The Shelter: Book 1, The Beginning (7 page)

“You think the dollar’s going to collapse don’t you?”

“Have you checked the price of gold this afternoon or how fast the market is falling?”

“No. Wait, I’ll check it. Holy shit, it’s now up to $2,850 an ounce.”

“It’s going to continue to climb as the EU unravels, when the EU is a memory in the footnote of history, the dollar will rise then fall harder than the Euro did.”

“Hell of a gamble if nothing happens.”

“Is it? What will it cost us? $600,000 for this house, maybe a couple of million for the farm, shit, that leaves us only $25 or 26 mil left. I think we can live on that. Don’t forget, on paper, we’ve made over $200,000 on the gold we bought. How is it a risk?”

“Do you think the kids will come?”

“Not right now, they will when things turn to crap and they lose their jobs. Look, we can get the farmer to store fuel for his tractor and our cars for us. They must have storage tanks. We would have food, fuel, the house has two wells so we’d have water. Do you like the house?

“It’s gorgeous, if the kids don’t come, you better find a maid because I’m not cleaning a house this big for the two of us.”

“What else is nice is this house isn’t in a subdivision. It’s not on a main road, and yet there is civilization only a few miles away so it won’t be like living far out in the country.”

“How do we furnish it?”

“We’ll buy whatever we need.”

“I think you’re crazy, but I love you.”

I kiss Lacy telling the agent, “I want the house inspected and I want the blueprints for it. I’d like to go meet the farmer.”

The agent says she can get an inspector at the house this afternoon, and also should be able to get the blueprints from the original builders. She wonders why I want to visit the farm, but isn’t going to say anything which might change my mind about buying the fifth house she showed us. We drive down the street to their house, pulling in their driveway a man in his forties meets us in his driveway, “What do you people want? You can’t come in here yet, the date of the foreclosure isn’t for another two weeks. I still own the house and farm.”

I reply. “Hello, my name is Jay, this is my wife, Lacy. We’re thinking of buying the house next to your farm. We thought we’d come over to meet our potential neighbors.”

“Nice to meet you, sorry, I saw the realtor's sign on the car’s door and assumed she was trying to sell my house out from under us.”

“May we exit the car?”

“Of course, I’m sorry, my name is Fred.”

Holding out my hand, “Fred it's nice to meet you. I heard you say you were having bank problems if you don’t mind saying, what’s going on?”

“Crop last two years wasn’t the best. The damn bank wants to sell our land to a developer to build a hundred new homes here. Thinks they can call my loan and get my farm dirt cheap, sell it to the developer high and make a fortune.”

“We don’t want a hundred neighbors, we like it in the country. If you don’t mind my nosiness, what does the bank want from you?”

“About $790,000.”

“I see. Maybe we can help. Mind if we come in out of the cold and chat?”

“Not at all. Do come in. We have a fresh pot of coffee on the stove.”

We sit and chat for a while, the agent is getting nervous, she keeps looking at her watch. I lean over telling her, “You told us you would take a couple of days to spend with just us, we’re most likely going to buy that house. Do us a favor and just sit tight for a little while. In fact, why don’t you start the paperwork on the house? I’ll give you a number within an hour.”

Fred introduces us to his wife Cheri and their sons, Mark, and Ryan.

Lacy talks with Cheri while Fred and I take a walk, “Look, Fred, I know what I’m about to say is going to sound crazy, please do me a small favor and hear me out.”

“Okay.”

“I have some money, we’re going to move here from the D.C. area. I think the economy is going to go into the crapper when it does, it’ll make 1929 look good. Europe’s going to fail first, followed by us. When the banks crash, the depression is going to hurt everyone. I’m interested in working out a deal with you. I think when the banks fail, food is going to be a major problem. How about I buy the house next door, we add our acreage to yours, I pay off the bank for you, we work together to prepare for the fall. If it doesn’t happen, you pay me back, I’m sure we’ll be able to agree on an amount you can afford. You don’t lose your farm, if I’m wrong, you can laugh at my loss, if I’m right, we’ll both be laughing at the rest of the world.”

“Jay, you are crazy. But I think I like you. I assume you know, you are plain nuts. I agree with you the market is going nuts, I think we can work something out. One big problem is we only have two weeks before the bank takes the farm.”

“I can get the bank off your back next week. If we can work out an agreement, I’ll get the bank paid off in a day.”

Fred frowns asking, “So does that mean I end up working for you?”

“No, you work for yourself, you pay me back what we agree to. If I’m right, it’ll be the best decision you ever made. If I’m wrong, what are you losing?”

“Jay, I think we’ll be able to make a deal. How much are you thinking we pay you a month?”

“You know what you grow and sell, you tell me what you can afford, I’ll give you until Tuesday. Here’s my phone number. Call me.”

We shake hands and go inside to break open a bottle of bourbon to strike the deal. I turn to the real estate agent, “Offer the owner of the house, $550,000 cash, we can close as soon as the title and inspection are completed.”

The agent is surprised, she nods her agreement as she starts texting the owner. Later that night Lacy tells me, “You know you’re crazy don’t you?”

“Yep, I’m crazy, if I’m wrong, it cost us one point four. Which is next to nothing, and if I’m right we’ll be set for life.”

“When will we know?”

“I’d say by Wednesday. Worse case the house owners will want their full listing price, the house easily cost a million to build, the farm is only $790. We should be able to get the bank to discount the note for cash. I think we should head to the kids tomorrow, chat with them and then go home to hire a mover to pack and move us to Nashville.”

“I hope they have a nice furniture store close by.”

“Check online, I’m sure there are many.”

The real estate agent called, interrupting us to tell us the owner countered our offer at $575,000. “Tell them OK. We’re going to be leaving tomorrow, email us the papers. And the bank information to wire the deposit.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll do it right now.”

“Lacy, we bought a house. I think we’ll end up owning a farm on Wednesday. I can’t believe we’re going to buy the farm. Usually when someone says they’ve bought the farm, they mean they died.”

Lacy laughs, “I want to see you in overalls and a straw hat.”

“Don’t get carried away.”

Before retiring for the evening, we call our kids telling them we’ll be at Shelly’s tomorrow, asking Sammi to take two days off and meet us. She gives us a hard time finally agreeing that she and Linda will come to see us. Shelly is overjoyed saying she too can’t take off of work, but she’ll try to work from home.

We leave for Bloomington, Illinois Monday morning. It’s a long seven-hour drive. Lacy says, “I thought you said it was a five-hour trip.”

“How was I to know there was going to be a snowstorm and a ten car accident?”

“At least we’re here. Where did you book us?”

“Crap, I forgot to book a room, log on to my Hilton account and see if the Hampton has  rooms, better get two, one for us, and one for Sammi.”

A couple of minutes later Lacy nods yes, “We’re booked.”

“Great, I need to rest, a hot meal and a drink.”

Lacy laughs, “Whoever thought winning the lottery would be stressful?”

“Got that right.”

We pull into the hotel finding Sammi and Linda, our oldest granddaughter waiting for us. Linda runs into our arms, Lacy exclaiming, “My word she’s grown. She looks a lot older than the eleven she is.”

Shelly pulls in right behind us with her entire crew. The kids run into my arms, knocking me over into a snow bank as all three of them hug me.

Over dinner, we tell the girls about the lottery. Both are surprised and cry with their happiness for us. We then drop the bomb that we’re moving to Nashville, both girls are excited, it’s a lot closer to them than DC.

Sammi asks, “Why not closer?”

“We don’t like Iowa or Illinois, Nashville is a nice big city, yet we’re going to live to the north of the city, close to you and also be close to civilization. We bought a huge home with room for all of you.”

Sammi says, “Huh? What are you saying? Dad, are you asking us to move in with you?”

“Not yet, however, the time may come when we will be opening the house for all of you. I think the economy is going to tank, things are going to turn to shit. You may be safer with us than alone in your homes.”

Bianca says, “Papa, that’s not a nice word.”

“OK honey, I’m sorry.” I kiss and hug our youngest granddaughter. I continue, “Europe is all over the news, the market is entering free fall, things are going to get much worse before the economy turns around if it ever turns around. When things get really bad, you’ll know it. When it does, come to us. Don’t ask, just pack up and come. The rooms will be furnished and waiting for you. The house has six bedrooms, seven full and two half baths. We have a pool and a pool house. There’s plenty of room for all of you.”

Both girls look shocked, they don’t know what to say. Shelly finally says, “Dad, what about our jobs?”

“If I’m right, they won’t be there, most people are going to lose their jobs. We’re going to have a worldwide depression that will make 1929 look mild. When it happens, pack your clothes, everything special to you and come south. Come before the roads get crazy. Here is a check for each of you. Don’t use it to pay your bills, convert it to cash and keep it in a safe place. If I’m right, you’ll need it to get to us. Gas and food will be in short supply.” I hand each girl a check for $100,000. Each girl can’t believe it. Sammi says, “Dad, please don’t tell us you really think one of your crazy prepper stories is going to come true.”

“Sammi, tell you what if in one-year nothing happens, I’ll give you another $100,000 to say I’m sorry for scaring you. If I’m right, in a year you’ll be with us. Fair?”

“Dad, that’s more than fair. It’s a deal.”

Shelly says, “$100,000 for each of us?”

“Yes and we’ll open a fund to pay for the kids college costs, we’ll also pay for any special medical costs you or the kids need.”

Shelly says, “I could really use a new car, mine is too small to cart all of us with us.”

“Pick out anything you want, call me, we’ll wire the dealership the money.”

Sammi says, “Me too?”

“Yes, pick out anything you want.”

Both girls hug us.

Chapter 4

While we sleep, France shocks the world when François Hollande, France’s President announces he is withdrawing France from the EU and reissuing French Francs. He announces a return to full payments for all pensions, and a government hiring increase to hire the unemployed. Premier Merkel of Germany issues a statement to the members of the EU that Germany rejects the member nation’s efforts to write off their debt and defaulting on their loans. She threatens to use military force if required to have the loans repaid. She announces a full mobilization of Germany’s military. Waking the next morning, Lacy and I look at each other, she asks, “Is this the beginning of another European war? Will we get drawn in again?”