So, You Want to Live Past Next Tuesday

by Billy Bob Richardson

  “No you don’t Madd and I agree it is a moral issue with no easy answer. Unfortunately if we have a SHTF episode of a significant nature, saving the family will always win out over a philosophical debate about where the money to save them came from. I will say it one more time Madd, it is legal, like it or not.

  “Since his loan is down to down to $39,000 I have made arrangements for our part of the profits to be forwarded to us on a monthly basis from now on.

  “The Riders have some additional business ventures. Several of them were never thought of as bringing in large sums of income. Ones like the co-op store were started as a service to the farming community. It also gave us a way to purchase bulk food, etc., at wholesale prices. We only break even on the store. It has worked well though; the council has saved some money by buying long term storage foods through the co-op.

  “Our lumbering operation was originally started as a way to help control access to family lands. It allows us to have trucks coming and going which hides any trucks that go further and head to the family lands. The mill we set up at the lumbering operation headquarters has been producing lumber and it has been selling at a steady pace. Interestingly, it has shown a steady but small income.

  “Our shipping container sales and rental business has been showing a good and growing profit as well. Better than the mill. We have started manufacturing all-in-one inclusive workshops, bunk room and various other useful containerized operations that fit in a standard 20’ or 40’ shipping container. Much like the ones the Army uses in forward bases.

  “For the last few months we have been receiving orders from various aid groups for housing units based on shipping containers. They are sending them to third world countries to help the poor get out of their slums. We have been asked to stockpile quite a few for immediate shipment to countries devastated by natural disasters. The deal we struck is that we stockpile them here at our manufacturing plant. To keep us from getting stuck with inventory in case their plans change, the aid groups are paying a percentage of the total price up front. That first payment covers our total coast in building the units. Everything we make on top of that is pure gravy.

  “We have had to expand our work force by four times our previous work force. It has been a good deal for us not only financially, but it has also allowed us to provide jobs and training for a lot of family members. As a side note we just shipped thirty two units to the port of Houston for shipment overseas.

  “Our feed store in town is a minor bright spot. Not only do we buy our feeds at wholesale prices, it shows a small steady income.

  “For financial situations, profit and loss, look at the Index on your copy of the financial statement under Appendix 3. By studying the financials you can see that we are doing fairly well. Unfortunately we don’t generate enough income to acquire the funds we will need to prepare for the survival of the family long term any time soon. That is, unless some very profitable business can be started.”

  “With this addition of funds, where do we stand financially, Dek?”

  “Call it something over two million, Madd. On the positive side we own substantial numbers of horses and cattle, which will allow us to generate the numbers we will need for future sales and maintaining our herds. Also, in the last six months we have established one of the families’ unused properties as a hog farm.

  “I know two plus million sounds like a lot, but let me give everyone a reality check. If you consider how many family we will want to save, roughly three hundred plus, we are looking at $6,500 to $7,500 per person with our current finances. That might be enough to feed them for a year, more or less. Our target figure has always been 10 years of bad harvest and whatever else. We are going to have to create a safer place to hold up than we currently have. True, the long term food stores the family have been putting aside over the last six years or so will help in feeding us. Unfortunately the last two years have not been providing much extra in the way of income for the family, so food purchases are way down.”

  “What you are saying is we are going to need something like twenty million to save three hundred people?”

  “They won’t be living in the lap of luxury, but yes Madd, that about sums it up. A more realistic figure might be thirty million.”

  At this point Madd took his head in his hands and squeezed. You could see stunned looks on everyone else’s faces as well. Thirty million?

  “Well my brothers, we have our work cut out for us. Time to decide what our priorities are and where we need to spend some of our ill-gotten gain. Suggestions?” Dek asked, looking around the room for ideas.

  Tommy was attending the meeting via the internet connection and was watching the proceedings on his monitor. He had to clear his throat to get the attention of the group. When he had their attention he began speaking.

  “First, I have a question about these funds, Dek.”

  “What is it Tommy?”

  “How many people other than the Riders know about these funds?”

  “Other than the brothers in this meeting, no one. Well, the doctor knows he sent us the money, but he isn’t in contact with anyone other than the Riders.”

  “I think that we should keep it that way, don’t you Madd?”

  “I see your point, Tommy. OK, this is for our information only and not for our girls or anyone not a member of the Riders.”

  He got nods from all around the room, signifying everyone understood this was to be kept secret.

  “Dek, you have financial degrees out the ass as well as overseeing the day to day expenditures, what suggestions do you have?”

  “I think we should send 1.5 million to Tommy; he is the investment wiz. Let’s hope he can find us something as safe as possible but also liquid enough for us to get at it if we should need it.”

  “Tommy, can you manage that?”

  “I think so Madd. For right now things are stable, but with the way the world is looking I suggest you use the monies we have to create a sustainable, long term location ASAP. All types of prepping goods should be on the list of things to get as soon as you can, but that isn’t going to help if we have no place safer to live. I will keep an eye on things as best I can but the world financial situation just plain sucks. We could have a collapse of the dollar any time.”

  “This is the situation,” Madd told the group. “For a little less than a year the others and I are going to be out of the country. Ivan’s four years will be up then; the others and I signed a special deal they had going to only be active duty for two years, so we should all be back close to the same time. Until we get back we can do satellite phone and Skype conferencing. That is still going to throw a lot of day to day on those of you still here. Even though we have to keep this money as secret as possible we are going to need help spending it on the resources we need for prepping.

  “Dek, we have had plans laid out for when we got money and how to start. Put the index of our plans on the big screen so everyone can read them. Dek, let’s go over them for the guys, make sure everyone has a chance to see what the choices are.”

  “Fine by me, Madd. If you will look at the heading 100s, that shows 6 various scenarios, depending on the finances available. Lower down you will see the 200s but they require considerably more money and are not options at this time. If you follow each line over you see suggested amounts of money needed to start on that particular plan. For the approximate 2 million we have to spend, you can see that 101 through 104 are pretty good fits. In the next column you will see A through D supplemental lists and the approximate amount of money it will take to start to fulfill that list. As an example. If you believe that 102 is the best place to start the main thrust, and that the list C items are important and fall within the monies available, you would implement 102C.”

  “Thanks, Dek. I will say that my personal opinion is that we need to begin work on two significant items,” said Madd. “First we need to get the fields and fences, etc. at the new home place into shape. The fields have been overgrown
for more than fifty years. It may take several years to get them into shape to produce crops, depending on the man power we throw at them. We are going to need fenced in acreage with a lot of cross fencing for our animals.

  “Next I believe that we should start negotiations with the long-term food storage companies to purchase truckloads of their products. I want us to use our internet web site to sell long term storage foods at as close to cost as possible. If we can build up some sales it will allow us to buy larger amounts all at one time. The way most of those companies work is that they buy the majority of their produce at one time, then process the produce into their products and warehouse it until it is sold. We need to make one or possibly two big orders per year prior to their production run so that they can purchase enough raw material to give us their best price. We can warehouse it ourselves. That will allow us to get the best possible price.

  “Andy, how is the co-op store doing?”

  “It breaks even as Dek mentioned; we never set it up to make a large profit. It was supposed to be a convenience and economical way for ranchers/farmers to buy food and everyday ranch needs.”

  “How much storage do you have there?”

  “We only use the office area and about 20% of the warehouse, Madd.”

  “So we can stockpile food there without anyone wondering what we are doing?”

  “Should be able to. I could throw up a partition around the 20% we use with a lockable door to the remaining 80%. It would have two loading docks on that side if we did it right. That way no one in the store could see the larger storage area even if they glanced through some open doors.”

  “Great Andy. What about seeing trucks being unloaded?”

  “It’s at the end of row of older warehouses and the loading docks are accessed at the other end, Madd. The whole yard is fenced in. Once a truck pulls off the main street and gets behind the warehouse no one can see where it went or what it’s doing.”

  “Good deal, Andy.”

  “Madd, any reason I can’t also sell the long term stuff just as I do other things in the store?”

  “Good idea. If we start selling from the internet too you are going to have to be our shipping agent.”

  “I have a question, Madd,” said Dek.

  “What’s that?”

  “For a couple years now we have been in contact with various groups around the country, through web sites and people who know people. Former military the family served with. Preppers and folks who just want a little reserve in case of some natural disaster. We have always been very cagey about getting involved too closely with any of them, but I am wondering if we shouldn’t try and help some of the more solid seeming ones,” said Dek.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well, I think we should delegate someone to make more solid contacts. Not quite alliances, but other people we might be able to help in some way. We might be able to pass on some savings in long term food supplies, or our gun store contact might be able to help with some good ammo prices as well. Who knows, they might be able to pass on information or ideas to us that would help all of us.”

  “OK, I’ll leave that up to you Dek, but make sure that we don’t get mixed up with any folks that will come back to bite us one day.

  “I said my piece, anyone want to add anything?” said Madd. “Yes, Rob?”

  “Looking at the choices and taking your suggestions into account, it looks to me that 104B would come the closest, I suggest we go with those.”

  “Anyone have any other choices they feel are better? No one? Fine, then let the record show that we will initiate 104B as soon as possible,” said Madd.

  “Take over, Dek.”

  “Fine, guys, I want to thank you all for attending. I especially want to thank Tommy, he is in a different time zone so it is much later there than here. Anyone who would like to be a part of the revitalization of the home place come talk to me after the others leave. Considering the remoteness of the property and the fact we now have some cash to spend, positions for the ranch will be paid. If you have any additional thoughts about today just get with me any time and we can discuss them.”

  Chapter 8

  Front porch outside Madd’s house.

  5:44am.

  “There you are Madd, I was just coming to see if you had some projects I could help with. I see you guys are already up and at’em.”

  “Hey Al, yep we were out doing PT and a forty-five minute work out over at what we call our gym. You caught us just as we were headed into the house for breakfast. Come on in and have some breakfast or some coffee if you have already eaten.”

  “Morning guys,” Al said to the rest of the group.

  “Morning,” “morning.”

  “Grab a seat everyone. Coffee, Al?”

  “I could do with another cup, and thanks.”

  “NP, I’ll grab the pot off the coffee maker to get us started.”

  “Itsy,” called Madd.

  Itsy stuck her head out the top of the kitchen Dutch doors, which separated the kitchen from the breakfast nook.

  “Yes, sugar bear?”

  The group tried to keep a straight face; imagining Madd as any kind of sugar was a tough concept!

  “Al and the guys need cups and this pot is almost empty.”

  “Annie will be bringing the cups right out, she can start a new pot. I have tons of food almost ready so you all better be hungry!”

  “Let’s eat up and get outside, it’s about time,” said Madd.

  They could all hear laughing from the other room, as Itsy told Annie, “Men!” with a laugh.

  Out on the porch.

  “We looking for something out here?” The cousins started laughing. Al saw that Hey looked distinctly uncomfortable.

  “Guess that would about sum it up,” said Real with a smile.

  “We are waiting to see a girl. She should be getting here any second, she called a few minutes ago to get directions to the right road leading in here. Close as we can tell she will be here any second,” Ivan told him.

  Al gave Ivan a curious look.

  “Special girl, special occasion?”

  “That’s what we are waiting to find out. Let me explain.”

  Ivan told the whole story from the point when everyone was talking about making their announcements at the social gathering that night. To his credit he repeated the phone conversation close to verbatim. He didn’t try to make it sound any worse than it had. Of course it was bad enough just as it went down, it didn’t actually need any embellishments.

  “This isn’t a joke on a city guy, Hey actually told a girl he hasn’t seen in a couple of years to come because she would be joining his family?”

  “Nope, it isn’t a joke on you Al, maybe on Hey.”

  Madd decided to put his two cents’ worth in.

  “Not everyone knows this Al, but Hey isn’t exactly known as Mr. Tact!”

  That got everyone, except Hey, to laughing hard enough to almost fall off the porch.

  “OK guys, but she can’t be all that bad. I mean, you guys have seen her in recent years, she couldn’t have changed that much, could she?”

  “Exactly what we are waiting to see. We don’t expect her to be bad, we just want to see her. She wasn’t unattractive as a young girl, but she was rather thin. We are more curious than worried.”

  Al still had to wonder if Ivan or the others weren’t pulling his leg in some way.

  At that moment Tinker stood up and pointed down the road while shouting, “Thare She Blows!”

  Hey was beginning to feel a little defensive about this time.

  “Come on guys, you are going to frighten her out of her mind if you keep this up.”

  The cousins just chuckled at him. Finally the car got close to the porch and Hey went to meet her.

  From the other direction came Hey’s girl with a big smile on her face. Itsy came out to join her. As a girl got out of the car they were there to greet her with big hugs, along with Hey.
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  “What do you think Al, she a keeper?” asked Madd.

  “She is attractive but she is painfully thin, isn’t she?”

  “Yep, you hit it, but she has a sort of pixyish look about her.”

  From behind them Tinker whispered, “She seems a perfect 32.”

  They turned to look at him with a questioning look.

  “You know, 32, 32, and 32.”

  “Not funny guy, not funny.” Still, Madd was grinning.

  “I don’t know Madd, made me smile,” said Ivan.

  About that time the girl and her escorts made it to the porch and introductions were made. Right after that Hey and his girl took her home.

  When they were out of sight, Itsy turned to the guys on the porch. Tapping her foot with crossed arms and a hard look on her face, she spoke to them.

  “I don’t want to hear you guys making any skinny jokes. Don’t you dare hurt her feelings, she is a sweet girl. Don’t make me get out my coffee pot!” With that she walked inside.

  “Coffee pot?”

  “As in hot coffee in your lap, Al,” said Ivan.

  “Hot coffee in the lap, now there is a threat,” he said with a grin.

  Madd turned to him, “Not exactly a threat, more like a promise, Al. She has done it before. The guy whose lap she poured it in always kept a civil tongue in his head after that.”

  Al was smiling until he looked closer at Madd and saw he was perfectly serious.

  “Think we all better get to work, the show is over,” said Real.

  Walking out to the corrals Al just had to say to Madd, “I don’t get it.”

  “What’s that, Al?”

  “What Itsy did on the porch.” Madd just looked at him.

  “One minute she is all sweetness and light, the next she is threatening men on your porch with dire consequences.”

  “Just because she is polite and easy going, don’t make the mistake of thinking she doesn’t have a mind of her own.”

  “I know she does, but isn’t she afraid you will be upset?”