Robinson walked into the kitchen where Mom was making a lemon pudding and returned with a glass of ice and a can of root beer. Robinson could feel it in the air. His dad was gone. He sat down the can and the glass and listened to the record beside his dad. This is what he wanted. No rushing off to the hospital. No pain no suffering of any consequence. He lived a good life and died happy doing the thing he loved the most; riding his bike, listening to Durante beside his son in the comfort of his own home. I will be fortunate to live as well and do the same.
Tears streamed down his face.
The networks broke from the late night comedy shows to bring news of the arrival of the Russian tanker in the New York harbor. A tank of gas had run well over fifteen dollars a gallon that day and anything to help alleviate the burden was appreciated.
The mayor of New York stepped up to a bank of microphones while search lights scanned the sky. The Statue of Liberty stood behind with lights shining upon it. “It is a pleasure to see our first tanker from Russia arriving in our harbor and New York opens its arms to our Russian friends in a new era of peace and friendship.”
The Hellesont Metropoli led a parade with a dozen tugs following behind. It circled around Liberty Island while a band played the Star and Stripes Forever. A cheering crowd stood by and waved American and Russian flags. The NBC announcer stood among the crowd and asked why they were there.
“Bless the Russians!” exclaimed an older woman waving an American flag. “I am so happy to be here and witness history. We have come a long way since the Berlin Wall.”
The SecEn explained the bad news as best he could.
“The Russian trading is not going as well as could we had hoped.”
“Go ahead.” Landenberger had a meeting with the Pentagon generals coming up and was behind schedule and Morrell was talking to him as they raced down the hall followed by DSS agents. He looked at his watch as they approached the stairwell.
“The Russian oil companies want Euro dollars. It seems our own dollar is falling and they want something more substantial.”
“Ok then, we can do that. It is a matter between oil merchants.”
“Yes, it is a minor detail. They also are talking of trading for other commodities as well like wheat and barley. I remember we did something like that in the past and it worked out well.”
“That is all I have right now. You might wish to talk to some of your financial advisors about this as they can explain it better than me. Several other trading partners are talking the same language.”
“OK thanks. This is the first I have heard of this. Thank you.”
A small TV station in New York picked up the trend early.
A reporter stood at a terminal in New York International interviewing a departing passenger while he waited in line to check his baggage. His wife and family stood off to the side.
“Can you tell me why you are here today?”
“I am flying to Moscow as I have a very lucrative job offer there.”
“May I ask what it is you do?”
“I am an electrician.”
“Electricians make good money here and I see you are leaving your wife and family behind.”
“My hours were cut and I cannot afford traveling to distant worksites. It was a downhill slope and then in came this offer. My wife and family will receive much of my pay and it is my hope to get settled and eventually send for my wife and kids. My understanding is that Russia is a booming economy and I anticipate doing very well there.”
Chapter Twenty-one
More bad newswas about to reach the Western nations.
Shaq Al-Awzai felt confident the test would do well today. It would not compare with the first however it was equally important. It was felt that the smaller two megaton bomb could be used in warheads that could be carried by the Shabib-2 and 3’s.
General Hanbal handed him the encrypted phone. “Tehran for you, general.”
“Shokran.”
The Supreme Leader inquired, “It is a great day for our country. Is all going as planned?”
“We anticipate no problems. One never knows.”
“SIX FIVE FOUR THREE….”
The ground heaved upward fifty miles away; then sputtered back into place. This time there was no great rumbling, no flickering of the lights.
A technician held up the report and waved it in the air. “It is a success. 1.8 megaton!”
The screens flickered to life with the image of The Supreme Leader who raised his arms to bless the crew. “You have done well my sons. Remember to treat women and children with respect as they are our future. Today we have enjoyed the blessing of Allah as we endeavor to make the world a better place for them.”
A bell sounded and everyone knelt on their prayer rugs and bowed to Mecca. “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
Khalilullah 'Abd al-Wahhab received the phone call minutes before he was scheduled to take the podium before the Assembly. The test had been a success and this was his opportunity to make the announcement. General Hanbal sat at his side and said, “Why make anything of it. They will certainly know shortly. It is best to say nothing and let it go. We have the power to make nukes and there is nothing they can do about it. One day we will wipe Israel off the planet in the blink of an eye. To flaunt this is to invite trouble, a tactical error.”
Khalilullah 'Abd al-Wahhab walked to the podium and smiled wickedly. “I would like to announce that my country has completed another successful nuclear test a few minutes ago. Our intentions are honorable and as I have always said we do not plan to use the weapons for anything other than peaceful purposes. If an evil force should attack our borders we would certainly defend our border with these weapons. We all know that there are nations that would seek to violate international law and overrun our borders and given the opportunity would choose to devastate the Muslim world. As for sanctions against us for our weapons of peace program, we can say that they are sadly misplaced if they think our citizens would give it any thought. For they know that our hearts are pure and that Allah is with us. We are a people that praise the glory of Allah, the one true God, and know that he is with us in our endeavors. We know it is prophesied in our holy book that one day fire will rain down from the heavens and destroy the Zionists without our assistance. That day could very well soon be upon us.” He went on for the next hour to quote the Koran and rambled on about Allah being on the side of Iran. Those in attendance had heard this many times and pulled the earplugs with the translations from their ears. Many used it as an opportunity to take a break.
Time was of the essence and Robinson held a funeral that afternoon in Petoskey. Dad had purchased the burial plot and made arrangements some ten years earlier. Mother would one day be buried alongside.
Nearly a dozen old friends and neighbors attended the service at the church and later at the graveside. His younger brother flew in from Vegas, offered his condolences and headed back.
The gravesite was a beautiful place overlooking Lake Michigan and with or without the cemetery the view was worth the trip. The clear blue water stretched to the horizon and a coal tanker could be seen drifting along in the distance, a wisp of smoke trailing behind. A flock of seagulls had settled on the white sandy beach. Others bobbed in the waves between a sandbar and the shore.
After the service Robinson drove mom over to the house that he had insisted not be sold. There were too many memories to abandon it. He paid the bills and hired locals to take care of the place. He had found time to visit twice in the decade and each time he returned he felt it was worth the expense. His mother’s eyes lit up when they pulled up front. They found their way inside and saw that it was exactly as they had left it. The scotch plaid upholstered furniture, the flowered rugs were all in place and Mom’s Christmas ceramic village purchased at K-Mart was set up in a corner of the living room. The walls were adorned with paint-by-numbers oils and puzzles that had been glued and placed into frames. Dad’s old record player was there and Robinson had brought along some the LP’s on the trip. He brought out the Duke’s and put it on while they talked about the good times they had there.