Solutions: A Dog's Dilemma by James Gerard (book suggestions .TXT) 📕

As the moments passed he quickly scanned what was around him, but could not divert his attention for too long in fear of the road and its ruts.  Off in the distance he could see foothills, maybe mountains.  Off to one side of the road he scanned a broken utility pole with electrical lines draped over a splintered stump.  He saw what looked like corn stalks but couldn’t be sure.  It they were stalks they sort of looked in relatively good shape despite of what Jack had told him about the drought, but then again, he knew nothing about farming.

As the convoy continued down the dusty road there were other crops spotted but he wasn’t too sure what they were.  What he was sure about was the sweat dripping off brows and moisture building up in his clothes from the inside out.

He glanced at the bare dashboard but did not spot anything that looked like an air conditioner control.  There was no radio but reasoned that was okay because he would not expect to hear any favorite songs from some oldies station.  As far as engine temperature, fuel level, RPMs, speed, he would have a pretty good idea of each if the truck suddenly broke down or crashed since the hands in the gauges were motionless.  For that matter, he thought, where’s the seatbelt?  I guess no Highway Patrol to worry about.

As the road knocked the truck about with its ruts and dips, he turned his thoughts back to God.  What do I know about you?  You created everything, right?  Noah and the flood.  David slew Goliath.  You gave Moses the Ten Commandments.  Adam and Eve ate an apple they weren’t supposed to.  You have a Son named Jesus.  Jesus hung on a cross.  What else?   He pondered over what he had read and reasoned he still had trouble getting past the language and getting to the understanding.  So, he thought what if someone comes up to me and asks me to tell them about God?  Well, let me see my child, God is God and that is all you need to know.  Now go and say three Hail Mary and three Our Father prayers and I will see you next week.  Oh, and one other thing the Virgin Mary was Jesus’ mother.

Rick knew he should not be joking about the subject, but he just could not remember much else.  He reasoned if he had gone willingly to church service instead of being dragged there, focused on what was being said and what the priest was asking instead of dreading the kneeling, actually put the pennies in the collection plate instead of faking it so he could go buy some penny candy, actually learned about God, he thought, how much different would my life be?

All of a sudden he sat up straight.  A wave of dread quivered his body.  It’s no joke is it God?  What do you want of me?  Why am I even here?  Can you answer me, show me a sign; do something.  Why have you even let me live?  Why don’t you just get it over with and send me to Hell?

He glanced up looking for something, but the only thing that responded was the truck bouncing over a big dip.  He figured there had to be a way to reach God, but he had no clue how to do it.  His memories were confessions said to the priest in the confessional booth, the priest doled out the specific prayers to recite and how many times to recite them.  He had no idea where God came into the picture.  In fact, he wondered, was God even there?

Serious doubts quickly flooded his thoughts.  He at least knew that it was not a good idea to offend God even though he had done so countless times in the past.  All of a sudden the seriousness of what he was doing here gripped his mind with fear.  "This is absolutely no joke," he whispered, looked out the window to the blue above.  "I’m sorry." 

A loud blasting of horns brought his attention to the reality before him.  The trucks in front of him began to slow then suddenly stopped.  He hit the brakes, shifted to neutral, and brought the lumbering beast to a halt.

The momentary silence was broken by shouts of glee coming from up ahead.  I guess we’re here, he thought.  He realized there was no turning back, no running or hiding this time.  It was time to confront the unknown.  Rick took a deep breath and looked straight ahead.  “Oh my God,” he whispered, “can you help me with this?”

In asking, Rick was not sure at all what he wanted help with except to just get in and out before making himself into a fool.  Maybe just to be able to enjoy the experience as a tourist might, he reasoned.  Maybe, just this time, just for once in my life I simply don’t mess things up.

 Rick looked ahead.  Jack and Amanda exited their vehicle and waved to a man just ahead of them.  Men, women, and children, all smiling widely came rushing toward them.  He wondered if they already knew Jack and Amanda or if they were overjoyed with the arrival of provisions.

Jack shouted out and motioned to everyone in the trucks.  Rick followed the line of men ahead of him all the way to Jack.  He got a close up look at all the smiling faces but heard language he could not understand except in the emotional tones it was uttered.   Just sounds of happiness.

Jack spoke to all the drivers but he could not understand.  All the men headed back to their vehicles and Rick supposed he better do the same.  All the trucks ahead of him came to life and rolled slowly down the road and to the left.  Rick quickly followed.  A man motioned to him to park the water truck where directed.  Stepping down from the cab, the other drivers were making their way to the van Jack and Amanda had arrived on.  Next thing he knew they were reversing direction and heading back up the road on which all had arrived.

“Over here,” Jack shouted.

Rick pushed his way through the crowd of people around Jack.  There were voices all around him, yet he noticed none were directed at him.   Jack handed him a small bag and told him to ‘go make friends.’

The bag was filled with all sorts a candy.  Rick looked around and saw a small group of children ahead of him just outside one of the village’s wooden buildings.  As he approached they all ran right at him.  He smiled, prepared himself for the overzealous assault, but they just ran by him and right to Jack.  “Am I invisible?”

“No Rick.  You are clearly visible,” a voice from behind stated.

Rick turned and looked around to match the voice with a face.  The young man was grinning and staring directly at him.  He wondered how he knew his name.  He’s obviously from here, thought Rick.  But who is he?

The man was short yet stocky.  He took a couple of steps towards Rick and extended his hand.

“If you are wondering, my name is Sebastian.”

Rick sized him up from the top of his shoes to the crop of hair on his head.

“Sebastian?” 

The man smiled.  “I know.  I do not look like your typical Sebastian do I?”

Rick laughed.  “I suppose not.  By the way, how do you know my name?”

“We knew you were coming so I have been appointed your interpreter.”

“Are you the one that sent the letter?”

“What letter?”

“You know, the one sent to Jack.”

“I do not know of such a letter.”   Sebastian pointed over to a small building.  “She’s waiting for candy.”

Rick was a bit puzzled until the bag of candy came to mind.  He quickly looked at the structure.  It had a familiar shape.  The structure was framed in wood, with glass windows to the sides of a front door, a small porch covered by the extended roof above and a wooden floor below, and a metal pipe poking out from the level roof.  He kept staring at the open windows to spot a person inside but all that was visible was a black void created by a large tree blocking out the sunlight. 

Rick took a couple of steps closer to the windows but still did not see whoever Sebastian was pointing out.  He wondered what Sebastian was talking about.  Then, there she was.  Like the sun slowly introducing itself with rays of light poking up over the horizon, the crown of a head appeared.  Next a set of brows came into view, then ever so slowly a set of eyes, a nose, and then a beautiful smile made its way over the windowsill.

Rick held out a piece of candy and called out to the little girl, but she maintained a curious position.  He casually crept toward the set of eyes.  With one step the smile, nose, eyes, brows, and crown ducked out of view.   He looked into the open window and could see the mysterious figure.  Rick tossed a piece of candy onto the windowsill but the mysterious figure did not budge.   He smiled and knocked on the windowsill. A small hand crept up and surveyed the surface until the object sought was in hand.  It quickly disappeared.

Another piece was offered with a knock.  The hand again came and went with the sweet treat captured.  Rick then knocked on the windowsill again but held the candy in his hand.  The hand came up and searched, but to no avail.  The hand came up further, then the crown, the brows, a set of eyes, a nose, and finally the lovely little smile.  Her smile beamed rays of happiness as she looked at him.  She was chewing on the sweet treat.  Rick smiled back.  He took the whole bag and stepped back a little so the girl would have to come out and totally reveal herself.  She did not.  Instead, she stayed right at the window, smiling, and chewing on the candy.  Rick put the whole bag on the windowsill and stepped back.

“What’s her name?”

“Her name is Marisol.  Sadly she is….”

A shout thundered from behind.  A woman ran toward Rick.  He could hear the anger in her frantic words and could see it in wild gestures, but he had no idea what was going on.  The woman still shouting, her finger pointing right at him, moved closer.

“All right lady.  Enough,” shouted Rick

Sebastian ran over, stood between Rick and the woman in rage.  He heard Sebastian say something to the woman, and whatever was said had a calming effect on her.

“What’s she so mad at?  How could I’ve messed up already?”

Sebastian just motioned to Rick to stay quiet.  He continued talking to the woman. Calmness returned.

“She's her daughter.  She wants you to stay away from her.”

“But….”

“I know Rick.  I will explain it to you later.”

“I see you’re making friends,” Jack said as he walked toward Rick.

“I was just….”

“It’s