Reflections.

Chapter 4, Auditions.

[excerpt from Riding the Lincoln Way, Volume One of the Autobiography of Danny Dvorak.}

Our extended gathering with Wizarding police escort spent the good part of the rest of that day doing monotonous traveling from Chicago Wizarding Office to Chicago Wizarding Office, filling out magical and regular government forms, and getting our pictures taken.  Sykes had to pull a long section of rope out of a “bottomless bag” that was on his duty belt and make it into a “Portkey.”  That is a ‘magical thingy’ that once you grab or touch it will haul you by your belly button, magical or not, ready or not, to wherever it’s set to take you.  They can be made out of almost anything.  But simple non-magical items are greatly preferred, thus the rope.  And, not everyone is legally allowed to make them.

 

While traveling by portkey is interesting to do, it’s also unpleasant to do as well as making for very boring reading.  And the only reason we ‘kids’ needed to go along at all was because we were needed for our passport pictures, our “MaCUSA WOMBAT” card pictures if we weren’t magical, and for our “magical imprint” on our passports if we were magical.  I also learned that MaCUSA also covered Canada and Mexico, and that our MaCUSA Passports were enchanted to look like “regular” US, Canadian, or Mexican passports, depending on where we actually lived.  And yes, as you can imagine, the US Government wasn’t happy with the fact that MaCUSA citizens who were also Mexican citizens had perpetual valid visas to enter the US and Canada and work for as long and as often as they wished.  But that was how the treaty worked.

 

MaCUSA also has its own version of “Family Court,” and their decisions automatically get filed with the No-Maj courts when and where they’re needed.  Paul and Christina were easy enough to deal with.  After a two-minute hearing, which had to be done before they got their passports, they were then and thereafter Paul Tarsus Rush-Cook Dvorak and Christina Julia Rush-Cook Dvorak, the children of Richard Christopher and Stacy Rush Dvorak, nee Cook.

 

Aaron took over an hour.  And, if their law clerks weren’t as good as they were, and if David had raised any serious objections to the final outcome, we’d probably still be there.  Remember that “according to magic,” Aaron was David’s son, not Uncle Rich’s and absolutely not Sam Kopchek Senior’s.  And, according to both David and Aaron, Aaron was David’s son; even though “each Aaron” was currently dealing with a “substitute David,” wherever they happened to be.  Neither David nor Aaron would allow any change to that status quo, either.  But according to the law, whether magical or not, eleven-year-old boys didn’t have eight-year-old sons, and especially not as custodial parents.

 

So, David John Michael Daniel Dvorak, with David John Hernando Rush-Cook Dvorak acting as an “indefinite temporary substitute,” was awarded joint custody of Aaron Russell Rush-Cook Dvorak with Stacy Rush Dvorak.  No child support was assessed against either parent, though they both could have paid it with their own money, thanks to multiple inheritances.

 

As we finally left the courtroom, I quietly asked, “David, what happened with this where you came from?”

 

“It never really affected anything.  When Daddy and Mommy died, Dad did the adoptions through the No-Maj courts.  It had only come up at all after last January.  And even then, it was more of a curiosity than anything else.  Except there, Aaron’s ‘magical parents’ came up as ‘David John Hernando Rush-Cook Floyd and Saria Beatrice Cook’ since Mommy was already dead by then.  Saria helped me a lot with Aaron once we started dating, and even without her having magic of her own, magic picked up on it somehow.  Mind you, Saria and I weren’t even five when we started dating, and she helped me with Aaron from the very beginning.  Come to that, ‘this’ Saria has been good with him, with the shit he’s been through.”

 

Saria happened to overhear this.  She blushed slightly while smiling.

 

The rest of the day, David was a bit of a “social butterfly.”  But he also doted on his “new” sister, and was constantly in the company of Saria and Aaron.  Having known “Sammy,” this David was at least in this no different.

 

After we all got back to “my place,” David had talked quietly to Dad.  He had apparently been asking for what he’d been asking for a good part of the afternoon, with Dad finally giving in.  With a quick announcement for everyone to “not go anywhere yet,” David made a phone call.  After talking for about five minutes or so, he made an announcement to all of us.

 

“I just got off the phone with Father Grant.  Both he and the Monsignor know about the Wizarding World, and they’re willing to hear our confessions and celebrate a Votive Mass for and with us.  We can portkey to the side-yard of the Rectory, where the privacy fence will ‘hide’ us.”

 

So, since Marshal Sykes was still around with his rope to make portkeys, that’s what we all did.  And while a Catholic Mass like we had asked for would maybe take twenty minutes or so at most otherwise, ours took almost forty.  Beyond Father Grant giving a short yet good homily on discernment, judgement, and mercy, we also discovered that David and Aaron intended to sing together.  So, our Mass got the full acapella music treatment as if it were a Sunday Mass.

 

David sang brilliantly, as you would expect if you’ve read this far from the beginning.  However, Aaron also sang brilliantly, which we hadn’t quite expected.  True, we never heard Aaron sing badly, but we hadn’t really noticed hearing Aaron sing at all, despite the fact that Aaron had sung along with David only the Sunday prior.  And, they sang everything as if it were a Sunday Mass.

 

They sang I Am the Bread of Life for the processional, the Gloria, the Psalms that Father Grant had selected, and everything else.  For the Offertory, they sang Keep In Mind.  They sang the verses in a call-and-response form, adding a ‘halleluiah’ at the end of each one.   For the Communion Hymn, David and Aaron sang Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.  They both sang in perfect harmony, their voices filling the whole of the church just as David’s had alone for the Drake funerals.

 

For the recessional hymn, they sang Sing of the Lord’s Goodness.  For those of you not familiar with it, imagine a “modern” church hymn written by a Dave Bruebeck fan.  The hymn was in the same 5/4 time and rhythm as Take Five.  David and Aaron not only sang it, they sang it partially in a call-and-response form as well as in harmony, with Aaron taking the high notes. 

“Sing of the Lord’s goodness,
Father of all wisdom,
come to him and bless his name.
Mercy he has shown us,
his love is for ever,
faithful to the end of days.

Come, then, all you nations,
sing of the Lord’s goodness,
melodies of praise and thanks to God.
Ring out the Lord’s glory,
praise him with your music,
worship him and bless his name.

Power he has wielded, honor is his garment,
risen from the snares of death.
His word he has spoken,
one bread he has broken,
new life he now gives to all.

Come, then, all you nations,
sing of the Lord’s goodness,
melodies of praise and thanks to God.
Ring out the Lord’s glory,
praise him with your music,
worship him and bless his name...” ¹

The two of them sang all four verses to the hymn, which allowed them to recess to the back of the church, and for Aaron and David to keep singing while Tim and Father Grant returned to the altar area to take off their Mass stuff and put it away.  Once they’d finished singing, David and Aaron walked quickly to the front of the church to the area where the “Mass stuff” was kept.  A couple of minutes later, they all joined us back by the front doors to the church, with David carrying his shoes instead of wearing them.  Mom shook her head in resignation that ‘this David’ had many of the same habits of the one she had previously known.

 

Father Grant asked, “So, can you tell me how soon you might be moving out of the area?”

 

Dad answered, “No, and I can’t even tell you for sure where we’re moving to.  What did David tell you?”

 

Father Grant replied, “He didn’t say much.  After making sure that both Monsignor and I knew about the Wizarding World, he told me and allowed me to tell Monsignor that he was ‘magically switched’ with the David we already knew, and that they both would need our prayers.  He also said that you might be moving to either Massachusetts or the UK, but he didn’t know for sure, or if you’d be moving at all.  Normally, the parents know these things before they tell their children.”

 

David, who had just walked up with Aaron, volunteered, “Nothing about what we’re going through is ‘normal,’ not even for wizards and witches.  If we move to Massachusetts, it’s because we need to in order to make our band work while most but not all of us are at the magic school there.  If we move to the UK, it’s for far more serious reasons than that.  And if we move to the UK, we might move so quickly that we won’t even have time otherwise to say ‘goodbye’ to anyone.”

 

Monsignor asked, “David, would Aaron and you be willing to serve and sing at the ten o’clock on Sunday?”

 

After looking around at all of us, David replied, “If Dad and Mom are okay with it, we’re willing to do it.  But, unless they turn me down, I want the rest of my siblings and ‘housemates’ to sing as well from the choir loft.”

 

Tim started to squawk in protest, but David cut him off.  “That’s not counting Tim or Bill.  Tim’s voice isn’t suited for most hymns, and he’s still very shy about singing.  Bill doesn’t sing at all.  Either one of them would be fine as the crucifer.”

 

After a moment’s silence, the Monsignor suggested, “If you had your entire group in the choir loft, I could have both Bill and Tim serve, and I’d need only one more altar server.”

 

David looked at all of us.  Seeing no objections, he answered, “That will work, Monsignor.  Some of us might need our confessions heard.  We’ll all be here before the end of the eight o’clock.  Those of us not needing our confessions heard will go straight to the choir loft, and the rest will follow when they’re able.”

 

Sighing, Monsignor told us, “I’ll be ready.”

 

Marshal Sykes, who had been a silent observer up to now, asked, “Are you done here?  I hadn’t planned on working this late, and I’d like to get you back to where we started so I can go home to my family.  And no Portkeys from me for Sunday, though I’ll bring my family out to attend Mass here.”

 

After a short round of laughter, Dad told Sykes, “We can normally get around on our own using non-magical means, providing we aren’t doing a ‘surprise pilgrimage’ of every bureaucratic den in Chicago.  Frank has also assured me that he can legally make Portkeys, including international ones, under the treaty; but that he personally prefers to travel by No-Maj means and have MaCUSA make portkeys when House Floyd needs them out of courtesy.”

 

Sykes answered while making our last Portkey of the day, “Frank, you can keep the rope.  For the rest of you, I got on with the Marshals Service on my own merits.  I met my wife in ’67, and married her in ’68.  My father-in-law was Marshal before me.  He was as close to ‘good friends’ with both Frank and the Red Fox as a lawman and a person of ‘their station’ can get, so when I took over as Marshal in ’78, I just kept things going.  Sometimes, when nothing’s broken, you really are better off not fixing it.”

 

                                                                                         §§§

 

The portkey dropped us in our back yard like it had earlier that afternoon.  Jose Rivera and his workers were all no-Maj who didn’t know about the Wizarding World.  But Jose knew that Dad had “things to take care of,” things that didn’t necessarily require an audience.  So, after Dad had a discrete word with Jose earlier this morning, the crew worked hard to get off two hours early with a full day’s pay.  While the Marshal’s Portkey could have deposited us back in our living room or the garage, having it do so without injury to non-magicals or property damage was less certain. 

 

I quickly went through the garage to the front yard, with Michael following close behind, and David and Aaron following closely behind us.  Pixie followed behind them.  I made it to our front driveway to find Jorge and Benito Alvarez.

 

Jorge and Benito were both “ordinary” Hispanic boys, with dark brown hair and nearly black eyes.  Jorge was roughly Michael’s age, and at five foot one and one hundred thirty pounds was slightly shorter and heavier-set than average.  Benito, who I was only vaguely acquainted with, was eleven years old.  He stood four foot nine and appeared to weigh about eighty-five pounds.  Both were wearing Adidas running shoes, blue jeans, and Santana tee shirts.

 

I was friends with Jorge because he delivered the next paper route for the Daily Southtown after mine.  He and I covered each other’s routes from time to time.  He had also been set to take over one half of my “double-route” prior to this morning, with the other half going to Aaron.  He only found out this morning that he was not only getting both routes after all, but that I absolutely could not deliver any papers and I needed him to deliver the whole thing. 

 

Fortunately, both he and his younger brother were well and no longer contagious from the bronchitis that had me delivering both Jorge’s routes and mine for most of the past week.  So, Jorge was here to finish my handing over my routes completely to him, collections and all.

 

Jorge started off by asking, “Did the same weirdo truant officers visit us both this morning?”

 

David quietly supplied, “Sí, amigo.Y Benito, solo seré sincero contigo esta vez.

 

“Soy David Dvorak, pero no el que conocías hasta hoy.‘Sammy Kopchek’ te consideraba más amigo de Aaron que suyo, pero no te guardaba rencor.No sé si alguna vez lo conocerás.Él no te buscó, pero no fue por nada que hayas hecho o dejado de hacer.Si estuviera aquí, te consideraría con entusiasmo su nuevo amigo.Te dejo mi paz, mi paz te doy.

“Mi familia podría asistir a Ilvermorny, pero lo más probable es que estudien en Escocia.Hay tantas cosas que desconozco que no puedo contarte nada más.”

 

To further spice things up, Pixie added, “Nunca vi los ojos de David.”

 

David added, “Y Sammy nunca conoció a su tía Guillermina. Patricia no lo sabía, y él tampoco.”

 

Aaron asked, “What’s with all the ‘habla’?”

 

Benito glumly replied, “David just told me why I’m not floating face down in the Des Plaines River for the dumb shit I did last year.”

 

“As if.  You know better, Ben!  Even without all the ‘Floyd shit,’ Sammy knew how to make you go away and never get traced back to him.  He wouldn’t do it for ‘kid shit’ like you did to me, and I wouldn’t let him if he would.  You already know this Ben, I fuckin’ tol’ ya, so quit fuckin’ ‘round!  With the ‘truant officers’ shitting on our lives, we’ve got enough trouble without fishin’ for more.” Aaron told him.

 

Benito actually looked at Aaron and almost fainted dead away right where he stood.  Jorge caught him, and his head cleared just as Aaron was right up on him.

 

“Cómo estás...” Benito groaned.

 

Aaron told him, “Ben, I am my father’s son, just like I told you.  Only now, I actually look the part.  The really funny shit is that Paulie and Christina look like Uncle Rick now.  Once you quit holding grudges, Magic is cool!”

 

“But what about the TV news…”

 

“That’ll hurt for the rest of my life, Ben.  But Kopchek got what he had comin’ this morning!  They’re gonna bury what’s left of him in a fuckin’ shoebox!”

 

“Whadabout my landlords?” Benito asked as they walked away.

 

I could hear Aaron answer, “Sammy took care of that.  We got the ‘Indian Hill Five’ outa jail, Sammy already fixed things with the rest of the Stocks, and Fiona is getting better.  The grownups say that her magic made her nuts…”

 

Aaron led Benito towards the garage.  Pixie followed them.  This left David, Michael, Jorge, and me.

 

David said, “Jorge, in another world, Aaron would be taking the west end of Danny and Michael’s route, and you would be getting the rest.  As things are, you’re getting the whole thing, but you won’t be able to keep it.”

 

Jorge answered, “Don David, I have No-Maj cousins who will be taking the whole route over from me.  We will make good money doing so, and we will not embarrass your house.”

 

“You flatter me, Jorge.  I have every confidence that things will turn out for the best.  But I’m distracting Danny and you from settling up, and Michael has just returned with the money bag and receipt book.

 

“I’ll send Benito out to you when it sounds like you’re done, and Aaron and he have had some time to catch up.  I would get permission and invite Benito and you to supper, but we’ll be discussing family business, so that is out of the question.  I don’t know how school will end up, but I’ll be singing at the ten o’clock on Sunday, so I might see you there.  Otherwise, Vaya con Dios, Jorge.”

 

“Y usted también, Don David” Jorge replied respectfully. 

 

Instead of shaking David’s hand, Jorge actually kissed where David would have been wearing a House Ring on his left hand.  David walked back through the garage.

 

Michael asked what we were both wondering, “What the fuck was all that about?”

 

Jorge replied, “Your dad and uncle have earned a lot of respect in the Hispanic community yesterday.  Today, over fifteen people who harmed either ‘the other David’ or Aaron got blown to fuck and gone, in three county jails and the Federal lockup in Chicago.  I could see it in his eyes that David was in on that.  Whether you noticed yet or not, Aaron wasn’t bullshitting with what he said about ‘Sammy.’  And your ‘substitute David’ is scarier.

 

“And even if he’s a Dvorak like you guys, he’s also ‘old-old school’ House Floyd, descended from Los Siete Navegantes de Ojos Plateados, who served King Felipe II in the ‘Armada Invencible’ when they attacked England.  They were caballeros de guerra, and the ancestors of Houses Floyd and Dvorak.  Your families are a nation unto yourselves in the Wizarding World, or so we were told.”

 

I told Jorge, “Relax, man. I didn’t know half of that shit ‘til this morning.  Let’s get the books straight so I can hand the routes over to you.”

 

It took us maybe five minutes to count out the money from the bag, reconcile that with the receipts, and hand the receipt book and money over to Jorge.  He in turn paid us what he owed us for delivering Monday through Thursday, and we were officially done with the Daily Southtown, other than both Jorge and I calling them Saturday to tell them I was done and Jorge had both of my routes.

 

Jorge, Michael, and I had just finished shaking hands when Delilah walked out with Benito and Aaron walking next to her.  The two boys were still talking quietly.

 

She asked, “Are you guys through handing the paper routes over?”

 

The three of us nodded, and she continued, “Supper tonight is ‘Zen Pizza,’ which is what David calls ‘one with everything,’ and Italian Beef and Fries.  John’s already called in both orders, and he’s given me the money to pay for all of it, along with two cases of Coke and a six-pack of RC Cola from Dominick’s.  Aaron, you’re going back into the back yard.  Jorge and Benito, it’s nice meeting you, but you’ve probably got supper waiting at home.  Papírník, you’re helping me pick it all up.”

 

Aaron and Benito quickly said their good-byes, Benito and Jorge left, and Aaron went into the back yard.  Delilah’s Ambassador had been dropped off during the day by the wash boy from the dealership, and was easiest to get to. 

 

As we got in and got ready to drive off, Delilah asked, “So, what do you think of Merlin so far?”

 

While fastening my seatbelt, I replied, “I’d rather we got ‘our’ David back, but if he’s the only one we get, I’m not throwing him out.  ‘Sammy’s’ Latin pronunciations were good even if he couldn’t quite speak it yet, so that’s not a surprise.  David’s fluency in Spanish isn’t as big a surprise as it could have been, since Uncle Rick speaks it, too.  And I wouldn’t go blaming David for ‘the other you’ teaching him Czech.  Hell, I’m jealous that he’s as good as you said he is, not that we’ve had time for you to teach me that much of it yet.”

 

As we drove on, I continued, “And if his extreme confidence is putting you off, I wouldn’t worry about it.  He’s actually done what he says he’s done, and he’s trying really hard, if not too hard just to keep from losing it himself.  ‘Sammy,’ and Michael for that matter all tend to act more confident than you’d think they should if they feel threatened or cornered. 

“Don’t forget, we all got surprised by one ‘changed’ David.  He’s literally been put in another David’s shoes, or at least foot prints, and he’s dealing with a new everybody, including people he buried years ago.  Plus, he’s got a ‘double-helping’ of Aaron, since he isn’t letting go of the Aaron he had yesterday, and he wouldn’t even imagine leaving ‘our’ Aaron alone.  How’s the car doin’, by the way?”

 

She paused and replied, “John got everything done up fine.  I just tried the cruise control, and it’s working for the first time ever.  The A/C blows ice-cold, there’s no slop in the steering wheel, it’s all good.  What about this magic shit?”

 

“It didn’t bother the ‘other us,’ so I don’t think it should bother us, either.”

 

She sighed, and opined, “I thought it was ‘tacky’ the way he was talking about ‘social obligations’ this morning.”

 

“I just thought he didn’t want to get fucked up the ass by Andy myself” I quipped.

 

After Delilah backhanded me hard, I said, “Ow!  Sorry, Delilah.  But seriously, Saria had already told him what ‘our David yesterday’ was up to, and he was being as nice as he knew how to be to tell us, that he wasn’t able or willing to do any of ‘that,’ but that he also wasn’t the Morality Police, and he wasn’t going to bust our balls for what we were doing.  He also wasn’t saying anything at all about us, or about Michael and Debbie.  He even congratulated Tim and Pixie on their wedding.

 

“Even ‘Sammy’ was a ‘Big C Catholic,’ it was just his deciding that he needed erotic ‘brain bleach’ after being raped semi-regularly for four months by his ‘fake father’ that had him doing shit with Michael and me, and that was after Michael taught him how to jack off under the most un-erotic circumstances I can imagine.  And, ‘Sammy’ was still ‘Big C’ even though he liked it.  ‘This’ David wasn’t even saying that ‘Sammy’ was wrong.  He was just saying that he couldn’t do ‘that.’”

 

We had just pulled into the shopping center.  She leaned over, hugged, and kissed me deeply.  Since I enjoy kissing Delilah even now, I was more than happy to go along with her.

 

When we came up for air, she told me, “Sorry ‘bout hitting you.  I should be used to your humor by now.”

 

“Just don’t make it a habit, and we’re good.  He didn’t say any shit ‘bout a merry-go-round, did he?”

 

After we both finished laughing in relief, she replied, “No.  He was ‘acting out’ the Ministry of Silly Walks to get Aaron and Saria laughing earlier on, after the court hearing.”

 

I asked, “When he isn’t ‘cutting up’ like a kid his age, how does he strike you?”

 

“Like he’s John’s younger brother instead of John’s adopted kid.  But I think part of that is he knows as much about magic as he does compared to us, and another part is his birth parents and the others dying when and how they did.  When Mom offed herself, I had to step up big time to keep Debbie and me out of ‘The System,’ along with finding us somewhere safe to live and finish growing up.  He didn’t have it that bad, but he had it bad enough.”

 

Changing subjects, Delilah asked, “You know that we’re going to be in ‘Merrie Olde England’ before the end of the month, right?”

 

I observed, “We’ll be there in less than a week, at least to visit.  The way Uncle Frank, Uncle Rick, and that magic cop were all acting, ‘Blood Oaths’ in the Wizarding World are even nastier than Dad gets when you break your word.  And we both know that David won’t stop worrying about this Harry Potter kid until we do a home visit there and find out that he’s settling in fine with his aunt, and anyone the aunt is living with.”

 

“Why did John go along with the smorgasbord?”  Delilah asked about the ‘feast’ Dad had ordered and was paying for.

 

“David hasn’t had a decent pizza in four years, and probably one or two Italian Beefs in the same time.  Dad can make an Italian Beef that’ll knock your socks off, and Michael isn’t that far behind.  But, they’re a lot of work, even if you’ve got all the kitchen stuff to make them right.  For a couple of years, Michael and I actually thought of Italian Beef as a ‘family feast’ for early December, once we ate all the leftovers from Thanksgiving.  I’d bake the French Bread with Michael’s help, Michael would slow roast a top sirloin with my help, we’d pickle our own giardiniera together, and Dad would help us with all of it.  That’s why we have the deli slicer in the basement.  But we got older, life got ‘faster,’ and we didn’t do it last year.

 

“They don’t do Italian Beef in England, and they do shit pizza there too, the way David was talking.  So, David’s getting his ‘fix’ in right away, and I don’t blame him.  After all, it he gets a ‘Magic Message’ from that Harry Potter kid that he needs his ‘big brother,’ he will find a way to get to him.”

 

Somewhat soberly with that thought, we both got out of the Ambassador and started fetching pop, pizzas, and Italian Beefs with all the trimmings.

 

                                                                                    §§§

 

Delilah and I got back to the house at about six-thirty in the evening.  As soon as Delilah got the car parked; A.D., Bill, Chris, Debbie, and Michael came out to haul the food and drinks into the back yard.  Delilah pitched in, and everything was back yard bound, leaving Michael alone with me.  The reason why Michael set up a few moments of ‘alone time’ became clear, even while I heard snippets of David and Tim doing Smoking Gun in the garage.  And from what I could hear, David was knocking it out of the park with Andy’s Epiphone, slide and all.

 

“Danny, you’re gonna need to put some salt on David’s tailfeathers before I lose it and we throw down!  He’s not ‘trying’ to take the band from me, but he’s ‘trying not’ to take the band from me, and he’s fucking it up!”

 

“Michael, I haven’t seen you this rattled since last Spring, and I sure as fuck don’t want to see anything like that again.  He actually got you scared?”

 

“Yer God-damned right he’s got me scared!” Michael quietly exclaimed without any pretense of denial.  “I don’t know how I’m going to get us to make it big here and now, but he already knows how he did it in his world, and he has over two years on electrics we ain’t got, plus he actually helped the ‘other me’ produce their first album!  How the fuck am I supposed to measure up to that?”

 

I placed my hands on both of his shoulders while looking him in the eye.  I also noticed that I had to reach up just a little bit to do that.

 

I told him, “I’ll run interference where I can.  Like I told Delilah in the car while we were getting supper, he’s just trying too hard to fit in with us.  As far as the ‘extra experience’ goes, we’ll all need to take advantage of David’s experience without taking advantage of David himself.  You know how you want the band to sound as a whole, and you also know how you can break us up into smaller groups even while not taking away from the full band.  David could only guess, and I honestly don’t think he would take over, even if you begged him to.  He ask you ‘bout Aaron yet?”

 

Michael sighed as I let him go.  He replied, “There was a lot more ‘ask’ than ‘tell’ when he did, and I’m not sure he has Aaron persuaded yet, though he might.  And other than me still freakin’ out in general, it’s actually a great idea.  That kid can sing, and if he can handle rock and roll like he can a Catholic Church Hymn Book, then I’d be spiting myself if I didn’t let Aaron join.  We’ll find out after we gorge ourselves and wash up.  And the way David was acting, we might be out in the garage for a while.”

 

Michael and I walked into the back yard, followed closely by David and Tim.  I paid more attention to Tim at first.  He was sweating, and looked like he needed a break.  But otherwise, he was happy.  Looking at David, he was slightly more relaxed than he had been before Delilah and I had left to fetch supper.  He quickly pulled both Michael and me aside and spoke to us.

 

“Michael, I’m sorry if I’m stressing you out.  But in my defense, you only dealt with a version of ‘the other me’ who had been pounded into the ground repeatedly for months if not years.  Aaron says that I’m like his ‘old-old Sammy,’ meaning I’m very sure of myself, and sometimes sound like I’m very sure of myself even when I’m not.  I was also insistent on playing that set with Tim to make sure that ‘this’ Tim could pick up on my moods for backup.  Believe it or not, he can, so I won’t be stressing out near as much.  It's harder for him to read me than I’d like, but he hasn’t played with ‘David’ playing an instrument before now, and I’ve played with ‘my’ Tim since before he first started playing drums for St. Mary’s.

 

“And Andy’s just as good at slide-blues as ‘mine’ is, which is better than me once he learns the song.  Just the same, we’re gonna need another slide-axe on the top for at least some of our stuff.  I can transpose on straight bass just as good as the ‘other you,’ but my slide work on the bass still needs a lot of work, since the ‘other you’ never needed me for that.  Looking at where you guys left your settings, I’m guessing you’ve only set up for rock and blues up to now.  I actually do a lot of ‘smooth’ jazz, like Wes, where we can fit it in.”

 

To Michael’s and my looks of confusion, David supplied, “Wes Montgomery, the sharpest axe in Indy.  He died before we were born, but it was just before we were born.  Daddy was a rocker, but he also had all of Wes’ stuff, just like Uncle John had all the Bossa Nova stuff.”

 

David was ravenous, and we weren’t much better, so we followed him and served ourselves.  David started off with a couple of squares of Aurelio’s best and an RC.  He inhaled the pizza quickly enough, even while Michael and I fixed our Italian Beefs and started towards a table to sit down with sandwiches, fries, and Cokes.  David got two more slices of pizza, an Italian Beef, and some fries and joined us.

 

After inhaling the two additional squares of pizza along with a generous bite of the Italian Beef, he took another drink of RC and spoke again.

 

“Sorry ‘bout the ‘no manners’ bit.  But this is the first good pizza I’ve had in over four years, and the first Italian Beef since then I’ve had that I didn’t help Dad make.

 

“I was born at Michael Reese in Chicago.  Aaron and Paul were born at St. Joseph’s in Joliet.  We moved down here from Clearing in ’71, so I only remember across the street and here.  Before everyone died, we were constantly going back and forth across the street to play with each other, once we were old enough to.  Sometimes either Mommy or Aunt Cathy, though usually it was Mommy and Uncle John would take all the kids so the other one could get a break, since we were one big mob ‘cept for when we were all sleeping in our own beds and not ‘sleeping over.’

 

“In the summer, we’d spend the weekends down in Coal City at Grandma Dvorak’s old house.  Dad owned the house since he was a kid, and he kept it after Grandma Dvorak died.  That was actually how Mommy, Aunt Cathy, and Aunt Hannah found each other again for the first time since they were kids.  After they got Daddy and the Uncles to ‘play nice’ together, Mommy and the Aunts insisted that Dad keep the place as a ‘summer retreat’ instead of renting it out or selling it.  So, Dad had the house went through, put in the central A/C, and that’s what the place was.  I understand that Dad here just rented it out like Uncle John had planned on?”

 

Michael told him, “Yeah, although Dad had work done and stuff like you said, it just took a little bit longer, and it was to get higher rent from ‘better tenants.’  Danny kinda remembers the whole place, where I barely remember Grandma.  And I remember her ‘cause her liver was failing and she refused to go to the hospital since they couldn’t save her anyway.  She was nice, but since she was visibly dying, she was also scary.”

 

I interjected, “She understood, Michael.  And she was as nice to us as she was able, with Dad needing to take care of her and all.  Dad had me read to both her and you to keep us out from underfoot while he cleaned the place up, since it was really dirty when we first got there.  She ended up if not dying in her sleep, then at least long after the two of us were in bed asleep.  Doctor Cariss was visiting every day or so to check up on her, so when the ambulance came to take her away, you slept through it since they weren’t trying to revive her.  I quietly walked out of the bedroom just as they were wheeling her body out through the front door.

 

“While Dad hadn’t explained death to you quite yet, he’d already explained it to me, since he knew I would remember everything.  When Dad noticed me, I told him, ‘Mikey’s still asleep.  They woke me coming through the door.  Is Grandma Dvorak dead?”

 

“Dad picked me up, hugged me to his chest, and he answered, ‘Yes, Danny.  She’s dead.’

 

“I asked, ‘Daddy, do you want me to sit up with you for a while?  I’m only a kid, but I am a person.  And even if I don’t understand what you say right now, it might make you feel better to say it to a person?’

 

“He told me, ‘No, Danny.  I need you to go back to bed without waking Mikey.  I won’t sleep well tonight if I sleep at all, so I’ll need both Mikey and you well rested so you don’t get cranky tomorrow.’

 

“‘Okay, Daddy’ I told him.  There was more I wanted to say to make him feel less sad, but I couldn’t figure out how to say it, so I went back to bed.  Michael was still asleep, and being only five myself, I didn’t take that long to fall back asleep.

 

“It was after nine when Michael woke me up the next morning.  We used the bathroom, I helped Michael wash up while washing up myself, we brushed our teeth, and we got dressed.  Dad was still sitting in the front room where I’d left him last night.  He was taking a ‘combat nap’ if anything. 

 

“Michael asked, ‘Why is Daddy sitting on the couch?  And why’s Grandma’s door closed?”

 

“I told him, ‘Last night, the Angels came and took Grandma away.  Daddy’s sad, and I think he’s asleep.  So, let’s get some cereal and milk for breakfast and see if we can do it without making a mess and waking Daddy, okay?’

 

Dad told us, “Good morning, boys.  Like Danny told you, the Angels came and took your grandma to heaven.  Go ahead and sit at the kitchen table, and we’ll talk while I cook us breakfast.’”

 

David told us, “From what Daddy told me, that small part might have happened anyway.  But things were a little bit different, too.  Dad had ‘reconciled’ with Grandma Dvorak years earlier than he had here.  But since Daddy spent a lot less time ‘playing Ricardo Floyd,’ he kept a closer eye on Grandma Dvorak.  And, until Grandma Dvorak got sick for the last time, they still resented each other for Uncle John being the one that got Daddy medically retired, never mind the fact that Uncle John pushed the paperwork the right direction for long enough that he was medically retired and not medically discharged.  In fact, by ‘the end,’ Ricardo Floyd had practically ceased to exist.  And Daddy had to put a lot more time in at Orchard Muni than he appeared to have done here to keep the business flying.  Dad and Daddy reconciled once Grandma Dvorak checked herself out of the hospital to die at home instead of a hospital.  Dad did end up taking care of her, since this was right before he started selling Cadillacs, so he ‘had the time,’ as well as being a Special Forces Medic who really knew what he was doing.  Daddy did manage to be there with Grandma Dvorak and Uncle John when Grandma Dvorak died, at least they both told me they were.”

 

The three of us ate our suppers while we talked, and David even drank a second RC Cola, which he’d just finished.

 

He remarked, “The RC was more a ‘nostalgia thing’ than anything else.  I like it, but I’d normally much rather have a Coke.  But while they have Coke and Pepsi in the UK, they don’t have Royal Crown Cola anywhere, not even in the US Air Force Commissaries on the RAF bases.

 

“But anyway, we’re all done eating, and it looks like everyone had their fill of whatever they wanted.”

 

True enough, all the food was gone.  Andy, A.D., and Bill had also made several “flying patrols,” and the empty pizza boxes, beef wrappers, and so on were already gotten rid of except for ours.  Bill showed up with a look, and Andy was following him with a damp rag.  Once we were “liberated” of our food wrappers, napkins, and empty pop cans, Dad walked up to instruct us.

 

“Boys, once you’ve washed your hands and stuff, you’re heading out to the garage.  Javier Carlos, Henri Dupris, and Greg Dove are all coming out.  We’ll bring them out to the garage when they show up.  You will have everyone else with you except for Stacy, who is taking Christina with her.  David, you will tell your Aunt Stacy and your sister good-bye.”

 

David respectfully interjected, “I’ve been paying attention, and Christina needs the attention from me.  I’ll go to them as soon as I’ve washed up, and I’ll get her calmed down again.  We’ve all gone through a lot today, but she’s probably gone through more than all of us together, compared to her ability to process it.  ‘Sides, I’ve only had a three-year-old sister since today, so the ‘new’ hasn’t worn off yet.  I’m not sure it ever will, even if we get ‘us’ switched back around.”

 

Dad continued, “You will be doing your ‘band arranging,’ auditions, and some rehearsals while everyone else watches, including a pair of five-year-olds, your guitar teachers, and your possible producer at CBS Records.  You will be professional, or at a minimum you will not out-cuss a sailor when talking to each other.  Do you understand?”

 

“Yes, Dad” we answered without hesitation.

 

He added, “And David, we won’t be trying to ‘hold you back,’ and certainly not out of spite.  However, we need to balance what you can do with what the other David can do, in case we get the two of you switched back quickly.  I’m sure he will be taught what he doesn’t know and learn to play what he couldn’t play yesterday as quickly as your counterparts in your world can teach him.  But it will be obvious that ‘something happened’ when we get the two of you switched back around.”

 

“Dad,” Michael assured, “I’m sure I can handle it.  Their biggest difference is that this David can play musical instruments where the other one couldn’t yet.  That’s easy enough to explain with a combination of pulled muscles and sprained joints combined with a growth spurt.  Since the ‘other David’ will intensely crave playing as well as this one, he’ll continue learning ‘out of sight,’ and it will just appear that the ‘imaginary in real life’ sprains and such were much more severe than we let on.”

 

As Dad walked away, Aaron walked up.  He told us, “I’ll join you after all, if I may.  I can read neumes, and I can read sheet music.  I haven’t been taught any fancy music theory, and while I know what tablature looks like, I can’t read or make sense of it yet, since I’ve never played a guitar before.”

 

“Fair enough” Michael told him.  “If you can handle rock as well as you do church hymns, you’ll be fine.”

 

“Did the ‘other me’ and you sing When I Grow Up to Be a Man?  Or Hazy Shade of Winter?” David asked Aaron.

 

“Yeah, we sang both of them.  But we did When I Grow Up a little different at the end.”

 

David assured his Third Birthday Present, “We probably did the ‘little different’ exactly the same, so no worries.”  We went to wash up, with David going first so he could see his new sister off for the evening.  After that, we got the garage set up for an evening of music.

                                     

                                                                                          §§§

 

David was the last to join us in the now almost crowded garage.  Minus the MaCUSA Marshal, Aunt Stacy and Christina, “everyone” from this morning was here, plus Javier Carlos, Henri Dupris, Greg Dove, and for an added surprise, Jim Peterik.  This included Uncle William, Uncle Frank, Uncle Frank’s stablemaster Howard Fry, Uncle Rick, Paul, the Captain, Sandy Cash, Holly DeVos, Joseph senior and Terri Stock, Peter Stock, Dad, Mom, and everybody who was in the band.  More surprisingly, though, it was David who ‘took charge,’ at least at first.

 

“Hello, everyone.  We’ll do introductions if and where needed in a little bit, along with the explanation of why I’m not as familiar to all of you today as you might have thought.  First though, Tim is going to back me up on drums, while Aaron and I perform two songs, followed by me playing and singing solo for the third.  The first one is When I Grow Up to Be a Man by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.  The second will be Hazy Shade of Winter written by Paul Simon.  The third will be Smoking Gun, which is written by David Dvorak.²  This credit will be explained later.”

 

David had borrowed Chris’s Ibanez six-string and he was wearing it.  He also had “David’s” Ibanez bass on the stand and ready to go, along with Andy’s slide Epiphone, and boy was I glad we got Howard Fry to pick it up freshly tuned up from Midlothian Music while we were running “magical errands.”

 

David and Aaron started off with When I Grow Up to Be a Man, with David leading and Aaron singing harmony.  But, like they warned us, they did change up the lyrics at the end.

 

“Will I love my wife
For the rest of my life?
When I grow up to be a man?

 

“What will I be?
Will I still be me?
When I grow up to be a man?”

 

Their performance was brilliant, and that one small line added by two small boys far younger than fourteen changed the song completely.  We couldn’t help but applaud both Aaron and David.  Aaron was blushing deep red, and even David had some pinkness in his cheeks he didn’t normally have.

 

David quickly explained, “Sometimes the ‘idea of growing up’ is a lot scarier than it’s given credit for.”

 

After changing over to the Ibanez bass, he and Aaron sung Hazy Shade of Winter.  David sang low, Aaron sang high, and they both nailed the song to the wall.

 

David changed guitars again, over to Andy’s Epiphone.  He took his slide from his pocket and started playing Smoking Gun.

 

Before ‘this’ David started playing, Michael and I both wondered what guitar work was floating in David’s head that he just couldn’t get out by scat singing.  After David played, we knew.  David played for over fifteen minutes of pure R&B crossover platinum.  Once again, everyone in the garage applauded.

 

Before anyone else could speak, Aaron raised his hand and began to sing.

“Just a song before I go
To whom it may concern
Traveling twice the speed of sound
It’s easy to get burned…”

 

Aaron sang Graham Nash’s 1977 hit with Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Just a Song Before I Go.  He sang the song acapella, pitch and note perfect, and in perfect time to the original release.  Once again, everyone applauded.

 

David then explained, “For the few of you here who haven’t been told yet, I am a ‘David Dvorak’ from a slightly different dimension.  For several reasons, ‘The Treasures’ in that dimension are over a year ahead of ‘The Treasures’ here, plus I can also play both six string and bass guitar, as well as the piano; where the David you knew and will hopefully get back is only a vocalist who just started learning the bass.

 

“On the one hand, Michael will need to arrange me in where I’m the best fit for the band, as well as in a place where the ‘other David’ won’t look so far out of place that we can’t explain the differences in skill away.  On the other hand, if we have a chance of finding an audience to give us great sums of their money to hear us play and sing music, we need to do it yesterday, even if that puts me front-and-center in ‘The Treasures.’

 

“This is not my band; it’s always been Michael’s band, even in the dimension where I come from.  However, I’ve helped produce a record album, I’ve performed at numerous smaller venues, and I’ve played at Wembley and The Barbican.  If we can do it, we need to figure out how best to use my talents without David Dvorak becoming such a ‘big star’ that not even David Dvorak can follow him up.  The longer I’m here, the more time the David you knew will have to learn what I’ve learned.  But time is the only substitute for time, and while I’m sure he’s every bit a quick learner as I am, there will be a noticeable drop in ‘David Dvorak’s’ music playing once we’re switched back around, even while his general musicianship is solid.  He and I started singing at the same time, and by the time I started playing the piano and guitar, I was already used to reading sheet music for more than just the words.

 

“But there is more besides that.  Is anyone of the four of you not familiar with the Wizarding War that just ended in Wizarding Britain?”

 

Jim answered, “I was the only one.  Working with Greg Dove, I’ve ended up learning about the Wizarding World, and I even have a MaCUSA WOMBAT card and stamped passport.  But before tonight, the Wizarding version of the Troubles hasn’t affected me at all.  Greg and your dad got me up to speed on it.”

 

“That was isn’t over, it’s only on an Armistice.”  David further explained, “Voldemort is defeated and powerless for now.  But he isn’t dead, and he will come back.  I’ve sworn a Blood Oath to protect and help Harry Potter, the boy who was at the center of Voldemort’s current enduring defeat.  When Voldemort returns, he will attack Harry Potter again, possibly before even re-establishing his terrorist network.  In the dimension where I came from, I lived in the UK.  He was my cousin by marriage, and he was effectively one of my younger brothers by choice, living in the same home as me. 

 

“But the Harry Potter here is in the UK, and he must remain living in the home of his dead mother’s sister.  So, I don’t know when or if he will truly need my help.  I only know that when I am needed, that I am bound by a Blood Oath I freely and even enthusiastically took to protect a boy who doesn’t know who I am, and who will only feel my presence at dire need.

 

“So, while I can’t say right this second with absolute certainty, it’s extremely likely that we will all have to move to the UK, to a London Exurb just south of Heathrow Airport, in order that I might protect, guide, and train Harry Potter to win the upcoming resumption of the war.  I don’t know how, or when; I only know why, and that failure must never come to pass.

 

“Which brings us back to the band.  The Treasures, plus whatever sub-groups Michael comes up with for us, will earn us a decent living and give us “reasons” to travel; but only if we can bring ourselves to play and write at least “good enough” to be a saleable band in both the UK and United States, for both the regular and magical audiences.  And, while we’re doing all of that, we’ll still need to accomplish our educations, both Magical and non-Magical.”

 

Michael asked, “Mr. Carlos, Mr. Dupris, Greg, Jim; what did you think of ‘this’ David and Aaron?”

 

Jim replied, “Greg and I will agree, I’m sure, that Aaron is a phenomenal singer.  Protect his voice and his innocence, and he will become a legend.”

 

Aaron interjected, “David will protect my voice.  He, Uncle John, and Uncle Rick will protect me from further harm, as well as what little innocence I have left.”

 

David was immediately comforting Aaron, which by this point didn’t really surprise anyone.  “The David we had yesterday” was always watchful over Aaron, and if anything “this” David was even more so.  Aaron himself fully accepted David’s hug.  He was just a little bit embarrassed, but only in the way an almost nine-year-old boy would be while being comforted by his mother in public, and even then, not that much.

 

Doing so as much to break the depressing mood as to actually figure out how to employ us in the music industry, Greg asked, “David, did you or your bandmates in your ‘home world’ do any session work?”

 

David informed him, “We all did, even Andy once or twice, though I’m sure you can imagine that his dyslexia gave him all sorts of bother—bother that he overcame brilliantly.  For us here, I can vouch for Aaron on vocals, Andy on slide guitar, and Tim; but that’s because I’ve only heard them play up to now.  Before today, I haven’t seen Joe or Max Stock since before we moved to the UK.  The rest of us would have to be close though, otherwise, Jim and you wouldn’t be here.

 

“But we’re all still too young and inexperienced to sharpen our own axes.  We’re smart enough to know it, wise enough to admit it, and humble enough to ask for your continued help and teaching as long as you’re able and willing to provide it.”

 

Mr. Carlos opined, “David, you were taught mostly by me, with a small bit of slide-work coaching from Henri, and you took all of your lessons and practice to heart.”

 

Henri opined, “Michael, both David and you have a lot of ‘musical voices’ in what you write and play.  Hold fast on to all of them.  Do what you have to for Harry Potter or anyone else, but hold on to your voices.  They’ll see you well through life.”

 

David suggested, “Michael, do ‘we’ play a cover of I’m Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band?”  To Michael’s nodding that we did, David added, “Why don’t we play that, then?  I can harmonize off of your lead.”

 

Michael told us, “Let’s do that.  Short solos from Danny, me, and you.  Roll it, Tim.”

 

That was actually “just enough” of a warning for us, since Tim has several bars of solo work before the bass joins in, and David had already gotten back to his bass.  True to his word, David harmonized off of Michael perfectly.  We played and sang through.  I played a short but good solo.  Michael’s solo was also very good.  David’s solo was just a bit of a surprise.  It was not only at least as good as Michael’s and mine, but David also quoted Peter Frampton’s Show Me the Way without it being even slightly out of place.  That and a nod from David to Michael finally assured Michael that David was not and never would try to “take over” the band.

 

After the last crash from Tim’s drum set, David asked, “Can you work with this, Michael?”

 

Michael replied, “Yeah, no problem.  Providing that we keep most of the spotlight on your singing, then the bass, and have you on six strings as little as we can get away with, it’ll be fine.  The ‘other you’ was already good enough on the bass that he was actually playing.  So yeah, we can make it work.  But, can ‘we’ sell it?”

I added, “We don’t have to keep David away from the six-string that much.  While he’s really good, I can play just as well, and we have no idea at all how quickly, or even if we can get both Davids switched back around.  So, if we can sell it, we can play it.”

Jim told us, “You guys are so good I “played hooky” from a concert out-of-state to show up at your parents’ wedding.  And right now, Greg grabbed me with some ‘extra-special’ magic to get me here tonight.”

 

Greg added, “We just need to work out the last details and get you into a studio to record.  If you sing on tape anywhere near as good as you do live, we can sell it.”

 

David had taken his bass off and got clear of the chairs we were sitting on.  He summoned his shoes with his wand and stepped into them.  He was looking slightly pale, slightly nauseous, and not happy.

 

He told Uncle Frank, “Read my mind.  I can feel from the summons that Harry’s living at Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging neighborhood, in the Town of Ashford, in Surrey.  You’re seeing the front yard of Number 7, where you need to set your portkey to land.  If I see anything different, I’ll send an Adfero once I get there.  Bring Dad for any paperwork, and he’ll be good in a fight.  Uncle Rick with no wand would only be a millstone around our necks.  Dad, hand-to-hand only, no ‘heater,’ and the UK Muggles are nuts about knives, too.”

 

Aaron grabbed David in a bear hug, yelling, “You ain’t leavin’ me too!”

 

David might have begged to differ.  But the flash of light where the two boys stood combined with the pop! of them leaving Mokena made any disagreements moot.

 

All of us in the garage stood silent and in shock, even those who worked with magic routinely.  After about thirty seconds, David’s translucent silver dragon joined us in the garage.

 

The Adfero announced, “I’ve checked Aaron over.  Neither of us splinched, and we’re both okay.  The summons magic from the wards did almost all of the work. 

 

“Harry is not okay.  He is being abused by Petunia’s husband.  She may or may not be in on it.  I don’t know.

 

“Bring Uncle Rick for Aaron along with Dad, and have him bring Aaron’s shoes.  I’ve already summoned Dumbledore.  It’s around two in the morning, but we need the three of you out here now.  If I have no backup in five minutes or so, I’ll have to storm the house rather than just going in calmly.  Please hurry.”

 

Dad asked Uncle Frank, “What do you recommend?”

 

“Have Danny and Michael grab their MaCUSA Passports and your aid bags just in case, and put their shoes on.  Rick, grab Aaron’s shoes and your jacket.  Make sure you have Aaron’s and your passports.  John, you should be fine.  Make sure you have your passport, and David’s if he wasn’t carrying it on him.  Leave any pistols or knives here.  Like David said, the no-Maj side of the UK is nuts about firearms and other weapons, especially since we’re going straight in.  We’ve got maybe two minutes before David goes in that house alone.

 

“Harry’s hurt, and David is a Floyd who took a Blood Oath to protect him.  While he’ll start with Stunners, he can cast a Blasting Hex without saying the spell word.  The ones teaching him ‘combat magic’ had him cast silent Blasting Hexes at live sheep.  He didn’t like it, but he didn’t falter, either.  So, if he thinks he needs to use deadly force, he will use it.”

 

Michael had already taken off to retrieve the aid bags and passports.  He re-entered the garage, saying, “David must have his passport.  I’ve got ours, Dad.” 

 

Michael and I quickly got our shoes on, and divvyed up aid bags and passports.  We weren’t taking our time.  We did pass Uncle Rick Aaron’s shoes and socks.

 

After accepting his passport and aid bag, Dad told us, “David has his passport.  Fortunately, he also has his watch, so he knows what ‘five minutes’ is, unless something worse happens.

“Betty, call Stacy and tell her what’s happened.  Tell her to either stay at her place or come over here.  I’ll be calling here once I know what’s going on, and who if any of you I’ll need to fly out right away, or if you’ll need to pick us up at O’Hare.”

 

Uncle Frank added, “If I need any of you to come out right away, you’ll need to get your visas through MaCUSA and the Wizarding UK Consulate in Chicago.  Howard will travel with you and help you.  Wilbur can also help you if needed.  Either way, I’ll pay for it through Howard or Wilbur’s travel cards, as well as the plane tickets.  I’ll settle up with John later.”

 

Mom leaned up and kissed Dad.  She told him, “Let me know as soon as you can.  Love you, John.”

 

“Love you too, Betty” Dad answered. 

 

We picked up the rope, that Uncle Frank had made into an International Portkey.  Uncle Frank activated it, and we were on our way to Merry Olde England!  Lucky us.  

 

1.  Sing of the Lord's Goodness, Ernest Sands, 1981
2.  Smoking Gun, Bruce Bromberg, Robert Cray, and Richard Cousins, 1986.