RUdOlF May hIT uR cAR dUdE!!

As the sun set over the snow-capped peaks of the Sangre DeCristo mountains, its fading
light gave the panorama of plains and mesas to the east an eerie, supernatural glow. Even
after being born and raised near here, 30 miles north in Raton, New Mexico and having
traveled this stretch of I-25 countless times since moving to Denver, Jed Cooper was still
awestruck by the powerful raw beauty of this country.

As a nationally respected independent security consultant, Jed spent more time on the
road than anywhere else, which was just fine with him, even on this Christmas Eve. He
had never married, and his parents had passed on years ago. He had no real roots or
family, and therefore no commitments. Despite the nationwide nature of his profession,
he rarely traveled in airplanes. Sure, planes are much faster, but someone else had control
over his fate, something he could never be comfortable with. Besides, he enjoyed driving
and relished seeing everything America had to offer, from ground level.
Jed glanced at his watch, “Almost five, should be home by nine or so, plenty early
enough for a quick one at the Grizzly Rose and a good night’s sleep.”

Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, not that it really mattered. Other than dressing up as
Santa, and doing some time at the shelter for homeless families, Christmas day held little
else that was special to him.
Jed always became a bit melancholy as he drove through this area. Raton reminded him
of his childhood, his parents, and most of all, his high school sweetheart. Jenny was his
first, and only love. Whenever he passed through, he thought about Jenny.
“I wonder where she is, what she’s doing, or if she’s even still alive,” he thought to
himself. “Is she married? Dumb question, of course she is, probably has grandkids by
now. Wonder if she stayed in Raton, or went off to the big city, like we’d always dreamed
we would…”

Throughout high school, Jed Cooper and Jenny Valerio had been together, going steady
they called it then. They loved each other, and were certain they’d be married someday.
But life, and fate, is sometimes cruel to young lovers. Soon after graduation, Jed was
drafted for Vietnam. Jenny begged and pleaded with Jed not to go.
“I’d rather live as a fugitive in Canada, with you at my side, than lose you to some damn
war nobody believes in.” Jenny would sob, tears rolling down her young face, “If you go,
I can’t wait for you, I couldn’t bear the pain.”

Jed was torn between his love for Jenny, and his duty to his country, but in the end Jed
knew what he had to do. “I have to go, Jen. I couldn’t live with myself if I ran away from
this, and you couldn’t either. Don’t worry, I’ll get back O.K.”
Jenny wasn’t convinced, and being young and hurt, she threw a tantrum and told Jed
sharply, “It’s obvious you don’t love me as much as you love the thought of war and
adventure in some rice paddy half a world away. Go on and go. I don’t want to see or hear
from you ever again.”

She didn’t mean it, but she couldn’t bring herself to take it back. She knew in her heart
that Jed was the only man she could ever love.
Jed wasn’t too worried about Jenny, and he told his friends, “She’ll get over it, and she’ll
love me even more when I come home with a shirt full of medals.”

He still wasn’t worried when, the next evening, he saw Jenny at the A&W, parked with
the quarterback of the football team. Jed and Brad Simmons had been rivals since
kindergarten, and Jed figured, “She’s just trying to make me jealous.”
When Jenny didn’t even show up to see him off to boot camp, Jed began to wonder if he
might have really lost her. When she wouldn’t return his letters, or take his phone calls,
he was convinced she no longer cared. He had a leave coming after boot camp, but
heartbroken, he went straight to Vietnam instead.

In Vietnam, survival was top priority, though he thought of nothing but Jenny in his rare
moments of peace and solitude. Jed found that war really was hell, especially this one. He
did what he could to survive, and mourned the loss of many friends. One especially hot
and rainy night his platoon was overrun by Viet Cong forces and the heroism Jed
displayed, by carrying his badly wounded platoon sergeant through enemy infested jungle
to the safety of Da Nang, earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Jed’s parents were absent on the day that the President of the United States draped the
Medal around his neck. His Commanding Officer had assured him that passage to the
Washington D.C ceremony had been approved for his folks, and soon after the affair Jed
found out the reason for their absence: While driving to the Albuquerque airport, his
parents were involved in an automobile accident. There were no survivors.

After losing his parents, the military became his only family. He never went back to
Raton, even for his parents’ funeral. He made a career out of the Marine Corps, then
started his own security business in Denver after he retired. He never even stopped in

Raton for gasoline, if he could help it. The memory of his parents and the love he left
behind was just too painful.
As the miles continued to roll by, taking him closer to the hometown of his childhood,

Jed wished to himself that he could somehow change the past. How grand his life would
have been, if he’d only had Jenny and his parents there to share it with him. With that
thought, he willed Jenny, his folks, and Raton out of his mind. “They’re gone, and you
can’t change the past, dummy.”
As Jed continued to guide his Corvette northward through the crisp New Mexico winter
dusk, he noticed the peak called “Eagle Tail” just to the east.

“Used to be some good deer hunting up there,” he remembered, “got a nice ten point buck
my first time.”
As he gazed up at the peak, now littered with radio towers, he saw an object flying just
above the mountain’s mesa-like base, in his direction.

“Kind of small for a military jet.” he thought. Military planes from Cannon and Kirtland
often flew at low altitude in this area.
As the object grew near, he was sure that it wasn’t a military jet, or any other kind of
airplane for that matter.

“What the…” he exclaimed out loud, as the craft neared. “It can’t be…naw…”
He quickly rubbed his eyes and set them back onto the highway. The object seemed to be
a sleigh, pulled by nine tiny reindeer. The white beard and red suit of the driverwere
plainly visible, as well as the bright red nose of the lead reindeer.

“I’ve gotta be imagining things,” Jed muttered as he turned his head for another look. As
quickly as he turned his head, Jed instinctively ducked as the sleigh bore down, on a
collision course. As the sleigh buzzed Jed’s Corvette, he lost control, crashed through a
barbed wire fence and traveled several meters, until he ended up under the bridge
spanning the Canadian River, swamped. As the car lurched to a sudden stop in the river,

Jed’s head bounced off of the steering wheel, knocking him out cold.
It took Jed a few minutes to orient himself once he regained his senses. The winter sun
had disappeared behind the mountains to the west and the air had gotten much colder.

The cold Canadian River water, now up to his neck, didn’t help matters much. Jed
couldn’t force the car door open, but he was able to escape through the driver’s side
window.

Cold, wet and near hypothermia, Jed rescued his now wet jacket from the sinking car,
climbed up the riverbank and started walking as quickly as possible northward on the
interstate toward the lights of Raton. Jed soon lost all feeling in his outstretched thumb,
but the exercise generated enough body heat to keep him going. Despite his predicament,
his mind began racing.

“Am I going nuts? Everybody knows that Santa Claus is just a myth, but the Santa piloted
sleigh was sure real enough. Was it my imagination? Was I hallucinating? Did I really get
buzzed by flying reindeer?”

As Jed continued to plod up the highway, questioning his sanity and the events that led to
his crash, he didn’t notice the passenger car that had slowed and pulled to the shoulder
behind him. The car’s horn caught his attention and he turned towards it, startled.
“What happened, mister. You need a lift to town?”
“What happened, yea, that’s a good question.” Jed retorted sarcastically.
J
ed thought to himself, “I can’t tell these people what really happened, or at least what I
THINK happened. I’d be sent to the cracker factory pretty darn quick, though a nice cozy
rubber room does sound kind of good right now.”
Jed walked over to the driver of the car. “I swerved to miss a deer. Ended up in the river.
I would sure appreciate a lift into Raton.”

The driver, a young, good-looking fella, smiled and opened the rear door. “Climb on in.

The wife brought along a thermos of hot coffee, you’re welcome to have some.”
After Jed settled into the rear seat, he saw that the young man was not alone. A pretty,
twenty-something girl, with dark hair, doe-like brown eyes, and golden skin, occupied the
passenger seat. In the middle was a child seat, filled with the bundled up form of a young
boy. There was something about the girl; like he had seen her before, but he couldn’t
quite put his finger on it.

“I appreciate the ride, young man, and this coffee sure hits the spot, ma’am. My name is
Jed. I used to live around here, a long time ago. You can just drop me off at the nearest
telephone.”

“No trouble, Jed. My name is Mike Johnson. This is my wife, Emily, and this little fella
here is our son, Josh. We live in Las Vegas, but Emily’s family lives in Raton and luckily
for you her Uncle Joe owns a towing company. Don’t you worry about a thing. Nothing’s
gonna be open tomorrow, it being Christmas and all. You just spend the night with us, at
Emily’s mom’s place. She’s a great cook, and you can use the telephone to call your
family. Uncle Joe will tend to your car after Christmas dinner, but I don’t think that you’ll
be driving it again anytime soon. Day after Christmas we should be able to hook you up
with a rental. Or maybe your wife could drive down and fetch you?”

“I’m not married. In fact I’ve really got no place that I need to be, or anyone who will
worry about me. I’ve been alone for quite a long time.”

“Then it’s settled. You’ll spend Christmas with us.”
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you any…”
“No trouble,” Mike’s wife chimed in, “Momma would love the company of a fine looking
gentleman like you… once you dry out.”

Jed took an immediate liking to the young couple. “What the heck, a good home-cooked
meal and a warm bed sure beats a motel. I accept your invitation, and I sure appreciate
the hospitality. Merry Christmas to you both.”
Emily’s eyes brightened as she exclaimed, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Jed.
People caring for other people.”

Jed winked, as young Josh peered over the car seat eyeing him curiously. As they drove
into Raton Jed noticed that the names of most of the stores had changed, but that
downtown Raton still looked much as it had twenty-five years earlier. As the car cruised
slowly up Main, Jed’s throat tightened at the sight of all the downtown Christmas
decorations, and the large Christmas tree right smack in the Main street median. The
buildings, the tree, and the decorations, combined with the backdrop of imposing snowcovered
mesas leading up to Raton Pass made downtown Raton look like Christmas
heaven. He immediately regretted ever leaving his hometown.
As the car continued up Main, through the railroad underpass and east on Sugarite, Jed’s
senses were filled with memories of many of the places he saw. Much of the town had
changed, but some places were the same as he remembered them. The Johnsons left him
to his silence, until they pulled into the driveway of a small, well-kept house on Garcia
Street. The twinkling lights of a Christmas tree escaped through the drapes of the front
picture window.

“Look Josh, we’re here. Let’s go in and give Grandma a great big hug,” Emily cooed as
she bundled the child into his coat.

Mike Johnson turned to Jed. “I’d appreciate some help with the packages in the trunk,
Jed.”

“No problem, Mike. Glad to help out.”

As Jed and the young family entered the house Emily called out,

“Momma, we’re here and we brought some company.”

A female voice answered from a hallway, “I’ll be out in a second, Emmy. Who have you
brought with you?”

Jed’s ears homed in on the voice from the hallway; there was something familiar about it.
When the woman entered the room, the packages in Jed’s arms, as well as his jaw,
dropped to the floor and his body stiffened with surprise and emotion.

“Momma, this is…”

“Jed…” the woman squeaked, as tears welled up in her big brown eyes.

“Momma, you know this man?”

For what seemed to be eternity, Jed couldn’t make a sound come from his mouth. Finally
he was able to choke out, “Jenny. My God.”

Jenny rushed to Jed’s arms, and as he embraced her it seemed that all the years they had
been apart just disappeared. Mike and Emily could only stare, dumbfounded, as the two
childhood sweethearts hugged and wept. Little Josh wasn’t the least concerned.

“Grandma, I want some candy.”

Over the dinner table, Jed and Jenny caught up on the events of their lives over the last
twenty-five years. Mike and Emily tried to remain politely silent, but could not help
asking Jed about wartime experiences. Josh, of course, was another matter. He demanded
constant attention, as children do, until finally Jenny convinced him that it was bedtime.
“The faster you get to sleep, the sooner Santa can deliver your presents.”

Mike and Emily excused themselves to put little Josh to bed, and Jed could hear their
excited whispers, when they thought they were out of earshot. For a time, he could only
gaze at Jenny, drinking in her every feature, amazed at the way time had made her even
more beautiful. Jenny gazed back at him, looking directly into his eyes, thanking the Lord
for bringing him back to her. Jed broke the silence.

“So who did you finally marry?”
He noticed her eyes widen, as if she had forgotten something, and she did not answer
immediately. Jed could just imagine an angry husband storming into the room at just that
moment. The tears that began clouding her eyes made him fear the worst. Jenny’s voice
was little more than a whisper when she answered.
“I never married, Jed. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved.”
Jed’s heart nearly melted, “And I still love you, Jen…” Then a sudden thought crossed his
mind. His voice was strained with emotion when he finally continued, “…then who is
Emily’s father?”
“You are, my darling, I’m so sorry that I never…”

Before she could finish, there was a sharp crack as the back of Jed’s chair met the floor,
after he fainted for the first time in his life.
The next day, as Jed and Mike followed Joe Valerio’s Mega-wrecker down I-25 to
retrieve Jed’s car, both men were silent, lost in deep thought. Both thought about how
strange and wonderful the twists and turns of life can be, and wondered just how
independent from fate they really were. Jed knew that he would never leave Jenny again.

He would marry her, as he always knew he would as a teen. After so many years apart,
every moment together would be treasured and from now on, every Christmas would be
even more magical. Of course, no Christmas would ever be as special as this one had.
As they approached the Canadian River Bridge, Jed was suprised to see that his car had
been removed from the river, and sat sparkling clean on the shoulder, the sun glistening
off the brightly polished chrome.
“Did the State Police already send a wrecker?”
“Could be”, Mike replied, “looks like you got a ticket on the windshield.”

Jed got out of Mike’s car, and walked over to his own. There was no evidence of the
Christmas Eve accident. In fact, the car hadn’t looked this good since it was new. Jed
reached out and took the slip of paper from beneath the wiper blade. It wasn’t a ticket, but
just a plain piece of white paper, with a short hand written note. As Jed read the note, he
broke out in hysterical laughter.
Confused, Mike asked, “What is it, Jed?”
“Nothing,” he laughed, “just a note from a good friend.”
Despite the confused look on Mike’s face, Jed stuffed the note into his pocket. He’d read
it to Jenny later.

DEAR JED, SORRY ABOUT YOUR CAR, RUDOLPH IS GETTING OLD AND HIS
EYESIGHT ISN’T TOO GOOD, BUT I THINK THAT YOU’LL FORGIVE ME. YOU
AND JENNY CAN TELL YOUR GRANDSON HOW GRANDPA GOT RUN OVER
BY A REINDEER. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
SANTA

lAuGH cHanGE PeOpLeS...

MORGAN AND NATHAN > : )

Nathan: MORGLIONUS! Morgan: NATHANMAN!!!!! Nathan: CAN WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE Nathan: I MEANT ADVENTURE Morgan: AN ADVANTAGE??? OH NATHAN YOU SILLY BOY Nathan: CAN WE PUHLEASE HAVE AN ADVENTURE Morgan: HEHEHE OF COURSE LITTLE BROTHER Nathan: WHAT SHALL WE DO?!! Morgan: HHHHHMMMMM,,, MAYBE WE SHOULD SOLVE A MYSTERY!!! LIKE ON SCOOBY DOO!!! Nathan: OKKK START US OFF! Morgan: WELL, WE'RE DRIVING, GOING TO YOUR AUNT'S CUZ SHE INVITED US TO STAY FOR VACATION, AND HER HOUSE IS IN ENGLAND! WE ALREADY ARRIVED FROM THE PLANE, AND NOW WE'RE ON THE ROAD! Nathan: SO WE'RE DRIVING AND DRIVING AND DRIVING AND DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR RUNS OUTTA GAS!! *nathan bangs hands on steering wheel and airbag pops up at him* OOWWW! Morgan: NAATTHHAANNN!!! DID I OR DID I NOT TELL YOU A THOUSAND TIMES TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR???? I TOLD YOU RIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT THE AIRPORT! Nathan: WELL, ERRR, I GOT DISTRACTED BY THE GIANT OCTOPUS MONSTER KILLING EVERY1! Morgan: ALWAYS AN EXCUSE WITH YOU! *morgan rolls her eyes and shakes her head* well, I guess we'll just have to walk to your aunt's, then tomorrow have her bring us back to get the car. Nathan: *nathan hangs his head in shame* buuutt morgan! There was a GIANT OCTOPUS MONSTER Morgan: *morgan holds up her hands* I don't wanna hear it! Let's just, *sigh* let just get a move on. *she begins grumbling as she gets out of the car and slams the door* Nathan: *nathan and morgan trudge along as nathan pleads to morgan* MORGAN YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO ME! THERE WAS A GIANT OCTOPUS MONSTER Morgan: THERE'S ALLWWAAYYSS A GIANT OCTOPUS MONSTER!!! Nathan: NO NO I SWEAR THIS ONE WAS REEAALL! Morgan: MHM! *morgan shoves nathan and pulls him back before he falls and dies, then continues to trudge on* Nathan: *as they walk, out of the corner of his eye nathan sees a giant octopus* THERE MORGAN! RIGHT THERE! DONTCHA SEE HIM?! *octopus disappears* Morgan: *morgan looks to where nathan was pointing* UGH you are SO full of it! *just then, a little yellow volkswagen pulls around the corner, then slows to a stop next to morgan and nathan. The window rolls down to reveal a pretty young blonde, about twenty years old, wearing yellow also. Probably to match her car.* "Hey, you guys want a ride?" *She asks* Nathan: *nathan looks at morgan and they nod in agreement* sure! Morgan: *nathan and morgan climb into the car* "I'm Alivia" *the blonde says, and smiles* "Where to?" *She asks* Nathan: *nathan bes his usual self* MY AUNT'S HOUSE!!! HEY HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GIANT OCTOPUS?!?!?!?!?!? Morgan: *morgan bes her usual self and slaps nathan upside the head* SHUT UP! *morgan turns to Alivia* We're going to 11 hawkins road, up in windsor, can you take us there? Nathan: *nathan struggles free from morgan and starts shouting* HUH?! HAVE U?! GIANT OCTOPUS! BIG THING, 8 ARMS?! SEEN IT ROUND THESE PARTS?! Morgan: NATHAN! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT TALKING IN PUBLIC??? SHH!!! *morgan turns to alivia again* I'm sorry about him, he's rabid, we haven't gotten around to giving him his shots yet.... Nathan: ALIVIA DONTCHA KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT??! Morgan: *alivia gives nathan a nervous look* "uhhh,, that's ok, I have a brother that doesn't have his shots yet either... Wait, is his aunt Rachel Daderio?" Nathan: YA YA THAT'S HER! IS SHE AN OCTOPUS?! Morgan: "Um, no, kid, she's not an octopus.... I work for her at the flower shop though, I can see now the resembelence between you guys and her Nathan: AAAHHHHH *nathan shakes morgan's shoulders* DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE OCTOPUSES TOO?! Morgan: *alivia grips the steering wheel* "NONE OF YOU ARE OCTOPUSSES-" *she clears her throat, then looks at morgan* "is this what you have to deal with everyday?" *morgan nods sollemnly* Nathan: *nathan realizes he's no longer wanted* umm... I think i'm just gonna sleep till we get there... Morgan: *morgan feels guilty* ooohh nathan we didn't mean it like that! *morgan hugs nathan and leans her head on his shoulder* Nathan: *nathan is fast asleep* Morgan: *morgan pushes nathan off her* never mind then! ugh, he never listens to my thoughtful appologies... Nathan: *nathan stars having nightmares and he starts rolling around in his sleep screaming* AAHHHH OCTOPUS AAHHHH OCTOPUS AAHHHH!!! Morgan: *morgan punches nathan square in the face* SHUT UUUPPPP Nathan: *nathan flails a little bit then goes back to bed* Morgan: uuuggghhhh..... Nathan: *car pulls into aunt's house.... nathan wakes up* WWEEEEE'RRREEE HEEERRRREEE! Morgan: *morgan looks at nathan* HOW did you know that???? Nathan: *nathan reminds morgan* i'm nathan remember? Morgan: ooohhh thtz very true..... thank you for the ride alivia, do you want to come in and say hello?? *alivia shakes her head* "oh nah, i'll be back later to drop off some paperwork to ur aunt, so I'll see you then! bye bye now! *morgan and nathan walk out to veiw the house, then theur mouthes drop open* wwhhoooooaaa Nathan: *to our amazement a GIANT OCTOPUS has aunty wrapped in it's wretched arm* TOLD U! Morgan: (THAT'S NOT WAT WE WERE IN AWE ABOUT! IT'S BECUZ IT'S A HUGE CASTLE LIKE HOUSE! AND THERE IS NO OCTOPUS!!!!!) "TOLD ME WAT???" *morgan shoves nathan* it's all in ur head! Nathan: FINE YOU TAKE CONTROL OF THE STORY Morgan: WELL, IT WUDN'T BE A MYSTERY IF THE OCTOPUS CAME IN JUST YET, NOW, WUD IT? Nathan: WELL I GUESS NOT! LETS CONTINUE ON! *nathan and morgan walk up towards the giant manor* Morgan: *morgan grips nathan's arm* ur aunt is nice, right?... Nathan: uuummm... well... Morgan: *morgan stops and spins nathan toward her* ur aunt is NICE, RRIIGGHHTTT????..... Nathan: actually...she's evil... i hate her... coodn't u tell alivia was scared of her?! SHE WHIPS ME Morgan: WHAT????? THEN Y R WE HERE??? CUDN'T U TELL ME BEFORE?!??! Nathan: I DONT KNOW YOU'RE THE ONE WHO PUT THE SETTING AS HERE! Morgan: oh... quite right, child, let us go... *morgan nervously knocks on the door, whichs squeaks open* hheelloooo??? Nathan: *nathan peeks head in* ANYONE HOOMMEE?? Morgan: *morgan shrugs and walks in* we're here to see Rachel Daderio! Nathan: AUNT RACHEL! AUNTY RACHEL WE'RE HERE! PLZ DONT KILL US Morgan: AUNT RRAAACCHHEELLL??? *morgan joins, until she turns and screams. a big, big, biiigg man, meaning tall and skinny like lerch on the adams family, is standing right there* "can I heelllpp you?" *he asks formally* Nathan: *nathan faints* Morgan: um, yes, we're uh, we're looking for rachel daderio... Nathan: *nathan's on the ground rolling around, foaming at the mouth* Morgan: Nathan! Behave yourself! Nathan: *nathan stops rolling and lies still* Morgan: good... *morgan says, until lerch begins to speak* "ah, yes, miss. daderio informed me about ur expectant arrival. Come this way." Nathan: *morgan needs to drag nathan's helpless body down the hallway* Morgan: *morgan sighs and drags nathan's helpless, pathetic, stupid body down the hallway, following lerch to wat appears to be library doors* "just go through there" *lerch says* Nathan: *morgan drags nathan* Morgan: *there's an older woman sitting in the middle of the library on a chair, reading an old fashioned book, then she looks up at nathan and morgan* "ur late." *is all she says* Nathan: *nathan wakes up* OH AUNT RACHEL! HEY! YEAH, I KNOW WE'RE LATE, DON'T WHIP ME! Morgan: *rachel looks back down to her book* "fine. Lerch will see to ur bags, go up to ur rooms and stay there." *morgan's head snaps up," wait, his name really IS lerch??? Nathan: *nathan whispers* don't asks her questions she doesn't like that! Morgan: and uh, there's sort of a car situation with no gas, and uh- Nathan: MORGAN! HER #1 RULE IS DON'T DISTURB HER WHEN SHE'S READING Morgan: well we need the gas!!! *morgan protests as nathan steers her out of the library* Nathan: DON'T TALK TO HER! SHE'S EVIL! DO AS UR TOLD AND ULL BE FINE! *just then, the doorbell rings* Morgan: *morgan and nathan freeze* who on earth cud be visiting?.... Nathan: ALIVIA! Morgan: oh that's right! she said she would be back! *morgan and nathan run to get to the door, hoping for protection* Nathan: *nathan and morgan heave open the door* Morgan: *and they are surprised to find who's standing there* Nathan: *the person standing there iiisss....* Morgan: *iiisss....* Nathan: *none other thaannn....* Morgan: *uuummm....* Nathan: *....* Morgan: *.................... y don't you come up with the person???* Nathan: *it's ur job!* Morgan: *uugghhh fine! it's sally!!!* Nathan: who the *bleep* is sally?!? Morgan: i duno! let's find out! "who are you?" *morgan asks* Nathan: *sally responds* I HAVE COME FROM THE VILLIAGE UNDER ATTACK! Morgan: *but then they realize the voice isn't sally's, instead, it came from a little boy behind her* "Ah, this is chip, I'm sally, and- well, steve must be late, but he'll be here. we're your cousins, your aunt's children! forgive chip, he's always fantasizing about wars and the village being attacked!" *when sally stops, chip begins speaking* "but we really ARE being attacked!!" *chip screams* *sally pats his head* "sure chip, suuree..." Nathan: *nathan talks to chip* R U BY ANY CHANCE BEING ATTACKED BY A GIANT OCTOPUS?!? Morgan: "YES YES! IT'S HHUUUGGEEE! IT TRIED TO EAT ME! EAT ME I TELL U!" *chip says* *morgan turns to sally, who she sees now has long brown hair,a round face, and bright blue eyes. Morgan speaks,* I see how they're related... Nathan: OOMMGGG!! LET'S GO KILL IT CHIP Morgan: *morgan clutches nathan's collar the same time sally clutches chip's* nnooo way ur gonna get yourself into trouble!!! Nathan: BUT THERE'S A GIANT OCTOPUS! Morgan: THERE IS NO GIANT OCTOPUS *morgan and sally say in unison* *that was when a young man, about sixteen or so, comes jogging up to join everyone. He has sleep muscles and tousled blonde hair, angular cheek bones, and humorous hazel eyes* "hey, we have visitors! I'm steve," *he shakes morgan's hand, even tho her jaw has dropped* *morgan slaps nathan's arm and whispers* U NEVER TOLD ME U HAD AN EXTREMELY HOT COUSIN!!!! Nathan: *nathan grumbles* yes... there's a reason for tht Morgan: *morgan refrains from hitting him* wat kind of reason could there ever be for not telling ur favorite friend you had SUCH an extrodinarilly HOT cousin?!?!?!?! *morgan steps closer to steve* hhhiii, I'm Morgan, Nathan's friend :-) Nathan: and off they go Morgan: *steve smiles* "hey, would you by any chance like a tour of the town? Knowing where everything is comes in handier than you think." *morgan smiles back* i'd love to! *she turns to nathan with a stern finger* don't do anything stupid until I get back! go to ur room, talk with chip about ur octopus friend if u like, but don't, leave. DON'T. Nathan: uuuuggghhh.... BLAH BLAG BLAG Morgan: DON'T USE THAT LIP WITH ME- *she turns to steve and gives and innocent smile, suggesting she's a perfect little angel* "don't" *she mouthes the word to nathan, the heads off with steve to town* Nathan: *nathan turns to chip* let's blow this popsicle stand! Morgan: *morgan shouts back* I CAN HEAR U! *sally looks up from her fone* "morgan just sent me a text to keep you guys in line, so even when she's not here, she's still here." Nathan: *nathan and chip tie sally up* Morgan: "hey! Hey you can't do this, morgan!!!-" *she begins before she is gagged by nathan and chip* Nathan: MWWHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAA Morgan: *morgan is far away by now with steve, not paying attention to her strange nathan* Nathan: LET'S GO FOLLOW THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOINGZ! Morgan: *morgan strolls blissfully as steve leads her through the cobblestone pathes, thinking about how gorgeous steve is* Nathan: *nathan and chip keep a safe distance. nathan grumbles along the way* Morgan: *morgan slyly brushes against steve's arm as she reaches for a postcard to examine* Nathan: *nathan chatches that and steam pours from his ears* Morgan: *steve puts his arm around morgan's shoulders and keeps walking as he points out cool shops* Nathan: AAAHHHHH *nathan screams* Morgan: *morgan whips her head in nathan's dirrection, notices him, and flares up with anger. she takes a nearby apple from a fruit stand wen steve isn't looking and chucks it at nathan* Nathan: *nathan ducks out of the way and it hits and old lady crossing the street* Morgan: *the old lady thinks it's nathan who threw the apple, so she comes charging for him, pocketbook at the ready* Nathan: *nathan leaves the hapless chip behind and takes off full speed* Morgan: *chip cries,* "HEY WAIT UP! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" Nathan: *the old lady barrels through chip knocking him over... she's weilding her purse like a pro* Morgan: *morgan glances at the old lady, winks like this was a whole part of the plan, (which it was) then turns back to the gorgeous steve* Nathan: *nathan comes to a fork in the road, goes left, and circles back around to where chip is* I think I lost her! Morgan: *to nathan's surprise, the old woman had never moved, and had been waiting for him, swinging her pocketbook in circles* Nathan: GOD DA#=2=# Morgan: WATCH UR MOUTH *the old lady screamed as she begins her pocketbook asskicking* Nathan: *nathan screams in pain* Morgan: *morgan continues enjoying her day until steve says,* "oh, we're gonna have to get you back for dinner! Shall we?" *he holds out his hand for morgan to take and they begin walking back to the mansion, but not before she hurls nathan up and forward into the journey back to the house and scolds,* Nathan! Stop playing with the old lady, we have to go!" Nathan: *nathan limps away from the old lady whimpering* Morgan: *they arrive and lerch announces it's time for dinner* Nathan: *nathan rubs his hands together* I WONDER WHAT IT IS!! Morgan: *morgan and nathan sit down at the table and take a long, terrified look at their plates. something with bug eyes and feathers are staring up at them* what the *bblleeepp* is that.... Nathan: *nathan recoils in horror* AAAHHHHHH *nathan throws the plate on the ground and starts bawling his eyes out* Morgan: *morgan hits nathan* SHH IT! PRETEND TO LIKE IT THEN FEED IT TO THE DOG, I DON'T WANNA GET IN TROUBLE WITH UR AUNT *morgan takes and uneasy glance toward aunt rachel*

MusIc

One of the reasons I wanted to write Naked was that it took me back to the world of my youth, a world that shaped my life and made me what I am today. The main part of the story takes place in the long hot summer of 1976, the summer that saw the rise (and arguably the fall) of punk music. And that was my life when I was 16/17 years old - playing in a punk band. That was my world: the music, the people, the excitement, the chaos ... the dreams, the fears, the ever-present threat of animosity and violence. It wasn't a life that I necessarily enjoyed all the time, but it was mine, I lived it, and everything about it is still very much alive in me today.

As the late 70s crawled into the early 80s, I carried on playing in bands, but I began to realise that what I really loved about music was not so much the visceral thrill of playing live on stage but rather the intensely personal experience of writing and recording songs. So that's what I began to do. I still worked occasionally with other musicians, collaborating on all kinds of different projects, but by and large I spent most of my time writing and recording my own songs.

Again, it wasn't always a perfect life (far from it), and in terms of achieving my ambition - ie, making a living from music - it wasn't ultimately successful. But there's a lot more to life than 'making a living' and 'being successful', and if I had the choice now of going back in time and re-living those dream-fuelled days, even withthe certain knowledge that I still wouldn't achieve my ambition, I'd jump into that time-machine with no hesitation at all.

I not only loved writing and recording music, but I learned so much from it too. I learned about myself, about my attitude towards life, my place in the world. I learned how to express myself - my feelings, my confusions ... the things inside me that I didn't - and still don't - understand. And I also learned how to work with those feelings, how to let them out and play around with them, how to turn them into something else.

Back then, that 'something else' was music.

Today it's fiction.    

Music and fiction ...

There are, of course, lots of differences between the two - not just in the way they're created, but also in the way they're experienced - but there are also lots of underlying similarities, and for me, as both a writer and a reader/listener, music and fiction have always been fundamentally the same. They're all about feelings, emotions, life and death ... the world, ourselves, the things that make us love and hate. They're all about everything there is. But there are also more practical parallels between music and literature, and that's why my background in music has proved so useful to me as an author.

In particular, it taught me how to appreciate and understand not just the importance of melody, tone, structure, and rhythm, but the way in which these abstract elements can be used to evoke very real feelings.

Rhythm, for example, is just as vital - if not quite so obvious - in fiction as it is in music. The rhythm of a story is essential to the creation and development of all the various feelings and moods within the story, and although it might work on a slightly less conscious level than other aspects of the book, it's certainly no less effective. In fact, in lots of ways, it's the subconscious nature itself that allows rhythm in fiction to work so well. It does what it does without us being aware of it; and sometimes, I think, that's the best way to get things done.

So when I'm working on a novel, I'm always acutely aware of the rhythm (or more often the rhythms) of my writing: from the overall rhythm of the whole story, to the rhythm and pace of chapters and scenes, all the way down to the rhythm of sentences, clauses, and even individual words.

It's all music to me.

And, hopefully, if you read Naked, you'll hear the music too. And once you've heard it, just like a song, it can be whatever you want it to be, take you wherever you want to go, and let you feel however you want to feel.

coPied fRom:kEviN bRooKs