Ch. 19 (cont. )
Lee was leaning
over his shop table when Ann showed up, he was working on the new tennis ball
launcher and just about had it together. He tore through his boxes from the
farm and found most of the parts required to build the launcher as it was shown.
Susie and him piled into the old f-150 and headed to the hardware and were able
to find what he needed, as for the plastic pipe lee had those pieces he brought
from the farm, not knowing what he was going to need in the shop to get it
going. . Susie immediately fell in love with the tennis balls as Lee gave her
one to show everyone who happened in. First was Ann, and Susie was making a point of showing her a new
ball but just staying out of arms reach
so Ann couldn’t play with her. Lee tossed another ball to Ann and Susie immediately
dropped the other ball and ran to Ann wanting her to throw it and Ann did and Susie
ran after that one ,
Lee said to Ann.
“see now you can have her other ball, she is selfish and wants all the balls
for herself , typical woman . But will give one up to get the other.” Ann looked
at Lee with a smile , and then played
with Susie for a while as Lee worked on the launcher.
Ann finally came
in from the parking lot where Lee had already displayed some of his carvings
and announced that Susie had lost one of her balls down the sewer drain , and
was coveting the other. Lee suggested they wait to play ball till he finished
his ball launcher, as he needed enough tennis balls to see how well it worked .
Ann was tired of chasing Susie down to get the balls anyhow and stood and
watched lee for a while finally saying.
“Well you could always
use yours, you have such big ones,” laughed Ann and she continued , “ imagine I
could use that thing if you ever decided to cheat on me .”
“Don’t think
there would be much of a chance of putting them back on after going through
that thing.” remarked Lee. “Besides you are scaring me with your thoughts there
dear. A man prides himself in those things, calls them family jewels for good
reasons. Just need to keep them safe and warm. ”
“Well you had
better only let me play with them or I guannnteeee you I will be looking for
this ball launcher.”
Lee laughed
but hesitantly returned to his work and asked ann if she worked out where they
were going to visit along the trip to California.
Ann returned
with. “Well I think we should head straight out there with the van and accomplish
what we wanted to do first, and then we can go from there. Maybe Yellowstone or
head south to the grand canyon all places we would like to see , I think we
should just become gypsy's for about a month and just travel around out west
while the weather is good. I have all kinds of money just waiting to be spent and
I am looking forward to seeing things I haven’t ever seen in this country. Sure
you don’t want to trade in the old V.W. van for a Gulf Stream Road Warrior with a.c. and all the creature
comforts like being self-leveling , and laid out front to back luxury , oh and
did I forget the tinted windows.” She laughed at this knowing what Lee’s
response would be.
“That
is a gas guzzling behemoth, this type of thing managed to get us all into the
type of trouble I am trying to fight against. No way am I going to be a part of
that scenario, for one month of travelling we would have to plant so many trees
that is all I would get done the rest of my life. And now I don’t even have a
farm to plant on. So would have to sneak them into parks and along the
roadsides just to find a place to plant. “
“Calm down there rocket man was just making a
suggestion as a.c .out west would be nice , but if you want to smell my pits
then it is ok with me . Just find me a motel at the end of the day. Did you ever
think of taking Guy with us?” as she asked about me.
Lee said .“Yes I
had thought about it a lot, he is a good friend and has extended us hospitality
at his place , never taking a dime when he could have rented his little house
out to anyone for the weekend . And he has
helped us so much with the van and even gave us the idea to do this in the
first place. Yes I would like him to go but thought I would talk to you first. Was
hoping you would bring it up. What do you think?” he asked.
Ann replied, “It just seems the right thing to
do , in fact I have taken the liberty to seek out Guy’s old girlfriend Leann and was going to ask her to come along since
it was the two of them that was going to do this in the first place. I hired a
detective and found out some stuff about her and he even watched her for a
while and said she was still single and living in the same place doing the same
job. Maybe she would like to go along also. ?’ Ann said finally explaining for
the first time what she was doing behind Lee’s back , and totally unknown to
me.
Lee said calmly,”
I don’t know if that is such a good idea playing cupid for Guy, he may not want
her in his life now. He knew where she was and before you contact her , I would
talk to Lee and see if he wants to go along Something happened years ago and he really doesn't
like talking about it much even though he cares about her. I still think you
should promise me to speak to him first before doing anything like contacting her.
Miss busybody. Don’t know about you since you have no work to go to. Is this
what you are going to do now play cupid for Guy. Who knows maybe he is waiting
for a young thing top come along and steal his heart. You never know what he is
up to.”
“Ok. ok I get
the point , I just see a lonely old man sitting down there who is still waiting
for the love of his life to come along. Maybe we can make another trip down soon
and ask him before we leave. If he agrees then maybe I will contact her for
him. “said Ann.
“That’s a lot of maybe’s.
Let’s try this thing out.“ Lee said as
he applied air pressure to it checking for leaks where he glued the gun. Finding
none he took it up to 65 pounds of pressure and inserted a tennis ball into the
upper tube and pointed it at the wall of the inside of the garage and Ann said .
“You aren’t going
to shoot that in here are you? “ Ann
asked
Lee laughed and
said yes and with a pull of the trigger let loose the tennis ball and it blew
out of the chamber with such force striking the other wall of the garage ricocheting
off that concrete block wall and out the garage door with Susie chasing after
it.
“ I think it works.
“Said Lee laughing.
Ann says, “You
are crazy aren't you. You could have hurt us both with that thing.”
Lee laughed and said “I had it all planned
dear.” As Susie came back to the garage with the ball in her mouth only
slightly worse for the wear, Lee continued. ”I think we need to head to the
park and try this thing out. “
Ann said,” To
bad we don’t have two, we could shoot at each other.”
“No need dear I am
half shot anyhow,” Lee said jesting. “I think we are ready to go to Sequoia National Park
, just need to check with Guy and see
if he wants to go.” Lee said.
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