The cubs were happy it's Friday as they boarded the bus to leave for school...last school day before the week end. An even though the temperature was about 25 due to it still being February, everyone was looking forward to it warming up to about 50...Fifty degrees that afternoon was the weather report predictions for Duran and Estancia...The cubs were happy they didn't live in Vaughn, as the afternoon temperature there wasn't expected to even make it up to 40 that day. On this Friday, the 19th, Al Coyote was to work only half a day that morning...The project at the lab that Al was working on with Samuel Weasel would be held up due to a delay of the arrival of special made hardware. Though the hardware should arrive Monday, there would only be a few hours Al and Samuel could go on the project this day before not having the hardware would bring the project to a stand still. "I have a morning half shift today" Al said to Marge. "I should be home early". "They got another evening project starting?", Marge asked. "It's not that", Al assured Marge. "There's a delay in getting special hardware Sam and I need". Al and Marge then hugged and kissed as they usually do upon Al leaving for work. As Al stepped out of the house to go to the car, he said to Marge, "On my home, I'll go by way of going past Vaughn so I can drop by and see how Harold and the others are coming along with the time machine" "Oh, I know Clarence will be happy when they can get that machine fixed", Marge said. "He definitely will", Al replied, knowing from what he had heard out at the landing site yesterday, there was the real possibility Harold Wolf and the others might eventually find that the machine can not be fixed with present day 1960 technology. During Al Coyote's drive along Route 3 to work that morning, that possibility of the machine not being able to be fixed weighed on his mind. Not ever being involved in a project like Project Courier, Al had no idea, and wondered, about many scenarios and how they could affect many animals presently in 1960, through the span of 58 years, and through out the future 21st Century. As Al continued his drive to work, he figured concerning those scenarios he thought of, that Harold Wolf and the others engaged on the project could best explain what could, and what would not, happen. Once Al Coyote arrived to the lab, he noticed that the detail of animals who were working on the time machine had already left on their way out to the site just off Highway 54. "Hi there Sam", Al greeted Samuel Weasel as he and Samuel were each getting a cup of coffee to start the morning". "Oh hello, Al." Samuel Weasel returned the greeting, "Anything special planned for this weekend?". "Naw...Same ole, same ole", Al replied, as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened over the past week and a half. Samuel Weasel knew absolutely nothing of the time machine, and thought like everyone else did, that Clarence Coyote was and adopted orphan who had been born in 1952. Samuel Weasel was never engaged on Project Courier, nor was he among those animals who Poindexter, Al and the others had put strictest confidence in to be told about it...Other than Al, Marge, their cubs, and several other highly trusted scientists who were engaged on Project Courier, no one else knew... ...There were even some other scientists who, although were engaged on Project Courier, were not trusted enough to be privileged to the information that the very machine they were helping to design had arrived from 58 years in the future, and was presently at that remote spot off of Highway 54. Al Coyote and Samuel Weasel then resumed work on their presently assigned project, which was an experimental prototype for an anti-detection cloaking device for a spy satellite still being developed out a Area 51 at Groom Lake, Nevada...Horizon Innovations in New Mexico was contracted to design and develop the prototype for the cloaking device that Al and Samuel were assigned to fabricate and build the prototype of. It would be in about three or four hours that they would get to the point of not being able to go any further until the special hardware arrives on Monday...With the "cold war" existing between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. at the time, it was considered a very important project.
________________________________________ That morning at school, 3rd grade teacher, Glenda Otter, complimented Clarence that his grades have made a remarkable improvement toward the end of his first week of school. While Glenda Otter still had Clarence up by her desk, she mentioned, "Earlier this week I was sure you were going to fail the 3rd grade flat on your face come June. But if you maintain your present rate of improvement, you'll pass with flying colours I am proud to say". It was back on Tuesday (3 days ago) that Glenda had asked the class during a lesson in American history, "Who can tell me what day the American Declaration of Independence was signed". That was when Clarence spoke out and proudly answered, "That depends on what's politically correct", being use to the common core curriculum during 2018, and thinking he actually gave a correct answer, only to get strange looks from the others in his class. Ever since Clarence got an "F" for the day on that Tuesday three days ago, he had made vast improvements over those past three days as he had been picking up on the proper education that Glenda Otter had been teaching her class.
______________________________ Shortly before noon, at the Horizon Innovations Laboratory, Al Coyote and Samuel Weasel got to that point of needing the special hardware the lab didn't yet have. So that was about the time Al and Samuel secured what they have worked on so far, then checked out for the day, thus an early start to their week end. Instead of Al taking his usual way home from Encino along Route 3, he headed east on 60 so he can stop at the landing site off of Highway 54. Being it was noon, Al stopped at the cafe' in Vaughn to have lunch...afterward, then headed back out of Vaughn and south on Highway 54. As Al began south on 54, there was green 1956 Chevy pick up truck behind him being driven by an old goat. Al knowing he can't be seen entering the site area by other motorists, and it was still miles before he would arrive there, Al pulled the car off to the road and stopped, allowing the old goat in the pick up to go on past him. Al waited on the side of the road until the pick up truck was out of sight before pulling back on and continuing down Highway 54. After several minutes, as Al was approaching the time machine landing site, he made sure there were no other vehicles in site on the highway, then pulled off the highway and drove out to behind the rock formation where Harold Wolf and the others had their cars parked, and were continuing to attempt repairs on the time machine. "Hello Al. We're still at it", Harold Wolf greeted Al. "So I see", Al replied, as he lit up a Chesterfield then stepped out of the car. Al noticed several house brooms laid together off to the side. "What's with the brooms?", Al asked after a puff on his cigarette. "I guess they have nothing to do with repairing the machine, do they?". "Their to brush away the tire tracks left by our cars", Woodrow Raccoon told Al. Harold Wolf added, "I thought it best to make it a practice of sweeping over the car tracks we've been making in and out of here". "Smart thinking", Al replied. Lenard Wolverine added, "Like Harold said. It does no good to be careful about not letting motorists see us coming in and out of here, then leave lots of car tracks in the sand to draw attention anyway". "One set of tracks left by the last to leave each day is one thing." Harold Wolf mentioned, "But tracks left by half a dozen cars over time will soon arouse curiosity from passing motorists". "Now that you've mentioned it", said Al. "The tracks my car left coming in here are the only ones I see right now". Then Al asked, "Have any good news on time machine?". "I wish I can say we do", Greg Otter replied. "But we've noticed another problem". "This panel has three of them, Woodrow", said Poindexter Fox, who was up inside the machine, as he pawed down a 24 inch x 16 inch circuit board to Woodrow Raccoon, who was standing just outside the door of the craft. "Look at these", Woodrow Raccoon said to Al as he showed Al three, large, components that were integrated onto the board, of which no one in 1960 had ever seen the likes of before. "I'm familiar with electronics, and I've never seen anything like these", Al told Woodrow. "Components that are yet to exist in the future I take it". "They are", Woodrow said as he pawed the circuit board over to Al. "A closer look reveals that we would acquire some of these components supplied by other companies". "Vendor parts", Al mentioned, as he noticed two components each bearing an embossed RCA Electronics Corporation trademark. The RCA components had three main coils, one inside the other, which were wired to a series of 24 transistors and other solid state parts. And there were four, long, glass tubes with internal conductors and mini coil packs at each end of each glass tube. Dozens of fine wires at each end connected the coil packs of the glass tubes to the main coils and transistors, then wired into the circuit board...The outer main coil and seven transistors of one RCA unit showed signs of being burnt...Three of the long glass tubes on the other RCA unit had been cracked. "I'm sure the patent dates should come as no surprise", Lenard Wolverine told Al Coyote. Then Al read a label on one of them, "RCA Corporation patent...Issued in 1967...These units, what ever they are, won't exist for another seven years yet". "Nor will they be conceived and designed before then", Harold Wolf added. "Nine years from now on that GE unit", Woodrow Raccoon said, pointing out the third unit, being a General Electric component, which was a complex array of long glass tubes with fine wire leads attached in various locations. Each tube contained a maze of fiber optic rods and tiny curved mirrors and lenses in them. And each glass tube had light emitting diodes and electronic eyes on some of the fiber optic rods...The year of the patent date shown on it was 1969. "We've seen a lot of these kind of parts in this machine", said Lenard Wolverine. "I'm not doubting RCA and GE are to custom make some of these parts special for this machine", Woodrow Raccoon mentioned. "That's a thought I don't even like thinking about", Lenard added. Poindexter Fox mentioned in the doorway from up inside the machine, "If we are not successful in back-engineering these components, replacements for the damaged units won't be available until the end of this decade, after RCA, General Electric, and other manufacturers design and produce them". "Quite obviously, you can't buy parts that have not yet been manufactured", Al noted. "I had no clue we were to be using outsourced components, and this many of them, when the time was to come when we are to build this machine", Greg mentioned. "It will be years before sources for these components even exist.", said Woodrow Raccoon. "That's why it so important to determine what they are for, what they do, how they work...and most importantly, how to replicate them". "Some of them being burned out won't make our job any easier either", Lenard Wolverine added. Johnny Ferret said jokingly, as the others chuckled, "If RCA and GE has a gripe about patent infringement, they'll have to wait to sue us ten years from now". "I'm sure the animals at RCA and GE presently have no clue they'll someday be designing and making these parts", Lenard Wolverine mentioned. "By then Clarence will have the machine in the 21st Century along with any incriminating evidence of the pseudo parts we'll try to make". "Hopefully these parts can be made before Clarence would have grown up in the decade of the 1960s", Al mentioned, as no one had any idea of what the '60s will be like, being that it hasn't come to pass yet. "Let's not give up now, Al", Harold Wolf replied. "We're still trying...Even if it does come to Clarence living through the 60s with us, in his particular case, ten years will not be enough to alter the time continual to where his original family was never his family". "WOAH! Hold on!", Al exclaimed. "What are you talking about?!". Harold then explained to Al, "Let's say hypothetically, if Clarence never sets foot in a time machine again, and lives on through the next 58 years until he's...what..." "He would be sixty-six years old", Poindexter Fox affirmed as he was climbing back out of the machine. "That would put Clarence as being somewhere in his 30s when his original parents are born", Harold Wolf continued to explain. "That would cause the time continual to alter itself to where you, Marge and your cubs are the only family Clarence has ever known and had...in well backed up theory of course". "In that given scenario, Clarence would truly then be that orphan cub you and Marge picked up on the 9th of this month, born in 1952", Harold Wolf continued. "And in such a scenario, if those who would been Clarence's mom and dad in the 21st Century had a cub in 2010, it wouldn't be Clarence, even though they might still name him Clarence". "Sounds a little scary doesn't it", Al replied. "But not to worry though", Harold Wolf assured Al. " For Clarence, ten years into 1970 will not be enough time lapse to cause that to happen". "Just like with the time machine itself", Woodrow Raccoon added. "Regardless whether Clarence can return from this year to his rightful time, or if he has to wait until 1970, Horizon Innovations will still have a government contract to fulfill, having us to build that machine for the military by 1970...Now if...Clarence can return before 1970, the machine we will build in 1970 will be the same machine...Course of events go, Machine built in 1970. Forty-eight years later in 2018, Clarence travels to 1960 in it. Then in 1960, Clarence returns to 2018 it it. In which the machine still was built in 1970...Simply put, a forty-eight year old machine goes to 1960, then skips back up to the 21st Century". "Sounds simple enough", Al replied..."I guess". Woodrow Raccoon then continued, "Now if Clarence were not yet to make his return trip until well into 1970, we would still be under obligation to build another time travel machine in order for Horizon Innovations to honor their end of the government contract...Obviously, we would not be able to present this machine after it being refurbished, because Clarence would need it to get back home in. So by then, we would have already begun construction on a 2nd machine so we'd have one to present to the military...With one machine being built in the same present time with the other presently existing machine, those two machines would be two individual machines and not the same machine". "So if in that given scenario, we'd have two time machines kicking around here from then on", Al acknowledged. "Well, only until the time Clarence leaves in one of them for the 21st Century", Harold Wolf interjected. "Between that moment and through the decades until Clarence arrives in the 21st Century, which would be only a few minutes to Clarence but years to us, there will be only the one time machine the military has. The moment Clarence completes his leap through time there will then again be two time machines around. One being the one Clarence arrived from 1970 in, and the other being the one the military has". Woodrow Raccoon added, "And I have to say, there would be some unpredictable alterations taking place in the time continual if that particular scenario was to transpire...including for the machines themselves". "We can only hope no other cubs fool with these kind of machines in the future", Al mentioned as he tossed his cigarette butt. "Which is how Clarence came to be among us here in 1960", Johnny Ferret stated the obvious. "Cub in the future fooling around with a time machine...With us trying to figure out this 1970 technology, I'm just glad this time machine wasn't destined to be built sometime in 2016 or 2017 for us to try to fix". "Had that been so, it would have been so far ahead of our time, we wouldn't have been able to even begin any attempts to repair it", Woodrow Raccoon replied to Johnny. "Clarence would have had to gotten use to being a part of this generation for the rest of his natural life". "That would have meant there being the day that Marge and I would be sending Clarence through college with Jed, Rex and Donna", Al mentioned as Woodrow nodded in agreement. All this probably would have been too much technical information for the average animal to grasp a concept of. However, because of Al being a scientist, he was able to have a good concept of what Harold Wolf and Woodrow Raccoon had explained to him. Al and the other scientists talked a while before Al left the site to go home...In which Johnny Ferret and Lenard Wolverine went out with brooms to brush away the tire tracks that would be left by Al's car. Johnny Ferret checked for approaching cars before Al pulled out from behind the rock formation. "Hold up", Johnny called out as he saw a car approaching from the north a mile away. "Wait up, Al", Lenard said. In about a minute, Johnny Ferret crouched down out of sight behind a bush as a blue 1960 Chevy Biscayne went by at 60 mph. "All clear", Johnny called out. "You got it, Al", Lenard assured Al. After Al pulled out and headed south down Highway 54, Johnny Ferret and Lenard Wolverine swept the tire tracks away on their way walking back to the time machine.
______________________________ Back at the house, Al assured Marge that everything was going okay with the progress on the time machine, although he knew the other scientists had run up against obstacles trying to get a grasp on getting repairs started on the machine. A while after Al had been home, he and Marge walked over to Frank and Wanda Coyote's house to visit a while with them until the cubs would arrive home from school.
______________________________ In Estancia, school was letting out a 3:00 pm, as the cubs and teens were looking forward to the week end. However, Biff, Richie and Gaston, the three pitbull bullies, has another hour left of scrubbing sidewalks on detention...That is of course unless they choose to skip detention, resulting in go to reform school for the next six months. As the three pitbull juvenile delinquents showed up for their sidewalk scrubbing detail after school, Principal Wolf told them, "Glad you three can make it. But that sidewalk you attempted to clean yesterday still looks dirty". "What do you mean?", Biff retorted, as that section of sidewalk was sparkly clean. Principal Wolf then asked Janitor Rufus Opossum, "Rufus. Does that part of the sidewalk they tried to clean look clean to you?". "Looks filthy, Sir", Rufus abruptly answered. "You heard him", Principal Wolf said to the pitbull threesome. "That's what we hired Rufus Opossum for. So he can know what's filthy and what's not...And right now, he says that section of sidewalk you thought you cleaned yesterday is filthy". Gaston then asked Principal Wolf, "Surely we can use a hose today instead lugging pails of water". "No...I don't want ice in the hose", Principal Wolf replied. "SHIT! It's about 50 degrees out here!", Gaston ranted. "WHAT...did you just say?", Principal Wolf retorted to Gaston. "It's 50 degrees out here", Gaston answered. "Before that", Principal Wolf asked. "Shit?", Gaston replied. "That just got you another five days added to your detention", Principal Wolf told Gaston. "Congratulations, lunkhead. You can now keep your buddy Biff company on his last week of detention.". If there was actually the sound of blood boiling, and a tea pot whistling like depicted in the cartoons, that was Gaston at that moment. Principal Wolf then asked Biff, "Isn't that right, Biff? You'll have some company on your last week out here. Isn't that right, Biff?...I said isn't that right?...Hey, Biff. I asked you a question. Isn't that right?". "YEA!", Biff shouted. "You better watch your attitude, boy", Principal Wolf retorted at Biff. "I'm not one of those elementary school cubs you beat up for their lunch money. And you can find that out in a big hurry if you decide to get stupid enough to try me. You understand me?". Biff said nothing. "I asked do you understand me?!" Principal Wolf ranted at Biff. Biff still gave no reply. "OKAY! I'm about to go in the office and call Torrence County to haul your little red wagon to reform school!", Principal Wolf threatened Biff, then asked, "Do you understand me?! Well do you, punk?!" "Yes,sir", Biff finally replied in a disgruntled tone. "Well that's more like it", Principal Wolf taunted Biff. "Wasn't so hard was it?". Principal Wolf then said to Janitor Rufus Opossum, "Don't let these three dillies give you a hard time". "Oh I won't", replied Rufus Opossum. "I've got them aaaallllll under control". As Principal Wolf left to go home, he said to the three pitbull youths, "You want games, I can play them too. Of course you DO remember I said you won't win...And I haven't seen you three score a point yet...Well have a good week end. I know I will". Then Janitor Rufus Opossum called out to Biff, Richie and Gaston, "HUP two three four! HUP two three four! To the utility room to get the pole brushes, pails and cleanser!. Let's get this show on the road!...Double time HARCH!...And don't you dare even come CLOSE to a hose". If there was a time that Biff, Richie and Gaston could have been pushed over the brink to literally murder Rufus Opossum, this was the time. Once the three pitbull youths got their supplies and water, and were scrubbing the sidewalk, Rufus Opossun noticed a watch that Biff was wearing. "No watches on detention", Rufus exclaimed. "My dad gave me this watch last night so I can know when 4:00 gets here", Biff retorted. "Gimme the the watch", retorted Rufus Opossum, "I'll let you know when 4:00 gets here". "There ain't no school rule against having a watch". Biff retorted. "No...But I have a janitorial rule against it" Rufus Opossum replied. "And I am the janitor". Biff gritted his teeth and growled at Rufus Opossum. "Unless you love reform school, you better watch it, Bud", Rufus Opossum warned. "Now gimme the watch". After Rufus Opossum got Biff Pitbull to surrender the watch, Rufus put the watch on his wrist and said, "Ahh. This looks good on me" If looks could kill, the looks that Biff, Richie and Gastin Pitbull was giving Rufus Opossum would have knocked Rufus flat out dead. When Rufus went inside the school building, Biff said, " I could chop that shit-n-doodle opossum's arm off right now to get that watch back". Rufus Opossum later came out and told the pitbull threesome, "Thanks to this watch, I can now tell how much time goes by that you dinkelberries should have got stuff done. Thanks for the use of the watch". Biff was so pissed off, after Rufus Opossum went back into the school building, Biff slammed his pole brush into a water pail hard enough to knock the pail over. "I'LL KILL THAT BRAIN DAMAGED PIECE OF SHIT!", Biff retorted. Rufus Opossum messed with Biff, Richie and Gaston as bad as he did on Thursday...even worse actually...while they were on detention for Friday, After it was 4:30, Rufus Opossum came out and said, "You dipsie-doodles must looovvve scrubing sidewalks. It's already almost 4:34. Past my clock out time. But that's okay. I can use a few minutes overtime". "Here's your watch back", Rufus said to Biff, as he tossed the watch back to Biff, as Biff barely caught it without missing it. "I know you boys were suppose to get off detention at 4:00, but I forgot it was 4:35 already". "Now get this stuff put away...Chop chop...And get this de-icer on the sidewalk...I've already got five minutes time at a half overtime you know...What are YOU gettin' paid...NOTHING! HA!" Rufus Opossum taunted the delinquent pitbull youths. After the de-icer was applied, and Rufus Opossum let the Pitbulls off for the day, Biff was so pissed he slammed the watch down on the sidewalk hard enough to bust it into seven pieces. "Reeeeaaalll smart!", Rufus Opossum called out to Biff on his way in the school building to clock out. "Ain't MY wrist watch, noogle nut. DUHHHHH!...HA! Timex! Takes a lickin' an' keeps on tickin'...Your stingy daddy shoulda bought you a Timex, dumb-dumb". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_fKppH8B0g Biff was about mad enough to beat Rufus Opossun to a pulp at that point...But he knew if he so much as laid a paw on Rufus, it would mean reform school. By then, Biff was so pissed off, that after the pitbull threesome got into Daddy Reginald Collindale Pitbull's '59 Cadillac, Biff raced that two and a half ton, 325 horsepower Cadillac down the street so fast, you'd think he was trying to break the sound barrier.
______________________________ In Duran, after the cubs had arrived home from school, Marge had some Kool Aid made up for Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna. "No grape this time?", Rex asked. "It's orange or cherry this time. Take your pick", Marge told Rex, thus Rex chose cherry. "There's always another time to have grape", Al said to Rex. "You cubs have homework over the week end?", Marge asked. As the cubs had answered, none of them had homework. Being that it had at least warmed up to 51 degrees, Al and Marge recommended to the cubs it would be a nice day to go play outside with the other cubs in the neighborhood. As the cubs were on their way out of the house to go play, Marge told them, "Oh, by the way. We're all going to The Hop this evening". The cubs cheered, "Yeaaahhh!", "Awright", "Shrimp baskets!", "An' ice cream!", "Pinbaaaalllll!". "And we can dance too", Donna said. "As long as you don't get in the way of the teens and grown ups", Marge advised Donna. "Frank and Wanda and their cubs are coming with us too", Al added, thus getting another round of cheer from the cubs". "Jerald and Dotty are bring their dates along tonight. So make you cubs practice good behavior", Marge told the cubs. "We will", the cubs promised as they dashed off to play with the other neighbor cubs. The cubs, with several other neighbor cubs, played hide and seek for a while. Ryan Lynx eventually showed up with his go cart...It wasn't a racing class go cart. It was powered by a Briggs and Straton, 3 horsepower motor, had straight axles, and solid rubber wheels very much like a cub's toy wagon has. However, it was still a fun go cart to the cubs. Ryan Lynx let the other cubs take turns driving it on the neighborhood back streets of Duran. Of course, this was the very first time Clarence had ever been on a go cart...He had been on an ATV a few times in 2017 and 2018, but sitting on a go cart felt so different sitting down so close to the street. Even though that go cart had a top speed of only 27 miles per hour, Clarence still found it to be fun to drive. "This go cart looks well built", Clarence commented to Ryan Lynx, noticing there were nearly no plastic parts on it like stuff in the 21st Century is made of. "Gee, thanks", Ryan thanked Clarence. "It's held up really good so far". A little while later, Eva Ferret brought her wagon out, in which the cubs got some rope and tied the wagon handle to the rear axle housing of Ryan's go cart. Then Ryan would pull the wagon behind his go cart as the cubs took turns riding in the wagon, sometimes three cubs at a time in the wagon. Of course, pulling a wagon full of other cubs, Ryan kept the go cart down to speeds of between 5 and 10 miles per hour, and took it slow around turns...Clarence and Cheryl even took a couple of 'cub honeymoon' rides together in the wagon pulled behind Ryan Lynx's go cart. Clarence also noticed the wagon wasn't built cheap and chintzy either. It was a well built Radio Flyer brand wagon made of a decent gauge steel. Clarence also noticed that of the toy trucks the other neighbor cubs had. They were't plastic. They were made from steel and durable. The tires were real rubber. And the only plastic parts on them were if any of the toy trucks had a clear plastic windshield, or a plastic steering wheel, or a plastic grill. And they weren't outlandish with corny looks either like the toys of the 21st Century that were made to look like super trucks for a race track. These toy trucks had a down to Earth look like the real trucks have. At about 5:45 that evening, Marge called Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna to the house. "We're getting ready to go The Hop", Marge told the cubs, as the cubs cheered with excitement. Jed and Rex went to get a few of their miniature toy trucks and cars they usually bring to play with on the table...Of course those were the smaller train board size toys they were bringing, and not the larger sand box toy trucks. It was getting to be sunset when Frank Coyote pulled up his green, 1955, Chevy station wagon the short distance from their house with his wife, Wanda, riding with him. https://www.google.com/search?q=1955+chevy+150+wagon&am...: Frank and Wanda's youngest daughter, Cheryl, had come to the house earlier along with Al and Marge's cubs. And Frank and Wanda's teens, Jerald and Dotty, were walking the short distance over. "You cubs are riding with Jerald and Dotty", Marge told the cubs "Frank and Wanda are riding with us". As Frank turned custody of his car to his son Jerald, the cubs waited to get in Frank's '55 Chevy wagon. "You can't get in until Wanda gets out first", Al told the cubs. Wanda had to get out from the front seat first, because although it was a station wagon, the car was a two door wagon due to it being of the lowest price 150 series...The back of the front seat had to be tilted forward to let the cubs in the back seat. "Clarence. Let's ride in you dad and mom's car", Cheryl called to Clarence, looking foward to riding in that cool Chrysler 300. "Cheryl, you're riding with your brother, sister and the cubs", Frank said to his younger daughter as she was about to get into Al and Marge's Chrysler 300. After Cheryl got into her mom and dad's '55 Chevy wagon, Dotty's date, Buddy Coyote, came walking from where he lives on the east side of Duran beyond the railroad and Highway 54. "Oh hi, Love", Dotty greeted Buddy as she ran up and gave him a hug. "How's my sweetie this evening", Buddy asked Dotty, then they kissed. "OOOO! mushy", six year old Donna call out from where she was sitting in the rear cargo area of the station wagon. Everyone, including Dotty and Buddy, laughed. After Dotty and Buddy got in on the front seat with Jerald, Jed and Rex were settled down on the back seat, with Clarence, Cheryl and Donna in the rear cargo area, Al said to Jerald, "Frank says to go on ahead, Jerald. You'll be stopping to pick Cindy up, so we'll catch up to you all". "Okay, Al. See you then", Jerald replied as he cranked up that '55 Chevy wagon. Jerald then put the manual transmission in 1st, (three on the tree) pulled out onto the street, then shifted to 2nd...Then there was that short run of route 3 across the tracks, then to Highway 54. Jerald accelerated moderately in 1st as he turned north onto Highway 54 then built up some speed, then shifted to 2nd. "This is one you have to shift, ain't it", Rex asked Jerald was getting the car up to highway speed in 2nd. "It's not an automatic, if that's what you mean", Jerald answered as he shifted the car in 3rd. Once they were heading north out of Duran on Highway 54 Dotty turned the car's AM mono radio...the only optional equipment on that car, everything else being standard. Nat King Cole - To The Ends Of The Earth I've provided several links being that Youtube has been deleting music videos like killing off flies; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfiBCLVnczY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKrpA0rw7aY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGOFgfId2RY Jed had been noticing that Jerald was driving at 60 miles per hour, then asked, "Why are you going slow?" "This car only has a six cylinder motor", Jerald answered. "It's not made to go fast...I mean, it can go faster, but I don't want to tear it up driving it that way". "Dad got a good deal on this car though", Dotty said to Jed and Rex. "This car listed for something like, $2,130 I think it was, when it was new", Jerald said. "And Dad got it new as a year end model for $1,950". "Wow! That is a good deal for a new car!", said Clarence. Dotty laughed and said to Clarence, "Wow, Clarence. You sound as excited as though they gave us this car for free". "$1,950 is still not chump change", Jerald assured Clarence, then said, "It's been a good car. The biggest thing we really had to put into it was converting the brakes to power brakes after Dads right leg got messed up from that accident working for the highway department". "Accident my foot", Dotty said. "That drunk driver who plowed into the closed lane where Dad's crew was working didn't get drunk by accident". Rex got to wondering exactly what is meant by 'year end model', then asked, "What is a year end model anyway?". "They're the cars that haven't been sold yet at the end of the year", Jerald answered Rex. "The '56s were coming out when Dad and Mom bought this car", Dotty said to Rex. "You've been quiet, Buddy", Jerald said. "Oh don't mind me", Buddy replied. "I'm just listening to conversation". ___ Back at Al and Marge's house, they with Frank and Wanda headed out in the Chrysler 300. Frank even commented as Al pulled onto the street that it feels like it would be a powerful car. When Al pulled north onto Highway 54, he asked Frank and Wanda, "You want to see what this car can do?" "Sure. Let 'er run, Al", Frank said. "Go for it", Wanda added. Al then floored that Chrysler 300 on the way out of Duran. The seats pressed against the backs of the occupants from the rapid acceleration, as the car got up to speeds well over 100 miles per hour in about no time. "Wow!", Frank exclaimed. "This car really got it where it counts". "We'd knew you'd like it", Marge replied. Wanda mentioned, "Frank and I use to an old 1940 Ford coupe, and we thought that car was fast". "That old Ford would never hold a candle to this car", Frank affirmed. Al and Marge, with Frank and Wanda's okay, decided to maintain a speed of 120 miles per hour to catch up to the others...which was twice the speed the others were traveling. ___ As Jerald, Dotty, Buddy and the cubs continued along Highway 54, the radio in that '55 Chevy wagon played the next song; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR-n-QUNP8o Donna mentioned, "Our mom and dad is talking about getting a station wagon". "It might be a Plymouth nine passenger", Rex added. "Oh hey!", Jerald spoke up. "Are your mom and dad gonna sell that Chrysler 300!". "We're keeping it", Jed interjected. "We need a 2nd car". "Aw, shucks", Jerald replied. "Jerald", Dotty exclaimed, then asked. "You didn't actually think you could afford that car even if Al and Marge were to sell it, did you?". "A 1960 Chrysler 300, even slightly used, costs way more money than what us teenagers have", Buddy told Jerald. "Oh well", said Jerald. "It didn't hurt to ask". Eventually, they arrived in Vaughn, and in a few moments were pulling up to the home of Cindy Coyote and her parents and siblings. "I'll be back guys", Jerald said as he put the car in neutral, set the brake, and stepped out to go to the front door of the house. Jerald had just started ringing the front door bell when Cindy Coyote answered the door. After Cindy and Jerald hugged, then proceeded walking paw in paw along the walkway, Cindy Coyote's dad, as he always does when Jerald picks Cindy up for a date, reminded them from the front door, "You two behave yourselves on that date now". "We will", Jerald and Cindy promised Daddy Coyote. Then there was the sound of a dual tone horn. It was Al and Marge who had just arrived with Frank and Wanda in the Chrysler 300. "How's it going? Al. Marge", Cindy's dad called out and waved from the house, recognizing the car. Al let the power windows down to wave back, then Cindy's dad recognized Frank and Wanda in the back seats, and called out, "I see you're riding in style tonight. How's it going? "Doing okay, Fred", Frank called back. "We're all going to The Hop out on 66". "Well have fun. Don't do anything I won't do", Cindy's dad, Fred, said as Cindy's mom, Charlot, came to the door and waved. Dotty and Buddy got out of the front seat of the Chevy wagon and got into the back seat to make room for Jerald and Cindy on the front seat. "Over in the back, little ones", Buddy said to Jed and Rex. "Aw, Buddy", Dotty retorted. "That cargo space is gonna be crowded back there with five cubs". Thus, it was agreed to let Jed ride on the front seat with Jerald and Cindy, and Rex ride on the rear seat with Dotty and Buddy, and let Clarence, Cheryl and Donna ride back in the cargo area. After the greetings between Cindy and everyone, the teens and cubs continued north on Highway 54 in that '55 Chevy wagon toward Santa Rosa, with Al, Marge, Frank and Wanda leading the way in the Chrysler...Of course Al had to keep that powerful Chrysler 300 down to 60 miles per hour so the six cylinder Chevy wagon can keep up. The next song on the radio of the Chevy wagon played on the way to Santa Rosa; Misty - Johnny Mathis; https://www.bitchute.com/video/PmtnmEARoocz/ Of course it wasn't long before Rex wanted to ride up front, so he climbed over into the front beside Jed (car seats didn't have the high headrests back in those days). "Hey there, Kiddo. Kinda crowded with four on a seat ain't it?", Jerald said to Rex. "I wanted to sit in front", Rex replied. That's when Donna climbed into the back seat and took the vacancy Rex left. "One of you are going to have get back on the back seat", Jerald told Jed and Rex. "They can't now", Buddy said. "Donna climbed here on the back seat with us". Dotty finally said to Donna, "Look sweetie. You get back there with Clarence and Cheryl". After Donna climbed back into the cargo area, Dotty then said to Rex, "Rex. Come on back here with us". "Jed is gonna get ride up front all the way to The Hop", Rex retorted. Buddy told Rex, "Rex, Dotty and I are riding on the back seat. You can do it too". With that said, Rex climbed back over to the rear seat with Dotty and Buddy. It wasn't long before Al and the others riding in the Chrysler, followed by Jerald and the others riding in the Chevy wagon, turned left and headed west on Route 66. Then, several miles down Route 66, there it was on the right...The Hop. To Clarence, it looked like nostalgia depicted in pictures and artwork hanging up in a Denny's he had seen in the 21st Century, or something out of old TV reruns he had seen of 'Happy Days'. There was a pretty big crowd at The Hop, as it usually was on a Friday night, mostly of teenage and young adult animals. Music that was playing on the jukebox inside, also played on outdoor speakers, though not very loud; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZBSGaWrEn4 As Jerald followed in the Chevy behind Al in the Chrysler into the parking lot, Clarence noticed two attractive female foxes on roller skates...One was carrying a tray of food and drink. "They're gonna get hit by a car if they keep roller skating in a busy parking lot like that", said Clarence. "Those are car hops", Jerald said to Clarence as he was parking the car, "At your age, I thought you would have known that by now". "They take orders for those who want to eat in the car", Jed explained to Clarence, taking a wild guess car hops would not around in the time Clarence came from. "Why are they on skates?", Clarence asked. "Because it's cool", Dotty answered Clarence. The female fox with the food tray hooked it over the top of the car driver's window for the party who ordered it...Supports under the tray rested against the car door to keep it level. The other female fox took an order from another customer in a car, then skated to a kitchen window off to the left to give the order to the cooks. As the adults stepped out of the Chrysler, and the teens and cubs all piled out of the Chevy Station wagon, Clarence felt like he was just about in Wonderland. As everyone went inside, Jed and Rex brought their small toy cars and trucks in with them. The entrance door was to the right and they entered where the 1959 Seeburg jukebox was still playing 'I Wonder Why'...then followed by 'Sleep Walk'.; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbLwj8TiHS0 The building was large and spacious. There were booths along the front windows. Along near the booths were tables and chairs. Out in the middle was the dance floor, which at the time already had couples dancing. Along the far wall were pinball machines and a bowling alley machine. https://youtu.be/A-l1u60XvqQ?t=193 https://youtu.be/I8bum-I_ACw?t=5 The kitchen was at the other end from the entrance. Al and Marge stopped by at the kitchen for a brief hello with Roger Irish Setter, the owner and chief cook of The Hop...Roger had known Al and Marge since they were age 17 (back in 1949) when they first started making the trip to The Hop on Friday nights from their hometown of Corona where they grew up. There were three consecutive booths available, so Al, Marge, Frank and Wanda took one booth, Jerald, Cindy, Buddy and Dotty took the next booth, and Jed, Rex, Donna, Cheryl and Clarence took the next booth...Clarence and Cheryl sitting side by side of course. The jukebox then began to play the next song; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2CTTqUChM "Oh, hello, Al. Marge", waitress Patty Coatimundi greeted. "Frank. Wanda. I haven't seen you here in ages". "Since that accident working for the highway department four years ago, getting around's not as easy", Frank said. "Oh yea. I hear that", said Patty. After some social conversation, Patty Coatimundi was ready to take everyone's orders. Shrimp baskets, with slaw, onion rings and hush puppies was unanimously agreed on...As for drinks, the adults ordered coffee. Three of the teens, along with Jed and Donna ordered Cokes. Buddy ordered an unsweetened ice tea. "I want a Nehi orange", said Cheryl. "Nehi grape for me", Rex said. "Make mine a Mountain Dew", Clarence said. "What!", Patty Coatimundi exclaimed. "We don't serve booze here. And you're too young to be drinking it anyway". "Uh. He's just joking", Al told Patty Coatimundi, realizing it might be a soda that will exist in 2018, then said to Clarence, "Clarence. They don't have that here. You'll have to order something else". "A Coke then", Clarence replied. While everyone was waiting on the food to be ready, they went over to play the pin ball machines. There were bar stools for the cubs to sit on so they can see what they are doing playing the machines...Frank also used a bar stool because of his right leg being messed up. The cubs, teens and adults alike had lots of fun playing as teams against each other on the pin ball machines. As the pin ball games continued, the next song on that, then one year old, Seeburg juke box played; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcutPHsZ2wc Jerald noticed Gus Bear, a fellow member on the high school football team...Guss was playing a pin ball machine with his dad. "Hey, Gus", Jerald called out. "Hey there, Jerald", Guss called back. Guss Bear was there with his mom Lisa, his dad Milo and his younger sister, Karen. Mama Lisa and sister Karen was playing the bowling alley machine. Jerald and Guss then played a pin ball game match. Before long, the shrimp baskets and beverages were served, thus everyone went back to the booths to eat. And the shrimp baskets The Hop had were the best shrimp baskets around. Needless to say, that was a meal everyone really enjoyed...After which, the cubs were playing with the toy trucks and cars on the table at their booth. Of course, the male adults decided to have an after diner smoke...Like Al, Frank was also a smoker. And as Al lit up a Chesterfield, Frank lit up a Lucky Strike. "I wish you guys would give up that habit", said Wanda. "I've said that to Al before myself", Marge said to Wanda. Clarence noticed a chrome metal case at the table with pages you can flip, and it had a coin slot and buttons...All the other booths had them too. "What are those?" Clarence asked. "It's a Select-o-Matic", Jed answered Clarence. "You can play the jukebox from here at the booth with these". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sD2rgaz2uY "That is so cool", Clarence replied. "You would havta been born in Timbuktu not to know what these are", Sheryl said to Clarence. During the next song, Al and Marge got out to the dance floor...So did Jerald and Cindy, as well as Buddy and Dotty. Frank and Wanda even got up to dance, although Frank had to let Wanda do the dancing while he and her held paws, as 'I Only Have Eyes For You' by the Flamingos played on the jukebox; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XagK9KQ8hJM During the song, Sheryl and Clarence even got up to dance, although not knowing how to dance, they simply stepped around pretending to dance. There were also other couples out on the dance floor; a teenage skunk couple, a young adult wolf couple, an adult African civet couple, a teenage raccoon couple, a teenage lynx couple, a teenage prairie dog couple, a teenage opossum couple, a teenage African banded mongoose couple, and a young adult weasel couple. Of course, when everyone is having a good time and enjoying the evening, it was inevitable a gang of shitheads would have to show up...Biff Pitbull, his younger brother Richie, and their sidekick Gaston Pitbull...along with their girl friends, who like them, were also loosers...two of which were high school drop outs, and everyone knew it too". Upon noticing the motley crew of delinquents, Jerald Coyote wanted to pound Biff right there and then for what he did to 3rd grader Bucky Beaver last Wednesday...But he knew that would risk Roger Irish Setter kicking him out for starting a fight, and possibly being told not to come back. The pitbull youths had been drinking, and as 'I Only Have Eyes For You' by the Flamingos played, Richie rammed the juke box, causing it to skip back on the record. "Leave the jukebox alone you dumb ass!", a wolverine dancing with his girl friend called out. Richie rammed the jukebox again as the other pitbull youths laughed, and their girl friends egged him on. "And I only have ey..." the jukebox played. >RAM< Richie rammed the jukebox. "And I only have ey..." >RAM< "And I only have ey..." >RAM< "And I only have ey..." "Get away from that jukebox, stupid!", a fox shouted at Richie. "What's your problem?!", Milo Bear called at Richie. "What's going on out here?!", Roger Irish Setter, owner of The Hop, exclaimed as he bolted from the kitchen and caught Richie in the act of ramming the jukebox. "Richie! I might have known!", Roger retorted. "You three out of here, and take your girl friends with you!" "We have a right to be here, Pops", Biff protested. That's when the assistant cook, Benny Otter, came out from the kitchen to offer back up. "I got your back, Roger", Milo Bear said as he too offered back up. Several other patrons also stood ready for back up. Milo Bear could have mopped the floor with Biff, Richie and Gaston at once if he wanted to. "You three and your girl friends better leave now while you're still able to walk out of here", Roger Irish Setter warned Biff, Richie and Gaston. The delinquent threesome and their dippy girl friends knew they didn't stand a chance going up against Roger and those ready to assist him. "Shit. We'll just take our business elsewhere", Biff wisecracked as they were leaving. "You just do that", Roger replied. "FOUND A ROACH...IN THE COFFEE CUP!", Gaston shouted on his way out. The last of the six to leave was one of the pitbull girl friends, as she wised off at Roger, "Oh, you're just not cool, are you, Daddyo". As Biff, Richie, Gaston and their girl friends were getting into that big Coup-de-ville, Jerald snatched up the keys to his dad's Chevy wagon and got up out of his seat. "Where you off to", Frank asked his son. "It's for what Biff did to Bucky!", Jerald answered his dad. "I'm coming with you!', said Buddy, as Frank told Jerald to be careful. "Come on then!", Jerald replied. "Jerald! I'm with you too!", Guss Bear said, as Daddy Milo Bear came along. "I'm comin' too! I wanna see Biff get beat up!", Rex said as he got up to follow them. "Rex! You get back here!", Marge called to her son. "You let them take care of that!". "Aw shucks", Rex retorted as he came walking back. Once the six delinquent pitbulls were in Biff and Richie's dad's '59 Cadillac, Biff floored it backing out of the parking space with the rear tires smoking and squalling. Then Biff hot dogged it out of the parking lot, leaving skid marks and tire smoke, then took off speeding west, flying like a bat out of Hell down Route 66. Jerald Coyote, Buddy Coyote, Guss Bear and his dad Milo got into that '55 Chevy wagon, Jerald fired up that six cylinder motor, backed out of the parking spot, then were in hot pursuit down Route 66 after the pitbulls in the Cadillac. "They're way down the road by now", Milo Bear said as Jerald was letting the RPMs wind all the way out through each gear as he was still accelerating. "That won't be for long", Jerald said as he was finally getting past 70 miles per hour. After the fourteen seconds it took that six cylinder Chevy wagon to go from 70 to start reaching 80, Buddy stated the observation, "They must be doin' a hundred or better". ___ As the pitbulls sped along Route 66, Buddy Coyote's hunch was right. That Cadillac was cruising along at speeds reaching in access of 100 miles per hour, although Biff, Richie, Gaston and their girl friends had no clue that there were four animals making a feeble attempt to catch them. The radio in that '59 Caddy was playing; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rD52q7fEI8 "Hey Richie. We got any more of that Old Crow left", Biff asked. "Yea. Here it is", Richie answered as Gaston pawed the half used fifth of Old Crow whiskey from the back seat. Biff, who was driving, took a swig, then the others passed the bottle around. "One of the girl friends coughed on a swig of Old Crow, and said, "This >cough cough cough< is some good shit". That 1959 Cadillac Coup-de-ville was, at that time, a two and a half ton, 325 horsepower, party on four wheels, flying down Route 66 at over 100 miles per hour. The station that the radio of that Cadillac was tuned to later played; DUANE EDDY Yep! 1959 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wElln5lZxiA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXdwH5BZsDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbzdAh7ANhs ___ In the Chevy wagon, Jerald and the others could see the tail lights of the Cadillac going further away, and about to go out of sight. "This is as fast as this car can go", Jerald said as the car was at it's top speed of 87 miles per hour. "You need to slow it down, Jerald. It feels like these tires are forming waves", Milo Bear said as a slight, rapid thumping can be felt from the wheels. The tires were "L" speed rated only for speeds no higher than 75 miles per hour...After all, it didn't make sense for Frank Coyote to have spent the extra money buying high speed rated tires for a car that wasn't made to go very fast. As soon as Jerald slowed the Chevy wagon down below 75, the rapid thumping of the tires went away. Jerald was convinced there was no use in keeping up pursuit by the time Buddy told him, "We'll never catch them in this". Jerald then slowed the car to a stop, made a three point turn around on the highway, and headed back to The Hop. The jukebox was, as usual, playing a nickle selection (three songs could be played for a dime); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXuqdSAHhXM As Jerald was parking the car back at The Hop, Jed announced, "They're back!". "I bet Biff got his...POW!", Rex exclaimed as he looked out the window at Jerald and the others getting out of the car. As they came in, Donna asked with a cheerful grin, "Did ya get 'em?!" "Any luck, Son?", Frank asked. "We couldn't catch them, Dad", Jerald replied. "Car wasn't fast enough". "Frank, they had to be going at least a hundred", Milo Bear added. "I wish those bullied would get theirs", said Cheryl. "All three of them. Bop bop bop". "Yea! Wham! Right in the smacker!", Clarence added. Rex got everyone laughing when he said, "I'd like to see Biff ask, did anybody get the license number of that cement truck". After the little rant session the cubs had about Biff and gang getting away, everyone then focused back on having a good time. Al eventually got an opportunity to drop a nickle in the Select-o-matic at their booth, and chose the next selection to play as next up; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7pdHn5Ldro When 'Just Ask Your Heart' began playing, Al and Marge got out on the dance floor. So did Jerald and Cindy. There were also a cougar couple dancing. And there was a a porcupine couple dancing, though being careful not to poke the other couples on the dance floor with their quills. Even Guss Bear's mom and dad, Milo and Lisa were dancing. Frank and Wanda organized a game on the bowling alley machine for the cubs...Frank, Clarence, Cheryl and Donna on one team. And Wanda, Jed, Rex, and Guss Bear's sister Karen on the other team. Buddy and Dotty were playing a pin ball machine, then Guss Bear would play a match with who wins. Later in the evening, before calling it a night, everyone decided on getting some ice cream...The cubs were certainly excited about getting some of that home made ice cream The Hop was well known for. Buddy and Dotty each decided on one of their famous home made cherry pie turnovers, topped with vanilla ice cream. Jed and Rex got root beer floats. Cheryl got a strawberry flavoured float. Donna got a vanilla shake. Clarence got an orange soda float. Al and Marge decided on the same thing Buddy and Dotty got...cherry pie turnovers, topped with vanilla ice cream. Frank and Wanda shared a jumbo a banana split (with butterscotch topping, being that canines can't have chocolate products). Cindy got angel food cake topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberry topping. And Jerald got a sundae (with butterscotch topping). At one point the cubs were playing with the toy trucks, in which Donna accidentally ran a toy cement truck against Rex's root beer float and tipped it over. "HEEEYYYY!", Rex retorted. "Sorry", Donna said. When Marge saw what happened, she told the cubs, "Give your dad and I the toy trucks until you finish your ice cream". After collecting up the toy trucks and cars, waitress Patty Coatimundi came by and cleaned up the mess, then Al ordered another root beer float for Rex. Everyone socialized a while longer after finishing their ice cream and deserts, before calling it a night...Meanwhile the juke box plays another song; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dnTPcIuC5k After the song was done, Al, Frank, Buddy and Jerald chipped in on paying the tab and leaving a tip for Patty Coatimundi...Then it was time to call it a night and head home. Everyone got into the cars they arrived in, then along the way, Jerald dropped Cindy off at her home in Vaughn...Walking her to the front door of course. Upon arrival back to Duran, they dropped Buddy off at his home being it was so late at night. And once the families of Al and Marge, and Frank and Wanda, got to their homes it was bedtime...Everyone had a good evening, including some excitement for father and son bears and two male coyote teens chasing after Biff Pitbull and gang on Route 66.
Too bad that Chevy straight 6 couldn't keep up with the Caddy V8. I would've liked to see those bullies and their girlfriends get their lumps.
That conversation between Al and the other scientists made me think of Back to the Future, when Doc Brown warned Marty about meeting his future parents. He said it might disrupt the space-time continuum. Let's hope that doesn't happen to Clarence.
And that part about the jukebox reminded me of a jukebox at a snack bar inside a local bowling alley. It wasn't a bubble-topped Wurlitzer, but it did have a window where you could see the 45 record playing. I think it too was a Seeburg.
Too bad that Chevy straight 6 couldn't keep up with the Caddy V8. I would've liked to see those bul
