“Caesar salad? I could not name it after myself. That would be too self flattering.”
“Believe me, Caesar, New Yorkers love people who flaunt what they have. Use your name and you’ll go far, don’t use it and someone else will use theirs.”
From out of the corner of his eye, Rocko spotted Peruggia getting up. “Gotta leave, Caesar. I promise you that if you follow through on this recipe, your name will be remembered forever.”
The two men shook hands and Rocko placed the money and a tip on the silver plate that the check had come on and walked casually towards the exit. He allowed Peruggia to leave the hotel before him and once outside Rocko stopped and lit a cigar, giving his target more space between them. Finally he followed one half block behind him. The time traveler checked his watch and thought, Looks like he’s following his routine. He watched as Bill, John and Matt walked past Peruggia as they headed towards Rocko.
“How did it go?” Rocko asked.
“No problem,” answered Bill, “The lock was a snap to open and he had it in an old valise under his bed. The valise wasn’t even locked. We were in and out one, two, three.”
“Then you guys should have joined me in the restaurant. Quite interesting.”
“Well,” said Bill, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat and this has been one of the most interesting missions I’ve ever been on.”
The four time travelers went back to their hotel. By ten a.m. the next morning they were aboard their ship, La Stella d'Italia and eight days later they stood in front of the 1800 Club’s garden.
Bill turned to the three men and said as he took out his Time Frequency Modulator, “Guys, usually I like to keep the time in time travel, real. You know what I mean, if I leave 2014 for two weeks, when I return, the date I enter in the TFM is two weeks later than when I left. It just makes me feel that I lived the two weeks that I was away. It’s easy for me to come back and enter the same date that I left, but somehow I feel like I’m cheating. However, this time I’ve been gone so long that I am going to enter May 21, which is two days after we left. Is that okay with you guys?”
“Fine with me,” answered Rocko as John and Matt nodded in agreement.”
“Good,” Bill said as he entered the date in his Time Frequency Modulator and opened the gate to the club’s garden. They went to the security door and once inside the stairwell, Bill pressed the activate button.
DATELINE: MAY 21, 2014 PLACE: THE 1800 CLUB, NEW YORK CITY
It was noon and Matt automatically asked, “Sir, shall I make some lunch?”
“No, Matt, go and relax. We just had breakfast a few hours ago.”
“Well,” said Rocko, “I’m going down and change and head home.”
“Me too,” added John and in ten minutes Bill was alone with his thoughts, that is until Matt tapped on the door and opened it enough for Samson to enter.
The beagle bounded across the floor and leaped up onto the couch with Bill. “Hey, fella! How have you been? I know what you need, a good ear scratching.” Bill knew that a beagle had long hanging floppy ears to keep dust and dirt out as they chased down fox and other game and that meant that the inside of their ears were super sensitive. He gently scratched the inner ears, which made Samson lay back and enjoy the fact that his boss knew of his weakness.
After ten minutes of ear scratching, Bill went to his laptop and entered, ‘Latest Big Foot sightings in the Canaan, New York area’. There were over thirty reports and Bill read on:
Big Foot spotted! Two hunters swore they saw what they described as a hairy bear with a human looking face. Both men said they’d never hunt there again.
While camping in the hilly area of Canaan, NY, Jane Crumbly and her husband said that their eight-year old daughter saw a strange looking, very tall woman walking through the thick woods carrying what she said was a baby. They packed up and left immediately.
Professor T.N. Schmidt said there is no such thing as Big Foot. What these sightings are is nothing more than local bears and the area should be avoided.
Bill grinned as he closed the laptop. Good luck, my friends, he thought as he went back to scratching his beagle’s ears. He went to put the television on when the sunlight coming through the window caught his eye as it bounced off of the silver picture frame on his desk. The time traveler picked it up and smiled as he looked at the picture of his fiancé, Shirley Holmes standing in her full length dress, wide hat and holding an open parasol on a sunny day. “Soon” he said as he put it back down, “Soon.”
End
Dear reader, once again Bill Scott and Shirley Holmes reunite and, as it is their private story with nothing to do with a club mission, I’ve placed it on line at no cost to you. It may be read at
http://timetraveler-bob.blogspot.com/
I hope you enjoy it and feel free to let me know. P.S. Book 12 is being created as you read this. RPM
The 1800 Club
The end is usually very apparent in a story, be it a book or movie. However in this case, though it is the end page-wise, it continues on in the 1800 Club. You see, The 1800 Club does exist in New York City, though, under a different name and address. I, Bill Scott, also exist as President and owner of the club, and the people I wrote of all exist. Some of their names have been changed, as they do have a life outside of the club and they and the club must be protected.
By now you are thinking, “This is a put-on, there is no club that can travel in time.” But, I ask you to look around. Isn’t history the same as you read it in your history books? Believe me, the club is working to keep it so. You the reader may ask, “Why is he admitting this?” To that I answer, “Why not?” Sometimes the best place to hide something is right out in plain sight. So, while admitting the club exists, the secret is as safe as saying it doesn’t exist.
I intended to continue this narrative and tell you about some of the other missions the club has worked on, however, I have to interrupt this book at this point because I’ve just been alerted that there is a problem going on right now. I do intend to document it, and others as they occur, in the next book, ‘The 1800 Club. Book XII.’
B.S.
Other books by Robert P. McAuley
SkyShip
Romance in a Ghost Town
Aviation Facts & Rumors: Book 1
Aviation Facts & Rumors: Book 2
The Dripping Sands Of Time
A New Jersey Yankee In King Arthur’s Court
Vampire’s Bloodline
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club Book I
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club Book II
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club Book III
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club Book IV
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book V
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book VI
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book VII
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book VIII
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book IX
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book X
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book XI
Time Travel Adventures of The 1800 Club: Book XII
Books by John McAuley
Pray To Win
Trinity’s Lesson
Romance on The 7:15 Out of Penn Station
Double-Take: A Texas Cowgirl Ropes a Brooklyn Boy
The Adjustment Of Fanny Hall
Book 11 Page 24
