Samantha Spinner and the Spectacular Specs

by Russell Ginns

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  Samantha took off the glasses and put them back in her purse.

  “Yep,” she answered.

  At the top of the scaffolding, they walked across the metal bridge, through the doorway, and into a small, square nook. They stood in a drainage pit with a metal screen overhead. A short ladder was bolted to one of the cement walls. Nipper went first, pushing the screen open when he reached the top. Samantha hooked the Plans over her shoulder, picked up the pug, and climbed. At the top of the ladder, she passed the pug to Nipper, joined them on the surface, and closed the screen behind her.

  The scene couldn’t have been more different from the market in Mali or the temple in Indonesia. They stood in a square plaza. Green patches of grass, dotted with palm trees and benches, surrounded a bubbling fountain.

  Ornate buildings faced the plaza on all sides. Many were painted yellow, with white trim. Others were made of white stone. They were decorated with bell towers, flags, sculptures, and elaborate balconies.

  “This is the Plaza Mayor,” said Samantha. “The historical center of Lima.”

  From where they were standing in the plaza, they could tell that Lima was a bustling, modern city. Office buildings and apartment towers stretched in every direction. Taxis and buses clogged the streets. Horse-drawn carriages shuttled tourists about.

  People walked through the plaza wearing everything from T-shirts and business attire to military uniforms and jogging suits.

  A couple walked by wearing knit caps and ponchos crisscrossed with red and blue patterns. It reminded Samantha of the traditional Peruvian clothing shown in the guidebook.

  She opened the book to a map of Lima and studied it. Then she looked across the plaza.

  “The Government Palace,” she said, pointing to one of the white stone buildings. “The train station is just a few blocks that way.”

  “I can’t help but notice the fountain over there,” said Nipper, gesturing toward the center of the plaza. “Do you need me to go poke something in the nose?”

  “Not this time,” she said. “Just pick up the dog and come with me. I have a plan.”

  Nipper grabbed Dennis and followed.

  She waved to the driver of a horse-drawn carriage.

  “A la estación, por favor,” she said.

  The driver smiled, hopped off the carriage, and helped Samantha inside. He nodded at Nipper and waved for him to climb in, too.

  “Impressive,” said Nipper, sliding beside her with Dennis on his lap.

  “Not really,” she said. “I did my homework this time.”

  Nipper shuddered. Then his eyelids started to droop. His head tilted forward. His breathing slowed. He let out a soft, croaking groan, like an old wooden door swinging slowly on its hinges.

  “Not school homework, silly,” she said. “I meant that I took time to learn about Lima and to practice some Spanish phrases. I just told the driver ‘To the train station, please.’ ”

  “Oh…okay,” said Nipper, shaking off his homework-triggered sleepiness.

  “You see, I have a plan,” she added, and smiled.

  The carriage pulled away from the plaza and the horse trotted forward along with the cars and buses. As they traveled through the city, hotels, museums, and palaces passed by.

  According to the map in the guidebook, the station was only eight blocks away. They had been in traffic for at least ten minutes and they had only gone four blocks.

  “Should we have walked?” asked Nipper.

  “Just enjoy the ride,” said Samantha. “I have a plan.”

  They arrived at the train station and headed up the stone steps. A woman in a uniform stood at attention. She smiled as she watched them climb the stairs. As they were about to enter the station, however, she held out a hand and pointed to a sign beside the open door.

  NO SE PERMITEN PERROS

  Nipper looked at Samantha.

  “What’s that about?” he whispered.

  “It says ‘No dogs allowed,’ ” she answered. “But don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”

  She picked up Dennis and cradled him like a baby. Then she looked at the guard with wide, soulful eyes.

  “Are you trying to look like a chinchilla?” whispered Nipper.

  “Shush,” she said quickly, and turned back to the woman in the uniform.

  The guard, looking pleased, smiled at her.

  “Por favor?” Samantha asked, as sweetly as possible. “Él es mi precioso bebé.”

  The guard smiled again.

  “Your Spanish is so good, young lady,” she said warmly. “I don’t know why you’re having trouble understanding…NO DOGS ALLOWED!”

  The woman shouted the last words and slammed the door.

  Nipper waited for Samantha to speak.

  She blushed.

  “Do you still have a plan?” he asked.

  “No,” she said slowly. “But I have an umbrella.”

  Nipper handed Samantha the magnifying glass. Together, they studied the Super-Secret Plans. Between Peru’s slidewalk line and the drawing of Machu Picchu, they saw a rectangle. It had a row of tiny squares inside and geometric patterns in each corner.

  Samantha smiled, handed the magnifier back to Nipper, and closed the umbrella.

  “It’s time for plan B,” she said. “Walk with me.”

  They left the train station. Dennis trotted happily behind them.

  “B as in back to Seattle?” Nipper asked.

  “Cold. Try again,” she said.

  “B as in bus?”

  “Still cold,” said Samantha.

  She scooped up Dennis and carried him across a busy avenue. When they reached the other side, she dropped him, and they continued on their way.

  “Boat?” Nipper asked, looking left and right.

  Samantha stopped, tilted her head, and stared.

  “Really? Do you see a boat anywhere?” she asked.

  Soon they were back at the Plaza Mayor.

  “B as in building?” he asked.

  “You’re getting warmer,” she answered.

  They walked to the center of the plaza. Samantha waved her hand at a row of ornate buildings across the street.

  “Balcony!” Nipper shouted.

  “Red hot,” she said.

  Samantha took out the purple sunglasses and put them on.

  “Give me a second to find the special one.”

  Turning slowly in a circle, she gazed at each building. Nipper watched.

  “Aha!” she said.

  A small three-story building, sandwiched between a museum and a hotel, faced the plaza. On the second floor, a rectangular balcony stuck out over the sidewalk.

  Bright yellow letters flashed in the windows:

  P S S T

  A glowing arrow pointed to a staircase.

  “Can I see?” asked Nipper.

  “Not yet,” said Samantha. “Pick up the pug, please.”

  She led Nipper to a crosswalk and across the street.

  “Okay, here,” she said, and gave him the glasses.

  “Cool,” said Nipper, staring up at the balcony.

  He handed the glasses back. She put them on and led Nipper and Dennis through an arch and up a flight of stairs to the building’s second floor.

  Samantha saw a wooden door on the far side. It had a pulsing yellow knob. She crossed over to the door.

  “In here,” she said, holding it open for Nipper and Dennis.

  They entered a narrow rectangular room, paneled with dar
k wood. It had the same dimensions as the balcony on the front of the building, but it faced an alley in the back. Four red velvet chairs faced the windows, looking out onto the alley.

  Samantha sat down on the far-right chair. It was soft. She set her backpack and umbrella on the chair beside her. Nipper helped Dennis onto the next chair and took his place on the far left.

  They sat in their comfy chairs and stared out the window…at nothing. Except for the soft sound of Dennis panting, the room was quiet.

  “So,” said Nipper. “Not much of a view, eh?”

  Samantha noticed a wire cable stretched above the windows. She stood up, reached out, grabbed the cord, and tugged.

  Clang! Clang!

  A bell sounded twice.

  Samantha sat down again quickly as the door behind them slammed shut. Then the rectangular room dropped like an elevator. They watched the alley rise away as they sank beneath the city street. A layer of asphalt went by, followed by bricks, stones, and dirt. They touched down in darkness.

  Small overhead lights switched on. At the same time, the four puffy seats pivoted ninety degrees to the right.

  Clang! Clang!

  They started moving again. The room had become a narrow train car, with Samantha seated up front. They gathered speed and rolled forward.

  It was dark and a little bumpy, but the soft red velvet chairs cushioned the ride.

  A bright dot shone ahead of them, and they rolled out into sunlight.

  Samantha checked the umbrella in the seat behind her. She double-checked to make sure the glasses were in her purse. Then she sat back and enjoyed the ride.

  They rolled up a steep hill and through another long tunnel, and coasted down into a valley.

  Samantha couldn’t decide if they were riding in a “balcony bus,” a “cabin coaster,” or maybe a “closet car.” She knew it wasn’t actually important, but she had fun trying to invent just the right name.

  “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Nipper shouted.

  “What’s going on?” asked Samantha.

  “I found snacks under the seats,” he said triumphantly.

  Samantha turned around and saw him waving a bag of crackers and a small bottle of sparkling water.

  The “terrace-train” banked around a mountain lake. The views were breathtaking.

  “You did it, Sam,” said Nipper, tossing a cracker to Dennis. “We are traveling in style.”

  Samantha smiled, then sank into her chair again and admired jagged peaks blanketed with trees. Farther in the distance, the snow-capped Andes shook hands with the sky. The “locomotive lounge” rolled on.

  “Hey, Sam,” Nipper called to her. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Sure,” she answered.

  “Lately, I’ve been worried you were turning into Buffy,” he said. “But it’s pretty clear to me you’re becoming Uncle Paul.”

  “What do you mean?” She couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or not.

  “You’re getting better at finding secret ways to travel,” he said. “But your instructions to me are getting trickier, too.”

  “Maybe,” she replied. “I suppose I got a little carried away with the plan B game.”

  Her ears popped as they moved higher into the mountains.

  “That’s all right,” said Nipper. “But sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a decision.”

  “What decision?” she asked.

  “Will you wear orange flip-flops or big rubber boots all day, every day?”

  Clang! Clang!

  The bell rang twice. The “super-secret power porch” coasted into a tunnel and stopped. The door creaked open. Samantha jumped out of her chair, grabbed her umbrella and backpack, and headed out the door. Nipper fished the last cracker from the bag and popped it in his mouth.

  “On my way,” he called, mouth full of cracker. He picked the pug up and followed Samantha into a dusty room.

  It was more of a shack than a building, just one small room with a bare wooden floor and a table, but no chairs. A half-closed door to the outside was about ten feet away. Samantha was standing at the table. Nipper crossed the room to take a look.

  The table displayed brochures in many languages. Next to them, the label on a glass jar read “Depósite un nuevo sol.” Colorful Peruvian banknotes filled the jar.

  Samantha sorted through the brochures on the table.

  “Here’s one in English,” she said, and held it up for him to see.

  PERU’S SKY STRONGHOLD TRAIL

  RELAX ON OUR MOUNTAIN

  Samantha took a nuevo sol bill from a side pocket of her backpack and stuffed it into the jar. Then she took out the purple sunglasses and stared at the front of the brochure.

  “PSST,” she said. “Room.”

  Nipper wasn’t sure what his sister meant, but she was doing just fine with the reading and the puzzling.

  “You search for clues. I’ll search for crackers,” he said.

  He pushed open the front door and headed outside to look around.

  A narrow porch ran the length of the building. They were far from any city now. A dense forest surrounded the small shack. He could hear a river nearby. He leaned left and right and saw green mountain peaks through the foliage. A gravel trail began at the front steps and disappeared into the forest a few yards away.

  “Are you still reading, Sam?” he called. “I see a trail out here.”

  A man wearing a bowler hat and a green T-shirt sat on a stool nearby, reading a book. A few feet away, a llama stood, tethered to a post, in a patch of grass.

  Nipper waved to the man.

  “Is your llama friendly?” he asked.

  The man looked up from his book.

  “Oh yes, señor,” he said, nodding. “Very friendly.”

  Cautiously, Nipper walked up to the animal. He stroked the side of its snout gently and began to pet its fuzzy neck.

  “Howdy, llama. How’s your mama?” he said in his best I’m-so-charming voice.

  The llama craned its neck back and gave Nipper an evil look. It was chewing something, slowly.

  Pfftooie! Pfftooie!

  Two slimy globs of spit hit Nipper in the chest.

  Nipper looked down at his shirt. “Oh, yuck!” he said. “What kind of gross—”

  Wham!

  The llama cut Nipper off with a sideways swing of its head, bashing him in the shoulder and knocking him to the ground.

  “Ow!” he shouted. “That really hurt!”

  Nipper was starting to stand up when the llama bent down and chomped the bottom of his pant leg. Growling and snorting, it lurched left and right, dragging Nipper across the gravel.

  “Stop it!” Nipper shouted.

  He looked over and saw Samantha exiting the shack. She was still reading the brochure.

  “Help!” he yelled.

  The llama let go of Nipper’s pants and reared back on its hind legs.

  “Hrrarr!” it bellowed.

  Whomp!

  The llama’s front hooves struck the ground, narrowly missing Nipper’s face. It began to kick. Nipper struggled to shield his face from the shower of rocks and dirt.

  The llama made a long, horrible, slurping sound as it worked up another batch of spit. Then, as if changing its mind, it suddenly bent down and clamped onto the bottom of Nipper’s shirt. It growled as it tugged, dragging him farther away from the porch. Jerking its head back, the llama tore Nipper’s shirt off completely!

  “Sammy!” Nipper shouted.

  “Hrrarr!” the llama roared, shaking its head with the shirt in its mouth.

  It reared up on its hind legs again.

  Dennis scampered out of the building.

  “Wruf! Wruf!” he yapped.

  The llama stilled and gazed down at the little barking dog. It dropp
ed the shirt, stepped to the other side of the hitching post, bent down, and nibbled on some grass as if nothing had happened.

  Samantha rushed over to help Nipper.

  “Wait here,” he told her.

  Trembling, Nipper staggered up to the man on the stool.

  “I…thought,” he panted, “you said…your llama…was friendly.”

  “He is, amigo,” said the man, looking very serious.

  He adjusted his bowler hat.

  “But that is not my llama,” he added.

  Samantha grabbed Nipper’s arm before he could respond. She pointed to the gravel trail.

  “That connects with the main road to Machu Picchu,” she said.

  She pulled Nipper’s New York Yankees sweatshirt from her backpack and handed it to him. Nipper put it on. Then he looked back at the man on the stool.

  “Here,” said Samantha.

  She handed him the two remaining granola bars. He paused and put them in the front pocket of the sweatshirt. He looked over at the man in the bowler hat again.

  “Hand me the other bag of clown seasoning,” he muttered.

  She shook her head and pointed to the trail.

  “Forget about that guy,” she said. “There are too many clowns in this world. You can’t season them all.”

  Samantha and Nipper shared the trail to Machu Picchu with visitors of all ages. Her umbrella came in handy as a walking stick. Dennis padded happily behind them. For an hour, they zigzagged across the face of the towering, tree-covered mountain. Up ahead, stone walls and buildings glistened in the sun.

  Samantha took out the brochure she’d purchased in the shack.

  “ ‘Machu Picchu is an ancient abandoned city in the mountains of Peru,’ ” she read. “ ‘It was built around the year 1450 and served as a royal estate for the rulers of the Inca Empire.’ ”

  The path up the mountain turned again and Samantha and Nipper followed the hikers, crisscrossing the side of the mountain for the fourth time.

  Samantha turned over the brochure. A simple map of Machu Picchu covered the back side. There were a dozen landmarks labeled on the map, with names such as “Royal Tomb,” “Funeral Rock,” and “Ritual Fountain.” Along the side, four additional landmarks were listed. Dotted lines pointed to their locations on the diagram: