Hobby Shop
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Chapter 5
For the first few weeks the twins were subdued and hesitant around all of us except their 'Uncle' Mike. Once they were entered and settled in classes at the Academy, they began to accept Danny and Steve as 'uncles'.
The real ice breaker came when Danny and Steve took the boys up to the mansion for a meeting of the railroad club. Steve had gotten Billy to order the appropriate DCC boards for the boys' locomotives and arranged with Tom Dixon to install them with the boys' help.
After the brief business meeting of the club was adjourned, Steve called the twins over. "I brought something for you guys to work on, but you will have to ask Dix very nicely if he will help you." He held out the two tiny circuit-boards.
"What are these for?" Erik asked.
"They are DCC boards for your engines. Dix said he would help you guys tonight because a lot of the other guys will be working on their own modules."
"Oh, wow!" They cried in unison, hugging Steve's neck. "Thanks a lot. Now maybe we can run our trains if the men will let us."
"I'm certain they will once your engines are working like Dix wants."
As the acknowledged electronic and technical guru of the club, Dix's work and test bench had become sacrosanct. The boys scampered toward Dix, who had been watching with amusement. "Mr. Dix, Mr. Dix. Look what we got. Will you help us?"
"Well, boys," he began teasingly, "I don't know. I'm gonna be pretty busy tonight."
"Oh, please, Sir. You promised us the last time we were here."
"Do you guys keep your promises?"
"Yes, Sir. We always try. Daddy told us that real men keep their word when they give it."
"In that case, I guess I best help you. Let me have those decoders. Put your engines on the workbench and we'll get started."
Once he was seated at the bench and the boys were watching closely with rapt attention, Dix said, "Now pay attention, guys. Then the next time you will be able to do things like this yourselves."
Dix explained each step of disassembling the shells from the bases of the locomotives, then showed them how to make certain that the motor was isolated from the frame and how to perform that step if it were not. Carefully, he plugged each circuitboard into the miniscule socket provided by the manufacturer, then set the boards in place with doublesided tape. Having finished each engine, he set one of the locomotives on a length of track along the rear of the bench and turned on the control unit. Looking at the number painted on the side of the locomotive shell, he entered that number into the control unit. Flipping a switch, he punched in a number in the remote control and the engine began to move smoothly, then reversed direction as it neared the end of the track. Mumbling, "Good," to himself, he picked up the frame and began to reassemble the engine. With a smile he handed it to Erik. "Okay, Son, let's finish up your brother's."
A few moments later after testing the second locomotive, he handed it to Derik, then called out, "Hey, Robby?"
"Yeah, Dix?"
"How about showing these young men how to control their locos with DCC?"
"Sure thing. Come on over guys."
Dix had chosen Robby because he was the youngest member of the club and very congenial.
A few moments later, Erik yelled, "Look, Pop! We can run both trains at the same time."
"Yeah, it was easy once Robby showed us how." Derik looked at Robby. "Thanks, Mr. Robby. I hope we can run our trains some more sometime."
"You're most welcome, fellows, and it's just Robby, okay? Let's put some cars behind your locos and give them a run on that long straight stretch, okay?"
"Kewl!"
Steve and Danny watched the boys excitedly running their trains down the track, then jumping up and down when Robby showed them how to control the switches so that each boy's train was running parallel with the other on the double main-line.
Sensing that Robby was wishing to work on his own project, Danny walked over to the boys. "We need to take a look at your module now, guys, so bring your engines along."
"Aw, do we have to?"
"I'm afraid so. Robby wants to work on his own module."
"Weeel ... okay. Thank a lot, Robby. We had fun."
"I'm very glad you did, guys. We'll do it again, okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
The boys helped Danny and Steve as much as they could with the basic construction of their first module.
Everyone was saying, "Goodnight," before Steve and Danny even realized the time. Erik clung to Steve's hand and Derik to Danny's as they walked down the path to the guest house. "That was a lot of fun, Uncle Steve. Can we do it again?"
"Of course. Danny and I are very proud of how well behaved and courteous you guys are. Most of the members have commented on it."
"That makes you guys special," Danny told them, "because they don't usually let kids come to the train room unless it's a show open to the public. As long as you wish to learn and ask permission, they will welcome you."
"I wish we were old enough to be members." Erik said.
"Don't wish your life away. You'll be old enough before you know it."
After unthinkingly referring to Mike as 'Dad' a few weeks later, Erik went silent as his face turned red. "I ... I'm sorry, Uncle Mike."
Mike grabbed him in a hug. "Don't be. That's the nicest thing you could give me. I know you guys loved your real father, but if you call me 'Dad' then he would be 'Daddy'. How about that?"
Erik and Derik looked at each other then grinned. "Okay, Dad," they said in unison.
The number of journals of model railroading tripled because the twins' animated interest grew exponentially. Derik was quietly reading the latest issue of N-scale magazine when he suddenly yelled, "Dad! Look at this!"
Mike, startled, reached for the journal. Derik and Erik perched on either arm of the wing chair in which Mike was seated. "Okay, so what?" Mike asked.
"This!" Derik's finger pointed to a small advertisement announcing the annual convention of N-scale modelers. Not only would there be exhibits by manufacturers and retailers, but a number of operating layouts and a few visits to home layouts as well. Those who brought modules would he given free admission to the show and operating privileges on the resulting composite layout if his module and trains were set to DCC standards. The convention is to be held in Charlotte the last weekend in February. "Can we go, please, Dad?"
"Let me talk it over with Dad and Pop and see if they are interested in going. I'm glad it's on a weekend."
"Can't we cut school and go on Friday? That way we can have all day Saturday to look at things." Erik asked.
"Yeah. And you could take some of your modules, Dad." Derik said.
"I hardly think anyone would want to look at my modules," Mike replied, "besides, the best two need refurbishing and that takes time."
"Please, Dad. You've got things on yours that move and do things, 'stead of just trains. I mean even the guys in the club don't have as much good stuff as you do." Derik said.
"I don't know, Son. I am a member of the Free-moN group, but I've only shown in a couple of regional get-togethers, not on a basis like this convention will be. Let me contact the sponsors and see what the requirements are."
The boys high five-ed each other. "Yeah!"
After reading the ad carefully Mike found himself intrigued. He would like to see the show, having never been to a national model railroad convention before. His first time at any sizable function had come when the guys in the HO club had coerced him into going with them to a small regional meet. To his surprise, he found the experience enjoyable, more-so when he found a small N-scale group with whom to exchange ideas. He joined their organization on the spot.
But if he took a module or two to the convention, he would have to drive the small SUV to transport the modules and the five of them. As he pondered the feasibility of taking a module, an idea struck. He quickly went to his desk and brought his computer up. Yes! It could be done and the boys would miss only a half day of school. Now, to talk with Dad and Pop to determine their interest and enlist their help in reworking two modules. He immediately typed an e-mail to the listed correspondent requesting more information on the convention.
To his surprise both Danny and Steve were enthusiastic about the idea. It would further the twins' interest and deepen the growing bond between them all. Danny suggested that he make reservations at the hotel near the convention centre very soon. When Mike mentioned the idea of the surprise he had for the twins, Steve quickly volunteered to drive the SUV containing the modules and letting Danny and Mike, with the boys, meet him later that evening at the hotel. Again, reservations were discussed though the convention was still several months away.
Friday after Thanksgiving, Mike, with the boys' help, picked out the two modules he planned to rework and take to the convention. The boys were ready to begin telling him what to do right then, but Mike shook his head.
"Not now, guys. We have hardly enough time to decide what I want to do with these, much less start work. Besides, the crowds are beginning to visit the museum to see the decorations, so I don't want to be around anymore than I can help. You have a bit more than two weeks holiday at Christmas, so we'll start work after Christmas Day. Which reminds me, you guys had better start thinking about what you wish Santa to bring, like making a list."
Mike switched off the lights. "It's almost time for dinner, so let's go."
Excitement of the holiday began to grip the boys two weeks before Christmas. Danny discovered the wish lists they had made up while he was checking their room for cleanliness. He was not very pleased with the new cleaning service Roberts had employed for him.
A few days later, Steve and Danny went shopping for Santa. First on both lists were things for their trains and modules. "I'd rather Mike pick out the things for their trains. He knows their wants and needs better than either of us." Steve commented as they drove to a large mall.
"I agree. Hand me the list and let's see what else they put down." Danny ran his finger down the list. "Damn! They certainly don't want much, do they? I suppose we should get them the soccer gear they want. They've grown so fast they need new uniforms desperately. I though Erik would split his shorts during the game last weekend." The boys had become stars of the junior varsity and, with a spurt in growth, both now had to squeeze into their kits.
"Head over to Sports City and see what they advise. I know they have experts in several sports areas, so they should be able to recommend what we should get."
Once they had made their wishes clear to the young clerk, he began to lay out the specific items he knew the Academy required of its team members. When
Steve expressed shock at the two hundred and fifty dollars per boy it took to purchase jersey, shorts, socks, shin guards, shoes, and a competition level ball, the clerk quickly responded. "Sir, if you were buying professional league level equipment, you would spend near a thousand dollars. The items I'm showing you are those approved by the Academy."
"Very well. The guys are good players and they need everything, because they've started to grow."
"Yes, Sir. May I show you something else in sporting goods?"
"Skateboards?" Steve asked.
"Yes, Sir. Please come over here. What exactly do you need?"
Steve looked at Danny. "They have boards on their list. Do you know if they have boards now?"
Danny shook his head. "I know they don't because they were talking about how great some of the kids at their school could maneuver those things. I've seen some kids at the park and if I tried half the things they do, I'd bust my fool neck. You think it's safe for them?"
Steve shook his head. "Makes no difference what you or I think. All the kids now-a-days seem to use them for mobility so naturally the guys want them so they won't be different. I guess the skateboard is to their generation what a bicycle was to ours. I'm just thankful they have that big paved area in front of the garage to use. They'll be safe there while they learn."
The clerk laid out examples of what he thought the boys should have to have fun yet be as safe as possible from injury. The trial total he ran up was just at another two hundred fifty dollars, including a helmet, pads, and shoes.
"Of course, Sir," he said to Steve, "what I'm showing you are just examples of our large inventory. For most young people a board is a personal item which they prefer to choose for themselves, unlike the soccer kit you picked out, because that is dictated by the Academy. May I suggest that you purchase a gift certificate then bring the young men in after Christmas and let them select those things they want? We have an area out back where they can try different boards, as well as an instructor to help beginners make an informed choice."
"Excellent idea." Danny said enthusiastically. "Steve?"
"Agreed. It will be interesting to watch them trying to make up their minds."
They piled the soccer kit into the back of the SUV. I'm certain Mike won't spend as much on the things they want for their trains."
A couple of days before the Academy closed for the Christmas holiday, Mike dispatched Steve and Danny to watch the boys play in a soccer match while he completed his Christmas shopping. Knowing that Steve and Danny had left the selection of train accessories to him, Mike stopped by the hobby shop to pick up his junk box and a few other things he knew he would need for reworking the modules. Billy was setting up a display of a boxed train set that Mike hadn't seen. Knowing the boys had all of the Harry Potter books and loved them, he couldn't resist buying the HO gauge Harry Potter train set. He cautioned Billy not to let Danny or Steve buy it for the boys. Billy promised to lie creatively if they asked.
Christmas Eve, they all dressed and drove into town to the large stone gothic Lutheran church for midnight Mass. The boys complained, of course, that we were far too early, but when they arrived at a quarter after ten, the only seats they could find together were in the second row of pews at the front. Mike had inquired and knew that the first half hour was devoted to special music.
They were hardly settled when a string quartet, a harpist, and the organist made their entrance and the music began. Steve recognized a Christmas Concerto by Corelli. He was delighted when next the organist softly began Est is ein Ros Entsprungen. The strings and harp then played a group of more familiar carols, ending with the harp alone playing the Coventry Carol.
After a brief silence, the lights went out, then the Pastor, followed by two acolytes carrying unlighted processional candles, walked down the aisle holding the Christ candle and reading appropriate words beginning with: "Rejoice for thy light has come."
The candle placed in its stand and the processional candles lighted from the Christ candle, the Pastor and acolytes left the chancel through the side door. While they returned to their places for the processional, the choir chanted: Hodie Christus Natus Est. Once the lights flashed back on, the organist began Oh Come All Ye Faithful with full organ. Following the processional cross, for the first time in anyone's memory, came a robed thruifer swinging the brass thruible to cense the congregation with the classic odours associated with Christmas - frankincense and myrrh. The boy's watched in awe as the procession continued: the acolytes carrying candles, the altar boy holding high the large brass bound altar Bible, then the Pastor in resplendent robes, the Vicar, and, lastly, the choir.
Mike, seated between the boys, had to remind them to kneel at the appropriate places in the service. Precisely at midnight the elements of the Eucharist were unvailed and the Thanksgiving chanted. Beginning with the first rows of pews on both sides of the mail aisle, people began to line up in the aisle to receive the consecrated elements. Mike moved ahead of the boys so that they were between him and Danny. "Do you receive communion yet?" Danny whispered to Derik.
Derik nodded. "We were confirmed last year."
After they had received communion and returned to their seats, Danny noticed tears trickling down the faces of both boys. "What's wrong, son?" He whispered to Erik, seated next to him.
"We miss daddy. He always took us to church at Christmas, but it wasn't anything like this. I wish he could see it." He sniffled. Danny took out his handkerchief and wiped his tears, then handed his handkerchief to Mike and indicated Derik's teary face.
Each man put his arm around one of the boys' shoulders and pulled them closer for comfort.
Both boys were asleep by the time Steve drove the car out of the church parking lot.
The box Mike had wrapped and placed both names on the tag was the last gift opened. The boys screamed with joy when they opened the box and all but strangled Mike with their hugs. Finally, with the excitement of the boys over 'Santa' and their other gifts calmed, a superb dinner prepared by Roberts and Lang, both of whom joined the others at the table, was reduced to scraps, and, after playing an impromptu soccer game in mild temperature, the boys were virtually exhausted when they came in for a late dinner of turkey sandwiches, chips, and milk. They toasted a few marshmallows over the fire Mike had built in the family room fireplace, the evening having cooled rapidly, before stumbling off to bed. The men soon followed.
The weather was so bad that the boys could not venture outside to try their skateboards. "What can we do?" Derik asked plaintively.
"Well, Guys, let's go up to the house and think about which modules we should rework for the show." Mike told the twins, though he had already made up his mind.
"The one where you have the woman washing clothes, and the cars go." Derik said quickly.
"And the one where the track goes through the woods. That should be easy, cause mostly we just gotta make the trees look better. Maybe we could try some of the new stuff for making water and have a better looking stream. It would be fun if you could add a road next to the track and fix it so the cars could run on both modules." Erik added.
"You know that means the two modules will always have to be together for that to work, if I can figure out a way to move the cars from one to the other." Mike told him. "But you guys picked the modules I think need the most work to make them look new and fresh. Now let's plan out how we're going to accomplish all this. We've only got seven weeks."
To Mike's surprise, the boys immediately went to work, carefully removing anything they thought might be reused and set it aside. By time for dinner, the sculptamold on the wooded module had been scraped bare, patched where necessary, and left to dry overnight.
Mike put his arms over the shoulders of each boy on their way back to the carriage house. "You guys did a great job. I'm proud of how careful you were in saving things we can use again. I'll teach you how to make trees because they take more time than anything else and we'll need a lot of them."
"The module is only eighteen inches by four feet, isn't it?" Derik asked.
"That's right, but we want the trees thick like they would be in a real woods. I've got catalogues from a couple of firms that make materials for scenery and the big Walthers catalogue. After dinner I want you guys to look through them for scenery stuff. I'm going to try to think up a way to make the cars run."
With the boys working all day each day they were on Christmas break, and with Steve and Danny supervising and helping when Mike had to attend to business, the first module was completed the weekend after the boys had returned to school. The trees, as Steve commented, were the best he'd ever seen. The water in the stream had the look of depth the previous stream lacked. Only the road remained incomplete until Mike could work out a system for moving the cars along it.
Because of the delicate mechanics of the automation of the figures, it took four days for the second module to be dismantled. Erik proved to have a steady hand and good eye for repainting the figures in the scene. As the work progressed and time was needed for paint and adhesives to dry, the boys found other things to do. In addition to painting, Erik was adept at making trees. While he was busy creating another forest, Derik found a way to display his quiet sense of humour.
Using the old outhouse from the original module as a model, Derik constructed a new one of thin wood, which he asked Erik to stain a weathered gray and cut a quarter moon in the door. Derik then played with a tiny motor from Mike's junk box. He was satisfied when, with power applied, at intervals the door swung open to reveal an old man sitting on the seat, pants around his ankles. He had fashioned a tiny roll of toilet paper attached to the wall and a tiny Sears catalogue lying next to the seat . He had mounted it on a thin strip of styrene for ease in placing it on the module behind the farmhouse if Mike approved.
While Mike was connecting the mechanics that made the woman hang up her washing, he noticed the outhouse was not in place. "Hey, guys, where's the outhouse?"
"I made a new one. Can I put it on the module?" Derik asked.
"Go ahead. I want to test this out." Mike replied.
Derik grinned at Erik as he set the building in place, making certain the motor fit into the hole created for it, and the wires extended below the base of the module. While Mike was paying no attention to him, Derik connected the wires to the solid state timer and wired that to the auxiliary power line. Then he stepped back and waited.
Mike switched on the auxiliary power and watched to see if the woman bent, then hung the sheet on the clothesline. He smiled as it worked perfectly and was about to say something when the opening door of the outhouse caught his eye.
"Well I'll be damned!" He yelled. "Who the made that?"
"I did, Dad. Do you like it?"
"That's one I would never have thought of. It's funny as hell and you really got the details worked out just right. How often have you set the timer for?"
"It stays open for three seconds then closes for ten seconds. Should I change that?" Derik asked.
"I think for a show that will be just about right." He looked at Erik. "I can see your fine hand at work also. The painting of everything has to be your work. That Sears catalogue looks like the real thing, and you've really gotten fantastic at making trees and bushes. No way I could have made those daylilies you planted around the outhouse, just like they used to do in real life. You even got the colour right."
Erik smiled sheepishly. "It was Mr. Roberts who told us how it used to be out in the country. He helped me find some pictures on the net and I tried to copy them."
"You did a superb job." Mike backed off and looked at the nearly completed modules. I've got a week to get the cars running and then we'll be done. I'll tell you guys one thing right now. If we don't win a prize of some kind, I'll be very pissed off. You deserve it for all your hard work. Once the show is over, you guys can start working on your modules. I think you've learned enough to do a good job without my being with you all the time."
He held out his arms, "Come here, Guys." and gathered the boys into a group hug. "We gotta get Dad and Pop out here, 'cause they haven't seen it in a couple of weeks. They'll be as proud of you as I am. Now let's go get some dinner and maybe a banana split later on."
"Oh, boy!"
Mike quietly conferred with an engineer at Worthington a few days later. He had been unable to solve the matter of making the cars move. After explaining the method he had used earlier on the one module, Mike waited for suggestions. To his surprise, the engineer explained that the magnets on a moving belt remained the cheapest and most efficient method. His idea was to makeup a belt long enough to work both modules, pass it through an oblong hole in the end-plates of each module, and around guide pulleys. The belt would run between strips of wood to serve as guides and keep the belt on the pulleys. One pulley at the end of the module would be movable to serve as a tensioning device. He left Mike's office and returned about an hour later with a handful of small pulleys and flexible woven fabric material for the belt.
Expressing his profound thanks, Mike placed the materials in his briefcase and headed home. He stopped at a shop to pick up some small, but strong magnets.
Once the basic woodworking was completed, he elicited Steve's help. Together, they glued the wooden guide strips in place. Steve steadied the module as Mike screwed the pulleys in place, and measured the belt for length.
The glue holding the belt together and the magnets in place dried, they clamped the two modules together. Steve held the belt in position as Mike moved the adjustable pulley to tension the belt. At last he was satisfied.
"Let's give it a whirl," he said, placing one of the little cars in place. He switched on the power and they watched in pleasure as the tiny car moved smoothly along the predetermined path. At the end of the module, it disappeared behind a slight ridge of scenery only to reappear at the far end of the first module.
"Congratulations, old man. Got it right on the first try," Steve said.
"Damn glad, too. The show is weekend after next and I was beginning to sweat this. Oh, take a look at this. Derik did it." He pointed to the outhouse.
"So?" Steve questioned, then the little door swung open. "Well I'll be damned. Derik did that all by himself?"
"Sure did. Of course Erik did the painting for him and sculpted the man's pants around his ankles. I'm certain there isn't a commercial figure like that available."
"He did an excellent job. I swear, those kids are always up to something. I never cease to be amazed."
"Nor I. Still willing to drive the SUV all that way?"
"Of course. I just wish I could be with you to see the guys' expressions when they realize they are going to Charlotte on a real train."
Mike had hit the net the moment the boys had mentioned the show. He found that the North Carolina Department of Transportation operated a passenger railroad within state in cooperation with Amtrak. This would be a great surprise for the boys. The closest station was Rocky Mount. Had they not been taking the modules, they could have left the SUV in a parking garage and had a comfortable trip on a real train. He knew the boys would be thrilled, but transport of the modules remained. Steve had solved the problem by offering to drive the SUV to Charlotte. He would leave early in the morning on Friday and meet them at the hotel near the convention hall. Because of their good grades, Mike and Danny had no hesitancy in allowing the boys to miss a half day of school.
The moment the boys arrived home from school, they dropped their books in their room and made a bee-line for Roberts' office at the rear of the mansion. For Roberts' convenience and because of its closeness to the garage apartment he and Lang shared, Mike had had the old kitchen and chef's rooms turned into offices for the museum. Much to Mike's dismay, Roberts spent a part of each morning in the small kitchenette on the chef's quarters creating cookies or cakes for the boys' after school snacks. For that reason, it had never occurred to him that neither boy had ever been shown through the mansion.
When Erik remarked one afternoon that they wished they could take piano lessons again. On inquiry, Danny discovered they had been taking for five years when they lived with their father. Told that he would be delighted for them to continue lessons, the boys countered that they had no piano.
"Come with me, Guys." He took them through the entire house, saving the music room for last. At one side stood a Bechstein grand piano. "Try it, but I expect it needs tuning."
Erik immediately sat down and began to pay a piece by Mozart. He stopped after a few notes. "I'm out of practice," he said disgustedly.
"Let me." Derik took his place and began a bit of Chopin. He played well, but, he, too, stopped after a few mistakes.
"Okay guys. I'll get a tuner here this week. You'll have to work out practice time with Roberts. When people come to see the house, they don't want to listen to piano practice."
"Erik, look at this!" Derik stared in awe at the huge four manual console of the old Aeolian residence organ.
"Does it work?" Derik asked.
"I don't really know. Wait a minute." Danny picked up a house phone and pressed the button for Roberts' office. A few moments later, Roberts joined them in the music room.
"What may I do for you, Sir?" Roberts asked Danny.
"I hadn't realized until this afternoon that the boys had never seen the house beyond the train rooms and your office. You do spoil them shamelessly, you know."
"A genuine pleasure, Sir." Roberts smile broadened.
"The boy have been studying piano and wish to continue. Do you think you could work out a suitable schedule for them for practice time?"
"Of course. Was there anything else?"
"Does the old organ still work? I think I heard it only once and that was when I was younger than the boys are now."
"Let me see, Sir. I don't play, but it plays rolls also. I hope I haven't forgotten how to work it. Your grandfather never cared for music much, but this was your grandmother's pride and joy."
After a few moments, they faintly heard a motor rumble into life in the cellar then the music poured forth. Everyone cringed at the discordant sounds. Roberts was quick to shut the instrument off. "It does want a bit of tuning, Sir. Shall I have a man around to accomplish that, also?"
"Have any of the visitors made inquiry about the organ?" Danny asked.
"A few, Sir. I do believe it would add to the interest since such instruments were considered a necessity before the days of radio and the phonograph. Sadly, only the wealthy could afford them."
"Then, by all means, have it put in first class condition. I expect these imps might want to learn to play that as well."
The boys were all questions when Steve picked them up at school at eleven Thursday morning. "We going to the show now?" they asked in unison.
"I am, but I'm dropping you guys off in Rocky Mount." Steve teased.
"That's no fair! Daddy said we could go to Charlotte, isn't that right, Daddy?" Erik whined.
"Just wait and see," Mike told them.
When Steve drove into the parking lot of the train station in Rocky Mount and parked, the boys looked questioningly at him. "The train show ain't here, is it?"
"The train show isn't here," Mike corrected. "But this is how we are going to Charlotte. After we have some lunch, we'll take the train. Pop is going to drive the SUV and meet us at the hotel in Charlotte. Think you'll enjoy a ride on a real train?"
"Wow!"
"Here it comes!" Erik yelled to the amusement of the few waiting passengers when the diesel driven Carolinian sounded its horn at a crossing. Mike and Danny were both occupied with keeping the boys safely on the platform.
The boys' eyes grew wide as the train eased smoothly into the station and ground to a halt. "First train ride for these young men?" The attendant asked Mike as she helped them aboard.
"Yes, Lord help us. They're both train crazy, so I just hope we can keep them under control." He moved on to catch up with the boys and allow Danny to board behind him.
They managed to get the boys seated, one beside each of them, putting the boys next to the windows so they could see, but mainly to restrict their movement. They were excited once more when the train began to move, picking up speed as it left the city. Each boy was given his ticket to hand to the conductor.
"Tickets, please," came the call when the conductor entered the car. The boys were intrigued when he punched their tickets and handed them back, before moving on.
"Okay, guys, be sure to hang on to your tickets, because he will want to see them each time we stop." Danny told them.
"Why?" Derik asked.
"To make sure nobody tries to ride without a ticket, stupid," Erik replied.
"That's enough, guys. Now cool it for a bit." Mike told them.
"I wish I had something to drink," Erik said some two hours into the trip.
"I could go for something myself," Danny added.
"There's a cafe car on this run. Let's see what they offer," Mike told them.
Soft drinks in hand, they returned to their seats, the boys having extracted a promise that they could eat supper in the cafe car. Though sandwiches were the offering, Mike thought one for each boy would hold them until they were situated in the hotel where more substantial fare was available.
The boys chattered at Steve all the way to the hotel from the station where he had met the train, describing in endless detail their trip.
"I'm glad you guys enjoyed it so much. The dining room is closed, but the grill is open. Let's get something to eat, then it's off to bed for you guys. We have to be up early to go set up our modules," Steve said.
While the others waited in the SUV, Mike sought out the people associated with the FreemoN and found out where to set up the modules. He had informed them ahead of time that his two modules had to be operated together. He and Danny brought in the most fragile module while Steve and the boys brought in the other. They were set up on their legs and ready to be placed when the director of the group came over.
"Good Lord!" He exclaimed. "What beautiful work!" He turned in the direction from which he had come and called, "Hey, you guys, come take a look at this!"
The boys stood, one at each end of the modules in a protective stance. Mike grinned. "Where did you plan to put these?"
"For damn sure they ain't going where I planned. These are so beautiful they're going right up front by our sign. I was hoping the double track guys would let us hook into their set up, but they say they got too much. Don brought his two automatic reversing modules, so we can run like we do at meetin's. At a show, people want to see things moving. Give 'em a hand guys and let's get these in place, up and running."
Even the boys were impressed when their two modules were given the most prominent position. The sign indicating the builders of the modules was hung at the junction of the two units. "You mean those boys helped build these units?" The coordinator asked.
"Each has his own area, so they were extremely helpful. Erik, here," Mike put his hand on Erik's shoulder, "is an expert at painting and making trees." His brother Derik is also excellent at making trees and mechanical things. Take a look." The power lines had been run, so Mike switched on the automated scenes.
"I ain't believin' this," the coordinator said. "No way that little woman could be made to move like that. I know, 'cause I got one exactly like her and I'd bust her all to pieces if I tried to make her move."
Danny grinned. "Then I won't tell you how many figures I went through before I got one cut apart without breaking it."
The opening outhouse door captured the man's attention. "Well, hell, I ain't believin' this neither."
"That's a collaboration between Derik and Erik. I had nothing to do with it."
"Oh damn! Those cars run, too. I ain't never seen this much automation in N scale before. Don't even see much of it in the HO setups. Much as I hate to leave, I guess I better go see if the guys are about finished with the rest. We want to be sure everything runs nice and smooth for the show. Oh, yeah, the judges are goin' to be around about seven tonight, so be sure you're here to operate those little beauties. After lunch there's a members only operating session. You can show the boys all the other layouts without a crowd around."
They found a convenient cafeteria for lunch. Another new experience for the boys, they would have chosen far more than they could have eaten had Mike not reined them in.
The boys enjoyed the afternoon, looking carefully at the several HO modular layouts. Some were exquisitely done, others looked to be the creations of beginners. "Makes no difference," Danny told them over dinner, "The idea is to have fun. You are lucky to have Mike show you how to do things for a beautiful end result. Let's go back and see if the judging is done."
Sam, the coordinator for the FreemoN group nodded when they asked. "Done and gone. They announce the results Sunday right after lunch, that way the people have time to see the winners before the show closes. I'll tell you one thing, though. They sure spent a hell of a lot of time looking at your units and talking."
To prevent boredom, the men decided to take turns being with the modules to answer the questions of viewers. The boys were too enthralled to even consider leaving for anything other than meals. Mike was happy with the boys' decision to remain at the show, for they interacted easily with the younger visitors, leaving the adult present to speak with serious older modelers. To help time pass for the boys, he took the twins with him on the offered tours of five home layouts Saturday afternoon.
They ate an early dinner Sunday and returned to the show to listen with anticipation to the awarding of prizes. When awards had been made in each of the five represented scale groups, the boys' eager expressions turned to total disappointment. "Let's go home, Dad," they whined in unison.
Mike was about to speak, when the director of the show continued: "And now I have the distinct pleasure of presenting an award for a completely new classification that the directors agreed to institute after a called meeting. Never before in our experience has a module exhibited as much automation and mechanical expertise as that exhibited by Mike Harmon and his twin sons Erik and Derik. In making their decisions, the judges also considered the humour in presentation." Having said that, the gentleman walked over to the automated module and placed a blue ribbon with a gold medallion on it. He raised the cordless microphone again and said: "It is a great pleasure to present these exhibitors with a one hundred dollar gift certificate redeemable in the shop of their choice." He handed a slip of paper to Erik who was standing closest to him.
"And now the moment you've all been waiting for. The most outstanding module in the show was chosen for excellence in realism. Considered are realistic environment, smoothness in operation, and overall appearance. It is my distinct pleasure to present this award to the Harmons, father and sons." He handed a gift certificate to Derik. "Enjoy, gentlemen and please return to our next show."
The applause was thunderous, the boys elated. "Look, Dad! We did it!"
"I thought you wanted to go home," Mike teased, but the boys were too busy accepting congratulations.
The boys were so busy trying to decide what they wanted to buy with their gift certificates they were hardly aware of the six hour drive home.
Highly motivated by their success, the boys quickly made up the school work they had missed by attending the show. Their enthusiasm carried over into their participation in soccer and swimming, their having made both teams. Nor did their devotion to practice on the piano and organ flag. Both soon delighted their teachers by holding an occasional Sunday afternoon musicale for anyone interested. Rather than being disturbed by this additional use of the museum, Roberts beamed with pride as the attendance steadily increased for the boys' performances and provided punch and finger food for the receptions afterward.
Before anyone was fully aware, the boys were ready to graduate from the Academy and matriculate at the state university, Erik in the pre-med program, and Derik in the school of business.
Mike, Danny, and Steve found contentment and joy at seeing the results of their individual and collective love overcome the tragedies each of them had suffered.
To be continued ...
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Posted: 02/01/08