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Cover Artwork is copyrighted by the author, who
for some odd reason seems to feel the undying needto create his own illustrations and designs.
2012. All rights reserved.
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T.O.A.D.Volume 1
The Fall
By Keegan Hennis
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I love my family.
My sweet wife supports me,My smart son and daughter inspire me,
On to excellence.
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This book is part of a series, written inchronological order. Pick them up out of order andyou may become confused or frustrated by thestory.
T.O.A.D.
The FallThe RiseThe RunThe PushThe ReachThe GraspThe Pull
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There are many other series and singlebooks by Keegan Hennis.
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1Lenny woke before his alarm would have
sounded. Casually he read the time: 5:13 am. He
reached over and clicked the small switch to the offposition to keep it from waking his father. Their
rooms were adjacent to each other, and the walls did
little to abate sound passage. The last thing Lenny
wanted to do at that moment was to wake his father
early on a school day.
Silently he went to his dresser and gathered
his clothes for the day. He filled his knapsack,
collected a few other odd trinkets from around his
room and made his way out into the hall. Silent as
the grave he left his house and made his way onbicycle through the empty streets. Today would be
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like no other. But then, every day was new and
different.
The street signs passed him as the soft
ticking of his bike's gears filled the cool early
morning air. To say that he lived at home would be
deceptive. He only slept at home, and he would
only do that for a few more years before he legally
moved away from the indignity of his fathers
house.
Right on time, Lenny's lonely bike commute
became not so lonely. Another young bicyclist
following a different route turned from another
street to ride parallel to Lenny, their respective
paths merging. The usual morning banter ensued,
"Morning, Josh."The other rider spoke up after a yawn,
"Morning, Lenny."
And that was it until they would reach their
mutual destination. The gathering sunlight played
off parked car windshields and house windows as
the two boys rode on in relative silence. Here and
there a shiny lawn ornament flashed one or both of
them in the eye, but it quickly passed them as they
made good time.
Finally the two turned into a parking lot in aminimally commercialized zone of their small town
and dismounted their bikes. One boy walked up to
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the door and typed the unnecessarily long code into
the keypad next to the locked door, and it clicked
open. The boys walked their bikes inside a door
near the side of the building, which had no signs
advertising its purpose. The bikes leaned against
the side of a hall, the boys continued walking into
the structure. They passed doors in the hall, and
cabinets on either side. Some of the cabinet doors
were secured with padlocks, others weren't.
The two boys walked nonchalantly into a
sort of dormitory setting with couches and a few
vending machines along one wall, a television on
the other. There they parted, going into two
separate rooms, the doors of which sported labels
with their names on them.Lenny walked past an unused bed and
disrobed in a small bathroom. He showered quickly
and then redressed himself in the clothes he'd
brought from home, or the place his father called
home. He brushed his teeth and then stared at
himself in the mirror above the sink for a minute.
Every day he stared at his face in the mirror,
thinking of how he'd finally tell his father he was
moving out, never quite knowing how he'd say it.
But he still had time, two years and two months tobe exact. He'd soon turn 16 and his father would
forget his birthday. Again.
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Josh wasn't quite ready for school yet, but
he'd make it on time, as usual. Lenny, named
Leonardo at birth by his traditional Italian mother,
left his dorm room into the common area the two
boys shared with a grown man. Lenny found him in
his usual spot on the green sofa, reading from some
extra-thick hardcover book. "Morning, Hank," said
Lenny as he made his way back toward his bike for
the ride to school.
"Good morning, boss," said Hank, who kept
reading as if he'd never been interrupted.
Lenny and Josh had found Hank a few years
back in an area of the county called the Bone Yard.
It was owned by a train company and used to store
old rusting and broken train engines and box cars.Hank had hitched a ride from somewhere else in the
country, he never said where, and was trying to
camp in the wreckage. The boys were doing some
exploring and shopping for heavy metal parts when
they came across his limp body. He had cut himself
on something and was almost septic with infection.
They took him to the emergency room of the nearby
larger town's hospital just in time to save his life.
Hank had no ID on him and he refused to give the
staff any information on himself. As soon as hewas healthy enough, they released him.
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But Josh and Lenny were both curious about
why he was trying to live in the Bone Yard in the
first place, and under a deadline to have a new
manager named. They followed and cornered him
in an alley. He wouldn't say much, but they needed
him anyway. They had hired him to be their adult
face to other adults.
The position had originally been only
temporary, until they could find someone else to fill
it for the long term. But things worked out with
Hank, and they kept working out. After a few
months, they decided to keep him until he decided
to leave the company, whenever that would be.
When Lenny's maternal grandfather was
younger, he invented an airplane part for themilitary. They still used it in all their aircraft and
by contract they paid usage fees to the company that
Lenny's grandfather had started. But when Lenny's
mother had died in child-birth, and Lenny's father
had turned to drowning his sorrows in liquor,
Lenny's grandfather decided to put the company
into a trust for an inheritance for Lenny. When
Lenny was twelve, and mature for his age, his
grandfather took ill. Knowing he had little time
left, he told Lenny about the trust and company andlegally transferred it into the boy's name before he
died. It was technically owned by Lenny, but
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would have to be managed by a legal adult of his
choosing until Lenny turned 18 and could run the
company himself.
Lenny's father hadn't heard of it, and the
boys decided to keep it that way. But in order to
run the company name, and continue receiving the
payments from the military, the company had to
have an adult manager. The boys were
contemplating on this when they found Hank and
made a quick decision. Hank accepted the job,
knowing the boys had saved his life, and had been
living at the shop in the dorm area ever since. He
never spoke about his past, and the two boys
allowed him his secrets because he kept theirs.
Hank was ever respectful of them, treated them asequal adults. He never stole anything, never did
anything to betray their trust. And so the three kept
their arrangement how it was, because it worked.
Technically the company, Technology
Opens All Doors, Inc. or TOAD, Inc. for short, had
three direct salaried employees. These were the two
boys and Hank. The company paid taxes and
provided health insurance and looked in every way
to the outside world as any other company. But the
inner workings were very different. The boys did asthey pleased, designing and learning and inventing
whatever they thought they could. And since the
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government paid them far more than they thought
they could ever spend, they were limited by only
their imaginations.
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2Lenny and Josh had been friends since the
second grade. Joshs family had moved to Red
Level when his father got a job at a carpetmanufacturer in Andalusia, a nearby larger town.
The land and housing was cheaper in Red Level, so
despite the longer travel to work, they chose to live
in the rural area.
The two boys had hit it off almost
immediately, as if the young budding genius in each
of them gravitated toward similar intelligence.
From the first day, they had been close, almost as
much so as brothers born of different parents.
They were often seen sitting together atrecess, and their desks were next to each other
whenever they got the chance. They were good
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students and didnt play around when they werent
supposed to, so most of the time their teachers
didnt mind that they sat next to each other.
They completed book reports on similar
texts, and science projects in similar fields, even
though they worked separately when required.
There were never any suspicions that they cheated
off each others work.
It was commonly yet silently accepted
between the two boys that Lenny was the smarter of
the pair, but as any good friend, Lenny would rather
be silent than dwell on what would appear from the
outside as his honorificabilitudinitatibus.
But even in the early times, when he was
still young, Lenny came to understand that althoughhis father provided for his needs, and kept food in
the fridge, he would have very little else to do with
Lennys growth. He appeared to make no extra
attempts to attend school plays, or fairs or carnivals.
He never bought any of their fund-raiser products,
or showed up to the semiannual parent-teacher
conferences.
At first, Lenny felt sad, left out. And then as
he grew, he simply came to expect little interest
from his father in his life. He knew that his dadworked as a mechanic at a local garage, but Lenny
had never visited him at work. He knew that his
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dad worked hard for the money he earned, but he
grew up feeling like the provisions and rare trinkets
from his hands were delivered to Lenny more out of
obligation than desire. But as many things do, it
became normal to him.
He knew not to expect his father to ask to
see his report cards. He knew that Alan Hatching
would rather work overtime, cutting his hands on
greasy broken metal fragments, than show his face
at a PTA meeting. Lenny came to know that the
bottles of foul-smelling colored liquors in the fridge
were primarily responsible for his fathers
unresponsive naps in his recliner.
Lenny tried sometimes to engage his father
in his life, but the usual reply would soundsomething like, Not now, boy or Beat it, Im
tired.
Only three times did he remember his father
showing up to any kind of school event. Once was
a fund-raiser where they auctioned off a few things,
like a hunting rifle and a blade-style tree-stand,
when Lenny was in the fifth grade. Once was a
Christmas party, when he had shown up very
obviously drunk. But he didnt make any kind of
public scene that time, to Lennys relief.The third time Lennys father showed up to
his school was to sign the release for his son to start
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drivers education classes. Lenny felt like he was
only doing it to help him along in getting out of his
house. Either way, that was the last time he and his
father had spoken anything more than an awkward
salutation in the narrow hall of their small house.
Since the days of his solitary childhood,
Lenny hadnt cared to invite his father to anything.
He knew that if he waited expectantly for him to
arrive, hed be let down. Again.
But Joshs family was lots more interested
in their childs schooling. And to help out the
situation, they also put some interest in Lennys
schooling also. They would sometimes try to
excuse Lennys fathers behavior claiming he was
tired from working long hours. Or they would offerto buy Lennys carnival tickets from him, citing that
his father would want them to.
But Lenny always knew better. He knew
that although he never said as much, his father had
blamed him for his mothers death, and that Alan
Hatching would someday drink himself to death.
And whenever Lenny thought about that possibility,
he had mixed feelings. He loved his father, but they
were really no more than roommates by that time.
They may just as well have been as unrelated as HisHoliness, the Pope and His Highness, the King of
Saudi Arabia.
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3Lenny rode his bike to school and parked it
in his customary place: third slot from the end in the
front bike racks. He locked it to the heavy pipe andthen casually walked into the building where he
attended as a sophomore.
The long halls of Red Level High School, In
Red Level, Alabama, bustled with students and
teachers. The sound of slamming lockers over the
din of voices filled in the background noise while
Lenny considered what project he would start to
work on next after school. Hed already finished
modifying his music player a week ahead of
schedule and the fast completion had taken him bysurprise. He would usually have had a few more
days to think about what to build next before the
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project would have been completed. But the
firmware coding had been much easier than hed
planned and the initial prototype tests had all passed
with flying colors. For once, it seemed finishing
early had brought with it ill consequences.
Josh had presented an idea to Lenny about
creating a new codec for the player. It would be
based on old technology, but in a new application.
It turned out the entire firmware would have to be
rewritten as well. Each song file was analyzed on
their servers and broken up into its base sounds. A
continuously growing library of the base sounds
would be stored on the boys servers and would
update their players wirelessly periodically. Each
song file would then be rewritten using referencesto the base sounds in the library index, allowing the
song files themselves to be quite small. Of course
some sounds couldnt be quantified in the index and
so would be inserted directly into the song file
which would play seamlessly from either the index
or the sounds themselves. The vocal tracks would
be played at the same time, giving the illusion that
all the music was from one file.
The boys had effectively multiplied the song
storage on their players by a minimum factor oftwenty, depending on the songs they had loaded.
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Several hours after school started, and after
the end of his math class, Lenny went outside for
lunch. He met his business partner and best friend,
Josh, in their usual spot. The green buds on the
trees in the schoolyard were forming nicely into
leaves making denser shade every day on the lawn.
Josh waited with his lunch sack under the
big oak by the football field entrance. Though they
were both worth more financially than the average
adult, they had mutually decided to keep up
appearances by acting like teens around others.
When Lenny stepped into range, Josh asked, Any
ideas on what were going to work on next?
Not really, answered Lenny as he sat on
the ground near Josh. He continued, I keepthinking about what granddad told me that last
day.
Something about how youre an accidental
genius? asked Josh just before a bite of sandwich.
No, not accidental, Lenny respectfully
corrected, casual. He said I was a casual genius, as
if Im not even trying. He said that things work out
strangely well when I shoot from the hip. Like he
thought Im inordinately lucky or something.
Well, said Josh just before he took a drinkfrom his milk bottle. When hed lowered it again
he continued, Hes kind of right, you know.
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Things do seem to work better for you when you
have less time to plan and prepare. So I can see
where he was coming from.
Lenny nodded contemplatively as he
crunched bits of carrot sticks. He glanced up at the
sign above the football field entrance, Roddaburke
Field.
The boys school had held a fund-raiser a
while back to repave the running track around the
perimeter of the football field. The bake sales and
cake auctions came up less than half the lowest bid
from the contractors. The school had nearly
decided to simply bury the running track and
abandon it when Josh had his idea. They went to
Hank and asked him to go to the school and make acash donation from the company. He did, and
against Hanks better judgment, the school named
the field after him when he supplied more than
enough money to finance the highest contractor bid.
So the bleachers were repainted as well with
the leftover funds. And a sign designed and colored
by the art department honored the generous Henry
Roddaburke for his donation. The boys silently
chuckle about it whenever they read the sign. It
was more fun for them that no one knew how theywere the real benefactors for the new track. As
Lennys grandfather used to say in broken English,
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It is better to give gifts in secret, to keep others
from wanting for more.
But reading the sign didnt do much for
Lennys planning, so he looked away to the waving
grass in the football field. The wind playing its own
game on the field looked almost hypnotic. From
this distance he could clearly see the contiguous
waves that each gust of wind produced. It was as if
there were an invisible blanket flopping around
being tugged this way and that.
As he sat contemplating the waves, Lenny
felt a spark in his mind. The waves were speaking
to him, but the message wasnt about wind or grass.
Were going to build something to do with radio
waves, he reported to Josh just before the schoolsounded a chime telling them lunch break had
ended.
Josh perked up, Oh yeah. Bring it on.
The rest of the school day both boys worked
on ideas of how they would revolutionize radio.
They each wrote their ideas down in a small spiral
notepad they carried in their pockets. It was their
way of keeping ideas when they came.
When the time came to leave school, the
race began. Lenny and Josh were both moderatelyfit in physical form, but their daily bicycle races
from school to their shop were as exciting as they
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were dangerous. The small town police department
knew their names well, and the officers were on the
watch for them as often as they could be. It seemed
no obstacle had the power to make them use their
brakes.
They jumped ramps and missed pedestrians
and dodged cars and trucks as if the devil himself
were hunting them. Several times cars screeched
their tires to keep from killing the racers. But the
boys were teenagers, and they knew they were
invincible. They tested the limits of their mortality
on nearly a daily bases.
Reaching the shop they casually dismounted
their trusty steeds. A few sly glances at each other
and they jumped into a sprint toward the door.Lenny made it first and blocked the keypad with his
hand, trying to keep Josh from entering his code.
But Josh wouldnt be so easily dissuaded and he
enacted one of the few things that would make even
grown adults draw back in from their prize in
revulsion. He licked Lenny's arm from elbow
forward, slowly making his way toward his wrist.
But he'd only wet a few inches of Lenny's
arm before Josh saw him yank it away with a
shocked expression and a grunt of disapproval.Josh wasted no time in putting his own
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unnecessarily long code into the keypad, unlocking
the heavy security door.
The boys walked their bikes inside, letting
their wheel bearings cool in the shade in the
hallway just inside the door. They casually walked
down the hall, Josh's disgusting tactic quickly
forgotten, passing Hank in his seat on the green
sofa, reading the same volume of some obscure text.
They walked into their workshop and approached
their planning table.
The precision drawing tools and lighted
magnifying lens were left in their places for this
session as each retrieved his notebook and prepared
to wow the other with his ideas.
Josh began, because Lenny had started firstthe time before. Radio-borne electricity, with
ranges larger than fifty feet.
Lenny wrote the idea down on the sheet
retrieved from the top of a stack of printer paper in
the corner of the work table. Josh continued,
Radio pain pistol with a hundred-foot range.
Could be used for non-lethal riot control by the
police.
Good one, said Lenny as he scribed it all
down.
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Josh read his last entry, Alternate materials
for radio drivers. Id like to test out what a change
in material density does to radio range.
We could get better range just by switching
out the antenna alone. Good idea to test.
Josh folded the cover down on his notepad
and said, Thats all I got. Your turn.
Radio Hallucination. It could be used for
virtual reality or simulating environments.
Cool theory, tripping out without the
chemical catalysts said Josh as he took his turn to
be scribe.
Radio ignition. Like for a survival tool or
for camping. Youd point the tool at the pile of
wood and itd burst into flames.Sounds dangerous, said Josh with smirk as
he wrote it down on the paper.
Radio Edge Supplementation. A knife
could be dull until you turn it on and then it acts
razor sharp. We could try pulsing sympathetic
frequencies to simulate a serrated edge.
Again, awesome. Making new dangerous
applications of old science is so cool.
Josh took the time to draw small images for
each possibility to make sure they remembered towhat their ideas related. Lenny closed his notebook
and casually put it on the desk.
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The next step would usually entail them
inventing a method for disqualifying or postponing
some of the ideas from the list. Sometimes they
would throw darts at a dartboard, and sometimes
they would throw lawn darts. Sometimes they
would play a rousing, yet sometimes confusing,
round of Rock-Paper-Scissors-Laser-Steamshovel,
and then rarely they would randomly call people
from the phonebook to ask them their opinions.
The calling method seldom gave them concrete
results, thus the reason they didnt try it often.
On that day, it was decided that they would
ask Hank what he thought.
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4Josh and Lenny approached their adult
employee. As was their custom, they sat on a sofa
opposite his, and respectfully waited for him tofinish the sentence he was reading. After no more
than a minute, Hank put his volume down on the
table between the two sofas and then put his reading
glasses next to it. He looked up to the boys and
said, Yes, gentlemen. How can I help you?
Josh began, We have some ideas for our
next project. Wed like your opinion.
Standard consulting fees apply here,
added Lenny.
Oh, you know Ill just donate it back to thevending machine fund, replied Hank as he reached
for the handful of white pages Josh held.
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Hank took the papers and carefully read
through the descriptions and studied the sketched
diagrams. He went through the stack at least twice
in total, jumping back through the list when he
pleased to make sure there were no missed entries.
Once he chuckled, no more than a slight breath, but
the boys had no way of knowing which idea had
seemed funny.
At long last Hank set the stapled papers
down on the table next to his book. He eyed the
boys carefully, knowing that no matter what he said,
they were still teenagers. Theyd do whatever they
wanted no matter his comments. But he
underestimated the weight of his opinion. He
carefully answered, while pointing to an entry,This one reminds me of the guts of a microwave
oven. Nothing new there, referring to the fire-
starter tool. And this one here, he was pointing to
the pain gun, looks to be hard to test out for effect.
Realistically were you planning on trying it out on
each other or me?
The boys chuckled this time. Hank
continued, And I think this one, referring to the
hallucination idea, could be very dangerous also.
Imagine accidentally cooking someones brain. Tryexplaining that one in a Workmans Comp. claim.
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Again the boys chuckled nervously. He was
bringing up good points that they hadnt considered.
But then again, they were only random ideas. Hank
put the papers on the side of the table closest to the
boys and spoke to them directly, Gentlemen, I
seem to recall someone telling me that some of the
most interesting advancements in science were
accidental. Things like Teflon coatings and post-it
notes were invented on the way toward different
ideas altogether. Try starting with something small
and see where it leads you.
The boys sat back in unison thinking about
what he had said. Hank picked up his glasses and
volume and began to read where hed left off. And
though he never mentioned it to them, he wassurprised almost daily by their level of maturity for
their respective ages.
After a few minutes of quiet introspection
the clock chimed four which roused the boys. They
left Hank to his learning and walked back into the
shop. Josh put the pages on the work table and they
stared at them quietly for almost a minute before
Lenny broke the trance. Lets each work on one.
Ill take the blade edge simulation one and you
work on the antenna density one.Sounds like a plan, agreed Josh.
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Well need a radio workstation with a
powerful array on it. We should use something that
we can actively adjust easily.
Josh picked up the idea and continued, We
could use the spare repeater we bought when we
built our own cell towers and put the Good Luck
Chicken Network into service. Its digital and the
computer interface is easy to navigate.
Lenny started walking to one unused table in
the large shop area. He grabbed a laptop computer
from a wheeled cart as he passed it and set it on the
table he reached. The system started up fast and
Lenny logged in to their network and started the
installation process for the radio repeater software
from its place on the server.Josh appeared after a short time with a stack
of crates on a pallet-jack. It dropped near the table
they were preparing for their experiments. Of the
many labels on the crates, the ones most interesting
at that moment were the shock-sensitive stickers.
They were still in their factory state, letting the boys
know the contents of the crate were not damaged by
bumping in transit.
You start working up a protocol for
programming the interface, said Josh, while I getto assemble the repeater.
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Let me know if you need help lifting,
offered Lenny. I seem to remember last time one
section was really bulky.
The boys then proceeded in relative silence,
each working on areas of his specific and respective
inclination. Lenny had higher-than-average skill in
software and theory, and Josh felt more at home
turning wrenches and working with physical parts.
They worked well together where they could, but
sometimes they worked better by dovetailing.
When Josh found the crate with the heaviest
contraption, he glanced over to see Lenny coding at
full steam in a programming environment. Not
wanting to interrupt a flowing thought train, Josh
went to the area of the shop where they stored theirheavier tools and unlocked the wheels of their
hydraulic hoist. It weighed about five hundred
pounds on its own and would easily lift the contents
from the crate.
Lenny made no sign that hed noticed the
action. But that was normal. When he became
engrossed with something complicated, not much
could distract him. Josh didnt mind. This was part
of how they had defined their relationship with each
other, and so they worked it out how they usuallydid best.
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When the crates were emptied and their
various contents were gently laid in a loose
arrangement on the shop floor, Josh reevaluated
whether the table would be a good place for the
completed radio repeater, or if it would be best to
leave it assembled on the floor next to it. Lenny
noticed Josh standing and staring at the strewn parts
and asked casually, Penny for your thoughts?
Oh, not this time, said Josh absent-
mindedly. These thoughts are worth at least a
dollar each; but Ill give you the friend discount. I
was just thinking about the best place to start
putting the radio together. As big as it is, and with
the fact that were going to be using it as a tool in
several experiments, I was thinking I might justleave it on the floor and wire it to whatever were
designing.
Lenny looked away from the computer
screen for a few seconds to view the options. His
young eyes did him well, seeing the parts on the
floor and judging the rough size of the completed
product of his friends assembly work. Youre
probably right, answered Lenny. The floors the
best place for that monster. Unless you think we
should build a bigger table.Josh considered the options opening to him.
In the end, he voiced his vote, Or I could just weld
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up a frame to stand it on next to the table at table-
height. That would make it close enough to allow
for a direct-mount apparatus, as well as freeing up
table room.
Good show. Theres a done thing.
Josh chuckled at Lennys use of older slang
and then went to the drafting table to draw up some
figures to follow. He liked to draw his schematics
by hand, leaving the computer work to Lenny. Josh
had long trusted that his hand-drawn sketches were
made faster than with the CAD program, and easier
for him.
The pencil became an extension of his arm
as his ideas were flowing through the HB graphite
onto the clean white paper. The design cametogether rather quickly for its size. It would have
three legs for maximum stability and minimum
fabrication time, as well as fewer places to adjust
when leveling and loading the repeater into its
cradle. Small triangular plates for gussets would go
at each joint to ensure sturdy structure and little
deflection.
When Josh finished his drawings, he took
them to Lenny who would red-line them. This was
also their habit. Where one boy created, the otherchecked for errors. There were seldom any because
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5The parts cut apart and the main skeleton
braced into shape, Josh steadied his hand and pulled
his welding hood down. Sparks flew out and abrilliant light flashed from the arc welders hand
tool, sometimes called a stinger, lighting up half the
shop. Shadows played off the walls cast by both
Joshs body and the other shapes around him.
Lenny continued working on the computer side of
the project as Joshs idea for a support frame came
together fast.
True to form, Joshs estimate closely
resembled reality as a little over an hour later the
standing cradle for the repeater stood ready toreceive its passenger. Josh looked proudly at it,
knowing he had done his best in building it, and that
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it would last a long time. Absent-mindedly he spoke
to the frame, I should probably paint you up, but
Im not sure youre going to be used that much
anyway.
Lenny spoke from across the work area,
Well, its still 5:35. Bobby-Jaynes is still open.
We can send it over and have them work on that
while were at school tomorrow.
Ill make the call, said Josh.
Lenny continued to work with the computer
code displayed on his screen while Josh spoke on
the shop phone to his left. At least he thought it
was to his left. Truthfully he wasnt sure, which
way the phone was in relation to his new work area.
They moved around quite a bit, so things were oftennot where people thought they could be. But as
easy and pointless as it would be to actually look up
from his work to see where the shop phone sat in
relation to his position, Lenny decided it wasnt
worth losing his momentum in typing and clicking
his mouse.
As he worked, he suddenly became aware
that Josh seemed to be staring at him from across
the room. He thought he saw out the corner of his
eye Josh glancing at his watch a few times in just ashort interval, and this distracted him from his
coding. It wasnt like Josh to count the seconds as
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he was. But then, he realized, it could have
signaled an impending event that he had scheduled,
which was indeed something he did all too often. In
short order, he discovered what Josh had been
waiting for when his monitor flashed a horrifying
image while it screamed as a damsel in a scary
movie. This all made Lenny nearly jump out of his
skin, because he was distracted with two other
things at once.
Josh laughed loudly and jumped a few
times. Lenny, in turn, spoke softly to him, while
still looking at his monitor, "Got me again, buddy."
Josh came back over to the work table and
reported with a chuckle, Theyre sending a driver
over to pick it up. Some new kid named Red. Hellbe here in about fifteen minutes, and then we should
probably head to my place for dinner. Its pizza
night, remember.
Oooh, I love your moms home-made
pizza, said Lenny, for once looking up from the
laptop. What color are they painting the frame?
They said they already have their system
primed with gloss yellow for another customer, and
I said that would be fine for this. We saved a few
bucks of setup fee because the frame will probablynever go outside this shop and we dont care what it
looks like.
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Lets see if Hank would consent to working
after hours to hand over the frame. I want to get
over to your place all-of-a-sudden-like, said Lenny
excitedly.
The boys walked briskly to the common
area of the dorm to find Hank sitting in the same
place, reading the same large volume. Before they
could ask, he spoke, I wouldnt mind at all.
The boys gave crooked expressions to the
older man, but he didnt see them. He did however
sense by their silent response that he should clarify
his statement. Im going to stay in the shop for a
few minutes and hand over the frame Josh built to
the driver from Bobby-Jayne Automotive. The door
to the shop was open and I heard the wholeconversation.
Awesome. Thanks a lot, Hank, said Josh
happily.
Just mark the over-time on your punch
record, said Lenny as they made their way toward
their bikes.
Sure thing, boss, said Hank to himself as
he continued to read. He wouldnt get extra pay for
working late, but he would earn more vacation time
that he could use later.Josh and Lenny rode their bikes through the
moderately well-kept houses that sat in Joshs
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neighborhood. Here and there a car passed them,
but for the most part people were already home
from their daily jobs. A few times they smelled the
unmistakable scent of barbecued meats from behind
houses. The spring weather brought with it the
promise of a playful summer.
Just before six in the evening, the boys
pulled their bikes into the walk-in door on Joshs
familys garage. They wandered through the other
stacks of things and toys that kept the family from
parking their cars inside the garage as they made
their way toward the kitchen door. The alluring
aroma of Mrs. Duvals pizza sauce guided them
onward through the gloomy storage area.
At long last, the door opened and the boysfelt the full brunt of the sensory deluge in the
kitchen. The boiling sauce churning with herbs, the
sizzling pepperonis in a skillet, the still-rising bread
dough in a mixing bowl, the only thing missing was
a milk-maid making cheese from scratch. But that
absence was expected. Who made their own cheese
anymore?
Joshs father broke the food-induced trance,
Welcome home, boys. How was work today?
Oh, it was normal, said Josh. There wasa little drawing, a little welding, a little fiddling on
the computer, nothing new.
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Sounds fun just the same, said Mrs. Duval
as she stirred the sauce with a wooden spoon. She
pulled it to her face and gently smelled the mix.
After mentally sifting the various vapors, her keen
nose told her it needed a dash of some other spice
before it was perfect. She added this and then left it
to continue its simmer.
Lenny again felt awed by her skill in the
kitchen. He considered her to be on the level of
professional chefs, geniuses with ingredients.
Silently he wondered if his own mother would be so
talented, were she still alive. Of course she would
be, she was born to traditional Italian parents
herself. As is often the case in traditional societies,
she had been taught all the family recipes by hermother, the same recipes that had been handed
down from generation to generation since the
beginning of Italian history.
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6Youve outdone yourself again, Mrs.
Duval, said Lenny after finishing his last slice of
pizza.Why thank you, Lenny, said Joshs mom.
So, began Mr. Duval after a drink from his
glass. What are you guys working on at work?
Few people knew of the freedom they
enjoyed at TOAD Inc. But Joshs parents saw no
problem in how they lived. Lenny answered,
Were working on a few new applications for radio
technologies.
Like what applications? Mr. Duval probed
further.
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Josh answered, Dad, that was four months
ago. Try to keep up. Remember I told you that the
tour company didnt feel they would have enough
customers interested in it to justify the running cost.
So now Clarence sits on its trailer in the shop.
Joshs younger sister, Natalie, spoke up,
You named that thing Clarence? That is so
cheesy!
Well, I thought the submarine tours venture
was a good idea, said Mrs. Duval as she cleared
some dishes from the table, even romantic.
Josh saw the look on his fathers face
change a few times in the short seconds following
his wifes comment. Then Mr. Duval took out his
PDA phone and quickly worked some buttons. Heput it back and made sure his wife didnt see the
action. This only somewhat intrigued Josh. He had
a basic idea of what had happened. His parents
wedding anniversary was coming up.
Right on cue, Joshs cell phone buzzed in
his pocket. He kept it on vibrate mode in his locker
while he was at school, and many times forgot to
take it from silent mode upon leaving. This time he
was sure his dad was happy that it didnt make a
noise as he looked relieved. Josh casually checkedhis phone and then put it back in his pocket and
winked at his dad. Then Josh stood from the table
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and announced, Hey, Im going to go ride home
with Lenny, then come back.
Okay, sweetie, said Mrs. Duval. Just be
back before bedtime.
Josh and Lenny left the house and walked
quickly through the garage where their bikes were
waiting. Lenny whispered, Whats up?
Not here, Josh replied back. Wait til we
get a good piece out.
They rode their bikes out of the garage into
the darkening evening. The days were longer than
they were a few months before, but not as long as
they would be in a few months more. When two
streets had passed, Josh spoke up, Hey what do
you think about renting out Clarence? Officiallyfrom TOAD, Inc., I mean.
Lenny thought about it for a few seconds
and then answered, I dont know. It should be
alright. Why?
Josh explained, My dad texted me after
dinner asking if they could take Clarence on a trip.
You know their anniversary is coming up in a few
months, and he thinks shed like it.
Where would they go?
I dont know, down to the Gulf orsomething.
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Well, I guess it shouldnt matter where they
want to go. We could probably ship it wherever
they want. But nothing too exotic, I mean. Not like
Fiji or Australia. But I think we could get a
chartered helicopter to put it on a boat in Mobile.
Then we could ship it to maybe Miami or
California, or even as far as Hawaii.
Yeah, I doubt theyll want to go that far,
but you never know. Thanks for being cool about
this.
Lenny shrugged, Its no big deal, fellah.
Sometimes I wish my dad would take an interest in
what we do. But your familys good enough.
Josh quietly took in the comments of his
friend. He had voiced an actual desire forinteraction with his father, even if it was off-hand.
Josh knew that beneath the mature faade that
Lenny wore as a mask, he was still a teenager who
felt real feelings for his family. Given time and the
proper experiences, Josh was sure Lenny and his
father could grow together again.
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7The alarm sounded but one annoying pulse
in the early gloom of Lennys bedroom. The
teenaged hand still covered the snooze button foralmost a minute after the sound had been cut.
Silently he waited to hear the familiar unfortunate
sounds of his dad waking.
Lenny waited for almost the length of his
clocks snooze timer before moving to keep it
silent. He gingerly switched the alarm function off,
and then back on to make sure it would again sound
the next time 5:20 am would roll by. Only the soft
banter of the television could be heard. Lenny
knew his father liked to watch it in the evenings, butsometimes he fell asleep to it. But before he could
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sigh relief to himself, he would have to make it
outside the house without waking his father.
As silently as the uncountable days before,
he gathered some clothes for the day and put them
into his backpack. Just as quietly he opened and
then closed his bedroom door. The hall to the front
areas hadnt had childrens toys in it for years and
so would be just as quiet.
His back was turned as he passed the kitchen
counter, so he never saw the blinking light on the
answering machine, alerting any who could see it
that there was at least one message waiting to be
heard on the memory of the device. But Lenny
never received calls at his home, so he never
thought to look at it.As he walked through his house toward the
front door, he smelled the familiar odor that no one
liked. Obviously the neighbors dog had killed
another squirrel and stashed it in the crawlspace
under Lenny Hatchings house. He hated the
neighbors dog. Solving the problem of the smell
would be handled by his father soon. It had been a
few months since the dog had put anything under
their floors, and they were cautiously starting to
believe that it had been cured of the habit.The morning bicycle ride through the
growing light gave the boys time to think in a way
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that no other environment could. They had little
distractions, few words to exchange and the unique
mindset that happens just after one is freshly
awakened. Their path took them past Bobby-Jayne
Automotive and both boys glanced at the windows,
unconsciously expecting to see their finished frame
in the dim interior. But the ambient light outside
was too bright to let them see in the darkened
windows so they quietly continued onward toward
the shop.
Their morning routine went as it had for the
past few years. Not much deviation. Morning,
Hank, said the somewhat groggy boys.
Good morning, gentlemen, replied Hank
as he read from his large book.In a nearly shocking break from the norm,
Lenny stopped before going into his room to
shower. He turned back to their employee and
spoke, Dont you ever sleep?
Yes, sir, I do. Im just up before you two
get here.
Ive never seen you sleep, said Lenny as
more a challenge to the statement than one of its
own.
Youve never seen me sleep yet. Doesntmean I dont. Youve also never seen me eat
brussel sprouts, but I do that too on occasion.
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I dont think Ive ever seen you eat
anything, said Lenny.
Hank put his volume and glasses on the
table between the two sofas. He looked calmly up
at his employer. Considered his words for a few
seconds and then spoke, Whats on your mind,
Boss?
Lenny spoke after sitting on the other sofa,
facing Hank. He spoke plainly, unafraid of hurting
feelings of the infinitely patient Henry Roddaburke,
Where did you come from?
Slightly fallen in expression, Hank replied
with a question of his own, Is this something that
needs to be discussed right now?
Not really. We allow you your privacy andsecrets because we trust you. But I just realized on
the way in this morning that if youre hiding from
the law, youre jeopardizing this organization.
Hank looked more assured as he answered
the curiosity, Sir, let me promise you that I am not
wanted by any authorities. If you need proof, we
can go to the police station and have them run my
prints and social security number through their
computers.
Lenny blinked slowly, still somewhat tired.No, he finally answered. I trust you. Tell me
youre not a wanted man, and I believe you. I hope
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I didnt offend you by asking. I was just thinking
about how little we know about you. I mean, you
dont seem like a criminal, but whos to say what
they seem like? Ive never met one before to have a
base standard for comparison.
I understand your concern, said Hank,
slightly less happy than Lenny would have hoped.
I havent really given much in the way of personal
details because I dont like thinking about my past.
The truth is, I am ashamed of things Ive done,
things Ive said. But they were not illegal. They
were just hurtful.
Well, said Lenny as he stood from the
couch, if you dont want to talk about it, I can let it
go. For now.Rest assured, Boss, you will hear my story,
just not this morning.
Lenny walked into his room and shut the
door as Hank picked his volume off the table and
resumed reading it. But the words he read were
nonsense. He read the same sentence a handful of
times before he realized its meaning wasnt sinking
in. Gently Hank put the volume back on the table,
stood from the couch, went to his room and closed
the door. He lay on his bed and simply cried.But Lenny didnt know that Hank cried; he
had no knowledge that he ever did. Hed never
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seen it before. This was how his universe worked.
He knew things because hed seen evidence of their
existence or occurrence, or read of others seeing it.
He assumed nothing where there was no reason to
do so. Certain things could be accepted as common
sense, but relatively not much.
Lenny casually showered and dressed for the
day. He left his room, not noticing that Hanks
place on the couch was empty, just as he hadnt
noticed the light on the answering machine. Both
signs shouting silently that there was a message to
be heard; both messages going unspoken. But as
much as he didnt know these things, he also had no
idea how important the two messages were.
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8Into the third class of the day, Lenny found
himself distracted. He felt like there was something
he was forgetting, but had no idea what it was. Hetried to continue learning and to be quiet, but his
mind was itching. Casually he glanced around the
class room thinking there could have been
something amiss in his current environment.
The faces of young people dutifully learning
seemed right. The number of person-filled desks
hadnt changed. The teacher hadnt replaced
himself with a substitute. Confused, but resolutely
determined to keep up his GPA, Lenny refocused
his mind on the lesson.Lunch time came. Nothing new showed
itself to his perceptive eye. Josh met him in their
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usual spot under the tree. Nothing out of the
ordinary presented itself until he sat staring off into
space, his gaze gradually shifting around the
grounds. A new student sat alone not thirty feet
from the two boys. Lenny studied her face
carefully, what little he could see of it. She was
indeed new. Red Level High School wasnt too
small, but Lenny was very good with faces.
The girl sat reading a teen-girl magazine,
under the next tree over along the schools property
line. She sat alone with a small fabric bag next to
her on the ground. Casually Lenny watched her
reach into the bag, and then pull a tall cylindrical
object from it and set it upright on the ground next
to her. She did this without putting her readingmaterial down. Slightly intrigued, Lenny continued
to watch her carefully, while trying to appear
nonchalant about it.
The girl did something on the base of the
cylinder, something like sliding an electronic
switch. Then she left it alone and continued to read.
The cylinder was obviously hand-assembled from
various parts and pieces. Or at least it looked that
way. What was it for? Was it a thermos with a
drink in it? If so, what was the switch, if it was aswitch?
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Josh noticed Lennys distraction and took up
glancing over at her as well. After a few minutes of
munching on their lunches, the boys saw the girl put
the magazine down across her lap and lift the
cylinder from the ground. She did something with
the switch again, and then she unscrewed what
looked like a lid from the top. The lid had a sort of
wire-whisk on its bottom, which extended down a
good distance into the main mass of the cylinder.
She set the lid down and then unlocked the lower
section from the rest of the cylinder.
So the top and bottom were attachments, but
for what? The girl took the middle and sipped
carefully from the side. The contents steamed, as
she gently put the cup back down on the ground.And then Lenny realized what it was. The girl had
a home-made contraption designed to mix a fluid
and heat it at the same time, on battery power.
Lenny couldnt help but say softly out loud,
Genius!
I know, right? agreed Josh. She must be
embarrassed by the thought of others seeing her
read that.
Wait, what? asked Lenny confused.
That magazine, the one shes reading, isthis months issue of Popular Science. Shes
hidden it inside the cover of a girly one.
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How can you tell from here? asked Lenny.
That image on the page thats flopped over
her leg. Its the main picture in a story about new
space telescopes that the government is designing.
Wait, what were you saying that shes a genius for,
then?
Because of that invention she just pulled
out and demonstrated. It simultaneously mixes and
heats a drink for the user. And its battery powered.
I really hope she built it herself, and that it wasnt a
gift from her boyfriend.
They watched her gather her things quickly
and then get up from the ground. And then to their
mutual mild surprise, she made her way over to the
two boys. Neither knew what to do or say; theywerent planning for that possibility. And to finish
the experience, she spoke to them, Well, you two
are a perceptive pair arent you?
Josh and Lenny both sat quietly, their
mouths open, their expressions blank. The girl
looked back and forth between them for at least a
minute before she decided to sit on the ground near
them. The boys stares followed her to the ground.
At last, she spoke again, Look, lets just get the
awkward part over with. Im a girl. I read techmagazines, and I build stuff. And even though you
two were able to see these things about me, you
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failed to notice that from that distance I could
plainly hear everything yall said. So now with the
uncomfortable part over, lets get into it. You, she
said while pointing to Josh, happened to have read
the same article with enough interest to recognize a
picture from it sideways and from thirty feet away.
And you, pointing to Lenny, deciphered the
design and function of my cocoa-machine from the
same distance. That means you are somewhat
technically inclined yourself. And with this
information, I can deduce that in your presence I
will be welcome. So yall go out of your way to
make me feel welcome.
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9It was Lenny who spoke up first. Im
Lenny, this is Josh.
Pleased to meet you, said the girl holdingout her hand to shake theirs. After a shake from
both she continued, You can call me Red.
But, began Lenny, your hair isnt red.
Isnt that the usual root for a person to have that
nickname?
"Most common, yeah. But not the only
way," said Red jovially. She seemed to be daring
them to ask her why she went by that name.
But the boys chose to respect her decision
on what she wished to be called. After all, neitherJosh nor Lenny liked their full names. If she
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wanted to be called Thomas Jefferson, that was
okay by them.
So, yall in a club or something? she
asked in a mild southern drawl.
After a fashion, answered Lenny.
And whats that supposed to mean? she
asked with a sly grin on her face.
We work together, said Josh.
At the same job, added Lenny.
I kind of figured that was what he meant by
working together, Red said to Lenny. Where do
yall work?
TOAD, Inc., blurted Josh.
Now thats just silly. Has anyone ever
mentioned that there are a load of funny-namedcompanies in this town? I mean, my momma and I
just got phones on a network that we were told was
called Good Luck Chicken. Are you serious? Red
looked incredulous.
We thought it would be funny, muttered
Lenny to himself.
So youre new here? asked Josh.
Yeah, moved in over on County Road 21.
But well be moving again soon, that place is only
temporary.Why is it temporary? asked Lenny, again
speaking plainly.
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Because no one should have to live with
family forever. I mean, my uncle is a nice guy and
all, gave me a job even, but momma and me need a
place to stretch out.
Ah, I get it, said Lenny. Just figuring out
where you want to go before you make the plunge
into land-ownership.
Something like that, said Red. Say, you
two cats know any good apartments round here?
To tell you the truth, said Josh, I dont
remember seeing any apartments in Red Level. I
live on County Road 107, but I think youd have to
go south, to Andalusia, to find any good apartments.
I know theres a sizable complex off Antioch Road.
But I dont really know. I mean, if youre lookingfor a place to stay, we have a room-
Lenny elbowed Josh, effectively letting him
know that hed spoken out of turn. But Red just
waved off the offer, Nah, thanks though. Well be
wanting our own place.
Just then the bell sounded to bring the
students back inside from the lunch break. Red
jumped up and hefted her satchel. So Ill see you
boys tomorrow?
Probably, said Lenny.After Red was out of earshot, for sure this
time, Lenny spoke to Josh, What the crap was
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that? You almost gave everything away! Are you
insane?
Hey, cool it, defended Josh. I was just
going to mention that my parents have been talking
about renting out the guest room in my house.
Oh, said Lenny somewhat embarrassed.
What, you thought Id offer one of the
dorm rooms at the shop to a stranger? Now its you
whos insane.
The two boys separated for their classes.
Neither one shared any classes with Red, so if they
hadnt met her at lunch, they might never have
noticed her at all.
But notwithstanding the fact that theyd met
the new kid at school, Lenny still had a sneakingsuspicion that there was something eluding his
attention. After the final bell sounded and the boys
were free to race back to the shop, they did so with
gusto.
No one really knew who won the races. No
one kept track. But when they entered the hallway,
they knew something was off. Something wasnt
quite right. It was as if a decoration had been
moved. And then they noticed it. Hank? called
Josh.No response. Then their friend came from
his room. He carried his ever-present book in his
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10At 3:32 pm, a truck honked its horn outside
the shop's roll-up door. Josh spoke up as he walked
toward it, "That's probably the driver dropping offmy repeater cradle frame in all its glorious
yellowness."
The large metal door slowly rolled its way
up the tracks, pulled along by the industrial motor in
its upper workings. As the opening grew, Josh
noticed something about the driver in the truck.
The trailer had been backed up to the door, and
would make it easy to offload the frame. But as
Josh remembered, none of Bobby's drivers could
proficiently back a trailer, so his curiosity began togrow with the opening under the door.
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The driver climbed out of the truck and
walked casually toward the opening. But Josh
wasn't there. He was hidden out of sight because he
had seen the driver before she had seen him. Yes,
the new driver was a female, and one they knew
from a recent meeting. Josh ducked into a shelving
area and hid as best he could from view. Lenny
heard the female voice and did the same once he
recognized it.
"Hello? I have a delivery from Bobby-Jayne
Automotive. Something y'all wanted painted."
But no one could be seen. Red shouted
louder, "Hello? Is there anyone in here? Mr.
Roddaburke?"
Hank entered the shop from the dorm area.He casually glanced around for the boys, but not too
intently. As he walked up to the waiting driver, he
spoke, "Yes, ma'am. I can sign for that."
Taking the clipboard from her, he entered a
few bits of information and scribbled a wispy
signature on the page. As he handed it back, Red
spoke, "Thanks, sir. Say, do you know two boys?
They say they work for your company. One is
named Josh and the other I don't remember."
"Oh, yes. They work here. They should bearound here somewhere. Do you know them?"
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"Sort of. We met at school today and they
seemed nice."
"Yeah, they are," said Hank. And then as he
wheeled the hydraulic hoist over to the opening,
"Now, I seem to remember hearing that Bobby-
Jayne wasnt hiring lately. You pull some strings to
get in there?"
Red answered as she loosened the straps that
held the frame stable on the trailer, "You might say
that. He's my uncle. He's letting momma and me
work for him until we can find a place to stay and
more permanent jobs."
"That's mighty nice of him," said Hank.
From where Josh was hiding, he could
clearly see Hank, staring knowingly back at him.Josh decided to suck it up and stop hiding. He
glanced around him for something he could use. He
took a random bit of galvanized pipe from a shelf to
his left and then casually made his entrance. "Oh,
hey, Red. What's up?"
"Hey there, Josh. I was just dropping off
this contraption."
Lenny also came out of hiding, following his
friend's example. Hank spoke to them, "Say boys,
I've been looking over the payroll and it seems as ifwe have a surplus each month. Do you think we
could use a larger staff?"
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Red only gave a slightly confused look at
them as Hank lifted the yellow frame from the
trailer. The hoist made the work easier. Lenny
asked, "What does your mom do? I mean, does she
have any special skills or training?"
"Yeah, she's a wiz with numbers," answered
Red. "She kept the books at her old job back in
Georgia. Before the economy tanked, that is."
"I could sure use some help working our
books," said Hank. He seemed to be trying to ask
permission without letting Red know that he wasn't
the one on charge.
"Whatever you want to do," said Lenny.
"You're the manager."
Hank then turned to Red, whose mouth wasslightly open. "What kind of pay should we offer to
make the decision easier to come and work for us?"
Tell you what, champs. You promise me
and my momma both a sawbuck an hour and Ill tell
my uncle he can let us go, said Red.
A sawbuck? asked Josh, confused.
Lenny clarified, An archaic vernacular for
a ten dollar bill.
Oh, said Josh, thinking that somehow he
shouldve known that term.You have yourself a deal, Miss, said Hank
as he used the hoist to set the frame down just
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was thinking Red could help you boys out here in
the shop."
"WHAT?" the boys shouted simultaneously.
Until that moment the shop had been their
private domain, their small empire where they sat
enthroned as joint emperors over the happenings
and times of TOAD, Inc. Now it seemed that an
invading army of Amazons had been given free
entrance to the boys fortress of creativity. It was
not an incursion for which they were remotely
prepared.
"Trust me," Hank said, silencing their
jumbled protests. "This'll be good for us. A little
change never hurt anyone."
And with that, Hank left the shop, makinghis way to the seldom-used front office area. He
unlocked an office door and surveyed the furniture.
All the room contained was a desk and a filing
cabinet. She'd need a computer and some small
office tools, like a stapler and scissors and a few
other things he could gather from the supply closet.
Hank then walked to the window in the office and
opened the vertical blinds. Better.
After making a call on the desk phone to
Bobby Gouse, he hung the receiver on the base andsmiled satisfactorily.
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He decided to enter at that moment. Hank
walked around the corner to see two people waiting
patiently for him. Both stood as he approached,
"Hello, I'm Henry Roddaburke, but you can call me
Hank. The boys do."
The woman reached out to shake his hand,
"Hello, Mr. Roddaburke. I'm Michelle Milner, and
this is my daughter, Deidra."
The teenage girl rolled her eyes and winced
upon hearing her full first name. It was obvious
that she didnt prefer it.
"Yes, Red and I have met. Please come with
me. We have just a bit of paperwork to go over."
"Who'll be interviewing first?" asked Ms.
Milner.Hank replied as he led them into the office
he'd prepared, "Oh, I'm sorry. I think there's been
some misunderstanding. There won't be any
interviews today."
Ms. Milner looked a little deflated, but only
until Hank clarified his point as he sat down. "We
work a bit differently in the small town of Red
Level, Alabama. I talked to Bobby Gouse, your
brother. He gave you a shining reference. You
already have the jobs if you want them.Confusion and excitement washed over her
face in sequence. And then she took a pen from her
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handbag, preparing to write. But Hank needed to
make sure all the cards were on the table before
they were asked to sign anything. "You, Ms.
Milner are being offered the position of company
accountant. We need a little straightening help in
our books. And then you'll continue to work them
as we need. It'll be a full-time position, with full
health benefits. The pay is-," Hank pretended to
rifle through some blank papers in a folder and then
he continued, "the pay is fifteen-fifty per hour, with
annual raises."
Ms. Milner reached over the desk and
forcibly shook Hank's hand, "Deal," she said
energetically.
Hank then turned to Red and spoke as if shewere an adult, "And the position we're offering to
you is shop assistant. You'll help the team on
projects and with various duties as needed. Its a
part-time position because of your school. But in
the summers we switch to a full-time four tens
schedule, giving you Friday, Saturday and Sunday
off. You'll be offered full benefits also, but if you
choose, you can simply be listed as a dependant on
your mother's plan. The pay is ten dollars per hour
with annual raises."
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Red looked more shocked than excited, but
she also heartily shook Hanks hand, "Where do we
sign?"
"Just some forms to fill out and we'll see
you two in the morning."
Hank handed the paperwork out and some
pens, and then he spoke as an afterthought, "Ms.
Milner, could I see you for a moment in the hall?"
She stood and made her way after Hank into
the hallway. Once the door was closed, "I've heard
a rumor that you two are looking for a more
permanent place to stay."
Embarrassed, Ms. Milner answered, "Well,
yeah, but we're fine for now."
"Nonsense," said Hank casually, "there's ahouse that just went on the market out east of town.
It's smaller than some, not a lot of land with it, but
since there's just the two of you, it might work. I
can see if they're willing to show it if you'd like."
"Oh, I don't know. I don't think we can
really afford a house in this market."
"Well, I think the bank is going to be very
likely to approve your loan with a ten-year contract
with our company in their equation. They seem to
like to see guaranteed income and we like to showit. Of course the contract will only be for their
benefit, you can leave the company any time you
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like, if you choose. Though we would like it if you
stayed with us."
Ms. Milner hugged Hank and then
remembered her paperwork. She let him go and
went back into the office that would be hers, to
finish preparing to turn a page in her life.
Hank smiled and enjoyed the feeling in his
heart. Though he didnt plan to deceive financial
institutions often, he felt in this case the effort was
worth the execution. He had missed interaction
with new adults though the boys acted mature.
There was just something exciting to him in
knowing their small family was about to grow by
two chairs.
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11Lenny snuck into his fathers house earlier
than normal. The sun was still up, but not by much.
As he gingerly tiptoed through the small rooms, heheard the sound of his fathers window air
conditioner unit running, as it had been for a while.
He carefully made his way to his room. The smell
of the dead squirrel had worsened and he guessed
his father hadnt gotten around to having it removed
yet. In the back of his mind he just knew that if he
wasnt careful, his father would make him go down
into the crawlspace and get it himself.
His room threshold achieved, Lenny listened
at his fathers door for a second. The television wason but the volume was down too far for him to hear
what program was airing over the sound of the
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window cooler. It didnt matter anyway. He snuck
into his bedroom and closed the door quietly. He
habitually stepped over the creaky floorboards on
his way to his bed. He put his phone on its charger,
as well as his music player. His wallet and keys and
other various pocket tools went into the clear spot
on the dresser, and then, once in his pajamas, he
climbed into bed.
Not a moment after he closed his eyes, a
knock came on his houses front door. It was a
strong knock, a firm knock. It commanded
authority. Lenny waited for his father to go open it.
But the sounds in his fathers room remained
constant. Lenny got up from his bed and dressed
himself. He quickly went to the front door andopened it to come face to face with a police officer.
The patrol car in the driveway had a light bar, but
was not flashing.
The officer spoke gently, but Lenny knew he
meant business. Excuse me, young man. I
apologize for the interruption, but one of your
neighbors has asked that we do a welfare check on
this house. No ones seen you or your father for a
few days and they started to worry.
Lenny spoke respectfully back to the officer,They dont see me come and go because I leave as
the sun is rising, and I come home after its set.
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And my dad is fine; hes in his room watching
television.
Do you mind if I have a word with him?
he asked.
No, sir. Ill get him. Please come in. Dad
doesnt like the door left open.
Yeah, said the officer as he entered
casually, he aint paying to cool the whole
outdoors. Im the same way.
Lenny walked back to his fathers door as
the officer followed at a respectable distance.
Lenny knocked once. There came no reply. He
knocked again this time speaking, Dad? Theres a
policeman here to see you.
Still no reply came. The officer approachedcloser, audibly sniffing the air. Whats that
smell? he asked cautiously.
Offhandedly Lenny replied, Sometimes the
neighbors dog gets into our crawlspace and stashes
a dead squirrel or rat.
The officer stepped up to the door and
knocked his enforcers knock. Mr. Hatching?
This is Sergeant Dones with the Red Level Police
Department. Can I talk with you for a minute?
Still no reply came, which was odd. Lennyknew his father was a little rude sometimes, but he
respected the law. The officer gently pushed Lenny
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back away from the door and drew his sidearm. He
readied himself for anything and slowly turned the
handle on the door.
Sergeant Dones stood in the doorway,
blocking Lennys view for a few seconds before he
spoke, Son, could you please go out to the front
porch? Stay there until I come to get you, alright?
Lenny felt a little scared, but mostly he
wanted to know what was going on. He was mature
and wanted to be kept in the loop. He owned his
own incorporated company for crying out loud, he
could handle whatever the officer saw.
Son, get outside, said the officer more
forcefully.
This time Lenny obeyed. He walkeddutifully into his room and got his cell phone. Then
he walked straight to the front door and waited
outside.
The officers radio conversation could be
heard through the thin, uninsulated walls, RL12.
Can I get another unit, non-emergency and EMS for
a possible unattended?"
Within a minute, Sergeant Dones came out
the front door. He walked up to Lenny and spoke
candidly, which he appreciated. Whats yourname son?
Lenny, Sir.
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The officer wrote some more. How did
you and he get along when you did see each other?
Sir, I havent spoken to my father in over a
year. I told you, we dont speak. If we do see each
other in the hall, its usually time filled with blank
stares, uncomfortable silence and quick nods.
Thanks, said the officer as he wrote a few
more things on the tablet of yellow paper. And then
to the Duvals, Can he go home with you tonight?
Of course, answered Mrs. Duval. Come
along Lenny.
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12The drive back to the Duvals house was
silent, but unspoken words flew rampant. Lenny
fully understood that because of his unemotionalresponse to the news of his fathers death, he would
be considered as a possible murderer. This was
why the questions had come from the officer. He
was looking to see if Lenny would have a plausible
motive for killing his father. But Lenny knew he
was innocent and that the scene of his fathers death
had not been tampered with. If there was indeed
foul play, they would find it and they would see that
Lenny was in fact innocent. As well, he had
collaborating witnesses that would confirm hisstories about where he was and when he left the
house each day.
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Lenny realized the scent he had been
smelling the past few days wasnt a dead squirrel,
but his fathers body. A sudden sensation in his
throat gave him seconds to say, Stop the car.
He opened the passenger door and vomited
out onto the road as the car slowed and then
stopped. He tried not to imagine the state his father
would have been in, when the officer finally found
him. The hot Alabama days, notwithstanding the
constantly running air conditioner, would have done
much to him.
No, not to his father, to his fathers body.
Lenny knew that it was no longer his father lying in
the heavy black plastic bag being shuttled to the
coroners office. There they would do some type ofinspection and discover the truth of what happened,
whatever that was.
He saw a hand in his view as he leaned still
out the door. It was holding a napkin for him. He
graciously took it and cleaned his mouth. The car
pulled forward a few feet and then stopped.
Distantly Lenny heard a voice, You need to walk
around a bit?
It was Mrs. Duval. He answered as best he
could, Yes, maam.He stepped out of the car and continued
walking slowly. The stars had come out and shone
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down happily on him. The moon was behind a tree,
so it was hard to see what phase it was in. Lenny
thought about his project in the garage of his shop.
He thought about his friend and the new shop
assistant theyd hired. He thought about the
assignments he would be turning in to his teachers
the next morning. He thought about many more
things in the darkening night, everything it seemed
but his fathers death. And he noticed his thoughts
werent on the recent events and wondered why
they were not.
And then another thought occurred to him.
He was alone in the world. His mother had died at
his birth. His father had just been found dead. His
grandparents were also gone. He knew he had afew other relatives in the northwestern US, but not
how to contact them. It was now on him to be the
surviving Hatching. He had to ready the funeral
plans, to decide what to do with his fathers
property, toto pay for the funeral and burial costs.
That was fine, he had a few thousand dollars saved
in his bank.
But how would his father want to be buried?
Or did he want to be cremated? Lenny wondered if
his father had even ever considered how he wantedhis final affairs to be handled. Certainly he hadnt
thought of himself dying at such a young age.
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Or had he? Sadly Lenny considered the
possibility that his father had ended his own life.
But no, he had to push that thought away. There
was another reason; there had to be.
Lenny noticed a hand on his shoulder about
the time he realized he had stopped walking. And
he had been walking forward in a straight line along
the edge of the road, toward his friends house.
Respectfully, the Duvals had allowed him his space,
but they kept themselves near him. Lenny turned
around and saw the face of Mrs. Duval. He knew
her, she was not a stranger. She was safe to talk to.
If she showed up at his school, she would be safe to
ride home with.
Lenny spoke to her, My dad is dead.She spoke respectfully back to Lenny, Yes,
we know.
Lennys vision blurred for a second and then
cleared as a few tears fell from his eyes. He could
only stand and slowly turn his gaze back out across
the field they stood near. He felt as alone in that
moment as was humanly possible.
Lenny pulled himself back to adulthood,
back to mature thinking. He would need all of his
learned skills in the coming days, with the events heknew were coming. Events like a funeral and the
sappy sentimental cards that nearly everyone in
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town would send him. He knew he had to grow up
completely now, and not just act a little older than
he was. He stepped around Mrs. Duval and climbed
into the back seat of their car. Im ready to
continue now.
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13Lenny awoke earlier than his alarm would
have sounded. He rubbed his eyes and felt around
for the clock on the nightstand. He had to switch itoff before it chirped and woke his father.
He clumsily discovered that he couldnt find
his alarm clock. It must have fallen to the floor.
Energetically he hunted the floor for it but then
noticed through groggy eyes that he wasnt in his
bedroom. He glanced around, and then realized
where he was. And then he remembered why he
wasnt at his fathers home. Quietly Lenny dressed
in the same clothes as the day before. He gathered
his things and crept to the door of the guestroom inhis friends house. With the door open, he looked
around for anything, anyone. He saw no one.
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As a ghost he walked silently through his
friends house until he reached the door to the
garage. But before he touched the handle, an adult
voice softly spoke behind him. Would you like
any breakfast before you leave?
Lenny turned to see Mr. Duval sitting in a
chair, drinking from a mug. The morning paper
strewn about the table, Lenny guessed this was
simply part of his morning routine. Softly he spoke
back, No, sir. Thanks, though.
Alright, he said and sipped again from his
mug.
Lenny turned again to the door and was
again addressed by Mr. Duval, It is commonly
understood by adults that you may take the rest ofthis week off from school without any affect on
your grade.
Yes, sir, said Lenny respectfully. But I
need to get some clothes from my room at the
shop.
Ill drive you. Ive got some extra time this
morning, said Mr. Duval. It sounded more like a
statement than an offer.
Thanks, said Lenny, and he walked out
into the garage.The walk-in door was a short trip and then it
was around the front of the house where they
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parked their cars. He decided to wait at the front of
the two, not knowing which they would use, but
also not really caring. After a minute or two Mr.
Duval came out of the house with Josh in tow. Josh
looked tired, but he was never one to complain.
They climbed into the sedan that he had
ridden in the night before and then they were off
toward the boys shop. The trip was considerably
faster than it would have been had they been on
bikes. Lenny noticed this but dismissed it quickly.
They arrived at the shop and Josh directed
his father around to their normal entrance. To their
mild surprise, he stopped the engine and got out
with them. Lenny entered the unnecessarily long
code into the keypad and the door unlocked. Theywent inside and passed the cabinets on their way to
the common room. As normal, Hank sat in his spot
on the green sofa, reading from a thick volume. He
glanced up as the