The Sun Stone....
"Discovery"
The Eagle
“Mom, he’s picking on me again,” Theresa complained to her mother as she came running towards the trailer.
“Leave your sister alone.” Helen scolded Theresa’s younger brother Peter, who was following her. “Why don’t you kids go look for some nice rocks for your collections? I’ll bet there are some nice ones down by the river. But be back in a couple of hours in time for dinner.” Helen had been busy cleaning up around the trailer, and was adjusting one of the awning poles as she spoke
1955.... a Black American family is on vacation at a campground in Laredo Texas on the banks of the Rio Grande river.
“I wish we could have gone to that new Disneyland that’s opening instead of camping in Laredo,” Peter said to Theresa.
“That’s just for those rich white kids in California.” Theresa answered.
“Yeah, but I’m going to go there someday.” Peter said.
“So am I.” Theresa responded, as the kids started skipping down the trail in unison. As they talked about the wonders of Disneyland, Peters pestering came to a stop. In a few more minutes they both stopped skipping as they came to a fork in the trail with two signs nailed to a wooden post.
Disneyland opened in July of 1955 to the wonder of all children. World War II had been over for about ten years, and American society was on the brink of change.
One pointed to the left and said Rio Grande .5 and the other, pointing in the opposite direction read Eagle Rock .8. “Mom said to go to the river.” Theresa said as they stood reading the signs.
“But she said to go get rocks.” Her brother reminded her. “And that sign says that rocks are that way.” That was enough to convince Theresa and they headed off towards Eagle Rock.
“I wonder if we’ll see any Eagles.” Theresa said to Peter.
“Why do you think they call it Eagle Rock Terri?” He teased. “Of course we’ll see some Eagles.”
It was already three thirty in the afternoon when the kids reached the end of Eagle Rock trail. The trail was heavily wooded, and you could not see much until you got to the trails end. Reaching the last of the trees, the kid’s got to see Eagle Rock for the first time. It was a small rock formation off in the distance with the Sun directly over it. Eagle Rock was not too big, but there wasn’t much else to compare it to in the area, which made it look relatively important. “Is that an Eagle?” Peter asked, straining to see, and pointing to a branch sticking out of the side of the rock.
“I don’t think so,” Terri answered as they both ran towards it through the meadow to get a better look.
In a couple of minutes, they were at the edge of the meadow that dropped off ahead like a cliff. They agreed that the branch sticking out of the rock was not an Eagle. “We’d better get back,” Terri said after they had studied the rock off in the distance for a while. “There aren’t any Eagles there anyway.” She remarked, but as she turned and took a step, her foot went right into the ground. She stopped falling in as her bottom hit the grass. Peter pulled her out of the ground, unhurt, and they both wondered what had happened. Brushing herself off and pulling herself together, Terri said “That’s scary, Peter, what do you think it is.”
“It’s a hole in the ground, silly” Peter answered “If you fall in; you’ll go right through to China.”
Racing back across the meadow, towards the trail to the campground, the kids were once again in perfect agreement. “We should…have gone to…Disneyland,” Peter huffed as he ran.
Terri responded in like fashion, speaking between breaths…”We should have …. gone to Disneyland …. Peter.”
Reaching the trail, they both came to a stop and started to walk back to the campground. “Do you know what mom is making for dinner” Peter asked.
“Hot Dogs and beans, I think.” was the answer. “Yucky.”
After dinner that night, they were all around the camp fire, and their father told a story about some Indians that used to live there. “Did you kids know that a long time ago, the river covered this whole campground” he said, “And that there were Elephants roaming out there on the desert 10,000 years ago?”
“Yeah, dad, and ‘Lions and Tigers and Bears’,“ Peter added.
To which Theresa quickly recited an obligatory “Oh my.” holding her hands up to her face imitating Judy Garland and completing the sentence.
This led to some laughter and a series of knock knock jokes and more laughter. Mom kept inviting everyone to sing Gene Autry songs, to no avail. It was the kind of time that a family would remember all of their life.
“The moon seems much brighter than it is back in New York,” Helena said to Jorge, her husband, who was relaxing by the remaining fire. The kids usually called them Helen and George. Jorge was from a black Puerto Rican family in New York City. He had joined the United States Air Force in 1950, mainly because of his love of flying. He was a Lieutenant stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio as a flight instructor. It was ok for a man to be black in the Air Force in 1955. It was another thing altogether to be a black man in Texas out side of the Air Force. So going by George and Helen seemed like the safer thing to do.
The United States military had recently initiated a program of racial equality. The author experienced the results of that program in 1965 as a member of the United States Air Force.
Helena was cleaning up, and getting ready for her and Jorge to go to bed in the trailer. “Mom, I wish we had gone to Disneyland instead,” Theresa yawned as she rolled over to a more comfortable position in her sleeping bag.
“I think I heard an Elephant,” Peter joked. “Get to sleep, kids”
Helen said, “By the way, did you find any rocks?”
“No, but I think I’ll go back again tomorrow.” Theresa answered. Theresa then turned one last time and thought to herself…. “I wonder where that hole in the ground does go.”
The Hole in the Ground
The following morning, Theresa was awakened by the smell of bacon sizzling in a pan on the Coleman stove. She could hear birds chirping along with the crackling sound of the bacon as she turned and stretched, waking up. Peter was still fast asleep in his sleeping bag a few feet away, oblivious to the activities already going on.
“Good morning, Terri.” Helen said, as she turned the bacon holding the handle of the cast iron pan protecting her hand with her apron, “What do you think you’ll want to do today?”
“I don’t know, I think I’ll go look for some more rocks.” Terri replied, as she yawned and unzipped her sleeping bag. “Mom, did you ever see an Eagle?” Terri questioned, stretching as she climbed out of the bag.
“Sure I have.” Helen answered, and then suggested…. “I think there’s a place called Eagle Rock down by the river. Why don’t you go there today?”
“Actually, Mom, Peter and I were there yesterday, but we didn’t see any Eagles.” Terri was now happily able to confess. “But, I’ll go back today and look again.”
“Ok honey but I think Peter and your dad want to go fishing.”
“Mom, you know I don’t like hurting animals.” Terri scolded her mother.
After breakfast, Theresa walked down the path to Eagle Rock alone. The hole she had stepped in was still on her mind, and she was determined to see what it was all about. She took her time, however, enjoying the time alone as she walked. “Hi there Birds.” she said as several flew, in unison, from a tree as she approached. Theresa was amazed at how the birds all turn at the same time, first to the left, and then to the right. Flying up and down but never bumping into each other.
Reaching the meadow again at end of the path, Theresa forgot about the hole in the ground for a while and playfully chased a butterfly as it darted from one flower to the next. Tiring from her chase, she laid on her back in the grass with her eyes closed and her arms stretched out, feeling the warm sun on her face and hands. She remembered that fish did the same thing as birds, moving as if they were all the same fish and never bumping into each other. Opening her eyes, she now studied the clouds moving across the sky, finding one that looked like a fish, another like a bird and even a butterfly. “Someday, I’m going to fly, just like daddy and the birds.” Theresa said out loud. Then, remembering the reason she had come back; the hole, she got up and headed towards the place where it was.
“I know this is where it was.” Theresa thought to herself as she got up and started again to look for the place where she had fallen in yesterday. “Perhaps it’s the same rabbit hole that Alice in Wonderland fell into. There may be all sorts of funny characters in there. I’ll bet there’s an elephant in a waistcoat, and eagles at a birthday party,” Theresa thought as she searched and searched for the hole.
The search took a lot longer than Theresa had expected in the morning. She walked and walked thinking that she must be close to the place where she had fallen into the hole yesterday. A brown rabbit scurried across the meadow right in front of her, so close, that for a second, she tried to catch it. Then she spent more time watching birds and thinking about Alice in Wonderland and, of course, Disneyland. In a few minutes she was walking back and forth across the meadow looking for the hole. “It was probably just a regular rabbit hole.” Theresa said to herself out loud as she began to get hungry and decided to head back to camp for a lunch break. It was only a mile back to the trailer and Terri forgot all about the hole as she walked along the now familiar tree lined path, thinking now only about lunch.
Peters Flashlight
“I’m back mom.” Terri called out as she approached the trailer. “I’m ready for lunch.”
“Ok honey.” Helena said. “Did you have fun this morning?”
“Yes, but I have been looking for something that I can’t find.” Terri said wondering to herself if she should tell her mother about the hole, or keep it to herself.
“I’m sure you’ll find if it’s meant to be.” Helena said as she came out of the trailer with a plate of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, setting them on the red and white checkered table cloth.
But before they could continue the discussion, Peter and Jorge appeared with fishing gear and a galvanized bucket containing several fish. “Here’s your dinner girls,” Jorge announced, proudly setting the bucket on the table cloth with the swagger of a cave man.
“Get that dirty thing off the table and sit down for lunch.” Helena quickly scolded Jorge.
“Is the fishing good here?” Terri asked Peter, hoping, by changing the subject, to rescue her father from his mistake.
“Can’t you see!” was Peter’s quick “Smart Alec” response, pointing to the bucket that his dad was now obediently picking up and moving over by the trailer door.
After lunch, Helena and Jorge took a walk and Terri and Peter stayed at the trailer planning the afternoon. “Peter, can I borrow your new flashlight?” Terri, expecting another "Smart Alec" response, asked her brother.
“Sure, Terri,” was Peter’s uncommonly courteous answer.
The flashlight was a brand new USA Light ‘Lone Ranger signal siren’ model that Peter had just received for his birthday before the camping trip. It had pictures of the Lone Ranger and Tonto on the sides, and the end cap was a siren that you could blow to signal a friend or call for help in an emergency. There was a short pause as Terri and Peter both wondered if Peter had somehow let his guard down, being nice to his sister. “But if you look in that hole, a monster with big hairy hands will reach up and grab you by the arm, and pull you in.” Peter, now true to form stated.
“I think I’ll go back to Eagle Rock again this afternoon, mom.” Terri said after her parents got back from their walk.
“Ok, darling, but be careful.” Helena answered. “By the way, Terri, some of those rocks you have found are beautiful.”
“Peter, do you want to go with me?” Terri asked her brother, who thought for a moment but then said
“No way, dad and I are going to cut the heads off the fish and take out their guts!”
Terri took a basket to gather some more stones and told her mom that she would bring a piece of Cholla cactus back as well. “Don’t get hurt touching cactus.” Helena cautioned. “But have fun, and be back by five for dinner.”
“Peter, can I have the flashlight now?” Terri asked Peter who was relaxing on his bed in the trailer reading a comic book.
She was again surprised when he said. “Ok,” carefully handing the precious instrument to her.
“Do you want me to bring back some cactus for you?” she asked, as she placed the flashlight in the basket and started to walk away.
“No thanks.” Peter answered.
Terri took another step and Peter said “Hey Terri!”
Preparing herself for the expected comment about the monster, Theresa curtly answered. “Yes, Peter.”
“Look and see if there is an eagle on the rock this time. I’ve got a funny feeling that there’ll be one there today.”
“Ok.” Terri answered as she dropped her guard and turned once again to go.
“Oh, Terri.” Peter again stopped her mid step.
“Yeah, Pete.” Terri answered, exposing her total vulnerability for an attack by using the name ‘Pete’.
“Reach in the hole with the flashlight, and the monster will be right there waiting to grab you by the arm and pull you in.”
“Ohhh, why do I let him do that?” Terri scolded herself as she sulked away feeling like a wounded animal.
It’s got to be here
“How did he know there would be an eagle here today?” Terri said to herself as she once again got to the now familiar meadow and saw that there was an eagle circling high above Eagle Rock. Remembering that yesterday, she had walked up to look at Eagle Rock before falling into the hole, Theresa tried to retrace her steps. She stopped when she was right at the place where she remembered seeing the hole yesterday.
Terri watched the eagle as it glided in the warm July air, around and around the rock Then, after looking right at her, the eagle held its wings out to slow its flight, and landed right on the branch that the kids had seen yesterday. Theresa was certain that the large bird was staring directly at her. She stared back at the eagle herself for a moment speaking to it with out uttering any words as she usually did while talking to animals. “There it is.” Terri said out loud to herself as she finally turned her eyes away from the eagle and immediately saw the hole. “I knew I’d find it.”
Terri walked up to the hole carefully. She knew that there were probably not any monsters in it. She also knew that there was no such thing as the “Bed” monster at home either, but that never stop her from jumping quickly from a distance into bed to avoid his dreaded grasp. Kneeling down to get closer, she came nearer and nearer to the hole. As she looked in all she could see was black. The hole was just big enough to fit her small leg, and she in fact was surprised that she could have fit in it. Mustering up all of her courage and without waiting, Theresa put her hand right into the hole and moved it around. “Whew…” she sighed as no monster was there to grasp her. She did notice however that the air was decidedly cooler in the hole than it was outside and she quickly removed her hand checking it to make sure that it was ok.
Now she was getting interested. Terri looked and looked but there was no light whatsoever inside. Remembering the flashlight, she got it from the basket. She slid the switch to turn it on and pointed it at the hole. That didn’t help at all, and she knew that she would need to reach in with the light if she was going to see anything. She also knew that if there was a monster, he would be attracted by the light. Fighting back the fear again, Terri reached in with the light gripped carefully in her hand and moved it around slowly. All she could see however was the beam of light piercing the darkness.
“So much for that.” she thought as she put the flashlight back in the basket. She picked up the basket and started to go to the place where she had seen the cactus and she noticed the eagle was still watching her from its perch on the side of the rock.” Do you know what’s inside that hole?” Theresa spoke out loud to the eagle. Just then the eagle took off from the branch and flew off towards the sun now getting low on the horizon….
It’s the only way!
Theresa got back to camp just as it was getting close to Five O’clock and found her mom preparing the fish for dinner. She set the basket on the table and showed her mother all the stones she had collected along with a few pieces of Cholla cactus. They had a nice chat, and then Terri went inside with the basket to return the flashlight to Peter. Helen continued preparing the fish that the boys had caught for dinner.
“Nothing.” Terri answered. “It was too dark to see anything.”
“No Terri, it wasn’t too dark, it was too light!” Peter responded assuredly. “My science teacher told us that our eyes need to adjust to the dark for us to see.” Peter went on. “That’s why we can’t see stars in the daytime, but we see them at night.” As Peter examined the flashlight, he explained that Terri would have to go there at night to see inside the hole.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Terri said out loud to herself.
“Because you’re a girl, silly! I’ll show you what I mean after dinner.”
“Wasn’t that the best Catfish you ever ate honey?” Jorge asked Helena when dinner was done.
“Honestly?” Helena questioned.
“Yes, honestly.” Jorge responded.
“Honestly, I’d have to say that that was the best piece of Catfish I ever ate.” Helena continued noting Jorge’s pride as she continued to clean up after dinner. “Hey, kids.” Helena called out to Peter and Theresa who had walked over by a tree with the flashlight. “After I clean-up, we can play Monopoly.
“Ok mom.” The kids answered unexcitedly in unison.
“Watch this Terri.” Peter said shining the flashlight at a boulder a few feet from the tree. “What do you see?”
“I don’t see anything.” Theresa responded.
“That’s the point.” Peter answered. “If it was dark, you would see the light in the rock. At night, your eyes would adjust, and you would see the light that is already there.”
Then the kids walked back to the trailer where Helen was just finishing up. “Can you get the Monopoly game, Terri, it’s in the drawer under the front bed.” Helen asked as the kids approached.
“Ok Mom.” Theresa answered as Peter started to blow into the siren at the end of his flashlight….
Continued....
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The Light of the Morning
Copyright 2003 by D. McDaniel Hayden
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information and retrieval systems, without written permission of the author.
Except that the excerpt included herein, from The Light of the Morning....The Sun Stone, entitled "Discovery" may be freely copied electronically or mechanically and distributed, so long as this copyright page, and the Web address www.LightoftheMorning.com is included along with said copy.
The names Qxiote, Huxel, Manna, Teritti, Manatoya, Teqoias, and others used in this book are fictitious and created by the author. The names of Aten, Akhenaton, Nefertiti and Amarna are actual people, places and things from ancient Egypt.