Chapter 62

I pondered my dilemma about my disappearing mind and then had a though about something else. ‘Fred, would you supply me with the materials to be able to build say three barbeque cookers. I would need: six 55 gallon steel drums; about 4 feet of 2 inch thin wall steel pipe; 18 pieces of 3 foot 2 by 3 inch angle iron; three 3/16” steel plates, 48” x 36”; four 12’ lengths of half inch rebar; eighteen 3/16” steel hinges; 1 by 6 steel grating for the grills - This needs to be 22” wide by either 33 inches long or 66” long, and depending upon the length I will need either six or three grates. Additionally I will need a plasma cutter and an arc welder with say 500 rods. I and my people can build them or you had said earlier that you had the plans for some. Could you show me the plans on my cad program?’

“Of course Bob I can show you, but from the materials you mentioned, it looks like you want to build what I have the plans for, except for some minor changes in thicknesses and lengths, that is the materials called for in their building.”

‘Ok, I’ll come in and take a look. I’ll be right in.’

I left the main cave and went into my office. The picture that was on the screen was exactly what I wanted. It was only a one drum cooker, but it did have the lower smoker box as well as the grill box, the hinged top and chimney pipe, with damper. The smoker box had a damper on the side as well. It was a top feed with a latch for the top door. “Fred, could you provide the materials for us to build it? I have the drawings right here on the cad to be able to build it.”

“Bob, you do not have to build it yourself, unless you really want to. I can provide 6 of these cookers if that is what you want. We have no problem providing them to you in gratitude for all you have done for us.”

“Well I am trying to get my people busy until it is time to go hunting again once this crisis is over. Do you have another suggestion as to what I can do?”

“Bob, how about we start to teach them English; our envoy on your moon has found all the Sesame Street episodes and we can now play them back here in the main cave on the TV. I have taken the liberty of increasing your DVD library with all the episodes and some other movies and TV shows from your time, mainly the programs from the past. The stuff today is not that funny or interesting, especially to your people here. Most of the drama and comedy of the past 30 years would be so very far above their comprehension.”

“Yes Fred, I would agree with you on that point. The TV programs over the last 30 years, have gone downhill; with the exception of the National Geographic, Discovery and History channels. The rest is just cattle fodder for the mindless generation of TV watchers of today. At least those channels teach us something about our world, and the people in it. It also teaches how it came to be like it is, and its possible future. But teaching English to these people would be a fine thing. I figure we could have two one hour classes in the morning and another two in the afternoon. We could have a one hour break in between the classes, and we could have from 11 to 1 for lunch and settling. I think to start I would start with a class in the morning and one in the afternoon, until they get used to the routine.”

“That is excellent Bob; I will get started on that for tomorrow morning. In the meantime, it is getting on toward supper time for you. Or are you not hungry?”

“Actually Fred I am not very hungry right now, but maybe by the time it is ready I can force myself to eat something.”

“Riiiighttt. And Angel won’t want to sit on your lap and eat too.”

“You know me too well Fred. See you later.”

I went out to sit in my place and Angel came and sat in my lap waiting for supper too. After a good meal I stood to announce a new activity.

“People of this camp, you have been watching many of the things on the TV since it was given to us by the Sky Spirits. I know most of what you have heard you have not understood as it is in a language that you do not know. That language is English. It is the language of my birth. The programs you have been watching are ones that I had in my possession before I came here. I have been told that more of those programs are now available to us that will teach you that language and numbers as well.

“That is if you want to learn it? It will be hard sometimes, but we will all speak the same language. I know that Dignar’s language, and Grunto’s language is very similar and to a certain extent you can speak to each other and be understood. But this is a new language for a new tribe of people. This tribe will be a new tribe of people, of mixed tribes, customs, and language. But this new language will bring us all together into one tribe, one language and one set of customs, that is a combination and blending of three peoples into one. Now do you want to be a part this new tribe of peoples, with one language, one people, and one goal? That goal is to raise our children to know no differences between others, to treat others as we would want to be treated and to help others in need.”

I would not have believed the response. They all rose and stomped their feet and cheered. I would not have expected that type of response to learn a new language.

Teague called for quiet and spoke, “Bob, we have learned that if there is something you feel we need to know, then we should take the time and effort to learn it. We learned to shoot rifles, and found we needed that skill. We learned to shoot bows and have had to use that skill also. We learned a new way to make a smoker and a quicker way to smoke meat. That skill has been very useful. We have built a great fence, and now we can see why we built it. So we see that if you think we need some new skill; then we should try our best to learn it, because we will need it. The TV is nice, but not understanding the talking makes it hard to like all the things we see. I would definitely like to learn what is being said and if learning this new language is the way, then teach me the language.”

“Thank you Teague. You have put it exactly right.” said Joulnar. “What most of the rest of us are thinking, you have said out loud. Bob, we are in your debt, you have taken us from a bunch of small unrelated tribes spread out over a very large land insecure and sometimes hungry. We barely knew the tribe closest to us, just the leaders knew of us. We are now a large tribe, one who does not fear that our neighbors will attack us for women or food. We now have peace and plenty of food, good friends who are more like us than we ever knew before. We are one people because of you. We will follow you where ever you led us, because you have given us everything we ever hoped to have and more. Who would not follow a leader like that? No one; that is who. You teach, we learn it is just that simple. Led us onward, Leader Bob!”

I noticed during my speech that the TV came on and everyone up in the ship was listening to me talk as well as the others. I was stunned by that reaction. Everybody was stomping their feet, cheering and just making noise. It finally died down and Barbara said loudly, “Bob what have you stirred up now? Or are you doing something nice again?”

“Baby I think I did something nice. They all seem to want to learn English so they can understand the movies and cartoons.”

“Then you did do something nice. We will all learn together. We can watch the programs up here and you can watch them down there until we get home in FIVE DAYS!”

Pandemonium erupted, in both places. Then Barbara said, “Your turn, Honey. Tell them the good news.”

“Yes people, that is right, I found out today that we should be over this crisis in five more days. So for the next five days we will try to learn some English. First will be the letters, then numbers. They we go on to the hard stuff learning words or parts of words. It will actually be easier as I know all the words in English and I can translate them into your language so you can know them too. Now for the best news, we will be going on a hunt for a lot of animals; all of you with rifles will be going. Some will hunt and some will be protection for our people. The next hunt, the protectors will be hunting and the hunters will be protection.

“After this big hunt is over and we have processed all the meat, we will have a big celebration. We will have cold beer in cans. They will be in ice so they will be very cold. Also for this celebration, I will be cooking our meat a new way and adding a sauce to the meat that makes the meat taste much better. This will be our first big celebration. This is for us coming together becoming a family. A couple days later, so some our men can sober up, we will be having guests to supper. Captain Snart and his family, Doctor Phil and his wife, and I think a few others who helped with our bright time problem. I want you to welcome them as you have welcomed the others who have been brought here. This is in celebration of the elimination of the bright time forever.”