By Ted Dewey
Chapter 13
The board with the name, SAM’S PLACE printed on it, had fallen off the pecan tree. Laura had picked it up and took it in the house. Using fresh paint, she had worked over the letters, making them bright and shiny. Although the old man had willed her most everything, she insisted that the board be put back. As far as she was concerned, it would always be SAM’S PLACE.
Bill and! Joe had just finished hanging it back in place and retreated to their favorite spot, the back porch. “Well how is your love life coming along?” Joe asked.
“Great. Just great. And you?”
“Couldn’t be better. Genie sold the tavern, yesterday.”
“Oh yeah? Did she get a good price out of it?”
“I guess; she got what she was asking for it.”
“What does she intend to do now?”
“Going into business for herself, I guess. She is a C.P.A. and has a California license to practice.”
“Oh yeah? I wish we had taken up something like that instead of that damn car business. Either that or not doing anything would have been better. We just kept right on being a couple of playboys. We were good at that!”
“You can say that again. We shouldn’t have let that smooth talking Harris get us involved.”
Bill nodded. “The way he made it sound, we couldn’t lose. Form a cooperation, we supply all the money and let him run the show. Thanks to him we had to keep putting money back in the business, which was supposed to grow, and we would have to pay very little income tax.”
“It sure sounded good, alright. And I guess we weren’t doing too bad, until we got stuck with all those big gas guzzling cars?”
“I suppose we should blame the Japanese. Everyone seems to be buying their cars. Detroit sure wasn’t on the ball!”
“You can say that again.”
“But it is not only cars, brother dear. Everything else, is going to hell. Looks like we are headed for a big depression.”
“Right you are. And I think we had better take our beating and sell out over there. Then we can take what’s left and give this venture, a whirl! What do you think?”
“I agree with you entirely. We own everything; including all the stock, so there won’t be anyone to vote against us. We will get rid of all the cars, divide the money and will bring this nightmare to an end.”
“Let’s get the four of us together and make plans. How does that sound? “
“Great.” Bill grinned. “To make sure everything is on the level, we will take along a C.P.A. We will be Genie’s first customer!”
Laura had gone to town to pay the beauty parlor a visit. She wanted to look her best. She wanted Joe to be proud of her, when they arrived in EL Monte tomorrow.
Bill had explained to his brother, how he had ground up the bulbs in the blender. This had sounded like a good idea to Joe. They had better take along some just in case. They took down the blender from the shelf and got busy. In a short time, a two-pound coffee can was full to the brim.
Each man took a small amount in a spoon and tasted, “Got just a little bit of a cinnamon taste,” Joe smacked his lips.
Bill nodded. “It would go good in pumpkin pie.”
“It is sure potent stuff. Maybe we should dilute it a bit and mix something else with it.”
“Like what?”
“Well, powdered sugar, for instance. .” He eyed the row of labeled cans on the lower cupboard shelf. He took down the one that POWRERED SUGAR was printed on the side, then removed the lid The container was full
Joe grinned. “Well what do you think?”
“Let’s just mix a couple of spoons off the stuff, then taste.”
“A good idea.” Joe put a spoon full of each in a glass and stirred. When they were well mixed, each took a sample. “Just the same, only a little bit sweeter. Dump them together. That way we will have twice as much. A can each.”
“I wonder how a tea spoon full would go in a glass of ice cold lemonade.”
“We had better find out. We want all the answers before we start this business.”
The lemonade was delicious. Joe found another empty coffee can and filled it with powdered sugar. A cup full of each was put into the blender. In a few minutes both coffee cans were full of the mixture.
“Is Genie going along?” Joe asked.
Bill nodded. “She will be ready and rearing to go. She says that we should have the books examined by a C.P.A., which is her, in case something crooked has been going on.”
Joe nodded. “Agreed! Also, we must keep a record off the loss we have taken. When we get in the chips again, we can deduct this; from our income tax.”
“Right you are.” Bill took, a sip from the glass. “Boy, this is? good “And brother dear, I think we have a winner here.”
“Me too. And I wonder what in the world is in there. It would sure solve a lot of marriage problems if all people in love would take a spoon full of this in their coffee every morning.”
“It sure would. And do you know something? 1 I’ll bet there is something like this that some animals and birds feed on!”
“Like the wild goose? He never looks at another.”
“Right. And the coyote and the wolf. They mate for life! Even if the mate is killed! They go right on living alone.”
Joe nodded his head. “And there are plenty more. This life is sure a puzzle, isn’t it?”
“Sure is. But if we can figure out a way to put this stuff on the market, and at the same time stay out of jail, we will have it made! Right?”
“Right!”
Chapter 14
It was almost sundown, when Bill pulled the car into the driveway of the trailer court. Minutes later he stopped in front of a Holiday Rambler, With the name Bishop, on the mail box. He shut off the motor and turned to his passengers.
“We’re here we are safe and sound, and It looks like everything is still here.”
The four of them got out and walked over to the door. Bill took out a key and unlocked it, then swung it open wide. Everyone stepped inside.
“Make yourself at home.” he told the two girls. Joe and I will bring in the luggage.”
Back before the Bishop brothers’ money had started slipping away from them, each had owned a fancy house over in Long Beach. Also two twenty seven foot Holiday Rambler trailers, and a Cadillac to pull them around.
When life had become unbearable living with those two women they split and made settlements. The women got most of the cash on hand as well as the houses. The men received the automobile business and the trailers.
Then the market too a dive on the cars. To keep from going entirely broke they had closed everything but the lot here in EL Monte. They sold most of the cars at auction at give-away prices. They moved out of their swanky apartment, pulled Bill’s trailer over here and moved in. Another one just like it that belonged to Joe, was moved to the used car lot. It was now being used as their office.
They carried the luggage inside. The two girls had given the place a good looking over. They were all smiles.
Genie put her arms? around Bill’s neck and drew herself close, “Oh darling this is wonderful. I never dreamed a small trailer could be so nice. It has everything!”
“Glad you like It. Joe has the twin sister to it. It is up on the car lot.”
Laura’s eyes were shining “Oh Joe! you said; both of you had trailers, but I never dreamed they would be so nice. Just one question. There are twin beds in the bedroom, but the four of us can’t all sleep in there! Where…”
Joe grinned. “We will have our private room, darling.” he pointed to the couch, “That pulls out and makes a wonderful bed.”
Laura blushed. “I don’t know why, but it seems like I can’t keep my mind off going to bed. Can’t wait for night to come.” Her cheeks grew deeper in color. “And I’m not a bit sleepy.”
Genie giggled. “I know what you mean. These Bishop twins are really something, aren’t they?” “I don’t know about yours, but mine sure is. He is as sweet as honey, and as horney as a Texas toad!”
Bill and Joe exchanged glances. They grinned and nodded. Time was wasting!
Genie was nodding her head. “Mine too! And as he grows older, I hope the horns get bigger and bolder.”
“And; he gets sweeter and sweeter.”
The Bishop brothers had gone into action. All the windows were covered with heavy drapes. Quickly they pulled them; shut and Joe pulled out the couch. It was now a full-length bed.
The kitchen light was burning, Bill switched it off. Both men groped around in the darkness. The girls were on their feet, going around like sleep-walkers, their hands out in front of them.
“Where are you darling?” a voice come from out of the darkness. “Come to me!”
Suddenly each man had a girl in his arms. Their lips met. The only sound was that of heavy breathing.
The voice of Genie broke the silence. “Is this you Bill?”
“Yes, darling!”
Laura’s voice came from out of nowhere. “Is this you, Joe? You guys sound just alike in the dark!”
“It’s me alright.”
“O.K. if you say so. Let them have the couch, let’s head for the bedroom!”