QUANTUM LEAP THE SAGA CONTINUES
Dr Sam Beckett looked up to see a car coming right toward him. The car seemed to be headed right toward him with the intention of truly doing him harm. He jumped out of the way just in the nick of time.
Sweating profusely Sam fell and rolled over and looked as the speeding car again turned around and headed right toward him. This time he managed to go in between two parked cars and avoid getting hit all together. Sam didn t want to hang around another minute so he ran around the corner and into a local bar.
"Hey Mike, I thought you were headed home." the bartender said. "You look as though you have been rolling around in the street. What s going on?" he asked.
"I just had a dark colored car try to run me over out there on the street. The car was nearly successful. If I hadn t been able to step in between two parked cars I wouldn t be alive right now." Sam told him.
"Do you know who is out to get you? Do you want me to call the police?" the bartender asked him.
"No that s ok but I could use a ride home. This business has made me a nervous wreck." Sam asked.
"I ll be glad to give you a ride home Mike. I was going to go home in a few minutes anyway." a young man told him as he got down from the bar stool.
Leaping could be confusing and terrifying sometims and Dr Becket never knew where or who he was going to be everytime that he leaped. His friend Al would appear to him as a holagram that only he could see and was the only person that could help him out in his time travels.
Judging from the dress and the talk in and around the bar and the make of the car Sam knew that he had entered the early 1970 s. The car that had almost hit him had been a 1970 or 1971 mustang dark blue with a white convertible top. The car appeared to be new or newer and all the other cars in the area matched the date.
Sam and his new friend got into a 1968 impala wagon that was obviously the family car. The kids toys were all in the back seat and there was dice hanging off the mirror. Sam had no idea where he lived and hadn t been able to find out his real name yet so he was at a total loss.
"Mike I am sorry about what happened to you tonight. I am sure that you have an idea who it was in that dark car. You need to make up or get rid of that girl before she kills you. Believe me this guy Bill is not going to let any dumb broad tell me what to do." he told Sam.
"Well Bill I am sure that everything will be ok she wont be trying anything more tonight." he told his friend.
They then pulled up to a small white house with a front porch with a swing and plants hanging in the front. This house was obviously a family home as there were toys in the front yard and a fireman safety in the window. "Thanks Bill. See you later." Sam told the man with a smile and headed into the house.
When he went inside the home was dark so he reached around the corner and turned on the light. He picked up the mail on the desk and started to look at it when he heard a car outside. He looked out the window of the front door and to his surprise saw the mustang that had tried to run him down earlier. The car stopped out in front and a young woman walked up the walkway and went into the house.
"Well Mike I can see that you had another one of your wild nights at the bar. What did you do fall down in the mud?" the woman asked him with a snarl.
"No, it seems to me that a certain woman in a mustang tried to run me over tongiht. You wouldn t by chance know who that might be would you?" Sam asked her.
"If I had meant to hit you you wouldn t be here right now believe me. That was some trick going in between two cars to get away from me." she told him.
"What do you want from me?" Sam asked.
"I want you go grow up go to work come home and be a husband and father. Is that really too much to ask?" she shouted. "You are never home and when you come home you are usually drunk and want nothing to do with me or the kids." she shouted.
"I do try to take care of my family. It s just hard and taking a little time off to have a drink or two isn' t that bad. Is it?" Sam asked her in a sweet way.
"If you don t change your ways we are through Mike Kelly. Is that understood? If things don' t get better really fast my name will be Sara Blake again. I will no longer be Sara Kelly and the children and I will move as far away as we can get. Is that understood?"
"Sara for that I am very sorry and I promise that everything is about to change. Let s sleep on this and we will talk in the morning." Sam told her as he tried to stay cheerful.
As Sam went into the kitchen he was met by his friend Al. "What s going on. Do you know why I leaped here? he asked him.
"Your name is Mike Kelly. The date is March 15 1973. You're thirty-two years old married to Sara and you have two children Mike Jr and Lori. You have been laid off from your job at a local tool manufacturing company for the last three months and you are in very bad debt. Uh Oh things are about to get worse. if we cant do something to stop the near future you are going to lose everything you own and your family." Al told him.
"What is going to happen? Sam asked him earnestly.
"I am afraid that if we can't stop things from happening the way that they happened in two days your wife and children will leave you. They will only get down the road about a mile where they will go off the road and get killed instantly, all of them." Al told him.
This leap was going to be a challenge. His wife hated him and he wondered about the kids. How did they feel about him? Was he really a bad guy or just down and out with no future ? He had to do something to make things better for everyone.
CHAPTER 2
Sam woke to the smell of bacon and eggs and good coffee. This was going to have to be the best day he could make for his family. No matter what he must keep them together so that the tragedy could be avoided.
"Good morning everyone." Sam came into the kitchen where his two children and wife were all seated and had already started their breakfast.
"Hi daddy" Lori said with a smile. She then ran over to him and gave him a big hug.
"Hi dad" his son said as he wolfed down his meal.
"You don t have to eat that fast. Take time to chew my goodness." Sara said to him.
"So what is happening today? I have the day to spend with my family. What would you all like to do?" Sam asked his new family. 'It is so hard jumping into a family. You know so little about them.' he thought to himself.
"I would love to go to the park." Lori told him.
"That would be great. We could have a picnic and spend the day." Sara said with a smile.
Sam looked at the newspaper and was looking at the want ads when Al showed up . "Al do you have information for me?" he asked "What do I enjoy doing? Do you have any suggestions for the type of job I should take?"
"Ziggy says that you have been putting off going to work at your brother's gas station and that you should take it. She says that your brother has been holding the job for weeks hoping that you will take it. Soon he will have to hire someone new and the business will fold." Al told him.
"What is going on? Is his business doing poorly? Perhaps it isn t such a good idea." Sam told him.
"No. Apparently, with the gas shortages and rationing that they are now experiencing times are tight but he could ride out the storm with a little bit of financial aid. Ziggy says that if you could offer your brother a partnership, the new money would allow the gas station to modernize and become a first rate convenience store gas station." Al told him.
"I am sorry Sara I need to go to the bank before it closes." I promise that I will be right back." Sam told her.
"Promise?" Sara said.
"Promise." Sam told her and gave her a quick kiss.
Sam s brothers gas station was just two blocks from his home. It was the type of station that Sam remembered from long ago. The old pumps with a tiny building and chairs outside. He now kenw what Al was talking about, the station needed updates badly. As he pulled into the driveway he saw the man that must be his brother waiting on a customer. The line was unbelievable as this was an odd day and everyone with an odd numbered license plate could get gas. He had nearly forgotten about those bad days.
"Hi Tom. Let me help you out here for a minute." Sam told him with a smile.
Tom and Sam worked side by side for nearly an hour before they finally had time to talk to each other.
"Tom I am here with a business proposition." Sam told him. "I would like to invest in your business let it be modernized. Perhaps add a convenience store and go to work for you." Sam told him.
"It is a ton of work as you can see and the business is here. But can you afford it?" Tom asked.
"This morning I went to the bank checked my accounts and spoke to the loan officer. The bank says that it sounded like a good idea and to have you and me come in on Monday. Are you interested in the deal?" Sam asked.
"Yes thanks." Sam and Tom hugged and Sam then left.
When Sam got home he was surprised to find no one at home. He looked on the kitchen table and found a note from Sara:
Mike
If you are still interested we have left for the picnic. This is just normal for you I should have known. If you are at the bar ah forget it.
'Great. I don t even know where the park is. Al Al where are you?' he thought to himself.
Like Al was known to do he showed up at few minutes later with more information for Sam. "I have more information for you. The bank will want some collateral and this house is in your wife s name only. She inherrited it over ten years ago and the name on the deed was never changed. You will have to speak to her about the loan for the business." he told Sam.
"Ok I can live with that. But right now what information is needed is where is the park that my children and wife have gone to? If I don't she and the kids will certainly leave me." Sam told him.
Al looked at his device and saw that the most likely park that they had gone to was Foxtrot a park not too far from the house where there were picnic tables a small zoo and a pool. He gave Sam the directions and off they headed to the park together.
The park waw large but Sam and Al found the family car and Sara and the kids out by the picnic tables sitting down getting ready to eat. He waved hi and they waved back all smiling. "
'This is good' Sam thought.
The day was spent with his children and he was surprised to find out what a good swimmer he was. Sara responded in kind and the day was too short the time was so fantastic.
When they arrived back at the house and the two kids had gone to bed Sam took a sit next to Sara on the couch.
"I have something to discuss with you . Our family is in danger of losing everthing we have soon if we don't do something about our financial situation. My brother would like me to go into business with me again and I am considering it once again." Sam told her.
"He has been trying to get you to join him for years. But the time isn't right just now. With the gas shortage and everyting what will our future bring? We can not put out family in danger can we?" she asked.
Al looked over at Sam and encouraged him on "Keep talking Sam. She must listen to you. or else." he said.
"You see I do think that the time is right and that this is the time to invest in a new station. Perhaps a station with a convenience store attatched where we could sell some smaller items along with the gasoline." Sam told Sara.
"How much would that all cost? You know that we have depleted almost all of our bank accounts. Will the bank be willing to take a chance on us? You have been out of work for some time now. They will consider that you know." Sara said perplexed.
"That is where you come in. I know that sometimes things have been hard around here but perhaps with a little help we could get a lower rate loan." Sam asked.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked Sam.
"I was wondering if it would be best for us to use the house as collateral for a loan to get the business going. Tom would be willing to finance thirty percent of the new addition. If we pay for seventy percent of the new addition he would be willing to split the business assetts fifty fifty." Sam said. I think that it is a good deal."
"The problem is you and me. We get along like two cats fighting over one fish or two dogs fighting over a bone. We fight all the time and then you go out to the bar and get drunk. You haven't worked in months and the bills. The bills are getting out of hand. Whether or not it is in the best interest of the family the time is getting short that I will have to go to work." Sara told her husband with a sigh.
"I know Sara. I have not been there for you like I should. However things can change and with a little work we could make a go of the business. The station is at a busy corner it just needs to be modernized to be a financial success." Sam told her.
"The only way that this considered would be if you let me go to work there at least part time so that I could have some of my own money. Everytime that I need to get something for myself like a child I have to ask for it. None of the money is mine it is all yours. You don't know what it is like to have someone say to you that they don't think you need something. This is because the money is all yours and if I want it I need to practically beg you." Sara told her with a tone of urgency.
"That is not true. What is yours is yours and what is mine is yours. This house is yours the car is yours and our family is ours. We need to share things." Sam told her.
"Well if you think that I am going to put up the only thing that I own in the world that is truly mine as collateral and have no say in the business. the answer is no. NO NO NO." She yelled at Sam and slammed the bedroom door.
Sam tried to open the door but she had locked it. "Come on Sara we need to talk. Please open the door." he knocked for a good five minutes and went to the living room where apparently he was going to have to spend the night.
If things didn't change and change quickly his family was going to die in an accident tomorrow. Sam knew that back in the 70 s women still had little rights and that if he didn't approach the bank and Sara correctly everything would go wrong and he would soon be a widower with no family at all. This couldn 't happen.
Just as Sam was about to go to sleep Al showed up "I have some more bad news for you Sam. Sorry to be the carrier of such bad news but Ziggy says that you and Sara have less than a twenty-five percent chance that you will get that loan and that the station will be out of business in three years. The bank will want to have your name put on the house and Sara will refuse it." He told him.
"That is so unfair. She owns the house and has the money. From what I understand most of the money if not all of the money in the bank belongs to Sara. I need to go to the bank on Monday with Sara and take care of this problem." Sam said in a worried tone.
"Ziggy says that if the bank is going to agree to the terms you are going to need to draw a plan up. Put it all in writing everything that you want to add make it up like the gas stations that you remember from around fifteen years ago." Al told him.
Sam spent the rest of the night on the couch and although he tossed and turned most of the night he did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep. He knew that this was the day that he would have to change the family history or tragedy would befell them.
Sara came down into the living room and took a seat in the chair next to Sam. "We need to talk. This is not going to work. If we don't start getting along better I am going to take the kids and leave. Once you have settled down we will come back and live in the house but I will not stay here another minute if things won't change now."
"I have been thinking all night and you are right. We need to get our act together and perhaps there is a soloution to our problem." Sam told her with a quimsical look.
"Go on I am listening." Sara told him.
While Sam had been at the house alone he had found several drawings that had been made by Sara. They were very well drawn, so he thought he might have an idea.
"If we are going to be able to convince the bank of our plans, we will need to make plans of our own. You have a great talent for drawing and so what I need you to do is to help draw up some of the plans for the new station." Sam told her.
"You would want me to draw up plans? It will take some work and you Tom and I would have to get together with what is to be added, the style of the station and the location of the items. We could not possibly do it in a day." she told him.
"Tom is coming over today and we can discuss this with him. I asked him to bring the information on the size of the lot and anything specific that he would like to have done to modernize the station. He has been planning this for months. It is all in his head right now and he could use someone with talent to put it to paper. Are you game? Sam asked with a big question on his face.
"That sounds good to me. I am more than willing to give it a try, and feel much better since you are allowing me to have some imput into the plans. I know that the house is in my name but it is truly both yours and mine. Everything in this marriage is ours." Sara told him with a smile.
CHAPTER 3
Tom came over and they went over all the plans. There was many many things that had to be planned, the location of the pumps. the things that the store was going to sell, the entrance and exit, the different licences that needed to be obtained the list went on and on.
Sam was pleased to find out how talented Sara was and how knowledgeable Tom was about the business. They spent the day going over items for sale prices possible distributers different types of pumps. They even looked at a new pump that was self service.
Seven hours later they all leaned back and thought that they had some good plans all drawn up. Sara had done all the drawings Tom had all the knowledge of the business and Sam he turned out to be quite mathmatical. The three of them would make a good partnership.
"Well tomorrow morning will be the day of truth. We will bring all the proposals to the bank and with any luck we will be opening a brand new station within six months." Sam said and waited for the leap but nothing happened.
Sam couldn't understand why he hadn't leaped he thought his job was done. They had been hard at work all day and there had been no accident and the plans were good and solid they should work.
"I am going to get some supper." Sara said as she left to go into the kitchen.
"Tomorrow 9 am right?" Tom asked. " We will meet at tbe bank ok? Keep your fingers crossed." and with that he left to go home.
Everything seemed fine at home and Sam then had to reapproach Sara about how they were going to finance the station. Sam knew that no matter what they were going to need a large deposit and the house as collateral and he knew that this was a very sore subject. 'After dinner' he thought.
Once the kids had gone to bed Sam sat down next to Sara on the couch to talk about the finances again. She was a pretty lady and had kept herself up over the years. Even though she had fallen on some hard times she still kept what Sam called a classy stance. He could see why he would have loved this lady very much.
"Sara we need to talk. All the work we did today shows me that we can work together. However, we are now going to need the finances to show the bank that we are serious about making this new station work. They are going to be tough with the gas rationing that is going on now. They may not want to take a chance with a small station." Sam told her.
"I have thought that over and the house is an option but please lets try to make that the last resort. After all Tom has owned the business for over ten years and you have worked for him on and off for all that time. You have the mathmatical degree we should be ok." Sara told him. She sighed and then told him "If I have to put up the house I want a full partnership. You see our relationship has been poor for so long I think that in the best interest of me and the children my name should be on the business as a full partner.
"I don't think that is such a good idea Sara. Perhaps we could work something else out but a full partnership for a woman in a gas station? Why?" Sam asked her.
"As I stated before. Our marriage is not that good a marriage and if we do split at some time in the future not only will I then have to face the fact that you own half the house and will need to be compensated but the business will be in your name and I will get nothing or very little. Probably find myself unemployed and unemployable in the area because of the business and at your mercy again." Sara told him with a frown.
"That would not happen I promise." Sam tried to reassure her.
"I am sorry but that is my terms." Sara repeated.
With that Sam decided it would be best to talk to Tom about what Sara had said. 'Sara is smart' Sam thought. She knows what can happen to a woman that has little or no say in a business if as a couple they break up. The man wins the company three out of four times half the house or more and then the wife has to depend on child support to live. There have been and probably always be cases of the men selling the business at a loss just so that their wife gets nothing. 'This is the 70 s and everthing leans toward the men at this point' he reminded himself.
Tom came over and sat at their kitchen table and listened intently. " I do not think that any bank would consider allowing Sara to be a co owner of a gas station. There are no woman owners of any that I know of and she has little or no experience." he told them.
"That is not true. I take care of my family pay bills balance a budget with very little money replenish stock (albeit a smaller portion) on a daily basis. I too went to the community college that you attended and have a business degree." Sara said in earnest. "Why wouldn't they consider me? Not only is this a good investment I can do most of the work from my home. All of the ordering of products can be done right from here. I can add a business line right to the house and take care of most of the business end without even coming in for more than a few hours a day." she argued.
Tom looked over at Sam and then at Sara and shrugged his shoulders "I hope you can be as convincing at the bank as you were here. You do make some valid arguments and with the store we will need another employee. Someone will need to run the register and take the money for the convenience items." Tom told her.
"Don't forget. If we get the self service pumps you will be available to run the register yourself. This will be a whole different world." Tom told them and they all shook hands.
Again Sam expected to leap and nothing happened. He couldn't figure it out everything seemed to be working ok. He was glad to see Al appear. "Al, why am I not leaping? I worked all day with Sara and Tom and I think that everything is going to work. What is going on."
"Ziggy says there is an eighty percent chance that you are not leaping because of your marriage. It is still rocky. Remember the day you leaped a car tried to run you over?" Al asked. Uh oh Sam something really bad is going on. It might not have been your wife driving. Ziggy says that she is ninety percent sure that Sara is having strong feelings toward Tom. They are the ones that are about to take you for a ride I think/"
"Tom and Sara" Sam said "Are you sure? They sure didn't act as though they had anything to hide." Sam told him.
"Ziggy says that they have been meeting together for weeks. I would confront them before going ahead with this business adventure. Something is stopping you from leaping." Al told him.
Sam walked around pacing worrying. How could he approach is brother and wife about them having an affair? How could he save his marriage and yet save his fate? His family was going to have to come first no matter what.
Sam picked up the phone and asked Tom to come over again. This needed to be settled right now before they went to the bank.
Tom was surprised to hear that his brother wanted him to come back over. He was tired and really didn't want to come. But, Mike sounded so urgent he knew he needed to come over there again.
Sara and Tom sat down on the couch and Sam sat on the chair in front of them. 'This is a tender subject' he thought to himself and then he began to speak. "Before we go into business together I must approach a subject with you. Now, I am not accusing anyone of doing anything wrong however. word around town is that the two of you have been seen together on several occassions."
"You have been spying on me Mike? What the hell do you think you are doing? We could never go into business if we cannot trust each other." Tom yelled. "I would rather have the business go under then go to business with a brother who thinks I am cheating on him with his wife."
"Hold on. Tom we need to tell Mike the truth and let him know what is going on." Sara looked over at Mike and started to tell him the whole truth.
"We have been hurting financially and emotionally for quite some time now, but I knew that the biggest problem we were facing at this time is the financial one. You were too stuborn to ask your brother for his help and I knew it. So, behind your back for the last few months I have been keeping Tom's books and doing all the ordering for his business. It has given us some very badly needed money and also given me the experience that the bank would need before giving out a business loan." Sara explained.
"Were you planning on going into the business with Tom all along?" Sam asked.
"We were going to approach you again and yes that was a consideration. " Tom told his brother.
"I was going to leave you and stay with Tom until you could get yourself together and then start the new station if things didn't get any better between you and me. " Sara said as she looked down quite embarassed.
"And now what do you think? Am I still a welcome partner?" Sam asked.
Sara ran over and gave him a big hug and cried out "Yes of course this is what your brother and I have always wanted." and with that Sam leaped to his next person.
"