Grantville Gazette 37 gg-37 Read online

  "To tell you the truth, I didn't believe you when you said you were responsible for the crazy drinks the muckity-mucks are drinking up in Germany. I still don't know if I believe you. But you can make them as far as anyone can tell. And people are coming in to drink them.

  "Smile, my man, we are going to survive."

  "Surviving is good."

  "Estil, I swear, you won't get excited about anything. It's as if you're afraid the moment you get excited about something, it will dry up and blow away."

  "You never know," Estil said, putting his arm around the obviously pregnant blonde beside him. He looked into her eyes. "Of all the gin joints in all the world . . ."

  She grinned up at him. "I had to walk into yours . . ."

  ****

  Buddy

  David W. Dove

  A home near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  Spring 1987

  Louis Garrison set the cardboard box he carried down just inside the front door. "I'm home!"

  From around the corner, his two kids came running: Christy, ten, and Mike, six. He gathered them up in a hug.

  It only took Christy a second to notice the box. "What's that, Dad?"

  "I brought home a surprise."

  "What is it, Dad?" asked Mike.

  "I can't tell you until your mom gets here."

  His wife, Tina, came around the corner just then, drying her hands on a towel. "I'm here, Hon," she said sweetly.

  Louis stepped over to gather her up in a hug. "Hello, love of my life," he said and then kissed her.

  "The box, Dad?" Christy reminded them impatiently.

  "You'd better tell them before they explode," Tina told him, with a knowing wink.

  "Okay, okay," he said and leaned down to lift the top off the box.

  A young, golden-haired Labrador retriever lifted its head out of the box.

  "A puppy!" the kids cried out in unison.

  Louis reached down and picked up the dog. "Your mom and I decided that you were old enough to have a dog now, but you have to help us take care of him."

  "We will!"

  He laughed and put the puppy on the floor. "His name is Buddy."

  Late summer 1999

  Louis looked up from his book and noticed Buddy watching out the window. For years the dog had waited by the window to watch for the school bus. He smiled and shook his head. "He's not coming home tonight, Buddy." Mike had just left for college at Penn State that morning.

  Buddy looked over upon hearing his name and whined.

  Louis patted his leg. "He's gone to college, Buddy, just like Christy did." His oldest had started college four years before.

  Buddy trotted over and sat next to him.

  Louis reached down and rubbed the dog's head. "There's nothing we can do about it, old fellow; kids grow up. It's just us and the wife now."

  Buddy looked toward the window and whined again.

  "I miss them too, Buddy."

  Sunny Sunday Morning, spring 2000

  Louis Garrison leaned over to give his wife a final kiss after she climbed into the driver's seat of her car. "Have fun shopping with your mother."

  "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" she teased.

  He rolled his eyes back. "Wouldn't that be an adventure, with me sitting on a bench somewhere while I wait for you two ladies to come out of a store with your latest acquisitions? No, thanks. While you two are out trying to throw away all our money, I'm going to drive down to the franchise in Grantville and check out the store. I understand the owner is having a difficult time and I thought I'd have lunch there and observe his operations. Maybe I can help him. I'm going to take Buddy with me; you know how much he likes to ride along."

  "The two boys out on an adventure, huh? Are you sure he's up to it?"

  "He's an old dog and doesn't get around that well anymore, but he always enjoyed the car rides. I don't think he has that many rides left; it's the least I can do for him."

  She nodded sadly. "Are you going to be gone all day?"

  "No, it's a short drive down there and back. I'll be back in plenty of time for dinner."

  "Well, you boys have fun."

  "We will. You too." He closed the door to her car and watched her back out of the driveway. As she started down the street, she waved, so he waved back.

  He walked back inside the house and called out. "Come on, Buddy; let's take a trip."

  Mere seconds later, Buddy walked into the room, carrying his leash in his mouth.

  Louis took the leash and snapped it to the dog's collar. "Ready to go, aren't you? Well, then, let's go to West Virginia."

  That afternoon in Grantville, West Virginia

  Louis leaned over with the plastic bag over his hand to pick up the dog droppings. "My God, Buddy, what have you been eating?"

  The dog's face was completely innocent as he waved his tail happily.

  Both Louis and Buddy jumped at the sudden flash of light and loud thunderclap.

  "What in the hell was that?" Louis wondered aloud.

  Three days later

  Louis sat in shocked silence as he thought about what they had said at the town meeting. Four centuries? They had traveled back almost four hundred years to Germany? How could this have happened? How could a town suddenly find itself four centuries in the past with no way to return?

  He pulled out his wallet and fished out the picture of the one person who meant more to him than anything else. His wife's sparkling blue eyes seemed to be looking straight at him. Her perfect smile was as dazzling as ever. The one lock of her blonde hair that always managed to escape curled along her left cheek.

  "Four hundred years!" he choked out as the tears ran down his cheeks. Everything he knew was gone, his entire life.

  He felt the cold nose nudge his hand and looked down to see Buddy resting his head on his leg.

  Louis smiled and scratched the dog's ear. "Yeah, you're still here aren't you Buddy? I guess it's just the two us now."

  Summer 1631

  Louis sat down on the hillside and waited for Buddy. The dog was having trouble making it up the hill, but soon joined him.

  He scratched Buddy behind the ear as he looked out over the landscape. Just down the slope was the smooth wall of dirt where the West Virginia hills didn't quite line up with the German countryside.

  Reaching into the bag he carried, he pulled out the small strip of spiced jerky. He tore off a piece and gave it to Buddy, then took a bite for himself. The spices in the jerky weren't really good for Buddy, but the dog liked it.

  Louis laughed to himself. The spices didn't always agree with his system either.

  They had just come from the vet and the news wasn't good, but then it wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. Buddy was old and his joints were getting stiff, probably arthritis or something similar. And there wasn't really anything that could be done; even back home all they could do was give the dog drugs to lessen the pain. Here, they were just waiting for it to get too bad for the dog to endure. After that, well, he didn't want to think about that yet.

  Spring 1632

  Louis shivered as the wind cut through him. He reached up to flip his collar higher on his neck and then shoved his gloved hands back into his pockets. He knew that the world was in the middle of the Little Ice Age, but damn it, it wasn't supposed to be this cold at the end of April.

  He and Buddy were on their evening walk through the streets of Grantville. Buddy seemed to have a definite destination in mind as he pulled strongly on the leash.

  Louis laughed. "Easy there, boy. I'm not getting any younger and neither are you."

  Buddy pulled him along and then suddenly stopped as they rounded a corner.

  Louis looked up at the black and white building in front of him. This was the restaurant he had come to visit that fateful day when the Ring of Fire had ripped them away from their home.

  Because the store's owner, Nino Sanabria, Jr., had been out of town doing business that day, he had been left up-time,
separated from his family just like Louis. The store had been closed shortly after the Ring of Fire. With no owner to run it and no supplies due to the rationing of the previous winter, no one had bothered to open it again. All the former employees had gone on to either the military or other jobs, with the exception of one poor woman who now lived at the Manning Assisted Living Center because her medicine no longer existed.

  With Nino gone, ownership of the shop had reverted to his wife, Michelle, and because the financing was with an out of town bank, she now owned the store free and clear. But Michelle knew very little about running a restaurant and had sold or used the supplies within.

  Louis stood staring at the building for several long minutes and an idea began to grow in his mind. In the last year, Grantville had grown by leaps and bounds as both refugees and the curious poured into the area. More people meant a need for more services, especially when many of those people were travelers and other temporary residents. And those people would need a place to eat, a place like the empty building standing in front of him.

  He looked down to where Buddy stood beside him and the dog looked at him with questioning eyes. "What do you think, Buddy? Should we see if we can make this place work?"

  Buddy wagged his tail and barked happily.

  Summer, 1632

  Andreas Muller took a few moments to calm down and build up his nerve. He was getting desperate and there were few options left. The last thing he wanted was to go back to being a soldier. Unfortunately, many people were reluctant to hire a soldier. They had too many bad memories of what soldiers had done, if not to them, then to family or friends.

  Now he stood before the building of the business he was about to enter. Like so many of the up-timer buildings, this one had a lot of glass, letting anyone see what was inside. He could see the gleaming counters and tables inside. He didn't hold out much hope, but he had heard that the owner needed help.

  Andreas took another deep breath and pulled open the clear glass door. He heard the small bell tied to the inside handle tinkle as the door closed. His eyes took in the gleaming black and white tiles on the walls and floor and the shiny metal of the counters and table legs. The tables were not filled with people, but then it was the middle of the afternoon, not really mealtime. Several people were seated at the tables and two young women were moving among them, taking orders and serving food.

  Near the door, a golden-haired dog was resting on a mat. The dog raised its head and looked at Andreas.

  Andreas gently reached down and patted the dog's head. The dog accepted the attention and laid his head back down.

  A tall man sitting at the counter was motioning to get his attention, so Andreas walked over to him. As Andreas took a seat on the stool next to him, the big man extended his hand in greeting. "Hi, my name's Louis. I haven't seen you in here before, have I?"

  The man's accent was definitely that of an American. It was hard to tell his age, since all Americans seemed to be younger in appearance, but Andreas guessed he was probably in his forties. Andreas took the man's hand. "Hello, Louis. My name is Andreas Muller. No, I have not been here before. I was told that the owner has need of help."

  The man's face widened in a broad smile. "Well, welcome to the Amideutsch Lunch Counter. I think you'll like it here; I'm in here all the time. The manager will probably introduce himself shortly. Are you new in town?"

  "Yes. I am looking for work."

  Louis nodded in understanding. "I wish you luck with that. What did you do before you came to Grantville? Are you one of the refugees?"

  Andreas paused as he considered his answer to the question. Would telling the truth keep him from getting the job? But would telling a lie not be bad as well? He exhaled deeply. "I was a mercenary, but I am tired of fighting."

  He could see Louis considering what he had said. But then the big man nodded. "Well, this seems to be a great place to work. You should try some of the food."

  Andreas was hesitant in his reply. "I do not have much money."

  Louis laughed a bit and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't you worry about that, Andreas; this one is on me."

  Louis motioned to the elderly woman working behind the counter. When she approached, he spoke to her. "Magda, please bring my new friend here a cheeseburger and one for me too."

  "Thank you, Louis," Andreas said as the woman left to fill the order.

  Louis waved his hand dismissively. "Don't mention it. If you don't mind my asking, why are you interested in working here?"

  Andreas took a moment to collect his thoughts. "As I said, I am tired of being a soldier. But before I was a soldier, I worked in a tavern. When the wars started and people were struggling to survive, they did not have the time or money to spend in a tavern. My wife had died of disease and my children had grown and married, so I took work as a soldier. But I do not like being a soldier, so I need to find other work. I was told this place needed help."

  Louis nodded. "Yes, it could use an extra hand or two. With the way people keep coming to Grantville, I think it's going to be pretty busy."

  Andreas looked around. "This is not like any tavern I have ever been in."

  "That's because it's not a tavern," Louis answered. "This place is sort of like what we called a diner up-time, but of course the menu will have to be changed to foods that can be found in the area."

  Andreas thought about what Louis was telling him. "I must admit, Louis, I have eaten some of your American foods, but I do not know how to make them. I may not be of any use to the owner."

  Louis again waved his hand to dismiss Andreas's doubts. "You don't need to worry. You won't be expected to know that, at least not at first. It sounds like you know something about running a restaurant. That's what's important."

  Magda brought two plates and sat one down in front of each man.

  "Magda," Louis said, "This is Andreas Muller. He's considering a job here. Andreas, this is Magdalena Bacherin. She does most of the cooking for the place."

  Magda gave Andreas a cold, appraising look and nodded in greeting. "Herr Muller."

  "Frau Bacherin," Andreas responded.

  As Magda walked away, Louis chuckled. "Don't mind her. She seems cold at first, but she's really a nice person." He gestured to the plate. "There you go, Andreas, one cheeseburger. Dig in."

  Andreas picked up the sandwich and took a bite. As he chewed it, he had to admit that it had a lot of flavor, but he still didn't understand the obsession Americans had with hamburgers. He looked around nervously. "Louis, I enjoy talking with you, but when is the owner coming back? If I cannot get this job, I must look elsewhere."

  Louis chuckled. "You're right, Andreas, and let me apologize. I haven't been completely open with you." The big man stood and extended his hand again. "Andreas Muller, my name is Louis Garrison and I'm the manager here. You've got the job."

  "Thank you, Louis, uh, Herr Garrison."

  "Please, it's been Louis up to now; let's keep it that way. I think you're going to do well here, Andreas. You passed the most important test as soon as you came in the door."

  Andreas was confused. "What test, Louis?"

  The big man pointed to the dog by the door. "Buddy seems to like you."

  The dog heard his name and looked toward the two men, his tail wagging happily.

  Fall 1632

  Veronika Heyder put the last touches on her sketch as Buddy lay on his sleeping mat in the store. The dog made an excellent model, he barely moved.

  "Veronika!" Magda called out, "You have a customer."

  Veronika finished the last bit of shading and then put down the sketch pad. She walked over to the table where the man had been seated. "What will you have, Mein Herr?"

  The man leered at her. "Bring me some beer and something to eat, girl."

  Just the man's gaze made Veronika feel dirty, but she had a job to do. "We have several items to eat, Mein Herr. If you would look at the menu, you can see our selection."

  "Don't talk back to me, girl.
Just bring me some food!"

  "Yes, Mein Herr," she answered and quickly walked away from the table. She could almost feel the man's eyes on her.

  "A basic sandwich and a beer," she said to Magda when she reached the counter.

  Magda began to assemble the sandwich. "Do you need any help with that one?"

  "No, I think I can handle him. I just want to give him his food and get him out of here."

  Magda placed the finished sandwich on a wooden tray and then quickly poured a beer. She placed it on the tray next to the sandwich. "Be careful."

  Veronika picked up the tray and carried it back to the table. "Here you are, Mein Herr. Can I get you anything else?"

  She let out a short scream as the man grabbed her, pulling her onto his lap.

  ****

  Louis heard Buddy's barking and immediately rushed to the front of the store. In the dining area he quickly spotted the problem. Buddy was barking furiously at a dirty-looking man he had backed up against a wall. Magda and Veronika were behind the dog with angry looks on their faces.

  "What's the problem here?" he asked.

  The man quickly answered, "That dog is mad; he attacked me!"

  Veronika countered angrily, "He touched me, Herr Garrison!"

  "She asked me if I wanted anything else," the man protested.

  "I didn't mean that!" Veronika spat at him.

  "I'll handle this," Louis said calmly. "Magda, take Ronnie back to the office." He waited until the two ladies had left and turned back to the man. "You scum, who do you think you are? I don't know how you're used to doing things, but that's not the way we do things around here. Now get out of my shop."

  Buddy growled to back up Louis's statement.

  The man looked at Louis, then the dog, and apparently decided not to argue. He quickly gathered his things and walked to the door.

  As the man opened the door and stepped out, Louis released the breath he had been holding. "And don't come back. You're not welcome here."

  ****

  Magda left Veronika in the office and went out to the dining area. She saw Louis starting to clean off the table where the man had been seated.