Keepers of the Bond Iii (Drei)

CHAPTER 1

Now the clan has two sets of keepers of the BOND—the big four, being Jeb, Betty, Jo, and Lil, and the little four, being Tim, Tia, Andy, and Beth. After an hour nap, the new keepers of the BOND, Tim, Tia, Andy, and Beth, together prepare and enjoy a large brunch, with each one taking turns trying to describe what the faint moan of a new day being born sounded like to them.

Tim speaks up. Okay, let’s get this kitchen cleaned up and put away so we can drink coffee and talk business.

When they finished cleaning up, Tia moves her chair next to Tim and right across from Beth and Andy. Andy and Beth, I’m going to cover some things that y’all need to be aware of before committing.

Beth interrupts, We’re not committed? All of us heard the faint moan this morning.

Yes, hearing the sound of a new day being born confirms that we are now a bond emotionally, but I need to share things with y’all, and then y’all will have to make a decision. Don’t hurry in making the decision. There is no reason to hurry. Take your time, be sure, and have complete peace before you commit for the rest of your lives.

We’re listening. Tell us what we need to know.

I’ll start, and Tia will jump in when I forget something. So let’s see, the four of us are a bond, now confirmed. The four of us emotionally are a bond, but y’all are not part of the BOND. If y’all decide to become part of the BOND, you will have to give up everything. I don’t mean your money in the bank in Zurich—that’s your money to do with as you please.

Tim, give them examples.

"Okay, in the BOND you will never own a home personally. All our homes belong to the Caddo BOND Corporation. You will never own a fancy new car; it’s not good business. We drive modest, used cars and pickup trucks that belong to the Caddo BOND Corporation. In fact, the Caddo BOND Corporation owns everything. We own the clothes on our backs. Understand y’all will never draw a big salary. Our modest lifestyle doesn’t require a large salary. Y’all will have management responsibilities and will be held accountable for fulfilling those duties. We work together as a team. Anytime Tia and I have a question, we go to the clan for help before acting. Everyone does. It’s great to have support that you can count on and trust. We have an easy, laidback lifestyle, yet we work hard, and we work smart. We live to protect and grow the assets of the BOND for the sole purpose of helping good, hardworking people start family-owned businesses.

Now you need to understand. If a good, hardworking couple lives in a country where the politicians are slowly destroying the country, then it would be futile to help those good people. We only help couples who live in a stable country, a country with a representative form of government and where the politicians are protecting the integrity of their currency at all costs. Therefore, we constantly monitor the governments where we have assets or where we are trying to help people, because you cannot trust politicians. As y’all know, Tia and I have that responsibility. It is time consuming, boring, but very important. The average citizens living in Rome were very happy with their wonderful government all the way up to and including their last day. As Texans, we never forget the Alamo, and as managers of the BOND, we never forget the fall of Rome. Now do y’all have any questions?

Andy says, Tim and Tia, Beth and I love the way y’all live and what y’all are doing with your lives—helping responsible people help themselves, and while doing so being responsible guardians of our planet. Y’all have achieved true fulfillment of why we are here, and that recognition gives y’all peace. Let’s see if we totally understand. Members of the clan are not blood kin.

Andy, that’s correct, but actually, we are closer than blood. Fate brought us together to be a BOND or clan.

Beth and I understand. With what we have experienced over the last few weeks, and especially the last few days, we understand. It’s unbelievable. So how many members of the BOND have separate property or assets?

None. All chose to merge their assets with the clan’s combined assets and manage them under one corporation, the Caddo BOND Corporation.

Beth and I want to have the lifestyle and purpose for living that y’all have, so we will need to transfer what little assets we have into the Caddo BOND Corporation, said Andy.

Andy, not for a while. There is no hurry. Y’all need a little time to be absolutely certain and have complete peace with your decision, and it’s not a little amount. It’s everything y’all have, the combined assets of three generations of both your families. Modest amounts, properly managed and protected from professional politicians, steadily grow into sizeable amounts over time

Tim, can we ask what the asset value of the BOND is?

Tim and Tia smile. Yes you can, because y’all are now part of the management team of those assets. It’s about fifty million Swiss francs or almost one hundred and fifty million US dollars.

Oh my God, Tim, we can’t just stumble into something like this. That just doesn’t happen.

Tim replies, Andy you and Beth didn’t just stumble into this. You were led, just like all the rest of us were led into the BOND. Tomorrow we have meetings with contractors, and then the next day we go to the Hill Country Compound for a couple of weeks before leaving for Provence. Sam and Ryan are coming in from Japan, so all the clan will be there for the birth of Andrae and Leona’s baby. By then y’all should know for certain just what y’all want to do.

Tia said, Tim, let’s call our parents and then go for a walk. I think all of us can use some exercise. Beth, you and Andy get on one phone, and Tim and I will be on the other phone.

In the Hill Country Compound, the big fours’ phone rings. I hope that’s the kids calling.

Hello.

Hi, Mom, if Jeb and Betty are handy, have them get on the other phone and Dad with you, please.

Okay, wait a minute. Now everyone is on. You kids okay?

Yes, Mom, yes, we are all okay. In fact, we are great.

Are Beth and Andy all right?

Yes, they’re on the other phone, but let’s share this with y’all. This morning, the four of us heard the birth of a new day, and, Mama, it was unbelievable.

Oh baby, we will let Betty speak for all of us.

Kids, when we met and got to know Beth and Andy, we knew sending them to Mossy Break was the right thing to do; we just knew. We are so happy for y’all. Beth and Andy, it is so good having y’all as children in the clan, or I guess I should say, in the BOND.

Mom, we are going to hang up now. We’re all crying, and it sounds like y’all are too.

Wait, I need to say something to Beth.

Yes, Miss Betty, I’m here.

Beth, darling, if you don’t already know, you need to know that all the men in our clan are assholes.

Yes, Miss Betty, I know, and I love every one of them.

We do too, baby, we do too. Oh wait, y’all are coming here day after tomorrow, so be careful. Remember to watch for deer and hogs.

Yes, Mama, we know, we know. Love y’all.

Love y’all too.

The Mossy Break Compound is located on the west side of Caddo Lake on a straight line not that far from Old Port Jefferson. It is early winter.

Well, I think y’all have done been told enough about my family, my clan, and the BOND for y’all to understand who we are and where we are from or something like that. Anyway, my daddy, Tim McCloud, and I are waiting to hear the new baby cry. They made Daddy keep me away so I wouldn’t cause no trouble. My mama, Tia McCloud, said Miss Beth will have enough trouble without me helping. Everyone was going to be here for the birthing, but the baby decided to come two weeks early. Different members of the clan will start arriving tomorrow, and they’re going to get a surprise. Mama is at Miss Beth’s side, and Doc Ray and Miss Em are there, and my daddy says that is enough. Well, Mr. Andy is there too, but Daddy says he ain’t no help. I’m in my brat sack, just hanging around, not doing nothing.

Hey, boy, did you hear that shrill wail? I bet we got us a girl. You hold on tight. We’re gone.

Daddy runs down from our deck, and we are off. Daddy goes up the steps, taking them three at a time, and bursts through the door, with me in my sack hanging on for dear life.

Tim, it’s a beautiful little girl.

Daddy kisses the screaming baby and then kisses Miss Beth on the forehead. He kisses Mama on the mouth, shakes Mr. Andy’s hand, and then looks back at Miss Beth. Girl, are you okay?

Miss Beth smiles and nods. Mr. Andy is sitting on the side of the bed holding one of Miss Beth’s hands with tears running down his cheeks. I don’t know what happened, but I guess Mr. Andy got himself hurt to be crying.

Doc Ray is doing something between Miss Beth’s legs, and Miss Em is messing with that screaming little girl. My mama is on the other side of Miss Beth wiping a damp cloth over Miss Beth’s neck and one shoulder. I don’t know what Doc Ray did to the little girl, but he sure managed to piss her off, big time. I can’t stand it no longer, so I reach out and grab one of her hands, hoping to stop her from swinging her arm so while screaming her head off.

That little girl has a death grip on two of my fingers. She stops screaming, swinging her arms, and kicking, and her blotchy red color starts turning pale pink, all in less than a minute. The little girl gripping my fingers is turning into a beautiful little baby girl. You know, I’m not into girls yet, but this one is sure pretty. I believe she is special, real special. Doc Ray looks up from whatever he is doing to Miss Beth to see what shut that screaming girl up and sees her holding my hand. Doc looks at Miss Em, and both smile like they know something I don’t know.

This pretty little girl will be the last baby of our clan born at the Mossy Break Compound, because it will be sold in a month. We, the clan, will spend a little time in the Texas Hill Country, but most of our time we will be in Provence, Ireland, Japan, or traveling to different parts of the world. Andrae and Leona’s baby was born in Provence. Kirk and Alina’s baby was born in Ireland. Sam and Ryan’s baby was born in Japan. Junior and Melissa’s baby was born in the Texas Hill Country. Me and this pretty little girl, we were born here at Mossy Break on the Texas side of Caddo Lake.

Daddy says we always have to be ready to move to stay one step ahead of irresponsible professional politicians. I don’t know what that is, but it must be something bad. I’ll think about that later, because right now I just want to be with this pretty little girl. She is something special, I just know it.

Doc Ray asks for the baby and tells Miss Em to fill out the birth certificate. Miss Em make her let go of my hand so she can give her to Doc, and that was a mistake. She starts screaming all over again.

Tim, get your ass over here so this baby can hold Pete’s hand.

Daddy does, and she does, and she gets quiet as soon as she gets hold of my fingers.

Doc looks at the new parents. Okay, Mom and Dad, what’s this pretty little girl’s name?

Beth smiles and tells Andy to tell the story. Doc Ray, our clan is so special to us that we decided if we had a girl, we would name her after women of the clan, so we wrote every name down and studied them. I said I wanted her name to have a B for my Beth, for Miss Betty, and we wanted a E for Miss Em and Miss Emma and a C for Caddo Lake, and for some reason, Caddo Lake also reminds us of Miss Lil, and we wanted her name to end with A for all the women whose names end with A, Helga, Alissa, Rebecca, Alina, Leona, Samantha, Melissa, and Tia, so we came up with Becca, so our beautiful daughter’s name is Becca.

Everyone, except Pete and Becca are wiping tears from their eyes as Em prints Becca on the certificate. Doc sniffs a couple of times. If y’all had a boy, what would have been his name?

Beth speaks up real quick, Asshole, just like all the wonderful men in our clan. Everyone explodes in laughter. This scares Becca, but she doesn’t cry. She just tightens her grip on my hand.

A few weeks after Miss Becca discovers Caddo Lake, we sell the Mossy Break Compound to a very nice young couple, and they will open it to the public as the Mossy Break Family Retreat. It will do very well, and they will pay it off ahead of schedule. Now the Caddo BOND Corporation being a part of Caddo Lake is history, just like Caddo Indians living around Caddo Lake is history. We will always love Caddo Lake, but times change, and if you are wise, you have to be willing to change with the times to survive. The fundamentalist whackos ain’t going to like this, but it is called evolution. It ain’t a bad word if you truly understand the sovereignty of the Creator or I AM.

I don’t know how to draw the Asiatic hieroglyphic characterization that Helga and Prof translated into English as meaning BOND or a BONDING. Vikings say clan, but you already know that, because y’all have now been given the background of who we are and where we are from, so we will now move forward a few years with the big four, the big keepers of the BOND, Jeb, Betty, Jo, and Lil, enjoying spending some time at our Texas Hill Country Compound.

It is just a few minutes before sunrise this June 1, 1960, morning, and the sky here at our Texas Hill Country Compound is absolutely clear. The early morning air is just cool enough to warrant them wearing a robe over their naked bodies. The big four are out in their common courtyard to observe sunrise, and as always, Betty and Lil have backed up to their men as the four stand close enough that their shoulders touch each other as they face east, waiting for the sun to make its debut. As always, Jeb has both arms wrapped around Betty with his right hand inside her robe, gently caressing one of her small milk buds. Jo, as always, is doing the same with his woman. Jeb kisses Betty’s hair. Woman, how many bonding sessions have we enjoyed over the years?

Well, let’s see, once a week for forty years, and a few additional times per week, in the early days when we were young, so I would guess twenty-one or twenty-two hundred wonderful times, followed with our special coffee the same number of times.

Lil, I wonder if the kids will surpass our record when they are sixty-five years old.

They should, because they had a four-year head start on us.

Everyone chuckles, and then the night creatures go silent just as the apex of the sun breaks above the eastern horizon. The four snuggle close as they hear that faint, erotic moan of a new day being born. They stand there in a tight cluster for a moment as they personally give thanks for the gift of a new day and the many blessings their Creator has bestowed on each one of them individually and as a clan, and as always, they ask for Wisdom. The day creatures start making noise, so the four return inside, rinse out their coffee cups, and go back to bed for a one-hour nap before jointly putting together a large brunch.

As the four are putting brunch together in the outside kitchen, Betty makes a suggestion. Since we’re all alone at the compound, why don’t we go naked all day and if the old men are up to it, we can have another bonding session this evening?

Everyone smiles as they come out of their robes.

Jeb, would you just look at our beautiful women?

I’m looking, and I will never tire of looking.

Well, y’all quit looking and start doing your jobs with food preparation.

Betty, should we put all this back in the icebox and just have apple slices?

No way, this is our one big meal of the day. This is when we feed our brains, as well as our bodies and souls. We can enjoy apple slices with our bonding session this evening. Lil smiles and nods in agreement with Betty.

After brunch, the four police the outside kitchen, and in a matter Of minutes they are seated with fresh cups of coffee.

Y’all know Kirk and Andrae were asked to jointly write an article about the Korean War from their perspective as an American and a Canadian Air Force officer attached to United Nations Headquarters in Japan during the so-called war. They agreed to write the article because it has been long enough since the so-called war to allow them to talk about subjects that before they couldn’t discuss. Well, they have asked us to read the article and make suggestions before they approve the release of the article. I read it as soon as it arrived in the mail. It is well written, and I have no suggestions. I’ll not read the article, but I’ll walk through it for your input.

Jo, don’t start until we warm up our coffee.

Now with every cup steaming, Jo starts his overview. Kirk and Andrae start with President Harry Truman dismissing General Douglas MacArthur because the general didn’t want to follow orders. General MacArthur did not approve of the war not being a war but called a police action. The general wanted and was demanding that the US Congress declare war against the guilty parties, being North Korea, Communist China, and Communist Russia. He was still very upset that our Congress, with other so-called Allies, gave the communists one-third of Europe at the end of WWII, and now the communists are going for more, and we again are not holding them responsible for their hostile aggression. As we know, the general was right, but he also was not entirely aware of the multitude of very complex problems President Truman and the free world were facing.

They warm up their coffee, and Jo continues. After WWII, the US Army and its allies aggressively sought to find all the German scientists who had not been killed in the war and put them to work for the free world, and they sure didn’t want them captured by the communists. Now we start getting into what McArthur wasn’t fully aware of, because it was kept very secret. We managed to capture a number of the German scientists, and a number gave themselves up to the Allies, but a few scientists were captured by the communists. Just who they were and their expertise was unknown until June 25, 1950, the day North Korea invaded South Korea. The Soviet Union deployed MiG jet fighters with combat-trained Russian pilots to provide air cover for the communist ground troops. The MiG jets were superior to our jets, so we knew the communists had captured some of Germany’s top scientists. We knew, or strongly suspected, that the communists had developed an atomic bomb, and we knew that their missile development program was ahead of our program. Most disturbing was the fact that some of the German scientists who couldn’t be accounted for were now assumed captured by the communists, and they were Germany’s top researchers in chemical and biological warfare.

The four take a potty break and warm up their coffee, and then Jo continues. "The boys do an excellent job of describing the many varied problems President Truman had to deal with, and at the same time, he had to worry about what General MacArthur might do on his own. Well, that was just not acceptable, so General McArthur was dismissed from his responsibilities and forced to retire from the military. MacArthur was furious, stating that if the communists were not held accountable, they would just continue starting wars all over the world, knowing that we would not really make them pay for their actions. General MacArthur’s position was correct, but President Truman also understood how unstable and hate-driven the communist leaders were and that they would not hesitate to deploy weapons that would destroy mankind. Therefore, war was not declared, and the United Nations implemented a police action in an attempt to contain the spread of communism.

"The boys do a good job of pointing out that knowledgeable people knew that communism was a badly flawed system and in time would fail, so what they needed was time to allow that flawed system to collapse under its own weight. The boys make it real clear, in no uncertain terms, that the vast majority of our men killed, wounded, and captured were the fault of not having adequate air and artillery support for our ground troops. Professional politicians, in their infinite Wisdom, chose not to fund having a large and strong military, including more than adequate air support. Instead, they chose to fund socialist programs that would help them get reelected.

"Our boys in the field paid a great price for the politicians’ reelections, and our nation will pay an even greater price because of their promotion of socialism, which history reveals over and over is just another failed system. The boys close their article with comments and observations in regard to chemical and biological warfare. The German scientists developing this technology intended it to be used on a very limited scale in isolated locations of the battlefield against enemy soldiers only.

Since WWII, very shallow-minded or stupid scientists who also can be persuaded by greed have declared chemical warfare against insects and plants. They only look at now and never at the long-term effects of their actions. The boys point out that in doing so, these stupid or greedy people are now contaminating our soil, water, air, and food supply, therefore declaring war against mankind and all creatures on our planet. A number of wise and responsible German scientists, working with others around the world, are writing and speaking out against this practices, but no one is listening. Killing everything we don’t like with chemicals and doing it the easy way has become the new American way. Y’all want to read the article in its entirety, or does it sound all right as presented?

Jo, call and tell Kirk and Andrae to approve the release of the article as written. I love it, and it is going to piss off a lot of politicians, chemical companies, and all the naïve people who think socialism is the answer. These naïve people expect and want Big Brother to take care of them from cradle to grave. Maybe this article will cause some of the naïve people to start thinking, because there ain’t no Big Brother, like there ain’t no Tooth Fairy.

Good, I’ll place the call to Kirk, and he can call Andrae. Now let’s put on our walking shoes and do our stretching exercises here in the courtyard before taking our usual three-mile morning walk.

Boys, don’t y’all think we should wear more than shoes?

Betty, the compound is secure and secluded, so let’s go natural. It will be another first for all of us.

Lil giggles and starts putting on her walking shoes. Betty is smiling to herself as she laces her shoes and is thinking, At sixty-five they are still coming up with first-time experiences. It has been one hell of a wonderful life.

With only walking shoes on, the four start their daily yoga stretching exercises. Jo, stop. Jo, quit, or I’ll fall.

Betty and Jeb look to see what Jo is doing to his woman and find Lil with her legs spread wide apart as she bends over touching the ground with the palm of the hands. Jo is behind and to her side doing a similar exercise, except he has one hand between Lil’s legs. Hon, I won’t let you fall, but when I saw those white streaks that are beginning to show up, in the soft hair above the most beautiful blossom created in nature, well, I just had to touch.

Well, quit touching while we’re working out, and I’ll have you know that those white streaks are Mother Nature highlighting a maturing woman’s essence.

Betty and Jeb have to quit exercising while they laugh at what they are hearing and observing. Lil is now laughing hard while maintaining her balance by keeping both her hands firmly placed on the ground. Jo releases his fingers from the soft hair and quickly moves behind Lil, wrapping his arms around her waist. Lil straightens up and turns to face her man, hoping to act mad, but thinking about what the scene must have looked like to Jeb and Betty has her laughing, with her forehead leaning against Jo’s chin. Betty makes the suggestions that Jo stay to the side or in front of Lil until they finish their stretching exercises.

A few minutes later, with Jo staying far to one side of Lil, they finish their stretching exercises and have started their brisk daily walk through the compound.

Betty, I’ll have to admit that I am enjoying walking naked, but it feels strange. I guess after a few days it will start feeling natural.

Everyone laughs at Lil’s pun.

We only have two more days of it being just us, and then the thundering herd will start returning for a clan meeting. It will be so good to have everyone here at the same time, and this time Eddie, Helena, and their precious little girl will be meeting with us.

Hon, that precious little girl is fifteen, soon to be sixteen years old and fast turning into a beautiful young lady.

I know, I know. We’re old enough to start reminiscing, so I want to reminisce. Helena had two miscarriages, and then the war came, and right after they reopened the inn, Father Eugene asked them to pray about adopting a beautiful little baby girl whose mother was an unwed, young French woman from a nearby village. The little girl’s father was a German officer. The day the Germans withdrew from her village, some of the locals shaved the young mother’s head, and a few days later someone murdered her for having fraternized with a German. I remember that Eddie and Helena prayed, and both came to the conclusion that they couldn’t hate the little girl, and she desperately needed a loving home, so they agreed to go with Father Eugene and see the little girl. Well, as soon as Helena picked her up, she knew she couldn’t put her down. Eddie felt the same way. Fate had given them a beautiful baby girl, and then they asked our permission to name her Helga. We all cried with them and told them that Helga would be so grateful to have this half-French, half-German, beautiful little girl no one wanted named after her, and especially with Eddie and Helena as her parents.

The four walk a while with no one talking, and then Lil starts reminiscing. Y’all, so much has happened, and where has the time gone? We’ve been so busy and so blessed. We have had the pleasure of meeting and helping so many good people help themselves, and we have lost family and friends who we loved, but we were blessed that we had them for the dispensation of time we were given. Just think, Emma, David, and Mom and Dad Moore are in Japan visiting Sam, Ryan, and their baby at our Townhouse Compound in Japan. All of our South Pacific and Asian investments are handled out of Japan. Kirk, Alina, and their little boy, Kirk III, are at our Valhalla Compound in Ireland, and as we speak, Eddie, Helena, and Helga are there with them. Ray, Em, Junior, Melissa, and their baby are at our Provence Compound, with Andrae, Leona, and their daughter, Becky. The little four, Tim, Tia, son Pete, Andy, Beth, daughter Becca, are in the Cayman Islands checking out investment opportunities, and all will be back here with us starting in two days. Just look at what fate has done. We are so blessed.

They continue walking with no one talking. Everyone is thinking about just how blessed they are, and then Jeb breaks the silence. The last business update from Andrae showed that we have been privileged to provide start-up financing for three hundred and twenty-eight family businesses, and it’s just starting. Our investments are doing very well, so as qualified candidates become available, we will have the money to fund them. I know Prof and Helga are pleased.

They are now walking past a large clump of prickly pear cactus in full bloom, and that puts them about a hundred feet from their duplex. Okay, quick shower, reports to read, letters to write, phone calls to make, and then we meet back here in the courtyard for beer and roasted peanuts while enjoying a beautiful Hill Country sunset, or all four of us can get in one shower, right now.

No, we will shower together after sunset. We have got to get some work done, or we will never be able to catch up, and that would not be responsible, right?

Shall I set the glass toy by the bed so it will be waiting?

Betty smiles. Lil, I can’t believe we are addicted to glass.

Betty, I don’t think it’s the silicon we are addicted to but the configuration of the silicon.

Everyone is smiling as they enter their respective sides of the duplex.

Jo and Lil are in their office going over reports and entering comments and/or questions in the margin as Jeb and Betty are doing the same in their office.

Lil, I like this one. The young couple appears to be good people, and they have worked hard to save the necessary down payment. I do think they should start on a little larger scale. You read it and see what you think, and then we will pass it on the Jeb and Betty. Lil, I think we have a candidate, so check it over real close.

Okay, where is it located?

Ireland.

Well, you know I’ll like it.

No, no. No emotions, remember?

Lil smiles as she looks up from their big worktable and stares at the large framed photograph of the oil painting that depicts Prof, Helga, Fredrick, and Alissa unearthing the volumes of the BOND. Each couple in the clan has a framed photograph of that oil painting hanging in their office. Yes, dear, I remember. We can’t afford to have emotions when it comes to business. We always have to do what is right, I remember.

They go through additional reports and reject them. Then they write letters to different couples they have financed to see if they need anything. They routinely make quarterly inquiries until the loan is paid in full, and then twice a year, for three years, just to be sure the couple is doing okay. Jeb and Betty are doing the same thing. This is the business they are in, and they love every minute of it.

What time is it?

Jo, when we put everything away and hit the bathroom, it will be time for drinks and sunset.

Lil, take the one candidate report for Jeb and Betty to read tomorrow. If they like it, we will share it with the clan for additional input, and then one of the clan can contact the young couple in person and get their business started.

Jo, should we put some clothes on or a robe?

I say neither of the above. Hon, do you have any idea how beautiful you are naked? Lil is smiling big time as she walks into the bathroom.

Out in the courtyard, the four are eating roasted peanuts and enjoying their Shiner Bach beer. It’s good, traditional Texas Hill Country beer. This time of the year, the sun will set behind a large limestone mesa that is covered with old live oak trees and marks the west boundary of the compound. Between the rugged limestone mesa and their duplex is about three hundred acres of gently rolling meadow, and the wild flowers are in full bloom, displaying every color in the spectrum. The pale blue sky of late evening is 50 percent laced with thin clouds that are beginning to turn varying shades of white, yellow, pink, orange, red, and soft gray. Only a small portion of the big red globe is still visible above the western horizon, and then it is gone. The sky and the meadow are ablaze with the beauty of nature. The four sit quietly and sip their beer until the sky fades and dusk spreads over the meadow.

Jeb stands. "Shower first, and then how do