Some time in the mid 1960s:
Chapter 09
Chicago, the Windy City. Not because of the biting, damp cold winds of winter, that whipped around downtown skyscrapers and could force you into oncoming traffic in the street if you weren’t careful. No, it was named so because of it’s colorful politicians. One may read about the source of its nickname deriving from the Columbian Exposition or its rivalry with Cincinnati, but school children were taught that the nickname came about based on the “windy” nature of those who lived and ruled there.
Regardless of the origins of the name, Chicago’s summers were notoriously hot and humid. And the large garage that the four transplanted young men from North Carolina were calling their headquarters, was like an oven during the afternoons and evenings while they worked.
By the time Christopher had arrived from his cross-country trip with Chuck, Riley and Peanut had most everything set up. They had an electronics shop set up that would have done any manufacturing company proud. And with Riley’s experience with building communications gear, he and Peanut were quite confident that whatever Christopher demanded, they would be able to deliver.
When Christopher had brought everything he owned into the small apartment Chuck had secured for them, he had Chuck bring him to the shop nearby. When Riley and Peanut saw Christopher and Chuck walk in the back door, they both gave a whoop and ran to greet them with slaps on the back and laughter.
They paused to ask what was in the sack Christopher was carrying, and laughed when they saw the Philco clock/radio.
“Hey man, we already have a hi-fi in the office. We even have a couple of speakers hanging on the wall out here,” Peanut admonished.
“That thing looks like it’s seen better days, my man,” added Riley.
“Just hang on gents, you know it’s rude to drop in on friends and not bring gifts,” Christopher countered. “Riley, get me an extension cord and Peanut, you and Chuck find some way to attached the guts of this thing to that steel beam over there by the wall.”
“Get out! You mean you and Chuck brought the...the, thing inside that?” Riley said, pointing.
“Can you think of a better way to hide it?” said Chuck. “I almost threw it in the trash when we were packing everything into his trunk.”
The four quickly cleared everything from around the beam. Chuck and Peanut found four industrial clamps to bind the device’s base to the beam while Riley waited to plug the device in.
“Okay, now I need some insulated gloves, thick rubber ones,” Christopher requested.
“Is it dangerous?” asked Riley.
“No, but I’ve never touched it without gloves. I’m just being careful.”
Christopher took the end of the extension cord and plugged his device in. As he moved to the device, the other three took an involuntary step back, chuckling as they saw each other mimic the action.
When Christopher flipped a switch on the device, there was a slight hum that quickly died out. Then he turned a small dial. The heavy beam rose silently into the air, and when it reached chest height on Christopher, he backed down on the knob leaving the beam to hover silently in the air.
“I’ll be God damned!” cried Chuck. “If that isn’t the God damnedest thing I’ve ever seen, I don’t know what the fuck is.”
Riley was silent as he approached the beam. He reached out and barely touched it, seeing if he could feel the energy holding it aloft. After he determined that there was no static discharge or arcing display that could, or would kill him, he applied a little push to the bean and was rewarded with a slow movement away from him.
“Did you feel anything?” Peanut asked.
“Hell no, not even a little vibration,” Riley answered.
“Man, I couldn’t even lift one end of that thing off the ground, Chris. That shit is unbelievable!” said Chuck, not able to hide his astonishment.
The garage went silent, with only the noise of the traffic out on the street penetrating the air.
“So now you know how I felt when I first turned the thing on,” Christopher said quietly.
“Brother, this is so fucking big! If The Man ever finds out about this, we are so fucking dead.”
Comments