Chapter 5
It was Sunday morning, and Ernie rushed out of his apartment at 7:30.
He was dressed in blue jeans, a white tee-shirt, and a black leather jacket. He also sported an Elvis hairdo. It was his goofy attempt with looking like a 1950s greaser.
Ernie drove his Camaro down Peach Avenue.
Matt and Wilma were dressed in their Sunday Church clothes while they drove down Peach Avenue.
Ernie stopped his Camaro at a red light while in the right lane.
Matt stopped his car at the same red light while in the left lane. He stopped next to Ernie's Camaro.
Wilma glanced out her window and looked at Ernie's Camaro. She did a double take. "Is that Ernie?" she asked Matt.
Matt looked in the direction Wilma was looking. "I believe it might be."
"Why is he dressed like that? He looks a little goofy," Wilma said then chuckled.
"Maybe there's a greaser contest somewhere? Ask him."
Wilma tapped on her window to catch Ernie's attention.
The traffic light turned green, and Ernie floored his Camaro and sped off down the street.
"Must be someone else. Ernie drives a Toyota," Matt said while they watched Ernie race his Camaro down the street.
A car horn blew behind Matt's car, telling him that the light was green.
Matt looked in his rearview mirror and the driver behind him while he motioned in anger that the light was green.
Matt drove his car through the light, but back in the day, he would have said something to the driver. But Matt was feeling his age and thought it would be best to let it go.
Ernie pulled his Camaro into Louie's driveway and parked.
He got out with a small gym bag in hand and strutted to Louie's front door. He rang the doorbell.
The door opened, and Louie appeared wearing a 1950s style shirt and pants. His hair was cut had been greased back. His mustache was gone.
Louie looked at Ernie and chuckled. "Are you ready, Fonzie?"
"Hey!" Ernie replied with the best Fonzie impersonation he could muster with two Thumbs Up sign.
"You sure look different," Ernie said while he went inside the house.
"We have to play the part," Louie said while he closed the door then looked at Ernie. "You know that you're going to sweat like a pig in that jacket," he said.
Ernie thought about Louie's comment then realized he was correct. He removed his jacket and tossed it on the couch. Then he remembered something. "I don't have any cash for the fifties."
"I got that covered," Louie said while they headed toward the kitchen.
"I'll have to repay you when we get back."
"We'll settle that later," Louie said while they entered the kitchen.
Once they went into the kitchen, they headed to the basement door.
"Do you need to go to the bathroom before we head out?" Louie said in a jokingly manner.
Ernie chuckled and nodded that he didn't need a bathroom run.
Ernie and Louie headed down the stairs to the basement.
Ernie got to the bottom of the stairs.
He noticed that the tarp was already removed from the time machine. Both doors were opened.
"You have it ready," Ernie said while he walked over to the time machine.
"Yep," Louie said while he walked over to the left side door then got inside the machine.
Ernie walked over and got inside the right side of the machine.
Ernie and Louie sat in the machine and looked anxious for their adventure.
They buckled their seat belts.
Louie inserted the key in the ignition switch. He turned the key to the "Both" position.
He pressed the power button.
The engine powered up with a low hum.
Ernie got a little nervous but looking forward to time travel.
Louie flipped the three toggle switches.
The needles of the four gauges moved a little.
The two screens powered up with "Date" and "Time" entry spots visible.
Louie typed in "July 15, 1956" pressed "Enter" and it displayed on the "Date" screen.
He typed in "..8 a.m.," and it displayed on the "Time" screen.
Ernie thought about that date for a few seconds. "Wait, let's go back a little farther."
"To when?"
Ernie tried to recall a good time. "July 12."
"Why that day?"
"I think if I can get that bank robber caught right away, I can save mom's life."
"If you wish," Louie said then he typed in "July 12, 1956." He typed in "8:00 a.m." He paused for a few seconds then flipped the toggle switched back to the down position and turned the ignition to the "Off" position.
Ernie looked concerned. "Did you change your mind?" he asked.
"No, if we're going to be there for a few days, we'll need some supplies," Louie said then he opened his door and got out.
Ernie opened his door and got out.
Ernie watched while Louie rushed over to the stairs.
"Come help," Louie called out while he ran up the stairs.
Ernie rushed over to the stairs.
Fifteen minutes later, Louie and Ernie had the time machine brought some supplies down to the basement.
He opened the front hood of the time machine.
Ernie helped Louie place a folded two-man tent, a Coleman camping stove, some toiletry items, some camping cooking utensils, and a box of food supplies that did not require a refrigerator, inside the front of the time machine.
Ernie looked inside the storage area. "I'm glad you brought the tent."
"We should camp out while traveling through time. Also, it saves me some money," Louie said while he closed and secured the front hood.
Louie ran over to the left side of the time machine.
Ernie ran over to the right side of the time machine.
Ernie and Louie got back inside the time machine.
Louie went through the motions again and got the time machine in the configuration for time travel.
"Let's travel through time," Louie said then he typed in "July 12, 1956" pressed "Enter" and it displayed on the "Date" screen.
He typed in "..8 a.m." and pressed "Enter" and then it displayed on the "Time" screen.
He pressed the green button.
The engine hummed.
The machine vibrated.
Louie and Ernie experienced pain.
"This is normal," Louie said while he tolerated the pain.
Ernie had less tolerance for pain, and he started having thoughts on backing out.
The vibration got severe and tossed them around a little bumping to each other.
The pain got worse.
"Let's stop," Ernie cried out.
"Too late," Louie cried out and gripped his seat.
Ernie looked scared while he had a death grip on his seat.
Psychedelic colors filled the outside of the machine.
"Reminds me of the sixties," he said and loved this part of the travel.
Louie and Ernie experienced more extreme pain. They both screamed.
The psychedelic colors dissipated.
The pain subsided.
The vibration slowed down.
The machine was quiet except for the low hum of the engine.
Erie and Ernie looked out the windows and saw nothing but woods.
"We've arrived," Louie told Ernie with a satisfying smile.
Ernie looked a little dazed while he looked out the woods.
Louie flipped the toggle switched down.
He turned the key in the ignition switch to the "Off" position.
Louie opened his door, and the sound of birds singing from the trees was heard.
Louie stepped outside.
"Are you leaving the key here?" Ernie called out.
"Yeah, it'll be safe," Louie replied, then closed his door.
Ernie opened his door, stepped outside, then closed his door.
Ernie stood in awe and knew he was back in time. It was hard to imagine that this would be possible.
Louie opened up the front of the time machine and removed the folded tarp.
Ernie walked over and helped cover the time machine with the tarp.
Ernie glanced around the woods and saw the Waterford River. Then he saw a dirt clearing where the boat dock was in the future.
"Was your dock over by that clearing?" he asked Louie.
"Yeah, but during the fifties, teenagers would use that spot for necking. I can imagine some of your friends were conceived there," Louie said with a chuckle.
Ernie saw a dirt road that went from the clearing to the two-lane road. He knew that's where his driveway was in the future.
"Let's go," Louie said while he headed off to the dirt road.
Ernie took another glimpse of the area then he walked after Louie.
Ernie and Louie walked out of the dirt road and headed along the shoulder of the two-lane road.
Ernie saw nothing but woods and was a little surprised. "I take it Waterford was a lot smaller back in fifty-six."
"Yep. The town started exploding with growth after Atlantis Aviation built their plant here in sixty-four," Louie said.
"I guess I don't remember much of that," Ernie replied while they walked down the road.
Five minutes later, Louie and Ernie walked along the shoulder of the road and walked upon a dirt driveway.
A piece of scrap wood was nailed to a tree with "Army Indian Motorcycle with Sidecar For Sale - Cheap" painted on it.
Louie stopped and looked at the wooden sign. "I've always wanted one of those," he said and had the hunger for another motorcycle.
Ernie stopped and looked at the sign.
Louie walked away.
Ernie ran after him.
Five more minutes passed.
Ernie and Louie still walked along the shoulder of the road.
Ernie saw around fifteen old shabby wooden shacks off in the woods. These dilapidated shacks were the African-American community of Waterford.
Ernie stared at the shacks while they walked down the road.
Outside the shacks, some of the African-Americans eyed Ernie and Louie with caution.
"I never saw this place before," Ernie said while he kept looking at the shacks.
Louie looked at Ernie. "Welcome to the fifties."
Ernie felt sorry for the way they had to live. "I believe that's where the Waterford Mall is now located."
"You would be correct," Louie replied.
They continued their walk toward Waterford where a welcome sign was visible way down the road.