I didn't think any sales were possible. The boys were now 'good' but not great enough to compete. The girls were good and some of my music might very well get them some record sales.

When the day arrived a good many students and teachers saw us off on the bus. I gave Tom, the bandleader, the job of making a small speech. If he couldn't speak to friends he would not be able to perform in front of thousands. The speech was poor but he spoke well which is what I wanted.

They settled down right away. Tom sat with Maggie. His brother Karl sat with Jennifer. The other Jeff sat with Angela and Stan sat with Susan.

Paige cuddled to me and it seemed that Jamie didn't mind sitting with Jane. We had to get Jamie some papers quickly so he could go with us. The Children's Aid had to be talked to quite firmly or he would have had to stay.

The trip to Toronto was not bad because the girls sang with the guys and the passengers didn't mind. At the stopover I phoned John at his work.

"Well I will have to wish you luck. A Vice President at AT&T just phoned. He offered three and a half million and said that was the best we could expect. I told him that their subsidiary here in Canada would offer more than that. He was at a loss. He thought the sum he offered would buy the patent outright. It may be a long time coming but we'll get a lot more."

"I agree with you John. Besides three and a half is hard to divide by two."

The next part of the trip was a pleasure. It was one continuous highway now. We still stopped for stoplights and trains. Cars could drive on at many points and even farmers could come on from their properties. Instead of overpasses there were large turning circles. You got on and went around until you found the exit you wanted. If you missed it you went around again and tried until you got what you wanted.

A bored American official got on the bus in Buffalo and asked where we were born and if we were Communists trying to take over their country. None of us wanted that but may want some money if we could sell something.

It was late when we arrived in Buffalo and then we had to wait four hours for our flight. Apart from me in my previous life, none of us had flown before. We had two blankets that were to be used on the bus for sleeping. Now they were used to keep curious eyes away as each of us was relieved of our anxieties in a darker section of the airport. The girls liked to make Jamie feel comfortable and he didn't seem to mind in the least.

We tried to sleep on the benches. We didn't bring musical instruments, and that assisted our movements greatly. We finally walked across the tarmac and up the steps into the venerable DC3. It was venerable because it had been in production since 1936. We tried to be first in line to board, as this was the only way we could stay together because the flight was full.

Jamie sat with Jane again and I think he got hard when he saw a the blanket used to keep them warm. Pavlov came to mind once more. The noise and the unfamiliar environment meant that we would not sleep. The girls didn't want to lose the experience so I didn't hypnotise them to help them sleep. Paige though cuddled to me and at least I got her to nap for an hour.

We both woke up for the landing at Charleston. The wait was only a little more than an hour. We got sleepily on another plane and at fifteen after six we landed in Memphis.

The group was amazed at the temperature change. It was so warm compared to home. The locals were running around dressed much too warm for the weather while we went in shirtsleeves and chuckled. We had a leisurely breakfast and talked about the trip and of course the weather.

At seven thirty we got out of our taxis at the address I had been given. I had phoned ahead to make sure everything was ready for our arrival. The house was just as good as what John owned in Toronto. With bags in hand, we trooped up to the door and I rang the bell.

A man with tanned skin and a few wrinkles opened the door for us. "Hello Mr Congdon. I am very glad to meet you and your group. My name is Mr Rouson. Won't you all come in please?"

We came in and I moved far enough that the rest had room. When we were all in I saw one other man. Mr Rouson introduced an older gentleman by the name of Mr Mourtos. He was of a Greek family with had dark hair and eyes. I introduced those with me and I noticed both men checked over the flesh of all of the members. Mr Rouson seemed to take even longer talking to Jamie.

Rouson summoned a housekeeper who showed us to our rooms. I did a bit of room rearranging to keep order and we all came downstairs. A young man introduced as Donald Mittle was with Rouson and Mourtos. The man was about twenty-three or so and he too seemed to pause over Jamie.

Donald was going to take the family on a private guided tour of the city while we had our talk. They would phone later and either return for lunch or later for supper. I sent the girls up for a jacket just in case and was able to tell Jane in a whisper, "These guys are probably very polite but your guide seem to like Jamie as much as you do. Let the girls know but don't offend our hosts." She just nodded to me.

I brought down a leather folder and saw the family and friends off. I gave Jane more money and said, "Have fun."

She looked at the uncommon American money. Ours bills were colour coded so the simpler design of the American notes had to be checked. She smiled at me and said, "Oh, we will."

We sat at a large table but still close together. I said, "I assume we can start now?"

Mr Rouson said with a grin, "Be our guest."

I laid out a few sheets of papers before the man and he looked at them for about five minutes before saying, "These are interesting. What did you have proposed for this collection of circuits?"

"If you look at the top of the first sheet you will see a small drawing that was done to scale. All the circuits you see on the following sheets can fit on that particular chip with lots of room to spare."

"All of them? But it is hardly bigger than just two transistors and I don't know how many you have stipulated on the sheets."

"I'm able to cut with a light beam now. Nobody else in the world can do this. I have been very busy thinking about what is possible and made the circuits to do what is necessary. I even know how to fabricate the devices but we will have to build upon other peoples work and improve the design enough that their patent will no longer apply."

"What will these circuits do?"

"Before I answer that, I would like to say that integrated circuits have just come out. I know how to get much more on a chip and with methods that have not been patented yet. These integrated chips will grow in complexity but actually get smaller in size as the speed of light becomes a factor. One such device in conjunction with a special transistor I can make, will count electrical pulses very accurately. Another device that I am perfecting will become visible when a weak electrical current is passed through it. It will show both the letters of the alphabet and numbers. I have already achieved partial success in this venture. The finished unit will mount on your wrist and tell the time to an accuracy that very few analogue watches can match."

Mr Mourtos asked, "Analogue? What is that?"

The position of the hands indicates the time. My new watch will tell it in digits."

Mr Rouson said, "That's great if it can be produced cheaply enough."

"Without a lie gentlemen, cheap copies could be sold at the retail level in twenty years at a dollar each and that is with the band."

"How much will this cost to produce?"

"Tooling is the same as any other watch for the case and the crystal. Instead of a small winding stem there are two small buttons. I can make the first transistor that will produce the accurate electrical signals. Somebody else has to set up a plant to produce the units. As you can guess quality is important to the accuracy of the time piece."

I pulled a sheet of paper back and drew a small circle on the paper. "This is the overall size of the entire electronics except for a small lightbulb for reading the time in the dark, my digital display and a small battery. The majority of the watch case will be empty. To start though, the watch volume will be full and only after we have it on the market for a few years will it shrink."

Mr Mourtos said while holding some of the papers, "Is this the watch circuit?"

"No, that is part of something that will bring even more money."

"What does this do?"

"That is a small chip that has a few timing circuit on it. The purpose is to let you see how a simple chip can be manufactured from scratch. It is a very small portion of a much more complicated device that will revolutionise the world. The computer has been around for a few years. It uses perforated paper and some very heavy and awkward machines to read the data represented by the holes. I can make a device that fits in my hands, runs on a small battery or two, will display twelve digits and do the basic mathematical functions as well as a square root. Instead of costing one and a third million dollars and requiring a full time staff of repair people, mine can be retailed for three hundred dollars and since it is transistorised it will not need the usual maintenance."

"That is wonderful but only engineers would need that."

"I believe a great many people will want this device. As our costs go down so does the price. If we work quickly then those that copy our device will be caught with a high production cost while we have already recouped our money. Students now will want the device and we sell millions. This brings the price down and we sell even more while the competition is caught with high priced units that are difficult to sell."

"How much to get this into operation?"

"Half, to one million for the lab and a small scale production unit. Full-scale production has to be with new machinery that has to be made. The good point is that the watch chip and the calculator chip can be made with the same machines. A slightly larger watch could even be a dual function unit. The keys will need a small finger or the point of a pen."

I took out more sheets of papers with the pictures of watches I had seen. An enlarged picture was shown to present detail. Even some table model alarm clocks and wall-mounted units were included.

Mr Mourtos said, "Some mention different time zones."

"Push a button and names come up of major cities in each of the different time zones. Just select the one you want and the watch will adjust. All the watches will display the day of the week, month and date with a quick double push of a button."

"This is impossible."

"Mr Mourtos, is AT&T currently willing to pay me a lot of money for only one of my inventions?"

" — That is what I heard."

"Is Mr Holtzman becoming very rich with some of the other patents I hold?"

"I guess so. Why are you saying this?"

"By telling me it is impossible you are calling me a fraud or yourself a person with very little imagination. Since you are already wealthy I assume you have some vision as to what is possible. My ability to produce new things has been proven time and again."

"I'm sorry. I meant that this is miraculous. You have to admit that from my shoes, what you have said would usually be taken sceptically."

"That may be true but I'm not the usual person."

"Mr Rouson, would you like to make cheap resistors that are within half of one percent in tolerance?"

"I sure would if they are cheap to make."

"I have made a device that emits coherent light. You are already aware of this. What if you made a resistor then put a current through it? My laser could fire at the piece of carbon and burn tiny holes in it until it matched exactly what the resistor was rated at. With the circuits from the calculator a small program could automate the process so no additional personnel are needed."

"That sounds very interesting. So your laser cuts and I assume the holes are very small. What else can it do?"

"This subject alone would take all day. Let me say it can weld many materials that cannot be welded now. It can also cut most materials but they have to be thin. The laser can measure the distance to the moon with an accuracy of a thousandth of an inch. It can be used as a fountain pen sized pointer by projecting a read dot. It can be mounted on hand tools to show where the tool will intersect the material being cut. The list just goes on and on and I still haven't touched all of the small uses."

"Will you sell us your laser?"

"I will sell complete units and I will sell the partial or worldwide rights to some ideas."

Mr Rouson said, "If the laser is as you say I will buy all the rights for a million dollars cash."

I didn't laugh at him but said as if to a child, "Did you know that AT&T offered us a lowball figure of three and a half million for my voice circuit? It was rejected because the figure is worth ten times that. AT&T has to expand and with current technology it cost hundreds of millions of dollars to do so. With my device they will save most of that money. If you offered me a great deal more I would consider it but then I would still be able to come up with better units that don't come under the original patents. It's a much better idea to work with me instead of competing."

"You mentioned some billion dollar ideas on the phone."

"I will get to that but I want to mention that a laser beam runs at the frequency of infrared, visible, ultraviolet and soon at what x-rays work at. At just the visible band I can take all the radio stations of all the world and carry them on one of my laser beams. What do you see this doing for AT&T?"

The man now started to sweat. He looked down and I had to believe that his mind was working feverishly. With a controlled look he said, "I assume they would save a lot of money on copper."

"That they would. Now what if I put a great many television channels on that same beam and the average household was able to receive the signal for a fixed fee each month?"

Mr Rouson smiled and said, "But I believe coaxial cable could do the same thing."

"It can but then I could use my laser for sending the picture of myself to the one I am calling and receive one from them in turn. Not a still picture but what I am calling 'real time events'.

"Cable can do that too."

"AT&T won't let cable get into that part of their business. I can still send music as if from radio stations but now I reach everybody. Movies will now go to the theatre but after a year the rights can be purchased and now they go on my laser beams. High priced shows can be paid for by the show. Boxing matches will not be televised if the promoter is relying on selling seats. The event can now go out to all the world for a fee that cannot be recouped if transmitted by television."

A servant came in and whispered, "Sir, there is an important call for you."

When Mr Rouson left, Mr Mourtos said, "What things can you do for me?"

"I believe you are in shipbuilding."

"That is one of my businesses."

"I have a few machines that can cut thick steel very accurately and very quickly. I could licence both ideas to you so you could sell the units from another company with me as an equal partner."

"Do you have some figures?"

"Sorry, but I came up with the ideas but haven't built the actual units yet. Would you risk a fifty thousand dollars of your money to find out? I, of course, get all the patents and we have to sell the units to your shipbuilding companies."

"Fifty thousand is not much."

"It is so nice dealing with Americans or in this case Greek Americans. Canadians worry about each and every penny spent. We may have to alter the deal a bit. Mr Sackman is coming and he can put some of his money in and get a small share. Besides, we get somebody to make up the documents."

Mr Rouson came back and said, "Mr Leopold is arriving soon. Did I miss anything?"

Mr Mourtos said nothing so I mentioned just simple cheap ways of cutting metal that don't use the laser directly. This was not too useful in the electronic industry. These methods do work for sheet metal and they can be sold to the automotive sector and for making metal chassis' for televisions. I happen to know an entrepreneur that may sell you some units for a reasonable price, especially if you rave about their efficiency to those that could use the units." Both men seemed happy now.

"What else do you have for us Mr Congdon?" Mr Rouson asked as he pulled out a gold container for a cigarette. I took a plastic lighter out of my pocket and slid it across the table and he stopped what he was doing to pick the colourful plastic lighter up to investigate it.

In a moment he flicked it and the light came up about a half inch. "There is a small leaver. Push it more to the plus sign and try again."

The flame shot up and as the flame was still burning he manoeuvred the leaver to see it get almost three inches long to one that was very short.

"Quite ingenious. One of yours?"

"Yes, they come in a wide range of colours and designs. We're starting to sell them in Canada but it cost a lot to ship them over the border. I would like to manufacture them here."

"You have anything more in your pockets?"

I just brought out two pairs of eyeglasses and passed them over. "These have no magnifying power. Wear them then walk outside in the sunlight. Think of being on the golf course ready to drive a ball or on the deck or your yacht."

We all trooped out and in a few minutes we came back in. This time Mr Mourtos said, "They work so quickly. How is it done?"

"Some silver compounds are mixed with the molten glass of one pair of glasses while the pair with the plastic lenses are simply imbedded with a solution. Foster Grants are popular now and expensive. I can go to them with this idea or I could sell it to someone that will compete."

I took out a smoke alarm, even though the material was not supposed to leave the university.

"You are sleeping in a house or a hotel at night. This device is in the hallway and down the hall. Please blow some smoke at it."

They both got ready but it was Mr Mourtos that was first. The loud alarm frightened each of them but they stayed sitting.

"Quite a device. I was told about it but had not heard further."

"There is a minute amount of a weakly radioactive substance in it. There are currently some regulations that have to be satisfied before we can get the substance. I need somebody on this side of the border to help speed up the talks. A partner will do this out of self interest."

I opened my pouch and took out more drawings. These all related to the simple baby products but were not really patentable. No diapers or car seats were listed though. "These are of limited value for once they are made others will mimic the design. If one logo or company name is used then a mother will know the product is the best and will not purchase a substitute."

Mr Mourtos read the papers and said, "Wipes? Spoons? Training pants and sleepers? Is this a joke?"

"That is two times Mr Mourtos. I said they are of limited value. Disposable incomes will raise and mothers will join the work force. They need quick solutions and they need safety for their children. Wipes will be beside the baby whenever they are changed. A container of a hundred sheets is only a few dollars but there will be millions made. A simple spoon can sell for three times the price or given away as a promotion from a caring company. Our soother will not choke a child so it will be popular. A quality bag for a mother to carry with our logo on it will tell the world that the mother likes our products."

Mr Rouson said soothingly to me, "Those products can make some money but not a lot."

"Precisely, and then we sell the products that I have patented to a busy family." The next sheet came out with various sized disposable diapers. The next sheet was the patented braking device on a high quality stroller and the a similar device on a power lawnmower. Next came the baby bottle with the disposable liners. Childproof bottles and caps came after that. Then the magnetic strip for the fridge door.

"Gentlemen, the sheets are for some of the products we make money at. We cover a wide enough spectrum and we will have little competition. We sell some units cheaply and give some things away. A mother trusts our products and will buy them over a competitors."

Mr Rouson said, "There is something wrong here. The figure for your disposable diapers is much too high."

"Mr Rouson, these are not just my figures. Before you come to some rash decisions, I suggest you call some knowledgeable people in and ask them."

He said nothing but both men went over the sheets very thoroughly. I heard the doorbell and in a moment Mr Sackman came in with a tall thin man of thirty-five or so. I had seen a picture of him in the paper. I stood and nodded to both men until my host got up to do what he must.

I shook hands with the man and I saw that he had piercing blue eyes that seemed to go right through a person. I had met people like that before. Sometimes it was just the look that came naturally but other times it was one that was learned in front of a mirror.

Mr Leopold said, "I see you gentlemen have already begun."

Mr Rouson said, "A preliminary look at what is available. Some of the figures are — very high. All of them will make money though."

I said, "If those figures are high then you will not believe the rest."

"There is more?"

"Only the watch, calculator and my method of communicating on a light beam are completely new and difficult to grasp. The disposable diapers can be explained if any of you gentlemen wish to take the time to listen."

It was Leopold that said, "I for one would be very grateful to learn anything you have to teach."

"Thank you Sir, you are very kind." When everybody was seated I said, "Does anybody here know of my mathematical abilities? I'm not claiming mastery, only to being good in the field."

Again Mr Leopold said, "We have been informed. I for one have never heard of anybody your age even coming close. My company did some research on Mr Einstein when he was young and you are far superior."

"Thank you for the very kind comparison to that great man but I only mentioned it as a logical step to what I'm about to say next."

"Please go right ahead."

"There has been a tremendous increase in the number of children born during and after the war. Demographics is the gathering and use of statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it. I happen to be fairly knowledgeable in stats. As with all booms, this one of population will end. This 'baby boom' will disrupt society as it moves and ages. As a banker, I imagine that Mr Leopold has seen graphs of this and other graphs of what a family's disposable income should be."

"I have seen such data. It will increase very quickly I'm told."

"Thank you Sir. I'm emphasising that women are going to be entering the work force in great numbers and making a lot of money for their effort. They will not have the time that a housewife has in any given day. The husband is a product of our culture and will do little to assist in the family besides sit in front of a television and drink beer. The wife and mother will be hard pressed to do all the work"

Mr Mourtos said, "What is all this leading up to? I don't want to listen about babies and hard working mothers."

"Well perhaps I will conclude gentlemen. Thank you for your time and patients. I will get my family's property and find a hotel."

It was when I started to gather my papers that Mr Rouson said, "Please don't go. Some may not see some relevance but others do."

I continued to gather papers and now Mr Sackman said, "Mr Mourtos is just a busy man Jeff. He is very direct."

"We can carry this conversation on at a hotel. I should not have imposed on a stranger. I have no idea of how most of you think and you have no idea of what I consider proper and what is not."

Mr Leopold said, "Please Mr Congdon. Don't be swayed by one dissenting voice. I would like you to continue and I don't think we will have another outburst from Mr Mourtos."

Mr Mourtos said, "I am sorry Mr Congdon. As Mr Sackman said I am not good at meetings."

"I will continue then if you all agree." It looked like they did. "Well I was talking about a hard pressed woman that works for a living. She is in a bind. She can't get her no-good husband off his ass to help nor can she find better ways of doing what she must. I can't imagine any of you gentlemen ever changing diapers but I have. To lessen the torture, a disposable diaper is a godsend. There is no cleaning or a plastic pail with soaking and dirty diapers. A good fitting diaper is much better than a rectangular one and mine is patented. Plastic coatings keep in liquids and I hold that patent. It is really the tape that allows the diaper to be opened then closed if it is a false alarm that is worth a lot of money.

"A child will go through many diaper changes in his life and that adds up to a staggering amount of money. Families will be smaller but still there are a great many children born. Ask a hundred mothers how often they change their babies and then multiply the figure by the population growth figures and finally by the cost per diaper and you will see that my figures on the sheet of paper is very low. Very few mothers will use a cloth diaper when my product is made available."

Nobody spoke but Mr Leopold picked up the paper and looked at the figures. "I think you are right. If a comfortable replacement for a cloth diaper is found then it will be used. You have a figure of thirty percent using cloth and I think this figure is too high. What is your real figure?"

"Much closer to seven percent but most people would not believe this so I stayed with very conservative figures."

"This looks very interesting. The diaper's construction is simple. How much are you asking for the rights to manufacture this in the United States?"

"Fifty percent of the gross profits until the patents run out."

"That is a sizable amount Mr Congdon. What about copycat products?"

"As a test, give the print to a group of people and see if they can come up with a product that doesn't infringe on any of my patents. I would sell other similar products that will nearly double the profits."

"This I would like to hear."

"If any of you have aged relatives you will know or should know that many of them need adult diapers. It is a simple fact of life. The market is not as large as for babies but it will grow as the median age of our population shifts upward."

"The other product is similar. A woman from puberty to menopause has the need for small sanitary pads every month. I have made a variety of the pads that fit different ages and sizes. Again it is the adhesive and other features that will keep this pad in place while others shift. Again ask a hundred women at random what they think and what they would pay for a product like mine."

Mr Leopold said, "Yes, I can see that this may well indeed double the market. Is your share still the same?"

I didn't answer the question but said, "I am trying to make a new company that makes baby products. The napkins and diapers will bring in the most money but the other products need to be made and sold. When we cover the entire gauntlet of baby products then nobody will be able to compete with me."

I brought out more sheets dealing with the stroller and the brake it used, the car seat and the plastic baby basket and handed them to Mr Leopold. After he saw what was on the sheets I said, "If you look at the number of people killed when they do not have a seat belt as compared to those that do then you will see that there are a lot of needless deaths. A mother may not think of herself but she will buckle her baby in a special seat if it will save his life."

From my pocket I brought out all of the childproof bottles and put them on the table. Some were just the top portion of the bottle because of their size. "I have patented all of these too. More chemicals, cleaning products, poisons, drugs and other prescriptions will be filled as time goes on and will not be based on the simple growth of the population. A child can get into a lot of mischief and there are a great many that die each year. I now make plastic bottles. These are a portion of what I have patented. Please try to open them but remember that few infants can read the directions on the lid."

All four men wrestled with the caps. I heard some cursing until they read the directions. Up to this time, all caps screwed on, we even had one that snapped into place. I pulled out another group of sheets giving my estimation of the cost to produce and the probable return.

Mr Leopold said, "These are amazing Mr Congdon. I can see them worth some money but not as much as you have mentioned."

"I will put these products out for sale even if I have to import them from Canada. I will save documentation that specific companies have been contacted and offered my product. Some may not accept my offer. The next time a child dies or is seriously hurt by a product from one of these companies, I will act. I will suggest that the parents sue the company making the bottles, caps and mainly the company selling the dangerous product. It sounds very mercenary of me but the result will be fewer deaths. The companies involved still have to buy containers and they will just have to purchase mine or make their own."

Mr Leopold now smiled, "I had no idea you were so aggressive. I can see a court awarding some type of judgment but the parents are also to blame."

"That is true but they have no way of choosing a safer container. Even if the parents are found to be fifty percent negligent then the defendants will be found negligent for the remainder."

"Are you suggesting that one of us make these bottles and caps?"

"Oh, no. I am not in a position at the moment to pursue all the manufacturers of containers. One of you gentlemen may wish to sell the product for me for a percentage. I believe that there are some gatherings where the manufacturers of bottles meet to discuss problems within the industry. A speaker may address such a gathering and express the opinion of the legal community in regards to civil actions. I am positive that in time the government will demand that they accept these changes."

The doorbell rang again. Mr Leopold said, "Yes, I can see that happening. What kind of deal are you offering to the person selling your idea?"

I handed him another sheet of paper. It gave a low percentage but it was now based on a year's production of the bottles and caps. I wanted five cents a bottle and one cent would go to the person helping me. The number of bottles sold in this country was well over a hundred million. This worked out to a million dollars.

"If your figures are right Mr Congdon I will take this on."

I said, "I am lucky that Mr Sackman is here to assist." To Mr Sackman I said, "There are many more deals coming up. Will you continue to represent me? Some of those you may be one of the principles in the agreement."

"I will be happy to represent you Mr Congdon. It seems that Mr Leopold found a very lucrative deal with you."

"It is only a million dollars for a few meetings but I am going to load him down with monitoring the number of bottles and caps produced for both of us. I'm not going to be accused of creative bookkeeping." The last was said with a smile to both men.

Two more men came in and were introduced. Mr Sorensen was a tall Swede that looked to be a match for Mr Leopold. He was older at about forty-five but still stood very straight as if having to prove things in front of his peers.

Mr MacArthur was the same age but shorter and quite a bit heavier. This man I had not talked to yet and knew nothing of him except his name.

I had just got started again when another ring was heard so we waited. A short thin man of fifty came in accompanied by the butler. Mr Caplan smiled a lot and looked non-assertive and he too I did not know anything about.

Before I began this time I said, "Gentlemen, You have been able to find out a few things about me but I know next to nothing about each of you. Mr Caplan and MacArthur I know absolutely nothing about. Would Mr Caplan tell me a bit about his business dealings? I have asked the same about the others. This just allows me to focus better and to point out specific products."

The man in question smiled and in a soft voice said, "I'm nothing special. I own a few shares in a wide range of companies. I own some businesses in partnership others. They range from electrical manufacturing, mining, forestry and plastics."

"Would you expand on what electrical and plastic products you make? I may have some things of interest."

"The company makes electric ranges, refrigerators, air-conditioning units and a wide variety of hand tools. The plastics range from household articles to some toys."

Mr MacArthur said, "I have few shares in other companies and my interests are in partnerships and wholly owned businesses. I deal in commercial real estate, yacht building, an agricultural business, a major interest in a drug store chain and a minor interest in a drug manufacturing business."

"Thank you Mr MacArthur. I expect Mr Leopold will be talking to you after the meeting to interest you in a group of products he is helping me with." There was some chuckling and Mr Leopold just smiled at the gentleman. Mr Leopold just pushed the bottles and caps he had over to the man to investigate.

"Mr Caplan, I have some things of interest to you. I have a device that can be mounted in most electrical hand tools to give variable speed to that device. Yours work by lowering the voltage and current, which significantly effect the torque. My device can pick the portion of the electrical wave to start to conduct and thus runs at full power but for only a portion of each cycle. As an example, a toy electric train cannot be induced to climb a grade if it is stopped and the voltage is held low. My device will give full power that will turn the motor but then it will wait until the next pulse. It can now climb the grade slowly and even start again after stopping."

"That sounds interesting. Our own methods work very well though."

"Your customers are happy because they do not know of my invention. When a competitor buys the rights to my device then future sales will shift away from your company."

"Now back to Mr Caplan. I have some electrical devices that you could manufacture and market. One is a device much like the variable speed device I just spoke of but can control other devices. Incandescent lights are the focus. Many times there is a need for a more subdued lighting and this cheap device will deliver it. They are very efficient and little power is converted to heat."

"Next I have the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. It is a safety device that all washrooms should have. Hotels are one place where it will be mandatory. If a guest gets a shock then they have the option of suing. If there is a death then the same thing applies. One law suit could easily be more costly than the installation of this product.

"Another simple device is a switch that turns on a light by simply touching any metal part. A second touch of a finger turns it off or to a higher setting. There is no other switch needed.

"The electrical codes change every year as more and more dangers are lessened or removed. I currently own half interest in a small company that makes a new outlet. It is different in many ways though it will still accept standard connectors. It has a ground and the power is polarised by the neutral conductor now being wider. A breakaway connector can be used so each half of the plug is independent. This will be done in all new kitchens. Now a toaster and an electric kettle will not blow a fuse or cause a fire when plugged into a single outlet.

"Moulded plastic caps and connectors are now being made. They are much stronger and safer. There is no metal to touch because the screws are recessed. The grip on the wire is much stronger. The use of the ground connector is necessary for all future equipment if there is some exposed metal. Either we do this now and reap the benefits or somebody else will do it.

"A progressive plastics company can produce a dummy plastic insert to fit new and existing outlets so infants have less of a chance of getting shocked or electrocuted. Other plastic boxes can cover the entire outlet but still allow wire to leave the device. The plastic devices are not a multimillion dollar ideas but they will pay for themselves and let the mothers of this world know that a company is interested in their children's safety."

The toaster oven and the quartz heating rod were offered for sale. Bubble wrap was discussed and a small sample given out. Someone just had to break one of the bubbles though.

There was a lot of discussion now and I went over what I had said earlier in the day. Jane phoned and asked, "How is it going Jeff?"

"Still a lot of talking and it will last for days I think."

"So we can go to a restaurant?"

"You sure can."

"What you said was right I think. We are having a lot of fun though and will see you later in the day. Mr Mittle is very attentive and has many more points of interest to show us."

For the rest of the day we discussed the inventions I had mentioned and I insisted on discussing lasers, my proposed tape recorder, bug finder and voice encryption device among a great many others for the next day.

The three phone lines were in great demand as expert advice was called in. I went upstairs to my luggage and brought down some of the devices that were for sale. I showed them the basic electrical devices and the quartz tube.

The cook brought us lunch then hours later a supper. Around seven the family and friends returned but the talks continued. They wisely went to their rooms. They had little sleep on the way here and had some to catch up on. Meanwhile, my discussion with the potential investors continued.

We called it a night around midnight and most of the men went to their hotel. They had decided that the talks were important enough to call in expert help.

I slept with Paige but it was not a good time to make love. When we got up the next morning I saw Tom coming out of Susan and Maggie's room. He didn't see us. I felt happy but wondered if Maggie was sharing with her sister. Paige too smiled and cuddled to me.

I asked, "Do you think Jennifer is happy?" I knew Paige shouldn't inform on her friends.

"She might be. You will have to ask her yourself."

"I understand. I just don't want the boys to be so worn out they can't play." Paige just smiled.

Donald Mittle was already up and I could see that he found me more attractive than Paige. I was fairly sure it was not all the potential money I could make that was interesting him.

Mr Mourtos and Mr Rouson got up soon after and we started breakfast. The rest of the group came down and either was wide-awake or zombie like. The two men though wanted to get into the discussion before the others arrived.

Mr Mittle was chivvied to get the family out the door and enjoy the city. Jane and Maggie held Jamie protectively and when they left.

Mr Mourtos said, "Tell us about your other inventions now."

"I would rather wait till the others come so I do don't have to repeat myself. Besides, you were very interested in my cutting systems."

"Yes, yes but you said your laser could cut steel too."

"Only thin sections. The lasers won't be ready for a few months, anyway. We still have some bugs to work out."

"Can it be used as a weapon?"

"Yes it can. That will be presented to your military one day but it is not on the table for discussion."

"Can it hit a missile?"

"Mr Mourtos, I will not talk about it."

"If it can hit a missile then it will be worth a great deal."

"Tell me more of what you have interests in and I will try to fit the products you can use."

"I want the laser that can shoot a missile out of the sky."

"And I do not want to talk about it Mr Mourtos."

Mr Rouson tried to reason with the man but both wanted me to get what they could before the rest came. The sweet deal with Mr Leopold must still rankle them.

The two men argued so I went back to my room and began to pack. It was an hour later that the butler came up and said, "Mr Congdon, Mr Rouson wishes to inform you that the others have arrived."

"Thank you."

The people came in within five minutes of each other. Instead of six people there was now thirty-three. I went through what I had said yesterday but the going was slow as I was questioned on nearly every facet of what I said.

When Jane called around noon I asked her to come here. We broke for a meal right after I talked to Jane. The questions continued unabated as we ate. As we left the table the family arrived and I greeted them with a cheerful expression and said, "I don't think it is right to impose on Mr Rouson any longer."

Jane in a similar jocular voice said, "That's a shame. This house is beautiful and he has been very hospitable." She then walked past the assembled men and the family went upstairs.

Mr Leopold said, "Mr Congdon, are you aware that many hotel rooms are booked and you may have difficulty finding a suitable place to stay?"

"My standards are not that high Mr Leopold. We can either find a meeting room to work from or perhaps Mr Rouson will allow us all to use this room."

"I am sure he would."

Mr Rouson said, "I am truly sorry. Please, use my home. I will see that you are not disturbed again."

"Thank you Mr Rouson. I would like to use this room for our meeting. I find my presence upsets some of your other guests. With your knowledge of the city, would you recommend some hotels?"

"If you must leave I will search to find what is available. Please continue with your talk in the mean time."

I did as he asked and the questions continued. Only a fraction of what I had got through yesterday was covered by the time Mr Rouson informed me of possible solution. Two hotels that were close together had the requited number of rooms. This would mean that I had to separate the group, and this would probably be done by gender.

The looks Jamie had received convinced me to say, "Will you continue the search? I am not going to break up the group. We are in a foreign country and city. I feel very defensive toward my family and friends. I go to a great deal of trouble to ensure they are safe. Sometimes I have resorted to some rather drastic actions."

"I am aware of what you have had to do. We will continue the search."

A half hour later another hotel was found and Mr Mittle would now escort the family to the hotel. I said, "I am sorry for the delay but I will get settled in as little time as possible and I will return."

The hotel we found was adequate and I got the group settled. Maggie was given the bug detector and she and Susan went through all the rooms. Mr Mittle was downstairs waiting for me. I pulled Jamie aside and said, "I suppose that you know that Mr Mittle, Mr Mourtos and Mr Rouson all like your bum.

"I knew that Donald did. I kinda had a game with him. I would move away and he would follow then Jane or Maggie would come and just frustrate him."

"You were once a pure boy and now you are corrupted by some evil women, but they are our women. Please stay far away from those men." Jamie smiled.

Speaking loudly I said, "Go shopping. Buy bathing suits if you haven't already then try out the pool. Mr Johnson is expecting us on Tuesday afternoon."

I wrote down the two hotels that were mentioned by Mr Rouson. "Jane phone these two hotels and see if they have six rooms each. I want to see if there was a plan here or not."

Mr Mittle drove me back but now all I had was my leather pouch and some of the things I had shown yesterday and a few for today. He gave me a golden opportunity by saying, "Jamie told me that you rescued him from a very bad man."

"I do what is necessary to protect those under my care. Sometimes drastic measures are warranted. In Jamie's case I didn't even kill the man. I looked at him as he held the ruin of his eyeball. I had broken his jaw and permanently destroyed his testicles. I had to consider if he was worth saving to interrogate or to just kill him."

"How could you kill him?"

"I felt no remorse for my actions or pity for the man, after all, he was armed and meant to kill me. He had at least one gun that I knew of, but I could have just crushed his larynx. For a few seconds I considered taking out his other eyeball and leaving him to freeze. Instead his mob friends got him. It's a shame I was too aggressive. I could have quite a few delightful days just in idle conversations." I smiled as I said the last and Mittle tried to slide further from me. Perhaps he would think again if he were going to get near Jamie.

The meeting lasted until one this time and I asked when everyone would be coming next as it was Sunday. It was going to be early in the morning anyway.

On Sunday I got through what was my original day one. Around four on Monday, I pushed out more sheets that listed many of the other products I had to sell. All of the low-tech articles had been covered. They liked the smoke alarm very much. Without going into specifics I mentioned the response I got from my magnetic tape. The tape recorder was far from being built but I talked about what I knew it could do eventually. Its portability was listed but the cassette was only glossed over.

I explained the watch circuit this time and again I mentioned how I could get much more on a chip than anyone else. An hour later I began with the calculator. LEDs had been invented but they were not flat or in seven segments. They were really very poor in quality and performance. They also didn't have a chip to convert the signals into actual digits.

I called it quits at eleven. I promised to be back tomorrow but that I could only stay until noon.

Jane had told me when I saw her next that the hotels I had asked about were actually nearly full. That made me feel better but I still had a bad feeling about the three men.

Tuesday was disappointing. I had sold only a few ideas. All of them were for partnerships and no cash changed hands. There were no exclusive contracts so if my partners wanted to sit on the patent I could sell it to their competitors. On some deals where the start up cost was minimal I got my usual fifty percent with Mr Sackman getting ten. This would prove to be very profitable for him. Mr Sackman had to make a few contracts now to pay for his effort. The barter system had a lot of good points to it.

Mr Sackman accompanied us to see Sam Johnson. The two had been talking about the event and everything was set up. When we met I was thankful that none of the famous singers he managed were there. It would make the situation even more stressful.

Mr Johnson shook my hand and said, "Well we finally meet. I think you are one fine song writer and one great businessman."

"Thank you but how do you know about my business?"

"Ah, I heard that you were out there making money hand over fist."

"Not nearly as much as I thought I could get. I still have lots to sell."

"Anything for me?"

"A few things actually. What if I had a tape recorder that you could record two tracks with a third track for the time signature. You can combine the two tracks though then add another instrument on a forth track. It gives you room to add even more instruments. A musician could listen to the time beat and play and record any instrument. Then he can start over again and play another instrument. This can keep going until he has done a whole orchestra. What is even better about it, is that you can use the time signature to make alterations to the tape."

"Now that is one great idea. I could use one of those right now. How do I get a few?"

"They are not quite ready for sale yet but I have to say that there is also a special circuit that allows you to almost completely remove tape hiss."

"That too? How much?"

"They will be expensive but I can swing a deal for you too. When is the next time you people that run studios get together to discuss problems to your industry?"

"It is in the fall. Last year it was October I think."

"Well next meeting, you and I are going. You get our first unit and get to test it out. You have to bring a few engineers to the meeting and then help me flog my wares. I will sell you the unit for — say a dollar."

"I can afford quite a few at that price."

That day the girls sang 'Everybody' Somebody's Fool' then continued on with 'Chapel Of Love'. They didn't stop there and sang three more songs not put up for sale yet. Tom and his band did very well and after a break they did 'Duelling Banjos'.

Mr Sackman said, "How were they Sam?"

Sam pulled me to his office and said seriously, "Those boys are good but they are not great. The girls are better and if they had a better band they could go somewhere. If they all played your songs then the records will sell but they won't hit number one like some other performers could push your songs."

"Mr Johnson, two of those girls are my sisters, another will be my wife. All the rest are very good friends. What is your best advice as to how they could make use of the material and be known as professional singers and a professional band?"

"There is a lot of good music out there and you are the cause of it. I would have to say that the band and the girls should get some professional help. They come back next spring and we will record the songs. Just after the school year ends in Canada they return here and I will take care of them. You send that fiancée of yours too. I will give them a group of chaperons that a convent will be proud of. When the summer ends the band stays and the three older girls. You get your girl back for school and I see if I can keep the group going for a year or so."

"The plan sound good. What about my mother and possibly Paige's being part of the chaperone group?"

"I was hoping that would happen."

"This whole venture was really for fun and give them some personal growth. My corporation here is the one that is financing all this. What will they get per record sold?"

"Because it is you I will give them the same deal as what I give Elvis. He makes some money from records but the money is in the public appearances. I pay transportation, meals, and costumes, basically everything. They will collectively get thirty percent of the gross gate receipts."

"What value do you see thirty percent being on the average?"

"Somewhere between two and two and a half thousand dollars."

I asked Mr Sackman, "What do you think of this?"

"It's fair, especially to completely unknowns. Mr Johnson has more mouths to feed, transport and find beds for than if they were older. If they do very well then the audiences will increase and so will the money they receive."

"Well let's give them the news. They are probably biting their toenails by now."

As predicted the news of no immediate record hurt but the prospect of an almost assured contract made them feel very good. In three months all but Jamie, Paige and Maggie would graduate. College might do them great but I had work for them without it. None of them were academics but the girls could keep books and the boys could work as tradesmen if they worked hard.

Johnson said, "This Friday we are having a small party at my place. You are all invited to come. You never can tell who could show up." Now this took them out of the doldrums.

Sam seemed to be thinking then said, "Kids are usually a pain — well never mind. They are in the way or asking too many questions. If you stay out of my way you can come to the studio and see how we operate and what kind of competition you are really up against. Some groups or singers are bad and some are good but very few are great. You guys may or may not make the grade but you have enough backing to get a try, thanks to Mr Congdon."

He was then kissed by the girls while the boys had to wait to shake his hand. I think Jamie would rather kiss but he acted properly.

The next day we went out shopping for party wear. It had to be stylish but still casual. I dressed a bit less casual but not much. I got to see a bit of the city and now those around me told me about what I was seeing. In 1982 I had come here and saw the same city but I never got a tour.

Wednesday night I got some phone calls from those people at the meeting asking for some time for a private chat. I had to control the times and duration of any meetings or I would not be able to meet everyone.

Mr Rouson wanted to know about the laser as a weapon. "I have very simple devices with low power. It will take many decades of expensive research before they can be made into a real weapon. I estimate that an effective weapon will not come about until the end of the century."

"We could help you."

"Mr Rouson, I invent things and try to find some use for them. I want a lot of money for other projects. Laser research has to be done with a lot of government funding for the costs are astronomical." This wasn't that true but I wanted him off my back.

"We could arrange for your funding."

"I don't have a suitable product yet to put forward. In a few years that might change."

"We could finance you in the short term."

"I don't want partners in this. It is too new of an invention and too new of a field. I work on my own projects and work on lasers when it suits me. I am not interested in the weapon's aspect now and may never be. When I publish or put the laser on the market then you can play to your heart's content but don't infringe on my patents."

Mr MacArthur at the next meeting asked, "Can you just sell me the rights to the small bottles instead of going through Leopold? I can save a bit more and you can make more too."

"I'm sorry Mr MacArthur. The contract is signed and I will only enforce the opt out clause if I find that Mr Leopold is not holding up his end of the deal."

I sold the Ziploc bag concept but now others wanted in on the deal when they saw that it could really make money. "Talk to Mr Caplin about the bags. He may not be able to cover the entire country from his plant. If this proves true we may contract out some of the production. I am through explaining myself to men as short-sighted as some of you appear to be."



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Chapter 31


The trip home was not as exciting as the one going south. We had slept on the flight with the help of hypnosis. The band members were not involved in this.

Angela's parents and Paige's came over and the group let them in on the details. The highlight was to meet some of the professional singers. Everyone here had a chance to shake hands with Elvis among others.

I received some good and bad news too. The city fathers were having a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the sale of the land. A clause was attached where they lobbied the provincial government for funds for the overpass.

The bad news was that we were going through a major audit. Bookkeeping had evolved over the years and actually got better as time went on. This better method was what we now used. The visit also meant that we were disrupted in the way we ran out businesses. If the taxman was checking the books then they had them not us.

I think they were particularly incensed in how they could not get their hands on the funds from the American corporation. I took no personal funds for myself and would let the money accumulate until one day when the laws were changed. I expected the American taxman to take an interest in me too.

Edgar had made some of the neodymium alloyed YAG. The crystal of yttrium-aluminum-garnet was small at first but he had made a few larger samples to get the feel for the equipment. The crystals were so hard that grinding flat surfaces on them was difficult. He resorted to using a machine shop to surface grind the two surfaces so they would be at least close to parallel. One of the engineers had once made lenses for a homemade telescope, so he got the job of the final polish.

Miss Floit was very happy for us. She was like one of the girls when the celebrities were mentioned. She listened attentively to Sam Johnson's advice and made her own suggestions.

The group didn't take it too hard that they had to practice more and Miss Floit gave her estimations on how long a professional had to practice each and every day. This meant that we needed a better place to practice and one that would be open for longer periods of time. The school was not good for this normally but I had an idea.

In my future I had supported scouting and some of the troops would meet at schools. The scout troops paid a nominal fee of ten dollars a year. In return, the school granted the scouts restricted access to the property. I offered Miss Floit a contract to now spend much more of her time with the band and she could use the school. We weren't quite a charitable organisation but we should still get to qualify if the school board was willing. In the mean time, an ad would have to be posted locally then in Toronto for professional musicians willing to teach.

Mark Fenton came to the music class too. He had done so only sporadically so I knew he was either not ready to let his friends see him involved with music or he had other concerns.

"Did you really see Elvis?"

"I talked to him and I mentioned your name. He said that he had similar problems but he was not that big in sports. His friends were more supportive of his efforts though."

"You mentioned me! Wow. I should have worked harder with you guys."

"You still can. Come to the practices and I will give you some other music. You have a year to get in shape. Mr Johnson said the gate revenues are two to two and a half thousand each night. That works out to at least two hundred dollars each. What do you think of making fourteen hundred dollars a week?"

"I could get a new car and even a house of my own."

"You are on the road all the time and you will get lonely. Save your money and you can buy a palace or invest it in a business. If your music doesn't carry you far you still have something to fall back on."

The group was now celebrities in school and it was better than just being associated with me.

My classes were better too and I went back to being a dopey kid. Much of the trip I downplayed but said that the rest had much more fun. Tuesday was much the same but the notoriety was beginning to wear off.

Warren Sondly, was at the next city council meeting. I was there with a clipboard as James' flunky. When the meeting got to order Sondly presented his companions and gave out government data on development. He went over his case one more time then called up the men with him. One was a professional economist. He told the city fathers that they had to accept the sting of selling the property and upgrading the services to encourage growth. The economist highlighted long-term gains the city would reap. An engineer got up and explained what the lots were lacking and how to remedy the situation. We needed much more electricity, sewers and water had to be upgraded and a myriad of other small details. The economist got back up and gave the costs of the upgrades then the way to pay for it. We were shooting for a tax break until we were on our feet.

Sondly then showed the steel under the velvet glove when he discussed the cost of building outside Toronto. This was seen as a much more favourable place to build and then he hit them with our untrained and small work force. He continued to push with all the bad economic points of manufacturing here.

The council had a vote right away and it was ten for and two against the sale. The only opposition was the price we were going to pay for all the land. The price was much lower than I had anticipated and the city was going to come up with the money to put in the services with us sharing a portion so they would all be underground.

We went to the best restaurant in town to celebrate our victory. I had saved nearly twenty thousand dollars in all over what I had originally estimated even when including what I had to pay Mr Sondly. I kept a low profile and the adults around the table never spoke directly to me.

I knew that tomorrow night there would not be any unemployed construction workers and quite a few labourers' jobs would be filled.

School changed little in the next week except now the parents of the students saw things as being more upbeat. The aggregate building was gutted. James suggestion was used and a section of floor was removed. The rock beneath was prepared then a form placed around it. Concrete and steel went in so we had a good place to anchor our equipment.

Another section of floor was ripped up and treated similarly but here we would have the area for producing the material for the laser rods. Power that had gone to the building for the crusher now came here. The crusher though was now back where it used to be.

Edgar was here most of the time; for this was his baby. We had gone over a lot of plans. We not only had to make the lasers here but use them. This required safety and a lot of power. He was not sure about burning through a wall and through a person but he did take my advice. Our lasers would not be that strong but could eventually go through a wall then the next time into a person on the other side.

My birthday was coming up soon and the family was planning a party. They didn't hide the party planning from me. I was going to get a large orange cake; and that was all I wanted. All the rest I already had.

The day before the my birthday, Goldbalm's trial started. The jury, picked months ago, would finally be seated. Reporters came in droves and my suggestion to search some of those entering was followed. The local police had let dear old Tony die on them and had come under some fire for not being sharp enough. The time consuming pat-down searches gave me the idea for the wand type metal detector.

I had my own summons but I didn't have to attend every day. Jamie though was getting more upset as his time on the stand approached. Trials usually were over quickly with less of the bullshit that cost so much later in the century. With the legal might behind Goldbalm, I was sure he was going to be an exception.

My birthday party was well attended. The girls all vacated to friends houses while the guests were allowed the beds and floor space. Engineers, construction workers and those in management attended. There was even some room for some of the younger crowd.

John and Corinne had come but so had Mr Berger and a few more of the engineers from to Toronto. Edgar was showing the men a short rod only eight inches long and a bit over a quarter inch in diameter. The ends were cut at the Brewster angle. This was protected in a wood box with some cut out foam.

Mr. Berger asked in a hushed voice, "It works?"

Edgar in a similar voice said, "It was made exactly to the specifications I was given. The flash tube and power supply is set up. All we need to do is mount this rod and position the mirrors. We worked all night on this and I thought it would be a good birthday present for Jeff."

"I do to. When are we going to try it?

"After the party. We go to the lab and we take pictures then assemble the device. We get to test it for the first time."

"Is that wise?"

"Why?"

"If it doesn't work then it isn't much of a birthday present."

"I trust Jeff. If he says it works then it works. He is already talking of making solid-state lasers, then using them to power this crystal. He wants to put a hundred kilowatts into the system."

"I wonder what it will do?"

"He just smiles and say that it will make a lot of money."

It was much later in the party when I found out about the readiness of the laser project. I asked Edgar, "Did my guests know about this before the party?"

"We were doing a lot of research on this project and needed some help."

"Edgar!"

"Yes they did."

I blew out the candles and had some cake. Charley got a big piece because he liked the cake and I said, "You are a growing boy and need the calories." The fact that he was older than what my father would be didn't matter.

I got a great many presents. Most were clothes and some were gag gifts. Paige had made me two pairs of pants and three shirts. I inspected the stitches in front of her and said, "Thank you. The stitching is perfect. Then again so are you." I got a nice kiss too.

We got in the cars that made a lot of trips to the lab. The family didn't know of this place but had known that I had a building somewhere. Ian was one of those that smiled a lot because he had been the one to check the building with me. The interior of the building was only partially renovated. The lab, our crystal growing section, the kitchen and a few bedrooms were all that had been completed. Workmen were still on the job trying to complete the rest as soon as possible.

Edgar and two of the engineers gave their impromptu explanations and the laser rod was put in pace and secured. Pictures were taken both before and after. The mirrors were very close to the rod and I pointed out to Mr Berger that they were the ones I made in his lab not too long ago.

A shroud went over the flash tube and another one over this to keep most of the light and stray laser action inside. If the crystal worked it would emit light at 1064 nanometres. This was in the long wave infrared, and could be transmitted with fused quartz with little loss.

A target was mounted in front of the partially silvered mirror. It was a simple sheet of paper. We left the room and the doors closed. The room was as light tight as we could make it. The building lights dimmed for a second then resumed their usual brightness.

Edgar said, "It's safe." He opened the door and the rest of us trooped in. The room was large enough for all of us even if most could not see."

From the front I heard, "Well, I'll be damned. The thing worked."

Questions were thrown to the Edgar and he said officially, "The paper target now has a hole in it." I was given the paper and saw a small hole cut neatly near the middle. I took out a pen and moved to the shroud. I circled the hole and wrote the time and date along with the experiment number then signed my name.

I said, "Ladies and gentlemen. We have a device that exhibits laser action by burning a hole through a single sheet of paper. Please sign your names on this and I will keep this as a memento. For hundreds of years this day will be remembered. After that it will be looked on as we now do Galileo Galilei's experiments."

Everyone signed the paper and I called the construction workers to add their names. There was room so that everybody could share in this accomplishment.

More experiments took place and we found that the laser could have cut thirty seven sheets of paper with the first blast, not just one. A multiple burst cut much more. Metal was also used as a target but only the very thinnest could be cut.

I said to Edgar, "Our doping mixture was wrong. Increase the neodymium by half. You better cut the amount by half and make one more. We can get an idea of where to go."

"Can I make the ruby?"

"If you make another device."

To the group I said, "The device works but it needs a lot of tweaking. We need new rods but we have to work with the lenses next time. They will focus the power to a spot that will cut better. North American Development and CanAm Industries of the United States has directed me to give you a certificate of this event but as usual head office doesn't always have things in the proper order. They will be given to you at a later date." I was trying to distance myself from the two corporations. I was James' flunky but now I was an inventor working for the corporation.

The younger crowd went back home and I thanked Edgar for his gift. I thought it would take weeks longer this time. We stayed late and food was sent in. The engineers knew that this was historic and didn't want to leave. I put them to work even in their suits to see what we could do to improve things.

James Slatter, and Charlie Turner were the two mechanical engineers that had made the device for making crystals. They had not really broken new ground because rubies had been made this way for a long time. They had just improved the system somewhat. They were now going over the system to improve it even more.

John didn't go home that night as originally planned. Corinne stayed with her mommies and was just as happy being here. The engineers used the beds for a few hours sleep but got back to the laser trying to find out its secrets. I gave a course in physics to teach them about the electrons falling back into a state of rest and giving up energy proportional to the drop. This explained some of the light we were getting. The crystal was not pure and other materials were adding their effect.

I wanted to use erbium in place of neodymium in some applications. This unit was used in medical lasers and was of higher frequency but still into the infrared. I was lucky to remember the figure for the neodymium. My doctor was going to use the erbium device on my prostrate and went into a long song and dance about using fluoride glass as the only thing to conduct the light.

The news of the day was when I talked of a possible new laser using the gadolinium-gallium-garnet that was doped with neodymium or what was called Nd:GGG. It happened to be slightly more efficient than the neodymium doped YAG and was at a different frequency. This is what the 150-kilowatt weapon developed in 2007. It had taken years to develop. With a good computer it had shot down a missile in flight from a Humvee especially made for the job. The laser mounted in the newest fighter also could use it. This vehicle had 27,000 horsepower engines and was well able to handle the power requirements.

We lost a lot of sleep but we now had a better understanding of this particular device. We had to manufacture good goggles too. I had seen them and worn them but never knew what they were made of. I assumed they were made for different lasers.

I was not so lucky on Monday. I used a spare and the regular class but didn't find any new compounds. Word had got back of my affiliation with NADI and how my 'fancy flashlight' had worked. Some kidded me about having a ray gun and I had to ham it up to make less of it. I said it was simply for cutting some thin metal.

After school Charley got me and we went to the lab. I found a lot of the engineers still around, and all in an unkempt, excited, and sleep deprived state. Edgar was in no better shape. I had certainly picked well for a dedicated individual. Edgar now took me to the laser room and I found another laser nearby.

I asked of nobody in general, "Ruby?"

"Yes," came Edgar's short reply.

"Work?"

"Of course."

"Good."

We didn't even turn it on and apparently Edgar had and looked at it. "What's it good for. It can't cut or am I doing something wrong."

"It is not used for that. We get glasses made and use the visible light laser for demonstrations. We can increase the power of both lasers by putting a camera shutter in front of the laser while it is running. The pressure builds up in a way and you get a surge when the shutter opens."

"Now that sounds interesting. I made the half strength alloy crystal you call the YAG. It is not finished being ground. I was going to make a three quarter too."

"That is fine with me. Have you got somebody that is doing nothing at the moment that should have a job? Maybe he can assemble the carbon dioxide laser for us.

Edgar said to Charley, "You got stuff to learn about plastics?"

"There is a hell of a lot to know."

"Wanta' play hooky for a week or two? Just work and then line things up but it has to be perfect. You get the same pay and more hours but maybe a place in the history books."

"Well, if I gotta, I gotta. Where do I start?"

I left the two and went around and checked the people working hard to get the building finished in time. One of the contractors was here helping and I went over to him. He owned one of the six general contracting companies around. "Hello Mr Webber.

"Hello Mr Congdon. I hear you made quite a stir here yesterday."

"I very much hope so but not for myself. People act funny around me and I don't like that."

"I know what you mean. What can I do for you?"

"Can you use some young people after school to do odd jobs or to learn a trade?"

"You want to learn how to slop on plaster?"

"Not for me. I have too much on my plate right now. I know some young people that need a job. You might get your job done here quicker and on to the next."

"It is either feast of famine. We had too much famine but I can probably find jobs for a few people."

"Doing what for a start?"

"Cleaning up, mixing plaster, painting, nailing lathe, even running all that extra wire you want."

"What are you offering?"

"You are paying us a fair wage so I can afford fifty cents an hour if they work. If they don't I will talk to you about it before I boot their asses off the site."

"Boot their asses first then tell me exactly why. The corporation needs some good workers that are smart and dependable. Just give me an update once in a while and I will see about getting more if you can use them."

Edgar was still talking to Charley and I waited until he was done. "Edgar I need something like a periscope. The laser beam is horizontal. It needs to go straight down and through a fused quartz lens. We put a frame underneath the lens. Do you know what a pantograph is?"

"No."

"It is an old invention made up of a light framework of four bars. When a pen is attached to one point it will copy what is done exactly with another pen. It can enlarge or make smaller but it is always together."

"I saw something like that made out of thin pieces of wood."

"That's it. I have some metal sheets of a substance called mu-metal. I want to cut them with the laser. I want to be accurate so I just make a very large piece of what I want then trace it. I only need a few hundred pieces but less than a dozen at a time until I get the head done right."

"What's it for?"

"I want to make a new head for a tape recorder. Nothing drastically new only now I can say it was cut with laser accuracy. Kinda catchy isn't it?"

"A head is pretty small."

"Yes it is and I cut one part then move the template and cut another and another. Six by six is good enough for me but a bigger one may be useful for other things."

"Who am I going to get?"

"You got engineers coming out of the woodwork. Grab one and put him to work. Just tell him he is breaking new ground."

"It worked for Charley, I guess it will work for this too. Anything else?"

"Sure. I am going to build a big water pump. Water will be ejected at 60,000 pounds to the square inch or more. The water will wear anything in time, including a diamond. I need a very strong cap with a lot of thread on it with a small hole at one end. The metal is thick and inside you epoxy a big ruby. You take this toy here and line up the beam and cut a tiny hole through the ruby and along the axis of the tube."

"Doesn't sound too hard. I can practice cutting rubies tomorrow to know what to expect. You going to make the drawing?"

"I got it here."

He looked at the simple device and said. "Thick and heavy but still simple."

"Remember about that shutter I mentioned?"

"Yes."

"You may need it." This was the Q-switch I was talking about and until I got a dye cell or something else set up, we will have to go with metal shutters.

Charley drove me home then went back to start his own tasks. From the speed he was going, I was sure he was anxious. Jamie and the girls were still at school working on their music. Jane and I had the first free time in a while. She said, "Do you want to check the mattress upstairs."

With a bit smile I said, "We can knock out any lumps."

She ran ahead of me to the room and quickly shed her clothes then watched me. I went slow on purpose and folded my clothes before placing them on the chair.

Jane was very anxious and I could readily smell her scent. When I stood on the floor she just kneeled and engulfed me. Her hands held my cheeks and she worked quickly.

I put two hands in her hair and squeezed. When I had a good grip I just got her to slow down. "Hmmmm horny all day?"

Jane nodded her head.

"Poor little slut. Poppa will give you what you need."

She nodded again even against the pull of my hands. One day I was going to tie her up and see just how submissive she was.

Close to an hour later there was only a tired and depleted young man in the house along with a thoroughly happy woman lying beside him.

"Jane, I have been thinking of getting a new home."

"That's nice, but what about Paige? She has always lived right next to you."

"I have been working on that too, and I found a partial solution."

"What is it?"

"The lot has two houses on it. I get Nora and Jack to move into one and Paige is only a few hundred yards further away."

"Hmmmm, that is a big lot."

"Yes it is. It was a farm a long time ago but the houses that were put up since are fairly modern."

"Did you buy them already?"

"Yes I did but I don't want to move in unless Paige's family want to go too."

"Just ask them. They have to see the house first then think of the cost of moving. They rent their home."

"Housing prices are going to go up and they can get a better price latter."

"Can I see the house?"

"I saw it four months ago. The insides had to be ripped out. I had much better insulation, electricity and plumbing put in. They had a basement like ours, so some contractors picked the house up and moved it to one side. They removed the basement floor and foundation then dug a lot deeper. The house will be going back on the new foundations this week I'm told. I even built myself a shop. This one is basically another home. There is a kitchen, bath and a very large area to work."

"Is there a bedroom?"

"Well — there just might be. You interested in testing out the springs?"

"You are too precious to me. We need to do this."

"I think Paige will want to try it first."

"As long as I get a try too."

When we got downstairs, Jane set the table. The food only had to be reheated. I called Ian's house and got his mother.

"Oh, he's downstairs in his gym."

"He is getting thinner and if we raced again he would be in the centre of the pack and not close to the end with me. I have been exercising too but it is even more difficult to find time. At one time I could just let my mind wander and I lifted weights. Now I have to work my muscles and my mind at the same time."

"Oh, but you lit a fire in him. He listens to what Janice says and I think she is a good girl for him. You have my thanks for introducing them. He has changed so much."

"I think Janice has changed too. Both are acting much more responsibly now. Their grades have improved as well."

The mother asked, "What do you think of them in years to come?"

"It is hard to say. Both have matured. I know what I want but as you know I am not the same as everybody else."

"No, you're not. I'll go call Ian."

Ian was breathing hard when he got to the phone. "Hi Jeff. How are you doing?"

"Not bad. You were talking to me about not having enough money to take Janice out."

"Yes, jobs are not easy to find. My dad was laid off for a long time until just a month ago."

"Do you remember the building with my laser?"

"How can could I forget?"

"You will find an man by the name of Mr Webber working there. See him about an after school job. It's working with plaster and some clean up. It may work towards an apprenticeship. The pay is half a buck an hour. If you want, you can see him tomorrow. You better not neglect your schoolwork. Janice will understand."

"Half a dollar! That's great. None of the guys I know are making that much."

"Do you have safety shoes?"

"I can use my heavy boots."

"Do you want the job Ian?"

"Sure I do."

"Get the boots. There is a safety policy on the job. You have to wear the right equipment."

"Ok."

There actually was such a policy and two men were fired for thinking it foolish. The firings had now totalled three when the electrician was factored in.

Sam got a similar call. He was not as committed as Ian but he was still a friend. He balked at the shoes until I mentioned two journeymen being fired over them.

Mark Fenton was next. I didn't know if he was going to go with music or the labour force. For him I said he could start in two weeks if he felt like it. This way I had two weeks to convince him to try music.

Tomorrow was my day in court. I figured they would be questioning me all day tomorrow and possibly the next. Goldbalm had good shysters, and they were paid to get results.

The girls and Jamie came home late and exhausted. They ate a late meal and complained how hard it was in Music. They knew how much a professional practised but they only spent half of that time.

The next day it was rainy and cold, exactly how I felt inside. I got up early and made my own breakfast. As I finished, Jane came downstairs. She gave me a warm smile and said, "It will be alright. You're a fighter."

I was a fighter and for a long time I was thinking about today. It was not with just some nebulous dread but with some idea of what I faced. Mr Mason and John had told me of what ways they might go and in each case what they would ask.

Jane was not called as a witness. Goldbalm must know her history but also knew that there was very little he could do to expose it. If she were called the Crown Attorney was going to ask about how Goldbalm tried to push his way into our house and to that of Nora's while her husband was at work.

Jamie was the one most at risk. His history was known, yet if Jamie were pulled down, Jamie would be the one to pull Goldbalm down on paedophile charges. It was more or less decided that Jamie would just be a weapon aimed at me. Jamie would then be known to have homosexual tendencies. This was countered by explaining that his family was homophobic. I had Doctor Madeline Davits summoned and she would explain how Jamie was no different than any other child when growing up. She was going to point the finger at Goldbalm for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and to perverting his skills as a psychiatrist to make his patient do what he had done.

Jamie and the girls came down and I could see that Jamie was already upset. He had slept last night only because I use a trigger phrase that put him to sleep. "Jeff, I should go with you."

"I wouldn't mind you coming but it is not going to be nice. Your turn will come and it is better to be fresh when it happens."

I left for the courthouse as they ate breakfast. Trials are seldom started early but the judge, in a pique of anger, made the starting time at eight o'clock. There would be no waiting if some lawyers were late. He said, "The cells downstairs will ensure that you are not late a second time." This was in retaliation to all the ways the Goldbalm's lawyers ran roughshod over the system, and, perhaps a bit by the way Goldbalm himself used the courts to harass me.

I arrived early and the reporters swooped down on me like vultures. I guess the word had spread for they acted with a modicum of politeness. This too had been worked on and I tried to present myself as a modern day David going against three Goliaths that would do what they could to get their client off. I cautioned the reporters to act responsibly. Searching for some form of sensationalism could hurt those that society was supposed to protect.

The trial started with a few motions being put forward. Mr Harper, the magistrate, casually shot them down and gave a good reason. He didn't want this case to go to appeal and be lost on something he did wrong.

Goldbalm sat as if this was all happening to somebody else and he was just noting events for his records.

The witness from the previous day was called back and now the crown attorney asked a few more questions to clarify the situation. The defence only asked one question and tried to make the jury believe that the witness was mentally unstable.

I was called next and Judge Harper himself bent over and said, "Do you really know what you are swearing to."

"Yes sir." Being just thirteen gave me protection but also made my words tinged with the misunderstandings of a callow youth.

The Crown Attorney asked me to use my own words and talk about how I had first met Goldbalm. I did so and tried to be as factual as I could. Some things I had to avoid mentioning like him coming to our home or this would then involve Jane.

The defence attorneys interrupted as many times as they could but it didn't help them much. Other questions were about the bugs and I explained how I found them and what I did to trace them to the transmitters.

Through many more objections I talked about Alice and Joyce. I mentioned not just the odd behaviour but also their apparent age discrepancies.

When the defence lawyers started, they tag teamed me and didn't start easy. I think they wanted me to cry and show that I was a child though many a adults would have started to blubber under their relentless assault. I usually smiled as if I had some secret thoughts that I was hiding as I watched some silly actions of a foolish group of men.

Goldbalm was caught very well for the case against him for conspiracy to commit perjury was a done deal. He was fighting now only with regards to using Joyce and Alice to spy on me, to use a man to induce a boy to do an indecent act and a whole raft of charges when he twisted Jamie's mind around.

They tried to word their question so I was forced to make me look bad. "Do you want to have sex with James Sutherland?"

The Crown Attorney tried to remove the question stricken but the three lawyers fought to get it answered.

I smiled condescendingly at them and said simply, "No."

They tried many ways to nip away at the statement by asking if I thought he was cute.

I replied, "He sure is."

"Have you ever kissed him?"

"Lots of times."

This shocked the room and they continued to hammer at me but never gave me an avenue to explain.

"Have you kissed another boy?"

This got another rise from the Crown Attorney but again it was shot down.

I replied, "Yes."

They smelt blood and asked whom. I replied, "My daddy. Sometimes when he put me to bed and sometimes when he woke me up in the morning."

They tried to say that my father and I were having sex and I just smiled at them very widely and said, "No."

"Did you ever have sex with a boy by the name of Jason Matthews?"

This time I laughed and with a very big smile said, "No."

"Jeff, tell me why you are laughing?"

"You abuse me all morning. I'm Mr Congdon to you. Do you really want me to answer that question in court?"

"Answer the question."

"You're foolish."

"Foolish?"

"Is that a question?"

"Yes it is."

"Then be more specific."

"Why do you think I am foolish?"

"I think you are foolish for bringing up Jason. It ties back to the original charge against your client and can now be brought up by the Crown Attorney again."

The man turned to the magistrate. "I would like his statements stricken from the court records. It demeans the court."

"I am afraid that is not good enough. The statement will remain."

The lawyer now tried to dig even harder to get under my skin. I stood and just put my elbow on the rail and then held my jaw as I watched the man rant. My other hand was rubbing my ass.

He finally got out, "Why are you not sitting?"

"You were carrying on so much you gave me a pain." I was still rubbing my ass. "Is there a statute in the criminal code that requires me to sit on a hard chair all the time?"

The court saw the levity in the matter and laughed.

We finally broke for lunch. Mr Mason said, "Jeff, why did you let him continue like that? You are still only thirteen and we could have stopped it."

"I was just giving them enough rope. I will harass them back as much as I can. Perhaps I can get them even angrier."

"You are doing a good job so far."

After lunch the barrage of questions continued but now by one of the other attorneys. The Crown Attorney shot many down for being irrelevant, demeaning or plain abusive.

Out of the blue one attorney asked, "Did you have sexual relations with Alice Henderson?"

"A few times," I said with no hesitation and my smile was back. There was a hush in the courtroom now.

"Will you tell us about it?"

"Since I told nobody about this — "

"Answer the question."

"Do you want to know how I kissed her breast and played with — "

"Just give the facts without going into explicit detail."

"I walked her home and she invited me in. She took me to her room and overpowered me. I may have started puberty but if I did it was not for long. She had hold of a most delicate part of me. I was forced by Alice and then my hormones to cease any opposition. One thing led to another and I finally got to find out what all the hullabaloo was all about with sex."

"How would you rate your abilities?"

"How could I? This infers that I had seen other males and how well they have performed. Did you want to learn my technique?"

He glared at me and said, "Was that the only time?"

"No."

"Explain what happened."

"I came out of the boys washroom at school and was attacked by a male student. When he was ready to punch me I was against the wall with my hands around my books. Alice came out of nowhere and punched the guy then kicked him. She saved me from what could have been a nasty beating."

"What happened then?"

"Our principle, Mr Grissom came by and the guy attacks me again. This time Mr Grissom punches the guy to protect us."

"Come on Mr Congdon. What happened after that?"

"Oh, you want the good part. Well Alice apparently is very excited about the violence, and in this case she is very aroused sexually. She pushed me against the wall when everybody left for classes. Alice was going to get herself expelled and possibly me too. I pulled her into the washroom and this only inflamed her more. It might have been her or it may have been me but next I was sitting on the toilet and Alice was sitting on my lap facing me. She had no panties on and I had my pants down. Quite a while later Alice had a chance to recover and saw then where we were and said something like we could be expelled for this."

"So you had sex in the boys washroom?"

"No it was the girls. It cured her jitters and mine too I might add.

"Tell me the next time."

"Alice tried a lot of times but we never could find the right place and time."

"Where did you learn all this? A boy of twelve, that you said was just entering puberty, has to learn somewhere."

"When Alice is near me apparently both brains are functional and I pick up things by trial and error."

The lawyer kept trying to trap me into saying I had sex with others and in doing so hurt any relationship I had with Paige's parents. My time with Alice would surely hurt.

It was late in the court afternoon when I interrupted the latest tirade when I said, "Will you hold that important thought for a minute. I am thirteen with a thirteen-year-old's bladder."

The man was going full out and had to stop now while a recess was called. I did go for a piss but hurried back. It was just ten minutes later that they stopped their questioning.

The Crown Attorney now asked questions but acted like a grandfather to his favourite grandson.

"Jeff, you were asked earlier about kissing a boy. Would you explain that to the court?"

"Yes sir but I may have to go into some detail but I'll try to be brief."

"You go right ahead."

"Most of the world is family oriented. Some people are just unfeeling automatons with only a love for money. The sane hold each other when they cry or when they need it. I slept better when my father held me. My father was an honourable man. He helped bring me into this world and then followed with love and caring.

"Jamie suffered far more than many of us. I was his friend and he cried on many occasions. As a friend I hugged him and even kissed him. On those rare occasions when joy was the prominent emotion, we kissed but so did the rest of my family. It takes an evil mind to see sex behind every kiss and hug. Every mother that kisses her baby must be interested in sex then.

"That is enough Jeff. You said that you thought your friend Jamie was cute. Will you explain that?"

"I can best explain by analogy. Only the blind cannot see beauty when viewing Michelangelo's 'David'. The young man is — "

The defence interrupted. "Are we to get an art lesson here? Mr Congdon should just answer the question."

The magistrate said, "I would like to hear what the young man has to say. Please continue Mr Congdon."

"The statue is of a young man ready to go up against an apparently overwhelming enemy and does so without even clothing. I think very few people see the statue as just erotic. The young man is beautiful and the statue is very well proportioned. I enjoy the statue and see it as not just cute but beautiful beyond imagination. So far I have not been aroused sexually by the statue but I was morally."

"So you are saying that your friend Jamie is beautiful?"

"Objection. He is leading the witness."

The magistrate said, "I don't think so. It was the same words coming right back. Continue."

I said, "Jamie has a beautiful face, a kind heart and an infectious laugh. We have gone into gatherings and a great many people look at him more than the rest of us. I'm not the only one to admire what nature has wrought."

"Thank you Mr Congdon. Now will you explain your comment about the boy Jason?"

"Objection. This has nothing to do with this case."

The magistrate said, "I believe the defence had brought up the name and thought it important. Continue."

"Mrs Sandra Harrison called me to come to her motel room."

"Objection. This has already been covered in previous testimony."

The Crown Attorney said, "I believe this will shed new light on the matter your Honour."

"Continue."

"In the hotel room I was offered several sheets of paper with everything under the sun listed on them."

"Objection. The witness is speaking allegorically."

The Crown Attorney said, "It was quite clear to me what was said and no matter what Mr Congdon says, he is still a thirteen year-old boy."

"Proceed Mr Congdon."

"I was given sheets of paper with typed text, not hand written. The points listed a wide range of sexual activities or perversions. I might point out that I was not even into puberty at that time." The defence was going to jump up and the magistrate simply pointed at the man and he quieted.

"Jason died at the age of four and a half. He was roughly the same age as me. One paper started that I had sex with the boy. Quite a feat when I was that young. Mrs Harrison asked me what items on the list bothered me the most. She told me that she would ask her daughter to investigate further into these particular entries. While I thought on her words, I handed the papers to her so she could put a phone number on them so we could talk later. She avoided even touching the papers. That fact made me very wary now. When asked again for what bothered me the most I picked having sex with Jason. If this was a trap in some way it was one that I would know, not only where it came from and provably baseless."

"Objection your Honour. How could he have set a trap? He was just twelve years-old at the time."

The Crown Attorney said, "Your Honour. At the tender age of twelve, Mr Congdon passed a great many grade thirteen subjects. He made discoveries in physics and then explained those discoveries to experts. His grasp of mathematics may very well exceed every person in this room. He is able to see things that we cannot. At last count he has two hundred and seventeen patents to his name."

The magistrate said, "I agree with you. Continue."

"A great many small pieces of unrelated data came together when the paper was not touched. Jason had died very young and if the situation ever arose as what is happening right now, I could state the facts and show that the reason for going to the motel room was entrapment to find what I could be blackmailed with."

"Objection. The witness is alluding to other charges here that have not been made against my client."

"Perhaps the Crown Attorney will rectify that soon. Proceed."

When I said nothing, the Crown Attorney asked, "Are you finished?"

"Basically I am. I would like to say that the only time we may have acted inappropriately is when we were in his bathroom and both peed into the bowl at the same time. We laughed at how the flow of urine crossed each other and splashed when they collided."

There was a lot of laughter in the room and even the magistrate chuckled. The magistrate then called a recess until tomorrow. Goldbalm just stared at me like he had done before as if trying to read my mind or facial characteristics. The guards stood close because he was still in custody.

The reporters were there when I left and asked a lot more questions. They seemed much more friendly than the ones I had been asked recently.

I described Alice as a modern brunette Mata Hari masquerading as a blonde. I gave her description as if a man ensnared in her web. I ended with, "She may have become one of my friends one day. I hope she is safe and not in an unmarked grave."

Mr Mason drove me home. I felt wrung out. I gave Jane a few minutes of my time telling her what had been done and then headed next door.

Nora was the only one home and I sat down with her over a tea and told her about my day including about my brief affaire with Alice.

"This is going to hurt your relationship with my daughter."

"I told her about it right after it happened. Sex with a beautiful woman where she is the aggressor is hard for a male to fight. His own hormones are fighting him too. I just wanted you to hear it from me before you heard it from anybody else."

"What about Jack?"

"I'll come over later and talk to him too. If Paige were not involved he would slap me on the back at becoming a man. The fact that Paige is his daughter will change the way he sees this dramatically."

"I think so too."

I walked back and found everybody sitting at the table. They must have been getting some information from Jane. I tried to smile and started on the questions I was asked and the ways I turned some around on the lawyers. It didn't help too much. The rest of the family except Jamie knew about Alice and I mentioned how this coming out in the court would effect how Nora and Jack saw me.

I now told Jamie what had happened with Alice then I repeated what I had said in court about him. He looked embarrassed but proud too. It looked like I was the one to come out of the closet but I had never really been in there.

The telephone rang constantly most of the evening. Some calls were business but most were people worried about me. It was funny but business was much easier to deal with.

Much later I went over to Paige's house. They had already eaten and Paige was working on homework. We all sat in the kitchen and I said to Jack, "I knew the cross-examination would be tough. They tried to make it look like I was having sexual relations with my father and then with a boy when I was four and a half. Their aim was to just discredit me in front of the jury."

"I don't like lawyers. They should all be put up in front of a wall and shot."

"They are all not like that. If I was accused of something I would want some good lawyers to represent me."

" — I guess. But they shouldn't have done that to you. You're not even an adult yet."

"Well that was my plan too. You see I am young and they abused me in front of the jury. They look like the bad guy and their client looks even worse."

"I still don't like it."

"They are still looking for Alice and Joyce. They could be dead but my feelings are that they are just hiding."

"I hear she was very pretty."

"She was. I think she was told to go after me in no uncertain terms. We only have circumstantial evidence to link her and Joyce to Goldblam. When the papers come out, you are going to find out soon that she nearly raped me on Goldbalm's orders."

"Rape!"

"I was molested sexually but the fact remains that I didn't keep fighting her off. Puberty is upon me and I succumbed."

"Succumbed?"

"She held me and pulled down my pants. Once she got her lips around me I completely stopped fighting. It didn't take too long for me to become an active participant."

"Active? Oh, I see what you mean. I don't know if I could have fought her off either."

"I am glad you see my point but it happened at school too and I couldn't control it or her."

"What happened?"

"A guy got dumped by his girlfriend. Because I got the girls stirred up in the first place, he blamed me. He was going to beat the shit out of me when Alice happens by and ploughs the guy with her fist. She then gets in there and puts the boots to him. I had to pull her off. The principle comes by and the guy attacks me again he hits the principle by mistake. The principle hauls off and ploughs the guy into next week."

"That was a nice thing for her to do."

"Yes it was but Alice went crazy. The fighting turned her on something fierce. The next thing I know we are in the girls' bathroom and I am sitting on the toilet and she is facing me on my lap. It was only fifteen minutes later that we realised what we had done."

"You had sex in the girls washroom with Alice?"

"Yes I did. It came on me so quick I didn't know what to think. I didn't know my hormones could make me do something like that."

"You had sex with her in the girls washroom!"

"I couldn't help it. If you were in my shoes, what would you have done?"

"Well, I don't know. I don't know if I would have fought hard either. What do you think of her?"

This was a test. "She was a weapon sent after me. She was very beautiful. This reminds me of those detective stories or maybe a spy novel. Where the hero is supposed to have abilities far beyond the average man. I didn't think that I did. As to the girl personally, I still like her even after what she tried to do. After that time in the washroom she tried to get me to her house but I gave her excuses and it never happened again."

"You really turned her down?"

"On my honour. She was too inquisitive but my hormones wouldn't let me see too far. When she asked questions about the trips to Toronto I fed her a phoney story about a mob figure. I had no idea it would lead to the real mob, I just wanted her to think about something other than me."

"If I was your age, I don't know if I could have tried to get away."

"It was my hormones and her beauty that attracted me but she had very little else. My brains were overruled by my glands and now I have to watch them all the time but there is nobody trying to get close to me now, just family."

"Is Alice going to be prosecuted for rape or molestation when she is found?"

"I have no idea. It is her word against mine. I am not like other guys but I can't walk through the halls at school and say that I was captured and raped. I have to just pretend it was at least part my doing."

"Yes — yes I see that." He turned to Paige and said casually, "What do you think of this?"

"It could have happened to me too. Puberty is hard for a girl too."

"So you are not angry at Jeff?"

"Not in the least. We are still going to get married one day. Jeff may need to find others so that he has something to compare me against. I don't think the father of my children will be getting a chance to see too many other women after we are married. I plan on making sure he will be so tired that he could do nothing even if the opportunity arose."

The small smile on Jack's face let me relax some.

He asked, "Were there other girls coming after you?"

"Oh, lots. Many are after me as a songwriter but soon it will be for money. They try their best but they don't get too far. Jamie was brainwashed and sent after me too and I trapped the lawyers today with it."

"I kinda got the feeling that the boy was too good."

"Don't blame him. That was why he was in the hospital. In my opinion he is a normal good-looking boy. He experimented with sex and it happened to be his own gender. Because of his parents actions he got in the hands of Goldbalm. He is the one that was twisted and changed then aimed at me. It was not his fault. Because he was aimed at me I was the central part of his life. He is a friend now and he is also very fragile. If word gets out incorrectly it can utterly destroy him. He has no family except ours now and very few friends."

"That is too bad about him. Maybe they should just shoot that Goldbalm."

"I think he will get much worse in the penitentiary. Maggie has been doing some research on Jamie and I can tell you positively that he very much enjoys the company of girls."

"Is that what I think it is?"

"The only true method and Jamie passed with flying colours."

"That's good to hear."

I left the house later and felt much better. I was still not sure what had diverted Jack from getting angry with me. He may come to some realisation later but he was usually a man of his word.



-------

Chapter 32


The courtroom the next day was exactly the same. The Crown Attorney took up where he had left off and dealt with the next set of charges against Goldbalm. "Tell us what happened when you were chased by Mr Sinclair."

I had a folder in my hand with my notes and went through them point by point. The courtroom gasped as I took out Mr Sinclair's eye then his testicles and jaw. I explained how I was hurt but still got the man into the car. I mentioned his gun but he was in no condition to get to it or use it.

Instead of calling the police, I explained that I called my mother instead. This let me play the boy a bit more. Three friends of the family came out to me and took over. They of course drove Sinclair to the hospital.

"Later when Jamie was in the hospital, I realised that both Jamie and Sinclair were in danger. That is when I sounded the alarm."

Jamie's condition was going to be treated in a third set of questions and the defence now had their crack at me. They asked all the questions I figured they would ask then one said, "You were a twelve-year-old boy. You were hurt already. How do you expect us to believe that you could take on and defeat a cold blooded killer that the crown Attorney portrays the deceased to be?"

"I can give a vague proof that would indicate that I can do this."

"How?"

I got out of the witness area and stood before the man with a pen in my hand. "I can show you how I did it. You are even prepared for me. Will this proof satisfy you?"

The man stepped back hurriedly and bumped against the Crown Attorney's desk. There was a lot of chuckling and he screamed, "You threatened me. You threatened me."

Before others could talk I said, "There are a great many witnesses and my words and actions were seen by many. Perhaps I should bring a civil suit against you for slander."

The magistrate banged the gavel a few times but the crowd smelt blood and it was hard to get them calmed. I was back in my chair writing out a song or at least pretending to.

The magistrate called a recess and when the court was clear gave me shit by the shovel load but an equal amount was given to the attorney. I was quite sure the Crown Attorney had caught shit for not protecting me as a minor but this must have been done yesterday.

After lunch, I was asked about Jamie and the things leading up to his unusual behaviour. I worked to the point of Jamie getting admitted. His recovery was not covered well because the doctor would be covering this aspect. The attack at the hospital got many more details. The defence would have all night to ask questions though they tried very hard to suppress all of my answers to the Crown Attorney's questions.

The family was not as depressed today and had copies of a few metropolitan newspapers. Apparently there was little news and I was on the front page. Most of the comments were fair or nearly so. There were a few disparaging comments about the defence attorneys. They took my analogy of 'David' and used it as if I were fighting the three lawyers. This had been the intention but sometimes things can be too subtle for the minds of some reporters. Edgar had got close and talked to Mr Mason about it so the reporters could hear.

Paige was only over for a while and then went back home. We were not sure about her father and this would give him less ammunition to play with. This time was also demoralising to me. Being attacked in court with little in the way to fight back with would be depressing for anyone.

Jamie came to me and though we didn't sleep together but we did hold each other on the couch. It was not sexual, but I did feel better because of it.

The next day the attorneys seemed to change tactics. They were soft spoken and polite. The only thing I could think of was that they were going to rely on the jury being human and forgetting all the bad things when presented with something new. How else could politicians get re-elected?

I changed my answers too so that I didn't become the bad guy. I was released from questioning but they wanted me available if they had further questions

Doctor Davits was called next. She was asked to state her complete qualifications then say what she could about Jamie. Jane, as his temporary guardian and a few more people from the Children's Aid authorised the doctor to release some data. I even got Jamie to put in his best wishes too.

The interruptions this time were far less than when I was questioned. Dr Davits was a very important witness in her own right. If the jury believed her then Goldbalm had a lengthy vacation and would probably never get out.

When the defence came up to bat, Madeline's credentials were called into question. They knew of her past and hammered her as hard as they had attacked me, but it was all done politely. Goldbalm just sat there and watched. He hardly even talked to his lawyers.

Madeline was showing the wear when lunch came. I got to her first though a lot of other men were ready to take the woman out to lunch. I just took her hand and gave it a small tug and she grasped my hand tightly. The reporters were waiting so we stopped for a few moments while she was questioned. I gave them five minutes then I said, "Doctor Davits will be back in there being attacked this afternoon. Let her have a break and something to eat. She can talk after the court recesses again."

Surprisingly it worked and the questions stopped. Carm was outside with a car and he was greeted with a smile. The Crown Attorney wanted some words with Madeline. "Why don't you come with us? We are going to my house for something to eat. We can talk there?"

"Great, thanks."

In the car Madeline said, "You handled the reporters rather well Jeff."

"I feed them but slap down the ones that are overeager. They are trainable but it takes time."

She just laughed. "You're in the news enough to get a chance to do that."

I changed topic. "The three jackals think you are very important. They are hitting you as hard or harder than they hit me."

"You got it worse than me. I was almost ready to cry and I knew what they were doing."

Our other passenger said, "They did hammer Jeff for two and a half days. He just smiled at them and fought back. When the paper gets here you will see that he almost made one pee himself."

"What did you do Jeff?"

I stood in front of the lawyer with the pen in my hand but not as a weapon. I said I could prove how I took out Sinclair if he wanted."

"You didn't."

"Sure. I was not poised to strike and my words were calm but apparently the man thought me still capable of taking him on."

"What did he do?"

"He ran to mommy screaming that I was going to get him. He made a fool of himself. Just think of him when they are trying to cut up your testimony. Something like imagining that the audience is all naked when you are nervous about giving a speech."

"I will do just that."

The Crown Attorney gave his opinion on what embarrassing questions they would ask and what facets of her training they would attack next. We got home at that point and Jane met us at the door. Introductions were made and we sat down to eat. Jane made some small talk then started to talk about Jamie and how he was improving with all the help he had been given.

After the meal, Madeline said, "The newspapers say that you had sex with the woman that ran off."

"She was beautiful and after me. What male can fight off someone like that, especially when his hormones are urging him to go along with it?"

"I guess you are right. Did you really have sex with her on a toilet in the girls washroom?"

"What paper was that in?"

"Actually it was a Buffalo paper. A doctor brought it in when he returned from a trip."

"Here I go thinking I had them trained. Well the facts are right. It felt right at the time and I will catch a lot of flack when I go back to school."

"You probably deserve everything you get."

"Thanks a lot Dr. Davits. I was going to even show you where it was done. Now you are just going to have to imagine it."

She laughed like a girl and put her hand on my arm. "You are a dirty old man in a young body."

I was a bit shocked but I managed to say, "But I still have good taste."

Carm said, "I don't know how you do it Jeff, but all the girls think you are so cute. Why couldn't I have that when I was young?"

Madeline said, "You were probably big and a bit frightening. You were also shy as the rest of the boys your age were. If the ladies had known you the way we do then they would have been chasing you."

"I kinda' figured that out a long time ago but Jeff found it out when still able to use the information."

"You still used the information."

"Yes but Jeff gets it for his entire life. I could only start at seventeen and I think I was still early for my age."

The Crown Attorney said, "There is more you have to know Dr Davits and there is little time."

By the time we got to the courtroom I gave my advice. "Remember what I said and then just smile."

Madeline stood up much better to the questioning in the afternoon and her smile made the attorneys turn and look at me.

The next day was Friday and Jamie was going to be called the first time. This time Jamie was bolstered with his subconscious. He had been aware for months that everyone that was important in the courtroom knew of his previous sexual activities. The Children's Aid had even assisted in him meeting the adults involved so the pressure would be relieved a bit at a time.

Mrs Cameron took Jamie aside when he had got back to school from his ordeal at the hospital. She told him that she understood the mighty forces effecting any young girl or boy. She then told him that things could change one way or the other but he was loved and that was what mattered. I was not with them when this conversation took place but he was blubbering. Mrs Cameron, I hear, blew his nose and cleaned him up so he could continue his classes.

Jamie gave his history to the court and explained his foray into homosexuality as a part of growing up and the way his hormones pushed him. He was explicit in what he said too. He talked of his family and how they had treated him. An aunt tried to get him cured and this brought him into the clutches of Goldbalm.

The defence attorneys had tried to block his testimony with objections but now everybody was protecting a minor. Jamie talked of the hypnosis and the drugs and how he didn't remember Goldbalm until he saw a picture of him. Jamie talked of the sex with Goldbalm now and got quite graphic for this time.

Jamie recounted the pictures that he was shown of me and how I was supposed to be the perfect partner for life. This part of his programming was mentioned in detail and the fact that he was commanded to forget after each session and only recall the orders when I was present.

Jamie's time with Anthony Sinclair was covered in detail. The many kinds of abuse were listed from the sex to the way the man called him a queer but then had sex with him again. After Jamie met me he explained how Anthony Sinclair wanted every detail and even the beatings for not going faster.

Jamie got onto the topic of me personally. He explained how he now saw me and compared to what he had felt when under the implanted compulsions. This portion had to dovetail with what the doctor had mentioned. He worked into his answers how he was now finding girls much more attractive after the mental cloud was removed. Flashbacks were mentioned but the particular term was not used. Jamie would remember his time with Tony and with Goldbalm and feel shame and revulsion at what he had to do.

Each of the defence lawyers was given a detailed warning before they tried to question Jamie. The Crown had called in some favours and two attorneys that sat on the ethics committee were in the court. This would also mean that Goldbalm could get his lawyers to go right up to the line and not quite cross it.

A great many recesses were called and Jamie was taken into a room with Jane, Mrs Cameron, and Mrs Warren. They were taking an official interest in making sure that Jamie was well protected. Their unofficial agenda now was not feminism but something more family oriented.

Jamie had to recount all of the times he came close to me at school and what the results had been. The one time in the shower where Jamie tried to suck on me was altered in that he tried but I picked him up just before. They then tried very hard to show that I was the aggressor sometimes but I think the jury could see that this was not working.

He talked of sleeping on the floor with me and getting an erection. This didn't bother Jamie too much because it would eventually be explained.

Jamie's heterosexual activities were now questioned. He admitted with a smile that he had talked to many more girls at school and sang with a few in music class. Some names were mentioned of how he had been able to hold hands. At this he actually blushed. He finally admitted that he liked Maggie too and how she was in many more of his dreams. This could be damaging too for the Children's Aid might then look more quickly for a new home for him.

When the court ended for the day Jamie was a wreck. Mrs Cameron, Mrs Warren and Dr Davits came home with us to try to help Jamie. The setting was made more informal by the preparations for Angela's birthday. We were celebrating Jennifer's also, because they were only nine days apart.

Madeline would watch Jamie and give what encouragement she could. Work helped too but Jamie felt crowded until the doctor whispered to the rest of us to back off.

Jamie was happy to show his culinary skills learned from Mrs Cameron and his own mother. The party wasn't until tomorrow but there were still a lot of details to take care of.

The girls came home and clustered around Jamie. I saw the older women looking closely at what was going on. Jamie started to respond and the women relaxed. We had supper and then both Mrs Cameron and Mrs Warren left for their own homes. Madeline took Jamie upstairs for a consultation.

I did minor work on my projects. The low pressure washer was yet to be built and I just needed the pump, hose and a good valve. I remember one I had that blew the O-rings all the time. It was good therapy for me while Jamie was getting some of his own upstairs.

Madeline went to a hotel room a few hours later. She had not been released by the court and would be around for at least Monday if not longer. She was invited to the dual birthday party and she said she would come.

Paige's father didn't object to Paige sleeping over as she did most weekends. He had to know by now that she was not here with just girlfriends. I was still cautious. I didn't know if any particular thing would set him off and then Paige would have difficulty coming over.

Jamie slept with the girls and they were groaning and carrying on as much as Paige and I were.

The party on Saturday started early as friends came over early to help or just talk. This took a lot of work off of Jane's shoulders and the preparations went smoothly. Madeline came over earlier too but still later than the rest of the guests. She could see that Jamie was much better and probably attributed it to her work. She did not know of the work the girls did to relieve Jamie throughout the night.

The party was very well attended and Jennifer and Angela got a lot of nice things. In a quiet moment Angela put her hand on Jamie's shoulder and pulled him close. She whispered to me, "Jamie gave me some great presents last night."

I said to Jamie, "What about Jennifer?"

"She's tonight," he said with a smug smile.

"You are going to spoil them and they won't want to have anything to do with me."

"Don't worry Jeff. I'll share."

Angela hid her grin but not that well.

Sunday we relaxed a bit and I got Carm to drive Madeline and I around the town. I showed her what the town was like and then drawings of what I wanted it to be.

"You own all that?"

"The bank and I do."

"Songs brought you all this?"

"I sold the script for 'Jaws' to MGM too. My inventions are bringing in a fair income that will only grow. The city, as you see it, will improve in time as more tax revenue becomes available."

"I just can't move here Jeff!"

"I know you can't just do that, but you can take a part time job and visit. The city will grow on you. You can give it a try and if it works then just shift more of your efforts here and less in Toronto. One day you may be going to Toronto for a visit."

"I like it here better but there is so much that Toronto has to offer that this small town cannot provide."

"That's true but I am working on it. North Bay will be my proving ground for new products and services. Some things will only be available here until I expand to other cities."

"Well I will still think on it. The city is certainly charming."

Court on Monday morning was hell on Jamie. They had him crying for no reason with the majority of their questions. The two lawyers from the ethics committee had left Friday and now the envelope of appropriate behaviour was expanded.

It was getting so bad that the Crown Attorney was almost always on his feet. The crowd was even booing the defence. The only thing I could think of was for them to get a mistrial declared and then they would try again.

During the first recess I approached the Crown Attorney. "Sir, I may have a partial solution without a mistrial being called."

"How did you know that is what they were trying?"

"An obvious strategy I think."

"What is your plan?"

"I think the court would like to test out the abilities of a tape recorder. It will not be to replace the clerk but just to see for future reference."

"I think I see." He hurried off but was back in five minutes. "We have a police unit coming," he said with a smile I had not seen him wear for a while.

Everybody came back after ten minutes but the magistrate stayed in chambers. The chief of police now set up the device and put a microphone close to Jamie that would also catch the attorney's voice very well.

The chief turned the machine on and gave the date time and location and left the machine running.

When the magistrate came out, he was called for his actions by the defence even before he took his seat.

"This is against all presidents. There has never been a recording instrument allowed in the court before."

"You are definitely wrong there. I did some searching and found two recent cases where the instrument was used. It will stay and the case will continue. There will be no mistrial declared because of this either."

The other two attorneys got up and so did the Crown Attorney. They were allowed to approach the bench but after five minutes of arguing the magistrate said, "Continue with the trial now gentleman."

One defence attorney wanted to object more and the magistrate banged his gavel. "One more outburst and you will have a few days to cool off."

The lawyers returned and in a moment one started to ask questions again. This time the questions were not as forceful and Jamie was given longer to answer. They stepped over the line once again and this time the lawyer was warned in no uncertain terms and it was clearly stated that he had done this before to the witness. Now a disciplinary committee could have the last laugh if a mistrial was called.

The Crown Attorney called Madeline to the stand. The Crown asked how Jamie had changed since she first saw him as a patient until now. There were a lot of objections and it was hard to get the answer out. She mentioned how damaged Jamie was when he first came then his slow recovery until yesterday.

"I found the effects of the constant questioning and the belligerent actions of those asking the questions to be detrimental to the boy's state of mind and health."

The lawyers objected strenuously but they were not psychiatrist so they were unable to refute her. The statement was now in the records. Madeline continued her own attack and assisted by the Crown in how the defence may have set Jamie's recovery back.

When the defence had their turn they again attacked Madeline's ability to understand the human mind and especially that of a disturbed boy. She was being baited. She smiled sweetly the way I had done and didn't try to get her feelings across. She just answered the questions as simply as possible.

Madeline was dismissed and I think it was because they didn't want her to testify any more. They were not finished with me though.

I was called up one more time and now they too acted condescending. "Mr Congdon, will you please tell the court how you are familiar with a known mob figure by the name of Mr Banano?" His smile was so nice I hated to laugh at him and then so did the Crown.

"Certainly. How much detail do you want?"

"Why all of it."

"I doubt that very much but I will start." I went into detail again about Alice and Joyce. The game played around the kitchen table was mentioned next and I mentioned everyone that was in the kitchen."

The defence wanted me to get on with it and now the Crown did some objecting and the Magistrate told me to continue as I had been doing. The jury was told of the story being nearly done but needing some detail.

My conversation with Mr Holtzman and then Carlo and Maria Scordino were mentioned. Next came the improvements to plot and the addition of names to my story. I concluded with my suspicion about the movement of my leather pouch and the possible reading of my made up story.

"And what were you doing when this alleged action was taking place?"

"I was upstairs entertaining Alice on her bed."

The lawyer was taken aback by my quick and blunt answer. "You expect us to believe that is the only way you know of this mob figure?"

"Sure."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Yes."

He tried to link me to the mob and actually get the jury to believe that I was going to Toronto to meet with crime figures.

"Isn't this so Mr Congdon?"

"Nope," I said simply and smiled.

He went on with what he must have been fed from Anthony Sinclair and the Hendersons. I just smiled and gave simple answers.

The day was almost over and they finally gave up. The Crown asked simply, "Where did you go Jeff?"

"When Jamie was in the hospital I went shopping for gifts for family and friends. I bought a few things for the children's ward where Jamie was. I assisted a few engineers to get some articles developed. I went visiting Corinne and her grandfather. I assisted there in the production of two world-class snowmen. I even had legal council put the head on and support Corinne while she put the hat and scarf on."

"Anything else."

"Nothing I can think of."

"Thank you Mr Congdon."

Some of those in the jury looked at the defence and the defendant as if they were ready to string all of them up right now.

By next Thursday the attorneys were summing up their case to the jury. I was very surprised to find that there were so many immoral and illegal individuals there were in North Bay. I was accused of not telling all the truth and of my immoral actions endangering all those around me. Goldbalm was apparently a visionary and had seen this from the start and was here to put an end to it and study me as he did this.

The magistrate instructed the jury and they left for only five minutes before telling the bailiff that they had reached a verdict.

Goldbalm was ordered to stand and his lawyers stood with him. I was on the other side of the room but would love to see the man's face now. I wondered how much of his indifference would now be seen.

A flash of light caught my attention and when I looked it could only have come from the roof of the library nearly a block away. I climbed over the seats in front of me without regard to those in them then over the wood railing. I ran for Goldbalm and this time the Crown Attorney jumped in my way. I slid by him and jumped at Goldbalm. He now showed fear and backed up quickly and fell into his seat. I was already in the air and felt being pushed to one side. I knew the glass in the window shattered. I fell on the desk and felt pain now like I had not felt before then just blackness.

Later I awoke when I was moved but there was so much pain I just reached for the darkness once more.

I might have awoken again but I was not sure if it was a dream or not.

Later a woman called me and called me again to wake up and I did for a bit before going back.

A loud clanking noise woke me up again but I just couldn't find the energy to get up. I moved just a bit and the pain in my back came again. My head was fuzzy and I wondered if I had got drunk at a party.

The next time I came to, I could think clearer. I moved to look around and found my back hurt something awful. I now knew I must have been on drugs.

My mouth was dry and I saw the intravenous to one side. I called out for water but heard only a weak croak. A face suddenly came into view.

I said, "Hi Sweetie," but it didn't sound like that to my ears. I tried the word water four times before I got to sip some from a straw.

Paige had been crying but trying to hide it. I said thanks and kept trying until it sounded right.

Paige was now talking to me. She said how much she loved me. She ran on and on until I said, "What happened Sweetie?" The sound came out better this time but it seemed to hurt my back more.

"You were shot. The bullet hit your rib and shattered. They had to work a long time on you then do it a few days later."

I managed to say, "How long?"

"Two weeks tomorrow."

A nurse walked in and looked at me then hurried out again. "Goldbalm dead?"

"They missed him but a second bullet hit two of the nasty men."

A doctor came running in and started doing tests and asking questions. Paige got pushed out of the way and the doctor tried to get me to do things that were impossible. One movement of my left arm and everything faded.

Susan and Jamie were near when I opened my eyes. Jamie looked asleep and Susan was reading a book on poetry. "Hi Honey. You got some water?"

The sound was not right. Susan dropped her book and came to me. "What did you want Jeff?"

"To see you; then get a drink."

She must have understood for she gave me a smile and then I got to sip."

"Not too much. They don't want you to choke."

"Thanks."

Jamie was now awake and standing beside Susan. "Hi Jeff. How are you feeling?"

"Groggy, got a headache, can't talk very well."

"You want some more water?"

"Sure."

He now gave me some and used a cool hand to hold my face as I sipped the drink.

"Thanks."

"Why did you do it Jeff? It would be better if they killed him instead — of you."

He looked very upset now. "Don't tell but I want to sue him. If he is dead I get nothing."

He listened attentively to my poor voice and said, "Really?"

"Sure. I get to see him squirm. Did they catch the guy with the gun?"

"No."

Susan said, "They had it planned very well and nobody saw them but you. How did you do it?"

"Probably a refection of their scope or something shiny they had on them."

Susan said, "We are supposed to get the doctor when you wake up."

"They torture me. Let them wait. How are you taking this?"

"I was sure you were going to die. A lot of others thought so to. It was Dr Davits that saved you. She was the only doctor around and she saved the two lawyers too."

"She should bill them."

"She doesn't like them but did what she was supposed to do she said."

The doctor was called and Susan gave him shit for me for being too rough with me. It didn't help much and my visitors were kicked out.

During the day I got the information of what had happened to me. The bullet had lost little power in travelling and then going through the glass. I was turned so the bullet grazed one rib and hit another right on. This and one more rib were destroyed. A fragment had punctured my left lung but thankfully missed the heart. They were trying to rebuild the bone the best they could but it still may not fuse. My left arm should still work but it would not have the strength of my right.

A great many people came by to see me. The police were first though and I couldn't help them much. The Crown Attorney felt bad because he slowed me down and then possibly caused me to be in the path of the bullet.

"That's all right. It helped put some fear in Goldbalm and made him move backwards even quicker. How are his shysters?"

"The two that were hit will recover in time. They are far different men now that they almost died. I don't feel too sorry for them and I'm a lawyer too. They went much too far in protecting their client."

"What about Goldbalm?"

"Oh, he is singing his song now. It was a coincidence that you picked Joe Banano as your crime figure. Mario now is running the family. Goldbalm hired the man to assist him and now Mario is severing all ties to him in this fiasco. The Hendersons or whatever their name is, didn't do much but I am afraid for them now too."

"Did the trial get reconvened for sentencing?"

"It sure did. Goldbalm got thirty-seven years. The sentences for each portion are consecutive, not concurrent. He may be able to bargain some of that away for his help in going after the Bananos. This could be done through the parole board or an appeal of sentence."

"He got what he deserved. I have already instituted a civil case for damages."

This surprised the man. "What do you hope to gain?"

"I wanted a good chunk of his money for my businesses. I also want to have revenge. Most of it is because of what he did to Jamie, but he hurt a great many others in his career."

"Well he has never married and I wonder if he only has a male lover."

"I did some searching of my own. He was given a large inheritance through his grandparents and parents. He was an only child but he has some rather rich relatives. My sources show that he only takes women around as escorts and most of the time he is only in the company of young men and boys."

I added, "The Department of Corrections is going to have to protect this man very well. If the Bananos don't get him for their reasons then the inmates will for what they see as wrong."

"After what happened to Sinclair and Jamie along with the attack at the courthouse, he will be taken care of as if he is a baby."

"Remember, I need him alive too."

"We will try to keep him alive especially for you Jeff."

I seemed to be much more of a celebrity now and I got telegrams from a great many famous people wishing me a speedy recovery. One even came from the office of the president of the Bank of Commerce.

Teachers and friends came too but couldn't stay long. There was usually a line up outside the door. Corinne was not told of my wound on the advice of her psychiatrist. It was too much like what had happened to me before.

In my other life I had met very few people ever hit by a bullet. Here I was with the scars of two wounds on my body.

In the middle of June I was released from the hospital and told to take it easy. It was also examination time. I spent two days at home then went to school to take my exams. I had a solid phalanx of senior girls protecting me from being even bumped as I went from class to class. It didn't matter too much for the students stayed far from me.

Jamie had been ridiculed at school for being queer. Mark Fenton met some of the tormenter from school and talked quite forcefully to them. The students came in the next day with black eyes and limping but now had nothing to say to Jamie. I was sure that everybody now knew the difference between pursuing a life of this kind and one that was forced upon them.

The apartment building was nearing completion. The cost was much more than what the original building took to build. The second building was now vacant and ready for what had to be done to it. We had a large covered entranceway with large glass doors. Inside were the mail mailboxes and the intercom to allow the inner door to be opened. The elevator and the other set of steps were put on outside the building and didn't remove space from any of the apartments.

We were wired for cable, satellite, many phones and even computers but I didn't say what the cabling was for. All the people working for me had a chance to see what the finished units were like. The day after everything was done an article appeared in some Toronto papers. It showed my picture and that of the three bedroom units. It went into detail of what the apartment was like and best of all; I didn't have to pay for the newspaper space.

Edgar had pulled in a lot more engineers and got a better version of the neodymium YAG. The ruby worked too but there were a few problems with the carbon dioxide unit. Charley was determined to make the device work himself and not have to share any of the acclaim with anybody but me. The lens system was not done yet but the pantograph seemed to work.

I got a lift out to the new house and found it behind schedule. The basement was done and now the glass opening was as wide as the wall itself. I could see a view of the countryside because the house sat on a hill. The building was painted but some of the appliances had not been put in place and the showers had not been tiled yet. There was a lot of furniture in storage at the Pointer building but it would just get dirty if moved prematurely.

This property was actually far nicer than the home I left in London. That one was in the city and neighbours were fairly close. The basement of this house was open and the ceiling was very high. Parties could be handled here much easier even than at my old home.

The guest home was on a much smaller hill. It had its own driveway and it too had a basement view of the countryside. It was even further behind schedule for the majority of the workers had been pulled to complete the apartment building.

The hill had been contoured for a steeper incline in one area and wide steps put beside it. When our children came around they would have a good place to toboggan in the winter. There was a large garage originally on the property that was connected to the house by an underground passage. Like the house, it was moved for excavation then put back in place. Area was even added to the existing structure for storage. My shop took up the entire area underneath and I too could see the view of the unspoiled beauty around me through the glass that was now in the concrete walls. The shop was the furthest behind in being readied for use.

When school ended, there was a graduation ceremony for Susan, Jennifer and Angela. They had graduated with honours after all the work they had done. Maggie and Paige received similar marks but still had more schooling to finish. Susan had started up the carwash but now Jena and Laura worked at this too and their dancing experience showed.

Miss Floit opened a music school and using the school's music room. She apparently had hired help to assist her in this job. As employees, the girls got free lessons. The boys got a similar treatment but the pay came from the American Corporation. Since I was getting a cut of the revenues, I could justify paying for instruction.

Looking back to the main house, I pictured how I wanted the rooms allotted. There was ten bedrooms plus a large den and a separate library. I had retained ownership of the books and nearly everything else. I was going to spread the people out but if Jane or anybody else found a man then they could use the wing that was just a bit further from the other nine bedrooms.

When Mrs Durden found out that her clothes had gone into storage she then abandoned them altogether. Jane had been with us at the time along with Mrs Mason. Jane was given all the property and told to just send any photos or keepsakes along if she found any. I could well afford new clothing but Jane and the girls liked to sew. Besides waste offended me.

Seeing the placement of Paige and Jamie's bedroom, I remember the night I came home from the hospital and Jamie came to my bed. I was still in pain so he just held me. That weekend Paige got into bed too. In the morning I found the two had slid down the bed and were taking turns getting me aroused. When I looked down my body the two of them were smiling at me. Jamie didn't have any problems with embarrassment even if I was a guy.

He moved closer and worked on me slowly and with a lot of love. When I came he held me as if I was going to get away. When I wilted Paige coaxed him to face her and they kissed. I could see Paige's tongue working inside Jamie's mouth and I started to get hard once again.

Paige pulled back with a smile on her face and she now took her turn. It took a long time coming and Jamie licked me when he could but let Paige have all the room she needed.

When my orgasm came Paige pulled over Jamie and they shared me then kissed once again. "Come up here before you get he hard again."

They moved closer but only to my chest. "I love both of you and I don't know how I am going to take care of both of you all the time. I am going to shrivel up."

Paige said, "Jamie and I will take care of you. We talked and decided that I will be your wife but both of us have to take care of our little boy. He likes his bum treated nice but you have to be careful. The girls like his bit clit and they will help us with it."

Jamie now looked serious and said, "Will you love me?"

"I do love you. If you mean make love to you the answer is yes. My shoulder hurts a lot when I move and I just have to recover a bit more before I make love to either of you."

Jamie seemed to accept this. Paige slid off the bed and reached into the bed side table and brought out a dildo and some lubricant. "Jamie, lay on your back. I want to show your daddy how you shoot so beautifully."

I saw him smile and move up on my right side. He pulled his knees to his chest and just waited. Paige played with him very gently as if he were in fact her baby. His cock now pointed back to him. Paige now changed where she was working and dipped the dildo into the bottle. I held Jamie as Paige now worked the end slowly into the boy. We both whispered words of endearments to him as Paige let him adjust to the intruder.

Soon enough the dildo was working faster and faster and Jamie was getting more and more vocal. His orgasm came quickly and nobody was touching his cock. Long spurts shot out and onto his chest. His feet came down slowly and Paige slowed her strokes and gently pulled out. She took some tissue and plugged up the leak as she did when I had my orgasm in her.

"There baby. Did momma do it right?"

Jamie said in a little boy voice, "Yes Mommy. It was the best."

When he recovered, Paige took him to the bathroom to get cleaned up and then brought him back. She said to me, "Mommy has got to clean up daddy too."

Paige bathed me and kept my bandages dry. When we got out we saw Jamie sleeping on the bed and I said, "He's a beautiful baby and he is going to grow into a beautiful young man. I hope we are doing what is right by him."

Paige said, "We talked about this too. He needs the sexual interaction just as bad as we do if not more. We will watch out for him and give him what he needs but not necessarily what we need. Maybe he will grow out of it but I am happy the way I am and I like girls too."

I kissed her and said, "You are more focussed on males and your other side can be indulged if the time is right. Jamie I think likes guys more and it means a lot more difficulty in hiding what he really is."

"Maggie likes him like a mother too. She can be his girlfriend and try to keep people from looking at you."

"That might work but he looks at me too often and anybody seeing the way he looks will know that it is love."

"We tried our best to convert him to girls. He does what he needs to and responds better if he is told he is a little boy. Did I do wrong by trying to bring him into our small family?"

"I don't think so. He needs protection and love. I just don't know how long he will stay with us. He may find a new lover. That I can accept, but I think he may decide to take on a lot of different lovers and never settle down. He has to grow and follow his own path but I still worry and perhaps that is why I feel like a father about him too."

We walked closer to the bed and I sat down while looking at Jamie's body. Paige said, "He certainly is beautiful. I hope our children are as good looking."

"If they take after you they will. Jamie is beautiful inside too. He has a ton of trust and I don't think he even dislikes people, never mind hate."

I looked at the sleeping boy then said, "There is no sense whispering. The little indicator says our boy is awake and playing possum."

Paige reached over and ran the tip of her finger along the length and it sprang more erect. "Yes you are right husband. The scamp is pretending."

Jamie's eyes sprang open and Paige bent over and kissed his forehead. "Let's go downstairs. I'll make my two men something to eat."



-------

Chapter 33


When I left the house and went back to town I stopped off at the lab. Edgar showed me the ruby laser in operation. There was more dispersion in the beam and Edgar said, "We are doing other crystals too to get the strongest results. The chrome works great. What else can we use?"

"Pick something and try it. I want your name out there too and not just as the guy that built the device for me. I do have two more kinds of crystals to make then we are going public. We could get more done but I think others are working on the same things we are."

"What do you want?"

"Make the next YAG with erbium not neodymium. Better go around fifteen percent this time. I expect this to be in the short infrared range. I don't see this as much of a problem to make. When you have a dozen extra units made start from scratch with neodymium-doped gadolinium gallium garnet. We can call this Nd:GGG. I am not sure but we may get some x-rays here so be careful."

"This good for a dentist or a doctor's office?"

"It will burn through you. I need this for the very short wavelengths. Some things can be made but we need very small groves or exposure when we build some specialty chips."

"What kind of chips you thinking of?"

"Light emitting diodes have been around a long time. Researchers just put the wires from a battery across the crystals and some gave off light. I want to make some diodes that produce laser light."

"I can get these two jobs done in a few weeks. When do you want to start on the diodes?"

"When our lasers come out there will be more excitement here than a naked woman running through an outdoor revival meeting. I need my new house and the guesthouse fixed and the furniture moved back. The apartment building needs to be completed and the workers shifted over to the other unit. Here I need completely new lasers with their own crystals. Can't have you just shifting crystals. You have to finish my lens system and we start to cut metal for me then for demonstration. Finally I need to go help Charley get his unit working."

"You have to write the patents too."

"You're right. Finish the patents first. It is going to take me weeks to write them. How about aiming for the end of July?"

"I can do my part easy enough and Charley just needs to tweak it somehow but he doesn't know exactly how."

The apartment building was finished in a week. Grass and trees had even been put around the structure to make it look like a home. People from all around came over to see the building and the individual units. From the notoriety and the interest I knew I could rent the units for a high price if I wished to do so. There were already sales of counter top units that had to be shipped to Toronto and elsewhere.

Two men had gone to John's home to measure it. I could have done the measuring while I was there but other things like the size of the doorways had to be considered. It was Mrs MacIntee that was consulted though for the choice of counter tops and even the door fronts.

Mr Brown and his family were doing well. The mother was now helping her two men while her daughters worked at the carwash. I had a leaf blower now but switched products on them and gave them the pressure washer to build. I was aiming for over three thousand pounds but the lower pressures were better for some things. They got the high-pressure hose and the fittings but needed to make or buy everything else.

I worked with Charley too. Something was wrong and I had no idea what it was. Our laser was for continuous use and had the gas being discharged while fresh gas was allowed to enter. A very good pump assured that the pressure was kept very close to a vacuum even with fresh gas coming in the other end.

As a test, we got it to work with a static gas but not when it was moving. Charley was happy with the minor success and worked on to find the answer while I did other jobs. The other work this time was the patent on the static gas unit. We had to still work on varying the percentages of the gases and then the pressure.

Edgar was having his own problems. I had brought erbium when I made my first order but not the materials for what would one day be a 'Star Wars' type weapon. The best thing I could do financially was to have the Star Wars' book published even if it was at my own expense. The laser and the book would help sell each other just like the cartoons and the dolls.

We had a lot of electrical engineers and I put them to work on the portable tape recorder. They had the cassette now and the patented Congdon A and B circuits that used to be Dolby. The heads and chassis had not been cut and I wanted to do this as a practical application of the lasers.

Edgar gave me the ruby cutting head but I had no pump to drive it. The mechanical engineers had been working on the pump for a while now and I directed them to just use a diesel engine for the first version.

As the end of July drew near I knew we would not have enough done. Charley got his laser done and I had the patents but there were just too many other things to deal with.

James put on his old hat and visited the last two houses that I didn't own on that strip of land I was after. He invited the Carsons and the Polfrys to a private tour of the apartment building. One unit had been filled with furniture and all the appliances to show what it looked like. Photographs of the insulation and the plumbing showed them that they would save a lot of money living here just in heat.

When the day was done the two families agreed to take a two-bedroom unit each. I bought their houses and they paid rent to me. The rent was high but it was still lower than what the apartments were worth. They agreed to keep the rent a secret too but I knew it was a false hope. In four days I had five more of those that had owned the homes now want to move into the apartment building with their friends and old neighbours. In a week the remainder of those renting their old homes would get a chance to move in. After that my own people would take over the building.

The cousins jumped at the offer and Edgar somehow got the furnished unit. Their families were already on the way.

During the he first part of August I took Paige's family and my own to the guesthouse. They spent hours going through it, trying to find out all the new and interesting things. Jack drove his car and Jane drove one she borrowed.

I said to Jack, "This house is owned by NADI. I am now involved deeply with this corporation. My research in laser research is very important to the corporation. This property is now mine to use as I see fit." There were no lies but I tried to still keep the information from him that I ran NADI.

"That's great. This is the most beautiful home I have ever been in. The land around here is so beautiful I think only a millionaire could own it. Are you going to move soon?"

"I am but I am not going to live in this house."

"Your not? Jeff, this house is so much better than what you now live in. My advice is to move as soon as you can before somebody else gets it."

"I don't want to be far from Paige."

Paige had heard and said, "Take the house Jeff. I can still visit. This is my dream house in almost every way."

I said, "Dad, Mom, I am going to live someplace nearby. I want you to have this house."

Nora said, "You earned this house, not us. It wouldn't be right to take it."

"Mom, you are not going to be carried. You pay the same rent as you did for your old house. All you have to do is cut the grass with the tractor provided and plough the snow in the winter."

They were both very quiet and I was sure their minds were going a mile a minute. Jack said, "What's the catch?"

"You make the payments like before. You keep the house in good shape but since it is completely new inside that will not affect you for many years. You use the tractor and the mower to cut the grass and in the winter put the blade on and plough the roadway."

"That's it?"

"That is all the corporation desires. They want the house kept up as well as the property. There is the added expense of keeping the tractor and the equipment running but that is not much."

Paige and Jennifer were jumping up and down saying, "Take it! Take it!"

Jack said, "What do you think Nora? The house is everything we ever dreamed of and more."

Nora said to me, "Do you honestly think we should take this?"

"There is a saying that opportunity only knocks once. I think you should grab this deal as fast as you can and hold on tight."

She had a big grin and nodded to her husband. Jack said, "We'll take it." The family was jumping up and down but my own family was not as happy. I think they wanted this beautiful house too.

"We'll see an officer of the company this afternoon to sign the papers. I wanted to show you my house now if I may?"

"Sure."

We drove up the winding driveway and past a cut off to my house. We got to the road then I directed the way to make it as confusing as possible and in ten minutes we came back by another road and turned into my driveway. The first fork went to what was Jack's new home and the next fork went to my house. The next fork went to the carriage house.

We got out and admired the last structure. It looked like a nice home but with most of the ground floor taken up by large and very ornate doors. I unlocked the thick door and invited everybody in. I showed them around and we saw two luxury apartments.

The girls liked it but saw that it was not large enough. They then were shown the large expanse for cars with a new cement floor. I pointed out an overhead hoist for removing engines.

Jamie was quite sympathetic for he said, "Wow."

I went back to the living area and unlocked another locked door and I walked down the wide concrete steps. The bottom area now had brand new machines for working metal, ceramic and a lot of other things. Some test equipment was here but I knew I could make far more accurate machines later.

They then saw the same kind of view as they had from the other house. This one faced east on the hill and it was difficult to see either my home or Jack's from this position. The view was compared but Jane said, "This is great Jeff. You can work here and make lots of nice things but there is not enough bedrooms."

"Oh, there's more. Do you want to see them?"

"I'd love to."

"This is just my area and I thought you should see this first." I led them to the next locked door and into the tunnel. Lights were very bright here and the tunnel wide enough to drive a car in. We climbed a small grade and then into another very large room. This was the area for large gatherings. The ceilings were twelve feet high and any supports were actually stone columns. I had to stop because nobody was following. They were just staring at the decor.

"I thought you wanted to see the number of bedrooms."

Jane came hesitantly because she was trying to remember or understand everything around her.

There was a large bar with mirrors, glassware and lots of bronze. Small meeting rooms were off to one side with all the needed furniture. A commercial style kitchen that would be assisted by the one on the main floor if the need arose was to one side. The wide steps made a gentle curve and climbed to the main floor.

The rest were staying with me but only just. I went through the house slowly and now said nothing. There was a grand piano the equal of John's in the music room. Brocade chairs and couches were everywhere. They had all been recovered in new fabric. The floors were hardwood but there were some small rugs here and there.

The library had been restocked but desks were in the room to accept computers when they became available. Everybody spread out now and I just took a seat and opened a book I had not read yet.

Individuals came back once in a while but they left me alone as they continued to investigate. I heard every few seconds Jamie's voice as he screamed at some new and important discovery.

It was Maggie that finally got me. "Jeff whose house is this?"

"It is owned by NADI. I get to use it. Did Jane find enough bedrooms?"

"I lost count. How many are there?"

"Nine large ones at one end but there are two that could be turned to nurseries very quickly."

"Are you going to live here?"

"Along with all of the rest of you."

"This house is so big the only thing it reminds me of is the school. It is frightening in its size."

"You will get used to it very quickly. You get a separate bedroom now but the beds are all king size and you can have lots of guests."

"Where is my bedroom?"

I knew she was hooked now and I held her hand and walked with her up the wide marble steps that had originally been here. We walked down to one end and I pointed to a very large room with a specially made bed. "This is the master bedroom. I sleep here and there is room for a lot of guests."

I went down the hallway and said, "This room is for Paige if we have guests over and they are looking at our house."

At the next I said, "This one is for Jamie and again if he is not with me. The rest of the rooms are for anybody but those at the far end I want to keep empty."

"What for?"

"If Jane brings home a man she can go down there for more privacy. The same is true for all the rest of you."

Maggie started to shake she was so happy and then started moving her feet. She finally had to hold me and then kiss me as hard as she could without hurting me. She then abruptly ran off.

Everybody else came running up to this level and Maggie gave the three bedrooms that were allotted then ths the stipulation for what was to stay vacant but she called it the guest room. Everything was phrased differently because of Jack. Nora knew some things and perhaps suspected others but actually knew little more than I made love to her daughter.

I escorted everyone out to a balcony from the master bedroom and pointed to my shop. They all looked around then but in a moment Jack came to me. "I see part of a house over there."

"You should, it is the one you are going to live in."

"But — we — ours?"

"When we left your home there was a driveway to the right. It came to this house."

"But — "

"Let's go back the way we came, but out the front door and above ground this time."

I closed the doors and we left by the front door. There was no unsightly garage but there was a driveway for deliveries and a walking path. We took the path and found the carriage house. We walked through the trees beside the drive back the way we drove. At the first cut off I said, "This leads directly to the house but the building is hidden by the trees." We stayed on the drive and soon it intersected with the one we drove up a few hours ago. In a few more minutes we were back at the first house. We had walked onto the well cut grass for a short cut. I showed them the other house that was further away and up higher on the hill at the crest of the escarpment.

At the bottom of the incline I said, "This is where our children will slide down the hill in the winter. With a good sled or toboggan they can make it to their grandparents for a hot chocolate and then return for another ride. I guess that means when they get to the top I have to undress them so they can remove the used hot chocolate so they can go and get more." Paige was already holding me and did so much tighter now.

We climbed the original steps that I had improved upon and we walked around the house to see it from the outside. Jamie was very excited and Maggie kept him to her so Jack would not see him being attached to me. Just before we got in the vehicles I said, "Some inventions are going to be put in the newspaper and a lot of people are going to come and see them. I would like to move as soon as possible. Some people will be staying at our new home but beds have to be found for the rest. I don't think there are enough hotel and motel rooms available. Rental homes can hold some guests too. I will get the corporation to pay the rents for the month of September. The rush should be over then."

Jane said, "Can we rent a truck?"

"The guys that worked on the two houses will come over and help move us. There is very little though that has to go. The houses are furnished. All we need is a lot of boxes for clothes and keepsakes and a marker to say what room they go into."

We got home and both Jane and Jack went out to find boxes. When they left I said to Nora, "Now is the time to get rid of all the stuff you don't need. The new shop has a lot of woodwork tools coming and we can make some very nice furniture and Jack can make some accent pieces."

"I'll talk to Jack about it. He is a pack rat and I don't know how I am going to get the stuff away from him. What if we have to leave though? We'll have no furniture."

"There is a ten year, renewable lease. Most of your furniture would have worn out by that time and you would have had to buy more. Just save the money you would have spent."

Mr Mason came over later and had Paige's parents sign the rental agreement. It was all a sham anyway for I knew they would not take the house without thinking that they were paying their way.

The move was orderly though the girls were literally running around getting things packed. Giovanni came over at my request and we watched the hurried activity. He asked me, "Are you moving?"

"I am and that is why I invited you. The corporation that bought the lumberyard bought the man's home too. The directors want me to use the home. I do a lot of work for them. The house is very nice and a lot of people have been working on it recently to get it ready."

"I have heard," he said in his dialect. "It's a palace."

I pulled Giovanni over and whispered as if it was a secret. "There is going to be a lot of excitement soon with the inventions. They need a palace to impress the people buying what is being offered for sale."

He nodded his head in understanding. "That makes sense."

"Would you like to come and see the house? I set a bedroom aside for Susan and Maggie's best friends. Just because I have to take the house to sell the inventions doesn't mean that we have changed. My family would get very sad if people stopped coming to visit."

"We have a spare bed in the attic that you could have."

"The corporation put new furniture in or redid what was there. We have to get rid or our own furniture now. We are only taking our clothes and things important to each of us."

That night I took Jamie to bed with the ladies watching. They didn't watch for long and filled the bed with groans of their own. Paige had talked to me days before and now she slid under Jamie so she could save the comforter from getting messy.

I spread myself around and managed to make everyone happy at least once. The bed did hold all of us when we slept but only just.

The city fathers had been warned months ago about an influx but that had been put off once. They did clean up some of the mess that a city has even though this one was fairly clean as cities go.

We gave Mr Chile another exclusive and he had three days to get the article in shape before it had to go to print. The wire service bought the article and the next day a great many papers put the information out. Reporters came flocking back to the Bay to find out more.

They had seen the apartments and other household articles before but they got renewed coverage. The many kinds of lasers were shown then various kinds of material were cut. Welding was done but it needed human interaction because we had no computers and video cameras. As a result it was done only a bit at a time until the engineers understood the process. Thin metal was marked then cut then welded back together. The reporters were impressed.

My four part head had been made and it went into the portable tape player and the reporters were shown how it would be a great tool for them. This tape player played either side of the tape at the flick of a switch. Only the studio version would use all four at once. The girls and the band had been working with Miss Floit to make these recordings and in a way they would help launch this product.

When the reporters now saw that the metal was cut for the production of the chassis by the laser they were even more impressed. A press handout talked of all the things a laser could do. I had to stick to the simple things for the more exotic machines that used the laser were not around. The CD was now not going to exist. The DVD would take its place but its use for music was curtailed so it would not interfere with cassette sales. Laser diodes didn't exist yet so the entire proposition was explained as a probable development.

The other products that I had tried to sell in the United States were on display too or those that had been actually fabricated. There were lots of bubble wrap because the bubbles strength just had to be tested by the reporters.

Phone calls came in from a great many research firms. I hit them with what I thought happened and even supplied the mathematics verbally. They were now going to have to come and see for themselves.

The reporters left as they had not seen my discoveries as Earth shattering but they had got all the information they thought pertinent.

The procession of researchers started the next day. Our own engineers did the honours, for the new arrivals were not that high in their labs. I was pretty sure that after the reports got back that more important people would come.

The expected number of people never came. I was disappointed and now I had egg on my face because of what I said to the city and my own people. When I knew that nothing further was to be gained by waiting, the vacant homes we owned were now gutted and the city extended the grants. It provided a lot of employment. We had a lot of growing pains and I contacted Mr Forsyth from Bank of Commerce. I bought a great many of his products and he was happy to talk to me.

"What I really phoned for was to find out what the bank is going to do with the Camden Wood property. I will offer thirty thousand for it."

"I looked into that problem when we talked before. It is worth considerably more than that."

"You are right but I am the only one buying. The market is very limited."

"The bank stands to loose a lot of money on this property."

"You will lose the money today or in five years. You at least have a buyer now. I have more than enough land for expansion. You just have a building that I will not have to fabricate when I need one."

"I will see what I can do for you."

School was about ready to start once again and I registered for my new classes. There were fewer problems this time. Through a little slight of hand I went into Home Ec with Mrs Cameron along side Paige and Jamie.

Gym would be with two other classes but Jamie would be with me. Jamie also took machine shop though there was little here for me to learn. Other than lunch and music we had no other common classes.

Angela, Jennifer and Susan were still involved with the car wash and other small companies. When things slowed down they would be taking some advanced training with our bookkeeping staff that now numbered six others. When Miss Floit was free after school, they would now get private lessons at our house and with the band.

The music room was out of bounds so they played in my shop. Their music was good but not for a constant diet. Mark Fenton found that he liked the equipment side and experimented with our studio recorder. It was not that good, and the mistakes would been rectified in the next version.

The band experimented with the device and found they could simulate a much larger band. I said to them after their first success, "Mr Johnson is going to get one of these machines in the spring. He has sound engineers but you people will know much more than they do. Now if you experiment as if you were in science, then you will be able to teach them. He will give you a job."

"Mark, I want to have you work for Mr Johnson. I want you to learn all you can about everything he does. If you learn enough then I will give you a job here managing the sound equipment as a recording executive. The cassettes have to be made and this is your chance to shine far beyond any of your friends. The money will be good and your career should last until you retire."

"An executive? I never thought of that."

"There are positions for all of you. The music business is not just singers and bands. You may improve so much that you will have a lifetime job performing. If you learn about recording then you can play new sounds that may sell a recording. If the public turns to somebody else you can work on the other side of the mic. All you have to do is learn."

The band worked as labourers for a few hours to make some spending money and to exercise. I gave them a small pay cheque too so they would continue with the music.

I bought more instruments and worked on 'The House of the Rising Sun' by the animals. Tom had to sing the lyrics and did quite well. So far we had not been able to find a suitable voice and instrumental coach.

At the end of September the Bank of Commerce got back with their second counter offer. They thought the rock on the land must harbour gold. I went to Toronto now and talked to the Bank of Nova Scotia about setting up a line of credit and switching over my debts to them.

While there, I talked to John and then Carlo about what I was doing. John sympathised with me about the bank but talked about what things we could change. My needs for more factory space could be handled here in Toronto but I still wanted it in the north. Stelco had finally mentioned that they had made the sheets and were now ready to set up some tests.

"John, will you find out how much of a test they want to do? I want some four-acre buildings for my products. They give me a cheap price and I will not only test them, but I'll promote them. If they get off their butts, I can still get the cement poured and the beams up in the spring."

"Can you afford that? You need well over a mile of walls alone. The roofs, support steel and trusses are going to cost a fortune. The concrete cost will be enormous."

"I think that we will not only get Stelco to give us a cheap price but also finance putting the buildings up. They then hold the mortgage for five years. They may as well do the architectural work too. If it works, the plans will be used a great many times."

John thought on what I said.

Carlo said, "Do you need my concrete equipment?"

"I need lots of it. I even need some contractors that know how to deal with your power trowels."

"There are many now. They sell like what you say 'hot cakes'."

"Did you make the concrete transport trucks or do I have to use the rail system"

"I have only one and it is not selling."

"If it is sold in Toronto — wait. I will buy one of the trucks in the spring. I need mixing trucks too. How many I need, depends on how many buildings I am going to put up. I can't justify the concrete pump or the stone slinger on this project."

Carlo said, "I have no trouble selling those units.

Before I left I found out a bit more gossip about the Banano family and its current problems with the law. Goldbalm was singing loud and clear. He had kept records when he could and these were seized. Carlo also gave me some additional information for he knew of some musicians that should be able to help both the band and the singers.

News got around quick and the Bank of Commerce took my offer of thirty nine thousand for the old Camden property. By the end of October, our tape recorder facility had been moved.

At this time many of the labs now sent their upper echelon researchers to find out what we were doing. With no great influx the hotels accommodated them. I was asked to work for Bell Labs one more time. I was going to get much more money and my own facilities. I was polite but said I was doing just fine the way I was.

Our x-ray laser was now a reality but it was still rough. We hired many more physicists and chemists to work on the lasers and other projects. Now a tweak could mean a major improvement in efficiency or in the purity of the wavelength produced. I think that when the laser was discovered before there was much more hoopla than what was happening now. I had purposely wanted it low-key and it surprisingly stayed that way.

My total of active cyanobiphenyl materials was up to twelve and I chose eight that when mixed would function in a wide range of temperatures. Again Mr Chile was called and this story went out to the papers. Accompanying it was a wide range of uses. Mr Bain's name was used prominently but it was my name on the patent. Small viewing screens were made with the YAG but kept very secret. We still didn't have a microprocessor to hook it too. The one that would drive the calculator was far from being done.

AT&T sent another lowball offer to us. They had no idea that we were working fibre optic cable and I wanted to keep it that way. The trunk lines could be switched to this product and though it would cost more it would carry them much further. Edgar was aware of this and security was very tight here too.

Jamie was doing well in school but the students now suspected that his reprogramming had not been that successful. Perhaps it was Home Ec but I was there too and nobody thought I was that way. Jamie started some sports because I thought it might allow him to look more macho. I kept him away from hockey but he tried out for basketball.

John went on vacation and Corinne came to our new home. Some mad decorators attacked his home and in two weeks he had his new kitchen. He came and picked up Corinne and thanked us for improving his home.

A week later, Central Automotive presented us with the white limousine that I wanted. It was Jane that drove us to Toronto this time and we all rode in comfort. As we drove through the Bay, most of the people that saw us stopped to stare. With the glass tinted the girls just smiled. When we got on the road though, an orgy developed with Jamie participating. I rode in the front to keep Jane company."

"How come you are not in the back?"

"Sex is fun but talk is nice too."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Just wondering if you were going to invite James into the guest suite instead of using a motel."

Jane smiled at this. "He's basically shy. He's afraid of you thinking he has to marry me." After a pause she added, "He likes me but he's not ready yet."

"If you hurry then you can have another child."

"We are well aware of that. He is being stretched running the lumberyard the way you want and providing the training. I think he is afraid of failure in your eyes. He is even more afraid of joining our family. It's much safer on the periphery."

"If he asks, what are you going to say?"

"I like him and even love him but I don't know if I'm ready to marry."

An hour before we would come to John's home I was asked to get in the back. Jamie had run out of gas and the girls wanted something much firmer. I had to hurry. I did what I could then we had to air the car out in the cold weather.

John loved the car at first sight. It looked unusual but still functional. The girls and Jamie went into the house, while John, Gregory, Al and I went out for a spin. They watched the stares of those that looked at the limo. A lot of others seemed to like it too. John picked up Carlo and Maria. They weren't ready but they came anyway. Carlo really liked this vehicle and said so.

"How much do you want for one of these?"

I replied, "How much you want for the trucks?"

In two minutes we had the deal done and I would make him a car like this but in black and it would have a better way of allowing him to get out of his wheelchair.

Carlo and Maria came back with us and saw the new kitchen that Mrs MacIntee was showing off. I saw Maria tugging Carlo's sleeve and whisper to her husband.

We had some Teflon lined aluminum fry pans that had been cast and the pan was put on the counter for a minute but no longer. A small meal was made and then the hot pan removed. Maria didn't see any change in the finish. I knew this was very time and heat dependent as heat would change the surface slightly.

Mrs MacIntee said, "Thank you Mr Congdon. I like my new kitchen and the men you sent here were very polite."

"They took days longer to do this and I think it was your cooking that kept them here." Mrs MacIntee just turned red and hung her head now that she knew that she was caught.

Jane talked about her own countertop being a different colour. She had to add how good the sinks looked in the washrooms. When Jane stopped, Maria went over to ask questions. Carlo saw this and saw his profit on the truck deal leaving very quickly.

An hour later with no further input from Maria I asked, "Do you want the full kitchen or just the counter top. We can replace the old doors with something different."

"How is a man supposed to make a profit if the wife spends it faster than he can make it?"

"It has been that way for a long time Carlo. We make the money, we shout and complain, we run businesses but at home we are only second in command. That is, if there are no children."

We shopped the next day and used the limo. Al drove this time and people really stared at us when we got out of the vehicle. Part may have been for us but I think it was mostly for the size of Al. Corinne loved the vehicle too for the freedom it gave her before we started but hated it when I insisted on seatbelts. We all wore them now to let her know that she was not singled out.

Shopping lasted all day until we had a good portion of our birthday and then the Christmas lists done. With some very judicious packing and the fact that we were now cramped, Gregory drove us home the next morning. We offered him a bed for the night but he liked the limo and drove it home instead.

We had discussed AT&T and a great many other deals we had together. John had gone into partnerships here in Canada just as I had in the US. Here he and I each made twenty five percent while in the much larger US market I got the full half.

In a surprising turn of events the Bank of Nova Scotia had seen fit to give me a five million dollar line of credit on the basis of my laser patents. After a phone call to John I decided to accept, even if I had no immediate need for the money. It also gave me a chance to do some extra shopping without prying eyes trying to find out my secrets. This week I even travelled by bus, although it was express.

My chemistry class turned into physics and electronics as I made some seven-segment crystals and some seven segment LEDs. With a bit of filing and glue I even got the LEDs to look right. Some big characters had more than one of the diodes. The logic circuit had been made almost a year ago and I built this to drive the device. A similar driver powered the crystals. I made two clocks with the two kinds of display but I still didn't have the component with the quartz crystal to keep the clocks accurate.

Jamie was much more circumspect, and especially in gym. We had quick showers but here we were brothers and nothing more. In Home Ec we usually teamed up with Paige.

When Mrs Cameron looked like she was fighting an uphill battle to cram little minds with knowledge I would tell Paige that men were always better cooks. The girls took this as a challenge and a competition brewed for a few weeks.

Laura was now in grade nine and searched me out whenever possible. Her sister was still in our common English class and the two kept me on my toes. Paige just laughed and did nothing to protect me.

The novel 'Star Wars' came out and again I was the centre of attraction as the publisher wanted me to go on a tour to sign books and generally promote sales. Instead I gave them coloured drawings of the characters so the cardboard cut-outs could do the promoting for me. It seemed to work.

Susan's birthday was not as exciting as last time but there was much more room. The band and the singers did some of their songs for the audience and they were very well received. Mark still played but he loved his studio editing machine. He had the Mark III version now. It was our latest. The band had worked well with the old unit. The third generation was just a bit more finely tuning with and a nicer layout.

I had talked to Mark and his parents earlier and now in front of many people I said, "Mark is going to be leaving us for a while. He is going to Memphis and work with a great many recording artists in the studio owned by Sam Johnson."

Mark got a round of applause and he blushed now when he never did when playing and instrument. The band was staying for a while because Carlo came through with some very talented people.

Other talented people were working on the video head that I wanted. Since I knew what it did, how it did it and even the basic construction, it was only two months before we had a working model. We had the half-inch version for home use and the one inch version for a studio. While we were still a long ways from getting a great system, it was the equal of any system already out. The unit Mark was using had multiple heads and the tape was two inches wide. Some of the video units would soon be made just as wide.

We had to use what came to our antenna because we had no video camera, but this too was in the offing along with the Steadicam system.

We were making specialty chips that were many times denser than anybody else could make. The x-ray laser made this possible. This was just the sideline. We were busy trying to make the laser diode and a better LED. Red was the only colour but I remembered chrome being used in another. I wanted the seven segment LED and the colours for a large variety of products.

Mark and the sound editing machine went south. Sam Johnson had heard from Mark what he could do with the machine from over the phone. Sam did what was necessary from his end. He paid my company for Mark's services and I in turn paid Mark. A little round about but it ensured the government leaches stayed away from us.

During the first snowfall, a great many engineers were out using Mr Brown's machine. There were a dozen built and we were looking for bugs before we went into full-scale production.

The pressure washer worked although it was a monstrosity that needed a lot of pruning to get them the way they were when I came to this time. The pump was also the problem with our high-pressure unit. The machine was too big and very inefficient. I just didn't know the way to fix this. All the chassis for the tape recorders now were cut on this machine when fine abrasive was added to the water. The costs rose dramatically but we had to cut something to test the units.

Our plastic bottles started to make a public appearance but not where it should be used most. They first appeared holding such things as shampooing and other products for the kitchen and bath. Carbonated beverages of all types were in great demand at this time but the companies didn't buy our bottles. John talked to me and made 'Toronto Dry' ginger ale in the one and two litre size. The manufacturers that had ignored him before now were very interested. Most of the large companies just wanted to buy the plant and close him down.

John just got angry at the practice and borrowed money from me and built more bottling plants himself and then ordered machines that were made to his specification for the various sized bottles.

The Ziploc bags were a hit in Canada. They were now made under licence and a great many plants using them for their products. Some branch plants here in Canada now had cereal that would stay fresher than in waxed paper. This had never happened in my time.

The American operation was doing well. The money could be loaned to the Canadian portion but I had to be careful how it was used. The taxman was always interested in us. No company was willing to take half of the portable recorder market, I was determined to just get them built for me instead. I just offered prints and ideas and bought all the units.

Just after Maggie's birthday in mid December, Stelco contacted John and I about a test of their products. Steel was not in as great a demand as it was during the war and they needed new markets for new products. John and I had told them this enough times until they decided to invest some money in developing the products I wanted. Specialty steels would make more money per ton than mild steel.

They were going to sell the steel to us at cost and even give us a break with the interest payments by taking half the load for a period of five years. Our own engineers looked at the product. It did have some pretty amazing properties when it came to corrosion resistance.

I was not sure if the material now produced was as good as what had been around before I left my old time. Further I needed some large buildings but some of them could be kept low to ease the heating bills. Fans though would help and if some of the buildings were made correctly then an internal second floor could be put in. I put in a request for four buildings knowing I would get less.

There were a lot more people on our bonus plan and it was the cousins and James that got the most again.

Christmas holidays were more fun in our new home. We had the grade and enough height to slide all the way to what would be my in-laws. The walk back uphill was a bitch though.

We had the party on December twenty sixth at the house and Charley mysteriously disappeared and Santa arrived to deliver presents he had forgot when he was here the day before. There were an awful lot of children and the more breakable items in our home had been moved to safety. Corinne had come north for Christmas this year and she ran around the house with the rest of the children.

The steep incline got a good run for its money as thousands of runs were made on it by the children. When the snow had first fallen it reminded me of a snowboard and by this time I had a few of them made. Nobody broke their necks but it was a close call a few times.

Jack ran the tractor from his house to ours. A long rope with loops allowed toboggans, sleds or snowboards to be used to tow people back up the slope. Others took over the job so nobody was inconvenienced. By the end of the day the children were completely worn out. A thicker bubble wrap coloured orange sufficed for mattresses. A lot of drunken parents stayed the night along side their children. We had a second day on the slopes and the families went home happy.

Stelco had balked at the amount of steel I wanted. This was not going to be a minor test. With the Bank of Montreal as a third member of our deal, I got two buildings of a hundred and seventy five thousand square feet. We signed the agreement January the tenth and the steel beams were soon on their way here.

The city council was ecstatic at the news. Carlo was too because now he had more trucks to sell me. Edgar nudged Central Auto to find time to make another limo from the wrecks we had been buying from all over.

The city itself was booming. I had hundreds of engineers and their families living here. Anybody capable of working had a job and soon we gained an influx from other areas. This presented a problem as places to stay were in short supply. I had purchased most empty buildings and used some of them for hostels. It was my good deed and was tax deductible too.

Home Depot was the name of the lumberyard now and it was making a lot of money. Our cabinetry was prominent but the snow blower was right in front when the customer came in. We could not keep them as they were sold as soon as they arrived. The price I charged was right. I was not going to gouge the customer as some companies might.

The customers liked the faucets even when we sold the competitors' products right beside ours. We only had a few trades people demonstrating how to do things and our Saturday seminars were very well attended.

Mr Sackman was getting fewer songs as of late but I kept him busy looking for an electronics company that would build some of my portable units. We were going to supply all the heads and the new integrated circuit that cut not only the size of the unit but the power consumption dramatically. The idea was to promote the heads being very accurate because they were cut with a laser. Our chassis would now be cut with water and abrasive powder but it was still far cheaper to just stamp them out by the million. No other company could honestly make claims like we did.

Charley came to me in February, "Jeff do you know how many of those cassettes we have?"

"A few million I guess."

"We have five and a half million of them."

"That is better than I expected. You must have ironed out a few production bottlenecks."

"We fixed a few. How many of these things are we going to make? They don't make any profit and they just sit there."

"Start easing off at eight and use the excess capacity to make the tape for more of the reel to reel machines."

"Why do you want so many? You don't have that many machines yet. At last count there were a bit under eighty thousand units."

"We need a lot more of them too. When we hit the market it is going to be big or at least I think it will. We need to keep the momentum going once it starts." When Phillips had released the first portable machine they were amazed at the response and didn't have enough stock on hand. I wanted to avoid this and when the advertising went out it would be more efficient.

"You haven't got enough machines to cover the US market, and I haven't heard of you buying another company. At least recently."

"Mr. Sackman is looking for some right now. One's in California. Do you think Carm could be persuaded to go there and get the production started?"

"You wouldn't need to twist his arm hard. I can go to baby-sit the boy."

"We haven't found anybody as your replacement to make the cassettes yet. That is why we are making them here and then have to pay all the shipping, duties and taxes to get them moved south of the border. You're still needed here."

Three days later Carm left to meet Mr Sackman to see if a particular plant could do what we wanted. He had a lot of samples with him.

The Canadian government acted on my behalf and talked to the Japanese embassy. Trade was actually the most prominent activity in most cases. Months ago when it looked like we had the bugs out of the tape recorder, it was sent off to three major companies along with a lot of tapes and spare parts. I knew from before that the Japanese worked slowly. With three competing companies I figured that they might get off their asses and make a deal. The Japanese embassy knew that I had also sent similar sets of samples to Korea and Taiwan.

March break was a month and a half away and the girls were champing at the bit. Jamie was too even though he knew that I was not going. In a place in my mind I wanted him to miss me but realistically what he was doing now would be best for him. I wrote a few more songs for them to work on so the wait would be a bit more bearable. It might be a nice treat for Sam.

The girls were not the only ones anxious. Jane and Nora were going to form part or be all of the chaperone detail. The February weather made them think of the much better weather in Tennessee. Jack and I were going to rough it as best we could.

Sam had phoned from Memphis and said, "Jeff this equipment is fabulous. Things that took hours before are done in seconds. That man of yours doesn't know much about recording but he sure knows a lot about this machine. He can make it sit up and bark and in fact he did."

"I'm glad you like it. In your honest opinion, what do you think the market will bear for this?"

"I can see them going for as high as five maybe even six. You would get six if you did some actual editing at the conference."

"Would you be my representative? You can have Mark help you but you have to train him in other facets of sound recording so he has a well rounded education."

"I'll have to think on that. How much is my cut?"

"I think you should sell near fifty units at the conference and probably ten to twenty more in the next two months. I will sell you the units for five each. You pick the price you want. You are already getting one for a buck."

"That sounds fair. I'll do it."

"Not so fast. I got another deal if you can handle it."

"Go ahead."

"Before my group goes down for their next test, you will get a shipment. It has some small tape recorders and the tapes come in small cassettes. The cassette is just put in place without having to thread it. You get three hours max but you can order shorter lengths of tape. We have a machine here that will allow me to mount a hundred and forty four tapes at one time and then put pre-recorded music on them. It even works at double the normal speed."

"Sounds like you can give the record companies a run for their money."

"In all honesty Sam they're doomed. You have the room for up to three LPs on one tape and the sound is superior. My portable machine can take the songs to the beach like a transistor radio. A home unit can play them when you are there. The big idea is that we are making a unit that takes the place of the current radio. It not only plays the tapes but AM and FM radio stations too."

"I can see the music goes were the people are. What's the deal?"

"I sell the equipment and you sell the tapes. You have to buy my machine and my tapes because there is nothing else that will do it. Your contract to the record companies may not cover you putting music to commercial tapes. Future contracts should be worded so my products can be used."

"I'll have to check with the lawyers for that. This doesn't sound like you are making much money off this deal."

"I'm not. But you peddle my tapes too. Other companies including record companies will move over to tape too. You will have already set up a way to distribute the tapes by then and they will come to you."

Sam said, "The record companies would already have a network of dealers."

"You will be competition, and the other promoters like you, will rather deal with somebody that is like them."

"Hmmmm, is one of these mass recording devices coming down?"

"Two are. One costs you a dollar and the other cost seventeen thousand. You set your own price when you sell them. The tapes will cost a dollar each to you. I'll send down a few portable units that you can play with but we haven't got too many to sell. By the first of summer I will have a hundred and twenty thousand portable units made. I am looking for plants to make the machines in your country and Japan. The ones you get will at least allow you to hear the quality of the sound. The public will like it too."

"How much for these units?"

"Thirty two dollars each. You may get a month or two of lead time before the advertising goes out."

"What can I sell them for?"

"Forty two."

"That is ten bucks each. If they are that good I may be able to make a lot of sawbucks."

"You stand to make a lot of money but I think you better hire somebody to run it. You're usually too busy as it is and your present business may suffer."

"I'll look into that too. Why don't you send that stuff down now?"

"It's already in a warehouse in Buffalo. I'll call and get it delivered in the next few days."

Our home products were selling much better in Toronto. We were even making shipments to other large metropolitan centres. It would soon be time to put a showroom in other cities just for our products. The rich could afford our products and even the crew of people that installed the kitchens could too. In some cases I allowed wives to work with husbands but this was rare. They added their own touch and worked better with the woman of the house.



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Chapter 34


School had changed not only for me but for everyone. The female population was not as meek. Girls had always known that they had something that the males wanted and felt secure that they could trade for it. It was just that after the trade was legitimised then it was taken for granted. Now the ladies were more socially aware and knew a lot more about what was ahead of them. This now made the boy who was malleable in more demand. In a way the boys were now being trained so they would fit better into their future role as half of a parenting group. Next year the school board promised to have boys take a partial Home Ec class while the girls had to see what it was like in the trades.

A few of the more secure girls would see me going by a washroom and they would stage whisper that I should go in there with them. I soon had to make up new sayings in reply. I ran out of the possible ones in memory.

Mrs Warren was regularly invited to parties and social events. When she fell sick and had to go to the hospital we came to see her. Luckily the illness was not that serious and she made it back to work a few weeks later. Paige knew that her future duties as a wife had to include representing me when I was not available. She was the one that had found Mrs Warren missing.

It was a touching scene in the hospital room and I could see tears in Gail's eyes when the two of us came. I brought her a nice silk robe in her size, some flowers and some of my homemade cookies. Paige gave her a pair of silk pajamas with a note attached, saying that they had to be worn next to the skin.

Gail hugged both of us but I could see she felt better. Since there was only the three of us, she said, "What about this note Paige?"

"Jeff got me a pair for Christmas a year ago. I just love the feel. The less you wear under them the better it is."

"Really?"

"They are great but I know why he got them for me."

Gail smiled and asked, "Why?"

Paige got close and whispered in the old woman's ear for a full minute. Gail's expression changed through a whole gauntlet of expressions. She was shocked at first then it progressively changed to a knowing satisfaction that most women could summon when needed.

Gail was now Mrs Warren. She said in an authorities voice, "So Mr Congdon, you bought silk pajamas for Paige so you could take advantage of her?"

"I didn't know that would happen. I just bought them because they looked so good on her. I was the one that was surprised. I was minding my own business and reading the paper on the kitchen table when I was attacked. The fight was entirely one-sided. I was too stunned by the forcefulness of it. In the end, it was me that was prevailed upon. I tell you Mrs Warren that it was not a pretty sight. Young men have to be protected from wild women."

"I somehow find that hard to believe. Now tell me how come I am getting a pair?"

"Oh, that's easy," I said. "I know you will probably try them on soon. I will have a talk to Mr Grissom about you being lonely. I just want to hide in the washroom and peek through the open door when he comes."

She looked around for something to throw and I just hid behind Paige.

My loyal girl said, "You are such a coward some times. Stand up and take what you deserve."

I said in a whiny voice, "But, but — she'll hurt me."

A Canadian company made a deal with us for the diapers and the sanitary napkins. They were now out and on the market, and test marketed in Toronto first. John and I spent nearly a hundred thousand dollars on advertising. It seemed to have worked, because our products were selling.

As the days got closer to March break the atmosphere changed around the house. They were even more nervous that last time. I was not always available and Jamie took the brunt of their feelings. He had a haunted expression sometimes and looked constantly tired. The girls looked to have a protein shake and they always wanted it fresh. Another lady would use a dildo to ensure Jamie gave all he could when it was needed. The band was no different and the girls shared the boys too. Jamie's part in any erotic acts was kept hidden.

During the cold winter the steel had begun to arrive when Stelco had excess capacity. The ground though, could still be prepped. Other construction firms dug through the rock to make trenches for the utilities and sewage. Empty conduit was put in for things that I could not justify right now like fibre optics. Everything was built big, as other areas would eventually get developed and they would just branch in.

Carlo got his limo and I got some trucks. The aggregate yard now started up again. Blasted rock was now crushed and put back in the trenches. Large rock would damage the lines and pipe more than the smaller ones would. There used to be a tower where bags of cement were stored. A man would slice bags open and dump the contents into the dry mix of sand and crushed stone. We now had a large silo for just this product. Trains could bring the cement slightly cheaper but I could use the truck now to sell cement where there were no trains.

Carlo was working on the large mixer truck but needed larger tires, which were not made yet. With a contract for thousands of tires the rubber company decided to make them. I got just five of the smaller versions of truck. They did have the long conveyor though and this arrangement would work fine.

On the first of March the first beam was bolted to the pads that had been set into the rock. Small heated sheds had been erected around each pad and the concrete kept above freezing. When all the framework was done the roof took little time.

While this was being done, my minstrels left for Memphis. I went to Toronto with them on business and they seemed sad that I was not going further. I felt that way too but some things just had to be.

Almost all of the facility here in Toronto was shifted north along with most of the engineers. I stopped in to see what was happening with the remainder. This was not the reason for the visit though. Canadian National Railways or CNR wanted my device that could vastly improve their communications. It had to be altered a bit so that it used different frequencies on each of the ten bands but it would work.

A vice president by the name of Mr Keys asked, "What is it that you want for this device? Your paperwork suggests a trade instead of cash."

John was sitting beside me and he took out a large map and laid it out on the desk. An area north of the tracks and still in the southern portion of the city was highlighted. At the moment it was vacant land in a poor area of the city. It all belonged to CN from when the railway was first built. The area was close to two hundred acres and in the future would have the CN Tower and the Sky Dome and a lot of other businesses. At the moment it was an eyesore from all the dumped material there. I wanted it all not just a bit here and there.

Keys looked at the map then at the accompanying typed text. "This is very valuable land in the heart of our city. You can't expect us to trade for you this for your simple device."

John smiled and said, "Yes we can. We both know this device will save you many millions of dollars. If we get the land it will make a buffer zone for your northern neighbours that complain about the noise. The city will see buildings on the property and not unsightly abandoned land. You begin to start savings as soon as the device is installed. I might point out that AT&T offered eight million dollars for the other version. The value was much too low and it was turned down. Our offer is for thirty."

"Thirty? Then AT&T is a much larger company and can use your device in many more runs."

"True but their offer is for cash. CN is not small either. Both companies communicate across the continent. Your price is much lower even when the prosperity of both companies is compared. Land value in the area we are looking at is not that high."

"I'm sorry, but it is just too much."

I now spoke, "That's too bad. Did you know that we have a meeting in two days with Mr Collinswood?"

"The Mr Collinswood, the president of Canadian Pacific?"

"Yes, that one. I have some other deals for him too."

"What deals?"

"You just said that you find our deal too rich for your blood. I could offer a similar deal to you for a hundred and thirty acres along the lakeshore and four hundred and ten in Ajax. At the moment, some rail lines in the extreme south of the city are not in use. The companies there are making use of cheaper truck traffic. I want to set up my own business and make use of the lake. I want your rail lands as part of this deal."

"What are you offering for this land?"

"Some ideas of mine and some cash."

"What ideas?"

"That would be for the board to hear. My ideas are worth a good deal of money but this one is not patentable. The cash amount will be discussed at the same time. CP had a lot of land we are interested in too and I think they would be willing to trade."

When we left the office, John said, "What do you want with all that land. You said it would get developed some day but that is a long way off."

"It's cheap now. If I get more land by them ripping up unused lines then I can build apartments."

"That is all industrial land. You might get it re-zoned but who wants to live with factories all around them?"

"Over time I buy up the factories as they get too old to be profitable."

"I'm not that young enough to see that."

"How much do you want for your share of this deal with CN and CP?"

"You can have it Jeff. The value is not much and I'm an old man. Besides I have been feeling guilty about taking half when you are doing all the inventing."

"I need friends and a sympathetic partner. I will thank you for the land if you really don't want it. I hope you will still assist me in getting the two railways to do what they must."

"Sure. I like to see them beg."

During the week I wrote songs, used the telephone a great deal and went to see Mr Collinswood. His company was offered a similar deal but they didn't own the same kind of land. In an odd sort of meeting four days later, CN and CP sat together and I offered them my invention. The cash CP was going to pay me in lieu of some property would go to CN for their properties.

"Now what is this idea Mr Congdon?"

"I think you should upgrade the tracks to Niagra Falls and then to Ajax. This is expensive but the various levels of government will assist. You can make a passenger train car that is three levels high with the area between the wheels kept low to the tracks. The seats are close together but the short trip to and from Toronto will not be that uncomfortable. The term 'Go Train' sounds nice but you can use whatever you want. You should get more government funding because you are keeping automobiles off the roads. You might also consider using the tracks to London in a similar fashion."

We discussed this for quite a while. I showed them my drawings but they were only what I remembered them to be. The execuatives saw the benefits but didn't have the money. I promised to make something similar to the internet with TCP/IP to allow packets of data on their lines. They weren't very knowledgeable about this but in a few hours we had the basis of an agreement.

The family called me that night as they did every night to and gave me an update on what had been happening in Memphis. Sam loved all of the equipment and the special sound effects. The girls sang much better than a year ago and Mark made them sound better again. The band was the same way and Sam had them playing at local establishments already to test them out and gauge the audience's reaction. He hadn't planned on doing this before.

The local newspaper had put their picturers in print. I knew that Sam had something to do with this but he probably did do it for all the groups he represented. I was still hoping that he would make some records and send them off to some radio stations as a further test. The material the group had was mine and completely new, and that alone may get them noticed.

I knew the plans could be changed and now Paige, Jamie and Maggie may have to come home while the group continued to tour. In three more months they could catch up though and stay for the summer. I was hoping that if this happened then Nora would stay with Jane.

Just before school started, John and I signed a deal with the two railways. They thought they got the better deal but I knew the value of the land would grow. I just had to find something more to sell them so I could get more of the lakeshore. After it and the lake were cleaned up then the land would be very valuable.

When I got back to North Bay, the roof was on and sealed from the rains that would were surely coming. Plastic tarps were readied to keep out wind blown moisture and the steel reinforcing rods and mesh were laid in some areas. A cold front was coming in and this made us stop for three days. After that the cement trucks poured cement without stop. This lasted four and a half days and the power trowels got a lot of use. It was good that Carlo had sent up an experienced operator or we would have been in a lot of trouble.

Paige, Maggie and Jamie came home very excited and had lots to tell me. Jack was with us so he heard just as quickly as I did. They found they had groupies already. Usually it was young girls but boys too wanted to touch someone important. They had cut six records with the 'A' side the new song and the 'B' side one I had already put out. They had new clothing that were really costumes.

They met important people and many performers. Publicity photos were shot and went to the cities they were to go to next. Young people wanted autographs. Jamie found they wanted some of his clothing, his hair or even his baby if he would stay still long enough.

The talk went on for hours and I said to Jack, "Let's combine households until the girls get back? We all cook but you have to do your share and do the washing too."

"I guess I could do that if somebody shows me."

Jamie groaned and said, "I guess I have to teach you how to cook. Beans, steak and potatoes are all you need to know."

Now the girls groaned.

Things changed very little except that Jack had to be educated and sometimes chivvied into doing his chores. Things went easier with less people but it was still hard to realise they would be gone for a long time and then the youngsters around me would go too. Music lessons had to resume, especially now that the three found they had a very good chance at the brass ring.

My public affiliation with NADI was well known and the staff and students asked me about the buildings. The information was in the newspaper but they just wanted it from somebody's lips. The chance for employment inspired many to try to find more information.

Payroll was difficult, not in funds but in personnel. The girls had done part of this and the new hires had to learn the ropes.

When the floor of the second building was finished the first building was ready for siding. This had allowed the concrete to dry out more. Lots of this construction had to be learnt as we went along and lots of photos were taken. I had patented different kinds of fasteners and these were all tried in different sections.

The idea was to put up ninety percent of the siding then start the second building. Again this was to let the concrete dry. We were not giving it too long though for we had four hundred and thirty seven people on the payroll trying to get the job done.

My duties made me rethink my wish to go to school. I could graduate if I wanted but I still liked being with the younger generation. I think I was a positive influence and leaving now would look like a dropped out. I was afraid if I did leave, my link to my family would diminish. Work would swallow up all the time I had. The only solution was to find people I could rely on to manage things for me.

In my previous life I tried to promote from within. This allowed me to see what a person was made of. Sometimes the new duties broke the person and it was hard to go back to an old job. Testing a person for only two months with the knowledge that they were going back was much nicer and had no stigma of failure attached to it.

Carm was one success. He worked with Mr Sackman to find one mid-sized electronics business that was willing, capable and reliable in making the tape recorder. Mr Sackman signed for me but I didn't know how many units it could get out in time for our ads. The majority of the photos would be shot in July and they would go on the air in mid August. Other shots of young people looking out over a snow covered landscape had to be shot much sooner.

Jamie didn't know it yet but he would be in many of the ads and his beauty would help me sell the machines. His friends in the photos would just happen to be my family. Sam would have to schedule them to be at the seacoast and I could show them as fun-loving teens. Other scenes with them around a pool or just enjoying a party in the house would sell the machines. If things worked out we could do a shoot in British Columbia with them using my snowboards or on a parking lot using my newly invented inline skates or a skateboard. The last had been made but just a few units were produced.

All three types of tape units contained an amplifiers, as well as AM/FM radios in addition to their tape recording and playing abilities. With my forty years in the business, the units would be good. A great many patents had to be written to protect me.

The mechanical engineers were underemployed and instead of letting them go, I had half of them work on two cycle engines that fit the tools better than chainsaw engines. They saw how the leaf blower worked and now did some tinkering with new engines. Eventually I would farm the production out or make them myself.

The men had done very well with the snow blower improvements and then the pressure washer though more improvements could be made.

We were making steady improvements in all fields but there were no breakthroughs yet. I was anxious for the laser diode. I knew it was invented around this time. The calculator and a lot of small LEDs would make me a fortune too and I even had parallel research on the liquid crystals being done.

The lasers were steadily improving and we were making better machines to cut. I was very surprised that some people hadn't been a lot more insistent in getting me to sell them one of our units. They had tried though but not like I assumed they would be like.

LCD research was down to zilch. I had a unit that worked and I could improve it later. There were now two men and a woman chemist. Their work had improved my LCD but I needed other work that had to be done by a metallurgist.

I walked into a small gathering and after being polite and solicitous, I said, "I felt the need recently for some very strong magnets. These can be used in a wide range of articles. The materials that appeal to me are samarium cobalt molecules. The samarium is very rare and expensive but you get a chance to play with it at the corporation's expense.

"One to try first is neodymium, iron and boron. I would try two approaches. Sintering is one but perhaps a better way is to fuse the material and force it out onto a large and thick metal wheel with water flowing over it. The thermal shock and the thermally conductive wheel should form the material into a thin ribbon. I need some voice-coil-motors for other projects."

The older man asked, "Has the corporation okayed this?"

"Yes it has. You have a budget of two hundred thousand to get started." I handed him a sheet of everything I knew on the magnets and in what order I wanted them found. I knew I had at least five years until the first type of magnet came out. The one with neodymium was stronger and used in disk drives. I had played with them. They came from and old pair of hard drives and gave me one large magnet each. A pair pinched my fingers and drew blood. I handed unsuspecting people the pair sometimes. Strong men were asked to take them apart then put them together. It was fun to see them jump in fright.

Edgar was working on glass fibre to use with his lasers. One type of glass had a high content of fluorine and was good for the laser best suited for medical applications. He ran both projects though he should have had help.

Charley was my roving trouble-shooter now. Plastics were his main responsibility but he took Carm's place while he was gone. The last round of bonuses had showed the engineers and workers that being resourceful earned them money. I don't think he was pressed very much for he was a very capable man.

I visited the Browns every once in a while. Payroll now checked their hours and paid them. Jack was very proud of his snow blower, leaf blower and pressure washer even if the engineers had improved them. He was working on a variation of the blower to suck up leaves and would after that would work with a mechanism that cut grass with some nylon line. Jack didn't believe the latter until I took him to a lathe and spun a short length of line and put a piece of wood close. I had a true believer after that.

"There is a new team forming of mechanical engineers. The corporation is going into making small two-cycle engines. It may be profitable in the short term but eventually the Japanese will take over."

"Why do you say that? Their stuff is all garbage."

"That's true for now but they have a good way of looking at things. They want to continuously improve and over time they will. When they make good articles then the prices will still be kept fairly cheap. They will put so much money into research that they can improve anything."

"They are just good mimics. They take our ideas and make small improvements. I don't think they ever made a Nobel Prize or anything close."

"That may be true now but you must know that I'm seldom wrong on my ideas. The Japanese economy will rival that of the United States and both will grow very much from what their present state. They have a whole country of inventers now and their government favours this. They have low interest rates and will keep them low no matter what. In addition, American money has rebuilt and modernised their infrastructure. In a few decades they will have many Nobel Prizes."

"What are we going to do about the competition?"

"Why invest in their country and their people, of course. We will grow with them. We have a good work ethic here but in Japan they see us as lazy and unproductive. You can't fight that."

Barry was progressing with his studies and his work. Jena was still teaching but also teaching dancing to some children that could benefit from it.

Laura still had moon eyes for me and the parents knew that she was safe. They just smiled at her actions without letting her know that they knew. She still talked to me at any chance she got and let me know with increased clarity what I could have if I bothered to accept it. I sent Sam over to see if she would go out with him but apparently he wasn't her type. After he failed I tried others and even asked the girls to see what they could do. I had lots of other ideas but no time to try them yet.

Jena knew all about her sister but she was just as bad in some ways. She was also much more subtle. She got the same treatment but at least she went out with the guy a few times.

Clara had thinned out a bit and was a much more vigorous woman. I think she had more respect for herself now that she worked with her husband and son and not just to clean up and make meals. I heard she was a better welder than her husband.

"Clara, I have an opportunity for you if you want it."

She looked interested. "What is it Jeff?"

"One of the buildings going up will get the contents of the Home Depot. Much more stock will be coming in. Departments will form. North Bay is too small to support a regular sized store and this means that the employees have to know more than one area."

"Small? Regular size? How big is a store?"

"Two to three times the size of the building we have. A homeowner comes in and says, "What type of fitting do I need?" When he moves his fingers around. Another one asks, "What cleans mildew off my tile?" The list goes on and a man asks what is the best wood to use in a certain situation. What I'm saying is that there is a need for experts or somebody that can learn from an expert and tell the homeowner. All of you here could get a job but Laura has to get a bit older first."

Barry said, "I can get a job?"

"Yes you can. You need to be intelligent, you need to get educated and you need to be knowledgeable in some fields. You're smart. You are picking up knowledge. You just need more. I suggest you become an expert in small engines. They are not repaired at the store but they are sold there. This means you have to use them and if they are too big or awkward, you have to watch and ask when others use them."

"Can I really do that?"

"Your wheelchair is not holding you back. Learn, study and work hard. While you are at it I have this set of drawings. Make one and see what you can do with continuous improvement."

The family looked at the many sheets of paper and Barry said, "This is an electric wheelchair."

"Yes, some will have baskets in the front and people like you can come in and shop. Some chairs will be stationed in the front of all the stores, just as buggies are. It means you or a customer can get around all day without wearing out your arms."

When I left, I felt good. The engineers could whip up a chair pretty quick but Barry would learn from it. It all came out of the very large R&D budget and I could write it off anyway. They now had a new way to make an income when there were few things left for them to construct for me.

Our life at home settled down just a bit. Paige, Jamie and Maggie were not exactly bored but took their music lessons more seriously. It could also be that they were going to be professionals now and knew they just had to do this. At night though we had an orgy to take the place of the feelings of closeness we had with the four family members and Paige's mother.

Paige had always been the meek and mild girl but now she must hurt because she compensated too much and became demanding. Jamie's butt took a lot of abuse from all of us but that was what he liked. He would eat Maggie or Paige as quickly as he would suck me into his mouth. Maggie and Paige had sucked him like calves.

My butt was fingered by all three but that was all I would allow. The girls had their own backsides plumbed by Jamie and me but Jamie preferred to be on the receiving end instead. I was constantly analysing Jamie's responses. I could not see him living with just a woman if he didn't undergo a great deal of change. He would be happy with a man and I think be content to be the inferior partner. He was not pushy but he was definitely not as meek as Paige usually was.

Maggie liked him for a number of reasons and part of it must be she could get him to do what she wanted. I had talks with Maggie because I remembered my own history and didn't want Jamie abused. Maggie and Paige really did treat him as their little boy and it seemed to work.

My analysis was aimed at our future. Maggie would want a family of her own. She might take Jamie as her husband but it didn't seem to be too probable. I think Maggie really needed a man that was at least her equal or to be the dominant person of the pair.

Jamie could live with Paige and I but that brought up other nasty statistics and probabilities. Two men and one woman living in a house may raise a few eyebrows. Already I was a high profile person and was going to get even more so. Jamie's role in our family would be found out. That put me in the unenviable position of admitting I had sex with my own gender, or at least one of them. This would bring down some difficulties on Paige. Business deals were going to be necessary to my future and some homophobes would refuse to do what was good for both of us.

I had read information gathered in the future that said that male homosexuals were less likely to stay together but the future had heterosexuals breaking up in increasing numbers too. Jamie would also be under internal pressure to find someone specifically for him. This was understandable and I would be happy for him to see him go but sad for myself. This was something of what a parent would feel.

I didn't limit the psychoanalysis to just Jamie. I looked at my own goals and aspirations. I had told Paige that I wanted others and I meant women. This was before the hormones in my body got me acting oddly. I was always vigorous and one person could not keep me satisfied. Now I had six women and Jamie to satisfy me and me satisfy them. This was too much and I wanted to reduce the numbers. I wanted my biological family happily married with families of their own. I wanted Jennifer and Angela to be the same way.

All this thought brought me to the conclusion that I had to have the bedrock that my life rested on and that was Paige. The fact that she liked girls too allowed us to share other partners until they moved on with their lives. The thoughts of Jamie moving on hurt but I knew that a good portion of it was that he was young and needed to be protected.

James seemed to be upset that Jane had left but there was more than enough to keep him busy. He knew that he was going to get one of the buildings and had to stock it. The racks were not in place yet but would be soon. I wanted the floor left exposed so it would dry properly. James and his group could negotiate for much longer than the possible thirty-day pay schedule. This of course would be some time in the future for any delivery. I was the one that put in all the small features that would be common later.

James was also in charge of recruitment and he had to find people that could work in Home Depot for me when I expanded. The public and separate high schools were recruited. One was just for French speaking students but I wanted people to be at least bilingual. They got very little training during the week because of school. The existing staff were now teachers.

The new building was laid out on paper and the classes continued on Sunday with games so the young employees learned what products were where. They took turns acting like weird customers so the employee had to know how to treat even these unstable people.

I designed then patented a device that attached to the carriage and accepted two quarters. This released the carriage and obligated the customer to return the carriage to get their money back. Theft was a fact of life but I knew that it was going to get worse as time went on. I did what I could to reduce this theft. I decided on was to take everyone that was caught to court. Signs were posted at the original lumberyard, telling of the number of shoplifters caught. This was much like the number of burgers sold but under it I mentioned how that cost both the customers and me a lot of money.

I could not afford to buy the stock to fill this new building even with all the lines of credit and expect to carry on with other activities. Money was coming in slowly but with my increased purchases and activities I had to resort to using the line of credit to pay the loans.

The lasers had to be sold and I did so but charged much more than they should be worth. Only the carbon dioxide unit and the Nd:YAG were released. I may be the only authentic supplier but people could make their own copies without infringing on the patents as long as the units they made were not sold. This crimped research because the engineers made the rods, special flash tubes and all the specialised equipment.

The flash tubes had a limited life and the purchaser had to make their own or purchase ours. Most were research labs and well able to make their own parts. They would all have copies of my patents so there was no way of stopping them.

On May the second I got a call from a minor vice president of the Matsushita Company in Japan. In an uncharacteristic move for them, they wished to move on my cassette and portable tape player. Calls had been coming in previous to this but they were more like agreements to have agreements that may lead to further agreements. Other Japanese companies had expressed interest but this was the first to cut out most of the bullshit.

I was quite happy that night and went home early. Paige was preparing supper with the help of Jamie and Maggie.

"Can you guys take care of the meal? I have a snack in mind and need Paige to supply it personally?"

All three smiled. Jamie said, "I'll watch the cooking but may have something to eat too if Maggie wants to help."

Maggie smiled and said, "You can get it up a third time? It means I wasn't working you hard enough. I may need some of that sausage for desert later."

Paige was in my arms now and she said, "Why are you so happy?"

"Looks like another part of my grand scheme is coming into play. I just want to celebrate and to do that I need my wife." I got closer and whispered, "At least my number one wife."

We went to our bedroom. Yes, though Paige's still had her own room to appease her parents; we even made sure it looked lived in. An hour later, Jamie called up that supper was ready. I called down, "We will get ours later. I am still in negotiations with a very important customer."

It must have been a half-hour later that the bedroom door was suddenly thrown open. I was on my knees on the floor trying to get Paige up for one more orgasm. Jack was standing there and leaning on the doorframe.

"What the hell is going on? What are you doing to my daughter?"

From his speech I figured he had been drinking and doing a lot of it. It suddenly occurred that Jack must be very frustrated. Nora had been gone for nearly three weeks. "I am trying to make my future wife happy. Why did you come into our bedroom like this?"

"She is not your wife. She's my fifteen-year-old daughter. Now leave her alone," he said in a slightly slurred voice.

Turning to Paige I said, "You have to get up and get dressed. Your father is still your legal guardian even though he has been drinking."

"What is it to you if I was drinking or not? You are so smart and make all the money. You have no time for her except to fuck. I knew what you were doing but just realised that you were only using her."

"Daddy, how can you say that? In a few years we are going to get married. Jeff is going to give you the only grandchildren you are going to ever see."

"Get out of here and get back home. I can't even trust my own daughter. Get!"

Paige did hurry and I put my pants on and said to Jack, "Before you married Paige's mother you had sex with her all the time."

"I did not."

The man was lying. Nora had let that tidbit slip out long ago. I couldn't very well mention that conversation without making him angrier. "You did so and so do most young couples. You're letting the alcohol control your tongue."

He was coming closer trying to get Paige to move faster. "You're lying. You are the one with a quick tongue and I better close it." He swung at me and I moved out of his way. I didn't want to get hurt and I sure didn't want to hurt my future father-in-law. He hardly ever drank excessively but when he did we all hid.

Paige yelled out, "Daddy, leave him alone. You're drunk."

He took another swing and said, "What if I am? Get out of this room and out of this house."

Paige had hurried but now she fled with some clothes in her hands. Jack gave me a last dirty look and left. At the door he stopped and turned. "Stay away from my daughter if you know what's good for you."

I was stunned by this and just hoped that Jack came to his senses after he recovered.



-------

Chapter 35


Paige's perspective:

I felt so helpless. Dad walked behind me as we went down the steps to the front door. Maggie and Jamie just stood open-mouthed as we walked by. I turned around with tears in my eyes and looked at Jeff who was following us. He was just as upset as I was. He looked at me as if we would never see me again and I felt the same way even though I knew that we would get back together somehow. Dad had never been this angry before and I didn't know what caused it.

Outside the door I stopped and dad came up and roughly took my hand and shoved me into the car. I was going to talk to dad about this but he was angry and everything that could be said had already been done so. We hadn't got even a few feet before he started on me. "How could you — " He didn't stop when we got to our house. I even felt that he was going to hit me.

Jeff said I had to go with my father and when we got to our house, I wanted to run to my room but my father's voice kept me rooted to the spot. I had to stay and take everything he gave to me. I cried uncontrollably. Then he did hit me and I was just unable to avoid the blow like Jeff had done. He made me feel so filthy but I still knew that it was the drink making him act this way.

Daddy went into my room and pulled out all my clothes then got the suitcase I used. He threw all my old clothes into it. "What are you doing?"

"You don't need Congdon clothes. I make the money and I want you to wear what I provide."

I was very nervous now. Packing clothes meant leaving the house. I was able to get some clothes that suited the weather and some underwear. Dad was just throwing anything in the suitcase. When he was done, he took the suitcase with clothes sticking out the edges then grabbed my arm and dragged me to the front door.

"Daddy, you are hurting me."

"Get in the car you slut."

He had never called me names before and I started to cry once again. When dad got behind the wheel and started the car I said, "Where are we going daddy?"

"To find a place to live. I am not living in this house anymore."

"Daddy, there is no place to go. I know that the entire town is full. There are no rooms even in the hotels."

"I'll find a place."

Dad drove erratically and I wished that the police would come by and pull him over but they are never around when you need them. It was getting late when we pulled up at this old house. Dad got out and said, "Stay here."

Dad came back with a bottle and we continued to drive around with no goal. When the bottle must have been half finished we came to this large building. A plywood sign said 'Hostel' on it.

"Stay here, bitch."

"Yes daddy," was the only thing I could say. I was so frightened and I didn't know what to do.

Daddy came back in five minutes and drove around the building and parked in the back. Again he took my arm and pulled me to the front door.

"Daddy, You are hurting me. I will come, you don't have to drag me."

It didn't help. We went in the front and a thin man looked at me and my condition but said nothing. Dad kept a tight hold of my arm. A door was unlocked and the light turned on. It was a small room with two cots and one dresser. There wasn't even a bathroom but this was explained next.

"The bathroom is down the hall. There is a small one for the ladies. The showers are for pay only. Washing facilities for your clothes are down the street."

The man stepped back and dad threw me to a bed and slammed the door in the man's face.

I just lay on the cot and cried. Dad drank more then said to me, "You go near that kid and I will kill him. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, daddy, don't hurt him."

He got up and started to slap then punch me and at the same time I heard him calling me all sorts of names. I just screamed and cried until he stopped. I heard voices in the hall saying they were going to call the cops. Dad went back to his cot and finished the bottle.

I might have slept some but it wasn't much. Dad was laying down on his cot then moved violently to the side and puked and puked then wiped his mouth with a sleeve and went back to sleep.

Later I got up and used the washroom then cleaned up the mess on the floor. Daddy got up later and looked very bad. When he started to talk I knew that he was not still drunk but only partially sober. He went to the bathroom then came back later. He looked better and in a clearer voice he said, "You are not going back to that Congdon. If I see you with him I will kill him. Do you understand?"

"What happened Daddy? You were never like this before."

He moved as if to hit me and yelled, "Do you understand?"

In fear I backed up and quickly said, "Yes daddy, I understand."

I didn't know what to do. Daddy was acting so strange I was worried for him and worried for Jeff too. I had no idea what set him off. The only one that could help would be Mom and she was not around. She had phoned yesterday before Jeff came home and said she was going to Raleigh, North Carolina then to Greenville, South Carolina. There was no way to phone her and besides this was something I had to talk to her about.

Dad said, "Get to school. Remember what I said. I will kill him if he comes around you."

Dad's eyes were bloodshot and his actions were like that of a stranger. Even if dad was only partially drunk I was very afraid. I took the suitcase and repacked the clothes I left some out that were not wrinkled too much. We drove to a diner and ate breakfast then dad dropped me off in front of the school and rapidly left with more warnings. It was eleven o'clock and I didn't know where he was going.

I looked at the school and I wanted to run in and tell Jeff what was said but I didn't want him hurt either. I needed Mom and I needed her now.

My purse had a lot of money in it. Jeff had given me money for shopping and money I had from the trip to Memphis. My billfold had eighty-three dollars in Canadian and American money and a small hidden compartment in my purse had twenty for an emergency.

The shelter we were at was only six blocks away and I hurried to it. There was a different man at the desk but he had seen me leave with dad not too long ago. He didn't even ask anything as I went back to my room. The clothing was sorted for the weather and where I was going and the suitcase was only half full now.

When I snapped it shut I thought of leaving notes to dad and Jeff but it was best if nobody knew where I was going. I took a city bus to the bus station. I discovered that the next bus going south was not leaving for an hour and a half. Instead of waiting in the station I went to the small café to get something to eat. The bus rides were long and sometimes there was no chance to get something to eat on the way.

Two men had been talking at a nearby table. One had a hat with NADI on it from the company that hired Jeff and the other had Stelco. I had seen the giant buildings going up and Jeff took me inside. I learned a lot about the building that other kids didn't know.

The two men got up and one went to the bathroom leaving the one with the Stelco hat. "Excuse me mister but are you driving back to Hamilton soon?"

"I sure am Miss."

"The bus doesn't leave for over an hour and I want to go see my mother."

"Did you want a ride?"

"Yes, Sir."

The man looked at me oddly then said, "We have to wait for Ed then we can go to the truck." He looked at the suitcase and said, "Is that all you are taking?"

"Yes, Sir."

Ed came out and looked at me then said, "Aren't you Jeff Congdon's girlfriend?"

"Yes, Sir."

The driver said by way of explanation, "She wants a lift to Hamilton to see her mother."

Ed just nodded his head and we all left the café. I paid for my meal and left the fifteen percent that Jeff said to leave. There was no talk in the car for some reason and I was sure if I weren't here they would be talking about something.

There were six large trucks in the parking lot and a lot of other vehicles too. The two men shook hands and Casey, the driver, helped me get in.

We made small talk until we got around two hours from the Bay when Casey asked, "It is none of my business, but why are you not taking the bus or the train?"

I didn't know what to say. I knew this was going to happen but I could not just make up a lie. "Daddy came home drunk and got very mad at Jeff. He said he was going to hurt Jeff if we kept being together. I am going to get my mother and see if she can talk some sense into dad. Ever since Jeff and I were young we loved each other. A few years ago he asked me to marry him when we got older. When I said yes he walked over and told my parents too. They were afraid Jeff would change as he got older but he hasn't; neither have I."

Casey asked more questions but some I just couldn't answer and I just kept my mouth shut. We made only one stop for fuel and something to eat. Casey dropped me off at the bus terminal and left after wishing me luck.

This bus station was enormous. A large sign listed destinations and times for departures. We had always crossed from Fort Erie into Buffalo but a map on the wall showed that Niagara Falls Ontario would allow me to cross into Niagara Falls, New York. That bus was leaving a half an hour sooner. I bought this ticket and was on the bus in fifteen minutes. The driver was nice and suggested that I could get off just before the end of the trip so I would be closer to the bridge. The driver stopped the bus an hour later and pointed in the direction I had to go.

It was dark by now and I wondered around until I came to the train station. It was very near one of the bridges. Some people were sleeping here and I curled up on a bench and did the same thing. I slept fitfully amid the hiss of steam engines and the rumble of diesels. I fell back to sleep easily again.

The next morning the man that sold tickets woke everybody up. He didn't seem that nice of a person. Another small café was close by so I ate breakfast then left for the bridge. Instead of crossing right away I watched pedestrian traffic. I noticed that it was not unusual for children to cross on foot, though some had bikes. Two girls about my age came by wearing packs and I made a quick decision and followed them. We walked across the long bridge and I got closer to them as we walked. At the other side I paid a dime and was asked, "Where were you born?"

"Canada," was enough to get me across. I think the man thought all three of us were together and that was what I hoped. I talked to the girls now, "I like your packs. Would you tell me where you got them?"

I soon found that things cost less here. The girls talked about style and said they came here to shop. The other girl said that the material was not as good unless you went to the more expensive shops. The girls went out of their way and took me to a place selling packs. Girls didn't usually wear this sort of thing but it was better than carrying the suitcase.

They helped me pick out a pack bigger than theirs to carry all my clothes and other things I was going to need. The woman that sold the packs helped too. I put all the clothes into one of the packs then put it on. It took a while and tried two more packs until I found one that fit well.

"I don't need my suitcase any more," I said to the woman. "Do you want it?"

The woman looked at the suitcase and said, "Won't your mother object. It has her name on it."

"No, that's mine. My fiancé put that name on a year ago."

"A year ago. You are pretty young to be thinking of marriage."

"I have loved Jeff since we were babies. His family lives next to mine in North Bay."

The woman looked at the name on the brass tag then said, "Jeff Congdon wants to marry you? That lad's very famous."

"He is and he is always busy making something new. His lasers are going to make him rich he says."

"I heard of those things. What are they?"

I explained to the woman and my two new friends what Jeff had explained to me. This took about five minutes. I went slow and explained all the small details so they would understand this the way it worked.

One of the girls asked, "Didn't he write some songs for Elvis?"

"Yes he wrote a lot of them. I was in Memphis recently and Mr Presley looks very good in his uniform. Last year Jeff and he were speaking German. That is where he's stationed at the moment."

"Did you talk to him too?"

"Oh, yes. He talked to all of us. He's so polite and his voice is so soft."

The other one said, "You really talked to Elvis Presley?"

"Yeah, he had to go back to Germany. His manager, Sam Johnson, got us to sing this spring break. We made a few records but some of us had to come home because of school. My Mom and Jeff's are watching the group and having a lot of fun."

"You made a record?" she said incredulously.

"There was Jennifer, Angela, Susan, Maggie, Jamie and me singing, not just me."

"There's a record store around the corner. Let's go look if it is there yet."

I said goodbye to the nice lady and walked to the store. We didn't find the record but asked the manager. He looked at a list of paper then unpacked a box and brought out some of the records. The girls and the manager looked at the label and my name was on it. There was a record player so people could listen to the music before purchasing it. We didn't have this in North Bay. We didn't sing too badly; but I could hear a few mistakes but they were small. Mark was good with his machine.

The girls bought two of the records and got me to sign the bill of sale. It was fun to do this in a way. The manager changed most of my Canadian money for American there at the store. The girls took me to the bus station and stayed with me until a bus for Cleveland took me on the first part of my trip.

The bus was an express coach and it was nine hours to the next stop. I had time for a meal and bought some snacks for the next part of the trip. In two hours I was on another bus to Cincinnati.

I slept in the station until the next bus came for Frankfort Kentucky. This one was not an express and made some stops. At one, a large black lady got on the bus and sat in the seat just across the aisle from me. She had two children. The baby sat with her but there wasn't much room. I said to the girl of three, "Why don't you sit here with me?"

The mother smiled and said, "Sit with the young lady, Camille. I am just going to be over here."

"I don't want to."

"Child, you get up on that seat this minute. I am not going to have you make a scene in front of strangers."

"But Momma — "

"Geeet."

The girl did take a seat but sat as far from me as possible. For the next hour I talked to the girl and her mother. The woman was very polite and very nice too. I took out my snacks and shared them with the girl and her mother.

Mrs Brown finally asked, "Where is your family child?" I knew this was coming for a long time.

"My dad and fiancé are in North Bay — "

"Kentucky?"

"No, Ontario. My Mom is touring with Jeff's family and friends. We have a band and the girls sing. The man that promotes Mr Presley is helping us out."

"My god! You know Mr Presley?"

"Yes, Mrs. Brown. He's stationed in Germany but should be back in six months. Do you like his music too?"

"Oh yes. That boy can sing church music better than most and can he move those hips. All the girls are falling for him."

"I have some pictures here if you want to see them."

"I sure do child."

I took out my billfold and that had a large area for pictures. Most were of Jeff but the rest of us were there too. At the back was a picture of Elvis and me and one of Elvis and the group. He was wearing his uniform in both pictures.

"Yes, that's him. Is that your fiancé there?"

"That's him alright."

"He looks even younger than you are."

"He is by one year."

"So you are fifteen and he is fourteen and you are going to get married?"

"He says that it has to be after he is eighteen and then four years or so until we have babies."

"I know girls that had to get married at your age and most of them have a hard time of it. He needs a good job"

"Jeff works for a corporation and it gave us a beautiful home and even a home for my parents. Jeff has all the money we need but he is usually too busy to spend much of it. He bought two apartment buildings then fixed them up so they look like mansions. He owns other things too but we don't talk about money much."

"Well it looks like you found a good one Child."

Eventually the bus stopped and the family left. I stood and hugged the children and then the mother. She was a very good woman and was trying very hard to raise her children right.

It wasn't until Nashville where I had to change buses did I find that my billfold was missing. Camille liked the pictures and must have taken it. Most of my money and all my identification and pictures were gone. I started to cry then just went into the washroom at the bus station and cried on the toilet.

It was no good to just stay here and I finally pulled myself together. I had left Friday at noon and it was now noon on Tuesday. Mom was supposed to move onto Greenville tonight but things could have changed. The distances looked so short on the maps in the bus stations but were so far even on the bus.

The secret compartment was opened and I took out the twenty dollars. I would have difficulty spending it in its current form. I had to ask a lot of questions and in a half hour I found a bank that would do it for me. The teller looked at the money as if it weren't good enough to grace her bank but I kept quiet.

When I got out into the humid air, I considered my other options. Memphis was at the far west of the state while the Carolinas were to the east. I could phone Mark and ask him where the group was but calls like that cost a lot of money. If Mom suspected that I was coming then she would continue with her itinerary. That was assuming if they knew I had managed to cross the border in the first place.

The tickets I needed to Greenville cost more than the money I had. I had a nice watch that Jeff had given me and I looked around for somebody that might want to buy it. One man looked at the watch and me then offered a dollar. He could see that I was desperate and I just walked away. It was the ticket agent that gave me the best deal. He would get the driver of a bus to take me as if I was one of his relatives. The best he could do was get me to a city called Cleveland that was close to Georgia and to South Carolina.

The bus driver didn't seem happy but at eight o'clock that night he dropped me off in the city. The city was about the size of North Bay. The bus station was closed though and a sign said that it would be open at six in the morning.

The second Mrs Brown had warned me about men. So far the trip had been ok and I intended it to continue this way. It was very dark by the time I found a truck stop. My legs were tired and so were my feet. A harried waitress by the name of Greta brought me a meal and I asked, "I need to get to Greenville South Carolina. Is there anybody here that I can safely hitch a ride with?"

"I don't know Honey. These men are hitting on me all the time and I have to let them know in no uncertain terms that I am not interested."

"How?"

"Threaten them and I carry a good knife for those that can't hear very well."

"Could I buy a knife?" I didn't want one but Jeff told me to think the worst of people and be pleasantly surprised if they weren't bad.

"Take the one you are using Honey and I'll ask around to see who is going east."

In twenty minutes the waitress came back and said, "Jed is going to Greer. It is only thirty miles from Greenville. He will take you if you want."

"Is he safe?"

"No man is safe Honey. He is older than the rest and a bit wiser too."

"I wrote my name and address down here. My fiancé killed a man that was going to hurt a little girl and he came very near to doing it to someone that kidnapped him."

"Take my advice Honey and stay away from your fiancé too."

"Have you ever heard of Jeff Congdon?"

"Not really. Where's he from?"

"North Bay, Ontario, like me. He invents lots things. He is in the newspapers and even the magazines sometimes. They had a television show about him too."

"I'm kinda busy Honey and I don't get much chance to read and I have to get back to my job."

"Thanks, but keep the paper please. It will make me feel safe. I can call this place later and leave a message for you."

"I'll do that Honey."

In a few minutes the waitress came back and I paid the bill and she saw that the knife was now missing. She took me over to Jed and she said, "Well Jed, this is Paige from North Bay." She said with a smile then turned to me and said, "You remember. I want that phone call to find out how your mother is."

"I won't forget. Thanks"

Jed and I left soon after. He was a nice old man; and I was shy and meek but not stupid.

We talked for the first hour but I saw that he was looking at my chest whenever he could. He finally said, "How are you going to pay for this ride Honey?"

I held the knife at my side very tightly and said, "I left my name and where I was going with the waitress. There must be ten people that know I got in the truck with you. Now I have a question for you?"

"Go ahead Sweet Thing."

"Have you heard about North Bay or my fiancé before?"

"No, what did he do?"

"He invents things and people pay him a lot of money for what he does."

"So?"

"Almost two years ago when he was twelve he rescued a three year-old girl that had been kidnapped. Do you remember what he did to one of the kidnappers?"

"I seem to remember something but not much."

"I will refresh your memory. Jeff was shot with a deer rifle. He got up in a few moments and walked back to the cliff and managed to pick up a rock. He killed the man and then dropped more rocks to make sure he stayed dead."

"A few months ago a weird man got the mob to go after Jeff. One person that had a long record of killing, kidnapped Jeff. Jeff broke out of the car and took out the guy's left eye then kicked him so hard that he would never be functional with the ladies again. He then kicked the guy in the jaw and it broke it in two places."

"I am saying that Jeff is the man that I love and he loves me. Jeff doesn't know where I am now but the waitress and your friends know. You were a nice man up until you asked for payment. Let me remember you as a nice man when I leave."

The man said nothing but kept his eyes on the road and I kept my hand on the knife. At three in the morning the truck pulled into Greenville and not Greer. In five minutes he stopped at a truck stop.

I looked at him and he said, "I would like you to remember a nice old man too. I have a granddaughter your age and I would like to think that she would be safe too. Go in the diner and tell Marty, the cook, that I said for him to watch out for you until you find your mother."

The knife went into my pocket and I moved close to the man and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Jed. Listen to the music the young people listen to. I will get Jeff to make a song for you and all truckers. He is good that way."

He smiled brightly and said, "You do that missy."

"The name is Paige Newfield but it will change to Congdon one day soon."

"I'll remember."

I watched the truck depart and I waved to Jed. The diner was nearly empty and I talked to Marty. I ordered a small meal I asked the man, "Have you ever heard of the 'North Birds'? They are a band but they have some singers with them?"

"I heard something about it on the radio a few days ago."

"They are going to be performing here today. Do you know where they may be staying? My mother is with them."

"Let me finish this order and I can phone some of the better hotels."

"Sam Johnson likes mid priced motels instead. They are cheaper he says."

"The guy that has Elvis?"

"Yes, that one. He's cantankerous but he has a heart of gold."

I used the payphone while Marty used his phone. I used up all my money but finally found the right place. When I said my name the man was even more helpful. He asked me to wait a moment.

The phone was suddenly picked up and I heard a breathless voice say, "Paige?" I felt so relieved.

"Hello husband." Then I worried about dad. "Is dad here? He's going to kill you he said if we see each other."

"He isn't. Now where are you?"

I asked Jeff to hold and Marty gave directions to his place of business. It was only ten minutes later and a taxi came to the diner faster than any car I had seen approach before. Jeff jumped out and ran in the front door and to me. He took me in his arms and kissed me in front of two customers and Marty. I didn't try to stop him.

We sat in the booth and Jeff signalled the taxi driver to come in. Marty sat too when I said he should. I went through my story in about five minutes but I didn't say anything bad about Jed.

Jeff gave Marty two one hundred dollar bills and said, "One is for you and the other if for Jed the next time he comes in." Jeff turned and handed another bill to the startled taxi driver and he said, "It is more than I said it was going to be but you will have to accept anyway."

"I sure will and thanks. I never even seen a hundred before."

Jeff just held me as we drove. It was a motel and the driver refused further money. He had three weeks pay for a person living here. Mom hugged me to her when I got to her door. Jane did too and we all started to cry.

Jeff said in his authoritative voice, "Now tell us the real story. I want it all this time. Start from when your dad took you from the house."

I was afraid now. Not that I was going to be punished but because I must have done something to displease Jeff. I went through everything dad said and how he acted. Then I went into my adventures and even listed all the bus stops I made. I told the truth about Jed but said he was not trying hard and even I could stop him.

My face was still pointed at the floor waiting for what Jeff would decide. I had done a great many things wrong but Jeff never said anything about them yet.

"Thank you Paige. Your father has a slight mental problem. It's like there are two people living inside his head. He was treated for the condition twice before. Your mother put your father together almost alone one time. Drink may be the trigger but it may be some people trying to attack me through your father. Edgar is looking into it. Apparently Jennifer's father came over to talk about his daughter. He had no interest before and we have to find some answers."

"What is going to happen now Jeff?"

"We are going to see if we can get your father into some type of therapy. If not, then we will have to resort to a restraining order. Your mother would be you guardian in that event."

"But daddy loves me, I know it."

"I am sure he does but that other part is not so loving and kind."

"I have to still go to school and if Daddy — "

"You are not going to go into danger. You and your mother will have to fly back and we will see what we can do."

"Ok Jeff," I said morosely. "But I just got here."

"Rest up then and you may as well sing with the band for this gig. You can dedicate a song to those that helped you."

"I can't do that, I mean in front of all those people."

"One day you will be my wife. That means you have to shoulder some of my responsibilities. One of those is to give a few of the speeches. It may be some woman's club but it could be a fund-raiser, a political rally or just a company picnic. You will be great at it and I will be beside you some of the times. Will you do this for me?"

"Yes Jeff. If you say I have to."

"Well it is about time my girls got some sleep." He said as he looked at the two beds and added, "Paige you better bunk with your mom. There is a remote possibility of this coming under official scrutiny." He kissed each of us good night and left for his room.

Mom went to the bathroom but I was already in the shower. It had been a long time between baths. When I got out Mom pulled back the sheet and I got in like I did when I was a frightened little girl. Even with dad acting funny it still felt good.

-------

I went back to my own room and remained as quiet as I could be. Maggie and Jamie were cuddled on one of the large beds. They looked so cute together. Jamie's hair had grown longer than usual and he still looked like a girl in some respects. Maggie looked like a mother with her arm around him as if he needed of protection. My own bed beckoned though.

It was late when I finally fell into a much needed sleep. I had been worried for almost a week about Paige and Jack too. When she had run off I had talked to Edgar and Charley first then Mason. It was Mason that went to the police with an unofficial request. He was not the father and I had no claim on Paige yet. When she didn't appear in the city on Saturday I put out the word to my own people and they would keep a look out for her. Without the police I couldn't get her picture passed along to the officers at the border.

It wasn't until Sunday night that Jack came storming to my house demanding the return of his daughter. His breath still smelt of alcohol but his coordination was better. His attitude had not changed though. It was good that Mrs Cameron and Mrs Warren were over. We were discussing Paige's possible whereabouts. The two women had already determined that she went to find her mother too. They were in the other room but did hear Jack threaten my life.

I said, "I told you that Paige is not here. You are free to search. I want her safe and sound more than you do."

"If you hadn't been having sex with her then she would still be here."

"Paige would never existed if her parents had caught you having sex with her mother before you two were married. You block that out of your mind but you were no different than me. You have a good family and all you need to get it back under control is to ease off your drinking."

"My drinking has nothing to do with it. You were fucking my daughter. I feel like just ripping you apart and stomping on what's left."

"Is that going to help find Paige?"

"It'll make me feel better. If I catch her here, you better have some property picked out to plant you in." He turned and left. When he got in the car he revved it up and threw gravel at the house like a child.

I said to my two guests, "Paige didn't show up for school Friday and now it is Sunday night. I have to assume she left as soon as she could and it took her father a long time to come here looking for her."

Monday morning I had Charley hire some of the men from out of town to find out about Jack and his affliction. I called Doctor Madeline Davits to see what she thought. I received a long list of possible mental problems including the possibility that Jack had just found out that I had been having sex with his daughter.

Jack worked at a supply company and I called the owner. He already knew that Jack was acting oddly. I said, "As far as I know I have never heard of Mr Newfield acting like this before. I would take it as a favour if you would make some allowances for him. It would hurt the situation if he were fired or even put on vacation."

"I will keep an eye on him Mr Congdon but I'm not going to make any promises I can't keep."

On Tuesday I had Mr Mason sleep at my house while some of the bookkeepers worked from this location during the day. There was no call forwarding and this was the best I could do as I was going to fly south in the hope that Paige made it on her own. Jamie and Maggie came too and I regretted not hammering a lot more street smarts into all three. This portion of the century was still relatively safe but it didn't feel that way to me. There have always been wackos out there and there always would be.

It felt like I had finally got to sleep when I heard the toilet flush. I opened my eyes and saw that it was bright. Maggie walked back into the room in just her birthday suit. When she saw me she came to my bed instead.

"How is she?"

"She had a little adventure and came through it safe. It is best that she tells you then you can share it with her."

"I don't know what I would do if she were hurt or worse."

"People are nicer now than they are going to be. They obey the law more too. I have to admit that I was very worried about her too."

"I know you were. I watched you pace and do things two times when you never did that before." She reached down my body and found something interesting. "Will you help me relieve my tensions?"

"I think we will relieve each others."

Jamie came into the shower with us and sleepily got to his knees and sucked on each of us. When he was getting me erect, I caressed his face as I would a child's and said, "What am I going to do with this when it is big?"

Jamie pulled back so he could talk and said, "I like the Jamie sandwich."

"I like that too Sweetie."

In a few moments we were out of the bath and reasonably dry. Maggie hurried to the bed and pulled her knees up. Jamie licked her while wiggling his bum at me. I got some lubricant and slowly slipped my fingers into him. They were both moaning now and Jamie pulled his face away from Maggie and said, "Let's do it now. I can't wait."

He walked forward and I kept my fingers in his butt. He sank into Maggie ever so slowly then waited for me. I wiped my hand and put some clean lubricant on and wiped my hands again. I slid in slowly and stopped so he could get used to me then on his call I went all the way.

In a few moments I was almost stationary and Jamie moved in an out of Maggie as he thrust himself onto me. I caressed Jamie's back but couldn't see any activity between the other two. In a short time Jamie started to groan and this must have inspired Maggie and then me for soon the two came and I did just a moment later.

We all collapsed on the bed and I held Jamie tightly to me until I slipped out. Jamie was pushing back harder to keep me in place but this rarely happened.

I slid off the bed and saw the two young people and felt very protective of both of them. I had started to grow and now was taller than Jamie. I knew that this would continue until I got to six feet. I picked up Jamie with some difficulty and brought him to the bathroom. I turned the water on and then got Maggie. She was bigger than Jamie and had lots of muscle now that she was exercising and taking martial arts classes. My own exercises had flagged but I still tried my best. I liked the older me better because people didn't treat me as a child and a few men that might possibly want to fight would think again. I didn't have that many fights after I got big and part of that was just attitude.

This time when we dried off we got dressed. I peeked in on Paige and she was still asleep. I decided to let her catch up on what she missed in the last week. We ate a late breakfast and when we came back the manager gave me a note from Nora. It basically said what I knew and that the group were going three blocks away to practice. We were welcome to go but someone had to stay with Paige. I confirmed the directions with the manager and I sent Maggie and Jamie off to practice too.

I just sat at the desk in the room with Paige and worked on some of the many things that needed to be done but found myself still looking at Paige most of the time.

It was twelve thirty when Paige finally woke up. She looked frightened at the strange room but then saw me. "Good morning Husband."

"Good afternoon Wife."

"Afternoon? That explains why I am hungry. You going to come here so I can get something to eat?"

"As much as I would love to, I think it better to be just plutonic until we see how things lay."

"That will be lonely for me."

"I know. You still have your singing though and if we get you a meal we can go and meet up with the rest."

"Jeff, I have to make a phone call to a waitress that helped me. It's important."

"Go have a shower and you can make it after you waken up a bit more."

"Are you going to wash my back?"

I gave her a Spock eye and said, "Only your back. You have too many interesting parts and I have to control myself."

Page phoned the truck stop and left a message to Greta saying that her mother was safe and sound and gave her thanks. I used the phone then and arranged for transportation for the five of us. Jane would have to chaperon alone but that was the way the girls liked it. The boys in the band didn't have to hide as much this way. I think that three girls didn't mind taking care of four boys but that still left Jane with no partner.

Paige wrote out her speech and we critiqued it for her. When the time came she gave it perfectly though I could see that she was very nervous. After the first two songs I took Jane to the dressing room and made both of us happy.

We got back in time for the closing song before another group took over. The applause was very loud and the group looked good in their costumes. Paige was glassy-eyed and ready to jump me but I had to calm her down instead.

We had just enough time to change, get a snack and get to the small airport here in Greenville. A large Beechcraft flew us to Columbia and there we caught a flight to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Jamie was thrilled as he got to sit beside the pilot and ask a lot of questions. We stayed an hour and a half and caught another plane to Toronto. A bus took us the rest of the way home. The kids slept and so did Nora. I was awake most of the time thinking of what I was going to do when I got back.

Mr Mason was up and ready to start his day when we came in the front door. The young ones went to bed while Mason, Nora and I talked. Jack had come by again apparently and Mason had called the police to get him out of the house. Jack had gone down the hill and tried to destroy his rental home by setting it on fire. Mason had suspected this from his behaviour and the police were nearby. The police and Mason put out the small fire. Jack was in jail now facing arson charges among others. The bail was set high enough that Jack would stay put until we found a way to deal with him.

Nora wanted to go to him immediately but we talked about the situation and how we could force Jack to seek treatment. Nora fretted and made herself busy until one o'clock. This way Jack had a chance to dry out. The three kids got up and kept busy too. Paige was very upset about all this and was blaming herself for the problems. Nora and I took our time and straightened her out as best as we could.

I waited outside the jail but when Nora came out she was crying. "This is so much worse than last time. I don't know what I am going to do."

"We're family and we help each other. I want dad happy and healthy again. We have to ask the court to find out what is bothering him and we can start from there."



-------

Chapter 36


Jack was remanded for ten days in jail. We went down to see him but I did not go in just yet. Paige came out crying because her father was not better yet. I began to suspect something rotten and then consider what I could do to monitor the man. Nora confirmed my suspicions when she said, "Jack isn't getting better. In fact he still looks like he's on a drunk."

I took my suspicions to Mr Tatum the Crown Attorney. After we shook hands, he said, "What can I do for you Mr Congdon? How is your suit against the shrink coming along?"

"I have to wait my turn but I got in an injunction to keep him from disposing of his property. The man is very wealthy but I don't know if he's going to survive to make it to a civil case."

"Really? Any facts of just feelings?"

"Just feelings I guess. I came on another matter. As you must know, Paige's father had some problems that are exacerbated by alcohol. He's in detention awaiting a hearing but he still appears drunk. There is a screen between the prisoner and his visitors. His wife can smell alcohol. This contraband can be purchased in jail but he has no money. My feeling is that somebody is trying to harm me by keeping Jack from treatment."

"That's serious. Do you know who brings this to him?"

"I have my suspicions. I managed for somebody to take a peek at the list of visitors and he only has his family and the lawyer I'm trying to get him to use. I do not think it likely that those three will do this. That means somebody in the police department or in the Department of Corrections."

"Why would they do this?"

"As I said, to hurt me. I want Jack back on his own feet. To do that he needs to dry out and go through the withdrawal symptoms. This was not a casual drunk. I think he can be adequately treated if he gets a chance."

"I'll see what I can do but I rely on the police."

"Perhaps we can get him transferred to a new location. I'm afraid bail is out of the question."

Three days later, Jack was still drunk so I had my lawyers talk to the judge and get Jack moved. His hearing was postponed for another two weeks and I hoped this was enough.

Purely plutonic relationships did not work well. Paige and I went back to being man and wife with both of us worrying about our future together. Nora was supportive but she too was having her problems.

When Jack did dry out I went to visit but he was still angry at me but not nearly so much. I think by the end of the visit he had calmed down a bit more. It was a week until Jack had to have his hearing and I did what I could to keep any of North Bay's finest from coming near. Jack would not tell us who give him the alcohol.

Nora said to him from one side of the screen, "Jennifer was welcomed into our family like a daughter." Jack lowered his head in shame. "She's a good girl. Do you remember why she came to us?"

Jack did not answer. Nora said, "That answers my question, doesn't it? The man has no interest in you. He wants to lash out because his sex toy was taken from him. He found you and used you to hurt your own daughter."

Jack still did not deny any of this and I hoped guilt and shame would make him do the right thing later.

Jack could finally communicate with his lawyer adequately and the judge wanted a pre-trial report. This involved a court appointed psychiatrist.

A court date brought Jack to see the magistrate but his case was remanded. Nora had gone on crying jags that got less as her friends came over to comfort her. Her home was cleaned and painted quickly but she did not want to live there alone. Paige had her own bouts of crying and I did my best to comfort her.

I thought of finishing school many times. My time was pulled so many ways. My research wanted to take all of my life. Controlling and nurturing my empire wanted to do the same. My private life was never long enough. Hectic times were not bad, they were just me pitting myself against the world. As long I was not stomped on too badly, I felt like I was coming out ahead.

The singers and the band were doing extremely well. Through Sam's efforts and their talent they were beginning to command audiences similar to what Elvis gathered.

When the school year ended, I wanted Jamie, Maggie and Paige to join the singers for the summer. Jamie wanted to go but wanted to stay with me. All three were celebrities at school. The music class was very popular. Not only vocal but instrumental was a hot subject to take. All three not only took music in school, they had private tutors that I provided. In their free time they were planning or preparing for musicals.

Jack's trial came and I had two psychologists present their findings. Since NADI was not after blood, Jack's sentencing was put off for another month for more tests. This meant Jack would be released but have to take part in therapy and tests or go back to jail.

Jack's employer would hold the job for him but Jack was unable to go back to work. This may not happen for up to six months but the possibility was that this would be longer.

Jack had to stay with Nora and Nora was staying in the big house with us. Jack eagerly accepted this because it would get him out of jail.

It was a trying time for all of us. Jack was still not stable and Nora had her work cut out for her.

Jack said to me, "I'm sorry for how I acted. Paige is sixteen and she's getting to be old enough to make up her own mind."

"I accept your apology, Dad. I know you had problems but I was too busy to notice them or thinking of Paige. I have an apology to ask of you. I'm sorry Dad."

Jack's face was serious then he reached out and hugged me. He said, "We're lucky we have good women to put us back together."

It did not get back to normal though. Jack yelled and screamed but he did not hit Nora. Nora weathered the storm and held her husband until he calmed down. I did not interfere but Nora always needed her own support later.

Jack had to have something to do so he and Nora made furniture. Oddly the first piece they turned out was a cradle. They both gave it to Paige but I knew it was for us.

Paige thanked them and then said, "I hope it's strong. My side of the family does not have big feet."

Since she was looking at me I said, "You know what they say about big feet?"

Paige and Nora blushed and Jack had his first smile. We celebrated by going out to eat.

When the end of June came near, Paige, Jamie and Maggie prepared to meet up with the band. By now even I was amazed at how popular they had become. It was not all my music either because once it started, the audiences demanded more. They were all making money, hand over fist.

I introduced the cassette tape recorder now even though we had less than a million units. The Japanese were making them now and I had to get our brand out there first.

The band were shown in various commercials using my units and to tell the truth, it was Jamie that I think was looked at the most. When they had a break between cities, commercials were made to hit the local audiences.

Sam was selling the tapes but so far they had not taken off but this would take months. I had hoped that the laser I made would have gained the notoriety that it had the first time through. This time Sam and I pushed hard to make sure the public learned of our product.

The music was all Sam's and mine so far but he had made some deals with his fellow promoters to flog their artists and their work. The record companies had threatened lawsuits but the old contracts had nothing in them about recording on tape.

I missed Paige the minute she stepped on the plane but this was important for both of us. Two weeks later I found one then another girl trying to get close. Alice Henderson was still a recent memory. A substitute for Jamie tried too.

Edgar investigated all of them. People were spying on me all the time and as the number of patents grew so did the interest in me. So far eleven employees had been fired for being too interested in my notes that were said to be off limits.

Espionage and counter espionage were talked about openly at the meetings of the engineers. Two engineers that were caught red handed dealing with people from other companies were being prosecuted and I was going to do my best to blacklist them even if they got jail time. This I mentioned. I did not appear to be a fifteen year-old boy now but somebody that was going to be taken quite literally.

My LCD screen worked but were very expensive. The work that went into these were phenomenal and I had to patent them quickly. Other companies were working hard to beat me to the punch. I knew that the patents would be challenged and I had an extensive legal staff ready to defend me.

The family phoned at least every other day and they talked to not only me but Jack and Nora too. I was not the only one phoned because the gangs' friends and teachers also got calls.

The local newspaper got press releases so everybody could find out just how well the gang was doing.

Tape recorders and cassettes started to take off as people with some disposable income made in the summer decided to splurge.

The research teams came up with seven segment LEDs in watches and clock radios. Calculators were different in that they had pixels that formed the display. The Japanese bought this from me but I got major portions of their stock. At the same time, I bought land in downtown Tokyo to rent out.

Another Oriental incursion was made into North America. I cleared ground for a dojo that was very reminiscent of what was available in Japan. At the same time I opened my first Mandarin restaurant. Like most of my projects I built big. The restaurant just happened to be near where most of the people were working. A similar restaurant was being constructed in Toronto to let the rest of the world know about us.

Rumours started to circulate more openly that I owned all of NADI. Many spies knew of this for a long time. All it took was to check the papers that were filed. It was just that few of the locals knew of this.

John phoned me and I pushed the button that encrypted the call. His voice came through alright but it was not as good as it was before.

"Jeff, AT&T wants to buy the complete rights to your toy."

I was excited but I could hear the same excitement in his voice. "How much are you going to stiff them for?"

"Fifteen," he waited a few seconds. This was double the last offer but we could get more. He then said, "Each."

Now I was excited and said, "You putting in the pool?"

"What?"

"The gold lined pool!"

"I'd love too but I'd come home one night and find a dirty wet hole in the ground."

"What about the other stipulation?"

"The connections?"

"That's right. We need them."

"That was chicken feed but they looked at it like a trap."

"It might be."

"I know. Anyway they went for it. All of our companies that we own or have an interest in can connect electrically. All our people can do the same thing."

This was maybe the crack we needed. John and I talked a lot more as we gave some money back to the phone company as we talked. I asked, "When and where do we sign?"

"Five days in New York unless you have problems with that?"

"No, that's fine. I've to go and see the Angels and the North Birds at one of their concerts. That will be the next Friday.

I had to fly to New York and sign the papers with John. Corinne was with us and I took Nora and Jack too. They had to know what was happening but I hid behind CanAm Industries of the United States and NADI.

Thirty million bucks was a lot of money in 1961. Many banks did not make that kind of money. It was big news and I had reporters around us all the time. They bothered all of us and especially Jack.

Later that day, Jack tried hard to control himself. Nora had given him the medication she carried and he was relaxing. He said, "I don't know how you did it but you actually made thirty million dollars?"

"I made very little Dad. The corporation owns the patents. The corporation sold the rights."

"What did you get out of it?"

"My pay cheque."

"Is that all?"

"The corporation did the work on the invention. I just gave the idea. In fact my original invention was improved so much that there was nothing left of it." Jack did not seem to understand. "I made a crude device. The engineers worked on it for thirteen hours and hardly anything was left. In the next few weeks they removed any of the remainder. They did a lot better job. I'm just an inventor. I might have done the same thing given time but I don't have the education and experience that team of men had."

"You still only got a pay cheque?"

"Dad, I'm in pig heaven. I get my money but I use the corporation's money to play with. You don't understand how good that is. It's like playing Monopoly with real money." I did not want to mention the house in case that upset him.

I would have liked Jack and Nora to go to the party tonight but they would be out of their depth. They had Corrine and Al. Gregory was going to be our driver in the limo I made for John.

The party was fun but John and I had to perform. That meant I had to do the most. Adults did not take me seriously but that was common. It didn't matter what the newspapers and the magazine articles said.

With these people, I could not hide behind the corporate name. They knew who owned the corporations and had for a long time. They did want to know what direction I was going but this was very valuable information. The money was going to come out of my pocket too.

Mr Leopold showed up and we shook hands like old friends. In a way he was. He had earned his million dollars and made me a lot more.

He said in front of other businessmen, "I hear you sold your tape recorder to the Japanese. They're making your watches and even your calculator. I should have realised the gold mine you were offering us last summer."

He had got back to me after the meeting where I first met the man. He and his friends picked up on the diapers and the feminine pads. "You didn't do so bad. I'm a kid and it's hard for a person over eighteen to realise some things."

He laughed loudly and said, "I forgot. Those are the old folks you talked about. Will you tell me about your billion dollar idea now?"

I had to think about this. The effort needed some good computers but they were beginning to be transistorised. I made good ICs and small microprocessors. This project also required the telephone companies to cooperate. The banks may not like this because of their conservative attitude.

After a long pause I said, "I need to spend the money I just made to make a presentation."

"Thirty million for a presentation? This I would like to see."

"Mr Holtzman has half of that money for trusting me and flogging what I thought of. He would have something to say about that."

John said, "If you want it, use it. I could use a portion of a billion dollars."

"That's the trouble, billions per year can be made but we won't get any. Others have to make it and it's going to be the banks and the individual merchants. The phone company are not going to make lots but they will certainly gain by it."

Now I had everybody after me and I had to tell them I needed to make some more toys to prove my point. Mr Leopold and some of the businessmen in the room were anxious to help me along with some of their money.

John knew about the credit cards and in fact we had waited to play this skit. Mr Leopold had been the one that opened the door for us.

We already had the electrical engineers making ICs for us and devising processors but ours were very simple. I knew very little about computers and had to rely on pointing others in the right direction.

Talk in the car was dangerous even though it was swept and Gregory had stayed in it so we talked about less important business and hinted at what had to happen to make a few measly billion a year.

The next day I gave interviews and agreed to do an online interview on national television. It was a business related show and it was a good way to get people interested. I had done three of these shows so far but they had been on radio and over the phone.

Nora said, "You going to be on TV?"

"Not like Paige. The people watching will be the business people. Hardly anybody will watch."

"But it's still TV!"

She was too worked up and I was worried about Jack. "Sure but we're trying to get a licence to transmit in the Bay. When I get that, we put up an antenna and make our own shows. I told you about 'Tiny Talent Time' and some of the other shows."

Nora did not respond so I said to Jack, "Did you ever watch one of those shows that were strictly about business?"

It took a moment then he said, "Only for a minute to find out what it was."

"The show I'm going to be on is as boring to most people as that kind."

Later that day, I was contacted by the producer. He wanted me to sign a contract but I made up my own that listed his paragraphs by number and put in my own demands. I wanted the questions ahead of time and I did not want any other questions asked.

We had to stay for three more days and we went through two dry runs before we went before the cameras. Corrine had been on my lap for the first time but it was too boring for her.

I had the opportunity to promote some of my products while talking about the deal with AT&T. I tried to be subtle in my approach but still zing those that were not ready to help when I asked.

John saw the show and said, "You did fairly well considering your age and television experience."

"You mean I won't be asked to star in Star Wars?"

"Not unless you produce it yourself. You still did very well."

Corrine said, "I think you were good too."

I squatted and hugged the girl. "Thank you Sweetie. I could still be Luke Skywalker and you can be my Princess." I got a smile for that. Then I added, "Grampie will be the Wookie."

Corrine growled with her mouth wide like I showed her before. John seemed to just take the abuse in stride.

We toured the city and the next day we went to see the gang in Macon Georgia. John did not want to come unless we flew business class and I agreed, it was a lot nicer. I was greeted by name by complete strangers. My photograph was in many papers recently as well as on the cover of some magazines.

The business people on the plane wanted to talk to me and this more or less shunned Nora and Jack. Jack was mentioned as my business partner along with John and he was soon brought into the conversations.

The Concorde had made it's maiden flight in the late sixties or early seventies. It was not allowed over the United States because of the power of the local aircraft companies. I would not mind the plane to just get wherever I was going quicker.

If I had some specialised knowledge, I'd use it to build something like the rocket/ramjet plane that had nearing completion in 2008. It could cross the Pacific in two hours by attaining a near orbital flight path. The principles were already well known but it would take a lot of money and time for me to ever see this.

I had reserved some hotel rooms in the same hotel as the band. We checked in and went immediately to the hall were the band was playing. There was no trouble getting through the gate though there were a lot of groupies waiting.

The band stopped and my family rushed to see us. There was a lot of hugs and kisses and I saw that Nora and Jack got their share. When the greetings died down, Maggie said, "I see you got in the papers again. Quite a tidy piece of cash you got."

"You know how it goes out as fast as it comes in."

"Yes, I remember. I don't even get a chance to spend my own money. It goes into your war chest."

"It's better that way. You'll make more money. By the way the accounting staff want you guys back when you have time."

"It's more fun to sing. Did you bring a new song like you promised?"

I pretended to search myself for a few minutes until I took the sheets out of Corrine's backpack. It was 'The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia' by Vicki Lawrence. This time it would be by Susan Congdon.

There was a rush to get copies and I said, "I brought another Guitarist and keyboardist you can use."

The gang looked at John and Jack. Jack backed up and said, "I can't do that. People would laugh at me."

Paige said, "Daddy, it's only practice and we did this lots of times with you." We kept at Jack but I knew he would be tickled to play. John was a much more difficult job but he too had played with some of us.

We played for hours then ate some fast food. More practice was done but not always on the newest song. Later we had a chance to sit and eat but it too was fast food. Al and Gregory seemed to like everything and so did Corrine.

After a quick shower the group dressed in their costumes and then practised a bit more until the audience started to arrive. The group was introduced by a MC.

They did not start right away. Susan took the microphone and said, "Our baby brother brought us a new song in commemoration of this state. We've only been practising it for a few hours so please bear with us. Most of you have heard of Jeff and I'd like you to all show your appreciation for the new song we're going to sing."

The audience clapped and I had to show myself. I was a chicken at heart and pulled Corrine onto the stage with me. She was petrified. I used our linked hands to wave to the people and this brought stronger applause. We hurried back and the group started the song.

When the song ended, Corrine was glassy eyed. The music was very loud and not like practice at all. The applause came again and again I had to go out and take my bow.

The band played 'Corrina, Corrina' next and this time I took Corrine out and she bowed with me.

John said, "I'm not going to get her to sleep tonight."

"Do you want to bet a buck that she get's cleaned up with her mothers and after a half hour will be asleep?"

I don't know if that's true or not but I don't bet against you."

When the concert was over, the group had to get changed then make it through a mob of groupies. The one who took it in stride the most was Jamie and he made a point of being extra nice to the ladies. An early version of gaydar must have been used because some boys and young men came to get his autograph too. Jamie tried to be circumspect but it took a lot of effort.

John went with us for a snack and then to his room. Corrine went with Jane and I got Paige to go with me. I could not stay with the rest for fear of somebody finding some blackmail material.

Paige and I made each other happy and I got rid of something I had been saving up for months. We didn't get that much sleep that night. We were the last up for breakfast and had it delivered by room service.

When Paige came out of the shower she said, "You ready for school?"

"Yes, but this is going to be my final year."

"I can quit too."

I had to give her a hug for being loyal. "I want you to get your diploma. The kids will want to see it."

"I don't want to go to school without you."

"It's only a year. You still have to watch out for our boy."

"He's getting harder to manage. Puberty is hitting him hard. Did you hear more about his family?"

I said, "His parents were making noises still but he's sixteen and there is not much they can do. The aunt has not turned up yet so everybody figures she's dead. I think the parents just want to get hold of Jamie's money."

"Don't they know how little he has?"

"They don't believe it. They figure he's rich now not in ten years. It doesn't matter. There are enough lawyers around to keep them at more than arms length."

"I asked him if he wanted to go and visit but he said no. He does miss his brothers and sister though."

After a little more lovemaking and another shower Paige cooed. I said, "Do you still want to go to Kentucky?"

"Yes, I do. Mrs Brown is a nice woman and I want to show off my fiancé to her."

"Your wish is my command."

"Ohhhh then I got something for you to do."

After I did it, we got dressed and packed out things. We took a look at Macon then John, Corrine, Al and Gregory left for the airport. We went with them to see them off. The group was going to continue with the tour but Jamie, Maggie, Paige and I were going to go home after a side-trip to Frankfort Kentucky.

Paige had met the Browns and the child Camille had taken Paige's wallet because of the pictures in it. It was a long time later that the mother had found the wallet and sent it back to Paige.

It was hard to say goodby to John's family but it was even harder to say good bye to my own. Jane was not really hard done by because she found some other men to take my place during the long road trips. It was not usually the same man either. The other girls did not settle down with one guy either and shared with the band. They knew of my fear of disease and pregnancy and had lots of condoms.

Later that afternoon the rest of the troop left in buses and we took a taxi to the airport. A small local operator flew us to Frankfort. It was fun in a way because he did not know who was in the plane with him.

It was difficult getting two adjoining rooms because of our ages. Maggie had to lie and say she was eighteen.

The first thing we did after settling in was to go see Mrs Brown. She did not have a telephone and Paige had sent mail twice.

A taxi brought us to her address after we had dressed down to some good serviceable clothing like I wore at home. The family was poor and there was no sense rubbing their nose in our good fortune.

We pulled up and I asked our driver to wait a moment. This was assured because I didn't pay and I promised him a tip.

A large woman hurried out of the house rubbing her hands in her apron. She spotted Paige and continued toward us.

"Land sakes, I didn't think I would see you again Child."

Paige said, "Hello Mrs Brown. I said I would come down and bring my man."

The woman looked at me and said to Paige, "He's the one in the papers all right. You caught a good one. I hear he's smarter than the usual."

I moved forward and said, "Hello Mrs Brown." When I got close to shake a hand she enveloped me with her arms instead.

"Welcome young man. You treat that girl of yours right."

"I have so far, ma'am."

I introduced Maggie and Jamie but Mrs Brown did not know them from the papers. She then said, "You better let that man go so he can make some money."

"I'd like to have him come back to pick us up after out visit. We can leave now and come back later when it's more convenient if you wish?"

"No Chil' you came at a good time. Where is your clothes?"

"We have some rooms at a hotel."

"Why did you do that. We can find beds for you here."

"Thank you but we don't want to put anybody out."

"Well you tell him to come back at ten unless you'd like to stay longer."

"That would make a nice visit, ma'am."

I sent the driver off with a good tip and a request to come back at ten sharp. The way his eyes lit up at the money meant that he himself would return."

Mrs Brown took us inside. She looked at the guitar case I carried.

We met Camille, who was the cause of all this and the child was nervous. She blurted out, "I'm real sorry for taking your wallet. I just wanted to see the pictures."

Paige squatted down and opened her arms. Mrs Brown pushed the child and she hurried to Paige for a hug. Paige delivered the hug and then partially released the child. "I forgive you Camille. I might have done the same thing when I was young. I bet your mother warmed your bum?"

"She sho did."

I had to smile but I kept from laughing.

Paige said, "I talked to one of my friends and they said you should get something to remember this by." Camille tried to back up and now Paige smiled. I helped her take off her pack and she reached inside. She brought out a sturdy frame containing a large glossy print.

She handed it to Camille and the girl looked at it. Her mother got interested and came close to see. Once she saw her mouth opened. The mother was going to take it but Paige said, "That belongs to Camille. Your mother would paddle your butt if you took it."

"She would not. She would take it even quicker." She looked at Camille and said, "Show Mammy, Chil'."

Camille handed the picture frame to her mother and the mother just stared at it.

We were invited inside and met five other children. The oldest was Rose, an eight year-old girl pealing potatoes for supper.

We were asked if we wanted some cider but I took a spare knife and sat down and talked with Rose. Jamie found a seat and borrowed the knife from the girl and said, "Jeff and I go to school and we learn how to cook. Paige and Maggie go too."

"No you don't. Boys don't do that."

"Boys in Canada are funny. Jeff, here, talked to the teachers all the time until they made the boys learn to cook and the girls have to learn how to change a flat tire."

"No they don't."

He turned to Maggie and said, "Are you going to learn how to change a flat this year?"

"Sure. I'm going to change the oil too. Girls are smart they just have to get a chance to learn."

Mrs Brown asked Paige, "Is that what they teach in Canada?"

"Just our city. Jeff talked to the Prime Minister of our province."

"Is that like a Governor?"

"The same thing. The man wants to get elected so he has to pay attention." Mrs Brown didn't seem to understand. Paige added, "Women are not very active in politics. Jeff got us up and involved. We have lots of rallies where the women go to show their support. Jeff gets the newspapers to print articles and put pictures in the paper."

"That seems — odd."

"It is. Women do what their men folk tell them. It's always been this way but that doesn't make it right. Half of the voters are women and we have lots of power. The political parties know this and treat us like adults not children."

"My, Canada is a strange place."

"It's only one city now but the ideas are spreading. In two or three elections we may have most of Ontario."

"Why did you go and do such a thing?"

"Jeff was angry that there were too many girls getting pregnant. He wanted the girls to know the truth before anything happened. He couldn't talk too much so he found the girls that had babies and no husband. They did the talking and the politicians did not object. If they did we would make sure they didn't get elected again."

"You people are just plum full of fire."

"It's just the way we think. We could build a fire under Camille and she could do the same thing when she got bigger."

"She wouldn't have any friends."

"She has to get a fire built under her friends and then their friends."

"They would kick her out of school."

"Maybe Jeff would come down and talk to your governor."

Paige and Maggie helped Mrs Brown prepare the meal. There was a lot of southern food here which I was anxious to try because I knew how good it was.

A half hour later, Mr Brown came home and was introduced as Booker. With him was his brother Aaron who also lived in the house. They had been working in the fields and had two baskets of corn with them. They talked to Nella so I knew the woman's first name now.

The two men were polite but didn't know what to make of four young white people in their home.

Mrs Brown got Camille to fetch the photograph and the two men stared at it. Booker said, "Do you know this man?"

I said, "Not very well. Paige, Maggie and Jamie talked to him a lot more." I turned to Jamie and said, "Tell these fine people what you know about Mr Presley."

"Well, he's not as nice as you might think." The family looked aghast at this development. "He grabs me in a hold and rubs his knuckles over my head then holds me away so I can't hit him. He sings pretty good though and we sang in the studio together."

Nella said, "You sang with Mr Presley?"

"Just for fun."

The man thought for a moment and said, "How did you happen to sing with him? He's an important man."

"We sing too."

"You do! Do you sing any gospel."

"We have a deal with Mr Presley. We don't sing gospel. Mr Houston does not want us stepping on each other's toes."

"Who is this Mr Houston?"

"He's the man that finds places for all of us to sing. He pays for the hotels, food, the bus and the clothing. He also gets us to sing so he can sell cassette tapes."

"I heard of those. So all of you work for Mr Houston?"

"Not Jeff. He's good but not good enough to sing or play a guitar. The rest of us sing. We have to go to school so we only make perform in the summer. Mr Houston wants to make some cassettes during Christmas and Easter."

"You all must be kinda famous."

"A little. Only some people listen to us. They're usually kids about our age."

"I don't want to seem unsociable but why did you come to my house?"

Paige said, "I rode the bus to find my mother, who was with the group. I forgot my wallet and Camille picked it up."

"I hear she took it."

"I let her see the pictures. I may have left it with her."

"That's not how I heard it."

"Then — then maybe you heard wrong. All of us make mistakes. I make them all the time."

Paige had started out meek but ended up strongly and Booker leaned back. "You may be right there." He paused to get off the delicate subject and said, "Did you bring the guitar to play?"

"We have to practice all the time. Would you like to hear us?"

Now we got a smile and he said, "I shor' would."

"We have a rule. If you can play then you have to play with us. If you can sing then the same thing."

"I don't know no music."

Nella quickly said, "Go ahead Booker. You can play." She looked at Paige and said, "He caint read no music but he can sho' play."

"Good." Paige looked at Booker, "Now you were telling a story."

Booker looked guilty then said, "I don't know your music."

Paige looked at me and said, "Let's play the cassettes. Booker can get our style."

I had to smile at Paige. She was getting pushy and it was with strangers no less. I took out the cassette machine out of the pack and then put a tape in. These were ones that Mark Fenton had done on the new machine that used two inch tape. The product though was put on our quarter inch tape.

The pieces were all the songs I wrote out that the girls got to perform first. Not all of them had Maggie, Paige and Jamie.

After the forth song I shut off the machine. "There are hours of songs left but if we're going to sing we have to pick one."

I put a new '(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher' that song was originally sung by Rita Coolidge but now by Paige. The instrumental portion was first then Paige would sing as well. This time she was going to have to sing with the first version.

I said, "Higher And Higher."

Paige was not nervous at all and prepared herself. The band played the music and Paige's clear voice came to us. The second time through, Maggie and Jamie sang with her though this was not in the original version.

The Browns were a little shocked after the first but they clapped hard after the second and the third.

Paige said, "Now let's get those instruments out."

I got my guitar and checked to see if it were in tune. Aaron got Rose to run down the road and get some of the neighbours to help and this made me feel like all this was worthwhile.

We practised the song for a while. Booker was not bad and picked up fairly easy. People started to arrive and we moved outside but took our chairs with us.

We played until we needed coal oil lanterns. We had lots of songs.

Maggie said, "We need a break. Jeff why don't you sing one of the new songs."

I said to the crowd that now numbered near a hundred, "I have a song about the ghetto and what it's like in the city. I'm going to sell the song to a friend of mine. It's not something our group would sing.

I played a few cords the started, 'In The Ghetto' which was sung by Elvis about ten years from now. I was not as good about making my voice mournful since I was fifteen but I came across fairly well and the audience clapped.

For the next song I played, 'The Tracks of My Tears' which Smokey Robinson, the lead singer of the Miracles sang. Since I played it to Paige, it came out better.

The taxi came and the driver got out to listen. I played, 'Love Will Keep Us Together' by Captain & Tennille. This Paige sang with me.

The driver was not anxious to leave so the family sang a few other songs. When we parted, Paige gave away some of Elvis's songs and the tape player. She also dug in her pack and brought out photos in frames of our group and some had Elvis and other famous people in them.

The family did not want to take the gifts but I left it up to Paige to convince them.

The driver figured we should go professional. We did not clue him in. After a night in the hotel, we left to find the truck stop Paige had stopped at. We were lucky in that Greta still worked there but would not be in for two hours.

Paige asked the waitress, "Does Jed still come here?"

"He usually come in after seven or eight tonight."

"Thank you."

We sat to eat a light meal. Jamie had to play the jukebox and it was the first of three of our songs.

The waitress looked at Jamie a lot then at the rest of us then I think a lightbulb lit in her brain. She made a quick phone call and I said to our group, "I think the waitress knows who you guys are. You better eat quickly and I'll call a taxi." The gang was used to this.

I was not in a rush myself and finished my meal then called for a cab. I went to the washroom and when I came out later, a young woman rushed into the diner and met the waitress. She had some albums in her hand and the two ran off. The woman actually sat in my spot and talked to Paige.

I came over and Paige smiled at me and said, "This is Greta."

I put out my hand and she shook it. "Thanks for your help."

"I didn't do anything."

"The knife and helping Paige with Jed is a lot."

Before the taxi arrived four more girls arrived carrying album covers. The truckers figured something was up so I said, "We have a taxi coming. Where can we go to talk?"

Our waitress wanted to go with us but didn't dare ask. She did get a promo picture where the girls and Jamie signed.

We ended up in a nice park and sang a few songs like we had last night. We found a motel then went back for a meal and eventually found Jed. The proprietor did not mind if we sang. We did so for six songs until Paige sang 'I Will Survive' that had been sung by Gloria Gaynor. This was sang to Jed especially and told it was a new song not out yet.

It was hard to get out because nobody wanted us to go but we left around midnight and were up early the next day to catch a bus. The girls and Jamie were recognised before we boarded so we sang until we got to the airport in Frankfort.

Paige kissed me after we got the tickets and said, "Thanks for doing this for me. I owed those people and had to do something."

I kissed her back and said, "I owe those people a lot too."

We did not get on a plane until reporters found us. Some even recognised me.



-------

Chapter 37


School was not that different for me, but it was for some of the grade nine students. The girls took a class with a woman teacher that taught how to service a car. One young and good looking female cook from the Mandarin Restaurant showed how it was really done in a kitchen. I had a difficult time understanding her but her class was in quite a demand. The restaurant was not finished yet but the roof and walls were up. It, like the dojo, showed the peaked roofs of eastern architecture.

Mai did not have a teacher's licence so Mrs. Cameron had to watch and learn too.

After the first three days I had my own first class in Home Ec. I asked in class, "Mrs Cameron, how are your new grade nine classes working out?"

She gave me a smile and said, "You are a sneaky young man. I thought I would have to come down on the boys to take the classes. The boys race down the hall to make sure they have a seat near the front."

"Mrs Cameron, you wound me to the quick. All I did was remember the proverb about honey and vinegar."

"Now your comparing me to vinegar, Mr Congdon?"

"Never Mrs Cameron. I see you as more of a full bodied wine as opposed to a young one that has not aged to bring it to perfection."

"Mr Congdon, you are digging your way deeper into the hole."

"Yes, Mrs Cameron. I'll be quiet."

After class, Paige, Jamie and I stayed back for a moment. I said to Mrs Cameron, "Do you think the class will be a success?"

"It can't fail. You have the deck stacked and that woman certainly is."

"Not jealous I hope."

"Not really but it's been — "

"Yes I know. Young males and their hormones —. You are the one to spring the news about the class excursion."

"It's going to have to be all the classes."

"I'm happy with that. It comes out of the R&D fund."

"For a restaurant?"

"Why not? This type of restaurant is new. We have to make new recipes." We left a perplexed teacher and had to hurry to our next class.

The television licence was not in but I had a building constructed and an antenna erected. This was used for our trucks and to send encrypted data between plants. This was now obsolete because we could hook up to the phone lines now.

We had fair computers that we bought but we were making our own. Our aim was for the home market. Microprocessors were made but they were much too slow and error prone. We hired young graduates when we could as long as they looked like they were not going to just take our ideas and run. A year's worth of work did not go very far but we were ahead of everybody else. This meant we had lots of security.

Edgar had to switch hats and head our security section. His devious mind and military attitude caught a lot. One of the high-tech devices we made was the fax machine. These went on our lines and the standard telephones were wired into them. Buttons though did the dialling but they were still pulse. Tone had not come out yet.

In a good will gesture, I sent some of these machines to Bell in Canada and AT&T in the US. Being underhanded, I sent thousands of units to both governments and the military. Of course they could not legally attach the machines but I was sure they chose to ignore this. So far, we were the only manufacturer of the chips and the sensors. We had half of a million units in storage waiting for the green light to start to sell them.

The music business was good. The girls were very famous. The cassette tape recorders were selling better and better. Sam Houston ordered three more tape copying machines as well as half a million blank cassettes. He sold only ten of the machines himself at the convention but after that we sold one every two weeks. The supply of blank cassettes was not growing any more.

Tiny Talent Time began even without the television. There were hundreds of parents that just loved to see their little darlings up on the stage. Jena now had a dance studio and she hired her sister Laura to help after school. Jena also ran the show for me so she would get some experience. She even had to use a microphone so she could introduce the acts.

By mid October I got the television licence and immediately the orders went out. I needed trained people and some from all across North America found they would like to try the weather in North Bay. In two weeks the equipment was delivered and cinematography was now taught.

Jena was petrified but I showed her how the parents just had to watch the television receivers in our buildings instead of seeing their darlings live. Soon it was only some people in the city that could see this but eventually it would be broadcast to Toronto.

The thoughts of building the CN Tower was not mentioned to anybody because I was still buying old businesses on the Toronto lakeshore and then buying the railway right of way. The tower in my time was 1,815 feet high and provided the mast for all the television channels as well as the radio too. Since it was superceded by other towers soon after I was going to shoot for 2,200 feet.

Before Christmas, there were a lot of people getting a bonus. I had the money though there was little left of the money from AT&T. This had gone to open new plazas in Hamilton, Windsor, Ottawa and my old home of London. These sets of buildings would not be the small ones we had in North Bay. This meant I needed lots of trained staff. James had thought he was going to get a breather but it didn't happen.

Starbucks was not costing me anything. The new units were paid out of the profits of the ones in place. To get away from trash, a patron would buy a cup from us and they would get their morning jolt a lot cheaper than the ones that had to have a paper cup.

All the trucking to North Bay meant the roads had to be repaired and improved. Highway 400 was in the future and looked good. It had also taken a long time to build. My businesses and those that supplied me or the city were encouraged to get the road built. So far it was too little too late but that was the way of governments sometimes.

Jack was doing better and was preparing to drive the tractor again to pull the children up the hill after they slid down. He was much better but not like he was before Nora left to be a chaperone.

Just before Christmas, Mrs. Cameron took us to the Mandarin but I was the one that showed them the kitchen. I purposely pointed out how the cooks flipped what was in their pans or woks and avoided using a spatula. Mrs Cameron gave me a dirty look.

Many of the waitresses were the unwed mothers that had been to our old house. The children were taken care of by the daycare facilities I had set up. I was also working on getting the various levels of government to finance places where these children could go in sixty to seventy years when they became senior citizens. I wanted hospices too that would be a lot cheaper than hospitals.

They all believed me but none of them could find the money to help. This is where the social conscience of the women would kick in. Mrs Warren was going to retire at the end of the school year and go into politics full time. The year after, I wanted her to run for a seat in the provincial legislature.

Mrs Warren had really come out of the closet. She had not actually burned her bra but she had admitted that she had a child out of wedlock. The school board did nothing. This in a way disappointed her because she wanted a fight.

She had a lot of support in the community and part of it came from the women I hired as managers, engineers and tradespeople. I was starting now to hire the minorities and one segment was women.

My 16th birthday was in a few months. I remembered the time from when I had this event last time it was sixteen. The week before and after were fantastic when it came to the weather though it was not good for the family.

A year ago, I began preparations for my own version of Woodstock. I canvassed for acts but few bands responded favourably to the invitation. This original concert was free only because the promoters could not say no to a mob that wanted in later. Tickets had been sold but the whole process was full of problems. My tickets were going to be fairly expensive but they would get the right to camp for two days and got fed two simple meals a day. They would come Friday probably by playing hooky then leaving Sunday night

The details had been not thought out very well in 1969. People were in place but not enough of them. The towns cried about the long haired hippie trash invading them. The hippie culture had started already but the beatnik culture had not died yet. I did what I could to not fight this counter culture but still show them to be responsible citizens. This is where I tried to guide the hippies but as yet I did not know how successful I was. My venue was not for the hippies though because I did not promote bands and singers that used drugs openly.

All sorts of legal problems resulted in that other time. The authorities did what they could so another concert like that could not happen a second time. Only a small part of it was the biggest traffic jam in history. The roads could not handle the traffic and the police did not assist in getting people to park logically and walk the remaining distance. Emergency crews could not get in. The entertainers could not get to the concert. Food could not arrive. Helicopters were used in 1969 to bring some of the performers as well as emergency food.

The problem was that there were simply too many people for the plans. In 1969, all sorts of ads had been placed in the magazines that people read about musicians. I was going to cut the coverage and hope that I did not get too many. The original concert was stated as 400,000 but was really 150,000 when people were counted from aerial photographs.

There was no way I could have the concert in North Bay. I owned a large tract of land in northern Toronto that would get swallowed up by the city in years to come. My Home Depot and Zehrs were there as well as the framework for Costco, Best Buy and Walmart. The last three had a high roof and a concrete floor but no walls. The services were in so I could use portable toilets. Medical staff were hired and facilities prepared. The biggest problem was the amount and strength of the fencing required. It had to be very long. I had no troubles with the neighbours because they were far away.

I tried to lease a Sikorsky for the last six months. I did not want an old unit but something that was fairly modern. It was only recently that I managed to call a few favours in to get to the head of the list. This meant I had to have pilots and people to service the machine. I had people clamouring for these jobs.

I gave the machine to security and this meant Edgar. "Don't break it and you now have to be a chauffeur." Edgar just looked at me and I could see the wheels going around and around.

Another major requirement was the sound system. Instead of a few large units, I was going to go with many more smaller units. All would be elevated on the steel poles that supported the lighting. The construction was simpler this way but the overall planning was a logistical nightmare. That is why I had managers.

Elvis was going to show up and this would ensure that the other singers and bands would come too. Sam Houston would send me all his entertainers to make sure we had a full card. This alone showed people that we were not catering to the hippie culture.

We signed up the Everly Brothers, Connie Francis, Bobby Rydell,  Marty Robbins,  Roy Orbison and the Ventures. More would come if their schedules allowed. These performers were very good but not what some people would come a long distance to hear.

The interest in attending the concert increased as well as that of the singers and band. Advanced ticket sales started to be brisk.

Our channel 5 went on the air with a lot of hoopla. Almost everybody was interested in the station because nearly everybody had something to do with my businesses. The schools even had a chance to go on the air to teach students what was hard to teach in a classroom.

There were a lot of half hour long infomercials that highlighted one or more business. The audience learned that the students working for me were given time and help in doing homework. They also learned how desperate I was for quality help in running my businesses.

By the year 2008, I had seen a very wide variety of movies and shows. The newest fad had been out for three years where it involved repairing a home for a needy person or repairing the body of a similar individual. I did this too. We practised on people and buildings in the city then in nearby areas before going to Toronto. The structures coincided with the opening of my Home Depot at that location.

Local construction companies were asked to work for free. In return, they would be seen on television so homeowners could see just how good the company was.

The cameras rolled up and down the aisles of Home Depot as articles were picked out by decorators and contractors. The fifth show was sold to the Toronto, Hamilton and a Buffalo NY television stations. I just had to make sure the quality of the show continued.

The external shots at the Toronto store showed the preparation for 'Concert Toronto 1962'. This way people could see what they were getting into. It was also a plug for the concert.

The people in need of repair saw specialists that again worked for free. We had to work for eight months before the first show could go on the air. People took a while to heal. This meant I had a lot of my money wrapped up in this type of show.

Shoppers that made the trip to northern Toronto to buy their food or building supplies got a chance to see where the concert was going to be held. When I was interviewed by people other than at channel 5, I put plugs in as well.

Paige said, "I thought we were going to have a quiet birthday party for you. It looks like the concert is part of the party."

I hid my smile because of a big secret I had planned. "It is. Part of being a salesman is selling yourself. It's something like being a politician. So many things have to be changed and they cannot be done by just talking about it."

Paige smiled at me and said, "Did you change your mind and want to go into politics now?"

"No, but you could. You can start as an alderman and work your way up."

"I couldn't do that."

"Sure you could. You're my Superwoman." I got a big smile and was pulled to bed to show just how super she was.

The helicopter came in but now we had to get people certified to work on it or to fly it. Travel time from the Bay to the concert site would be a lot less in the future.

Sam phoned and asked, "How are the preparations going for the concert Jeff?"

"I did everything you said and planned bigger just in case."

"Do you really expect 75,000 people? That's far bigger than anything ever done before apart from a pitched battle and there you need lots of support."

"I'm still preparing for the worst and hoping it will not be as bad."

"If it works out well maybe you can do one in Tennessee one day. You stand to make a lot of money."

"If it fails, I stand to lose a lot of money."

"There is that to think about. Anyway, I find myself free next week. Can you put a poor boy up for a few days?"

"What day you planning on arriving?"

"Next Tuesday."

"Dress warm and I will bring extra clothing. I know how you southern boys have thin blood and catch a chill easily."

"We don't live in igloos like you northern folk."

"You will be happy to know that I just got rid of the whale oil lamps and put in electricity."

"Good but I'm still bringing my guns in case of polar bears."

I met Sam at the airport and found he had some of his people with him. He apologised for the extras and we still found room in the stretched limo.

"Now this is one fine car. Do you sell these too?"

"I sure do. This one is one of our fleet. We can't have the performers coming in an old Chevy can we?"

"I should think not."

We talked for thirty minutes until we got to the site of the concert. We actually drove around and came at it from all the major roads.

Sam said, "Is that a hangar over there?"

He was looking at the Home Depot building. "No, we are going there later."

"It looks like you have everything taken care of. You might be able to handle more people. I like the way you even have tracks coming here."

"I talked to the two major railroads recently. I gave them my ideas of a cattle car made for people and they built a dozen. This is a lot more like an exposition than a concert. We show what's new and exciting. We are still relying on buses to help relieve the congestion."

"It's getting close. You only have three more weeks."

"We'll be done on time. It's only the small details left. The most important is policing and I went overboard here."

We pulled up in front of Home Depot and we got out. The shoppers looked at us because there were not many people that came in limos. Sam was confused. He looked at the sign and said, "This is one of your businesses."

"Why would I take you to a competitor? I'll show you what I make and fleece you for all your cash."

Sam wanted to say something a few times but kept his mouth shut as we toured the store. It was a minute later he said, "How did you fill this place? Even a military hanger is smaller than this place. In fact some farms are smaller than this place."

I looked at him sternly and said, "That comes with you living in the boonies all the time. You have to get to the big cities once in a while."

"They don't have this in New York and LA."

"Funny you should say that. We just bought land in both cities along with seven others. The buildings go up quick but we are short of people to manage them."

The manager of the store came to me. He just followed the group in case something was needed. I introduced the man to our group.

Everything we made or had an interest in was pointed out. We did not see everything in any case and took a short route that would bring us out. Coincidentally this was near a Starbucks. One of these were just two doors down from Sam's office in Memphis.

We entered the concert site now and toured the facilities. There were concession stands all over. The things not available were sold at the Home Depot or Zehrs that were nearby. Tents, sleeping bags and camping supplies would be in great demand. Sam said, "It looks good. You seemed to think of everything."

"I hope I did at least the major ones."

Just before it was time to go, the Sikorsky landed and dropped off some engineers. Sam looked at the machine and said, "Is that yours?"

"It's leased."

"I've never seen any of those painted like that. They've always been military."

"It's the 'Hippie Air Force'. The idea is to act radical enough to fit in with the Hippie culture but responsible enough to keep society functioning. We act a little outrageous to the people that will be coming here to listen. By the way, that is our mode of transportation to my home."

Sam grew a big grin and said, "I'd be happy to hitch a ride with you."

We transferred luggage but one man was hesitant about going with us. After a few words, he still chose to ride instead of going north in a car.

Sam spoke loudly in the noisy compartment after we took off, "You have me confused Jeff. You ride the public buses but you lease a helicopter and not a small one either. What gives?"

"The concert may get crowded. I want a way in and out. This is my insurance."

"So you think something is going to go wrong?"

"I'm just being careful."

It didn't take long to get to North Bay this way. We circled the city and stayed away from the military base. We landed on a temporary pad near the house. Maggie, Jamie and Paige were waiting for us as well as Nora and Jack.

The men were given rooms in the house but they had to double up. Nora made a nice meal for us. We caught up with the details of each others lives.

Jamie said, "You have to see our sound stage. It's not as good as yours but it's a lot bigger."

"At the TV station?"

"Yes. We sing live. Local talent sings and plays with us. We're not making tapes, it's just for local consumption."

Later, Paige turned the television on and we watched some of our local shows along with some we bought. Sam had to see the station so we found transportation and I let Jamie give the tour.

Sam said, "Quite a setup you have here. Can this make money though?"

I said, "Not now. It's losing as a station but we sell the shows. They bring in more than enough to compensate and they're made elsewhere."

"Those reality shows you were talking about?"

"Yes, I have six crews out filming all the time. They handle twelve to fifteen projects each because there is no need for all the detail. They will come back before the concert and do interviews and we'll make a movie. They would want to talk to you. You can push your own business and that of your musicians."

Sam only stayed for two days. I think he came to just ensure that everything was ready.

My own present for Paige was burning a hole in my pocket but I had to just wait until the appropriate time.

Four days before the concert, some of the coordinators for the major acts arrived. They checked the facilities for their employers and seemed happy enough.

The locals had bitched about the concert but there was nobody that lived near. Most of the merchants just looked to make some money. I figured there was a lot less complaining than what had been done in Woodstock.

Elvis came with his entourage and we put him up in Jack's house. Neither man minded. It was certainly better than a hotel room but he would have to share with the Everly Brothers, Connie Francis, Bobby Rydell,  Marty Robbins,  Roy Orbison and the Ventures. I don't think they would mind because they could interact with each other. If problems arose, then they could go to a hotel.

The family came home in the helicopter and were amazed at Elvis being here already. They were just as famous though and they fit right in. The other performers arrived in groups. I could not house everybody here nor could I take everybody to the concert in the helicopter. The performers had to decide what they wanted and some chose to get a room in Toronto and commute to the site.

Jane had a man with her by the name of Terry. I could see some dynamics between the two. The man stayed in Jane's room with her. The boys went home to see their families and friends. I could also see that they wanted to stay with the girls too.

People arrived at the campsites near the concert and set up shop. As I predicted there were a lot of families and a lot of single girls. Free love had not come about yet but it was a lot more liberal than it had been a few years ago.

The newspapers were full of help for the tourist that came to the concert but I think few of those that arrived knew of this. I had erected signs near the major roads and the people wishing to go to the concert could tune in on a low wattage transmitter for information.

Edgar phoned me at home and said, "I think you screwed up boss."

"How this time?"

"The park does not open up for a day and there are nine thousand people out there if there's one. You have any bright ideas? I'm not letting them in."

If you have the personnel, drive the concession vehicles out there. The employees can get a chance to learn before the rush is on."

"Didn't you hear? I said there's nine thousand out there."

"We can't do anything Edgar. They want to see the performers but those people don't want to talk to a crowd for no reason."

Edgar sold a lot of food and drinks and his managers figured they had to go and buy more if this was the way the people were going to be. There were lots of little problems that I never heard of but the film crews captured some of the problems and interviewed the managers and even Edgar.

Charley and Carm were near and they had their own units to supervise. A lot of off-duty policemen were hired to help but they had not started work yet. Edgar got soldiers and put them into nice uniforms to do what had to be done. They were even trained on what to do when confronted by some odd situations. Most of us considered thousands of young females on overactive hormones that clawed to get on stage, an odd situation.

Three of those girls could be Karen, Faith and Sandy but they were older now. Susan had invited them to attend and go back stage with the band. The three had come to the Bay in ones or twos but usually not threes. This time was important for Susan and she wanted her old friends with her when she had a real audience and not just four to six thousand.

My birthday was Friday, the first day of the concert. The previous night I got a special present from all of my family. I was soon tired out and drained and Jamie was not that much better. We sat together and watched the girls.

Jamie said out of the blue, "Do you love me Jeff?"

"You're part of my family. I love you more than you can imagine. You sound troubled. What's wrong?"

Jamie cuddled to me and the way he groaned it sounded like he just needed confirmation. His words bothered me though.

The next morning, we were all up early. The performers had their own cook but some of the singers managed to come to our home for breakfast.

Most of them I had never met before but all of them had purchased my songs. We discussed what was not in the contract but the contracts were in plain language. The performers had to sing for two hours a day and do this for two days. Each one was paid twice the going rate just like what had been done at Woodstock so they had little to complain about.

The opening ceremonies needed them all on stage so the fans could see them. Duane Eddy, Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline had not arrived yet and I was beginning to worry.

Just before noon I flew to the concert with my Angels. The hatch was open and the girls waved to their fans on the ground. A loud cheer came to us and I knew that my estimates had been low. It was still three hours until the gates opened.

The helicopter went back for the second load. Somebody was on the PA system talking to the crowd so they knew what was before them. When the helicopter returned, the crowd went wild again.

The intervening time was used to get the sound system to respond the best it could. The performers walked part of the fence and talked to the crowd to keep them happy. They made it safely back when the people started to enter the park. We had 72 different turnstiles to get the people in quickly.

The ones that came by train and bus got a complimentary photograph of the Angels and the North Birds as a way of saying thanks for coming this way.

The land filled and filled and there were more people coming. I estimated the numbers at 90,000 and that included the fact that there were seven major accidents that were blocking traffic.

The opening ceremonies came on time and I was the one with the microphone in my hand. I had never talked to so many people in my life and they frightened me to death. I had to just remember what I had to do and said, "Welcome to Concert Toronto 1962." I had to stop because the crowd cheered.

I introduced the musicians one group at a time and the crowd cheered for each.

The Angels were the opening act and Susan got the mic. She said, "Hello out there."

In response the crowd screamed back, "Hello in there," which is what she customarily did. When the crowd quieted, she said, "I came up here to sing for you but I think that's a little unfair. I want to hear all of you sing." The crowd did not know what to think so she said, "My baby brother is sweet sixteen today and I think he needs to hear how much you love him." There was a roar of approval and I saw Paige grinning at me.

The performers that had left the stage returned with grins and the North Birds began to play, 'Happy birthday'. The sound was so loud and discordant that it was hard to understand the words. I felt embarrassed but I saw Paige singing her heart out and I knew this was a time I would always remember.

I got the mic back and thanked the audience. Then I said, "I was going to save this for after but now is a good time too. I beckoned Paige to come near and when she did I said to her, "I've loved you since I was a little boy. You've stuck with me through some dangerous times. I want you to continue and stay with me for the rest of our lives."

I pulled the box out of my pocket and got on my knee. "Will you be my wife Paige Newfield?"

I just watched her eyes and I heard the roar of the crowd but it was as if they were not here. Paige started to tear up but she took the ring and put it on. Through her tears she said, "Yes, I'll marry you, you dummy. Why — " The rest was drowned out in the approval of the crowd.

Susan got the mic back and gave her congratulations and then so did the rest of the people on the stage. It took ten minutes before we could leave and both of us were hugged or patted on the back.

As we left the stage I heard Susan say, "There goes one great guy."


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The End
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Posted:  2007-12-24
Last Modified: 2008-03-22 / 10:47:31 am
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