Odd Billy Todd

by N. C. Reed

  The others nodded at that. No one had really thought that far ahead, but it was an excellent point.

  “If we’re gonna set up places to live, we’re gonna need to find septic tanks for’em,” Billy pointed out. “Speakin’ o’ that, we need to find one o’ them pump trucks that empty septic tanks when they git full.”

  Several men groaned at that.

  “Every time we turn around, there’s something else we need, or need to take care of,” Terry shook his head in grim amusement. “I didn’t work this hard in the Army. Including when I was in combat!”

  “Ain’t but another day on the farm to us,” Toby grinned. “Always somethin’ to be done round here!”

  “Well, let’s get to plannin’ then,” Terry grinned. “This is gonna take a good two to three weeks. Let’s make sure we got everything nailed down. Less time we’re exposed, the better.”

  *****

  They decided to make the trip into Columbia first. George drafted Williams and March to help, enlisting some of the ladies to assist their wives with tending to their gardens.

  George, Ralph, Ben Kelvey, and Howie would stay behind along with Jerry to watch over the valley. The rest would make the trip into Columbia, hoping to be able to get everything they needed in one trip. One problem did emerge, though, as work assignments were set out.

  “I ain’t drivin’ no big rig.”

  Billy’s voice was calm, clear, and left no room for argument. The others looked at him.

  “Billy, we ain’t got that many people who can drive one,” Terry pointed out. “If we’re gonna make this in one trip, we’ll need you to pull a trailer.”

  “No sir,” Billy shook his head. “I ain’t doin’ it. Not again.”

  “C’mon, Billy,” Pete urged. “This is all hands on deck. One trip and haul ass.”

  “I can drive a rig,” Harry March spoke up. “Haven’t in a few years, but I used to OTR back when I first got married. Me and Bethany worked together until she got in the family way. Decided to take regular jobs close to home after that.”

  “There ya go, then,” Billy nodded. Terry sighed, but nodded.

  “Okay, Harry. You’re elected. I don’t suppose Bethany still drives?”

  “Oh, she didn’t drive,” Harry chuckled. “She just kept me company, and kept the books up. Sorry.”

  “No problem. Didn’t hurt to ask. We’ll take all three trucks, then. We’re after mobile homes, and septic tanks. Billy, you may have to drive one of the flatbeds with the septic tanks. Okay?”

  “Yeah,” Billy nodded, unhappy but willing to compromise. “I reckon I can do that.”

  “Well, if you do that, then we should be able to pull three mobile homes. What else are we going to try and get?”

  “Propane trucks, if there’s any gas left,” Billy spoke up. “Even one would go a long way. Doubt there’ll be much gas left, but it’s worth a look.”

  “Good idea,” Jon nodded. “And we can always treat the gas, or diesel. For that matter, we can add the diesel to the bio fuel. Once it’s mixed, should run just fine, no more than we’ll need it.”

  “Well, that’s our plan, then.” Terry took charge. “Billy, you lead off, with Pete and Toby. Me, Jon, and Harry will follow in the trucks. Fred, you run shotgun with Harry until we hit town. As it is, we can drive two more trucks back, whether it’s fuel, or something else. I want to be on the road, and already through Cedar Bend by sun-up, so everybody get some rest. We’ll meet at the crossroads in the morning around four. Any questions?” There were none.

  “Then I suggest we head out, and get our chores done tonight.” The meeting broke up, people heading back to their own places.

  Billy started walking toward home from the Blaine house, thinking as he walked, Rommel pacing him. There was a lot to do. He already knew where he could get all the dirt they would need. They only had one dump truck, but he figured they could scare up another one, maybe two more, in town. There was a state garage just on the other side of town, and they hadn’t even looked there. Might be a lot of other things they needed there too. Even a gas tank. He took out his notebook and made a note of that.

  He made another note to take a look around Columbia again when they were in town. He had a phone book from there, so he could search the yellow pages and see if there were any places they hadn’t already looked. Might not find anything, in fact he figured they wouldn’t. But they wouldn’t know until they looked. If they happened on a sewing store, they could take fabric, sewing machines, and what nots from there to bring back. He figured some of the women might like that. Rhonda was using Billy’s mother’s machine, and he knew Emma had one. He didn’t know about the rest.

  He added another note to check for rechargeable batteries, including car batteries, and especially deep cycle marine batteries. They were the best for the solar grids many of the homes were using. He paused for a minute, thinking about that. Rommel went on a few steps, then stopped, looking back.

  Sooner or later, Billy knew, their power would give out. It would be a while, but there wasn’t any real way to stop it. Batteries didn’t last forever, and solar panels got broke sometimes. So, what if they used a big mobile home, one of those double wides, to make a sort of community work center? Sewing, canning, laundry, whatever would need power? There was no way to provide power to the homes the new people were using. None of them had solar cells, and there just weren’t enough left to power even one home, let alone both. And there was nothing left for the newer homes, either.

  He scribbled furiously in his notebook, writing down everything as fast as he could before he forgot it. Even as he wrote, there was something niggling at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t quite get at it.

  He scribbled another note to be on the lookout for a large diesel generator. If they could erect a building around it to muffle the noise, something like that could power his community work house with no trouble, and their bio diesel would power it just fine.

  That made him think about all the chemicals Howie and Ralph and George needed for their bio-diesel, and where they might be found in Columbia. Which led him to the fact that they needed larger containers for their bio-diesel operation, or at least more like the one’s they already had. More scribbling.

  Still, there was something tickling his brain. Something he’d thought of for a brief instant, then forgotten. Of all the problems he had, that one caused him the most grief, usually. Having just a hint of a good idea, and then losing it before he could get it down on paper. It was frustrating no end to him. And there was nothing he could do about it, except concentrate and hope it came back to him.

  He resumed walking, notebook still in hand.

  Power, power, power. It had something to do with power. It was right there on the edge of his brain, but he still couldn’t reach it. Power, power, power. Sure would be nice if they had a dam somewhere, generating. . . .

  “That’s it!” he said aloud, stopping short again, and writing furiously. Then he started walking again, a lot faster.

  He needed to talk to Howie.

  *****

  “You mean a waterbug?” Howie asked, trying to follow Billy’s excited rambling.

  “That’s it!” Billy snapped, pointing a finger at Howie. “That’s what I been tryin’ to think of! Can you build one?”

  “Well, sure,” Howie nodded sitting back. “All you need is a. . .well, I’ll be damned,” he snorted. “Why in the hell didn’t I think of that?”

  “I dunno,” Billy answered him without thinking. “But look, there’s five good creeks crosses this valley, and there’s at least four springs. Can’t we make these bug whatsits, and use’em?”

  “Water bugs,” Howie grinned. “And yeah, we can. All we need is a barrel with some kind of coating that will make the water turn it, and a car alternator or generator for the wheel to turn. But there’s something even better than that, Billy, if we can find a place for one.”

  “What? And what kinda place?” Billy wanted to know
.

  “A small hydro-electric generator. Water turns the blades just like on a big dam. The water has to be running down hill, though, and fairly fast. We divert the water through a tube, run it down the creek a piece, and then dump it right back into the same creek, only through that generator. It’ll turn some power, and all we have to do when we’re not using it is. . .well, shut it off.”

  “Can you build one o’ them?” Billy asked.

  “Well, I think so,” Howie mused. “I know in principal how they work. It should just be a matter of finding the parts I’d need, and putting them together. I. . .I think maybe I should go along with you tomorrow.”

  “I think so, too,” Billy nodded firmly. “You start makin’ a list of what you think you need. Oh, and make a list o’ them chemicals ya’ll need for the bio diesel, too. And I got to go round up some more help.” He started for the door, then stopped.

  “And pack a sleepin’ bag. Just in case.”

  *****

  “Well sure, I’ll go,” Rhonda nodded. “I’d love a chance to look for fabric and sewing machines, and what not.”

  “Just remember, this ain’t like what we used to do, okay? This is for ever body.”

  “I know that,” Rhonda agreed. “But I’m part of every body, too. And I might need something. It’s a great idea, Billy. A place like that will be great!”

  “Well, we ain’t got it yet, but I’m hopin’,” Billy told her. “Even if I have to drive one o’ them durn big rigs. Be worth it for this.”

  “Who else can we get to go, you reckon?”

  *****

  “You bet!” Shelly said at once. “I’m game for it. I’d settle for seeing a ghost town after this winter.”

  “Might be just that, just so’s ya know,” Billy warned. “It’ll be hard work, but worth it, I hope.”

  “Sounds like it,” she nodded. “We can look for any kind of canning supplies that are left, too,” she added. “Especially lids and rings.”

  “Good idea,” Rhonda nodded.

  “We’re gonna need more help,” Billy said, shaking his head.

  “Leave that to us.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

  “What are they doing here?” Terry asked, seeing Rhonda, Shelly, Howie, Amy, and Ruth Townsend. They were all piled into the Ford, while Billy was driving his own truck.

  “They got things to see to in town,” Billy replied, and briefly explained. “Plus, Rhonda can drive a truck as good as any of us, happens we have more stuff than we hope.”

  “Billy, we already had this worked out,” Terry sighed in exasperation. “Now that’s all got to be - ”

  “No, it ain’t,” Billy shook his head. “Only thing that’s changin’ is Pete is goin’ with them,” he pointed to the Ford, where the women sat waiting. “Me and Toby’ll take my truck and scout ahead.” Terry was about to object when Billy added, “And I’ll drive one o’ the rigs.”

  “Deal,” Terry said at once. Getting Billy to drive a truck was worth the extra work. “Well, have they got a plan made up?”

  “We do,” Rhonda called from the truck. “And time’s a wastin’!”

  “Fair enough,” Terry called back, chuckling. “Let’s head out!” Everyone piled into their respective vehicles. As Pete headed for the Ford, Billy grabbed his arm.

  “Figured you’d feel better lookin’ after her,” he nodded toward Shelly.

  “Thanks, Billy,” Pete grinned. “And I won’t have to work so hard as you will, neither.”

  “Just make sure nothin’ happens to any of’em,” Billy told him.

  “No doubt.”

  Five minutes later, they were on the road.

  *****

  Once in Columbia, they separated. The trucks went to the mobile home yard first, since that was high on the list. Billy and Toby went in search of septic tanks. Rhonda and the others started looking for the stores they had picked out in the phone book.

  “Why do we have to get the septic tanks,” Toby made a face. He was driving, while Billy looked at the map he’d brought.

  “They ain’t used, Toby,” Billy said dryly. “They’re new. And we need’em for the trailers.”

  “And a septic tank pumper,” Toby’s face screwed up even tighter. “That’s got to be the nastiest job in the entire world.”

  “Well, I expect that’s true,” Billy nodded. “That reminds me,” he said suddenly, taking out his notebook and writing something down.

  “What’s that?” Toby asked.

  “We need to look for some activated charcoal,” Billy told him. “Well, I guess regular charcoal would work in a pinch, but we need the other, if we can git it.”

  “What’s it for?” Toby asked. “And what’s the difference?”

  “We can start re-pipin’ the houses, and turn the washers, showers and sinks into a sump filled with sand, gravel, and charcoal. It’ll filter the soap and what have you out, and let the water go back into the ground, ‘stead o’ in the septic. Make the tanks last longer. Speakin’ o’ tanks, be watchin’ for old appliance places. We need some more o’ them water heaters for the bio diesel outfit.” He made another note. “And I ain’t rightly sure what the difference is.”

  “Billy, how can you keep up with all that?”

  “I write it down, that’s how,” Billy told him. “If I don’t, I won’t remember it passed the end o’ my nose. If it gets that far.” Toby laughed.

  “You need to start payin’ attention,” Billy warned. “We don’t know for sure ain’t nobody else around.” Toby sobered at once.

  “I’m on it.”

  *****

  Billy kicked, cursed, spat and hissed as he worked on the loader. He had to get it running if they were going to load the three septic tanks he’d picked out. Without it, he didn’t think they’d get them loaded. Right now all he had to show for at least two hours of work was three busted knuckles and a bad temper.

  “Billy, how we gonna haul these?” Toby asked suddenly. “And get’em unloaded.”

  “What’s that?” Billy’s head shot up. Unloaded?

  For just a second, Billy stared at Toby as if he had two heads. Then he flew into another round of kicking and cussing.

  “Dammit all! I never thought o’ that! You see what I mean, Toby? I don’t write things down, I don’t think things through, I wind up screwin’ up! How in the hell are we gonna get these cursed things off this truck? Any truck!”

  “Uh, I don’t know,” Toby replied. “How?”

  “I don’t know how!” Billy almost yelled. “All this work, and I ain’t got a damn clue how we gonna get this done!”

  Silence reigned for a minute, as the two of them looked at each other. Billy looked at the sky, and shook his head.

  “Already after noon, too,” he muttered. Purely from reflex, Toby looked at his watch. Twenty-six minutes after high noon.

  I really want to know how he does that.

  “Reckon we’ll just have to take this thing with us, someway,” Toby announced at last.

  “Right now, this thing ain’t workin’!” Billy reminded him.

  “It will be,” Toby stated with absolute confidence. “You’ll fix it.”

  *****

  And he did. He wasn’t sure which ‘fix’ had made the difference, and honestly wasn’t caring at that point. What he did know was that the thing ran.

  “Now, we need a truck,” Billy sighed. “I guess we need a good flatbed trailer. And some tie down straps, for sure. At least we don’t have to carry this thing,” he pointed.

  “Why not?” Toby asked.

  “I figured we could use the backhoe to unload it. Just need some chains and straps, and this place has got’em aplenty. We’ll do that. Still need a truck though.”

  “Well, let’s us eat, first,” Toby suggested, breaking out the food they’d packed along. The two dug in, Billy especially hungry.

  “Wha' we ‘onna ‘o now?” Toby asked over his sandwich.

  “I ain’t sure yet,” Billy admit
ted, then took a long drink of cold water. “Reckon we’ll have to get a truck runnin’. I hadn’t thought about that. If we can, and get a trailer for it, that means the other three can haul back three o’ them mobile homes.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Toby nodded. He finished, and stowed their gear as Billy cleaned up a bit.

  Then they were off.

  *****

  “Well, I’d say you found some things worth hauling, ladies,” Pete grinned, as the four women stood inside a store called Pat’s Sewing World.

  “I’ll say,” Amy nodded. “It’s like the owner just walked away, and no one came in after she left.”

  “Well, we can admire it later,” Rhonda sighed, thinking of all the work. “Meanwhile, Pete why don’t you get the trailer backed in for us. I know you two have things to do. We can load this.”

  “Okay,” Pete nodded, and went to do as he was told.

  “I used to come here all the time with my mom,” Ruth Townsend sighed. “I always liked looking through the fabrics, and seeing the new machines.”

  “Well, you can pick yourself out a machine, now,” Shelly told her. “In fact, let’s all get to work. I don’t know about you girls, but I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to.”

  “I heard that.”

  Pete came back in, having arranged the trailer for them.

  “I want one of you watching all the time,” he ordered. “I know it’s a hassle, but we can’t be too careful. Make sure you all get your gear, so you’ll have it with you. Just in case.” The women trooped outside dutifully and collected their ‘kit’, as Pete often called it. Ruth had a pistol, but hadn’t brought a rifle. Instead she’s opted for a shotgun. She hadn’t mastered rifle shooting yet, but with a shotgun she did just fine.

  “All right, Howie, let’s see if we can find what you need.”