______________________________ TUESDAY, JULY 26th, 1960
Early that Tuesday morning, as everyone was finishing breakfast, Marge Coyote was at the dining room table reading over some sections in the owner's manual to the brand new, 1960, Plymouth Fury, nine passenger station wagon they picked up yesterday. "I did thank you when you promised me the car on my birthday", Marge said to Al. "Again, I want to say thank you". "My pleasure, Marge", Al replied. "I'm as happy knowing you and the cubs are not stuck without transportation while I'm at work". "Where are we going today?", Rex asked, as though he was expecting Mom and the cubs to go out on some big adventure. "To begin with, we need to go to Santa Rosa to do some grocery shopping", Marge answered Rex, which didn't sound much like a grandiose adventure, though Rex and the other cubs were looking forward to the trip to Santa Rosa. "Can we get a cake from the bakery to bring home when we're there?", Donna asked, knowing how good those supermarket bakery cakes are when ever someone has a birthday. "We're getting what we need", Marge said to Donna. "Awww", Donna and Rex retorted. "We can get a small cake", Al said to Marge, followed by Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna cheering. "I'll put that on the list then", Marge acknowledged. "But that doesn't mean digging into the cake anytime you cubs feel like it", Al informed the cubs. "It's to be saved for desert after meals". "Okay, Dad", oldest son Jed acknowledged as the other cubs agreed. After all, Jed, Rex and Donna still remembered from years earlier the paddlings they use to get when they were toddlers whenever they were caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Later into the morning, it was time for Al to head out to Horizon Innovations Laboratories where he works. It was a nice clear day that day as the remains of storm system that was around during the weekend had gone away. It was on this day that Horizon Innovations, under direction of Nathan Collie, was going to have Albert Coyote come aboard the design team for Project Courier, which is the very same time travel machine, code named 'Project Courier', that Clarence Coyote arrived in from the year 2018. Because Al is proficient in the field of the science of breeder reactors and their regulatory systems, his assistance would be of great help in certain phases of the design of the time machine. Those same skills are also helpful for the repairs to the actual existing time machine itself while it and Clarence are stranded in the year 1960...Al Coyote would be assisting Woodrow Raccoon and Harold Wolf on the three energy particle mass collision regulators which are under a floor panel of the craft located near the bottom base of the center energy reactor column. There are also proton-neutron particle separators in both ends of that center energy reactor column, which account for the lime green light beam surrounded by the violet to cobalt glowing rings within the transparent tube of the reactor column. Back in 1960, it would be a few years yet before the Project Courier design team could master the development of those particle separators. At this point in time, all the scientists knew about the particle separators were; what they were for, how they reacted with other systems within the craft, and the fact they have been attempting to design them for the past two years...which is why it was fortunate those separators were not among the components damaged during Clarence Coyote's accidental journey from the 21st Century to the year 1960. Had those separators been damaged, not even Poindexter Fox's uncle, Professor Nickolas Fox, would have known how to fix or replace them. Al and Marge hugged and kissed as they usually do before Al heads out to work. Then Al cranked up that powerful Chrysler 300 and headed out to work. Not long after Al left for work, Marge called the cubs out to the Plymouth Fury station wagon so everyone can go to Santa Rosa for the grocery shopping trip...And it was surely a blessing being able to have a way of getting around while Al had the Chrysler at work. Marge and the cubs then headed out from the neighborhood in that Plymouth wagon, then along the short distance east on Route 3 going over the Southern Pacific Railroad crossing, then northbound on Highway 54...The windows were up and the A/C blowing cold air on that hot July day. With that 2nd car, those long stretches of rural New Mexico highway were no longer an obstacle in the way of Marge and the cubs going places while Al had the Chrysler at work.
Having that Plymouth Fury, nine passenger station wagon as the family's 2nd car gave Marge and the cubs freedom of mobility when the Chrysler 300 was not available.
Once they were out of Duran, and on open rural Highway 54, Rex asked, "Gee, Mom. Why are you driving so slow", noticing Marge was going no faster than 50 mph. "Yeah. That's the way Frank and Wanda drive", said Clarence. "And Jerald in his Pony-ack", Donna added. "The car has to break in first before it can be driven fast. Just like it was with our Chrysler when we first got it. Remember? ", Marge told the cubs, then corrected her daughter, "And Jerald's car is a Pontiac. There's no such car as a Pony-ack". Jed, being the oldest cub, and having a basic knowledge about cars, mentioned, "Any new car has to have a break-in period. Otherwise, it won't last as long before wears out someday". "That's right, Jed", Marge congratulated her oldest cub. "So how long before we can try it out", Rex asked with much enthusiasm. "A little more than 350 miles, the car will be broke-in", Marge answered after she glanced at the 144 miles showing on the odometer. At one point along the way, they rode pass the rock formation where behind it is the utility building the scientists had built to conceal the time machine where it landed carrying Clarence onboard. "There's where we first met Clarence", Rex mentioned as they rode past by the site. A short while later, just before entering Vaughn, they passed the empty field where the doublewide would be in the 21st Century, which would be the home of Clarence's biological family. As Marge noticed Clarence gazing at the empty field as they rode past, she asked, "Does it still seem strange the home you've been use to seeing is not there?". "It always does", Clarence replied. "And my original family not existing yet does too". "When they get the time machine fixed, you'll be back in your time when your old family and everything you've known will all be there", Marge assured Clarence. "We're gonna miss Clarence", Donna said. "I will too", Jed added as Rex agreed. "We'll all miss him", Marge acknowledged. "I'll miss you all too. And I love you all", Clarence admitted. "But I sure want to be with my actual Mom and Dad again. And with Jack and Rhonda. I miss them a lot". "Who are Jack and Rhonda?", Jed asked. "My brother and sister where I came from in the future", Clarence answered. "Well you know, Clarence", Marge addressed Clarence. "If Al and I live to be an old enough age, we'll meet again after you get back to 2018" "I guess you'll be older", Clarence said to Marge. "Much older by that time", Marge acknowledged. "But we will still be the same animals you know now". "And we'll all be grown-ups by then", Rex said. "And I bet we'll have cubs of our own", Donna proclaimed. "By that time, you all will have grandcubs", Marge added. "Gee, Clarence", Jed interjected. "In 2018, you'll be able to play with our grandcubs like we play together now". "Wow! Cool", Clarence replied. "I never thought of that". Going through Vaughn, Clarence did point out how it still seems different to him that where the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific railroads cross each other, it was simply a cross tracks junction...In the 21st Century, a long, built up grade exists with a railroad overpass where the Santa Fe RR (in 2018, the BNSF RR) passes above the Southern Pacific RR (in 2018, been bought out by the Union Pacific RR). Upon Clarence mentioning the future overpass for the railroads, Marge replied, "I remember you mentioned that before". "I can hardly wait until they build that someday", Rex said to Clarence. "I bet that'll look cool". As they went over the Santa Fe railroad crossing for Highway 54, continuing north out of Vaughn, Clarence mentioned, "There won't be a crossing here either. It too will be an overpass." "But I think it will be over that way somewhere...Where Highway 60 is", Clarence continued, pointing toward the east. Clarence didn't quite recognizing some areas because of the railroad overpass not yet being there, and that Highway 54 crossed the Santa Fe tracks in a location west of the Highway 60 crossing...It was so different in 1960 from what Clarence had known in the 21st Century. The Santa Fe rail yard was nearby, thus Marge mentioned to Clarence, "That overpass you speak of will be a blessing not having the highway blocked when they're switching railroad cars". "Or when a westbound Santa Fe freight is blocking the road while waiting for a Southern Pacific freight to cross by", Jed added. "Yea. That takes almost forever", Rex further added. As they were leaving Vaughn, Clarence made mention of the municipal airport that will someday be out on what is presently a stretch of vacant desert land northwest of where Highways 54 and 60 will share the same route under the railroad overpass in the 21st Century. "The airport will be here somewhere around here", Clarence said. "The highway runs out of town in a different place from what I've always known, so I'm not sure exactly where it will be". "Our first airport...Or will be", Rex added. It was only 36 more miles to go, along with passing through the small community of Pastura, before Marge and the cubs would be arriving to the grocery store (back then often called a supermarket) in Santa Rosa. A few miles north of Vaughn on Highway 54, they meet a tractor trailer, tanker rig hauling a load of Esso gasoline (Esso being a subsidiary of Standard Oil back in the day).
Jed remembered a joke about Esso...Jed was sitting on the front seat with Mom, and the others; Rex, Clarence and Donna were sitting on the back seat...(not the cargo area seat). "Hey, Clarence", Jed said, then asked, "How do you spell ipso?". "That's easy...I-P-S-O", Clarence smartly answered. "So you pee Esso gasoline? That's nice to know", Jed delivered the punch line as the cubs laughed. "Jed!", Marge reprimanded her oldest son. "Obviously you picked that one up from the other cubs at school". "Uh...Yea...I guess I did", Jed admitted. "Well, we don't need to be throwing that kind of stuff around", Marge said to Jed. "Okay, Mom", Jed acknowledged.
About 45 minutes after they left Vaughn, Marge and the cubs arrived in Santa Rosa, which within moments they were pulling into the parking lot of the Food Liner Supermarket. "Wanna race?!", Rex challenged the other cubs to see who can be first to get from the car to the front doors of the store. "No you don't!", Marge said to the cubs as she was grabbing her purse. "You cubs be careful and watch out for cars here in the parking lot". Thus everyone proceeded across the parking lot to the supermarket in a safe manner. "It's not as hot out here as it is back at the house", Marge observed on the way across the parking lot. "It does feel cooler", Jed added, as everyone noticed the difference between the 84 degrees in Santa Rosa, and the temperatures in the low 90s back in Duran. Upon entering the supermarket, Marge got a shopping cart...But before any shopping began, the cubs noticed the gumball machines at the front of the store, thus Marge got out 4 cents, which was a penny each so the cubs can get a gumball. When they got their gumballs, Donna got a green one and said, "Aww! I don't like the green gumballs. They're yucky". "You take what you get", Marge reminded Donna about gumball machines. Clarence always did like the green gumballs, so he offered to trade his orange gumball for the green one Donna was stuck with. "Awright! Orange is okay", Donna said as she accepted the trade. "I like the green mint ones", Clarence said as he and Donna traded gumballs. "What do you tell Clarence?", Marge asked Donna. "Thank you, Clarence", Donna said. Jed and Rex were happy with the gumballs they got...Jed got a lemon yellow gumball, and Rex got a cherry red one. As the shopping got underway, they eventually came to the cereal aisle, which the cereal items on the shopping list were Post Raisin Brand, General Mills Shreeded Wheat and Quaker Oat Meal. "Oh wow! Sugar Pops!", Rex explained as he noticed where the Kellogg's Sugar Pops were. "Can we get some?", Jed asked Marge. "Sugar Pops Pete!", Donna added. "I'd like to get a box of Cookie Crisp", said Clarence. "But I don't see any". "What's Cookie Crisp?", Jed asked Clarence as Clarence realized that might be a product that isn't around yet in 1960. "Cereal is a breakfast food", Marge reminded the cubs. "And your dad and I don't need to have you cubs hopped up on sugar first thing in the mornings". "Awww!", Donna retorted. "And that Cookie Crisp I heard you mention. I've never heard of it", Marge said to Clarence. "Not only do I not like the sound of it, I'm also glad it doesn't yet exist". In the years from 2015 through 2018, Cookie Crisp was Clarence's favorite cereal, which Charlie and Alice often got for Jack, Rhonda and Clarence...But in 1960, no Cookie Crisp. There were also other items such as fish, beans, fruit juices, Noles bread, Peter Pan peanut butter (The Peter Pan character on the label is a young cheerful stoat), strawberry jam, Kool-ade, vegetables, rice, and various other items...Also on the list was Hawaiian Punch (The character Punchy on the label is an otter, and the dopey character who gets punched when Punchy Otter asks, "How 'bout a nice Hawaiian Punch", is a bear), and also tea, cheese, Uneeda brand crackers, eggs, and last but not least...that cake from the bakery. The female badger behind the bakery counter asked Marge, "What kind of birthday decorations would you like on it, Ma'am?". Marge replied, "Oh none. This is just a cake to have around for deserts after meals". Back in the day, supermarket bakery cakes were high quality home made, and not like the crappy ones that would be 50 years into the future. Coffee was also needed, however, W. M. Hindi in their home community of Duran has the Wilkins brand coffee that Al and Marge like so well. As Marge was picking up two last items, flour and olive oil, Rex and Clarence were done with their gum from the gumballs they got earlier, thus they were about to stick their used gum to the bottom of a grocery shelf the mustard was on, which was above the vinegar. "Don't you boys dare", Marge warned Rex and Clarence as she got some tissues from her purse for the two cubs to places their ABC gum in (ABC = Already Been Chewed). "You two hold onto that until you get to a trash can and dispose of it properly", Marge instructed Rex and Clarence. "I thought you two knew better than to stick used gum under stuff". Rex and Clarence finally found a trash can for the gum while Marge was running the grocery items through the check-out line. While still at the check-out line, Jed mention to Marge, "They have TV Guide here". "We should get a copy of it back home at W. M. Hindi", Marge advised Jed. "Remember, we're about 50 miles from home". After everything was paid for, in cash of course, Marge and the cubs with their groceries were in the station wagon and headed back for home. Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna wanted to stop at the Club Cafe' Restaurant for lunch while they were still in Santa Rosa. It was a really good place with good atmosphere and good food. However, as Marge told the cubs, it was going to be an hour ride back to Duran, and some of the groceries had to be put in the refrigerator...Being a hot July day, it was good their new station wagon had air conditioning that could really kick out some cold air. "We can stop at Club Cafe' Restaurant the next time we're in Santa Rosa", Marge promised the cubs. "It's a hot day, so we have to get these groceries home. And I'm sure you don't want the icing on the cake melting while we're having lunch there". "I guess I wasn't thinking about that", Jed mentioned as the other cubs agreed. About an hour later, a short while after they've already come through Vaughn as they were coming down Highway 54, Marge and the cubs barely noticed some of the cars belonging to the scientists parked behind the rock formation where the utility building housed the time travel machine. "They're out there working on the machine today", Marge mentioned as they rode on past. "I think Dad's working with them", Jed said. "I thought I saw our Chrysler there". "Your dad did say they were bringing him aboard the Project Courier team today", Marge informed the cubs. It was tempting for Marge to stop by and say hello to Al and the other scientists. However, there were the groceries that had to be taken home...However, most importantly above all why not to stop by...Had Marge did decide to stop by at the time machine site, there would have been the risk of another motorist noticing from a distance the Plymouth station wagon leaving the highway, thus attracting a curious onlooker who is not suppose to know of the machine's existence. It wasn't much further to Duran, thus it wasn't long before Marge and the cubs arrived home. Once at the house, the groceries were put in their respective places, then Marge prepared a good home cooked lunch for the cubs and herself. After lunch, everyone had a slice of that cake from the supermarket bakery, which was a real treat to the cubs. As the remainder of the cake was place in the refrigerator, Marge reminded the cubs, "Remember what your father said. You don't go getting a piece anytime you feel like it. It's for deserts after meals". After lunch, Marge took some time out to watch TV, and the cubs went outside to play with the neighor cubs...By the way, the neighbor cubs were sure impressed with their brand new, Plymouth Fury, nine passenger station wagon...Not to mention that many of the neighbor cubs still talk about how cool their Chrysler 300 is (which Al presently had with him out at the time machine landing site).
______________________________ Out at the time machine landing site, no one noticed the Plymouth station wagon going by a while ago with Marge and the cubs. As for work on the time machine, the repair efforts to the machine's three energy particle mass collision regulators were finally nearing completion, thanks to the combined knowledge of Albert Coyote and Woodrow Raccoon teaming up on it...Al and Woodrow tackling the problems together with the regulators finally got the repairs to those components well underway. Professor Nickolas Fox, along with his assistants Daren Margay and Lola Binturong, were still having difficulty with a needed repair to a component of the time corridor pathfinder system. Lenard Wolverine mentioned, "Looks like Clarence Coyote burnt that one up good on his way here to 1960 five months ago". "Aw, don't be so hard on Clarence", Greg Otter replied. "Cubs will be cubs, Lenard", Nickolas Fox said to Lenard Wolverine. "We were all cubs once ourselves remember". "Any luck with it, Professor?", Harold Wolf asked Nickolas Fox about the damaged component to the time corridor pathfinder system. "I can't say", Nickolas admitted, then mentioned, "I believe we're going to have to design and build an electronic tube assembly as a replacement. I don't think this original component can be fixed". Poindexter Fox and Harold Wolf were performing some checks to the Navtrac emergency override system...especially to the router circuits that had to be replaced with electronic tube assemblies. No emergencies were being anticipated, however, everyone knew that in the event that something were to go wrong, it would be better for the machine to place Clarence in a year between 1960 and 2018, as opposed to something catastrophic happening to Clarence and the machine while traveling through the neutral time continual limbo. Theories have it that if the machine couldn't escape the neutral time continual limbo in the event of a malfunction, it would result in the machine being molecularly disintegrated along with it's occupants and contents...Thus why the Navtrac emergency override system was designed into the machine. Lenard Wolverine, with assistance from Greg Otter, had finally got the time destination locator system operational, which which was a great milestone in the repair efforts, which the other team members were thrilled to hear. "You've accomplished a huge leap forward on this project just now", Harold Wolf congratulated Lenard Wolverine and Greg Otter. "Lenard. Greg. We're all truly grateful", Al Coyote said. "And I know Clarence will appreciate it". "Well, we're not out of the woods yet until we get the rest of the machine operational", Professor Nickolas Fox mentioned. "Hopefully, that young coyote cub has learned to leave his paws off of things he's told to leave alone", said Lenard Wolverine. "I'm sure he has", Al Coyote assured Lenard. "After this experience, I can't imagine he hasn't", Woodrow Raccoon added. Harold Wolf and Nickolas Fox ran a diagnostics check on the time destination locator system that Lenard and Greg had repaired, and sure enough, Harold and Nickolas verified, that the system is fully operational, completely reliable, and good to go...Now there were the repairs to the rest of the machine to tackle. Before that though, everyone hasn't had lunch yet, and it was well past noon. After everyone agreed to break for lunch, Al mentioned, "There's a nice cafe' as you come into Duran". "Duran is only a few miles from here", Poindexter mentioned, then said to Al, "I know which cafe' you're talking about. It's really good". Thus, the cafe' in Duran was the place everyone agreed to go to for lunch. The three roll-up doors were then pulled down closed to the building that concealed the machine, and the doors locked with the big pad locks. Everyone agreed to rideshare in fewer cars so there would be fewer cars leaving the site onto the highway, thus there being less of a risk of being spotted by curious motorists coming down the highway. Woodrow Raccoon stood as look out by the highway. Harold Wolf, Greg Otter and Daren Margay got a ride with Lenard Wolverine in his 1959 Buick. Professor Nickolas Fox and his nephew Poindexter got a ride with Al Coyote in his 1960 Chrysler 300. And once Woodrow Raccoon was sure no approaching cars were in sight, Lola Binturong got a ride with Woodrow Raccoon in his 1958 Ford Edsel. As Woodrow and Lola proceeded to Duran, Lola mentioned about Woodrow's Edsel, "I like the the way the transmission control buttons are located in the steering wheel. That's so novel". "Yea, but I think Ford messed up with that idea", Woodrow Raccoon replied. "Several times I had to take it to the dealership to have their service department work on it". In Al's Chrysler 300, Nickolas Fox commented, "Oh boy, Al. This car really has some get up and go". "Oh yes. Very impressive", Poindexter added. Once everyone arrived to the cafe' on Highway 54, Harold Wolf and Nickolas Fox agreed to buy lunch for Lenard Wolverine and Greg Otter being that they got the time travel machine's time destination locator system up and running. As Al dropped Nickolas Fox and his nephew Poindexter off at the cafe', Nickolas asked, "Aren't you coming in with us, Al?". Al replied, "I live here on Cedar Street just beyond the tracks. After I have lunch at the house, I'll be back to pick Piondexter and you up". Al then proceeded to the house, where upon arriving he knew Marge was home, and the cubs were either at the house or in the neighborhood, by the fact the Plymouth wagon was in the driveway. After Al parked the Chrysler up beside the Plymouth station wagon, he went into the house. "Oh, Al. You're home early?". Marge asked. "Not really", Al replied. "Nickolas Fox and his assistants are here from Groom Lake, so Nathan Collie sent us to work with them on the time machine today". "On our way back from getting groceries in Santa Rosa, barely noticed the cars there, Marge said. "Jed thought he also saw the Chrysler at the landing site", Marge replied. "I'm glad you mentioned that", said Al. "I'll have to mention it to the team to move the cars further behind the rock formation. Those cars shouldn't be seen from the highway". Al then asked, "Speaking about groceries, what do you have for lunch?". "I have some leftovers from when the cubs and I had lunch a while ago", Marge replied. "That will be good. I'll put some coffee on", said Al. As Al was brewing some Wilkins coffee, and Marge was warming up a meal for Al, Al asked, "I take it the cubs are out playing?". "They're over with Ryan Lynx and Randy Fox and their siblings", Marge acknowledged. Once Marge had Al's lunch ready, she had coffee with Al as he was having lunch. After lunch, Al and Marge each had a slice of that cake with a refill of Wilkins coffee...That cake and coffee sure did go good together. A while later, it was getting close to the time that Al needs to pick up Nickolas and Poindexter at the cafe' and get back out to the time machine landing site. "Well, I need to be going", Al said just before he and Marge kissed. "I'll see you this evening, my love", Marge said to Al. "I'll see you, sweetheart", Al replied as he left to head out to the car. Al then drove to the cafe' to pick up Nickolas and Poindexter as the others were also leaving to return to the landing site. At the landing site, the team continued diagnostic and repair work on the time travel machine into the late afternoon. Afterward, the team returned to the lab complex to discuss decisions concerning updates on the Project Courier technical drawings before everyone called it a day and headed back home.
______________________________ It was getting into early evening when Al returned home from work. As Al came into the house, Marge asked Al, "How is it coming along with repairs to the time machine?". Al started with reminding Marge that Project Courier is classified...Of course, that information was followed by Al admitting that the family and closely trusted neighbors already know a lot about the time machine anyway. "Lenard Wolverine and Greg Otter got the time destination locator system working just before we broke for lunch today", Al said to Marge, then continued. "Woodrow Raccoon and I are making progress repairing the three energy particle mass collision regulators. Professor Nickolas Fox believes we'll have to build an electronic tube assembly to replace a component to the time corridor pathfinder system. The Navtrac emergency override system is working with the tube assemblies that Poindexter Fox and Harold Wolf installed. Other than that, there doesn't seem to much more to go before we'll know if the machine will be operational or not". "I don't know what any of those parts you mentioned are", Marge replied, not being knowledgeable in the field of advanced science. "But it sounds like you all are coming along really well with it". "We're still hoping for the best", Al said. That was also good news to the cubs, although Jed, Rex and Donna did express that they will miss Clarence during the 58 years until they meet him again in the 21st Century. As for Clarence, he was fully aware that if the time machine can get him back to 2018, he will bid farewell in 1960 to a family of pre-teen cubs and their parents not yet age 30...Then, after what would be only a few moments to Clarence, he would in 2018 be greeting Jed, Rex and Donna, who by then have offspring and grandcubs of their own, and Al and Marge would be only a few years from age 90...On the flipside of this scenario, Clarence will be reunited with his biological family. Also, Clarence realized that his girlfriend, Cheryl, who in 1960 is the same age of 8 years old as Clarence, would be celebrating her 67th birthday on August 19th, 2018...Hence why the song, Born Too Late, by The Ponitails, would invoke a feeling of sorrow on Cheryl and Clarence whenever they heard that song play. Of course, Cheryl also knew that once she witnesses Clarence leave in that time machine, she won't see him again until the year 2010 when Clarence is a new born coyote pup, and Cheryl herself would be age 58. That is provided her parents, Frank and Wanda, will have the opportunity to know Clarence's biological parents, Charlie and Alice, by the 21st Century... If the parents of Clarence and Cheryl never make that acquaintance until 2018, the next time Cheryl would see Clarence would be when he's stepping out of the time machine in 2018 still as an 8 year old cub, when Cheryl is age 66 or possibly 67. That is provided Clarence makes the trip from 1960 back to 2018 okay. Marge then mentioned to Al, "The cubs were wanting to go to The Hop tonight in our new station wagon". "You know, Marge. That thought dawned on me too earlier today", Al replied as the cubs cheered. Thus it was unanimously decided to ride in the station wagon to The Hop. Instead of having supper at the house before they left, everyone was looking forward to having some of that jumbo shrimp and onion rings that The Hop was so well known for. Before leaving the house, Donna asked, "Can we have some cake before we go?" "Which would you rather have?", Marge asked Donna. "Cake before we leave, or ice cream at The Hop?". All four cubs, including Donna, cheered, "Ice creeeeammmm!". The ice cream at The Hop was home made, and really good. There was no turning that down. Everyone then got into station wagon, and it was off to The Hop. The station wagon by now had 254 miles on the odometer. Marge was driving...After all, Al did get the car for Marge. Al sat on the passenger's side of the front bench seat. Jed and Donna sat on the rear seat. And Clarence and Rex sat on the very rear seat that folds out of the cargo area. "Remember. No climbing over the seats", Marge said to the cubs. "Your Mom is right", Al added. "We want to keep this car nice". And nice it was. There was plenty of room. And because it was equipped with bench seats instead of four bucket seats as the Chrysler 300 has, Donna didn't have to sit on anyone's lap, and none of the cubs had to share a bucket seat as they had been doing since Clarence came into the family. At a speed of 50 mph, being that the car still had less than 250 miles before it was broke in, it took slightly over an hour to get to Santa Rosa. It was already getting dark by the time they arrived to Santa Rosa, which was where they took a left turn to head west on Route 66, then over the railroad crossing where Route 66 crosses the Southern Pacific Railroad west of Santa Rosa... From there, The Hop was only several miles down Route 66 beyond Santa Rosa. Along Route 66, everyone had noticed the Interstate 40 project had not yet started to replace that stretch of the old highway...The I-40 construction work was still yet a few miles beyond The Hop. "There it is", Al mention as the cubs cheered, seeing the bright neon lights of The Hop shining in the night as it was coming into view off to the right side of the highway. Within a couple of minutes, Marge, with Al and the cubs, was pulling into the parking lot in that Plymouth Fury nine passenger station wagon, then found a spot to park under the large drive-in canopy that extends out from the front of the building...As they parked, the song 'Kathleen' by Scout Eagle (irl; Scott Engles), which was playing from the jukebox indoors also played over the outside speakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEWJckBu6tY Before exiting the car, everyone agreed to wait and see if the car hops, Beth Fox and Jane Fox, recognize them in the new car...Thus everyone let the power windows down before Marge shut the engine off, which would also shut off the A/C. Sure enough, it wasn't long before car hop Beth Fox came rollerskating over to the car and asked, "May I take your order?", then recognized Marge, Al and the cubs. "Wow! Al! Marge! I like that car! It's the coolest!", Beth Fox exclaimed, then called to the other car hop, "Jane! Come here! Al and Marge got this really awesome cool station wagon!" "I see Beth likes this car", Al said to Marge as he and her smiled to each other. "Oh my gosh!", Jane Fox said as she too came rollerskating over. "That's so coool". "Jane likes it too", Marge remarked. "There's lots of room in here", Rex called out from the cargo area seat. "Lots of room back here too", Clarence also called out from the cargo area seat. Rex and Clarence's statements were followed by Beth Fox and Jane Fox giggling as they imagined what their statements could have been taken to imply. "Well, we're not going there", Al laughed as Marge and Jed chuckled as they got the gist of it. "What's so funny?", Rex asked, then said, "Oh", with a grin as he too got the gist. Then Clarence laughed as he figured it out too, then said, "Oh. Well. We didn't mean it that way". "What is it?", Donna asked, paused a moment, then laughed, "Ohhh, I get it now". "So you traded that really fast Chrysler?", Jane asked as Beth was still chuckling about how Rex and Clarence's 'lots of room back here' statements came off sounding. "We still have the Chrysler", Al said to Jane. "We were needing a 2nd car", Marge added. "And this is it". "Oh I wouldn't get rid of that Chrysler", said Beth. "That's a cool car too". "We're keeping it", Al Coyote assured Beth Fox. The song Kathleen by Scout Eagle continued to play. Parked nearby, was a teenage wolf with his girlfriend who were having dinner off of a car hop's tray hung onto the window of their modified jalopy hot rod that had been built up from a 1930s era Ford coupe. "Wow, a Fury!", the young teenage wolf called out to Marge and Al, then asked, "Does it have one of those Sonoramics?". "No it doesn't", Marge answered. "But it does have a Golden Commando engine". "Oh neat-o. That's still the mostest", the female teen wolf replied in a classic valley girl demeanor. "Would you like to race later tonight?", the male teen wolf asked Marge and Al. "No bets. Just for fun". "No thank you", Al replied to the teen wolf's offer as Marge nodded in agreement with Al. "We don't do street racing. And this car still has some miles to go before it breaks in". "Oh, okay. Hey, that's cool", the teen wolf replied as he and his girlfriend continued enjoying their dinner. Al, Marge and the cubs conversed from inside the car for a few more minutes with Beth and Jane as 'Till You Return' by Scout Eagle (irl; Scott Engles) began playing from the jukebox over the outside speakers under the drive-in canopy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4yE6Jmdn_A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcMky0izQT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J67Hm6ES1Gw A few minutes later, a drive up customer in a 1957 Oldsmobile honked the horn. That's when The Hop's owner, Roger Irish Setter, called out from the kitchen through the front outside server window, "Beth. Jane. You got customers out here". "Okay, Roge'. We're on it", Beth replied as she rollerskated over to wait on the patron in the Olds. "You all ordering in the car?" Jane asked Marge and Al. "Thank you anyway, Jane. But we're coming inside", Al replied as everyone began to exit the car. "Okay. I Gotta go", Jane said. "Nice talking to you". Marge then said to Clarence and Rex as everyone was getting out of the car, "Don't climb over the seats. I'll come back and open the tailgate for you". On the way to the front door, Jed said, "Check out the Harley", as he pointed at a really sharp looking, 1955, Harley Davidson FL motor cycle with seating for two. "Can we go over for a close look at it?", Rex asked as the other cubs also wanted to go have a look. "Yes, but leave your paws off it", Al answered, granting permission. "Look with your eyes, and not with your paws", Marge added. "Wow, that's a cool bike", Jed commented as he and the other cubs were impressed. "I wouldn't mind having one of those when I grow up", Rex said, then made a paw motion like he was throttling a motorcycle, and mimicked. "Vroom vroom". Even Al and Marge enjoyed seeing the Harley Davidson. The cubs beheld the Harley for a couple of minutes more, then everyone headed inside as 'Shine On Me Moonbeam' by The Stoat Sisters (irl; The Stewart Sisters) was playing on that 1959, Seeburg jukebox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS11byskXQE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTTiIkoR4Xw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQvJ3_86kCE Once inside, Rodger Irish Setter, followed by assistant cook Benny Otter, stepped over to the doorway from the kitchen and waved and greeted "Hello" to Al, Marge and the cubs...followed by the coyotes greeting in return. As 'Shine On Me Moonbeam' continued to play, there were couples dancing out on the dance floor, other animals playing the pinball machines, and others enjoying dinner and pie or ice cream...Speaking of dinner, Al, Marge and the cubs got two adjacent booths so they can order some of those really good jumbo shrimp 'n' onion ring baskets with hushpuppies and beverages. When waiter Calvin Kinkajou came to take their order, Donna said, "Hey, Calvin. We got a new station wagon yesterday". As Clarence pointed to the car, Calvin replied, "Oh my. That's a really nice wagon". "Oh thank you, Calvin "Al said. Of course, Marge corrected Donna, "Let's not be addressing everyone as Hey. Horses like hay, and Calvin is a kinkajou. He's not a horse". "Okay", Donna acknowledged. Coincidentally, as Calvin Kinkajou began taking the order for the Coyote Family, they did notice at a few tables away, there was an anthro horse couple enjoying a meal of grain clusters, steamed oats 'n' rice, and hay souffle...And they had apple flavoured beverages. "Hello, Al. Marge", they heard over the music on the jukebox, which seemed to be coming from one of the tables between the booths and the dance floor. It was Guss Bear, out on a date with his fiancee Marsha. "Oh Hi, Guss", Al greeted, as Guss and Marsha Bear carried two chairs from their table over to the booths where the coyotes were so everyone can converse a while...By now, the Jukebox began playing 'Earth Angel' by the Penguins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJcGi4-n_Yw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SdbZxXpqYY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrX8RNgawUk After Calvin Kinkajou went to place the order at the dine-in server window, Guss Bear told the coyotes, "I got great news. Last week, my dad got me Harley as a graduation gift...From when I graduated high school month before last". "That blue and white two seater?", Al asked. "That's the one", Guss answered as Marsha gave a nod in agreement. "We were looking at it a while ago", Rex proclaimed. "Cool bike". "Why, Thank you", Guss replied. "Guss and I are truly thrilled with it", said Marsha. "I even has Guss get it up to 120 one night". "Boy, now that was a thrill", Guss added. "That must be a lot of fun on a motorcycle", Jed mentioned. "Well, be careful on that bike", Al Coyote advised Guss Bear. "You do know if you have an accident, you don't have the protection you would have in a car". "Oh definitely", Marge added. "Well...At least we do wear helmets", Guss replied...which was like 'ooookay'. "Guss...We didn't tell them we're getting married in September", Marsha told Guss. "Oh, yea! Yea! I forgot!"Guss said. "Marsha and I are getting married September 10th". "Guss is 18, and I turn 18 on September 7th", Marsha added. "Three days after my 18th birthday is the big day". "Well congratulations", Al commended as Marge and the cubs also congratulated Guss and Marsha. "I'm so happy for you two", Marge added. "We also got that 2nd car were waiting to get", Al mentioned to Guss and Marsha. "We just did pick it up yesterday", Marge said as she pointed out their Plymouth Fury wagon. "We saw that car pull up a while ago", Marsha exclaimed. "Marsha and I were saying how nice it is", Guss said. "But we didn't notice it was you all who arrived in it". "Are you considering selling the Chrysler?", Marsha asked, knowing what the answer would be. "No way", Al answered. "I remember how fast that Chrysler is from the night we took off after Biff and his bunch", Guss said. "The night Biff tripped that cougar cub on the dance floor", Al added. "I bet Biff and his brother and that other stooge think twice before pulling that stunt again". "Oh. And our new station wagon is real roomy inside", Donna cut in on the conversation. "My brothers Clarence and Rex told the car hops how our station wagon has lots of room, but it came off soundin' a little awkward", Jed told Guss and Marsha. Al and Marge then explained to Guss and Marsha what Jed had mentioned, which got a good laugh from Guss and Marsha. Guss even remarked to Clarence and Rex, "Luring a couple of dates?", which got further laughter from everyone. Guss then commenced to tell of an experience he and Marsha encountered two days ago. Guss began with, "We stopped in at a gas station to top off the Harley the other day". "Oh this is funny. You'll love this", Marsha added. Guss then continued, "The old stoat who ran the place didn't come out at first. He just watched us for a few minutes from inside the station while we waited. He finally did come out. And when he got to the pumps where were waiting, he timidly asked us, 'Uh...You two wouldn't happen to be a couple of those Hell's Angels are you?' ". Everyone busted out laughing as Marsha, between her own laughing, said, "I... ha ha ha... asked the stoat... ha ha... 'Do we look like a couple of Hell's Angels?' ". Guss concluded the story, "The stoat said 'I guess not', and we got our gas". "That was a winner", Al said. "It was funny", Marge agreed". "That stoat musta been watchin' Rebel With A Cause", Rex laughed. "I believe you're thinking about the wrong movie, Rex", Jed laughed. "Well...One of those movies anyway", Rex replied. "You might be thinking about the movie, The Wild One", Al said to Rex. As the conversation between Al, Marge, Guss and Marsha continued about Chryslers, Plymouths and Harleys, one of the patrons dropped a nickle into that Seeburg jukebox to select another song...Almost Eighteen by Ray Ormand Wolf (irl; Roy Orbison). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3mgYtTVEN8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYrb3gRUbKs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2LkSFB1R7w It wasn't long before Calvin Kinkajou arrived with the jumbo shrimp 'n' onion ring baskets and drinks the coyotes ordered. "Aw, that looks nice", Marge commented. "Oh boy! Our shrimp and onion rings!" Rex proclaimed as the other cubs cheered. "We had that here last week", Guss said. "Those shrimp and rings baskets are really good", Marsha added. "We get that most of the times we come here" Al said as everyone began eating. "We'll talk to you later", Guss said to Al and Marge as he and Marsha pick up their chairs and went back to their table. Not long afterwards, Guss and Marsha ordered hot fudge sundaes. And as the coyotes continued enjoying their jumbo shrimp 'n' onion ring baskets, another patron dropped a dime in the jukebox for three songs for 10 cents. Rock Around The Clock by Phill Halen Otter (irl; Bill Haley). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFHCy_joxaA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud_JZcC0tHI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzYBEJgKjv0
Pigtails Eyes Are Blue - Premiers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKvOJct628Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSStteclsd4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dlh3o2qt5U After everyone had finished eating, the jukebox began playing a tune that someone selected. The song was a 1959 release which Al and Marge liked really well since it was introduced a year ago. "Oh, Al. One of our favorites", said Marge. "Care to dance to it?", Al asked Marge. "Yes I do, Al", Marge replied. The cubs were looking forward to some ice cream being that everyone had finished their shrimp and onion rings, however, they did agree to wait. As Al and Marge went out to the dance floor, Rex asked, "Can we go outside and catch some cool bugs?" "Yea, can we?", Jed added. "Okay, but watch out for the cars", Al granted permission as the cubs cheered on their way to the front door. "And don't go grabbing moths and beetles off of anyone's car", Marge added. Then, the cubs went out bug hunting as Marge and Al danced to that song, Isle of No Aloha by Lance Kay Mongoose who is a descendant of Indian Mongoose immigrants to Hawaii (irl Lani Kai). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBv55jmqmVQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOERNTjS4Z4 As is with all cubs, Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna were truly fascinated by the large moths, beetles and other strange insects that were attracted by the lights shining in the night at The Hop. "Wow! One of those yellow June beetles"., Rex proclaimed as he grabbed it up just after it landed on a support to the drive-in canopy. It was the same kind of June beetle that is metallic green found east of the Mississippi ...However, this beetle was the typical yellow beetle with black markings as found in the western part of the U.S. "Those are cool", Jed said as the other cubs beheld the beetle. Rex then let the beetle climb up his finger. Once the beetle was at the end of Rex's left index finger, the beetle parted it's protective wing shells, spread out it's wings, then with a sound of >bizzzzzzzzz<, the beetle hovered up off of Rex's finger, rocked in a sea-saw motion in mid air a moment, then took off.
"Bye bye, Buggie", Donna bid the beetle as it flew away. There were lots of other kinds of cool insects the cubs found that were also fascinating. "Oh, a green clipper beetle", Clarence said as he picked up one of those fast running pine beetles. "We call those a beasty villain", Rex said. "Watch out though. They'll bite". "I know", Clarence said, as he knew to hold the insect by it's sides. "We'll still have them around in 2018". "He looks like he's made of shiny green tinfoil", Donna said of the metallic green luster of the beetle's wing shells. "Be careful he don't squirt stinky stuff in your eyes", Jed advised Clarence. "That happened to me before from one of those. And boy, it sure stings". The beetle did have a harsh stink to it, thus Clarence tossed it up in the air to let fly away. As the beetle took flight, it started to fly toward the cubs. "Run! Beasty Villain's after us!", Donna exclaimed as the cubs ran back away from the approaching beetle. The pine beetle then flew back around the other way, then landed up near one of the canopy lights. "Wow, that was close", Rex said. "Look! On the pavement! A cool lookin' butterfly!", Jed exclaimed, referring to what was actually a very large, cool looking moth. "Wow, cool! Get 'em before someone steps on 'em!", Clarence exclaimed. "Got 'em!", Rex proclaimed as he gently cupped his paws around the moth and picked it up. "Don't ruin the paint on his wings", Donna said to Rex as the moth tried to flutter it's wings in an attempt to get away. The cubs found the moth to be so cool as they gathered around Rex to behold it. After the song, Isle of No Aloha, had finished, the cubs were still in pursuit under the drive-in canopy of capturing and beholding large pretty moths and big cool awesome beetles. Marge came outside to tell the cubs, "Your dad and I are are done dancing. You want to come in for some ice cream?". "Can we catch a few more bugs first?", Donna asked. "We got this cool Butterfly. Seeeee?", Rex said as he held up the large moth, he had earlier caught, on his finger to allow it to take off and fly away.
"That's a moth, not a butterfly", Marge corrected Rex as the moth was now flying against the light fixtures under the drive-in canopy. Marge then granted permission for the cubs to continue hunting bugs. As the cub's bug quest continued, the outside speakers under the drive-in canopy played Two Straws And A Soda by Kathleen Tay Lynx (irl; Cathie Taylor), from the Seeburg jukebox inside The Hop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7JPnkX5Olc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNZRCQFRGeE https://youtu.be/TsdHeJDHIYs?t=18 There were more interesting insects to be captured and beheld. Donna found a leopard moth, which was a big white moth marked with black rings. As she approached the moth where it was perched on a window, she also noticed the pretty cobalt blue colour around it's head...Donna was just about to gently pick the moth up as it took off and flew away. "Oh darn! He got away", Donna retorted as she watch the moth flying away. Moments later, Rex found a flip beetle. "A yes yes bug", Rex said as he picked it up. "A yes yes bug?", Clarence asked. "Yea", Rex replied as he was holding the flip beetle. "You hold him by the but and he shakes his head yes". "Watch. I'll ask him a question", Jed said, then asked, "Hey, Yes Yes Bug. Are you loony?". "He's shakin' his head yes", Rex said as the cubs laughed while Rex held the flip beetle that was flipping it's head and thorax up and down. "He admits it. He's a loony bug", Clarence added. During the cub's insect quest, a hot rod 1955 Chevy had just pulled up with a bobcat teen couple on the front seat, and a tayra teen couple on the back seat...The two couples were on a double date, and were planning to get car hop service to have their food brought out to the car. The male bobcat sitting in the driver's seat of that '55 Chevy hot rod called out to the cubs, "What'cha gonna do with those bugs? Eat 'em?", followed by the four in the car laughing. The male tayra, sitting on the back seat with his girl friend, added, "Hey! You cubs do know they serve real food inside, don't you", followed by more laughter. "Hey! They're just cubs! Pick on someone you're own size!", car hop Beth Fox reprimanded the bobcat and tayra couples in the Chevy. "What'cha gonna do about it?", the male bobcat wisecracked at Beth Fox. "Bring it on, Foxy", the female bobcat added. "I'm getting out of this car and I'm doing something about it!", an African lion with his lioness wife in a 1959 Lincoln Premier warned the male bobcat and the others in the Chevy (The lion couple would remind you of Mufasa and Sarabi from the Lion King movie...that movie still yet to premiere 34 years into the future). The two couples in the Chevy had sense enough to know that two bobcats and two tayras are no match for even one, big, strong, male, African lion...Thus the four in the '55 Chevy hot rod backed off, which Beth Fox thanked the male lion for stepping in and defusing the situation. It was obvious the bobcat and tayra teen couples had been drinking, and that didn't mean soda pop or milkshakes either. As the cubs continued their insect quest, Peppermint Stick by The El Chords began to play on the jukebox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihzmjEdZkHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2jrSBSruC4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rQ1cmQAdV0 Only a moment after Peppermint Stick began to play, the cubs found a cicada on the front wall of The Hop.
"A seventeen year locust!", Rex exclaimed. Jed slowly snuck up on the cicada. Then as the cicada was just about to fly away, Jed lunged his paws over it. "I got 'em! I got 'em!", Jed proclaimed as the cicada sounded off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...<. "Wow! He's a singer!", Donna proclaimed as the cicada continued sounding off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...<, and the song, Peppermint Stick, played the 2nd lyrics of, 'Gee Sandy - To have some candy, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm boam be doobie do...'. The lion couple in the Lincoln Premiere even waved to the cubs and complimented then on their catch. "Let's take him in to show Mom and Dad!", Clarence suggested as the cicada continued sounding off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...<. "Yeeeaaa!", Rex agreed. The cubs came running inside through the front door of The Hop with the cicada continuing to sound off being held in Jed's paws >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...< as the Peppermint Stick song lyrics were going 'Langa - langa - langa langa lang. Langa - langa - langa langa lang...'. "Mom! Dad! Look what we got!", Rex announced as Jed held the cicada up as it continued sounding off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...< while fluttering it's wings. Everyone in The Hop wondered where that loud cicada sound was coming from as several couples stopped dancing, and a few animals playing the pinball machines stopped and turned around and looked. Al told the cubs, "You cubs need to take that cicada back outside!". "You cubs don't need to bring bugs in here!", Marge added. "Can I hold him?", Donna asked Jed as the cicada continued sounding off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...< while the song lyrics went 'Doin' that doin' that Peppermint Stick. Doin' that doin' that Peppermint Stick ...'. "Here you go. Take him outside", Jed said to Donna as he pawed the cicada over to her. However, Donna attempted to take hold of the cicada too late...The cicada got loose and was now flying around in The Hop, sounding off >yaaaaa ah ah ah yaaaaaaa yaa< as Peppermint Stick continued playing on the jukebox the lyrics, 'Gee Sandy - To have some candy, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm...'. "I hope you cubs are happy. Because we're sure not", Al told the cubs. "You should never have brought that locust in here", Marge further told the cubs. As the loud electric guitar portion of the song played, animals on the dance floor were ducking as the cicada began swooping over them, still sounding off >yaaaaa ah ah yaaaaa yaaa yaaa ah yaaaa<. Most of the animals knew what it was, and some animals were even laughing about it. As the cicada continued sounding off, it flew toward the jukebox, then turned toward the kitchen, then toward bowling game machine.
"How did that get in here?", Roger Irish Setter asked as he and assistant cook Benny Otter stepped out of the kitchen. The cicada let out with a long >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...< as it flew over past the pinball machines. "DANG!",, a male teen wolf sitting on a stool at a pinball machine retorted. As Peppermint Stick continued playing on the jukebox, the cicada flew toward the front windows, then began bopping against the window glass attempting to get outside as it continued sounding off. The cicada then flew back out toward the dance floor, then began flying back and forth above the tables that were between the booths and dance floor, still sounding off >yaaaaa ah ah yaaaaa yaaa yaaa ah yaaaa< as the jukebox finished the Peppermint Stick song with the lyrics 'Gee Sandy - To have some candy, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm boam be doobie do...'. "Calvin. Patty", Roger Irish Setter called to his waiter and waitress. "We need to get that locust out of here". Because by now the song was finished, and no further music was presently playing on the jukebox, the cicada could be heard more loud and clear as it continued flying around and sounding off >yaaaaa ah ah yaaaaa yaaa yaaa ah yaaaa< Patty Coatimundi was too scared of the cicada to get near it. Calvin Kinkajou swatted at the cicada with a waiter's towel several times and missed. Many of the patrons got a laugh out of the whole ordeal. Even the lion couple who elected to have curbside service in their Lincoln Premier were laughing as they noticed the patrons inside dodging and shewing the cicada, and the waiter swatting the towel at it. "It looks like that locust they caught got away inside", the male lion said. "I hope those cubs don't get in too much trouble for it", the lioness chuckled. "It looks like that locust is causing quite a commotion in there". "He's back at the windows", Benny Otter said as the cicada returned to bopping against the windows as it continued sounding off. Most of the booths were along the front windows, thus the cicada went from booth to booth, flying against the windows trying to get out as it sounded off >yaaaaa ah ah yaaaaa yaaa yaaa ah yaaaa<. Patrons sitting at one booth would shew the cicada away, only to have the cicada go to the next booth where patrons were sitting, then fly against a window. Finally, the cicada flew to the window that was at the booth nearest to the kitchen. That booth was vacant at the time, so Benny Otter climbed across a seat and trapped the cicada against the window with his paws. "Got it!", Benny Otter exclaimed upon capturing the cicada, and as the cicada sounded off >yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...<. "Take him outside and let him loose", Roger said to Benny. "Heeyyyy! That's our singin' locust", Donna retorted as Benny Otter carried the cicada to the front door. "You didn't bring that locust in here, did you?", Roger Irish Setter asked Donna and the other cubs. "I'm afraid they did", Al spoke up and admitted as Benny Otter set the cicada free out the front door. "Oh...Well...We cant have that in here", Roger replied. "I assure you we'll address that with the cubs when we get home", Marge told Roger. "You cubs be grateful if you don't get a good paddling when we get home", Al advised the cubs. Guss and Marsha Bear asked Al and Marge not to be so hard on the cubs for it. "Most everyone in here did get a laugh from it", Guss said to Al and Marge. "It was the height of the evening after all", Marsha added. "I will consider that", Al replied. "But Marge and I will still deal with it how we see fit". After things settled back down, Roger Irish Setter refunded the nickle to fox and his girl friend who played Peppermint Stick on the jukebox, being that the cicada disturbed the enjoyment of the song. The next song to play on the jukebox was Little Girl Of Mine by the Cleftones, which Guss and Marsha Bear selected on the jukebox, then proceeded with several other couples out onto the dance floor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_9RMOLhZww https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZXAtnVGmBU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5w8Dr45Sls As Little Girl Of Mine continued to play, Rex asked Mamma Marge, "We're not getting spanked when we get home, are we?". Al interjected, "That is going to depend on your behavior for the rest of the evening". That answer was a relief to Rex and the rest of the cubs, thus the cubs made it a point not to do stupid things the rest of the evening like they did with the cicada. A short while later, everyone decided to get some ice cream. When Calvin Kinkajou came to take the order; Marge ordered a butterscotch sundae. Al ordered some home made cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. Jed ordered a root beer float. Rex ordered a triple dip ice cream; vanilla, pineapple and coconut. Clarence ordered a vanilla milkshake. Donna ordered a strawberry milkshake. As the coyotes were enjoying their ice cream, the next song played on that 1959 Seeburg jukebox. Dream Girl by Norwood Fox and the Boys (irl; Norman Fox & The Rob Roys) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQQMvlQl_Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTNHUGjD9Kc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvhTLMUmwWE As the song played, a greenish, 1952 Pontiac pulled up. And that glowing Indian wolf head hood ornament was still working... It was Frank and Wanda Coyote's son and daughter-in-law, Jerald and Cindy. Upon entering The Hop and finding Al, Marge and the cubs, Jerald mentioned to Al and Marge "Cindy and I knew you all were here. We recognized your new station wagon". "You should have been here a while ago", Al said to Jerald and Cindy. ""You missed some good antics", Marge said, followed by Al and Marge telling Jerald and Cindy about the incident with the cicada. "It was a doozy", Guss Bear came over and said. "Oh, Hi there, Guss. Marsha", Jerald Coyote greeted. Guss and Marsha greeted in return as Cindy also greeted. "I would have loved to have seen that", Jerald said about the cicada incident. "Sounds like you cubs were naughty tonight", Cindy said to the cubs. "Well...It was accidental", Jed mentioned. "It was", Donna added. "Yes. But you cubs shouldn't have brought that locust in here in the first place", Marge told the cubs, as Guss and Marsha Bear returned to their table. The point Mamma Marge brought up was something the cubs couldn't help but to admit was right. After conversing with Al and Marge a while, Jerald and Cindy Coyote went to Guss and Marsha Bear's table where Guss told Jerald and Cindy about the 1955 Harley his dad got for him as a graduation gift. "We noticed that Harley when we arrived a while ago", said Jerald. "It's a nice bike", Cindy complimented. They then talked about old high school times...After all, Guss, Marsha and Jerald were in Graduating Class of 1960 from Torrance County School in Estancia. And Cindy was in Graduating Class of 1960 from Guadalupe County School in Vaughn. A song soon played on the jukebox that Guss and Marsha Bear danced to...As well, as Jerald and Cindy got up to dance to it also...Early to Bed by The Poni-Tails https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsfxXqxL-pw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y61U-d9e1TI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5-Rw1ZzLuE When the next song played, the anthro-horse couple who were there were among those who danced to that tune...And even though broney animals (sometimes referred to as equine) have hooves that can be hard on a floor, broney animals are taught as colts and fillies by their parents how to walk, run, trot, jump and dance flat hoof on a floor as not to damage a floor, as opposed to going hoof edge with the corners of the hooves which could chip up a floor. Thus, being gentle to the tiles of the dance floor required no special effort from the horse couple...That just came natural...that next song was Guardian Angel by The Selections https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbauBCzy9io https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEgDMqQmolM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrUgAaZEYhM As the horse couple danced with the others to Guardian Angel, their hooves made a clop sound which seemed to compliment the rhythm of the music...Their dance steps were certainly in good timing with the music. A while later, another song was played on that 1959 Seeburg jukebox...Donna by Ricky Valentine Raccoon (irl; Ritchie Valens) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iJCAcKIwdI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMcHbh6HBDk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNUr6pLxGtE As the song began, Rex teased Donna, "They're singing about you, Donna". "Oh yea?", Donna retorted. "You're a Trannasus Rex. Because your name is Rex". "I believe that's pronounced Tyrannosaurus Rex", Jed corrected Donna. "What everrrrrr", Donna replied to Jed. Clarence even butted and said, "Ohhhh, Donna". "You quit that, Mr. Flash Gorden Otter Boy", Donna replied, with the 'Mr. Flash Gorden Otter Boy' phrase being in reference to Clarence being from the 21st Century. "Remember what I said about you cubs getting a paddling depending on your behavior", Daddy Al reminded the cubs. That got the attention of the cubs real fast, thus the teasing comments going back and forth abruptly stopped. Once it was past 11:00 at night, everyone decided it was time to head on home...except Guss and Marsha Bear, and Jerald and Cindy Coyote planned on staying until closing time, which was some time away yet. After Al paid the bill, and left a tip for Calvin Kinkajou, it was time to head home. The seating arrangements in the station wagon was the same as it was coming to The Hop, with the exception that Marge would let Al take a turn driving that new Plymouth Fury station wagon, thus placing Marge on the passenger's side of the front seat. That night, the temperature was around a pleasant 55 degrees. Thus, it was unanimously agreed by everyone to have the windows down without running the A/C on the return trip home. On the way along Route 66 toward Santa Rosa, Al did comment, "This car still has good road feel. Maybe not as much as our Chrysler 300 has, but it still controls well". It was a nice peaceful ride in the night toward Santa Rosa, with the windows down including the tailgate window, before they would turn south to head for Vaughn, then to their home community of Duran. They were still going no faster then 50 mph because the car wasn't broke in yet. There were headlights ahead of an oncoming car that had left Santa Rosa. It would have been just an uneventful meeting of two cars where both cars would dim their headlights on low beam, pass by each other, then put their headlights back on high beam again. "Something's coming up behind us really fast", Clarence said from the rear facing cargo area seat. "There's two of them!", Rex added. Only a second before they met the oncoming car...Suddenly!...a bronze and white Studebaker Goldenhawk sped past them at 130 mph, and cut back out of the left lane as the oncoming car, a 1955 Hudson Hornet, swerved off the road with tires screaming on the pavement and making a dust trail from the road shoulder, only a split second before there would have been a head on collision...Al even almost hit the brakes. "Oh my gosh!", Marge exclaimed. "That's Danny Otter's car!", Al exclaimed as a 1957 Chevy hot rod Danny was racing with also sped by them at 130 mph. "Those idiots", Al retorted. "They could have gotten us and themselves killed". Marge further retorted. "Danny musta been crazy", Jed said, as everyone noticed the '55 Hudson going back the other way stayed under the driver's control okay after having to swerve off the road to miss Danny Otter. "Must have been something", Al replied. Up ahead as they were approaching Santa Rosa, everyone noticed Danny's Studebaker and the Chevy slowed down. "They must have been having a road race to see who's first to get to Santa Rosa", Marge observed. "From the looks of it, they must have waged a mighty big bet on that race", Al added. The Chevy continued east on Route 66 through Santa Rosa, while Danny Otter pulled into a gas station just before Highway 54. When everyone arrived to the gas station, Al pulled in at the gas station and pulled up along side Danny Otter's Studebaker Goldenhawk and sounded the Plymouth's dual tone horns. "Hey, Danny! What the Hell do you think you were doing back there, you dumb ass?!", Al retorted out from the station wagon at Danny Otter. "We have four cubs in this car! You almost got us all killed!". Marge added. "Yeaaaa!", Donna further added. Danny Otter had his girl friend, Lidia Otter, with him, and also a porcupine couple with them as double dates. The male porcupine called out from the back seat of Danny's car at Al, "Mind your own business, Daddy-O!". "Cool it, ya old square! Like, uh, four corners, Cat!", The female porcupine added. "Guys! Guys! Stop it! He knows my dad! He works at Horizons where my dad works!", Danny Otter told the porcupines. "Damn right, Danny Boy!, Al acknowledged. "Tell them I know your dad, Greg Otter!" Suddenly the tune of the porcupines changed to the male telling AL, "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know! I didn't know!". "We didn't mean it, Sir", the female porcupine said. "You're not gonna tell my dad, are you?", Danny Otter asked Al. "If I ever see you do another thing stupid out on the road again, I'm telling your dad what happened tonight", Al Coyote warned Danny Otter. "You shouldn't even be driving!", Marge scorned at Danny. "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. Everything's cool", Danny acknowledged. The old raccoon who ran the gas station stood his distance and watched until the confrontation was over. With all that said, the Coyote Family left the gas station and headed to Highway 54, then headed south on 54 to their home community of Duran. On the way home, Jed mentioned, "Before Danny Otter graduated high school this summer, the other teens at school use to call him Hot Rod Danny". "Should that come as any surprise?", Al replied. Once everyone was home, there was the lecture to the cubs about bringing insects into public places...The cubs were spared the paddling...Then it was off to bed for everyone for a good night's sleep. That Plymouth Fury station wagon now had 378 miles on it...122 miles to go before it is broke in.
With two cars now in the family, everyone now has the mobility for trips over the long distances. In a location such as rural New Mexico, everyplace to go is a lot further to travel than a few city blocks away. Poindexter Fox's uncle, Professor Nickolas Fox, has returned from Area 51 with his two best assistants to continue repair work on the time machine. In the evening, the family goes for an outing to The Hop.
Parts of this story are also in the pool named "Project Courier".
____________________________________________________________________ Throughout this story, multiple links to songs are being set up. That is because Youtube is aggressively shutting down accounts that have music videos. So in case you click a link and get their notice like shown below, there are two other links to the same song;
![Freedom of Mobility [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2870/2870553_moyomongoose_the_hop_4.jpg "Freedom of Mobility [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
![Esso Gasoline Truck [Page 3] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2874/2874018_moyomongoose_the_hop_12.jpg "Esso Gasoline Truck [Page 3] by moyomongoose")
![Bugs the Cubs Like to Catch [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2869/2869656_moyomongoose_bug3.jpg "Bugs the Cubs Like to Catch [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
![Bugs the Cubs Like to Catch [Page 3] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2869/2869658_moyomongoose_bug2.jpg "Bugs the Cubs Like to Catch [Page 3] by moyomongoose")
![Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2693/2693771_moyomongoose_notice_cr_noncustom.jpg "Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
