Mr. Roboto
Rapid City, South Dakota. November 6th, 1999.
"You mean it?" Asked a now excited young man between two farm siblings. "We're finally doing our big new year's trip to the big apple?"
"Got that right Gary." Gary's father, Richard Hudson replied happily and just as excited. "While your college and work on the farm has got in the way, and even though you and your sister are adults, that sure doesn't mean we can't still have some good old family fun in New York."
"Sounds great dad," Renée, Gary's older sister said in an ecstatic voice juts like her father. "This is going to be great, it'll be nice to see more of America than just the plains and mountains,"
"That," Responded their mother, Rachel Hudson, while not as excited as her husband and children, was equally looking forward to this excursion from their normal country lives in South Dakota. "and to celebrate Gary's graduation and twenty-ninth birthday. It took longer than usual with you having to work some before getting in, but you made it through and your father and I couldn't be more proud." She said while giving her youngest a hug.
"I just can't think of a better time to go then now," Gary said while looking at a picture in a tourist magazine, "What better time for us to take our long awaited trip then New Year's for the new millennium?"
"While we've made efforts to go in the past, it looks like we made the right choice in the end to finally make our trip during the most important new year's in our lifetimes." Richard responded with optimism. Somehow, he knew this would be a trip neither him nor his family would forget anytime soon.
That night the Hudson's had a get together with immediate family and a few friends to celebrate Gary's graduation with a doctorate in Psychology and a minor in chemical engineering. As well as his twenty-ninth birthday and the announcement of the new year's trip. The family farm was situated on the outskirts of Rapid city and even with the smaller city size, the Hudson's farmed around 400 hectares of land annually and often worked with neighboring farmers to increase produce, livestock, and provide temporary jobs for the area during the growing season. This allowed the family to known throughout the Black hills region and Pennington county. They weren't celebrities but their work was appreciated and greatly recognized by the local community and of various farm associations in western South Dakota. Some even say if it weren't for the Hudson's, Rapid city would need to pick their beans by hand still.
"We'll be flying out of our regional airport just after Christmas," explained Richard to his family and guests at the party. "Then we'll be staying in Manhattan for 8 nights and then coming right back here to tell you all about it."
"I'm just glad you're finally taking that dream vacation you've wanted for so long." Said Travis, Richard's older brother. "You've been working for such a long time here on the farm that you deserve to have some quality fun. Don't worry about the farm, Helen and I will make sure everything's top notch until you get back."
"I appreciate your commitment Travis; you too have been such a big hand with all our operations." Richard thanked his brother and his wife for their offer to handle operations.
"Just don't forget to bring me back a piece of that apple." Travis replied mocking New York's nickname. With laughter coming from most of the guests just after his remark.
"I just hope you'll be able to find another crop duster pilot when I finally get a job after this trip." Gary commented to his uncle with the notion that Travis will find a replacement easily.
"Gary," Travis replied as he came closer to his nephew; "There'll be plenty of other pilots out there for our farm to reach out to when you go. But I'm still glad you choose to take the time to get your pilot license and fly for our crops. I can't think of many others that'd be willing to do that with their spare time." With a touch of pride in his voice in the latter remark.
"Well I had to pay for college somehow." Gary replied with a smirk. Once again, an arouse of laughter could be heard from the guests. After his remark, Gary parted from the small crowd of guests and went over to a small bar to get another drink. As he poured himself another glass of hard cider, he saw his Grandfather Bucyrus reach for the cider but struggle some to grip the bottle properly.
"Here I got this grandpa," Gary said to him as he poured him a new glass.
"I'm just glad I was able to live long enough to see all my grandkids get on with their lives. I'd think by 92 you'd all have your jobs and even a few of ya married by now. Took ya long enough to graduate college." Bucyrus said back in an old-fashioned way not seen much anymore.
"Well grandpa the farm for a while was more important to me." Gary explained back as his main reason for graduating college at an older age than most first students. By the time Gary was finished his Grandmother Agnes slowly came alongside her husband, ready to begin yet another conversation with her special grandson.
"Had to happen one of these days." She began as she looked up a little to him due to their slight height difference. "Nonetheless I'm with your Grandpappy on this one, couldn't be more proud to see you get on with your own life."
"Means a lot to me as well Grandma." Gary thanked her.
"Yue'r a man now, call me Agnes." She sarcastically replied back as Gary felt a little poke from her cane. He knew there was a special connection between him and his grandmother that he didn't get from anyone else in the family. Even with the decades difference in age they acted how any pair of friends would.
"Just don't let Bucyrus go too hard on the cider tonight…Agnes." Gary said with a smile followed by a laugh from his grandmother.
"That's the one thing I'll never get tired of, your sense of humor that only us old folk have these days."
"Maybe that'll change when you bring back a city girl from your trip" Bucyrus butted in from the counter after taking a swig of cider.
"I'll get you great-grandchildren soon enough grandpa," Gary replied to Bucyrus as he had another fun swig of his favorite cider. "But can you give me a little more time? I just graduated college and need to find a job first. If you want great-grandchildren why not ask Renée?"
"I'm still messing with ya," Bucyrus answered in his happy old-man manner that only those from the west get. "Besides I'm drinking."
Gary knew that this was just how his grandparents acted, a collective of knowledge with a touch of cheerfulness and fun-loving enjoyment for the world around them. What more could you want in your oldest relatives?
"But in all seriousness Gary, there is something I've wanted to give you for a long time now, and with your turning 29 and about to get a job somewhere, I can't think of a better time than now for you to have my most prized possession." Bucyrus said in a more serious and focused tone then before. Immediately getting Gary's attention as his grandfather's deviation in behavior, this had to be important or he wouldn't change his character that drastically.
"What do you have for me?" Gary asked unsure of what would be so important to his grandfather. Bucyrus then reached from his belt and pulled from a holster a Colt python revolver, a relic from the 60s and an all too familiar image in the western plains. Gary looked in astonishment at the gun, not because he didn't know his grandfather had it with him. (by this point he's shocked if he doesn't have it with him), but because he'd never think his grandfather would give up something so precious to him.
"Your.. your precious revolver?" Gray asked him still in disbelief. "Look I can't have this; it means too much for you and I can just buy a gun myself…" Bucyrus said nothing has he raised his hand to signal Gary to stop yapping a second and for him to explain his reasoning.
"It's yours now," He stated simply and honestly. "The same gun I bought when I first came to the Dakotas all those years ago. The same one that kept the coyotes at bay and made sure no one messed with the Hudsons. And yes, the same one that saved your grandmother from some out of town punker back in the 50s. But aside from a few trips to the range I barely touch it anymore. Looks like with all the work we've done over the decades no one dares to mess with us. But that can't be said for outside this region, who knows what you'll find out there one your own assuming you leave town." He looked down at that last statement, sad to see one of his youngest blood relatives now going with their new life.
"Grandpa," Gary still at a lose for words at what would be the most personal gift he could've received at this party. "I don't know what to say."
"Your face is enough." Bucyrus said sincerely with a smile, know that this was more than special to his grandson.
"I have no need for it anymore, I bought that to feel protected and to resolve my fears of what was out here. I'm not afraid of anything anymore, and I have all the protection I need with the rest of the family. But you'll need protecting out there, think of this as my way of being there to scare away any danger or hardships."
"I'll never give it up." Gary told him with a sentimental but equally determined look on his face.
"I wouldn't know who else to give it to, your sister isn't into guns as much and there are few who make better men than you." Bucyrus then opened his arms to hug his grandson, after a short moment Gary pulled away slowly and continued to look at his newest possession.
"Just promise your grandma and I one thing when you're out there in the world on your own one day."
"What would that be?" Gary asked ready to up heed the request of his grandparents.
"That you remember we're always here, somewhere. And that there's still so much for you to go. And…" He paused for a moment to drink another glass of cider. "In the future, anything is possible."
With all that was just explained in how his grandfather moved to a new place, figured out his place in the new land, met his grandmother, and started this family. Gary knew just what his grandfather was talking about. "I'll never forget that, Bucyrus, Agnes." Calling them by their real names. "With all that's their waiting for me, anything truly is possible in the future." Giving each of them a hug again and then made his way back to the main room to show the party what he just received.