The following morning, which was a Wednesday, everyone got up shortly before dawn as usual. "Time to get up, Clarence", Marge said. "I'll wake the other cubs up", Al told Marge as he climbed out of bed. "Why are we gettin' up so early?", Clarence asked. "The cubs have 50 miles to ride the bus to school", Marge answered Clarence. "The only school our county has is in Estancia", Al added. Al then went into Jed and Rex's bedroom, calling, "Okay sleepy heads. Time to get up". "Aw, can we take today off?", Rex asked Daddy. "We let you cubs take yesterday off because of the weather", Al exclaimed. "You're not going to miss two days in a row. Now come on. Get up". Then Al went to Donna's room to get her up as Marge began preparing breakfast. On the way to the dining room, Al turned the radio on the corner table up a bit as it played a novelty song, 'Ha Ha This-a-way'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgicvAZ4D1A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdgEMSAZjrs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYWYp0fvYl8 The next song that followed was 'Rag Mop'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM8Ak7z_hiU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi6KKoshmi4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvY5UopF2NU The radio began playing the beginning lyrics, "M... I say M, O... M, O, P... M, O, P, P...Mop...M, O, P, P, mop mop mop mop...". At the dining table, Rex said, "Aw - aw. They said pee-pee on the radio", as the other cubs laughed. "Okay, Rex. You know that's not what they meant", Marge told Rex. During breakfast, it sure did feel different with four cubs sitting at the table instead of three as usual...Which by the way, the cubs did laugh about that Rag Mop song as it continued on the radio, "...Rag Mop, do-do-doot-daaa-deyata. Rag Mop, do-do-doot-daaa-deyata. Rag Mop, do-do-doot-daaa-deyata. Rag Mop, do-do-doot-daaa-deyata. Rag Mop, do-do-doot-daaa-deyata. R, A, G, G, M, O, P, P, Rag Mop..." At the table, Daddy Al took the opportunity to remind Jed, Rex, Clarence and Donna, "At school, you do not ever mention to anyone about what happened yesterday, anything about a time machine, anything about that drawing computer thing Clarence has, or anything about 2018...You cubs understand?". As the cubs acknowledged, Mama Marge mentioned, "If word of any of this gets around, it will mess things up for Clarence really bad". "And probably for us too", Al added. The cubs then promised they'd keep that stuff secret. And after breakfast, Al and Marge let Clarence play with Jed, Rex and Donna while they waited at the Route 3 street corner for the school bus. It was a cold morning, right at freezing, but at least it was sunny, and expected to get to almost 9 degrees C (50 degrees F)...still to be a bit of a chilly day, but not as bad as the day before. This was the first time Clarence was seeing the community of Duran during daylight as it was in 1960...It appeared like Duran had a population of about 60 or so. And it looked nothing like the near ghost town that Clarence had known it to be in 2018. Other neighbor's cubs who were waiting for the bus asked, "Who's the new coyote cub?". The answer Al and Marge instructed their cubs to give was, "Mom and Dad are adopting him". While waiting for the bus, a train horn could be heard to the north as the signals and bell at the route 3 crossing began to flash and clang. Clarence noticed there were no gate arms, which the crossing didn't have gates back in those days. A southbound freight train then came by led by two, black, GP9 locomotives with yellow ends, and the white letters Southern Pacific. "Southern Pacific?...I never heard of that railroad before", Clarence said as the train continued by. "Southern Pacific is everywhere around here", 12 year old Ryan Lynx retorted. "Yeah", Ryan's sister, 9 year old Janice Lynx agreed. Jed Coyote thought quick, and said, "Our step brother is not from around here...He's from a place where Southern Pacific doesn't go". "Oh. Okay", Ryan said, then told Clarence, "I didn't know you were not from around here". (Truth was, by the time Clarence had been born in 2010, Union Pacific had already bought out Southern Pacific 12 years earlier). Something Clarence noticed about the freight cars rolling by...besides the earlier look most of them had...They were not marked up with graffiti the way the railroad cars will be in the 21st century that Clarence had always seen...There wasn't a bit of graffiti on any car of that train anywhere...Another really big difference Clarence noticed was that there weren't any of those multi section, intermodal, container carrier cars linked up in the entire train, because those kind of railroad cars didn't exist back in the day. There were a few semi-truck trailers being hauled on that train, however, those trailers were being carried on regular flatbed cars. Then the brown colour, bay window, Southern Pacific caboose rolled by at the end of the train...This was the first time Clarence had ever seen a caboose other than pictures of them. Clarence then realized just in time not to mention anything about never seeing a caboose before to the other cubs. Then the school bus arrived, bus #17, a 1954 Chevrolet bus, which then was only six years old...Jed, Rex, Donna and the other neighborhood cubs boarded the bus, then it was off to school. https://www.google.com/search?q=1954+chevrolet+school+b...: After the bus left, Al and Marge had Clarence follow them back to the house, then come inside and take a seat on the living room sofa with them. Al and Marge realized that because no one was 100% sure if the time travel machine could be fixed, it meant there was the possibility Clarence might do the rest of his growing up through the 1960s, and becoming an adult in 1970...With that in mind, Al and Marge talked with Clarence about adopting him as one of their own, so if he can't get back to 2018, he'd at least have a family. After Al and Marge discussed the matter with Clarence for a while, they asked him how he felt about being adopted. Clarence's answered, with tears in his eyes, "If I can't make it back with my actual mom and dad, you're the only ones I want to be with". That was definitely a yes. Right after the talk Al and Marge had with Clarence, the three of them got into the Chrysler to proceed to the Torrance County Courthouse in Estancia to get adoption papers drawn up for Clarence to become a member of the family. Upon entering the car, Al noticed the habit that Clarence had of momentarily reaching along the sides of the seat. "You seem to always reach for something when you get in this car", Al said to Clarence. "Wouldn't be that seat belt thing, is it?" "I keep forgetting", Clarence replied, "In the time I'm from, all cars have seat belts...and shoulder harnesses". "Well...Does sound like a good idea", Marge added. "I never would have thought cars would someday all have seat belts", Al mentioned as he and Marge proceeded with Clarence to Estancia. Along the way, Clarence mentioned that cars will be smaller by the 21st Century, and that they will have computers. "Hopefully not one at the driver's seat to distract the driver", Al said. "No. Not that kind of computer", Clarence replied. "It's a different kind of computer for the motor". Clarence also mentioned that most cars by then will have front wheel drive. "Like the Saabs are", Al replied. "Saabs?", Clarence asked. "They're a Swedish made car", Al told Clarence. "They already have front wheel drive now days". At the Torrance County Courthouse in Estancia, no one there had any way of knowing who Clarence was or where he was from, which led them to believe Clarence was likely a stray orphan...Thus, the papers were drawn up for Clarence's adoption into Al and Marge's family...Of course, what couldn't be disclosed was "member of the family only up until such time that the time machine can be fixed". No one could be allowed to know of the existence of the time machine...Of course, that contingency of "until such time that the time machine can be fixed" is if it can even be fixed at all. While in Estancia, a hearing was held by Judge Marvin Hodges Badger in private with Albert Rhonson Coyote (Al), his wife Margret Rhonson Coyote (Marge), and Clarence, thus, upon the judge's approval, making the adoption final...Clarence was now a son of Al and Marge...Clarence was now known as Clarence Rhonson Coyote...He would not again have the name Clarence Claymont Coyote until such time he could make it back with his biological parents in 2018. On the way back to Duran, Al and Marge Coyote, whom Clarence Coyote was riding with, were the Coyote couple who will now be 'Mom and Dad' to Clarence during the time he is to be in the year 1960...and possibly in the years to follow should the time machine can't be fixed. In Encino, Al stopped to get gas or the car. Al pulled the car up to a pump as the car ran over that rubber air hose that alerts the attendant with that bell that goes >ding ding<. While waiting at the pump, Clarence asked, "What's wrong?" "What do you mean?", Mama Marge asked. "Oh...I just noticed Dad's not getting out to pump the gas", Clarence said. "I'm not suppose to do that", Al replied as the attendant, Clemson Ferret, walked up. "Hi, Al", Clemson Ferret greeted Al. "High test as usual?". "Yes. And fill 'er up", Al answered. As Clemson Ferret pumped the gas, Al informed Clarence, "I may not be aware of how they'll do things 60 years from now...But now days, the animals who run the gas stations operate the gas pumps". Clarence mentioned how in the future, gasoline would be sold by convenience stores instead of being sold by gas stations that have repair garages. "And you pre-pay the store clerk, then pump the gas yourself", Clarence continued. "Pre-pay?", Al pondered. "Doesn't sound like everyone is trusted very much by then". The pumps were also way different from the ones Clarence had known...They were narrow, and with mechanical roll dials instead of the digital readout. And there was the glass bubble on the side of the pump with the two balls that spun around when the gas flowed past them. After Clemson Ferret topped the tank off, which took 17 gallons, he asked, "Check your oil, Al?". "The oil should be fine, Clemson", Al assured. "Okay. That will be three dollars and thirty seven cents", Clemson Ferret replied. As Al paid Clemson Ferret, Clarence was surprised, being that in 2018 that would have easily been $45...and without an offer to check the oil. "Have a good day", Al bid Clemson Ferret just before leaving. "Thanks for dropping by", Clemson replied. After they left the gas station, Clarence mentioned, "That three dollars and thirty some cents would only buy a little more than one gallon of gas in 2018". "You're kidding!", Al explained. "That's a lot for just over a gallon of gasoline". "No wonder the cars will be small like you once told us they will be", Marge said to Clarence. "That is scary...And no wonder they'll want customers to pre-pay", said Al. "That sounds like the oil companies will take on the roll of being slave masters to the public". After leaving Highway 60 in Encino onto Route 3, which is part of the way back to Duran, Marge opened a conversation, "Al, we should consider that second car we've discussed". "We do need a second car. I agree", Al acknowledged. "It does bother me for you to be without a car while I'm at the lab". "And it does bother me having to always ride Donna on my lap when ever we go somewhere as a family", Marge added. "And if Poindexter and the guys can't get that time machine fixed, we now have four cubs". "A car with a front and rear bench seat will seat six comfortably", Al suggested. "And in a four door would be perfect as that second car". "Al. I have been thinking more along the lines of a station wagon", Marge said. "Just think of the room a wagon would have that a sedan would not". "Are we getting another car?", Clarence asked. "Your mom and I have been talking about that for some time", Daddy Coyote answered Clarence. "What's it gonna be?", Clarence asked. "A station wagon", Mama Coyote answered Clarence. "I'm all for that. And a wagon would be versatile for hauling stuff too", Al mentioned. "So you see? I did made a great choice when I suggested a station wagon", Marge told Al. "A station wagon it is", Al agreed. "I'd still go with a Chrysler or a Plymouth", Al insisted. "Oh, definitely. That 1948 Plymouth we had, and the 1954 Chrysler we traded for our Chrysler 300 had always treated us well...And our Chrysler 300 has been a good car so far", Marge agreed. "I wouldn't go with anything but a Plymouth or Chrysler". "So...Which one?", Al asked Marge. "It doesn't have to be a Chrysler. A Plymouth would be a great car", Marge requested. "But I still want a big V-8 so I can make time on these long highways we have...And automatic transmission". "If we can get a good deal from a salesanimal, I think we can get a new Plymouth Station wagon with a sizable V-8 and automatic for around $4,000", Al speculated. "Now, what colour", Al jested. "Oh, Al", Marge chuckled. "Let's not make it complicated". Before long, they were travelling on the part of Route 3 that eventually curves toward the southeast...And not long thereafter, they arrived back in their hometown of Duran (which wasn't actually big enough to have a charter as an actual town). When they got back home, Clarence was able to look around Duran as it was in 1960. There was the W. M. Hindi store still open, selling general merchandise and groceries...Before Clarence came to 1960, he had only seen the W. M. Hindi store as an out of business derelict building...Same was so with some other businesses in 1960 that would become boarded up buildings by 2018. And these stores, in addition to being general and mercantile stores, were also grocery stores, which were real grocery stores...During that 21st Century day and time Clarence was from, the only places to buy groceries in Vaughn and Duran were at convenience stores like Alsup's, Kwik-Marts, Stop-n-Shops and other such places as that. Looking down the Southern Pacific railroad tracks, Clarence saw those Semaphore style train signals that have the dovetail arms that changed position with a moving set of coloured lenses that line up with a stationary light. Clarence had never seen those kind of signals before. https://www.google.com/search?q=semaphore+signals&h...: Clarence had been noticing other railroad crossings, like the Route 3 crossing in Duran, that didn't have gate arms...Truth was, very few crossings had them back then. However, as Clarence did remember the rail line as the Union Pacific Railroad in 2018... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGTxKmMOX1Y ...it was the Southern Pacific tracks when it ran through the Duran community back in those days, and ran parallel all along Highway 54, going northeast and southwest bound. https://youtu.be/u4FnSAZzo_s?t=104 https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366&bih=625&...: Although there was no passenger train station in Duran, as trains didn't make stops there, however, there was an old freight depot building. And there was the Catholic church and the fire department water refill tank in the vicinity of where Cedar Lane intersects Route 3 just west of the railroad crossing.
That afternoon when the cubs returned from school, Jed, Rex and Donna were delighted to find out they now have Clarence as a step brother. "We saw you and Mom with Clarence passing our bus this morning just before we got to school", Jed told Daddy Al. "We were on the way to the county courthouse when we passed you", Al replied. "Clarence is a member of our family now", Mama Marge announced to the cubs, followed by Jed, Rex and Donna taking turns giving Clarence a big hug. By the way, Al Coyote was scheduled to report for work at the lab complex later that evening, which would leave Marge without the car for the rest of the day...Hence why the discussion about getting a 2nd car earlier on the way back from Estancia.
In those days, things didn't yet exist such as; cell phone service, internet, Facebook, Youtube, Deviant Art, colour TV, I-pads, smart phones, on line video games, digital cameras, home movies on DVD, and other cool electronic stuff. Needles to say, if schoolmates had something to say to each other, it was said face to face instead of saying it hiding behind a computer keyboard. However, during those times off from school, Clarence would experience more of those things everyone enjoyed in earlier times that he had already been previously noticing which were no longer around by 2018. 1960 was certainly a different world from 2018. https://youtu.be/R6bHs8Vm3EQ?t=13
1960 was certainly a different world from the 21st Century. No one knowing if Clarence Coyote was going to remain stranded in a past day and time, at least Clarence has a family who took him in as their own.
Parts of this story are also in the pool named "Project Courier".
____________________________________________________________________ Throughout this story, multiple links to songs are being set up. That is because Youtube is aggressively shutting down accounts that have music videos. So in case you click a link and get their notice like shown below, there are two other links to the same song;
The legal thing makes sense. Saw some toxic comments on one of those YouTube videos, went away fast, whether I agree or not I never go alone with toxic people.
The legal thing makes sense. Saw some toxic comments on one of those YouTube videos, went away fast,
![Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2693/2693771_moyomongoose_notice_cr_noncustom.jpg "Been Seeing a Lot of This With Links to Youtube Now Days [Page 2] by moyomongoose")
