Boomtown

by Nowen N. Particular

  The day finally came for us to say good-bye. Burton Ernie and his wife, Laverne, and their young son, Vernon, were the last to see us off. We stood next to the car exchanging hugs and handshakes. Vernon was nice enough to hold Holly while we did.

  “Here, Vernon, give her to me,” Janice said, holding out her hands. But Holly wouldn’t let go. She kept clinging to Vernon, both of her little arms wrapped firmly around his neck. Holly cried when Janice tried to take her.

  “That’s strange,” she said. “She doesn’t usually act like that. She must really like you, Vernon.”

  Vernon smiled happily. “I like her too. I wish she didn’t have to go.”

  “We’ll come back for a visit,” I said politely. I meant it at the time, I really did, but I never kept my promise. But Holly did—she and Vernon—it’s strange now that I think back on it. Strange how things come full circle. It was almost like Holly knew something we didn’t, something that drew her back to Boomtown—and it’s a good thing that it did. But that’s another story.

  We decided to take the long way around as we left. We cried as we drove down Boom Boulevard, past the hole in Town Square that had changed our lives forever, past Lazy Gunderson’s place, past the powder plant and the fireworks factory, across Ifilami Bridge, and on to our new life in Seattle.

  As we drove, my mind raced through all the unbelievable things we’d seen and all the impossible things that had happened—I still think of them after all these years. My memory wanders down the streets of Boomtown and I remember that remarkable and wonderful place. I wonder how Burton Ernie is doing. I wonder if Mabel ever learned how to make coffee. Is Frankie the Banker still robbing the bank? Is Walter still terrorizing his customers? I wonder how Xian’s family has adapted to their new home. I wonder if Fred Cotton’s truck is still on display at the museum. I wonder if the new pastor at the church has survived.

  And I wonder if people will ever learn to live like the people of Boomtown already know how to live.

  I wonder.

  Boomtown Timeline

  1830 Chang born in China.

  1839 Mfana Losotu born in South Africa.

  1846 Chang escapes China; Sang gives birth to Wang.

  1848 California Gold Rush begins.

  1850 Chang arrives in Okanogan Territory, Washington.

  1854 Mfana Losotu taken as a slave to America.

  1863 Mfana escapes during the Battle of Gettysburg at age twenty-four.

  1872 Chang establishes the Black Powder Plant and Chang’s Famous Fireworks Factory.

  1878 May 18, Founding of Change, Washington, by Mayor Alden Purdy.

  1882 Mfana Losotu arrives in Change.

  1889 November 11, Washington achieves statehood.

  1892 Chang dies in Hen Grenade explosion.

  1894 The town of Change changes its name to Boomtown.

  1899 Groundbreaking for the town hall.

  1909 Stickville Slugs begin forty-year losing streak.

  1911 President William H. Taft visits Boomtown.

  1912 Boomtown Power Plant up and running.

  1914 First Slush Olympics is held.

  1929 Dr. Losotu dies and bequeaths his home and its contents as a museum.

  1949 Reverend Button and his family arrive.