Chapter 11

The next morning was much the same except this time everyone knew where the bathrooms were and what to do. I helped with diapering the twins after they bathed, and clothed them. Then I clothed Meela, while she proclaimed for the whole world to know she stayed dry last night, and that mommy gave her big girl pants to wear today. I laughed, hugged her and told her she was certainly getting bigger every day.

I made my way down to breakfast following Meela while I had a twin in each arm, laughing at daddies waddle, talking a mile a minute in my ears, all the while trying to pull them off at the same time. We arrived in the kitchen in one piece, I think. The women saw my plight and quickly put the children in their seats, then handed me my morning brew.

The girls came running down kissing me good morning and sitting at the table. Allison followed them down. "The boys are being punished as you wanted in separate rooms facing the corner with their eyes shut. I guess from the looks on their faces they do not know what to expect." The girls started to giggle.

Looking at the girls she said, "Just because daddy is not going up there today to punish them further, does not mean he will not in the future do you understand," she said in a severe tone. "The reason for having them close their eyes is because they will not know what to expect just as you will not when you are punished."

As always Meela had something to say, "I promise I will always be good mommy, this way daddy will never have to punish Me." the girls were nodding along with her words. We started eating not waiting for them. Several minutes later Meeko went to the stairs and called the boys down.

They came down slowly looking properly punished. I waited for them to start eating then started. "Well now," I said, "What are we to do with the wolves? We obviously cannot leave them home all the time because they need feeding several times a day. I am not sure though of leaving them in the bus while we are out. By the way where are they right now?"

They are in our closet father," said Ralto. Then quickly added "Father can we please bring them with us, they really are good, you should see them with Meela and the girls, they love them to death."

I thought about it, even at eleven weeks they were larger than most puppies at six to eight months old. "OK, here is what we will do, we will go rent a big truck today, that is like our home on wheels only it is for storing things, then we will go buy things for them to chew on and go in, in case they have to do their business. From there we need to do lots more shopping. Allison I want my women and children decked out like models and dressed to the tees. So do you want to drive the truck or the bus," I asked her.

"I will drive the bus, Jason." She replied.

"OK, let's go then, I want to hit several places today while you ladies do your thing" everyone got up and came to give me a kiss except the boys who were going with me. Meela was sitting in her chair pouting because I told her she had to go with the women today.

We were finally on our way; Allison dropped me off at the local truck rental and took off for parts unknown our plans were to meet at home for dinner at six o'clock.

We entered the place and waited our turn. When it was our turn, I told the counter person I needed a twenty-eight or thirty-foot box truck for the next two weeks, if he had one available. He had a thirty just returned this morning so I took it. I rented a GPS for an extra thirty dollars, entered the address of the farm supply and took off.

We entered the feed store and walked to the counter. I rang a bell sitting by the register and waited, several minutes later, the oldest looking person I have ever met came out a door and shuffled up to us.

"Howdy young man what can I do for you"

"Well sir I was on the phone with you and ordered a bunch of farm material and some portable solar power units."

"Yep remember you real well you needed delivery if I remember"

Yes sir, since you do not deliver I'm here with my boys to pick everything up."

"Ye don't look old enough to have such strapping boy's son."

"Believe me old timer I'm older than I look."

"Well come on then I'll show you where everything is, and you can call me Benjamin, not old timer. I ain't that old, Thank you."

We walked around the back of the store where he had everything I ordered all piled up. I told the boys to wait while I got the truck. We loaded it all and went in to pay, for it.

"Say Ben you wouldn't happen to know any where around here I could buy chicken and turkey eggs do you?" I asked him.

"Shore do boy, there's old Slim Huggins, about ten miles up the road, but he don't have real nice ones. Now if you want quality you should head west out to Young Jessie's place. Inherited it from her Ma she did, but has done a nice job of it. Not sure how many miles it is but I kin give you her number an' you can call her iffin you want." He gave me the number and I thank him.

Getting in the truck we started west on highway 86, while I dialed Jessie's number. A woman answered.

"Hi there" I said, "My name is Jason and I was given your number by Benjamin at the Binghamton feed store, if I wanted high quality chicken and turkey eggs for breeding and eating."

"Well you got the right place honey; I got the best eggs in the whole country if I do say so myself, and I do."

"I will need directions, Jessie so I do not get lost or give me an address and I'll put it in my GPS," I said.

"My address doesn't show up on the GPS or the maps. Easiest way is take 86 West till you hit the sign for Hammondsport, take a right follow the road around the lake and I am three miles up on the left, I'll put some balloons by the gate so you don't drive past the place."

I thanked her and hung up. We drove in silence for a while until the boys asked if we could stop for the wolves to go for a minute. I pulled over and the boys got out and let the wolves do their thing. Once back on the road I began to think where we could get everything we needed for them. I was thinking and not paying attention when Balto asked if we could stop.

What is it this time Balto?" I asked.

"Father I saw one the things you call a sign with an animal on it, I thought maybe we could get what we need from it for the wolves."

"We cannot get anything from the sign it is probably telling us where a cave is that we can." Just then, a strip mall with a large well-known pet store came into view. I pulled in and parked.

"Good going Balto, we can now get the things we need," I told him letting him know he did good.

We entered the store and went directly to the leash department. I picked two sturdy nylon leashes and two choke collars for them, and showed the boys how to attach them and use them.

"But Father" said Marno "this will hurt Scar and Stone Face if I pull."

"It will also help you train them when they try to get away when you say stop, pull on the leash they will not be able to go anywhere and will eventually learn what the word means. Then you will not have to pull on the leash. In addition, they are getting very big, they grow faster than dogs here on my world. I do not want them to attack another animal so we need them to be contained a little." He grumbled a little but did not complain any more.

We then went on a shopping spree buying all the heavy-duty nylon collars and leashes they had along with all the same type of choke collars we got for the pups. I also bought a bunch of beef bones for them to chew on. We had one small accident when Scar decided to mark his territory on an end cap with dog food, I almost said something when a young lady with a mop came up smiling, petted scar and cleaned his mess. I guess they are used to it in here.

We were Finally on the way and within forty minutes, we were pulling up to a beautiful two story colonial that had to be over two hundred years old. A woman in her late fifties was waiting for us.

As we got out she walked up to us, reached out and shook my hand, talking non-stop "Howdy you must be Jason, and who might these strapping young boys be?"

"Hi Jessie, yes I'm Jason and these are my sons Marno, Balto, and Ralto, pointing to each in turn. And these young pups are Scar and Stone Face." I answered. Jessie was already on the ground playing with the pups, before I even finished, as if they were long lost friends, instead of wild wolves from Earths past.

"I don't know about the puppies but you my boy are definitely way too young, to be these young'ins father." She said while still playing with the pups.

"They are my adopted sons, but consider them my own, not someone else's." I replied curtly.

"No need to get your feathers all ruffled just asking is all. Come on you tell me what you want as we walk, and I'll tell you what you need, how is that." She got up and headed to the back.

"Perfect Jessie," I said, "as I am not sure what I need."

"OK, tell me what you are looking to do" she said.

"My wife and I have recently acquired several thousand acres of land in Canada. The problem is that there are no big cities within driving distance. I figured it would be easier to grow our own chickens and turkeys, this way we would save time and money."

"OK," Jessie said, "I have just what you need. Now when will you need them?"

"I need them packed and ready for shipment by this Friday." I said.

"No Problem for that. Now I am going to give you a variety of eggs simply because some chickens are better egg layers and some better for meat. How many were you thinking of getting.

"I was thinking of at least four hundred chicken eggs and one hundred turkey eggs"

"WOW, you don't do things halfway do you." She looked very pleased though. "The chicken eggs are $2.50 each and the turkey eggs are $3.50 each. You will need incubators for them, which I can supply, that cost 75.00 dollars each. I can have them at your place Thursday afternoon and all the eggs will be that days fertilized eggs you will have twenty-one days for the chicken and twenty-eight days for the turkey eggs before they hatch. Make sure the incubators stay flat and warm the whole time. I will even throw in five or six extra cats I have to keep down the vermin problems you will most likely get."

I thanked her and paid her. As we were getting ready to leave, I asked "Hey Jessie you wouldn't know anyone in these part that would have a portable sawmill for sale would you?"

"Well there is old Jake Bishop's place about seven or eight miles up the road, he was what you would call a professional hobbyist. He would take up a trade try it for a while then go onto something else. Nice guy, but a little out there, if you ask me."

"Right now, a bank has it. Old Jake up and died about ten months back, and because there was no will or family, the bank ended up taking possession for the mortgage. I know they are looking to unload it lock stock and barrel. You could take a look out there out there if you want."

She gave me the number and I called. An answering machine answered. I left a message with my number saying that I was interested in the bishop place. Several minutes later I received a call from a young man he introduced himself as Mr. Harris. I told him that I would like to see the place. Since I was, only a few miles away, would it be possible for me to stop by and look around the property.

"I'm very sorry Mr. Stevens but the property is has a large fence with a lock, and being that it is Sunday, there is no-way that I can leave my office today. I will be happy to meet at any other time at your convenience." He sounded terrified that I would refuse.

"Well Mr. Harris how is tomorrow morning at ten AM for you; I am on a tight schedule and cannot wait very long."

"That will be fine I will be out there by nine AM myself to get things ready for you." I thanked him and we left.

Driving home, we stopped once more for the wolves to go, but overall they were pretty good. I noticed a large

'Tools for sale' sign on the side of the road with an arrow pointing up a small dirt road, I had not seen on the way up. I decided to investigate; we walked about half a mile up the track but where it opened up, there was nothing but an semi-open field with copses of trees scattered around...

We were about to turn when I got a funny feeling, and the wolves started baying. I grabbed the boys shoving them to the ground just as the world exploded around us. I told the boys to quiet the pups down; then tried to see where the shooting was coming from.

My phone rang just at that minute also, it was Allison. I handed the phone to Ralto and told him to talk to Allison so I could see where our attackers were.

"FATHER", yelled Ralto, "mother says that someone is attacking them, and hurt Rialta, when she pushed mother Meeko out of the way." The boys were very frightened now.