Chapter 40

Conversation with self.

Why do I want to get away?

I don’t know.

If you leave, you will be gone less than a second ... no matter how long you are away.

I know that.

So ... why go?

But it was too late: Austin in the 1920’s.

David! What have you done?. I dunno, Figment. What did I do? (Figment is my imaginary Muse ... usually she’s responsible for my stories. In a normal situation ... it’s her putting me in a tight and leaving me to sort it out.) I do NOT put you in situations. ... HUFF... YOU put me in situations! I’m going to buy some land ... east of town. I need a lawyer and a real estate broker ... and a newspaper. What are you going to pay with? Gold. Gold? Where are you going to get gold?. I hold the watch ... that’s how I got us here. Now ... butt out.

West of Austin was in development ... great plans were ready ... a series of dams and manmade lakes ... and recreation and irrigation were beginning to make western Austin expensive. I bought east. Half an ounce of gold per acre ... or 11 dollars per.

Western soils were thin and weak, I bought fertile eastern lands ... we would supply the crops the western inhabitants ate. Nobody knew this yet ... in 1929 ... as the depression settled over the land ... people still had to eat. Food costs money.

Right now ... the golden age of finance ... I bought agricultural land for eleven dollars and could have sold it a year later for 33 ... if I was selling ... and I wasn’t ... selling. Ten thousand acres later I got visited.

Seven showed up.

Great ... just what I wanted ... a mom.

“Stop!” was all she said.

“I don’t wanna,” I said.

“The watch won’t finance another penny,” she said.

ERK

“Yup,” she said, “not another cent.”

“But ... but ... but,” I pouted.

“Nope ... that’s as far as we’re willing to go.” Seven said, “Get yourself enrolled.”

She pushed the stem.

Enrollment proceeded apace.

‘Hoops, girl ... it’s just hoops. Bureaucrats ... and Murphy.’ Murphy was the third suit.

“We’ll see you both at Testing Monday Eight shape.”

“What?” said Alice Olsen. Her voice cracked.

“Monday.”

“Not me ... I came along for the airplane ride ... and to scope out the guys.”

“You’re not here for the Education?”

“Nope ... mom let me come ... to ‘get me out of the house.’ I have been a trial to her.” Alice said.

“You’re not a graduate?”

“Sophomore, 10th grade.”

“You are not,” I said...”You passed ... you’re a Junior.” Then I said, “I’ll pay ... let’s see how smart you really are.”

“Let me call mom,” Alice said. “Mom. How long can I stay”

“Alice ... your daughter.”