The next day proved to be overcast with a hint of a storm. Storms gather around the black hills in the summer months, frequently and can bring hail down the size of baseballs. A few bikes had been returned given a check over then taken by the next hirer's. The money continued to pour in the gate. During a particularly slow period. Chuck and Michael approached Chaz. Say dad...Michael and i are gunna go downtown there's a swap meet going on in Laselle street. Thought we might scour whats on offer and maybe pick up some used parts. Yeah that sounds like a good plan son. Don't be taking all day down there though..We got bikes coming back in this afternoon.. Chuck said they'd be back...and headed off in the pickup.
Sheila walked over to her father...Hey dad we got some sandwichs over in the shed, why not take a break here and come have something to eat. Chaz finished what he was doing and walked into the shed wiping his hands on a rag that hung from his back pocket....as he walked in the shed his grandchildren attacked. Chaz wrestled around with the boyz spinning em into each other, while his granddaughter clung to the inside of his leg calling out encouragement to her brothers and cousins..The women laughed at their fathers predicament. Within five minutes Chaz was chuffed..and threw up his hands in surrender...laughing. The family ate together then took a small siesta..in the midday heat...by 2pm the clouds broke and the rain and wind came with fury...then down came the hail....Chaz and the older boys ran and tossed covers over the windscreens of the pickup's...while the women battened down the hatchs around the shed....within 30 minutes it was over...but the compound looked like it had been snowing....a few windows on the side of shed were smashed but generally they were in pretty good shape. Around 10 minutes later Chuck and Michael pulled back in followed by 3 rentals. By 6pm 9 rentals had been returned, the hirers thanked Chaz profusely and asked if they were entitled to hire again soon....Chaz pointed them to the office and the girls...soon they re appeared smiling their biggest smiles...Life was grand. Chaz basked in the glory of his plans unfolding, successfully.
Chuck and Michael had scored big at the swap meet...they had found alot of spares that would suit the bikes that had to rent along with older Sturgis T shirst that hadn't been sold from years before...they had mnaged to pick up a few for each of the family at a relatively cheap price considering they were all new , the years they were made. The kids loved em..and so did the women...Chaz was extremely impressed at the scope of the parts the boys had purchased. We'd have come back earlier dad...I'm sorry we were longer than i had originally planned....but the storm was horrendous, said Chuck...It's o'k Chuck we lost a few windows around the back of the building... but all things considered..i wasn't exactly alone Chaz indicated the older boyz...who were standing with hands in pockets shuffling feet..looking at their fathers....The men could see the covers on the pickup and the grounds free of debris....Micheal and Chuck winked at each other and attacked their boyz..scooping them up and generally ruff housing them....much to the boys delight. Chaz reflected again...It don't get much better than this.
That night Chaz decided that once all the bikes were back and serviced for that day they would lock up the place and hit town as a family...and get something to eat and drink..and watch the show...on Main Street. They had a hell of a night.
December 18, 2012- -
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