Chapter 31

The trip home was not as exciting as the one going south. We had slept on the flight with the help of hypnosis. The band members were not involved in this.

Angela's parents and Paige's came over and the group let them in on the details. The highlight was to meet some of the professional singers. Everyone here had a chance to shake hands with Elvis among others.

I received some good and bad news too. The city fathers were having a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the sale of the land. A clause was attached where they lobbied the provincial government for funds for the overpass.

The bad news was that we were going through a major audit. Bookkeeping had evolved over the years and actually got better as time went on. This better method was what we now used. The visit also meant that we were disrupted in the way we ran out businesses. If the taxman was checking the books then they had them not us.

I think they were particularly incensed in how they could not get their hands on the funds from the American corporation. I took no personal funds for myself and would let the money accumulate until one day when the laws were changed. I expected the American taxman to take an interest in me too.

Edgar had made some of the neodymium alloyed YAG. The crystal of yttrium-aluminum-garnet was small at first but he had made a few larger samples to get the feel for the equipment. The crystals were so hard that grinding flat surfaces on them was difficult. He resorted to using a machine shop to surface grind the two surfaces so they would be at least close to parallel. One of the engineers had once made lenses for a homemade telescope, so he got the job of the final polish.

Miss Floit was very happy for us. She was like one of the girls when the celebrities were mentioned. She listened attentively to Sam Johnson's advice and made her own suggestions.

The group didn't take it too hard that they had to practice more and Miss Floit gave her estimations on how long a professional had to practice each and every day. This meant that we needed a better place to practice and one that would be open for longer periods of time. The school was not good for this normally but I had an idea.

In my future I had supported scouting and some of the troops would meet at schools. The scout troops paid a nominal fee of ten dollars a year. In return, the school granted the scouts restricted access to the property. I offered Miss Floit a contract to now spend much more of her time with the band and she could use the school. We weren't quite a charitable organisation but we should still get to qualify if the school board was willing. In the mean time, an ad would have to be posted locally then in Toronto for professional musicians willing to teach.

Mark Fenton came to the music class too. He had done so only sporadically so I knew he was either not ready to let his friends see him involved with music or he had other concerns.

"Did you really see Elvis?"

"I talked to him and I mentioned your name. He said that he had similar problems but he was not that big in sports. His friends were more supportive of his efforts though."

"You mentioned me! Wow. I should have worked harder with you guys."

"You still can. Come to the practices and I will give you some other music. You have a year to get in shape. Mr Johnson said the gate revenues are two to two and a half thousand each night. That works out to at least two hundred dollars each. What do you think of making fourteen hundred dollars a week?"

"I could get a new car and even a house of my own."

"You are on the road all the time and you will get lonely. Save your money and you can buy a palace or invest it in a business. If your music doesn't carry you far you still have something to fall back on."

The group was now celebrities in school and it was better than just being associated with me.

My classes were better too and I went back to being a dopey kid. Much of the trip I downplayed but said that the rest had much more fun. Tuesday was much the same but the notoriety was beginning to wear off.

Warren Sondly, was at the next city council meeting. I was there with a clipboard as James' flunky. When the meeting got to order Sondly presented his companions and gave out government data on development. He went over his case one more time then called up the men with him. One was a professional economist. He told the city fathers that they had to accept the sting of selling the property and upgrading the services to encourage growth. The economist highlighted long-term gains the city would reap. An engineer got up and explained what the lots were lacking and how to remedy the situation. We needed much more electricity, sewers and water had to be upgraded and a myriad of other small details. The economist got back up and gave the costs of the upgrades then the way to pay for it. We were shooting for a tax break until we were on our feet.

Sondly then showed the steel under the velvet glove when he discussed the cost of building outside Toronto. This was seen as a much more favourable place to build and then he hit them with our untrained and small work force. He continued to push with all the bad economic points of manufacturing here.

The council had a vote right away and it was ten for and two against the sale. The only opposition was the price we were going to pay for all the land. The price was much lower than I had anticipated and the city was going to come up with the money to put in the services with us sharing a portion so they would all be underground.

We went to the best restaurant in town to celebrate our victory. I had saved nearly twenty thousand dollars in all over what I had originally estimated even when including what I had to pay Mr Sondly. I kept a low profile and the adults around the table never spoke directly to me.

I knew that tomorrow night there would not be any unemployed construction workers and quite a few labourers' jobs would be filled.

School changed little in the next week except now the parents of the students saw things as being more upbeat. The aggregate building was gutted. James suggestion was used and a section of floor was removed. The rock beneath was prepared then a form placed around it. Concrete and steel went in so we had a good place to anchor our equipment.

Another section of floor was ripped up and treated similarly but here we would have the area for producing the material for the laser rods. Power that had gone to the building for the crusher now came here. The crusher though was now back where it used to be.

Edgar was here most of the time; for this was his baby. We had gone over a lot of plans. We not only had to make the lasers here but use them. This required safety and a lot of power. He was not sure about burning through a wall and through a person but he did take my advice. Our lasers would not be that strong but could eventually go through a wall then the next time into a person on the other side.

My birthday was coming up soon and the family was planning a party. They didn't hide the party planning from me. I was going to get a large orange cake; and that was all I wanted. All the rest I already had.

The day before the my birthday, Goldbalm's trial started. The jury, picked months ago, would finally be seated. Reporters came in droves and my suggestion to search some of those entering was followed. The local police had let dear old Tony die on them and had come under some fire for not being sharp enough. The time consuming pat-down searches gave me the idea for the wand type metal detector.

I had my own summons but I didn't have to attend every day. Jamie though was getting more upset as his time on the stand approached. Trials usually were over quickly with less of the bullshit that cost so much later in the century. With the legal might behind Goldbalm, I was sure he was going to be an exception.

My birthday party was well attended. The girls all vacated to friends houses while the guests were allowed the beds and floor space. Engineers, construction workers and those in management attended. There was even some room for some of the younger crowd.

John and Corinne had come but so had Mr Berger and a few more of the engineers from to Toronto. Edgar was showing the men a short rod only eight inches long and a bit over a quarter inch in diameter. The ends were cut at the Brewster angle. This was protected in a wood box with some cut out foam.

Mr. Berger asked in a hushed voice, "It works?"

Edgar in a similar voice said, "It was made exactly to the specifications I was given. The flash tube and power supply is set up. All we need to do is mount this rod and position the mirrors. We worked all night on this and I thought it would be a good birthday present for Jeff."

"I do to. When are we going to try it?

"After the party. We go to the lab and we take pictures then assemble the device. We get to test it for the first time."

"Is that wise?"

"Why?"

"If it doesn't work then it isn't much of a birthday present."

"I trust Jeff. If he says it works then it works. He is already talking of making solid-state lasers, then using them to power this crystal. He wants to put a hundred kilowatts into the system."

"I wonder what it will do?"

"He just smiles and say that it will make a lot of money."

It was much later in the party when I found out about the readiness of the laser project. I asked Edgar, "Did my guests know about this before the party?"

"We were doing a lot of research on this project and needed some help."

"Edgar!"

"Yes they did."

I blew out the candles and had some cake. Charley got a big piece because he liked the cake and I said, "You are a growing boy and need the calories." The fact that he was older than what my father would be didn't matter.

I got a great many presents. Most were clothes and some were gag gifts. Paige had made me two pairs of pants and three shirts. I inspected the stitches in front of her and said, "Thank you. The stitching is perfect. Then again so are you." I got a nice kiss too.

We got in the cars that made a lot of trips to the lab. The family didn't know of this place but had known that I had a building somewhere. Ian was one of those that smiled a lot because he had been the one to check the building with me. The interior of the building was only partially renovated. The lab, our crystal growing section, the kitchen and a few bedrooms were all that had been completed. Workmen were still on the job trying to complete the rest as soon as possible.

Edgar and two of the engineers gave their impromptu explanations and the laser rod was put in pace and secured. Pictures were taken both before and after. The mirrors were very close to the rod and I pointed out to Mr Berger that they were the ones I made in his lab not too long ago.

A shroud went over the flash tube and another one over this to keep most of the light and stray laser action inside. If the crystal worked it would emit light at 1064 nanometres. This was in the long wave infrared, and could be transmitted with fused quartz with little loss.

A target was mounted in front of the partially silvered mirror. It was a simple sheet of paper. We left the room and the doors closed. The room was as light tight as we could make it. The building lights dimmed for a second then resumed their usual brightness.

Edgar said, "It's safe." He opened the door and the rest of us trooped in. The room was large enough for all of us even if most could not see."

From the front I heard, "Well, I'll be damned. The thing worked."

Questions were thrown to the Edgar and he said officially, "The paper target now has a hole in it." I was given the paper and saw a small hole cut neatly near the middle. I took out a pen and moved to the shroud. I circled the hole and wrote the time and date along with the experiment number then signed my name.

I said, "Ladies and gentlemen. We have a device that exhibits laser action by burning a hole through a single sheet of paper. Please sign your names on this and I will keep this as a memento. For hundreds of years this day will be remembered. After that it will be looked on as we now do Galileo Galilei's experiments."

Everyone signed the paper and I called the construction workers to add their names. There was room so that everybody could share in this accomplishment.

More experiments took place and we found that the laser could have cut thirty seven sheets of paper with the first blast, not just one. A multiple burst cut much more. Metal was also used as a target but only the very thinnest could be cut.

I said to Edgar, "Our doping mixture was wrong. Increase the neodymium by half. You better cut the amount by half and make one more. We can get an idea of where to go."

"Can I make the ruby?"

"If you make another device."

To the group I said, "The device works but it needs a lot of tweaking. We need new rods but we have to work with the lenses next time. They will focus the power to a spot that will cut better. North American Development and CanAm Industries of the United States has directed me to give you a certificate of this event but as usual head office doesn't always have things in the proper order. They will be given to you at a later date." I was trying to distance myself from the two corporations. I was James' flunky but now I was an inventor working for the corporation.

The younger crowd went back home and I thanked Edgar for his gift. I thought it would take weeks longer this time. We stayed late and food was sent in. The engineers knew that this was historic and didn't want to leave. I put them to work even in their suits to see what we could do to improve things.

James Slatter, and Charlie Turner were the two mechanical engineers that had made the device for making crystals. They had not really broken new ground because rubies had been made this way for a long time. They had just improved the system somewhat. They were now going over the system to improve it even more.

John didn't go home that night as originally planned. Corinne stayed with her mommies and was just as happy being here. The engineers used the beds for a few hours sleep but got back to the laser trying to find out its secrets. I gave a course in physics to teach them about the electrons falling back into a state of rest and giving up energy proportional to the drop. This explained some of the light we were getting. The crystal was not pure and other materials were adding their effect.

I wanted to use erbium in place of neodymium in some applications. This unit was used in medical lasers and was of higher frequency but still into the infrared. I was lucky to remember the figure for the neodymium. My doctor was going to use the erbium device on my prostrate and went into a long song and dance about using fluoride glass as the only thing to conduct the light.

The news of the day was when I talked of a possible new laser using the gadolinium-gallium-garnet that was doped with neodymium or what was called Nd:GGG. It happened to be slightly more efficient than the neodymium doped YAG and was at a different frequency. This is what the 150-kilowatt weapon developed in 2007. It had taken years to develop. With a good computer it had shot down a missile in flight from a Humvee especially made for the job. The laser mounted in the newest fighter also could use it. This vehicle had 27,000 horsepower engines and was well able to handle the power requirements.

We lost a lot of sleep but we now had a better understanding of this particular device. We had to manufacture good goggles too. I had seen them and worn them but never knew what they were made of. I assumed they were made for different lasers.

I was not so lucky on Monday. I used a spare and the regular class but didn't find any new compounds. Word had got back of my affiliation with NADI and how my 'fancy flashlight' had worked. Some kidded me about having a ray gun and I had to ham it up to make less of it. I said it was simply for cutting some thin metal.

After school Charley got me and we went to the lab. I found a lot of the engineers still around, and all in an unkempt, excited, and sleep deprived state. Edgar was in no better shape. I had certainly picked well for a dedicated individual. Edgar now took me to the laser room and I found another laser nearby.

I asked of nobody in general, "Ruby?"

"Yes," came Edgar's short reply.

"Work?"

"Of course."

"Good."

We didn't even turn it on and apparently Edgar had and looked at it. "What's it good for. It can't cut or am I doing something wrong."

"It is not used for that. We get glasses made and use the visible light laser for demonstrations. We can increase the power of both lasers by putting a camera shutter in front of the laser while it is running. The pressure builds up in a way and you get a surge when the shutter opens."

"Now that sounds interesting. I made the half strength alloy crystal you call the YAG. It is not finished being ground. I was going to make a three quarter too."

"That is fine with me. Have you got somebody that is doing nothing at the moment that should have a job? Maybe he can assemble the carbon dioxide laser for us.

Edgar said to Charley, "You got stuff to learn about plastics?"

"There is a hell of a lot to know."

"Wanta' play hooky for a week or two? Just work and then line things up but it has to be perfect. You get the same pay and more hours but maybe a place in the history books."

"Well, if I gotta, I gotta. Where do I start?"

I left the two and went around and checked the people working hard to get the building finished in time. One of the contractors was here helping and I went over to him. He owned one of the six general contracting companies around. "Hello Mr Webber.

"Hello Mr Congdon. I hear you made quite a stir here yesterday."

"I very much hope so but not for myself. People act funny around me and I don't like that."

"I know what you mean. What can I do for you?"

"Can you use some young people after school to do odd jobs or to learn a trade?"

"You want to learn how to slop on plaster?"

"Not for me. I have too much on my plate right now. I know some young people that need a job. You might get your job done here quicker and on to the next."

"It is either feast of famine. We had too much famine but I can probably find jobs for a few people."

"Doing what for a start?"

"Cleaning up, mixing plaster, painting, nailing lathe, even running all that extra wire you want."

"What are you offering?"

"You are paying us a fair wage so I can afford fifty cents an hour if they work. If they don't I will talk to you about it before I boot their asses off the site."

"Boot their asses first then tell me exactly why. The corporation needs some good workers that are smart and dependable. Just give me an update once in a while and I will see about getting more if you can use them."

Edgar was still talking to Charley and I waited until he was done. "Edgar I need something like a periscope. The laser beam is horizontal. It needs to go straight down and through a fused quartz lens. We put a frame underneath the lens. Do you know what a pantograph is?"

"No."

"It is an old invention made up of a light framework of four bars. When a pen is attached to one point it will copy what is done exactly with another pen. It can enlarge or make smaller but it is always together."

"I saw something like that made out of thin pieces of wood."

"That's it. I have some metal sheets of a substance called mu-metal. I want to cut them with the laser. I want to be accurate so I just make a very large piece of what I want then trace it. I only need a few hundred pieces but less than a dozen at a time until I get the head done right."

"What's it for?"

"I want to make a new head for a tape recorder. Nothing drastically new only now I can say it was cut with laser accuracy. Kinda catchy isn't it?"

"A head is pretty small."

"Yes it is and I cut one part then move the template and cut another and another. Six by six is good enough for me but a bigger one may be useful for other things."

"Who am I going to get?"

"You got engineers coming out of the woodwork. Grab one and put him to work. Just tell him he is breaking new ground."

"It worked for Charley, I guess it will work for this too. Anything else?"

"Sure. I am going to build a big water pump. Water will be ejected at 60,000 pounds to the square inch or more. The water will wear anything in time, including a diamond. I need a very strong cap with a lot of thread on it with a small hole at one end. The metal is thick and inside you epoxy a big ruby. You take this toy here and line up the beam and cut a tiny hole through the ruby and along the axis of the tube."

"Doesn't sound too hard. I can practice cutting rubies tomorrow to know what to expect. You going to make the drawing?"

"I got it here."

He looked at the simple device and said. "Thick and heavy but still simple."

"Remember about that shutter I mentioned?"

"Yes."

"You may need it." This was the Q-switch I was talking about and until I got a dye cell or something else set up, we will have to go with metal shutters.

Charley drove me home then went back to start his own tasks. From the speed he was going, I was sure he was anxious. Jamie and the girls were still at school working on their music. Jane and I had the first free time in a while. She said, "Do you want to check the mattress upstairs."

With a bit smile I said, "We can knock out any lumps."

She ran ahead of me to the room and quickly shed her clothes then watched me. I went slow on purpose and folded my clothes before placing them on the chair.

Jane was very anxious and I could readily smell her scent. When I stood on the floor she just kneeled and engulfed me. Her hands held my cheeks and she worked quickly.

I put two hands in her hair and squeezed. When I had a good grip I just got her to slow down. "Hmmmm horny all day?"

Jane nodded her head.

"Poor little slut. Poppa will give you what you need."

She nodded again even against the pull of my hands. One day I was going to tie her up and see just how submissive she was.

Close to an hour later there was only a tired and depleted young man in the house along with a thoroughly happy woman lying beside him.

"Jane, I have been thinking of getting a new home."

"That's nice, but what about Paige? She has always lived right next to you."

"I have been working on that too, and I found a partial solution."

"What is it?"

"The lot has two houses on it. I get Nora and Jack to move into one and Paige is only a few hundred yards further away."

"Hmmmm, that is a big lot."

"Yes it is. It was a farm a long time ago but the houses that were put up since are fairly modern."

"Did you buy them already?"

"Yes I did but I don't want to move in unless Paige's family want to go too."

"Just ask them. They have to see the house first then think of the cost of moving. They rent their home."

"Housing prices are going to go up and they can get a better price latter."

"Can I see the house?"

"I saw it four months ago. The insides had to be ripped out. I had much better insulation, electricity and plumbing put in. They had a basement like ours, so some contractors picked the house up and moved it to one side. They removed the basement floor and foundation then dug a lot deeper. The house will be going back on the new foundations this week I'm told. I even built myself a shop. This one is basically another home. There is a kitchen, bath and a very large area to work."

"Is there a bedroom?"

"Well — there just might be. You interested in testing out the springs?"

"You are too precious to me. We need to do this."

"I think Paige will want to try it first."

"As long as I get a try too."

When we got downstairs, Jane set the table. The food only had to be reheated. I called Ian's house and got his mother.

"Oh, he's downstairs in his gym."

"He is getting thinner and if we raced again he would be in the centre of the pack and not close to the end with me. I have been exercising too but it is even more difficult to find time. At one time I could just let my mind wander and I lifted weights. Now I have to work my muscles and my mind at the same time."

"Oh, but you lit a fire in him. He listens to what Janice says and I think she is a good girl for him. You have my thanks for introducing them. He has changed so much."

"I think Janice has changed too. Both are acting much more responsibly now. Their grades have improved as well."

The mother asked, "What do you think of them in years to come?"

"It is hard to say. Both have matured. I know what I want but as you know I am not the same as everybody else."

"No, you're not. I'll go call Ian."

Ian was breathing hard when he got to the phone. "Hi Jeff. How are you doing?"

"Not bad. You were talking to me about not having enough money to take Janice out."

"Yes, jobs are not easy to find. My dad was laid off for a long time until just a month ago."

"Do you remember the building with my laser?"

"How can could I forget?"

"You will find an man by the name of Mr Webber working there. See him about an after school job. It's working with plaster and some clean up. It may work towards an apprenticeship. The pay is half a buck an hour. If you want, you can see him tomorrow. You better not neglect your schoolwork. Janice will understand."

"Half a dollar! That's great. None of the guys I know are making that much."

"Do you have safety shoes?"

"I can use my heavy boots."

"Do you want the job Ian?"

"Sure I do."

"Get the boots. There is a safety policy on the job. You have to wear the right equipment."

"Ok."

There actually was such a policy and two men were fired for thinking it foolish. The firings had now totalled three when the electrician was factored in.

Sam got a similar call. He was not as committed as Ian but he was still a friend. He balked at the shoes until I mentioned two journeymen being fired over them.

Mark Fenton was next. I didn't know if he was going to go with music or the labour force. For him I said he could start in two weeks if he felt like it. This way I had two weeks to convince him to try music.

Tomorrow was my day in court. I figured they would be questioning me all day tomorrow and possibly the next. Goldbalm had good shysters, and they were paid to get results.

The girls and Jamie came home late and exhausted. They ate a late meal and complained how hard it was in Music. They knew how much a professional practised but they only spent half of that time.

The next day it was rainy and cold, exactly how I felt inside. I got up early and made my own breakfast. As I finished, Jane came downstairs. She gave me a warm smile and said, "It will be alright. You're a fighter."

I was a fighter and for a long time I was thinking about today. It was not with just some nebulous dread but with some idea of what I faced. Mr Mason and John had told me of what ways they might go and in each case what they would ask.

Jane was not called as a witness. Goldbalm must know her history but also knew that there was very little he could do to expose it. If she were called the Crown Attorney was going to ask about how Goldbalm tried to push his way into our house and to that of Nora's while her husband was at work.

Jamie was the one most at risk. His history was known, yet if Jamie were pulled down, Jamie would be the one to pull Goldbalm down on paedophile charges. It was more or less decided that Jamie would just be a weapon aimed at me. Jamie would then be known to have homosexual tendencies. This was countered by explaining that his family was homophobic. I had Doctor Madeline Davits summoned and she would explain how Jamie was no different than any other child when growing up. She was going to point the finger at Goldbalm for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and to perverting his skills as a psychiatrist to make his patient do what he had done.

Jamie and the girls came down and I could see that Jamie was already upset. He had slept last night only because I use a trigger phrase that put him to sleep. "Jeff, I should go with you."

"I wouldn't mind you coming but it is not going to be nice. Your turn will come and it is better to be fresh when it happens."

I left for the courthouse as they ate breakfast. Trials are seldom started early but the judge, in a pique of anger, made the starting time at eight o'clock. There would be no waiting if some lawyers were late. He said, "The cells downstairs will ensure that you are not late a second time." This was in retaliation to all the ways the Goldbalm's lawyers ran roughshod over the system, and, perhaps a bit by the way Goldbalm himself used the courts to harass me.