Dead Land Journal February 5th 2028

Been busy this last month. Have not even had a chance to sit down at my typewriter. I just finished typing up some entries from handwritten notes. My handwriting sucks so it takes a while sometimes. Mike just gave me the notes I wrote while I was down in that hole a couple of days ago. He assured me that no one had told Beverly the purpose of my trip. I am relieved and little embarrassed. That entry was a little self pitying. Despite the temptation to edit I typed it in just as I wrote it.

Been very busy as I said, but not much to write about. Just basic chores, hunting, gathering and the mundane necessities of survival. There are three events of note.

First Beverly and I are engaged. I asked her a week ago and she said yes.

I enlisted the aid of Jewels and Billy to get the small Italian restaurant ready. I even got Katherine to help. Turns out she can whip up a fantastic lasagna. Billy and I cleaned up the restaurant while Jewels made sure a generator was hooked up so we had some lights and power so Katherine could cook. Between her and Jeanette they made the lasagna, bread, some sauteed peppers and onions. Ice cream and canned strawberries for dessert. Mike even put on a waiter's uniform and served our meal. Although we had power I chose to eat by candle light. Jewels even found an excellent bottle of Champagne. Might have even been Dom Perignon. I'm not a wine snob, in fact I really know nothing about wine, but Jewels always uses the right tool for the job. He won't use a pair of pliers when he should be using a 5/16 open end wrench. When he found out what I was wanting he spent the afternoon out scouring the city to find just the right thing. Stockton is a small town. I think there are maybe four or five bars in town if you count the VFW hall and maybe two liquor stores, and these are not exactly upscale establishments. I think he finally found what he was looking for in a private residence.

After the meal was finished I got down on one knee, being careful to set my cane nearby, and pulled out the ring box. Beverly was already tearing up and nodding yes before I even managed to get the question out.

We set the date for April 10th. That was her maternal grandparents anniversary.

Kyle and Jeanette are now officially married. This was at Jeanette's insistence and happened shortly after we got back from rescuing Kyle. Pastor Tom was overjoyed to be able to officiate. I think that part of him as felt like he has been presiding over a an unending funeral service for the human race. I stood as best man, Dee was of course a flower girl and Beverly was a bride's maid.

And finally Jeanette had her baby yesterday. A healthy baby girl, 21 inches and 8 pounds 9 ounces. Mother and child are doing fine. Father has a broken nose. A contraction caught Jeanette by surprise and her hand came down on a tray by the bed, just a little too close to the bed rail. The tray popped up and caught Kyle in the face. But that is not what broke his nose. He was bending down to pick up the tray and rammed his forehead right into the bed rail. He stood up and became entangled in the curtain around the tiny delivery room of the mobile clinic. Not being able to see he smacked his head into one of the stainless steel wall cabinets behind him. He then pitched forward, once again hitting his face on the bed rail, this time breaking his nose. And he still has not fully recovered from his plane crash. He looks like he was catapulted face first into a brick wall. But despite this he is still wearing that goofy grin that Jewels says all new fathers exhibit.

© 2009 R. Keith McBride