The Life & Times Of Grizzly Bill

The Life and Times of Grizzly Bill

Written By Bill Chamberlain

Chapter One

In the beginning

It was the Fieppe Raid in Aug. of 1942 and as Bill and three of his fellow Rangers moved forward they came across seven enemy soldiers in a bunker dug into the side of a hill. As two of the Rangers advanced from the left Bill and the third Ranger did the same from the right. George Hill, a six foot Texan with Sandy hair and blue eyes, and Robert Hardy, a rugged man from the coal mines of the Appalachian coal region, were seen by the enemy soldiers and started taking fire, which pinned them down behind a fallen tree. While the enemy concentrated on their friends Bill and Doug Scott, a smaller man from California with brown hair and green eyes, quickly moved on the bunker and tossed in a grenade and took out three of the seven, the other four were stunned by the explosion but otherwise unhurt. Bill and Doug jumped the four remaining soldiers and while Doug was fighting one, Bill took out the first with a rifle butt to the chin, the second and third soldier jumped Bill from behind in an attempt to take him down. Bill tossed one off his right shoulder and across the bunker, the other one he slammed up against the side of the hill knocking him off his back. As Bill spun around he landed a right cross to the man’s chin while the second man once again engaged Bill from the side, tackling him and taking him down. It was at that point that Bill’s Ranger hand to hand combat training took over and as he pulled his bayonet from his back pack he pushed the man off and leaped on his chest driving the bayonet deep into his chest slowly killing him as the knife went through his heart. Bill stood and turned around and found the third man back on his feet again and aiming his hand gun at Bill ready to shoot when suddenly from the rim of the bunker a shot rang out and the soldier dropped dead. Not missing a beat Bill picked up the soldier that Doug had been wrestling with and threw him against the side of the bunker and ran his bayonet through his neck and as he pulled it out he sliceding to the right and cut the man’s throat open.

With the fight over and the enemy lying dead, Bill stood over them and then looked at his buddies, all of which were fine. Doug walked up to Bill, reached up, put his hand on his shoulder and did his best to look him in the eye.

“Damn son, you fight like a damn crazy California Grizzly.” He called out to Bill and his friends. “I knew you were good but three men. Damn Bill, that’s not just good, that’s amazing. We’re just gonna have to call you Grizzly from now on. Grizzly Bill. I like that.” Robert told them.

Bill looked at them and smiled. He liked the name and wore it proudly.

Bill was born on Sept. 7th. 1910 in the little town of Big Bear California. His mother, Marion, was a meek and mild woman who married young and gave birth to only two children. His father, Chester, was a stern man who didn’t show much out right love for his children. They knew he loved them but he didn’t overtly show it. Chester worked as the leader of the head saw crew at The South Side Lumber Company. The carriage moves back and forth on rails. It carries the logs to the headsaw crew. These workers operate headsaws that slice boards from the logs. The leader of the headsaw crew uses his skills and experience to get the largest quantity of high-grade lumber from each log.

The family lived in a small two bedroom house near the center of town and when Bill and his sister Mary were not in school, they spent most of their younger years swimming and boating on the lake.

By the time Bill entered Big Bear high school, he stood six foot four and weighed 230. He played full back for the football team in high school where he was an average student and graduated with a B average. Bill was never an outgoing young man but he had his share of good friends and there was one young lady that had caught his eye. He and Cathie met at one of the school dances in the boys gym. Bill was not much of a dancer and Cathie was an excellent dancer and a member of the cheerleading squad. They dated through their sophomore and senior years leading everyone to believe that they would be getting married right after high school, but that was not to be. Two months before the end of their senior year Cathie’s parents moved down to Los Angeles where her father had gotten a job with the Los Angele Times newspaper. Their long distance romance lasted for about a month when Bill got a letter from Cathie telling him she had met a man and was saying goodbye. Bill was heartbroken but did his best to forget her and move on.

After school Bill worked with his father at the South side lumber company until WWII broke out and he joined the Army.

He went down to LA to join The Army and was sent to Fort Ord For basic training. He was assigned to the 34th. Infantry Division after graduating from basic and soon thereafter he and fifty or so of his fellow soldiers volunteered for the original Ranger Battalion and began training on June 19th 1942 as the First Ranger Battalion organized by William Orlando Darby. The Rangers, all volunteers, soon shipped out to Dundee Scotland to train with the 1st commando brigade and because there was a shortage of housing on base they were billeted in the homes of Dundee Scottish families, where friendship and a few relationships blossomed.

Bill wore the Ranger patch with pride and along with the other Rangers, he took his oath to the United States very seriously. He and his friends would help win this war or die trying. Unfortunately, for many Rangers that had fought through North Africa and Italy that would be their fate as on January 29th 1944, the 1st. and 3rd. Ranger Battalions fought the Battle of Cisterna. 767 of Darby’s Rangers in those battalions, 761 were killed or captured. What they walked into was not an ambush but a fully mounted offensive by the elite of the German army, The Hermann Goring Panzer Division.

The Rangers fought gallantly but in the end it was a disaster. The remaining men were told that if they and their fellow Rangers hadn't stopped the Germans' push they would have thrown the allies back into the sea.

For Bill and the fourth battalion the loss of their brothers weighed heavily on their shoulders and although they did their best to come and rescue the First and Third Battalions, they were unable to get through enemy lines to come to their aid.

With the war over, Bill came home a tired and beaten man. His family, and in fact the entire town of Big Bear welcomed him home along with the other hometown boys who fought in the war, with a parade and speeches by dignitaries from all around the area. Bill did his best to smile through the speeches and waved to people along the parade route. He had done it for his parents but his heart wasn’t in it. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone. He spent many of his days in his room sleeping and being woken up by nightmares. Sleep was hard to come by, with visions of buddies being cut down by enemy fire and the faces of the men he had killed.

It wasn’t long after returning home that he father and mother were killed in a head on crash with a drunk driver on their way home from church one Sunday morning. Suddenly, Bill found himself all alone in the house he grew up in. His sister had moved away and gotten married shortly after Bill had joined the Army. She and her husband and little boy came back for the funeral. She and Bill stood side by side, holding hands as they lowered the caskets into graves that were next to each other, but they had little in common these days and just days after the funeral, Mary and her family were gone again leaving Bill alone in their childhood home. A house that was now far too big for him and so he looked around town for a Real Estate agent that would help him sell the home. What he found was an old high school friend, Jimmy Rogers, who, while the war was raging, had become a real estate agent. With the money from the sale he found a small cottage lake side near Gilmer Point and moved in three months after he buried his parents.

Jimmy and Bill had played football in high school. Jimmy was the football hero quarterback and Bill the burly fullback who it was said could pick up five yards just by falling forward. The two men were hitting it off again and every other day they would meet at Big Bear Mountain Brewery for a couple of beers and to talk about old times. Jimmy volunteered for the Army but was unable to serve because of an auto accident where he and his girlfriend Betty, a lovely young girl with blond hair and blue eyes and a figure that could have stopped a truck on a dime, were tossed like rag dolls from the rolling car as it rolled over and over down the side of an incline and into the ravine after being forced off the road by a semi truck. When Betty was thrown from the car, she found herself pinned under it when the car stopped at the bottom of the incline. She lived for five days but in the end died from her injuries and Jimmy, who had shattered glass shoved in his face when his head hit the front window as it was broken into a thousand pieces, would never forgive himself for her death. Jimmy, like so many young men before the war and after high school, had been drinking heavily that night and on the way home took a turn much too wide and the oncoming truck would have crushed the car had Jimmy not driven off the road and down the incline. As a result of his injuries, Jimmy was blind in one eye and had to wear glasses to see out of the other.

Jimmy, happy to see his old friend, sat with Bill and told a good story, but never touched a drop of liquor. Bill was entertained by his friend and saddened when he asked about Betty and Jimmy told him of the accident and her ensuing death because of his carelessness that night. Bill had suggested that they could meet somewhere other than the bar, but Jimmy told him that he was fine, even though deep down inside where no one could get to, Jimmy was still hurting.

The only things that kept Jimmy’s head above water was his job, a few good friends and now Bill. Nights were long and lonely and if not for the sleeping pills his doctor had prescribed, Jimmy would not be sleeping at all. It was the nightmares that kept Jimmy awake as he relived the tragic night time and time again and while he did his best to keep going forward, there was always Betty’s face looking up at him from the hospital bed, smiling and forgiving him, seconds before she died. Those blue eyes and that sweet smile were always there haunting him in his sleep. Each and every night he would jump up from his sleep, screaming her name and knowing there was nothing he could do and that he was the reason she was gone.

It was during one of their meetings at the Brewery that Jimmy asked if Bill would like to go hunting with him. Bill told him no, that ever since the war, he wasn’t much on guns and killing. It took a few more meetings and beers but Bill finally agreed to join him on his next hunting trip. Jimmy took him to the local sporting goods store and helped him pick out the equipment he would need. When it came to the rifle, Bill knew what he wanted and bought The Winchester Model 70, a bolt-action sporting rifle. It was a high-quality action of considerable strength, with two forward locking lugs and a Mauser-type non-rotating claw extractor.

On the first hunting trip Jimmy bagged a big male deer while Bill went empty handed. It had been a while since Bill had fired any kind of a weapon but it wasn’t that he didn’t want to or forgot how, his heart just wasn’t into it. However, as time moved on, Bill started to get into the trips and once again engaged in the sport. He bagged a deer on each of the next three trips and was for the first time in some time having fun. Maybe it was the outdoors, or the comradery he was beginning to feel with his old friend that took him back to the war and the friendships he formed in the Rangers.

It was on the fifth trip into the woods when he and Jimmy were several miles out of town, deep into the woods and away from civilization. They had set up camp with their tents on either side of the campfire and as the sun set on their first day, they found themselves empty handed but had seen signs of a lot of game and even signs of a rather large bear which may have been the reason for the lack of deer in the immediate area.

As they sat around the campfire that night, talking about how nice the weather was and how frustrated they were over the lack of game.

“Not to worry my friend, we will find a deer or two tomorrow. As a matter of fact I will bet you I bag the first deer.” Jimmy boasted.

“You’re on and whoever is left empty handed, buys the first round at…oops, sorry, I forgot you don’t drink. Still, let’s say, the loser buys dinner at Jasper’s Smokehouse. How about that old buddy?” Bill asked as he heard a noise and looked around.

“I like that and I like my steak medium rare. Keep that in mind when you watch me bring down that first deer.” Jimmy told him. “Did you hear something?”

“Thought I did. Must have been the wind or a squirrel or two.” He told Jimmy.

“Well, whatever it is, I’m too dang tired to worry about it. I’m going to sleep, how about you?” He skied as he stood up.

Bill was about to answer him when out of the dark of the night a huge brown bear charged through the camp site and grabbed Jimmy by the neck and shoulder with his huge mouth, picked him up and carried him off into the woods. The sudden on rushing bear surprised Bill and as he jumped back he fell backwards over a camp chair landing flat on his back. When he hit the ground he rolled over and stood up. He could see Jimmy being carried off, screaming with every movement and unable to do anything except endure the punishment by the bear.

Bill jumped up and grabbed his rifle and shot at the bear hitting him in the right flank but it did nothing to stop him. The bear had Jimmy by the back of his neck and moved off slowly dragging him between his legs. Bill dropped his rifle and pulled the large hunting knife from his side, ran after the bear and jumped on its back plunging the knife into the bear's neck up to the handle. The bear raised up, dropping Jimmy and did his best to throw Bill off but Bill had ahold around the bear's neck and once again plunged the knife into the side of the bear's neck, causing the bear to once again rise up on his hind legs and so did his best to toss of off his burden. Again, Bill, with every bit of strength he could muster, continued to plunge the knife into the bear time and time again.

With one smooth and flawless move the bear turned and whipped his head to the side and was finally able to toss Bill off his back. The bear stood there for a moment looking around and when he saw Bill rolling over and standing up he charged. Unfortunately for the bear, the wounds inflicted by Bill’s knife were causing massive amounts of blood to pour from the slashes inflected every time Bill stabbed the bear. The loss of blood and the pain of the wounds slowed the bear down and by the time he was close enough to grab his prey, Bill with both hands on the knife, and with all the strength he could muster, plunged the knife deep into the bears skull and the bear fell to the ground and lay motionless. Bill looked down, jumped on his back and drove his knife into the bear one final time to ensure the bear was dead. As the knife plunged deeper into his back the bear growled, shook his body in one final effort to shake Bill off and his knife out, the huge furry and bloody beast finally dropped dead. As the bear rolled over on his side Bill rolled off it’s back and up onto his feet looking down to make sure the bear was dead. He stood there for a few minutes waiting for a sign of life, but there was none. To be sure Bill pulled his Colt 45 from his side and shot the bear in the head. The bear didn’t move.

After making sure the bear was finished Bill ran to his friends side and knelt down. The bear’s jaw had ripped Jimmy’s shoulder in half, pulled his head half off and crushed his skull in the short time he had a hold of his victim. There was nothing Bill could do, Jimmy was dead, more than likely from the moment the bear had sunk his teeth into his neck. Bill looked down at his friend and then stood up, pulled the limp body back to the camp site and lay him in his tent. There was nothing else he could do. Jimmy was dead and they were miles away from civilization. Once he had Jimmy in the tent and covered up he sat down by the fire and collapsed. He hadn’t noticed because of the adrenaline rush from fighting the bear, but the bear had gotten in a few good swipes as he rolled around with Bill hanging on. The injuries were not too severe and Bill, exhausted from the fight and with rush wearing off he found himself almost face down in the dirt.

Bill lay there and slowly pulled himself up and into his tent where he pulled out the first aid kit. There was nothing he could do for the superficial wounds on his back, but he stopped the bleeding on his right shoulder and arm. Once bandaged Bill lay down on his cot, closed his eyes and passed out from exhaustion and didn’t wake up until eleven the following morning. When he tried to get up his injuries sent waves of pain sweeping over his entire body forcing him to lay back down and wait for the pain to subside. Bill lay there for almost an hour and when he finally felt he could move he rolled on his side making an effort to sit up. The pain was still there, but he fought through it and sat on the edge of the cot. Five minutes later after the pain had once again subsided he stood up and moved out into the sunshine. He looked around the campsite and could see the dead bear no more than fifty feet off to his left. He hadn’t heard any of the coyotes that had been feasting on the carcass in the night, but by the time there were finished there wasn’t much left of the bear.

Bill slowly walked to his chair by the fireplace and threw a handful of fire starter sticks on the embers along with some paper that was left over from the fire last night and waited to see if the ember would fire up. A minute or two later the sticks were burning and Bill laid on a couple of logs.

As he sat there watching the fire grow, he looked at his wounds only to find them superficial and realized that the fight with the bear was what had exhausted him to the point of passing out. He knew he needed to get Jimmy back to town, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to do much until his body had recouped from his battle with the bear. So Bill sat there with the remains of the bear off to his left and the remains of his friend in the tent. It wouldn’t be until the following day that Bill would be able to summon up the strength to carry his friend and drag the head of what was left of the bear to the Jeep.

Once back in town Bill went directly to the only doctor in town to have his wounds looked at. From there the doctor called the sheriff/corner over to his office and had Bill relate the story once again. The Sheriff listened and then looked at Jimmy's body and realized that Bill was telling the truth. He took the body and called Jimmy’s family to tell them he was dead and when Bill was all patched up he given some antibiotics, the doctor let him go.

“I want to see you in two days and don’t go fighting any more bears till then, Okay?” He joked with him.

Bill nodded his head and walked out to his Dodge truck and drove home. He took the bear's head and tossed it in the garage wondering why he had brought it with him. After Bill tossed the head he walked into the house and collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. He woke up the next morning to the sounds of loud knocking on his door. Wondering who the hell was at his door he walked over and opened it. There standing in front of him was Jimmy’s wife and son. The wife had been crying over the loss of her husband and the son looked angry.

“Why the hell didn’t you save my father?” We’re the first words out of the boys mouth and he rushed in and confronted Bill.

His mother tried to hold him back but the kid broke away and suddenly found himself on the floor as Bill flipped him over his back and kneeled next to him.

“Boy, I’m gonna forget that because you just lost your father, but don’t ever try that again. It won’t end up the same way next time. Do you understand me, boy?” Bill said as he looked into the kids' eyes.

“Please forgive him Bill, he’s just upset.” His mother told Bill.

Bill stood up, offered the kid his hand and helped him off the floor. Once up the boy apologized while his mother walked in and took his arms. Bill escorted the two of them into his living room and asked them to sit on the sofa. Once seated Jimmy’s wife again apologized and explained why they were there. She wanted to know what had happened. Bill told them the story and explained that Jimmy was dead minutes after the bear grabbed him.

“I don’t think he suffered. The bear most likely snapped his neck with his first bite.” He told them.

Jimmy’s wife, a beautiful redhead with beautiful green eyes, started to cry again. She was five foot six inches tall and she and Jimmy had dated through high school and got married a month after they had graduated. Her son did his best to comfort her but there was no comfort food enough to take away the loss of her husband.

The town held a memorial for Jimmy a few days later and proclaimed Bill as a hero, a title that he did not welcome nor did he feel like one. His friend had been killed, just like his friends in the Rangers on that fateful dark day when the 1st and 3rd Ranger Battalions are sent on a dangerous mission; and were ambushed and wiped out by the Germans in the Battle of Cisterna. Still, there was nothing he could do then nor the night Jimmy was killed so he did his best to be humble and accept the praise with a smile and the. Go home and do his best to forget.

Chapter two

Life Begins Again

As life began to settle back down again, Bill did his best to adjust to his unwanted fame. He wasn’t a hero, he was nothing more than a home town kid thrust into a situation where he had to kill or be killed. He was recognized on the streets of a Big Bear whenever he went shopping or into town for any reason. He spent a great deal of his time lakeside looking out on the water and watching as boats motored or sailed by. He was happy sitting there, no one bothered him, no one was even close by. In fact his closest neighbor was at least a mile down the beach and the only time he saw her and her dog was when they would run by about six in the morning.

Elsa was a lovely young woman of 32 that had moved to Big Bear shortly after her husband, Roger Walker, was killed in the war. He was among the thousands of soldiers killed on D-day with the 1st Infantry Division led Force O in the assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He was among those that encountered a hailstorm of intense fire from the German defenses and was killed before he reached the beach. Roger, a young lawyer with a large firm in Los Angeles had married Elsa in Boston the day he graduated and the day before he was hired in Los Angeles. It wasn’t but a year later that war was declared and he signed up to serve his country. He had left her a small fortune, inhairited from his father when his father died shortly after Roger had graduated from Harvard Law School. The house on the Beach in Big Bear was a part of the inhairitance. Elsa had moved in to get away from the stressful fast paced life in Los Angeles. She, much like Bill, wanted nothing more than to be left alone, however, she was the subject of much gossip by the older ladies in town who heard she had married into wealth and left her husband when he went off to war. The problem with that rumor was that it just wasn’t true. It was conjured up by old lady Wilson, the town witch and local gossip. She lived in a rundown old house overgrown with shrubs and Ivy hanging from the overhang that covered the porch. The house was on the edge of town, and some youngsters long ago had started the rumor that the woman who lived there was a witch. It was the one house that no kids would go to on Halloween due to the rumors that she would capture small children and have them for lunch after cooking them slowly over an open fire in her basement. It wasn’t true of course, but there was always smoke coming from the chimney and that was enough proof to the kids to keep them away.

Old lady Wilson had nothing better to do with her time than spread rumors and gossip about people she knew nothing about. She even started one about Bill after the war, one that Bill squelched promptly when he walked up to her door and told her in no uncertain terms that she had better shut her mouth or he would shut it for her. There were no more rumors about Bill.

It was on a cold rainy winter's morning when Bill woke to hear something howling at his front door. In no mood to be awake at four AM but he made his way to the door and opened it to find a small Rottweiler puppy soaking wet and shivering on his doorstep. Bill picked him up and carried him into the house and wrapped him up and dried him off. Bill started a fire and held the puppy close in an effort to calm him down and warm up. As they sat in front of the fireplace the puppy looked up into the eyes of the man that had just saved him and gave him a lick on the chin.

“Well, I guess I have found you a new home…aaa, Brutus. Yep, Brutus is your new name from now on and I am Grizzly. Grizzley Bill and we are going to be best buds.” Bill told the dog as he held him close.

Later that day Bill took Brutus to the vet and had him checked out and got all his shots up to date. Brutus came back healthy as a horse or in this case, a Rottweiler, and the two started a lifelong friendship. Brutus was soon sleeping in Bill’s bed. No matter how many times Bill put him in his new ultra soft comfy puppy bed, Brutus would always jump in Bill’s bed before morning. Soon, Bill finally gave up and just let him be. Bill and Brutus were becoming a fixture along the beach as Bill took him for walks and then swam in the lake.

A short six months later, Brutus and Bill were sitting by the lake in front of Bill’s house when Elsa and her dog, a black Labrador by the name of Brandy came running by. Elsa’s Labrador, Brandy saw Brutus and immediately and made a beeline for him. Brutus jumped up and ran towards Brandy. The two met nose to nose first and then started sniffing each other’s butts to say hello. The two dogs were getting along like long lost friends by the time that Elsa made it up to Bill to apologize for her dog's behavior.

“No problem, it’s what dogs do.” He told her while the dogs played. “I’m Bill…”

“Yes, I know, everybody knows who you are.” She told him with a smile. “I’m Elsa, Elsa Peterson. I live just down the beach.”

“Nice to meet you Elsa from just down the beach. It looks like our dogs have made friends with each other, I wonder if we should become friends too?” He said as he looked down at them.

The smile on his face was a result of the fist glib thing he’d said to a female since high school. In all the years since Cathie left he had only a few dates, not because he wasn’t interested but because he didn’t have much of a chance with the war taking up a good part of his time.

“I think that would be a hell of a good idea.” She told him as she reached out for his hand.

Elsa was a pretty blonde girl that stood five foot five with a slim build and beautiful blue eyes that looked as if they could see right through you.

As they shook hands the dog’s took off down the beach and romped in and out of the water. Elsa and Bill turned and watched as the dogs played and then Bill invited her to have a seat. The two of them sat watching the dogs play and talking for the next two hour until finally the dogs wandered back up to the house and plopped down in front of them.

“It would seem as if playtime is over.” Elsa said as her lab looked up at her.

“Brutus hasn’t played that hard since I found him.” Bill told her as he patted Brutus’s head.

With the radio playing in the background, Elsa and Bill watched the dog lay quietly while sitting on his back porch looking out over the lake. Time slipped by while they talked and soon Elsa looked at her watch and realized she would be late for her morning yoga class if she didn’t get a move on.

“I’ve really enjoyed our morning together and I know that the dogs are thrilled to have someone to play with, how about I meet you for lunch around one this afternoon at the Grizzly Manor?” She suggested.

“Sure, I’d love to.” He told her as she stood up and turned to leave.

“Take care and I’ll see you at one.” He said as she walked away.

Bill sat back down and watched as she walked down the beach, Brutus at his side waiting for Bill to throw the ball for him again. Brutus loved playing with the ball, it was the first thing that Bill taught him. Brutus had been with Bill for six months and you never saw one without the other. They were an afternoon fixture in town as Bill and Brutus walked around town for no other reason than to kill time and the exercise. This afternoon would be different. This time there was a purpose to their visit downtown.

Bill had quietly turned 35 years old shortly after finding Brutus and they were only one to celebrate. At 35 Bill had not accomplished a lot for a man of his age. He hadn’t found a wife. True he wasn’t looking for one so he wasn’t really concerned. He sat around the house most of his days until he found Brutus, even then it wasn’t much more than a walk around town. He often wondered if there wasn’t more to life than watching the wind blow and listening to the radio. If there was, he had no idea what it might be. No, Grizzley Bill was pretty happy with his life and wasn’t looking to change it. He was a quiet man who stayed to himself, had very few friends and only said hello to those who said hello to him, which was pretty much the whole town. After he brought the bear's head home after it had killed Jimmy he became even better known as Grizzley Bill. Everyone would wave and say good morning Grizzley Bill or just Grizzley, sometimes Griz. He wasn’t thrilled about the recognition but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Most of the time he had no idea who was saying hello, he just waved, smiled and went about his business.

Shortly after Elsa left he and Brutus went inside to shower and shave. All the while listening to the radio. It was The Johnny Nomad show and Bill liked the music and Johnny was quick and glib with his off the cuff comments. Johnny had taken the morning gig at KSVB six months ago and was beginning to make a name for himself in town. After his show he would always make the late morning rounds to all the coffee shops and talk with the coffee clatchers.

Johnny Nomad was originally from Bakersfield and had just turned twenty two years old. He had brown hair and eyes and a wide smile that said hello to anyone that looked his way. He stood five foot seven and was slight of stature. Johnny had never been much of an athlete in school. He was in most every high school play and was voted class clown before graduation. Although he was shy, his sparkling personality won over the girls and so he always had a date for the Saturday night dances. There was never one girl in particular that he hung out with and the fact that he was shy made it difficult to get too close to a girl. Shortly after school he found an intern's job cleaning up and then a short time later he was offered a job writing news for the morning man, from there he went on playing music overnight at KERN radio. He worked there until he found the Big Bear gig.

As one O’clock rolled around Johnny found himself at the Grizzly Manor for lunch. It was his usual place to have lunch and he sat at a table next to the front window to watch the world go by everyday. Today would be different. He often talked about the Grizzly Manor on his show, it was a part of a trade the station had worked out for him. He would talk about them, invite people in for breakfast, lunch and dinner and he would eat for free. Today as he waited for his food three very large men walked in and stood around his table, taunting him. Calling him names and making fun of how short he was.

“What a whimpy boy.” One called out to him.

“Hey radio boy you ain’t being very funny this morning.” Another called out.

Clara, the waitress, walked over and asked the three men to sit down and be quiet, but they ignored her and continued to make fun of Johnny.

As they laughed one of them picked up Johnny’s water and suddenly threw it in his face.

“Listen guys, I don’t want any trouble.” He told them in an effort to get them to go away.

“Well, little boy, you got it anyway.” Another one said as he grabbed Jonny by the jacket and yanked him up and threw him across the room and into the table where Elsa and Bill were sitting.

Bill had been watching hoping the men would leave the poor kid alone, but he could see that wasn’t going to happen and so he stood up, walked over and grabbed two of them by the back of their jackets and started for the door.

“It’s not nice to pick on those less fortunate.” He told them as he tossed them in the street.

Suddenly from behind the third man jumped on Bill’s back and started wrestling with him. Bill simply grabbed the man from over his shoulders and pulled him off his back and tossed him into the street with his friends. As he landed the other two men were getting up and coming at Bill. As Bill set himself for combat Johnny walked around and stood next to him.

“Thank you, but I think I can handle them from here on.” He told Bill as he took two steps forward.

Johnny jumped up and kicked the first man on the right side of his face, sending him floundering to the ground. The second man advanced on Johnny and suddenly found himself face down in the street out cold. The third man was getting up as Johnny approached him and put his fist in his gut and another smashing into his throat. The man dropped gasping for air.

“Dang son, you know how to defend yourself don’t you?” Bill asked as he walked up next to Johnny.

I've been studying Chinese Kung Fu since I was six years old. My parents knew I was going to be a small boy and thought it might be a good idea if I could defend myself from bullies like these guys. I find it better not to fight, but when I have to it’s better than getting my butt kicked every time I turn around simply because I was the smallest kid and easy to pick on.” Johnny told him.

“Well kid, I was taught by British Commandos and I’d say you just put me to shame. Well done.” Bill congratulated him. “Would you mind joining me and my friend for lunch?”

“I would be very happy too.” Johnny told him as they started to walk in.

“What do you want to do about the three buttheads?” Bill asked.

“It’s trash day, the street sweeper will soon come by and take out the trash.” He told him with a smile.

The two men walked back inside and as they sat down, Bill was about to introduce Johnny to Elsa when he looked over to find them gingerly sitting at a table near the back with their heads down and rubbing their brushed egos.

“It suddenly dawned on me that I don’t know your name.” Bill said as they sat down.

“Johnny, Johnny Nomad, at your service.” He said with a smile, a slight bow as he sat down.

“Holy crap, you’re the guy from the radio.” Elsa said with surprise.

“That would be me.” He told her.

“I Listen to you every morning.” She told him. “As a matter of fact we both do.”

“No offence but you seem awfully young to be as bright as you are on the radio.” Bill told him as he sat down next to Elsa.

Johnny smiled and thanked him, explaining that he had always been a bright kid.

“I could have gotten through school much quicker but I kinda dumbed myself down to stay with my class. I worked hard at keeping my intelligence hidden from other kids. I just wanted to be normal.” He told them as Clara the waitress walked up, thanked them for taking out the te]rash and asked if they were ready to order.

After the three of them ordered breakfast they chatted and Johnny told them that they were the first listeners he had gotten to know on a deeper level than just a good morning or hello.

“When I walk down the street, people will recognize me and say hello and I always say hello back, but I have little idea who they are.” He told them and sipped his water.

“That’s funny, because I have the same thing happen to me when I walk around town. They all know me but I have no idea who they are.” Bill told him.

Johnny was puzzled by Bill’s statement and asked why he didn’t know anyone.

“I grew up here and I know a few people but everyone seems to know me because of the war and Jimmy.” Bill told him and went in to explain.

A few minutes later both Johnny and Elsa were amazed at his story about his war adventures and Jimmy’s death. Neither of them were here when Jimmy died and would have had no idea about the war.

“So, you’re a war hero.” Johnny said.

“I am no war hero. The hero’s are the ones that didn’t come home. The ones buried on forgien soil. The ones that did battle with the enemy and paid the ultimate price.” He told him with a certain sadness too his voice over the brothers he had lost while with the Rangers.

“I’m sorry, of course you’re right. But damn son, you took on a grizzly bear and survived. Ya gotta admit that is pretty spectacular.” Johnny told him hoping to change the mood.

“If I had been able to save Jimmy maybe, but the bear tore him apart before I could get to him.” Bill explained.

“Bill, that wasn’t your fault. You did what you could and you’re lucky to have survived.” Elsa told him as she placed her hand in his.

“I know you’re right, but it doesn’t help much. It just doesn’t help.” He said sadly and got up. “I’m sorry, but I’m gonna walk home. I don’t feel much like eating. Elsa,” He said as he got up and abruptly walked out.

Elsa and Johnny just watched as he walked out the front door of the Grizzly Manor and down the street to his truck.

“Well, I guess we know what subject not to bring up ever.” Johnny told her as he looked back at her.

“Yeah, I’ll have to remember that.” She said as Clara brought the food. “Could you make this one to go?”

Clara told her that she would be happy to keep it warm until they were ready to go. Johnny smiled at Clara the and then back at Elsa and asked why she didn’t know about the touchy subjects. She explained that this was their first lunch together, that they had only met earlier that morning.

Elsa and Johnny sat and ate lunch and when they were done, Johnny said goodbye and told her that she was pleasant company and to have a great day. Elsa smiled and as Johnny walked out Clara came over to Elsa’s table and told her that Johnny had taken care of the bill.

“Would you like me to bring over the other meal to go?” She asked.

Elsa smiled and told her that she would pick it up on her way out. She sat there for a few minutes and went over Bill’s stories again and was amazed that he had not only survived the war, but took on the Grizzly and walked away with only a few wounds.

“This man is something special.” She said to herself and then got up and walked up the counter and picked up Bill’s lunch.

As she walked out of the diner she looked down the street and saw Johnny standing next to his car waving goodbye.

Elsa waved and walked to her car and drove back to Gilner Point and home. Along the way she thought about Bill and the things that he must have gone through during the war.

Chapter Three

The Law Comes calling

The flaming reddish orange ball cast along shadow across the lake and what was left of it’s sunlight was beginning to set behind the tall Ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine and Sugar pine trees that lined the lake and the chill of the early fall evening was brought on by a brisk northerly wind bringing a chill to Bill and Brutus as they sat lake side and watched as a flock of black-capped chickadees, a small, nonmigratory, North American songbird, make their way across the water and into the pines on the far southern shore. Brutus lay next to Hill’s lounge chair with his head in his paws hoping for another treat and watching his every move. It has been a typical day for the two of them. They had driven to town and then walked around touring the many shops and made a few stops to buy a few necessities for dinner and the following morning’s breakfast.

As they sat in the Grizzly Manor’s patio having lunch and watching locals walk by to and from work. The radio was playing in the background as Bobby Nomad walked up and joined them. He had Clara bring him the usual and the friends who often ate lunch at the Manor talked about the weather, the dancing coming up the next Friday evening at the armory.

“Did you hear about the breakout from the California Institute for Men, in Chino?” Johnny asked.

“I did but I haven’t heard anything since this morning.” Bill told him.

Johnny told him that California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials were looking for an inmate who walked away from the California Institute for Men, in Chino. During an inmate count at around 6:10 p.m., yesterday the staff discovered an inmate missing.

“They searched the camp buildings and grounds but couldn’t find the guy. So the CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety, CAL FIRE, and local law enforcement agencies around the area have been notified and are assisting in the search. I guess the guy was convicted of manslaughter and sent to the California Institute for Men, in Chino.” Johnny told him as Clara brought his lunch.

Juan Rodrigues, a 23 year old Mexican with brown hair and eyes stood six foot three and 220 of pure muscle. Juan had killed his ex-wife in a fit of rage in their apartment and when the charge was pled down to manslaughter he was given seven to ten year at the California Institute for Men, in Chino. He had run with the Eastside Figueroa street gang, a San Bernardino Mexican street gang since he was 14 years old and had been to jail several times for misdemeanor. Crimes such as assault, shoplifting, and petty theft. These types of misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in county jail and $1,000 in fines.

He had hidden in the camp's large trash containers just before lunch and when the trash was picked up at one he was out with the trash. He rode until the first stop at a nearby Jack in the Box and when the crew went in to grab a bite to eat he crawled out the back of the truck and made his way across and down the street to a house when he found laundry hanging on the line in their backyard. With a clean pair of jeans that were a bit loose and a long sleeve shirt Juan made his way down the road until he was far enough out of town to start hitchhiking.

He was picked up by an older bald man in a Dodge pickup. Walter Ways was 66 years old and had lived in Chino most of his life. He worked for the Phone company and had retired just seven months ago. He was a happy man who had finally got his smile back after the death of his wife seven years ago. His smile was brought back by a woman who lived next door to him. They had just started dating two months prior and once again Walter was looking forward to his time with her.

Walter drove his hitch hiker through Ontario to Etiwanda where he had an appointment with an old friend from school. Walter pulled into a gas station so he could fill up and while he was pumping the gas and checking the water and oil, while under the hood Juan jumped out, thanked Walter for the ride and walked inside to use the bathroom. Walter said goodbye, got back in his truck and drove away.

Juan waited for the station to empty and then jumped the cashier and knocked her out with one powerful blow to the chin. He opened the cash register and pulled out all the cash. He quickly looked down at the cashier to make sure she was still out, walked round the counter as a car drove up. Juan stopped, walked back to the cashier and dragged her into the girls bathroom, as he came out the man in the car shouted out to him to fill it up with premium and walked into the bathroom.

“You bet!” Juan shouted out to the man as he closed the door to the bathroom.

Juan walked out to the car, filled it up with gas, checked to see if the keys were still in the car. Juan jumped in the car, started it up and drove away before the owner was out of the bathroom. When he did come out he walked up to the counter, looked around for the attendant. Not seeing him behind the counter, the man walked out to the pumps and looked around not even noticing his car was gone.

“Where the hell did the boy go?” He asked himself and then looked at the pump where he had parked.

He stood there for a moment confused by the fact that his car was gone. He looked over to the left and to the right and then walked back inside to find the boy. He was not there.

When the man walked back out it suddenly dawned on him what had happened.

“Son of a bitch. That sorry ass shithead stole my car.” He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Juan was, by this time, a few miles down the road with a hot car and what would soon be the police on his trail. He knew he needed to find another car and soon or he would be back in jail in no time.

Juan jumped on highway 330 and drove up through Running Springs, Highland and into the San Bernardino National Forest towards Big Bear. He hadn’t seen any highway patrol cars on the way but he knew he was pressing his luck so when he spotted a for sale sign on a little side road leading off the highway to a secluded ranch he took it and drove until he reached the end of the road. He slowed as he got close to the ranch and looked around for anyone but the ranch was empty and so he drove up to the house and parked. When he did he got out and started towards the door when it opened and an older man stepped out asking if he could help.

“I saw the for sale sign and was hoping I might get a look around.” Juan told him as he walked up closer.

“I would rather you talk with our real estate agent and make an appointment.” The man asked.

As Juan was about to do his best to lie about why he would have but was on his way up the hill when he saw the sign, an older woman walked out and joined her husband on the porch.

The couple had bought the ranch almost fifty years ago and had lived and raised their family there. The three kids were gone now and Joe and Julie Jones were looking to move close to the family down in San Bernardino. Joe had been a cowboy his entire life but as time marched on chores and the tasks to handle the ranch were becoming more difficult every day. He was seventy three years old and feeling the effects of not only age but a few accidents brought on by living a Cowboys life. His bald head was covered by his tattered and worn cowboy hat and his once proud and tall six foot five frame was now bending over in constant pain only comforted by any number of pain pills taken every day.

Julie had the brightest smile Joe had ever seen when they first met at a rodeo in Texas. Her beautiful green eyes told a story of love and happiness. She and Joe wed only three months after meeting and had spent the last fifty or so years together on their little homestead just off the highway. She turned sixty eight just three weeks earlier and her once bright red hair was now a beautiful Snow White. She too had a bit of a stup in her walk.

“I am afraid we don’t have time to show the house today, we’re on our way into town to visit friends.” She told the young man.

“Well, okay then, if I could get the agent's number and the use of your bathroom, I would appreciate it. It’s been a long drive.” Juan told them as his evil mind hatched a plan to get in the house and overpower the man.

“Of course. That’s no problem.” Julie told him.

Juan started toward the house when Joe stopped him midway and asked his name.

“Juan Rodrigues, and I was on my way up the Big Bear when I saw your sign.” He explained as he continued to walk forward.

“Nice to meet you Juan, come on in.” Julie said as she opened the door.

As Juan stepped up on the porch he smiled at Joe and then planted his fist into his stomach causing Joe to double over and then Juan hit Joe in the side of his head with his knee, sending Joe rolling over and knocking him out.

As Julie made a move toward Joe Juan screamed at her.

“Ya wanna live Bitch, you’ll keep your mouth shut .” Juan yelled as he moved toward her.

Juan grabbed her by the arm, spun her around and then grabbed her by the back of her neck and pushed her through the door. Once she was inside he turned around and grabbed Joe by the pants belt and hauled him inside and tossed him across the floor.

“Where’s your guns?”He shouted.

Julie pointed to a tall cupboard on the wall. Juan walked over, ripped open the cupboard and found a row of rifles and six hand guns in the side. He picked up one of the hand guns, a 38 special, turned to Joe and shot him in the back and then again in the head. Julie screamed and ran to her dead husband, kneeling by his side.

“Where’s the money?” Juan shouted.

“Upstairs in a vault in the bedroom.” She told him.

“Get up. Take me to the money.” He shouted at her.

Julie slowly stood up and started towards the stairs to go upstairs. Juan followed a few steps behind her. Once in the bedroom she pointed to the vault and Juan told her to open it.

“Why? All you’re gonna do once I open it is kill me too.” She told him, standing her ground.

“No lady, you’re insurance. You stay alive for as long as I need you. Now open the damn vault.” He shouted again.

Julie walked over to the vault and opened it up exposing a large metal drawer on the floor of the vault, she pulled it open and there inside were twenty bundles of ten one hundred dollar bills. Juan pulled her back and looked down at the money.

“Damn Butch, you guys were rich.” He laughed as he looked back at her and shot her in the head.

As Julie fell to the floor, Juan walked over to the desk sitting near the window and found keys to Joe’s truck, picked them up, turned to Julie’s body, thanked her and walked over to the closet, pulled out a suitcase, and went to the dresser, pulled open a few drawers and looked for some clothes that might fit him. Joe was about the same size. With a suitcase full of clothes and money Juan walked out of the room with a smile on his face.

Once down stairs Juan walked by Joe, put another bullet in his head, just be sure and walked over to the cupboard holding the guns and pulled out a Marlin High Powered Rifle Les Bowman, along with a Winchester Model 12 pump action shotgun and a Colt 45 and several boxes of ammo for all four weapons. He took the weapons and ammo out to a 1051 Ford truck, got in and put everything in the passenger seat.

Juan was rather happy with himself, in less than twenty minutes he had a new vehicle, a suitcase full of clothes and money enough to carry him for quite a while. True, there were two bodies left in his wake, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do and he couldn’t leave any witnesses. He pulled a blanket from behind the seats, covered the gun and suitcase and was on his way once again.

He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he was on the away from the police who must have found him missing by now and started a full scale search.

By mid afternoon Juan was back on highway 330 and headed east towards Big Bear. He did his best to drive within the speed limit, no since calling attention to himself.