Chapter 1: Population 4190 (+1)

Crossing the Limits

He should have passed up that last lift, but there weren’t that many trucks that took the state highway east—especially on a holiday. Four hours of bouncing on a poorly maintained highway left him in serious bladder pain. When he arrived at the crossroads, the driver didn’t even pull over to the side of the road. He barely stopped in the middle of the intersection long enough for Gee to jump down from the cab.

“Town’s about five miles south,” the driver said as he ground the gears.

“Thanks for the lift,” Gee yelled back.

As soon as the truck started moving, Gee ran to the ditch to relieve himself. He was about to burst, but having clamped down so tightly for so long, it took a minute to relax enough to let his stream flow. He sighed deeply. Five miles. There was nothing to it but to start walking. He shouldered his backpack and headed south on the narrow two-lane road. This highway was in even worse repair than the previous, but at least he wasn’t being bounced along it.

The sun was blazing near its zenith and the sweatband on his baseball cap was wet and sticky. He hadn’t eaten since midnight and had nothing to drink since five in the morning. He knew he was dehydrated and woozy, but the nearest place he could eat and drink was the town. He just needed to keep walking.

An hour and a half after the truck dropped him off, he could see the first sign of habitation. His eyes played tricks on him and the town looked like it was getting farther away until he nearly ran into a sign suddenly in front of him.

“City Limits, Rosebud Falls,” he read aloud with a cracked voice. “Population 4,190. Looks like this is it.” His spirit quest had shown him the vision and Gee followed it. He reached deep into one of the pockets in his cargo pants to find a black felt tip marker. He used it to X-out the zero on the sign and draw in a large ‘1.’ “Population four thousand one hundred ninety plus one,” he said as he walked past the sign. Another wave of disorientation and dizziness swept over him. He needed food and water soon.

An Instant of Foolish Heroism

The first sign of life he came to was a working-class bar called the Pub & Grub. Its flashing sign advertised ‘Eat Here.’ When he reached the door, he found a sign that read ‘Closed for the Holiday.’ He tried the door anyway, but it was locked tight. Gee pulled off his cap to mop away the sweat with a handkerchief. He turned away from the pub and continued into town.

Fifteen minutes later, he could see the tents along the river park where an Independence Day celebration was being held. It was the first life he’d seen in the town. Apparently, folks here went all out for the holiday and Gee was certain he could find food and drink there. He’d take anything at this point.

He limped onto the bridge with the roar of the waterfall behind him. He’d picked up a stone and slumped down to take off his shoe and shake it. It felt so good to put his sock-clad foot on the cool shaded pavement that he took the other shoe off as well.

Rosebud Falls glistened with the distinctive pink-tinged water that gave the river its name. The falls was the culmination of over half a mile of rapids that plunged seven feet onto more rocks just below the confluence of the Rose River and the West Branch. It was beautiful and horrific at the same time—mesmerizing in his current mental state. He stood with his backpack and shoes by his side as he wished he was drinking straight from the mineral-laden water.

“Devon! No. Stop!” a woman screamed from beyond the other side of the bridge. Gee jumped up and rushed across the roadway and looked down where the celebration was happening. A young woman rushed toward the water, which ran swiftly through scattered rocks on this side of the bridge. Gee traced the trajectory of the woman and saw a toddler near the water’s edge. He was gleefully tossing sticks up the river and then leaning out to capture them as they floated by.

The mother was still twenty feet away when the toddler overreached and tumbled headlong into the rushing water. Gee jumped to the railing of the bridge without thinking and arched into a long dive beyond the turbulence of the falls. He was only feet away from the little one when he emerged.

Welcome to Rosebud Falls

When he managed to get to shore, he let the mother and a crew of emergency techs take the child from his arms and didn’t complain when they loaded him in an ambulance to rush to the hospital. A swipe at the water on his face told him his head was bleeding. The EMT applied pressure to his head with a soft cloth. He coughed up some of the water he’d inhaled, but it relieved his parched throat and mouth a little.

At the hospital, a young doctor put six stitches in Gee’s forehead and ordered more fluids when he complained of thirst. An attractive, dark-skinned nurse named Ellie was fussing at the IV when a man wearing an open-collared shirt with a mustard stain on the front entered the room. His khaki shorts went poorly with the sandals and black socks on his feet. A straw hat crowned the ensemble. Gee wondered if this was the child’s father. That thought was dispelled when the man fished around in his pocket and produced a badge.

“Hello, hero,” the guy’s rough voice said. “I’m Detective Mead Oliver. Just spent some time with the Panzas to make sure everything was okay with little Devon. You made quite a splash with that family.” The detective chuckled at his own joke and Gee saw the nurse roll her eyes. “How’s everything in here, Ellie? Is our hero in good shape?” he asked the nurse.

“Detective, you know I can’t comment on a patient’s condition. You have to ask Dr. Poltanys about that. From my perspective, the patient didn’t run from the room screaming when you walked in, so I suspect his condition is serious.”

Gee watched the friendly interplay between the two and waited for his turn to speak. Finally, Detective Oliver turned back to Gee.

“It’s nice to meet you, Detective.”

“It’s not every day we have a genuine hero walk into town and save the life of one of our kids. What’s your name?”

“George Evars, sir. I usually go by Gee. ‘Cause my middle name is Edward. G-E-E.”

“Sounds like something you got tagged with in grade school and never lost,” Mead continued in good humor. “Where do you hail from?”

“I’m from...” Gee stopped as his brow furrowed. It was right on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t remember. “I’m from, uh ... that way, I guess. I can’t think of it right now.” Ellie looked at him with concern written on her face.

“Is there someone we should call to let them know you are here?” Mead asked.

“I ... um ... don’t know anyone.”

“We need to have the doctor come back in,” Ellie said. She stepped to the doorway and spoke toward the hall. “Mary, please have Dr. Poltanys paged to room 1108. I think we have an issue.”

“Memory problem?” Mead said. “You got a big cut on your head. How did you know it was safe to dive off the bridge?”

“Was it safe?”

“Well, no. It’s posted at both ends of the bridge, but under the circumstances, I’m not going to charge you. You dove a long way out. Marian said it looked like you were flying—came out of the water almost in reach of little Devon. Seemed like everything was fine until you slipped as you handed off the boy and fell on a rock at the shore. Were you in the Coast Guard?”

“I ... That doesn’t sound familiar to me. Maybe. I don’t know.” When Gee thought back on his life, he drew a blank. Dr. Poltanys came into the room and took the chart from Ellie.

“What seems to be the problem?”

“The patient seems unable to remember certain things,” Ellie said. “I thought you should know.”

“Right. Could you repeat your full name for me?”

“George Edward Evars.”

“And how old are you, George?”

“Thirty-four. Thirty-five on September 24.”

“And what is today’s date?”

“July fourth. It’s Independence Day, isn’t it? I mean, I wasn’t unconscious or didn’t sleep through it, did I?”

“No. You’re answering just fine. What are you unable to remember?”

“I ... uh ... don’t remember...”

“He couldn’t remember where he’s from. Didn’t know if he’d been in the Coast Guard,” the detective volunteered.

“Ah. I see. Under interrogation, the witness failed to respond with details the officer wanted to hear,” Poltanys answered.

“I wasn’t interrogating. This was a friendly visit,” Mead answered. The left corner of his mouth pulled back as he scowled. He folded his arms. Poltanys smiled.

“Let’s try it this way,” the doctor said, examining Gee’s eyes with a small light. “We’ll do a little test and see if we can spot anything. Do you want me to send Detective Oliver out of the room?”

“No. He’s fine. You three are the only people I know here. I think.”

“I’m going to give you four words and ask you to repeat them back to me. I want you to remember the four words and I’ll ask you to repeat them again when we’re finished. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Apple. Television. Lamb. Camera.”

“Apple. Television. Lamb. Camera.”

“Good. Remember those words.” The doctor looked back at his chart before continuing, giving Gee a chance to repeat the words to himself. “What is the sum of seven and twelve?”

“Nineteen.”

“Touch your left elbow with your right hand.” Gee did so without disturbing the IV. The doctor handed him a clipboard and pen. “Draw a clock face with the time set at a quarter past seven.” Gee drew a rectangle with the numbers 7:15 in it.

“A.M or P.M?”

Poltanys laughed. “That will do. What year was the Declaration of Independence signed?”

“1776.”

“What were the words I asked you to remember?”

“Apple. Television. Lamb. Camera.”

“Where were you born?”

“In ... I ... It was...” Gee struggled. He should remember this as easily as he remembered his own name. Poltanys nodded and jotted something down.

“What was your mother’s name?” Gee just shook his head. “It seems that you have some long-term memory loss,” the doctor said. “I want an MRI, but the technician isn’t available today. Let’s make sure you get it in the morning, shall we? I doubt that it is too serious. Your head injury is not significant enough to warrant memory loss and there is no sign of concussion. When you came in, you were suffering from dehydration. When was the last time you drank water?”

“A ... um ... long time ago. I was really thirsty when I got here and was hoping to get something to drink at the celebration.”

“I think you just suffered traumatic shock, probably from a combination of dehydration and hitting the river. Your body hasn’t had a chance to regain its equilibrium. The drip in your arm should have your fluid levels back up soon, but keep sucking on the ice cubes Ellie is bringing for you. We’ll keep you overnight and get that MRI first thing in the morning.”

Dr. Poltanys turned to the door but stopped before he left. “I don’t suppose you have insurance, do you?” Gee opened his mouth and then shrugged. “I thought not. Don’t worry about it. I’ll bill the City’s hero fund. Go easy on him, Mead.”

“Rosebud Falls has a hero fund?” Gee asked as the doctor left.

“No. Private joke,” Detective Oliver responded. “Poltanys Memorial Hospital has never in its history turned away a patient. They aren’t likely to now.”

“Poltanys? Like the doctor? He owns the hospital?”

“The hospital has been here a lot longer than he has, but for some reason there has always been at least one Poltanys on staff, either as a doctor, nurse, or administrator. They’re one of the seven Families,” Mead said obtusely. “Now, let’s see if I can help you. Do you have any next of kin that we should notify? Wife? Girlfriend? Parents?”

Gee just shook his head. “I really don’t remember.”

“How about ID? Do you have a driver’s license?”

Gee reached to his hip for his wallet and found it bare. “I don’t have pants on.”

“You wouldn’t want them on, believe me,” Ellie said. “We got you out of your wet clothes as soon as the doctor verified that there was no sign of neck or spinal injury. Sorry about the shirt. We cut that off so we could do the x-rays. Let me get your trousers. They’re hanging in the bathroom.” She opened a door across the room and reached for the cargo pants. “You reached for your left hip, Gee. I don’t feel anything in that pocket. Here, you’d better check.” Ellie brought Gee his trousers and he searched the pockets. He went so far as to check the leg pockets as well. The nurse was right, he didn’t want to put them back on in their soggy condition.

“I’m sure I had a wallet. I always carry it in my left hip pocket. I think I had a wallet. Everyone carries a wallet, don’t they?”

“I suppose we’ll find it washed up on the shore someplace. What was in it?” Mead asked.

“A-uh ... little money. Not much. ID. A driver’s license. I think. That doesn’t sound quite right.”

“Credit cards?” Gee shrugged and shook his head. “Membership cards? AAA? Health Insurance?” Gee put a hand on his forehead, clearly in distress.

“I just ... don’t remember.”

“Okay. They brought a backpack and shoes in from the bridge. First off, if you were thirsty and headed to the festivities for a drink, why did you have your shoes off?”

“I got something in my shoe. It was driving me crazy. I kind of collapsed there to get it out. Felt so good to have my shoe off that I took the other one off and decided to walk barefoot.”

“Walk a long way earlier?”

“I guess. I know my feet were tired.”

“Let’s look through your belongings and see if there are any clues to your identity and who to contact in an emergency.”

“You can’t do that, Mead,” Ellie insisted immediately. “You know you can’t do that without a warrant and I won’t let you.” The corner of Mead’s mouth pulled back toward his ear as he gritted his teeth.

“Ellie, this isn’t New York. And I’m not one of the police bullies you were used to seeing there. I’m just trying to help,” Mead said. He turned to Gee. “You aren’t suspected of anything and I’m trying to get you help. Will you give me permission to search your pockets and bag for information regarding your identity?”

“He means well, Mr. Evars,” Ellie jumped in, “but if he finds anything illegal in your bag he can still use it to arrest you because you gave him permission to look. You should have a lawyer present or he should have a search warrant.”

“Ellie, where am I going to get a search warrant on the Fourth of July? And under what pretenses? We’re on the same side here, trying to help this guy.”

“Wait.” Gee’s voice stopped the sparring between the two. “I don’t know who I am. Not really. I know my name. But more importantly, I know what kind of man I am. Maybe it’s not the kind of man I’ve always been, and maybe I broke a law before I got here. Or maybe a lot of laws. I don’t know. But the man I am says if I did then I should go to jail. I just don’t feel up to pawing through stuff myself.”

“Then let me look through your things,” Ellie said. “Mead can sit there with a piece of paper and inventory what we find. We can all sign the sheet.”

“You make such a big deal out of this,” Mead sighed. “Does that suit you?”

“That’s fine,” Gee answered the detective. “I don’t know what good it will do, but maybe I stuck my wallet in the pack. And if someone is waiting to hear from me, maybe there’s contact information. I just hope I have clean underwear.”

The Ingredients of Life

“Front right pocket: Cash. Two fives, seven ones, a quarter, a dime, and two pennies. $17.37. One Swiss Army knife. Not a big one, but a lot of gadgets on it.”

“We don’t need to itemize every blade and gadget,” Mead interrupted. He could already tell this was going to delay dinner.

“Right,” Ellie answered. She didn’t have any other patients on this hall and didn’t mind taking her time at all. “Left front pocket: Handkerchief. And a stone. What is this, Gee?” She held out an oblong white stone, a little more than an inch long and an eighth of an inch thick. Scratched deeply into the surface was a single vertical line crossed by five horizontal lines. It looked like they had once been filled with black paint, but most of it was chipped or worn away. He reached for the stone and closed his fist around it. He felt a sense of calm wash over him—as if he’d been reborn.

“I don’t know,” he said. “But it’s important to me. I ... I like to hold it.”

“Woowoo shit,” Mead grunted. “Maybe just a worry stone.”

“Yeah. That’s probably it.” Still, he breathed more easily holding the stone.

“Hmm. That’s all,” Ellie said. “Wait. In this cargo pocket there’s a Magic Marker. Nothing else.”

“What else were you wearing?” Mead asked.

“Jockeys. Socks. T-shirt. Belt. Of course, I’d just taken off my shoes. Hey! So that’s something I remember from before I hit the water. That’s good, right?” Gee reached to his head. “Um ... I was wearing a cap, too.”

“Probably halfway to Palmyra in the Rose River by now.”

“The rest of your clothes are drying in the bathroom,” Ellie said, “but I’d get them washed before I put them on again if I were you. Sorry about the t-shirt.”

“Okay. Let’s move to the backpack,” Oliver directed. Gee shuffled the cash, knife, and marker into a pile beside him, but kept the stone in his hand. Ellie put the damp handkerchief in the bathroom along with the trousers before she brought the backpack to the bed.

“You sure you want me to do this?” Gee nodded and slid over a bit so Ellie could lay his possessions on the edge of the bed. “Okay. Sleeping bag.” Mead had her unroll it to confirm there was nothing rolled up in it. She sighed but complied, finding nothing. “Pack main compartment” she said. She began laying clothing on the bed in piles. They were all clean and neatly folded.

“No dirty clothes?” Gee asked.

“Looks like you just did your laundry,” Ellie responded.

“Pockets on the bag?” Mead asked.

“That’s next.” Ellie itemized basic toiletries. “Right pocket: Shaving mug, brush, and a straight razor.”

“A straight razor? Who shaves with a straight-edge razor these days?” Mead asked.

“I could use a shave,” Gee said, stroking his stubble.

“How do you sharpen it?”

“I use my belt as a strop.”

“Is that it?”

“No. There’s a front pocket, too,” Ellie said. “A book. The Odyssey by Homer, a Signet Classic.”

“That could hold a clue,” Mead said.

“How? That I read old Greek myths?”

“That might say something, too. What I meant was, look inside. Any inscriptions? Notes? Bookmarks?”

“Oh, sure.” Ellie opened the book. “Bingo! ‘To Gee, Here’s to your journey. Love, Rae.’ How sweet.”

“Who’s Rae?” Mead asked.

“She’s um ... I think ... like I know her. She’s my ... I should know who she is. I’m ... I hope she’s okay.”

“Any reason she wouldn’t be?”

“I just don’t know.”

“There’s a bookmark, too. I’ll try not to lose your place.”

“Bookstore marker?” Mead asked.

“No. It’s a ... Hmm. It’s a free admission pass to the Elmont County Fair in Rosebud Falls, August 15-18. Present at the Whirl-a-Gig for a free ride.”

“So, you were here at the fair last year,” Mead said. “That’s something. Someone will know and recognize you in town then. We’ll just have to put a bulletin in the Mirror.”

“That would be good, except this isn’t for last year’s fair. It’s for this year’s,” Ellie interjected.

“This year’s fair isn’t for...”

“ ... six weeks. Mid-August.”

“Have they even started selling tickets?” Mead asked.

“There’s nothing else on the ticket,” Ellie said. “A picture of the ride. I wonder if they’ll even accept it. It doesn’t really look official.” Gee took the ticket and looked at it, shaking his head. He handed it to Mead. The detective looked it over and gave it back to Ellie, who carefully replaced it in the book. She looked through the backpack and then handed it over to Mead to examine. He felt around it but found nothing else.

“Well, that didn’t help much,” Mead said. “I don’t see that we even need the list.” He handed it to Gee and gave the clipboard back to Ellie.

Mead had been excited to meet the hero when he got to the hospital. He was intrigued and puzzled as they tried to figure out Gee’s identity and discover his memories. Then he got tired and a little grouchy. He’d left his family at the celebration by the river and they were staking out a spot to watch the fireworks at night. He wanted to be there with his kids while they were still willing to associate with their parents.

He pushed his hat back on his head and scratched. “One more thing. Where do you live, Gee?”

Vagrancy

There was a long silence. Mead started to turn away in frustration when Gee finally spoke.

“Here, I guess. I mean, not here in this room, but here in Rosebud Falls. I just don’t have an address yet,” he whispered. Mead and Ellie looked at each other.

“I should have thought of that,” Mead sighed.

“I didn’t mean to create a hardship when I came to town.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mead, why don’t you get back to your family,” Ellie said. “Things are quiet here and Dr. Poltanys wants to run an MRI on Gee tomorrow. I’ll get someone to bring him a hamburger.”

“Well, technically, he’s vagrant,” Mead said. “Can’t do anything about it while you are in the hospital, but when you are released tomorrow, come by the police station. You don’t have enough cash to pay for a room and you have no lodging. Our policy is to put you up for a night at the jail—unlocked cell—and then buy you a bus ticket in the morning. Seems like a harsh way to treat a hero, but I don’t know what else I can do.”