______________________________ MONDAY, AUGUST 1st, 1960
That morning was the beginning of a day that was to be sunny, warm, and slightly windy. During breakfast, Al mentioned that he was going to get some extra time off from work during his lunch break to go to Estancia to get school transcripts for the time Clarence was in school since February 1960. "That would be a good idea in case the time machine can be repaired before school starts", Marge said. "Right", Al acknowledged. "I'm sure none of us want Clarence to repeat the 3rd grade when or if he gets back to 2018". "That would be a bummer", Clarence added. "I wouldn't want that". "Well, Al. You do know by 2018, those transcripts will be from 58 years ago", Marge mentioned. "When Clarence first came to us in 1960, the school system gave him an aptitude test to determine what grade to place him in. Who knows if they'll do that in 2018". Al then replied, "From what Clarence had told us about how the education system will deterioate before the next century, I believe Clarence would pass an aptitude test in 2018 with flying colours with what he learned here in 1960". "You know, Al. I believe you are right", Marge affirmed. "Won't that surprise those teachers who'll be teaching common core some day", Rex jested. "You bet-cha", Donna proclaimed. "Yea, that", Jed added. "That sure is a dilly from what Clarence told us". "I've heard Clarence make mention about that", Al acknowledged. "I can't believe they'll actually be teaching junk like that in the schools someday". "I never gave that any thought before I started going to school here in 1960", Clarence mentioned. "But now...I can't believe that junk will be taught in the 21st Century myself". "You were use to that kind of teaching before you came to us", Marge assured Clarence. "You now had the chance to see how things should be". "And how", Clarence replied. The years 1960 and 2018 being 58 years apart certainly did have their differences. Marge then mentioned, "Al. While you are in Estancia today, could you get the permanent tags and registration for the station wagon?". Al and Marge had the Plymouth station wagon for only a week, thus it still had the temporary paper tags on it issued by the dealership. "I'll have time to drop by at the DMV and do that", Al assured Marge. "I'll also have to have the factory issued title to turn in so a state title can be issued". "That title is still in the dash compartment of the station wagon", Marge said. "I'll grab it with me just before I leave for work", Al replied. After the Coyote Family finished breakfast, and after Al headed out to work, Marge and the cubs took a trip to a drug store in Vaughn to have the pictures developed they had taken before the weekend. There were also pictures of the construction of the tree house two days ago. The W. M. Hindi Store there in Duran didn't have photo developing drop off services, thus the drug store in Vaughn was the closest place. As everyone were getting into the Plymouth station wagon, Rex mentioned to Clarence, "It would be cool if we had those picture keose thing-a-ma-jigs now days like you say will be at those Wool-Mart stores some day". "Actually it's pronounced photo kiosk", Clarence corrected Rex. "And those stores are Wal-Mart, not Wool-Mart. "I guess I'm thinking of the Woolworth stores we have now days", Rex admitted. "Just think. We wouldn't have to wait for the pictures to come back in a few days if that was around", Jed added. "That would be so neat-o", Donna proclaimed. As Marge started the car, she then told the cubs, "Well, that's a moot issue being this is not the 21st Century. This is 1960. So we have to make do with what we have in this day and time". So with that said, Marge pulled out onto the street, drove to Route 3, made a left, then over the railroad crossing, then to Highway 54. Before turning left onto 54, Marge asked Jed, "How is it that way?". "All clear, Mom", Jed, who was sitting in the front passenger's seat, replied. Then it was north along Highway 54 to Vaughn. "Raise the windows, and I'll turn on the air conditioning", Marge said to the cubs. "Awright. Deal", Rex exclaimed as everyone raised the power windows. After Marge turned on the A/C, that felt really good being the outside temperature was getting even warmer as the morning progressed. Eventually, they rode past the rock formation that blocks the view from the highway where the utility building had been built to hide the time machine Clarence arrived to 1960 in. "This is where we first met you, Clarence", Donna said as they rode past the time machine landing site. "It's now going on six months ago", Marge mentioned. "But it seems like it's been a lot longer than that". "It feels like Clarence has always been with us", Jed added as they continued riding along Highway 54 on their way to Vaughn. "Kinda feels like that to me too", Clarence affirmed. "But I still miss my original mom and dad...and Jack and Rhonda who are my brother and sister". "I know how you feel. Son", Marge consoled Clarence. "Just keep the faith that they'll get the time machine going again. I know they will". As they were riding along Highway 54 away from time machine landing site, Donna, who was sitting on the 3rd, rear facing jump seat, spoke up, "Uh-oh. I can see the back end of Woodrow Raccoon's Edsel from here on the road". "Oh my", Marge replied as she glanced down at the rear view mirror (mirror mounted on the dash of Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth cars back then). "I'm going to have to bring that to Al's attention. Thank you for letting us know". "I don't think Woodrow realizes his car isn't pulled back in far enough to be out of view of the highway", Jed added. "When they're working on the time machine, their cars are not suppose to be seen from the highway", Marge affirmed. Shortly before coming into Vaughn, they rode past the site where Clarence's original home and family would be in the 21st Century. It still looked strange to Clarence it being a vacant stretch of land with nothing on it. And the sight of it would still bring a tear or two to his eyes as a reminder that he was in a day and time before his original parents and siblings even existed. "Try not to think about it, Clarence", Marge said to Clarence, know the sight of his future homestead being vacant land was depressing to him. "You still have us in the meantime", Jed assured Clarence which brought a sense of consolation to Clarence. Rex and Donna, who were on the back seat with Clarence, also gave Clarence a hug, which brought even a further sense of consolation to him. Not long after arriving in Vaughn, they arrived to the drug store. "You have the film?", Marge asked Jed as everyone were getting out of the station wagon. "Right here", Jed replied as he held up a modest size paper bag full of film of the pictures they've been taking. "It was rather hot, being later in the morning, outside the air conditioned station wagon. However, it didn't feel too bad with the wind that was blowing that day. "I can hardly wait to see the pictures when they come back", said Rex. "I'm wondering how the train pictures I took the other night came out", Jed added. However...There was one thing Marge had to double check on before the film was to be brought in to the store to be sent off for developing. Thus, Marge had the cubs come over to where they could talk without anyone else hearing them. "None of you cubs took any pictures of the laptop, or Clarence's portable telephone did you?...Or the drawing tablet? Or those things that plug images into the laptop, what they're called?", Marge asked. "Flashdrives", Clarence said. "Flashdrives. Right", Marge continued. "You know anyone developing these photos can't be allowed to see those things". The cubs affirmed that pictures of those things were never taken on any of the rolls of film they had with them. "And what about the time machine?", Donna mentioned. "I already know there weren't any pictures taken of the machine", Marge affirmed to Donna. "Wow. That would be a disaster if the photo developers ever saw that time machine in one of the pictures", Jed mentioned. "More than you can begin to imagine", Marge replied to Jed. With all that made sure of, Marge and the cubs then proceeded walking toward the store. "This is gonna be a lota pictures", Rex proclaimed as they entered the store. "That it will", Marge replied. When they made their way back to the service counter, they were sure to wave to Gabe Saint Bernard who was the pharmacist. Gabe returned the greeting with a, "Hello". Ebeneezer Pine Martin was the store owner, and was the one who checked in the film to get developed. The martin mentioned it was the biggest photo order he has seen in a while. "How did you end up with this many pictures?!...If you don't mind my asking", the martin cheerfully asked as Jed emptied the bunch of film rolls out of the bag and onto the counter. "Wow gracious! That's a lot!". Marge knew she couldn't disclose the real reason that those pictures were for Clarence to take back to his family and friends in 2018 as 1960 archive photos when (or if) he can make it back to that day and time in a time travel machine. "My husband and I have been teaching our cubs how to be good at taking pictures", Marge told the martin. "All these pictures are so we can find out how well they did". "Hey. Good idea. I like that", said the martin. "My cubs get discouraged because pictures they take never turn out right". "It wouldn't be a bad idea to try, Ebeneezer", Marge advised the martin as Jed and Rex had to hold back from laughing. "Well, thank you for the advice, Marge", the martin thanked Marge. "I'm going to talk to my wife about that when I get off from work this evening. I know our cubs will appreciate it". "I know they will", Marge affirmed to the martin. Jed and Rex had to hasten to the other side of the drug store where the greeting cards are so they could laugh and Ebeneezer Martin wouldn't hear them. "The photos will be ready for pick up this Friday", the martin said to Marge. After the martin issued the claim tickets to Marge to pick up the photos with come Friday, Marge, Clarence and Donna headed over toward the diner counter, which was something common in drug stores back in the day. On the way over, Marge and two of the cubs came up on Jed and Rex at the greeting card aisle after Jed and Rex had finished laughing. "It was so funny, we had come ove here", Rex said. "Yea", Jed added. "I have to admit, it was funny", Marge affirmed. "I almost laughed too", Donna admitted. "Me too", Clarence added. "Well, how about some ice cream, everybody?", Marge asked the cubs. The cubs cheered as they weren't about to turn that down. Thus, Marge and the cubs went to the diner counter and ordered some ice cream treats. Lavern Fox, the waitress, and Max Raccoon, the cook, were working the diner area that day. "Oh hello, Marge. We have some good breakfast specials this morning", Lavern Fox mentioned. "Thank you anyway, Lavern. We already had breakfast at home", Marge replied. "We're here for some ice cream". "Hold up on the grill, Max", Lavern Fox said to Max Raccoon. "Tell Lavern what you all want", Marge said to the cubs. Jed ordered a pineapple sundae. Rex ordered an orange soda float Clarence ordered a rootbeer float. Donna ordered a strawberry milkshake. And Marge ordered a banana split with cherry topping (K-9s can't have chocolate). The time out for ice cream treats at the drug store diner counter was very enjoyable. And being the diner counter wasn't very busy at the moment, Marge and the cubs also enjoyed good conversation with Lavern and Max. After everyone was finished their ice cream, and Marge paid the tab and left a tip for Lavern Fox, Marge and the cubs headed back to the car. As Marge started the car, she suggested to the cubs, "What do you say we get some pictures along the Interstate 40 construction work?". "I'd like to have some pictures of that. Yes", Clarence replied as the other cubs agreed. Thus it was agreed to head on up Highway 54 to Santa Rosa, where they would turn left onto Route 66...which was already being converted in some places to I-40. On the way along Highway 54, a while before getting to Pastura, they were about to pass the damaged remains of a Highway 54 route marker sign they first saw three days ago. "There's that sign up ahead somebody hit", Rex mentioned just before they were about to pass it at 80 mph. "Look out, Dude...Errrrp boomp", Clarence remarked. "And wham...Who ever hit it musta been drinkin' beer", Donna added as the cubs laughed. "Hey, ya know? It looks like that sign's been burnt", Jed replied after they past it. "If it's burnt, lightning could have struck it when those storms came through Thursday", Marge said to Jed. Though they had past by there Friday, and also when the family past it on their way to church and back on Sunday, everyone had presumed all along the sign had been hit by a car. "Wow, lightning?!, Rex asked. "Can we go back to see if it is?". "Pleeezzz", Dona added. The cubs cheered as Marge agreed to turn the car around to go back and have a look. After turning around, and as Marge pulled off the Highway where the damaged sign is, it was apparent the sign was struck by lightning.
You're right, Jed. It is burnt", Rex proclaimed. "And the big burn spots on the ground", Jed added. "That's what caught my eye a moment ago". "Wow cool", Clarence exclaimed. "No car hit that sign", said Marge. "Lightning got it". "Can we go up to it?", Donna asked. "Yes we can", Marge answered as the cubs cheered. "But watch for cars before you cross that highway". As everyone got out of the car, Jed brought the camera over to get some photos. "I'm sure glad you saw it was all burned up", Rex said to older brother Jed. "We would of never known". Marge admitted to the cubs, "As fast as your father and I drive through here, nobody ever noticed". "Until now", Jed proudly boasted while taking a picture of the area. Donna told Jed, "You discovered a cool find". "The sign is burnt to a brownish orange", Jed said as he got another picture of the sign itself, followed by Rex picking the sign up off the ground. "Wow, look at this! The bolt holes are melted out!", Rex exclaimed upon examining the chared and bent sign as the other cubs looked in amazement. "Awesome", Clarence exclaimed. "Lightning actually did that". "Lightning is a very powerful thing", Marge mentioned to the cubs. "Wasn't there a bush here?", Jed asked. "I think so", Rex replied, while still carrying the sign. "There was", Marge mentioned. "I remember a bush always being where that burn spot is now". "Wow", Donna exclaimed. "First the sign, and then the bush". "Or the other way around", Rex guessed. "Yea...Or that", Donna agreed with Rex. "Probably happened within a split second of each other", Marge mentioned. "And probably by the same bolt of lightning". "A double strike", Jed added. "The first time we saw this sign all wrecked and everything was when we were taking pictures on Friday", Clarence mentioned. "And to think all this time we thought a drunkard who had too many beers hit it...like Biff Pitbull and his bunch", Donna mentioned, getting another round of laughter from everyone. "Our sister the comedian", Rex commented, followed by Donna giving Rex a grin. "You can see that post also got bent over", Jed observed. "That's why it has that look like it got hit by a car". "You can see how it looks burnt too", Marge replied. "I'd bet why it's bent over is because lightning almost melted that post". "So then...the post wasn't bent because of the sign getting knocked off?", Clarence asked. "That might have been part of it", Marge replied to Clarence. "But that post was likely heated to malleable steel when it got struck". "That means the lightning musta struck all up and down that post", Rex suggested. "It's most likely that bolt of lightning went down that sign post like a lightning rod", Marge surmised. "It makes sense", Jed affirmed. "That sign post is the tallest object out here. And it is made of metal". "The perfect attraction for a lightning strike", Marge added. Upon examining the sign post, everyone noticed the two bolts that held the sign on had been reduced to globs of molten steel. "See those bolts?", Marge asked the cubs. "Yeaaaa, wow!", Rex exclaimed. "They don't even look like bolts anymore". "They kind of look like lava", Clarence added as Jed got a picture of it. Marge then explained to the cubs, "What's left to those bolts is evident the post began melting over like that. It's not likely it was knocked that way as cold steel". Seeing all what the lightning had done was certainly a treat to the cubs, as well as Marge also being intrigued by it. "Can we take the sign home with us?", Rex asked, still holding the sign. "It would be a cool thing to have", Jed added. "Wouldn't that be stealing state property though?", Clarence asked. Marge mentioned, "The condition that sign is in, I'm sure the State of New Mexico no longer wants it". Thus, Marge gave the okay for the cubs to take possession of the damaged route marker sign. "Yeaaahhh!", the cubs cheered as it was agreed to take the sign home. Once everyone got back in the car, with the sign of course, Marge turned the car back around and everyone continued on to Santa Rosa. Before long, they eventually arrived to Santa Rosa, where they turned west on Route 66. As they proceeded west out of Santa Rosa on what was still Route 66, Jed got some pictures of the old route as it presently was, aiming the camera from behind the windshield of the car as they traveled along. A few miles down the road, Marge pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped in front of The Hop. While stopped there, Jed got some pictures of The Hop, being that it was such a popular, classic, malt shop, and that they knew it wasn't going to be there in 2018. The Hop's owner, Roger Irish Setter, noticed from the curbside server window that Jed was taking pictures from the car on the roadside. Roger, recognizing Marge and the cubs, waved from the server window. And Marge and the cubs waved back from in the station wagon. Marge then pressed the transmission Select-o-matic button on the dash for 'drive', and they continued on their way.
"I guess ole Roger was wondering why we were taking pictures of The Hop", Jed mentioned as everyone continued along Route 66. "I'd love to let Roger know what to expect in a few years", Marge replied. "But Clarence being from the future isn't something we can just let everybody know about". "Yea, I wish lightning wouldn't strike it", Rex added. "I'd hate to see it go". "We'd all hate to see The Hop go", Marge affirmed. "I forget exactly when you said that will happen", Jed mentioned to Clarence. "Something like 1963 or 1964. And it's when a real bad storm hits like way after midnight", Clarence replied to Jed. "I remember old timers talking about it in my day and time". As Marge and the cubs continued along, they came to where the I-40 construction began along side Route 66 a short way west of the Highway 84 junction. "I think this would be a good place to get lots of pictures", Jed said as everyone agreed. As Jed began getting pictures of the I-40 construction work, they saw a ground compactor machine machine up ahead. It was parked to the side and not being used now that the paving word had already been in progress.
"There's what some of the cubs in our school call a Mr. Hundred Wheeler", Rex pointed out about the compactor. "Although it's only got nine wheels", Jed affirmed. "Get a picture of that", Clarence said. "I've never seen any of those in my day and time". Thus Jed got a picture of the compactor. Eventually, they made their along Route 66 where the new, yet still uncompleted, I-40 continued to run parallel to the existing highway. Then, shortly before arriving to Moriarty, the I-40 construction left off, and it was just Route 66 as it has always been for years. "This is some of the old Route 66 you could be taking pictures of", Marge reminded Jed. "Oh oh yea", Jed realized, then got some pictures of the old route. Once they were travelling through Moriarty, Clarence pointed out some sites that would not still be the same in 2018, thus those places Jed had gotten pictures of. After they've gotten through Mariarty, they arrived to the completed part of I-40 that had already been open to traffic. As they continued onto I-40, Clarence said to Jed, "In 2018, it's not much different than it is here now". "I can still photograph some cars on this road though", Jed mentioned. "Good idea", Marge added. "Yea, the cars in my day and time are different", Clarence agreed. Thus, when ever they passed or met a car or truck, or when a vehicle passed them, Jed was sure to get a picture of it on the new stretch of I-40. After about 26 miles of riding down that new stretch of I-40, they reached the east end of Albuquerque, where up ahead, there were big signs in big bold print that read, "INTERSTATE 40 ENDS AHEAD. DETOUR ONTO ROUTE 66". Coming down I-40, you could see Tri-Star Plaza dead ahead beyond where I-40 ends. "You know that Tri-Star Plaza won't be here when the Interstate continues through", Marge said as she began slowing the car down to negotiate leaving I-40, then she mentioned to Jed, "You should get some pictures of it". "Mom. Can we go in and get some pictures of the slot car track?", Rex asked. "I remember Clarence said they won't have those in 2018". "That's right", Clarence affirmed. "I never seen a track like that in the time I'm from". "We do have some older pictures I've taken of that track", Marge said they rode onto where Route 66 picks up from where I-40 left off. "But we can go in get more pictures of it". "Awright!", Rex proclaimed as the other cubs also cheered in agreement. Marge then pulled into the brown pebble asphalt, Tri-Star Plaza, parking lot. Once the car was parked, and everyone were getting out, Jed took a picture of the plaza's large, gaudy, contemporary sign with it's three star design and other bizarre, architectural features and it's excessive amount of neon lights. "You'll never see signs like that in my day and time", Clarence proclaimed. Marge then said to Clarence, "Well, everyone you know in 2018 who won't be old enough to have been around in this day and time should get a big kick out of seeing a picture of that sign". "As you know, I was born in 1949, and even I get a kick out of seeing that sign", 11 year old Jed mentioned. Of course the architecture of the plaza building itself wasn't much less gaudy than the sign was...although it did kind of looked cool. As Marge and the cubs walked into the hobby shop, the store's owner, Ted Badger, greeted, "Hello, Marge. And how are the cubs today?". "We're doing good", Rex proclaimed, as Marge replied, "Hello". "How can I help you today?", Ted Badger asked. "We'd like to get pictures of your slot car track if it's okay with you", Marge answered. "Seems like a strange request, but I see no harm in it", Ted replied. "You're welcome to get all the pictures you want". Marge thanked Ted as Jed began getting pictures of the large, eight lane, commercial, slot car track. "We're getting these pictures for our cousin in Wyoming", said Rex. "He never saw one of these tracks before". "The next time your kin folks from Wyoming are in the area, feel free to come on in", Ted suggested. "We sure will", Donna replied. Actually, the coyotes had no family relation in Wyoming...They couldn't exactally disclose these are pictures for Clarence to take back to 2018 with him. "Oh by the way", Ted Badger started to mention. "You know the plaza is slated for demolition early this coming year. I've already got a new location secured out at that new multi-level shopping center they've built. I'll be moving the business there at the end of this summer". "Al and I have heard about that shopping center", Marge replied. "They say going from store to store is all indoor". "It's called a shopping mall", Ted explained. "They say it's the way of the future for shopping centers". Of course, Clarence already knew that, being from 2018. "Are you taking the slot car track there?", Rex asked. "Not this one", Ted replied. "When I moved this track in here three years ago, I fastened the sections together with construction adhesive for permanent installation. Who would have guessed the plaza was coming down in three years". "And the shysters who built this plaza knew the interstate highway was coming through here", Marge mentioned. "Yup. And of course, as we know, they're bilking the state on the price they got their lawyers demanding for it too", Ted added. "So there won't be anymore slot car track in the new place?", Rex asked "There will be", Ted Badger answered much to the relief of the cubs. "I've got a lawyer working on a case already to get the owners of this plaza to reimburse me for another slot car track". "Alright! Yea! That will show 'em!", Rex proclaimed as the other cubs cheered". "Not to bust your bubble", Marge announced to the cubs. "But Ted Badger's case hasn't even gone to court yet". "My lawyer feels the owners of the plaza are likely to settle out of court", Ted assured Marge. "According to what he told me, they don't want to draw too much attention to their shady dealings because of a court battle over a slot car track". Ted then mentioned to Marge, "Oh, I haven't seen Al here with you all today". "He's at work", Marge answered. "Well, who ever you rode with is welcome to come on in", Ted Badger invited, knowing that Al, Marge and the cubs live nearly 100 miles away in Duran. "We got us another car", Rex said to Ted Badger. "We brought a 2nd car last week", Marge said to Ted. "A 1960 Plymouth Fury station wagon...There it is, right out there". "Oh my goodness. That is a nice car", Ted Badger said upon noticing the brand new, greyish blue and white, Plymouth station wagon out in the parking lot. "Well, thank you", Marge replied. "Al and I decided we've been needing a 2nd car for some time". "And it's a station wagon", said Ted. "Bet the cubs like that". "Yea, we do", said Rex. "it's got a buncha buncha lotsa room inside!", Donna proclaimed. "It even has a 3rd seat in the very back too", Clarence said. "It's a nine passenger", Marge told Ted. "It is a really nice car", Jed affirmed. "We like it". "Well...I did say, bet the cubs like that. If I was truly a betting badger, I surely would have won that bet", Ted proclaimed as everyone chuckled. Ted Badger also mentioned about some of the better cars he himself had, and still have. After about 15 minutes of car talk between Ted, Marge and the cubs, Rex mentioned, "If we knew we were coming here, I wish we would have brought our slot cars with us". "Teb Badger has some cars you can still rent", Marge suggested as the cubs cheered. Thus, Marge paid track rent on four lanes for an hour, and for an hour's rent on four slot cars. There was a slot car of a dark blue, 1960 Plymouth...It wasn't a station wagon. It was a two door skyliner coupe...Rex claimed that one. There was a slot car of a Gold, 1958 Edsel...Jed liked that one, so that was the one he picked out. There was one of a turquoise, and white, 1957 Chrysler Desoto that Clarence picked out. And one of a green and white, 1956 Chevy Bel-Air that Donna chose. During the time the cubs were racing the slot cars, Marge got some pictures of it for Clarence to take back with him should he be able to get back to 2018. After half of the hour was up, Marge rented 30 minutes track time, and rented a slot car of a moss green, 1949 Hudson to race with the cubs. "Mom's in the race with us", Rex proclaimed. "And Mom got a big torpedo lookin' car", Donna added, referring to the car's long, sleek, fastback look.. "It's a Hudson", Marge replied to Donna. For the last five minutes, the store wasn't busy, so Ted turned on another lane and raced one of the rental cars with Marge and the cubs, which was a yellow and black, 1956 Ford. Everyone had fun running the slot cars, and after the time was up, it was getting to be lunch time. Thus after Marge and Ted bid "good day", Marge and the cubs went over to Manuel Kinkajou's pizza cafe' which was right there in the plaza. While there, everyone ordered two large supreme pizzas to go between the five of them, and their choice of soda. Manuel Kinkajou was surprise over the new Plymouth Fury station wagon Al and Marge had purchased the week before. Manuel commented on how nice of a car he thought it was. After Marge and the cubs were finished at the pizza cafe', they dropped by to get pictures of Albuquerque Chrysler Plymouth to get some pictures of where Al and Marge purchased their Chrysler 300 and the Plymouth Fury wagon. After Marge and the cubs pulled into the dealership lot, Dave Pine Martin, who was the sales animal who worked the deal on both cars, greeted them, "Marge, Hello. And how are the cubs today?". "We're doing peachy, Dave", Donna replied. "Hi there, Dave", Rex called from the car. "We're all doing great", Marge affirmed. "I take it the Plymouth wagon is treating you all well", Dave remarked. "Not a problem with it so far", Marge replied. "Chrysler Corporation does make a great car, I have to say", Dave said, then asked, "Well, how can I help you today". When Marge explained that the cubs want to take pictures, Dave replied, "Oh, have at it. Take all you want", then offered, "We still have some old Chrysler and Plymouth sales brochures left over from the 1959 model year we never tossed out. If you all want them, I'll be glad to give them to you". "We appreciate it. Thank you", Marge thanked Dave. To Clarence, the old brochures and the dealership photos were and addition to his photo archive to take back to 2018. Dave Pine Martin had assumed the reason for the cubs taking the pictures was because that cubs being cubs, they were fascinated with automobiles...Thus why Dave offered the outdated sales brochures. Dave asked how Al was doing, and both Dave and Marge agreed it was one of the best decisions Al and her made to have gotten that 2nd automobile. Before Marge and the cubs left, Dave pawed some business cards to Marge and asked, "By the way, if you know someone in the market for a new car, especially if they're considering a Chrysler or Plymouth, give 'em a card and tell 'em to come see me. I'll work up a great deal for them". 'Well, I appreciate it, Dave", Marge said as she accepted the cards and placed them on the dash". Marge and the cubs then headed back home along some of the route in which they came. Upon leaving Albuquerque, they rode along the completed portion of I-40, past Moriarty where old Route 66 picked back up, and past some of the section of I-40 still under construction. Then when they got to Cline's Corners, they headed south on Highway 285 toward Encino on the way home to Duran. A short while after they turned off of Route 66, and on their way along Highway 285 en-route to Encino, a couple of flashing red lights way far ahead down the road began to come into view...which were barely noticeable at first. "I wonder what's going on way down there", Jed mentioned. "Something might have happened", Marge surmised. As they got a couple of more miles further down the road, Marge began to slow the car down as they could see there were two New Mexico State Police cars pulled off on opposite sides of the highway from each other. As Marge and the cubs got closer, they noticed what appeared to be an overturned car that was just off the edge of the highway. Two state troopers appeared to be tending to the car. "A car turned over!", Jed proclaimed as they were arriving to the accident scene.
"It sure is", Marge affirmed as she slowed the station wagon down to 20 mph in order to pass by safely. "Looks like a '58 Chevy", Rex said, "And there's someone still inside. Jed made sure to get a picture as they approached the accident scene.
"Must of just happened", Jed said. "There's no ambulance there yet". A gold and white, 1958, Chevy Delray (lowest price Chevrolet model) was laying up side down on it's partly caved in roof. The two New Mexico state troopers, a wolf and a bear, had managed to get the driver's door forced open and were in the process of rescuing the driver, a male beaver, from inside the car.
"Don't ambulance workers normally get hurt animals out of wrecked cars?", Donna asked. "The officers might have noticed the smell of gasoline, and can't wait for the ambulance to here", Marge replied as they slowly rode past wreck scene. Jed made sure to get some pictures of the overturned car, as well as pictures of the patrol cars.
"There's an ambulance way down the road now", Rex mentioned, as the headlights and red flasher were barely coming into view beyond a mirage miles down the highway.
Though the ambulance was still nearly three miles away, vehicles can be seen coming into view a long way off on those long, level highway straightaways.
"Another one! On the ground! Over by that cop car!", Clarence pointed out after riding past the overturned car. "Police car, Clarence", Marge corrected Clarence. It was a female beaver laying on the ground who was ejected not far before where the car came to rest, though despite of being ejected from the car, she did seem to be coherent.. "She had to have been thrown out", Marge said. Jed also got a picture of the injured female beaver as well, which Marge did start to get onto him for taking that picture. Although Marge did acknowledge that it would be okay for that one time being it was pictures for Clarence to take back to 2018 with him.
As they were leaving the accident scene, they saw skid marks that told the tale of how it happened.
"See those skid marks?", Marge asked the cubs. "Looks like the driver let the wheels run off the edge of the road", said Jed. "And didn't slow down before trying to pull back on", Marge said as they were passing by the skid marks. "Yea. You can see back there where it looked like the edge of the road jerked the car out of control", Jed affirmed. "Yea. And the swervey looking skid marks back there too", Rex added, referring to where the driver fishtailed the car in a futile attempt to get it back under control. As Marge and the cubs were cruising along at nearly 80 mph, they haven't gone very far past the accident scene when they noticed the lights of the oncoming ambulance were now a lot closer. "Here comes that ambulance for one of them", Marge said. They then met the ambulance, a 1959 Cadillac, as it sped by doing about 100 mph with it's red light and siren going, and headlights turned on. Though Jed didn't get a picture of it in time.
Clarence then asked Marge, "Mom. The times I've noticed ambulances since I been here in 1960, they're like kind of a station wagon. Why is that?". "That's a silly question to ask", Rex interjected. "Well, how are they going to have a patient lay down comfortably in a regular sedan?", Marge replied. Clarence then mentioned, "No. I mean, in this day and time I never saw any ambulances that are a type of a truck". "You can't use a truck as an ambulance", Jed retorted as Rex and Donna laughed. "A truck wouldn't be fast enough". "Trucks are for hauling stuff", Rex added. Clarence then explained, "In the time I came from, ambulances are a truck that's like a pick up truck in front. And they have double wheels in back, and box body on the back". "But that wouldn't be fast enough, would it?", Jed asked Clarence. "Why wouldn't it?", Marge asked Jed. "Fire engines are trucks. And they go fast". "Well, yea", Jed acknowledged. "I guess that makes sense". "The trucks that are ambulances in my day and time can go fast", Clarence affirmed. Marge and the cubs then saw the red flashing way down the highway of a 2nd oncoming ambulance. "There's the ambulance for the other victim", Marge said. Within a minute, they met it too as it sped by, also going 100 mph, with it's red light and siren going.
Jed made sure to get a picture of that ambulance...The conversation Clarence brought up after they met the first ambulance prompted him to get the picture of that 2nd one.
When oldest son Jed got the picture of the ambulance, he was lucky to get the timing just right...Marge was driving at 70 mph, and the ambulance coming the other way was travelling at 100 mph. Now for Jed to get it just right like that at a combined meeting speed of 170 mph, how lucky was that? And it was fortunate that Marge had picked out high speed film so the camera can be set for a high shutter speed...And a Rolleiflex camera does get high quality photos. Had it been a slower shutter speed and a cheaper camera, the picture of that 2nd ambulance would have come out blurry. Minutes later, they met a tanker fire truck. It wasn't travelling any faster than 60 mph, and though it did have it's flasher going, it wasn't sounding it's siren.
Jed made sure to get a picture of the fire truck as well. Jed then mentioned after taking the picture, "Lisa and the boys are out riding their minibike today". "Cool", Rex added. "I wish we had a minibike like the opossums have". "Your dad and I already decided we're getting you cubs a go-kart like Ryan Lynx has", Marge reminded the cubs. "But no minibike", Marge further added. "If you cubs ride something that has a motor, I want it to have four wheels, not two". The coyote cubs know the opossum cubs because they attend the same school they attend...And their dad, Rufus, is the janitor/maintenance opossum at the school also. "You know what, Mom? That fire truck. It's not in too much of a hurry, is it", Donna mentioned as she watched from the rearward jump seat at the fire truck going away. Marge replied, "Most likely they're just bring the fire truck out there as a precaution, in case the gas tank of the car doesblow up". Jed added, "So I bet they did notice the smell of gasoline". Before long, they were approaching Encino, where they met the tow truck that was on it's way out of town to retrieve the overturned '58 Chevy...Jed also got a picture of the tow truck. It was already getting to be late afternoon, so upon entering Encino, Marge knew Al would be back at work at Horizon Innovations Laboratories, thus she stopped by to see how things went with Al picking up Clarence's 3rd grade school transcripts. "We're going here to talk to Dad?", Donna asked as Marge pulled off of Highway 285 onto the drive leading into the laboratory and research complex. "I seeing about Clarence's school transcripts", Marge replied. "Can we come out with you?", Rex asked. "It depends on how busy your dad is", Marge answered Rex. After Marge pulled up to the research building where Al would be working that day, she instructed the cubs, "Stay in the car unless your dad and I say otherwise". Marge then went to the entrance door and pressed the button for the intercom...Being a high security facility complex, all entrances on all buildings had keypad entry where you had to have a code to gain access. "Oh hello, Marge", Greg Otter greeted Marge on the intercom from inside. "Is Al busy right now", Marge asked. "Not very", Greg replied. "I'll go get him". Shortly after Greg Otter left, he returned with Al Coyote, who then opened the door to let Marge inside...Technically, that was against security regulations. However, for trusted family members of the scientists and other staff, that rule was never strictly enforced. "What's up, dear", Al asked Marge. "The cubs and I were passing this way. So I thought I'd check on how you did getting Clarence's school transcripts", Marge said. "And the tags for the Plymouth". "I pick both of them up during my lunch break", Al replied. "They're in the dash compartment of the Chrysler. And the tag is on the front seat". Marge then said to Al, "I told the cubs if you're not to busy, they can come in". "I have some time to spare. Sure", Al replied as he opened the door, followed by Marge motioning the cubs to come out of the station wagon and come on inside. "Yeaaayyyyy!", the cubs cheered as they piled out of the car to come into the building. Jed had even brought the Rolleiflex camera out with him. "No, Son! You put that camera back in the car!", Al called out to Jed, as Greg Otter waved an index finger side to side as if to say, "Na-ah-ah-ah-ah". Jed put the camera back in the Plymouth station wagon, then followed the other cubs into the building. "I thought you knew better", Marge reprimanded Jed. "You do know we work on classified projects here", Al reminded Jed. "You can't get caught bringing a camera into any of these buildings". "The only cameras allowed here are the ones used to photograph test results on prototypes we design here", Greg Otter added. "That's right", Al told Jed. "I'm sorry. I guess I forgot", Jed apologized. "Just be sure to remember that from now on. Okay?", Al said to Jed. "This is a restricted area installation after all. And we're letting you cubs in here without security clearances as it is". "Alright, Dad", Jed replied. "Wow! This looks weird", Clarence said as he called Donna over to have a look at project component on a work bench. "You cubs get away from there, and get back here", Al called down Clarence and Donna. As the two cubs came walking back over, Al told them, "That's part of a top secret project. If you can't stay away from that stuff, you'll have to go back out to the car". "We'll stay away from it", Clarence promised, as Donna agreed. "Okay then", Al replied. "You cubs need to be on some better behaviour", Marge told the cubs. "This is not you first time here you know. You do know the rules". After that little event cooled down, Marge asked Greg Otter, "How are Maria and the boys?". "We're all doing well", Greg answered, then said, "Danny gotten himself a really hefty fine to pay though. Him and another boy got caught road racing day before yesterday...138 miles per hour in a 70 zone". "Out on Highway 60 no doubt", Marge guessed. "No. This time, out here on Highway 285. Just north of here", Greg said. "Oh hey! We saw a wreck there just a while ago!", Rex exclaimed. "Coming down Highway 285 on our way here, we saw a car that had overturned", Marge explained. "The car was up-side-down with two state troopers getting someone out". "That's something ambulance crews usually do", Al mentioned. "There must have been a gasoline leak". Greg added, "The car being up side down, it's a sure bet the carburetor float bowl was draining the gas tank". "A gasoline leak is what we thought too. We met two ambulances, a fire truck and a tow truck just before we got here", Marge added. "We heard sirens going that way a while ago", Greg Otter mentioned. "We figured it might have been an automobile accident". "Two beavers were in the car. And one got thrown out", Donna added. "And the car was a 1958 Chevy...I think", Rex further added. "With the way Danny hot rods around and gets into road races on those highways out there, Maria and I worry that overturned car you made mention of might be Danny someday", Greg Otter mentioned. "If you don't mind my saying, that Studebaker Golden Hawk was not a good choice for Danny", Al said to Greg. "Oh definitely not", Marge added. "You are right. Danny treats that car like a toy", Greg Otter admitted. "Not long after Maria and I got Danny that car, it didn't take long to become obvious that car has way too much power for someone as immature as Danny is". "Oh. By the way", Marge mentioned. "On our way out this morning to drop off the film and take more pictures, we noticed Woodrow Raccoon was with the repair team on the time machine". "I hear Harold Wolf and Lenard Wolverine are also out there today", Greg Otter said. "How are they coming along with work on the machine?", Al asked Marge. "I don't know", Marge answered. "We didn't stop by". "Didn't stop by?", Al asked Marge. "Then how did you know Woodrow was out there today?". Donna interjected, "I saw the back of Woodrow's car from behind the rock formation as we drove by". "I checked the mirror", Marge affirmed. "Woodrow didn't pull his car up enough to be completely out of view of the highway". "That needs to be brought to Woodrow's attention", Al exclaimed. "I'm glad Donna and you noticed it". "I'm sure that was an innocent mistake on Woodrow's part", Greg Otter admitted. "But if a car being noticed from the highway ever drew a curiosity seeker back there, that mistake could be a costly one". "I suggest we should stick to using the Falcon and the panel truck provided by the company to go out there in", Al suggested. "That would be less vehicles out there, and less chance of this happening". "I'm on the same page with you there, Al", Greg agreed. "There was a time for a while we were using the company vehicles to go out there in". "We need to go back to doing that", Al added. Al then mentioned, "Before I get back to work, let's get the tags on the Plymouth". "That sounds good to me", Marge agreed as Al grabbed up a screwdriver from a nearby workbench. As Al got the tags off the front seat of the Chrysler 300, Clarence asked, "The tags on the Chrysler are red with yellow numbers. Why are these white with red numbers?" "That's because they're issued this year and expire in 1961", Al answered. "We bought the Chrysler just before New Year's Day. So it has the red tags that were issued at the end of 1959 and will expire at the end of this year". "They change the whole plates?", Clarence asked in surprise. "They don't just put a sticker on them?" "They did for some years", Al said to Clarence. "They even did for these last red tags. Instead of expiring them in 1960, a sticker was issued for them". Clarence had for some time been noticing that the red tags on the Chrysler did have the '60 validation stickers on them. "What colour are the tags in 2018?", Rex asked Clarence. "The tags are yellowish and lite blue", Clarence answered Rex. "And they never get changed out. You always get a sticker for them each year". "Seems to make more sense and less waste", Al agreed as he was removing the temporary paper tags from the Plymouth wagon. "And also", Clarence further mentioned. "In the 21st Century, they also have black tags with pictures of chile peppers on them...A green chile pepper and a red chile pepper". "Wow, that's cool", Jed said. "Who gets those tags?" "Anyone who wants them", Clarence answered Jed. "You pay extra for them though". "Ah. A money maker for the state", Al replied as he began putting the new tags on the station wagon. "Well, Al. If those who will get those tags will be happy with them, then no one's complaining", Marge mentioned. "I guess you're right, Marge", Al agreed. Within a couple of minutes, the new tags were finally on the Plymouth station wagon. When Al gave Marge the registration, Clarence mentioned, "It just looks like it's printed on a piece of ordinary paper". "Well they all do", Al said to Clarence. "This might be 1960. But we don't still chisel stuff in stone ya know", Rex jested as everyone laughed. "I realize that. I just didn't know a car registration was a form on a simple piece of paper though", said Clarence. "In the time I'm from, a car registration is a narrow paper strip that's got a lamination on it. And it's what you also peel your tag stickers off of". "Wow, that's weird", said Rex. "Certainly different", Al acknowledged. Both Al and Marge already knew the state issued title would be sent in the mail. After all, they also paid cash with no financing for the Chrysler 300. And with that car also, the state mailed the title. After the new tags were placed on the Plymouth wagon, Rex got that lightning damaged route sign out. "Ta-daaa. Look what we got", Rex proclaimed as he presented the chared Route 54 sign". "Looks like lightning got that one", Al said, then asked Marge, "Where did you find it?". When Marge told where they got it, Al mentioned, "All this time, we presumed a car had run into it". "Jed noticed it had been burnt as we rode past it today", Marge said. "If it wasn't for Jed seeing that, we wouldn't have ever known", Rex added. Al did make mention, "We normally drive on those rural highways at 80 miles per hour. At that speed, a lot does tend to go unnoticed". "I mentioned the same thing to the cubs where we picked up the sign", Marge replied. "It certainly is a find", Al said. "We're gonna hang it up in our bedroom", Rex proclaimed. "Na - uh!", Donna retorted. "The fair thing to do is to hang it up in the recreation room where the train board is", Al mentioned. "That was everyone can enjoy it". "I'm on the same page, Al", Marge affirmed as everyone agreed. Marge and the cubs then socialized with Al and Greg for a little while longer before heading back home. Needless to say, Greg Otter was impressed with the lightning struck sign that Marge and the cubs had picked up, as well as other scientists who also saw it. When Al mentioned to Greg how he, Marge and the cubs had thought for the past three days a car had hit the sign, Greg mentioned, "Maria and I seldom drive above speeds of 60 and 70. And even at those speeds, you don't always notice everything along side the roads". "I bet Poindexter Fox don't miss anything driving in his Nash", Donna jested. "Yea. Putt puttin' along at 45 and 50", Rex added. "Things still get unnoticed at 45 and 50 miles per hour", Al affirmed. "Very true", Greg Otter agreed. "No one catches sight of everything riding along a highway". "If everyone did, someone else would have gotten that sign long before my wife and cubs got it", Al added, as everyone agreed. After socializing a while, it was getting time to be heading back out to the car to continue home, and for Al and Greg to be getting back to work. Thus after Al and Marge bid each other, "See you this evening", Marge and the cubs proceeded on home. From Encino Marge and the cubs went by way of Route 3 to get back to home, coming into Duran from the west. Once they were home, the cubs went out to play in the tree house, which it was not long before other cubs in the neighborhood joined them. The neighbor cubs were also impressed with the lightning struck sign that Marge and the cubs brought home...A sign that was for real struck by lightning. "We saw that sign post when we went to Pastura Saturday morning, before I came over to help you all on building this treehouse", 12 year old Ryan Lynx said. "But my mom and dad thought a car might of hit it". "We thought the same thing when we saw it on Friday and yesterday", Rex replied. "I noticed today though, the place where the sign was is burnt", Jed added. "My brother did notice. And that's how we knew the sign was struck by lightning", Rex affirmed. "Aww gee", said Ryan's 9 year old sister, Janice. "I wish we knew that". "I know", said Ryan Lynx. "We could of had that sign. You all got lucky". Of course, up in the tree house, when Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna told the other cubs about the car accident they saw on Highway 285 north of Encino, the other cubs began to imagine it much worse than it actually was...Hence, cubs will be cubs. "Wow! How bad was the car tore up?", Ryan Lynx asked. "Could you even tell it was a car?", Janice Lynx, asked. "It was just banged up, and up-side-down with the top crumpled down some", Jed replied. "We saw the police getting a beaver out in case there was leaking gasoline", Clarence added. "Oh wow! Did it blow up?", 5 year old Timmy Bear asked. "It didn't blow up", Rex answered Timmy Bear. "Not that we know of anyway", Jed affirmed. "What kind of car was it?", 10 year old Randy Fox asked. "I think it was a 1958 Chevy", Rex said. "It looked like a '58 Chevy", Jed affirmed. "Was the beaver dead, or could you tell?", Janice Lynx asked. "There was also a beaver that was thrown out", Donna interjected. "Wow! Bet he was dead", Janice exclaimed. "It looked like a she. Probably his wife", said Rex. "I don't think either of them were dead", Jed affirmed. "We saw only two who were in the car. And we met two ambulances coming to get them". "Yea, they don't send ambulances after dead animals", Randy Fox mentioned. "Ewu...They always send the coroner for that", Janice Lynx said. A while after the cubs had finished talking about the accident, Cheryl Coyote came over to play in the tree house...Of course, Cheryl and Clarence being close friends, they were more lovey dovey comfy cozy, compared to the playing the other cubs were engaged in. Early in the evening, Al arrived home after getting off from work. The first thing Marge asked Al was, "You mentioned something to Woodrow Raccoon about his car?" "We did", Al replied to Marge. "He apologized, and said he didn't realize his car was within view of the highway". "I'm just glad that didn't attract anyone to discover the time machine", Marge said. "Among those of us at the lab who know about the machine, we all are glad of that", Al said. "And we all agreed to use the company vehicles to go out there instead of everyone taking their own cars". "That is a wise move", Marge replied. "So what's for dinner?", Al asked. Marge mentioned the seafood platter with home made vegetable stew, fried sweet potato slices, and home made Mexican corn bread she was already preparing, which Al and the cubs were delighted to hear. During dinner, that seafood platter was the best dinner the family had in quite a while. After dinner, everyone had some Jello that Marge had prepared. Then the cubs played with their 0-27 gauge toy trains on the train board layout in the recreation room for the rest of the evening until it was time for bed. All and all, that first day of August in 1960 had been a good day for the Coyote Family...And that lightning struck sign found a permanent home on a wall in the train board recreation room.
![Rescuing the Driver [Page 3] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/3218/3218214_moyomongoose_w_102.jpg "Rescuing the Driver [Page 3] by moyomongoose")
![This is It!!!...Someone has Identified the Make and Year of the Ambulance...1958 Buick [Page 3] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/3026/3026395_moyomongoose_zzzzz60c_revealed.jpg "This is It!!!...Someone has Identified the Make and Year of the Ambulance...1958 Buick [Page 3] by moyomongoose")
