Sign of the Times Part 18

Sign of the times

The Michel Family

Part 18

Chapter 32

They sent food over for us from across the street Gina, Stephannie Jon, Heather Cindy, Hope Britney, May, Melody, Cindy, Susan, and Charlotte Britney came over we talked the most of the day and then the boys moved their stuff over. This is where they started out so many years ago and now they were home to take care of us we were now the seniors I no longer wore a side arm nor have we for many years now.

Judy and Cindy took Johns old room and I in my room. It was nice having our first born children with us. Sara was often pouting as her Cindy reminded her of Young Brad even though he has been gone for over 50 years.

Things moved along we went for walks a lot and our daughters went a lot to we were the seniors group and then Brad Jr, moved in the year was 2095 his hip was gone hard to get around we set a bed up in the living room.

Sara came out of her slump she had someone to take care of Brad Jr. stayed in bed a lot and even though we encourage him to get up he had given up and even I couldn’t convince him.

He started taking some of our stronger meds. Brad 3rd came and talked some, but he was a different person than Brad Jr. and I. He thought change and progress was a good thing. With both of us saying no, he did listen but you could tell it was out of respect not logic as we seen it.

Sara passed in the dead of winter in 2096 we had a funeral but her body was stored in one of the empty containers in the garage. We held our funeral in the garage we now had over 2700 people so even our garage was not big enough. In the spring Brad Jr. passed at 48 years old. On the other side of Beau a new grave yard was started with Brad Jr. at the head which was fitting.

Sara was quietly buried just Brad 3rd, myself, Judy, and Cindy were there. Afterwards I showed Brad 3rd the marker I had made as I was having a hard time getting my hands to carve the dates then black them and paint them. He helped me personally to carve Sara. Brad 3rd. thought this should be placed now for all to see as our mothers and greats are being forgotten.

He also carved a cross piece and carve lest we forget the mothers and Father of us all. He drilled it out of the main pole and made it a tight fit wedged with Black spruce. Brad 3rd was good with his hands and like wood. He showed me some of the carvings he has done growing up. He said, “Since taking over he has had no time.”

I mentioned to him he needs to elect a council from all aspects of the community to farming, building, green house, housing, hunting, vehicles, security, don’t take it all on it is too big now for one man. That put Brad Jr. to an early grave.

Brad 3rd was a smart man and I said, “You are the head until you pass it on but the others need to run their own department with you having veto power, if it is too off base for the welfare of the family.”

“Always put the welfare of the family first at every meeting drill it into their heads that if it does not benefit the family it don’t belong at council.”

Brad 3rd says, “No wonder they called you the master, my great grandfather, I wish I had your brain making something so hard be so simple.”

“Son leaders will always show up they naturally rise to the surface, utilize them. Your job is to seek out these leaders and help them to lead their field you don’t need to know their field just an overview how it helps the family.”

Cindy and Judy wanted to know where I was all day and I said, “Finishing a project with Brad 3rd a project I started 40 years ago my loves.”

In the evenings while the weather was good we would walk to the swing or be carted around to see some of our family. It was easy to see now the males were about 10 to 1 so pregnancy was over 2000 a year the subdivisions with apartment buildings were going up windows were restricted and it was all shutters they were studying and did build a crude glass making shop after a number of years.

Cindy, Judy, and I were in the yard when a hole was dug above my head where I was to be buried.

Brad 3rd brought out my 40 year project. And fifteen men carried and placed it in the hole the bottom was wrapped in plastic and cement was poured. It was covered by a tarp and ropes secured it for the day. The next day there was a ceremony by Brad 3rd he personally rang the bell like the olden days and fired one shot of course they used the radios to and soon over 3000 people we gathered in the yard and where ever they could.

Brad the 3rd spoke from the PA system in our back hoe, and old machine now but still in perfect working order. Brad 3rd said, "This is a monument built over the last 40 years by the father of us all. The plaque was unveiled and he said, “You will all get to see it but I shall read it for you all.”
“On the cross it says, "LEST WE FORGET MOTHERS AND FATHER OF US ALL. THE MICHEL FAMILY
STEPHEN 1981 – 2017
BRITNEY 1981 – 2080
JOHN 1988 – 2063
MELODY 1979 – 2078
LINDA 1981 – 2067
SARA 1994 – 2096
JUDY 1995 –
BRAD 1997 –
CINDY 1995 –
BRIDGET 1996 – 2080
BRAD 3RD said, “This monument was personally hand carved by Brad senior over the last 40 years. I spoke with him a month ago for hours and he being the true master came up with a plan as we move forward.”

“The heads of each department, hunting, crops, building, transportation, fuel, and stores, will all form a council to advise me on how to proceed.”

“We have grown too big for one man to do it all, our father says I must disburse the work load and he is correct. No one person can do this well and do what is best for the family, but as a group we can.”

“By the old standards we will be a town in a few years it will take many of us to run it and I will be like a mayor. Our father also says that civilization may be returning so education must get more intense.”

We will be a large part of how this province is shaped and how we live and carry forward.”

Brad 3rd asks me to speak and they helped me up to the cab I once had to learn how to operate.

I said, “My children it has been a long life and because of the names on this monument you enjoy what you have today. You heard your leader it is time to take the load off him, always do what is best for the family not yourself.”

“The day you think of yourself first step back look at your heritage on this monument and if that don’t work, step down from whatever position you’re in let someone else take over, you will have served enough.”

“Most leaders only serve 12 years max because of the stress. I wish I could know each and every one of you but if I spent a day with each it would take ten years and at the end of that time the way were growing it would take another 20 years, so it’s impossible.”

“Remember we are all family every new person you meet is your, loving brother and sister. When I was young and the children argued I had them shovel the manure pile, which soon stopped all the fighting.”

Chapter 33

Just then a chopper was over head and it landed a fellow named Tom came up and said, “He was now the Mayor of Chester and wanted us to join the district.” He said, “The other big family has agreed and with your family civilization may return for all.”

Brad 3rd was excited and he said, “Return in a mouth we are forming a council and we will tell you then.”

Over the next month they discussed and ask me to sit in I said, “I know what I would do but it’s your life, your future, if civilization is coming you don’t have a choice. If it’s going to be the wild west out there then stay here for another 10 -20 years. But sooner or later you will be forced to join their society. Right now you can shape it down the road it will shape you.”

“Call Tom, meet with the other family a small delegation 6 people see what we have to offer each other. Then you will know.”

Brad 3rd said, “No more discussion, on our true leader has spoken. It shall be done.”

They helped me back to my home it was 2099 when they met and while they were gone my Cindy passed on a spring afternoon peacefully on the swing with her oldest daughter. The wood shop made a nice coffin and dug the hole next to Bridget and her mother. We waited until the delegation got back. They were excited but it would have to wait.

Brad 3rd took over and said the eulogy and we no longer used the backhoe it was Paul bearers and ropes with polished coffins and flowers. Judy and I stood by the grave and we sang old rugged cross thunderous sound with so many people. It sounded like heaven itself was singing.

In the year 3004 Brad 3rd took on roll of leader with Scott Wayne the 3rd and co chaired Mayor of Chester.

Tom retired from the military and took over as Premier in 3002 with Greenwood the old military base as our capital. He never liked the many wife rule but the Wayne and Michel family were too strong to deny it.

Brad 6th took over as leader of the family in 3005.
Judy and I shared John’s room it had such a nice view. Judy and I would walk a lot. We were well over a hundred now and our small beginnings were now a large town bigger than Chester ever was.

The town had sprawled out much bigger than the 800 acres there was almost that much in farm land. The hunting parties would drive two days now to find game something we used to get in our back yard.

From the old stories they heard and the fact that our barn though not used much anymore. Oh it was kept in full repair almost as a museum now.

In the spring of 3006 Judy and I were presented with a gift, two Clydesdale Mares, young ones maybe 3 years old. They bartered with the Wayne family. We named them Cleopatra and Athena.
I fed them the carrots and soon just a hand wave and a hand carved whistle the wood shop made me as I could not whistle loud anymore they came running. Judy and I would pet them for hours.

Some of our younger children would come to see us but they were told not to bug us with a lot of questions, just let us enjoy each other’s company and they could spread the word they met the founders.

Someone had flown over the property and shot film and gave us a card to play on our projector. It was unbelievable buildings surround our lake where we used to swim except that part was a heritage park for everybody to enjoy.

Between 3005 and 3010 were hard years for Judy and I to endure. All of our first born daughters passed. Judy and my daughter Stephaney Jon dies at 87 in 3005. Hope my daughter and my real sister died also that year over the next four years we lost Heather, May, Susan and Cindy.

God it tour our hearts out, no way should we outlive our children. They were all buried by the feat of their mothers. There was three spots left in our grave yard and it was full there was Judy next to Britney or mom, me between dad and John and Gina by Cindy. In 3011 we lost Gina she was 97 known as Nanny to so many. They built a seniors home down by the lake it held hundreds as our home was impractical.

We were told that our home would be a museum when we passed. The grave yard had grass over it and leave it to John he even had Lawn mowers.

Our grave sites were a shrine. Hundreds of people would come by daily to say a prayer and look at the graves that had their individual stones saying who they were and their daughters and sons on a separate plaque so everybody could see what line they came from. If Judy and I were in the yard some would come introduce themselves, and show us the original mother they came from.

Neither Judy nor I were sick we got around just fine although our bones ached a bit but our minds were sharp as they were almost a hundred years ago. Some of the younger school kids which you know, had to ask, “Did we really where guns all the time.”

I said, “Yes,” It was the middle of the woods very dangerous to step outside without being armed.”

One girl asked, “Did you ever shoot someone?” and an older girl shushed her and apologized. “We learn about that in grade five she is in grade three.”

I said, “Aren’t you learning about the before time.”

One of the older girls said, “Yes but we learn our history so we can understand the before time, our history is you and your wives they are what shaped us and give us our values.” Judy smiled for the first time in years and looked at me and said, “Did they teach you about his belt.”

“No, they said you were stern.”

Judy said, “Many of us had a red backside finding out how rigid his rules were.”

The girl smiled and laughed and said, “That is not in our books or artifacts that we have in our library.”

I said, “I passed that on to Brad Jr. I have no idea where it is now, but it was a good tool.”

They left and we looked at the graves for awhile and Judy said, “We have lived to long my husband.” “Yes my love I agree, but we live in gods time not ours he will take us when knows our Job is done here.”

“Master, Brad my love, what more can we do I am ready and want to go, I don’t want to see more of our daughters pass before we do.”

“My love, I don’t have an answer, we just go day by day he will come for us hopefully together.”

Judy said, “That would be perfect, I could not go on a day without you my love. Judy my love my sun rises and sets with you in my heart. We kissed and it was getting chilly.

Later on the autumn leaves were turning Judy and I had just come in from watching Athena and Cleopatra. One of our daughters had cooked some trout that was dropped off for us. We were going to bed early now we needed more sleep.

It was just getting dark we talked to our daughters and wished them good life and good night. We have been doing that for the last week as we both felt a bit off.

We lay in bed together and said, ”What a perfect day it was, the colors were brilliant,” nice as they ever saw and the kissed each other good night and said they loved each other.

Some time through the night God came and took the souls of Brad and Judy. They found our bodies the next morning hugging each other. It was August 7, 3014.

Brad the 6th was now the leader and he said, part of the elegy but daughters of Judy spoke of us and being sister and brother and in love that time could never erase.

The speakers went for hours saying a few words as they lowered Judy first and then me.

Brad 6th. Spoke and said, “Judy lived her good life to 119 years old and Brad to 117 years old there 5 year sleep in Chester must have also extended this time on earth.

We will never forget this day; from today on every August 7th is our holiday for our founders. And may god take these two loving people to his domain forever.”

Our lives are done but the story and life goes on.

The news Brad 3rd came back with so many years ago was that they both families, the Michel’s and the Wayne’s, would sit on the Chester council and shape our lives which didn’t’ change much except both families intermarried both short of men kept the many wives rule.

The other family the Wayne’s had the same rules as us we paralleled us almost like we were family. I guess the big difference was in equipment we had much more making our home building easier.

It also turned out they were off the same route 14 about 20 miles away close to Chester with the Michel’s equipment they were able to punch a direct road through to each other, making it safer to travel. We both kept the locations of our farms a secret to the outside world for now.
The end, and the new beginning.

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