The Staff of Ira

by Carl Sheffield

  “Tyler, he wants to see you. I’ll be at the mobile.”

  Pam took me by the arm. “Tyler, did you tell Lori you were from space?”

  Staring into her eyes, I smiled. “Lori did ask me, Pam,” I said. “Look, I know how hard it is to believe, hell I would feel the same way. Pam, my sister is still there. I want to go back. Tell me Pam, how many humans do you know can crush a rock with their bare hands?”

  Pam replied, “I did give that some thought.” I told Pam, “I got to go. When Grady comes, bring him to my place.”

  Pam asked me, “Tyler, will I be welcome?”

  “Always,” I said.

  I told Doctor Jones I was leaving. A good thirty-minute walk I would be back. I went to the small kitchen, made coffee, opened a can of peaches. They sure were good, I thought of home. I sure missed the Simons and the Sweet Grass. I missed the berries that grew along the river into the city. I missed watching the suns and moons come up and set. I suppose it was one of my favorite things to do. I poured a cup of coffee and went outside.

  I sat in the shade of an old tree, between my place and Lee’s. The cool desert air felt good. Every now and then I could hear Lee cough. Sometimes he would cough badly. Lee had cancer; my grandfather died of lung cancer. I was a small boy, yet I can remember him doing the same. I thought if he was on Boldlygo, he would be cured. Mekon and Mea could do that.

  I finished my peaches, threw the can in a barrel when Lori drove up. Stepping from her car, she said hello. I told her Lee was asleep.

  She said, “Let me check.” Walking in the mobile, she came back. “He’s snoring,” she smiled. “I’ll talk to you.”

  I said, “Lori, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Doctor Jones, he’s a hospital doctor, is that right?”

  Lori answered, “He is, why do you ask?”

  “Lori, I don’t want to upset you. I think your father is very sick. There, hear him, he has a dry cough.”

  Lori asked, “Now you’re going to tell me you’re a doctor.”

  “No, Lori, I’m not a doctor. I am very smart. You’re a nurse, can’t you tell?”

  Lori insisted, “He sounds as if he has a cold. Lots of people sound like he does. It’s the weather.”

  I suggested to her, “Lori, try to get him to go to the doctor. Have a chest x-ray, front and back.”

  Lori looked at the ground. “I suppose we never want to think of it. Our parent’s dying.”

  I asked Lori, “Did Pam said anything about me?”

  She said, “You were kind of spacey.”

  “The other day in the store, Lori, I was not kidding you.” She looked at me with a skeptical look.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Lori, I’m not spacey.”

  “Lori, I’m really from space,” I said.

  Saying this to her, Lori said, “Bullshit.”

  “You know Lori, I don’t understand you people. Your Doctor Jones saw a ship two weeks ago, military told him to keep a lid on it.”

  Lori said, “Tyler, there were MP’s at the hospital today.” I told Lori to ask Doctor Jones, then we’ll talk more. “Have your father x-rayed, let me look at the x-ray.”

  Lori asked, “You can read an x-ray?”

  “I told you I was smart.” Lee called from the door. “Well, honey when did you get here,” Lori told Lee she had been here about thirty minutes.

  Lori called, “Dad, come here. Tyler and I have sat here listening to you. You have been coughing badly.”

  Lee looked at the sky. “Just a cold, nothing to worry about.” Lori told her dad to come to the hospital for an x-ray.

  “Don’t fuss over me girl,” Lee said. Lee looked at me. “You put her up to this.”

  “Lee, you do sound bad,” I said.

  “Just when I thought, you were going to be a good lad.” I told Lee that’s why I did it.

  I asked Lee, “How long have you lived around here?”

  Lee thought, “Well, I’m fifty-eight. Oh, about fifty-three years. My folks moved here in the late 1800’s, came here from Oklahoma.”

  “Then you know the area well?” I asked.

  Lee answered, “Better than most. I worked with the land bureau.”

  I asked him, “Do you know about the crater?”

  “I know the crater,” he said. “Military fenced it in. They want to let anyone go there. They do have tours there. Why do you ask of the crater?”

  “Well, Lee, you go to the doctor. I’ll tell you,” I said.

  Lori looked at me. “Tyler, what are you up to?”

  I said, “Nothing much, maybe you will believe me when you talk to Doctor Jones. You must keep this a secret, only Pam and Doctor Jones are the only people I’ve told. You and your father and Pam’s friend Grady, that’s all.”

  Lori asked, “So what do I ask Doctor Jones?”

  I told her, “Ask him about the incident on the road to Artesia. You must not tell anyone.”

  Lori said, “I don’t know what to think of you, with all the secrets.

  “I’ll tell you after you speak to the doctor.”

  2

  The day was coming to an end in the desert. I was making coffee when, guess who drives up? Yes, miss honey Pam taped on the horn. I stepped to the door, I told her to come in. Running around the corner, came Lee.

  Lee was smiling. “Hi Pam, damn you look good.”

  Pam replied, “Oh Lee, you’re such a flirt.”

  Lee got close to Pam and whispered, “Hey, how about me, you, Tyler, and Lori going on a double date? Maybe we could go to a drive-in see one of those Charlie Chaplin movies.”

  I asked later who Charlie Chaplin was. I’ve never seen a movie. I knew what it was, like a stage show, it’s on a screen outside. Lee walked down the drive to the mailbox. He was coughing badly. I said as much.

  “Yes, he is,” Lori said. “I’m trying to get him to go to the hospital for an x-ray.”

  Pam told me Grady can’t make it. “I’ll drive you there if you want.” I told her I’ll pay her for the trouble.

  She asked me, “When do you want to go?”

  I said, “Now!” Lee asked her about the date again.

  She said, “Some other time, Lee. Lee, you need to see the doctor; you come in tomorrow.”

  Lee replied, “Stop fussing, you sound like Lori.”

  Pam expressed, “It’s because we love you, Lee.”

  Roswell was a beautiful little town. Kind of reminded me of a small village in England, without the desert. Pam drove by several building and stores: several Mexican tacos places.

  I looked at Pam. “Thought we were going to the university? It’s the other way.”

  “It is, we are going to someone’s house. They want to meet you.” Knocking on the door, a Mexican answered the door. “Come in, senorita Pam.”

  Pam said, “Good to see you, Carlos.”

  “Si, Mr. Sams will see you soon.” Waiting for several minutes, Sams came in. He had cold eyes, dark as dawn. He told Grady and Pam to wait in the next room. I must talk to him alone. Closing the door behind him, he showed me to a chair.

  “Please, Tyler, sit.” He took a small box from his desk. “Tyler, may I call you Tyler?” I told him that’s my name.

  Sams asked, “Where did you come upon nuggets and the stones as these?”

  I replied, “From a friend.”

  Sams said, “Bullshit. Don’t play with me.” I looked at him across the desk. I moved a little toward him.

  “I’m not playing with you. I don’t think you would like it very much if I played with you,” I said.

  He asked again, “Well, tell me where you got them.” I told him, “I got them from home. That’s all I’ll say. You can buy them.”

  Sams said, “I’ve already sold t
he nuggets. I’ll give you five hundred dollars for the nugget, one thousand for the stone.” I reached for the stone.

  “Ok, fifteen hundred, not a penny more.” He said, “I’m sure the authorities would like to know where those stones come from.” I reached for the emerald.

  “Three thousand, not a penny more.” I told him, “I’ll take it in cash. It’s worth three times that. I need the money.”

  Sams said, “I’ll come to Carlsbad on Wednesday with your money.” I told him fine; I gave him direction to my place.

  Mr. Sams said, “Goodbye.” I turned to leave. Kira and Omega are still on the throne. I froze in my tracks. Yet I already knew, he knew too much of the stone.

  “Tyler, I came here a long time ago from Denver. Son, we need to talk.” I told him when he comes to Carlsbad, we can talk. He pushed out his hand, I took it, then left.

  I asked Pam and Grady, “You want to go to dinner?”

  Pam asked, “Did you sell it?” I told her no. When he makes the sale, he’ll come to my place. Pam wanted to go to a taco stand. I had a sandwich of lettuce, tomato, and bread.

  Grady said, “I’ve never met a man that doesn’t eat meat.” I told him to come to my world, he’ll meet a whole race.

  Grady said, “I don’t mean to pry. How do you do that thing with your hand?” I told Grady I was an alien from space. Well, Grady started coughing and chocking. Pam slapped him on the back.

  “I knew it,” Grady said. “I knew it.”

  Pam asked, “You knew what?”

  Grady jumped up and ran for his car. I looked at Pam. “What?” Pam ran after Grady.

  Grady was screaming, “Pam, leave me alone. Get as far as you can from him.”

  “Grady, what do you mean?” Pam asked. Pam turned, I was behind her.

  “Well,” I said. “Where do we go from here?”

  Pam had tears in her eyes. “You’re going to kill me.”

  I smiled. “Pam, I’m not going to kill you. Well, not until I get back to Carlsbad anyway. I don’t feel like walking all the way. Why are you shanking, Pam?”

  “Damn Tyler,” she said. “I’m scared of you.” Humans never could see things right in front of them.

  “Damn it Pam, I’ve been telling you for weeks I’m from space. You would not believe me.”

  “Well, maybe I do now, “she said.

  “Pam, even Doctor Jones believes me.”

  Pam said, “The military came today and took him away.” We rode in silence. I started to speak so did Pam at the same time; we laughed. We were driving along my head on the back of the seat.

  Pam said, “Whoa! did you see that?”

  “I didn’t see anything,” I said.

  Pam told me a bright light shot across the sky then another. Man, they were moving. Well now in life, rockets were not a common thing. I told Pam, maybe a rocket.

  Pam replied, “I don’t think so. Tyler, are you really from space? Please don’t lie to me.” I told her I never have. We don’t lie on our planet. Mostly everyone can read your thought anyway. Kira and Omega will not stand for someone to lie. Phillip thought he could. Kira sent him back to Earth. That’s why I’m here.

  It was early when we returned to Carlsbad. Pam dropped me at my place. Walking around the trailer, Lee called to me.

  “Come here, boy,” Lee said. “Police are looking for you. They needed to speak to you.” I took a deep breath. I told Lee I would go to the station.

  I asked Lee, “You want to come along? Let’s walk, Lee.”

  “Ok boy.”

  Lee asked, “What do you want to go to that old crater for?”

  “I’ll tell you later if I’m still around.”

  Lee asked, “Where you are going, Tyler?”

  I answered, “Wish I was going home.”

  “Where is home?” He asked. Lee looked at me with concern.

  I asked Lee, “Would you believe me if I told you?”

  “Well,” Lee said, “It’s for certain you ain’t from around here. You sound like you’re one of them: foreigner.”

  “Yeah Lee, you could say that,” I said.

  “Well, dad nab it, boy, where you from?”

  I stopped looking at him. “Look up,” I said.

  Lee asked, “Ok Tyler, what am I looking for?”

  I smiled. “Lee, that’s where I’m from.”

  “Bullshit,” Lee said. Man, I thought, that’s a popular word here. “Someday Lee, they will come for me, then you will see. Next year this time, people will start showing up. Some will stay, other will move on.”

  Lee asked me, “Why are you here?” I told him the story as we walk to the station. Then I told him my ship was hit by the military. It was hit by the bug guns. I crashed in the crater. It caused a slide and covered up the ship; my friend got killed. There was no way to contact my big ship.”

  Lee asked, “That’s why you want to go to the crater?”

  “Yes, Lee, that’s why.” I looked at him. “What? No, bullshit.” He laughed. Turning the corner walked a block, the officer that was at my house was sitting in his car.

  “Officer Henery, you want to see me?”

  “Yes, Tyler. Where have you been?”

  “Around,” I said. “I didn’t know I was supposed to ask to leave. I was in Roswell visiting a friend, Pam,” I said. “I’m sure you know who she is.”

  “I do,” he replied. I told him Pam took me. I found out from one of Pam’s friend he lived there. Pam took me this afternoon. First time I have seen him since he left home. He said he was going back soon, wanted to know if I wanted to go.

  Henery stated, “The reason I was looking for you, Doctor Jones wants to see you. He said it was very important to come to the hospital when I saw you.”

  I looked at Lee. “You had that X-ray yet.”

  “I ain’t going either.”

  “Bullshit old man, if I have to, I’ll carry you myself,” I said.

  “Watch him Tyler, he’s mean,” Henery said.

  I replied, “I’ll show him mean. Come on Lee, let’s go to the hospital.”

  Lee replied with a grunt, “Ok boy.”

  Entering the door of the hospital, the first person we saw was Lori. Walking down the hall, Lori called, “Dad, this way.” I told Lee I would see him later. I needed to see Doctor Jones. I went to his office looking around, where was everyone.

  I knocked on the office door. “Come in Tyler,” the doctor said. “Tyler, the state patrol found a body. Remember I told you they were dressed in black suit with a Dimond and a Star? He’s in the back. If he is, what you say?”

  “I can tell you, doctor, if it’s a Palatonian. Everyone around here is lucky.”

  I asked the doctor, “Want me to have a look?” Walking to the morgue, two officers came in. They called to Doctor Jones.

  “Wait here, Tyler,” he said. After speaking to the troopers, Henery came in. The troopers left.

  “You ready, Henery?” The doctor asked.

  Henery asked the doctor, “Why is Tyler going in there?”

  Doctor Jones said, “I asked for his help.”

  Entering the morgue, Doctor Jones said to Henery, “Officer, you are going to see something you’re not going to believe.” Taking the body from the cooler, Henery turned three shades of green.

  Henery said, “I’ll wait for you in your office.”

  Doc said, “Ok Henery.” The body had turned a pale blue.

  Doc said, “He looks like a human to me.” I told him humans have red and white blood cell.

  I asked for a syringe. Taking his arm, I took what was to be his blood. Well, what should have been blood. I placed a couple of drop on a slide, placed it under a scope.

  “Look!” Doctor Jones adjusted the scope.

  “Oh my God, what do we do?” I told
him, “please don’t include me. I can’t, sir. If they find me, they will do all kinds of test on me. Tell them I work for you as an assistant.” Walking from the morgue, I went to find Lee.

  Pam and Lori were waiting outside the X-ray.

  “We’re finished Tyler,” Lori said. “Tyler, you want to come in?” She placed the X-ray on the lighted board.

  Lori said, “Looks ok to me.”

  I asked her, “Did you take back and front?”

  She handed me the other X-ray. “See here Lori, the shaded area is dead. Lee has cancer. The white shades are pneumonia. He needs penicillin, five hundred milligrams, three times a day for seven days, then x-ray again. Sorry, Lori.”

  Lori asked me, “You don’t mind if I ask Doctor Jones, do you?” I told her not at all. Lee and I went back home. Henery was waiting at my place.

  Henery asked, “Tyler, why are you here?”

  I said, “I’m waiting for a friend, then I’m going home.”

  Henery said, “Ok. Who is that in the morgue? Doctor Jones said the body needs to be buried right away. I want to know why. Tyler, I think there’s a little more about you than you are letting on. The doctor said he wasn’t human.”

  I asked, “Well, Henery, what do you think?”

  “Hell Tyler, I don’t know what to think. Tyler, are you human?” He asked.

  I asked, “Are you human, officer?”

  Henery said, “I was born here.” I told him I was born on Earth, in another country. I was born in England. Just as I said.

  Henery walked back to his car. He looked over his shoulder. “Tyler, I’ll see you later.”

  Lee came over. “Tyler, what in tarnation is going on?”

  I said, “It’ll pass, Lee. As I said that, I knew it would not.”

  Lori and Pam drove up. Looking at me, she said, “Tyler, you were right.”

  Lori said, “What I want to know is where you learned to read X-rays.”

  Lee asked, “Lori, what did they say?”

  “Dad,” Lori said. “You Old Golds, Pall Mall you got to quit. If you don’t, you will die.”

  Lee replied, “I know honey, I’ve known all alone.”

  Lori looked at me. “Damn it Tyler, I want to know what the hell is going on. In a small quiet town, we never had a problem, then you came to town. We have a dead man in the morgue that appears to be human. Tyler, he is purple; no human turns purple.” By now, others were gathering around. Man, right now I wish I was in the lab on Boldlygo.