Guardians of the Secret
copyright © 1998 by Cary Shulman
All Rights Reserved
12.
Emiliano Diaz was at the mountain resort buried in mud. He was talking to himself as much as to the physical therapist who was working on him.
"It's good for my arthritis you say. You say there's an energy in the mud, that's what does it. I say it's like being buried before you're buried. I think that's what does it. Your body gets a taste of that and it shapes up.
"The fools that are sitting in my chair say I don't know what's going on. They say the Americans are considering attacking us. Okay they are considering it, and if local interests want to chase a black woman that's their foolishness, but now they want to get our people involved. I am told but not asked.
"It's right I'm old. I'm too old. You're always too young and then you're too old. They're all panicked. Idiots. They'll just make matters worse. It doesn't matter I told them. It's a piece of paper. It'll come to nothing. The politicians aren't going to destroy all this wealth. The biggest business in the world. They don't own it, but it's there for when they want to put their hands in. It's good for our farmers, it keeps away the communists, the people over there like it. Everybody likes it.
"A few high minded people. They're all right. Fools. They think they'll rid the world of evil. They'll get rid of a little evil and replace it with a bigger one. It's nature. Nothing disappears unless there's a substitute. And there's no substitute, believe me."
* * *
"Union without consent is rape" the bumper sticker read. It was on the back of an old Chevy pickup that was sitting in front of a small wood frame house in Larkinsville, Alabama. Fishing gear, including a tackle box were in the bed of the truck. Earl Tolliver was behind the wheel, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt.
He puffed on a cigarette and tapped nervously to country music coming from the radio. He pulled a pint of whiskey out of the glove box which also contained a gun. He took a long swig from the bottle as he waited for his friend.
Inside the house, a small room off the kitchen had been set aside as a study. It was filled with books, most of them about American history. Randy Hastings was sitting at his desk finishing a letter. It was addressed to his wife and children, but a good deal of it outlined his political philosophy.
Starting with the Declaration of Independence and its statement that government should exist only by "consent of the governed", he documented the ever increasing usurpation of power by the Federal government. The critical act in this continuing outrage was Lincoln's war against the South which completely undermined the right of voluntary association as the basis of government.
To government's "war on its own people" there was finally only one response possible. The same as had been the founding father's. Rebellion. It was an action not desired, but forced on the people from Shay's rebellion to the present.
Earl watched as Randy exited his house and walked toward the truck. He was wearing a down vest and carrying a fishing pole. Earl turned off the radio and gestured to Randy.
"Hey boy, did you forget your 'tackle box'?"
Randy hurriedly headed back to the house. Earl took more swigs of whiskey. Randy returned, put the 'tackle box' in the bed of the truck and got in. He was struggling with something and showed it.
"You want to go fishing or what?" Earl chided.
"Sorry. Hard saying good-bye. First time I ever lied to them."
"You'll set it straight. We're coming back heroes."
"I had a dream that told me we weren't coming back."
"Forget it. I don't believe half of the things your crazy head tells you even when you're awake."
Randy's mood didn't change. " I left a letter. Jesus is my witness, I never thought it would come to this."
Earl started up the truck. "It's their doing, not ours. Those bastards are going to learn the road that goes from Washington to Alabama also goes from Alabama to Washington." The truck drove off in the early light.
copyright © 1998 by Cary Shulman
All Rights Reserved