Chapter 11
The sun rose for the start of another humid July day across Georgia. It was Saturday.
Back in the woods, Louie drank some coffee while he sat by the Coleman stove that had a pot of coffee freshly made.
Ernie crawled out of the tent.
"How's your head?"
"It's feeling better," Ernie replied while he stood up and stretched.
Louie grabbed the coffee pot off the stove then poured a cup of coffee into the extra cup. He handed it to Ernie.
Ernie sat down by Louie and sipped his coffee. He looked over at the covered time machine. "What are we going to do about the ignition key?"
Louie pondered for a solution for a few seconds while he drank his coffee. "I think I can take the ignition switch into a hardware store and they can make another key.
Ernie nodded that that sounded like a viable idea while he sipped his coffee.
Louie suddenly looked worried.
He jumped up and rushed over to the machine.
Louie quickly removed the tarp off the front of the time machine. He opened the door on the top of the front end and peeked inside the storage area. He removed a small metal box and opened it. He looked relieved. "He didn't take my stash," he told Ernie while he walked back over to Ernie.
Ernie looked a little worried. "Stash? Did you bring pot? I can imagine what the prison sentence would be if we get caught with that here in fifty-six," he said and looked around to make sure the law wasn't coming to arrest them.
Louie chuckled over Ernie's questions. "No. I meant my time traveling stash of cash," he said showed Ernie the inside of the box.
Ernie peeked inside the box and saw numerous bills of different denominations. He was relieved it wasn't drugs.
Louie reached inside the box and grabbed all the money. He shoved the cash into his pants pocket.
Ernie drank some more of his coffee. Then his eyes widened when he remembered something. "Dad and Beth are probably going to head to Emerson today for her abortion. I wish I had a camera to catch the moment, but then again, we don't have any transportation. Or a camera," he told Louie.
Louie thought about their situation. Then his eyes widened, and he snapped his fingers. "I think I have a solution," he said, and a huge grin grew on his face the more he thought about it. Louie tossed out the rest of his coffee into the dirt.
He got up and headed over to the time machine and removed the tarp away from the cabin area. He closed the door on the front end then rushed over and opened up the left door. He leaned inside and started to remove the ignition switch.
Ernie got up and walked over to the time machine. "What the solution?"
Louie looked back at Ernie with a smirk.
Ernie looked a little leery.
"I'll go get ready," Ernie said then he walked over to some trees to pee.
Louie stayed inside the cabin of the time machine and removed the ignition switch.
In Jesse's home, he was still asleep in bed.
Erica took young Ernie with her to Woolworths, as she tried to avoid leaving him home alone with Jesse.
Jesse woke up and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds a little dazed. Then he remembered it was Saturday and he bolted out of bed.
He ran down the hallway and went inside the bathroom. He shaved then took a shower.
A little while later, Jesse entered the garage from the side door.
He rushed over to the garbage can and removed the lid. He reached inside the can then pulled his hand out with a bundle of twenty-dollar bills. He shoved the bundle into his pants pocket. He reinstalled the lid on the can.
He rushed over to the side door and went outside.
Jesse rushed over his Bel-Air and got inside. He started up the car and backed down the driveway.
A neighbor across the street waved at Jesse while he drove his Bel-Air down the street. Jesse had today's potential event on his mind and didn't notice the neighbor waving.
Ernie and Louie walked out of the woods and headed down the two-lane road.
"Where's this transportation solution?" Ernie asked as he wasn't looking forward to a day of walking.
"Soon," Louie replied while he saw the entrance to a dirt driveway forty-feet down the road.
Ernie was thinking how sweet it would be to sit in a car again while they headed down the road.
Louie stopped Ernie by the dirt driveway.
Ernie saw the piece of scrap wood that was nailed to the trees with "Army Indian Motorcycle with Sidecar For Sale" painted on it. He looked at Louie then back at the sign. "Is this your solution?"
Louie had a child's grin while he nodded it was.
"Are you serious?"
"Oh yeah," Louie replied while he looked back at the sign.
Ernie looked at the sign. "What the hell, it sure beats walking to Emerson," he said then motioned for Louie to head down the dirt driveway.
Louie walked down the dirt driveway with a spring in his step.
Ernie tagged along behind him.
Ernie and Louie walked down the dirt driveway.
They walked upon a farmhouse with a wrap-around porch and a red barn off to the side.
Behind the house and barn were a large cornfield and rows of peach trees.
Louie picked up his pace while he rushed to the porch of the house.
Louie knocked on the screen door the second he got on the porch.
Ernie waited by the base of the stairs of the porch.
Jacob Stone appeared at the screen door in his overalls with a pipe in his mouth. "Good morning. Do you want to buy some peaches?" Jacob asked Louie.
"No sir, I'm interested in your Indian motorcycle."
"On my Indian," Jacob replied with a smile thinking he had a buyer. He opened the screen door and stepped outside to the porch. "It's in the barn," he added then walked down the steps of the porch.
Ernie and Louie followed Jacob while he walked over to the barn.
The barn door was already opened.
Jacob walked Ernie and Louie into the barn where his brand new 1956 red Chevrolet pickup was parked.
"There she is," Jacob said while he pointed to the faded green 1940 Army Indian motorcycle with sidecar that was parked behind the Chevy pickup.
Louie walked around and checked out the Indian with a sidecar that still had some of the Army markings.
"She belonged to my son who bought it from some Army surplus sale," Jacob told Louie while he peeked inside the sidecar.
"The seat of the sidecar looks good," Louie said while he felt around the inside of the sidecar.
"How does she run?" Louie asked while he looked at the engine.
"Like she's brand new," Jacob replied then smoked on his pipe.
Louie walked over and sat in the seat. He kick-started it, and the engine started up with a loud varoom. "She sounds nice," he yelled out over the noise of the engine.
Ernie looked a little intimidated while he looked at the sidecar. But he preferred to sit in it rather than on a seat behind Louie. But not having seatbelts also concerned Ernie.
"I'll even fill up the gas tank," Jacob yelled out at Louie over the noise of the engine.
Louie revved up the engine with a grin then turned it off. "I'll take her," he said while he got off the cycle.
"Great. I also have some other items that go along with her. They're in the house," Jacob said while he headed to the barn door.
"Would you by chance have a camera for sale?" Ernie said while he and Louie followed Jacob.
"I sure do," Jacob answered while he walked out of the barn.
Ernie and Louie followed Jacob over to his house.
Twenty minutes later, Jacob helped Louie push the Indian motorcycle out of his barn.
After Louie gave Jacob fifty dollars, then a handshake sealed the deal.
Ernie looked a little apprehensive while he placed the leather helmet and goggles on his head.
Louie placed his leather helmet and goggles on his head then he sat down in the seat.
Ernie got inside the sidecar while Louie kick-started the engine with a loud varoom. He looked like a goof with his new camera strapped around his neck.
Louie drove the motorcycle away from the barn and headed to the dirt driveway.
Jacob reached inside his overall pockets and removed the cash. He had a massive grin while he saw the fifty bucks of cold money in his hand.
He walked off to this house, smoking his pipe.
Louie pulled his Indian motorcycle with sidecar onto the two-lane road. "Yahoo! He cried out while he accelerated.
Louie raced the motorcycle around the bend.
The bike leaned to the left and raised the sidecar up in the air.
The sidecar plopped back down on its wheels.
Ernie looked frightened while the motorcycle weaved down the middle of the street. He had a death grip on the side of the sidecar.
A little while later, Louie had his motorcycle parked along Fay Avenue in front of Frazier's Hardware Store. Donnie Frazier closed down his store in 1974 when he retired, and a True Value Hardware store moved in its location. It was located across the street from the Waterford Police Department.
Louie and Ernie stood at the counter of the hardware store while Donnie Frazier, now in his late forties looked over the ignition switch.
Ernie looked at Donnie in awe, as he remembered coming in this place once in a while when he was young. Donnie even gave Ernie a summer job in 1973 right after he graduated from high school. Donnie did it as a favor to Beth so Ernie could earn some money for tuition at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Donnie looked at Ernie then looked at the ignition switch. He looked back at Ernie, and something seemed familiar about him. Donnie shrugged off that feeling. "I can have a key done by Monday morning," he said then placed the switch on the counter.
"Monday morning?"
"Yep. I'm kinda busy with some other orders," Donnie replied.
"Okay. I'll be back on Monday," Louie replied, knowing he didn't have a choice.
Louie and Ernie walked away and headed to the door.
They went outside the hardware store and headed to the motorcycle.
"I hope he can make a new key," Ernie said while they approached the motorcycle.
"He should. But if he doesn't, I'll figure out a way to rewire the machine, or we can stay here in nineteen fifty-six," Louie replied while he sat down on the Indian.
Ernie looked a little worried while he sat down inside the sidecar then placed the leather helmet and goggles on his head.
Louie kick-started the cycle then he placed the leather helmet and goggles on his head.
Louie drove off down the street.
Then Louie turned down Waterford Blvd.
A little while later, Louie found a parking spot down the street from Woolworths.
They got off the motorcycle and headed down the sidewalk.
Ernie and Louie entered Woolworths.
Ernie eyed the food counter the second he walked through the store. The only customer he saw at the counter was young Ernie, who ate his French toast breakfast.
"I want so much to tell her," he told Louie when he saw Erica walk out of the kitchen with a glass of white milk.
"We should wait for the right moment," Louie replied while he watched Erica place the glass of milk in front of young Ernie.
Ernie and Louie headed over to another counter that sold cameras. Howard worked behind that counter.
"I need some film for my camera," Ernie told Howard and set his new camera down on the counter.
Howard picked up the camera and looked it over. "I can help you with that," he said then walked away with the camera.
Ernie glanced over his shoulder and saw Jesse walking over to the food counter.
Ernie leaned over to Louie. "Maybe he's not going to Emerson?" he whispered.
"What?"
Ernie motioned for Louie to check out the food counter.
Louie glanced behind him and saw Jesse sit down by young Ernie.
They both watched while Jesse talked with Erica.
"Here's your film, sir," Howard told Ernie and placed the camera down on the counter. "That's fifty cents."
Louie reached in his pocket and pulled out two quarters. He placed them on the counter.
Ernie moved away and inched toward the counter while he eyed Jesse. He headed down the merchandise aisle closer to the food counter.
Ernie peeked over some merchandise and spied on Jesse and Erica at the counter. Young Ernie concentrated on eating his French toast.
Erica placed a plate of fried eggs and bacon in front of Jesse.
"I have an important business meeting in Emerson today," Jesse said then he took a drink of his coffee and set his cup down.
"What kind of business?" Erica replied while she refreshed his coffee.
Jesse looked pissed with her question. "It's none of your damn business. I'll be there all day, so I'm going to spend the night and head back first thing in the morning."
Erica nodded like an intimidated obedient wife.
Young Ernie reached out to grab his glass of milk. He accidentally knocked it over spilling milk all over the counter. Some of the milk flowed toward the edge of the counter almost spilling onto Jesse's pants.
Jesse jumped back the second he saw the spilled milk at the edge of the counter. He smacked the back of young Ernie's head. "Watch what the hell you're doing!" he scolded in a raised voice.
Erica gave Jesse disapproving eyes while she took a rag and soaked up the spilled milk.
Ernie looked mad with Jesse's smacking while he moved down out of sight from the counter.
He duck walked away to the other end of the aisle.
Louie grabbed the camera and stood by the counter and watched Ernie.
He headed down the aisle.
"What the hell are you doing?" Louie asked Ernie while he walked down the aisle.
Ernie looked up and saw Louie at the end of the aisle. He motioned for Louie to quickly duck down.
Louie ducked down when he saw Jesse standing up near the counter. "What's wrong?"
"Dad's his usual asshole self."
"Is he staying here in Waterford?"
"No. He told mom he's going to Emerson and staying overnight."
Louie and Ernie's duck walked down the aisle.
The second they get to the end of the aisle, they were greeted by an old lady.
She looked down at them like they were weird.
"It's a new type of exercise," Louie said while he stood up.
"Helps burn off the excess weight," Ernie added while stood up.
Ernie and Louie walked away.
The old lady watched while they rushed away.
She pondered for a few seconds then she smiled. She started to squat down. It hurt her back.
She got up and walked down the aisle. "Dumb exercise."
Ernie and Louie headed to the door and noticed Jesse was gone from the counter.
They rushed outside Woolworths.
Once Ernie and Louie got outside Woolworths, they saw Jesse get inside his Bel-Air that was parked down the street.
They rushed down the sidewalk to the motorcycle.
They got on the motorcycle and quickly placed their leather helmets and goggles on their heads.
Louie kick-started it with a varoom.
Louie pulled out into traffic after Jesse pulled his Bel-Air into traffic.
Louie drove his motorcycle down the street with Ernie in the sidecar and trailed Jesse's Bel-Air.
A few minutes later, Jesse's Bel-Air turned down another street toward a residential area.
Louie drove his motorcycle down Waterford Blvd knowing it headed out of town.