…and meet Hiram Silverthorn!
by Jay Merton
The following morning…
“Jay! What have you done?” Boomer exclaimed after stepping out of my house, and on to the boardwalk outside Silverthorn’s Café here in Danger Bay.
As he, rather befuddled, came back through the door, not to my home office, but to the café, I said with a big smile, “Welcome back to Silverthorn’s!”
“You really are out of control,” Boomer cracked as he walked up to the counter, “to have dragged me into one of your fantasies.”
“It takes a bit of imagination on your part,” I quickly rejoined, “for you to realize you are here and not in the real world.. You must have needed a visit.”
“So, you’re the famous Boomer Jack,” Hiram Silverthorn greeted, “I remember you sitting with Jay at the table by the front plate-glass window a few days back.”
“I’ve been here before?” he replied, and then continued, “Jay, was I part of this before?”
“You must not be reading my posts,” I answered with feigned insult, and then turning to Hiram, “You were saying before my young surprised friend came in?”
“My grandfather started this restaurant,” he continued, “after leaving the hopelessness of the reservation in the forties, to start a new life. He struggled for a long time—first to be accepted by the locals, and then to establish this place. It helped some that he became friends with old Phineas Farkleberry, whose gas station brought in tourists.”
“I have a friend who runs the bus service on one of the northern reservations,” Boomer chimed in, “he says things are improving there.”
“You must be referring to Mike,” Hiram rejoined, “he does a great job with those old buses. And yes things are improving. With the small profits from our casino (the bands closest to the Cities make the big bucks), we are returning the money to invest in the res.”
“How so?” I asked.
“Investing in our schools, job training, abuse counseling, alcohol abuse prevention, police & fire,” he explained, “We have a long way to go, but Grandfather would be amazed at the changes there.”
“Do you ever think of moving back?” Boomer queried.
“Our home is here,” he answered mildly, “but we visit there every winter over Christmas. I want my kids to know the old culture and learn our history from the tribal elders, so every summer they spend three weeks on the Res with my cousin. They love it.”
“So, how’s business here?” I asked.
“Better than its been since they straightened 61 five years back,” Hiram replied, “moved it out of town 6 miles east, and killed most of our business. If it wasn’t for Farkleberry’s station, we’d have gone under. And now Molly’s cruise outfit may bring in more business. Oh, and before I forget, thanks for the new organically and shade grown, fair trade, (various blends) coffee source you set me up with Jay, I’m selling lots of breakfasts with that fine coffee.”
“Yah-sure, you betcha!” I said as I drained my mug.
Filed under: Danger Bay Stories | Tagged: Danger Bay Stories
Beautiful graphic Jay!!! I hope all is well with you my friend.
Oh I like where this is going! I also like that Daisy can go in the cafe too!
That back shot with the pony tail is great! Can’t wait to see the front.
I am seeing a resemblence of “Cars”…Who gets the voice over from Larry the Cable Guy?
Boomer can’t leave until all the ancestors have been documented and documented and then documented somemore!!!!
BB: Finer than frog’s hair!
(They’re here, not over there)
Lysa: Hiram Silverthorn knows Daisy goes where we go, and understans the “delete” key.
Ines: Front shot only if he comes out from behind the counter.
Bob: He’s doing that on his own, comes here to unwind.
Jay
A “ponytail”??? I thought that was just a faceless guy with a gray tie on!
I LOVE the new graphic – beautiful! You betcha!
Ann
Ann: I’m not happy with the way Hiram’s graphic turned out, so it is back to the drawing board for him. Thanks for stopping by!
Jay
Always feels like visiting a friend.
Granddaughter: AND like having a friend visit!.
Jay