Frozen dreams

Nelson pounded the last nail on the porch swing he had just finished for Molly He attached the chain to a set of hooks on the broad wooden arm rests, making sure there was a place to set her Pepsi Cola, he made the arms extra wide. It was a beautiful swing—he was as giddy as a little kid excited to give it to her on her birthday tomorrow.

Nelson Baker was an honest, hardworking man, full of integrity, never shirked from a challenge or ignored a sure fire opportunity. Tall and lean, with a somewhat unruly mop of ginger colored hair, ruggedly handsome, considered a good catch by the women who knew him. He met Molly on a blind date his buddy Martin set up. They were to meet at the Coney Island Cyclone and spend the day on the boardwalk, maybe impress her by wining a Cupee doll or souvenir pillow at the arcade, have a dance and grab some dinner.

Molly was a natural beauty inside and out, popular, well groomed, and well grounded, she sensed Nelson—while very handsome and virile—was equally as shy—a quality she embraced. One could say it was love at first sight because they were married before the year ended. This delighted Martin who was always trying to get Nelson to settle down and partner with him. Their marriage fit right into his plans!

If you had to sum up Martin it would be a big hearted handsome Italian Immigrant’s son, charismatic, fiercely honest, and very intelligent. He thought of Nelson like a brother. They shared mutual admiration. Martin was a wannabe inventor, some of his ideas might be revolutionary if he could just find someone to back his schemes. Which eventually someone did.

Nelson was attaching the last chain to the swing, reminding himself he still needed to call Mrs. Everly about delivering Molly’s favorite chocolate cake tomorrow. Just then 5 year old Bobby burst into the wood shed, he never stopped running, “I never saw such a rambunctious kid, where you going in such a hurry?” Out of breath and panting, “Ma needs you quick” Nelson jumped up from his work bench and headed for the shed door, Bobby right on his heels, “What’s the matter with Ma?” Stumbling trying to keep up with his dads long strides, he panted “Nothin’s the matter there’s some men here to see you,”

Nelson stopped, his shoulders dropped as he relaxed and sighed with relief. He walked over to the well and dipped a ladle into the bucket of water, and took a long slow drink, wetting his handkerchief and mopping his face to refresh himself. “You scared me boy.” “Sorry Pa.”

Parked in the driveway was a tan colored sedan with government emblems on the door. “Now what could this be about?” Heading for the front door, into the house, two men in Army uniforms were standing in the living room. Molly appeared with a tray of lemonade and held it up to the men. “Nelson Baker?” said the taller of the two, reaching for the drink. “Yes, I’m Baker, what is this about?” He waved his hand for them to sit. “Please have a seat.”

Apparently they were here on official Army business to arrange a meeting with Col. Jeffries about an invention he and Martin had discovered a few years ago before they bought the farm. The two held a patent for a gyroscope instrument designed to help navigate airplanes through heavy weather. Astonished, Nelson sat down in his chair, adjusting the Coney Island souvenir pillow behind him.

His thought immediately went to Martin—instinctively wanting to share this long anticipated news but—Martin was dead, accidentally killed two years ago, in a freak logging accident when the chain broke on a pile of logs and instantly crushed him to death. All the patents they held together automatically went to Nelson.

It was 1940 the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor was still a year away, but war was on the horizon when the Nazis invaded Poland last month, FDR was forwarned and the Government started preparing their defense by building more ships and squadrons of airplanes. This invention was the beginning of Aerospace’s outfitting planes with guidance systems. He was exulted but also deeply saddened that Martin would never see their invention literally take flight.

After the men left, Nelson sat in the easy chair holding his lemonade, imagining some future version of their new life. Things were about to change he wasn't so sure it’s what he wanted. He loved their life, the Pear Orchard was what he’d always dreamed of and Martin made sure when his inventions started paying off that Nelson and Molly were well compensated for the effort they put into the work.

After meetings and agreements made, contracts signed it was agreed the prototype and assembly would be done at the farm under Nelson’s supervision. The government agreed to build a barn large enough to test it out on real airplanes. That’s how the Army Corps of Engineers got a green light from the Bakers to build them a magnificent barn.

Once the war got started, the instrument was tested and perfected, the job completed, Nelson was finally free to turn the barn into a proper farm building. The Pears were his pride and joy, he spent weeks perfecting his craft, cross germinating them with a European strain more resistant to bugs. The many nights in freezing temperatures when all three Bakers hustled setting out the smudge pots to protect them from the frost. He thought of them like an extended family.

It was a happy life. And as the sign Nelson carved their first year there, it was most definitely Bakers Burrow. Especially after the intense secrecy the Army insisted he maintain, they found being isolated suited them. Bobby was allowed to invite his school friends over to ice skate when the pond froze in winter. But they chose to avoid social gatherings.

They had skating parties for the kids and roasted sweet potatoes in the fire. Bobby had a wholesome childhood, and loved helping his Ma and Pa harvest and load the pears into bushel baskets then take them to market. It was a labor of love since clearly they were well paid from the Army, and received royalties on their patents. Being simple folk they didn’t have much use for money. Their joy was expressed in a day of hard work.

Even with all this good fortune no family is immune from tragedy. It was December 1945, an unusually mild winter. The pond was frozen but one part of it was partially thawed and dangerous. Bobby and his best friend Max were practicing figure eights when Bobby skated too close to the thin spot and fell in. Max tried to reach him but the ice kept cracking. He ran still in his skates to the emergency bell Nelson had built just for this kind of accident.

Inside the house Nelson heard the clear clang clang clang and scrambled into his rubber boots and coat running out towards the clanging bell heading for the pond. There was Bobby floating face down in the freezing water. Nelson jumped in dragging his boys limp body onto the snow. He carried him into the warm house and proceeded to wrap him in blankets. A faint shallow breath was there, he was unconscious but alive.

Nelson and Molly scrambled into the car holding Bobby rocking back and forth keeping the blood circulating.

“Max call your folks to come pick you up we’ll let you know after we get him to the hospital in Fernley.“ It was a quick hour’s drive. Molly was vigorously massaging Bobby’s little body trying to focus through her tears. The roads were slippery with black ice and gusts of wind made driving treacherous.

Max called his Dad to come pick him up telling him what happened. When he got home his Mom was waiting to smother her boy in hugs so grateful he was safe. The hours passed without any word it was four o’clock when Max‘s dad carried him to bed. When he woke the next morning there was still no word. Max stayed home from school waiting to hear news about Bobby, but the call never came, no word ever came. They had just disappeared.

The following day in the Reno Gazette an accident report—reported a fatal car crash three miles outside Fernley, two unidentified Adults dead on impact, one child survivor rushed to the Hospital in a coma.

Three months later, Bobby woke from his coma, completely lost and confused. Unable to remember anything. Not even who he was. “Wh..where am I he asked the nurse.”

His broken leg was almost healed and ready for the cast to be removed. The Doctors and staff thought better of telling him about the accident since his mental state was so fragile, they decided to let his memory return in its own time. If ever.

For Bobby he might as well have been a new born baby, ready to start life anew—except he had no one to care for him. It would be thirty-five years before he found out who he really was and that his fathers patents had made him a billionaire.