No Place Like Home

Chapter 4: "Lost In Translation"

Highway I55 crossing Rainbow Towers Way,

Friday, June 7, 2024, 2010 hrs:

Turbo moves his arms gently from around Jeans's waist.

They start making their way toward the elevators.

Then peculiar sounds of nails tapping on concrete flooring are heard with chain links and gasps of breath.

Mr. Wally West, senior citizen, Jean's neighbour, is humming quietly to himself while walking his exasperated pet rottweiler named “Burly”, who now, bobbed-tail wagging, attempts to bolt toward Jean when he recognises her.

Wally offers his smile when he notices his neighbour and her friend.

“OK, Burly, ease up, you deviant, heh heh heh.,”

“Hi, Wally!,” exclaims Jean and Turbo, almost in unison.

“Hello, Jean! Hello Turbo! Heh heh...now settle Burly..!”

Turbo offers the quip, “...I think Jean's car is ready for an oil change...” while a large drop of “doggy drool” falls from Burly's lower jaw hitting the floor with a tiny “splat” sound,

“...oh, yeah, heh heh.., Wally chuckles, “... Burly try not to get any on Jean...”

She looks up at Wally with a smile and replies, “...drool on, Burly!..no worries...”

“You two will have to make it a point to visit Burly and me.”

Jean says, “We will visit you and the furry guy here, say, tomorrow afternoon?”

“We look forward to it. You two take care. See ya tomorrow. Ok, Burly, come on.”

Star-gate Court, Friday, June 7, 2024, 2010 hrs:

Major Larry Johns places his key in the lock with practised precision.

He enters the apartment hearing his voice on the television in the living room;

“...Yes, Ma'am. It's called "Long-Term Potentiality," (LTP) strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity, aka MEMORY...”

Larry announces, “Hey, guess who's home?”

Mr. Vance Green, attempts to imitate Larry, “Hey, Who? You're home?”

Vance greets Larry, “...so how is my Astronaut this evening...?

“I am 'naut.”

Vance implores affectionately, “Hug please. Kiss please.”

Larry smile returns to his face, “What are you cooking in the kitchen, Delilah...?”

“Delilah? Um, COOKED, TWO hours ago? Now attempting to revive the specimen,” declares Vance.

“...pile of extra stuff to do...now we have...,” Larry pauses, “...THREE DAYS OFF!”

Vance responds with a mock glaring of his eyes, “Wow! Now what do you suppose we will do with all that spare time....hmm???”

Star-liter's Inn, Friday, June 7, 2024. 1945 hrs:

Inside the restaurant, the anxiety, and worldly concerns of the three men, seem to melt away. Victor, Rusk, Bella and Scilly celebrate Bella's “special day.” The jovial mood conveys laughter as they enjoy one of Scilly's anecdotes, “...yeah, this lady was not in the mood considering her steel-encased fortitude...I said, this is a “brown-out” lady?”

Rusk nods his head knowingly. Scilly continues, “Finally, I resigned to her countenance and I said, the hydro crews are working in the field along with the fellow with the magic wand who will swing it and fix everything. She was not happy when she heard that...Are you being sarcastic, Sir? she asks me....”

More laughter. We knew them as “The D.E.S.P.” explains Rusk. Victor and Scilly nod their heads with approval. Bella presents a puzzled look on her face, “...the...D.E.P?” “The D-E-S-P: Distributed Electricity State Program, my dear niece. The government needs to draw extra power from the national power grid to supply their various...uh....programs. Bella says,”Ah. This sounds like the story of Frankenstein's Monster or something, Uncle. Rusk raises his eye-brows and with a low chuckle offers, “yes, yes, indeed, you are very close to the truth of something...hmm” as his gaze met Rusk and Scilly's glance.

The sound of the fans working dutifully inside the air-conditioning unit can rarely ever be heard over the din of a busy restaurant, but, now the humming of the mechanical device was elevated as everyone paused to quietly draw on their beverages. Then the peaceful calm was punctuated by a sharp tapping foreign sound on the glass of the entrance door to the restaurant. Bella responded to this unusual sound by quickly turning her head in the direction of the door, lifting herself off the leather bench and briskly walking to the entrance door. . The smiles on the men's faces converting into sharp and concerned glances at each other.

“It's OK...” Scilly mouthed the words in silence.

“Heyyyyy Tony!!!” This time the sound of Bella's jubilant voice seemed to startle Victor as he rises slightly from his seat. Then a portly gentleman appears armed with a paper sack of long bread under one arm, and balancing large trays of food in each hand. “Sh---t” exclaims Scilly in a whispered gasp of air.

Bella walks along with Tony and announces, “OK, my awesome guys!!! I made arrangements with my awesome friend, Tony here. He prepared special, your very favourite meal, from back home in the old days!!!”

The feeling of anxiety escapes from Victor, Rusk, and Scilly once again, and their smiles are, “...brighter than all the stars in the Milky Way...”