Among the Oil Derricks: Chapter 4

                                                                     CHAPTER 4

 “Derek, are you kidding me? You didn’t fill up on gas?” Emilie asked incredulously. Derek shrugged sheepishly. “We are twenty miles away from the Carlyle’s and nearly thirty from Carlsbad Caverns!”

“I guess we better walk fast,” Derek suggested shallowly.

Emilie scoffed, “Look, there is a truck coming. Let’s wave him down. Go ahead, Derek.” Derek took his hands out of his pocket, where his hands usually were when he was uncomfortable or very comfortable, and waved at the truck. Emilie did, too. To their relief, the driver stopped.

“Need some help?”

“Gas.”

“Don’t have that in spare with me, but you two can ride along, my ranch is just a mile down the road. I could get you some there.”

“Thanks, we’d appreciate it.” Derek and Emilie climbed in.

“Aren’t you that famous actor, Derek Walker or something and Emilie Lawyer… Larry…” the man fumbled for the name.

“Lawrence,” she offered.

“That’s right, my children are huge fans of your, as is my wife,” he told them.

Derek and Emilie chuckled. “Are they home?” Emilie asked.

“Sure are,” the man laughed as he imagined their reaction when they saw two celebrities walk in, “I hope you don’t mind getting help from some crazed fans, that’s how my daughters are. I believe they call it fangirling or some sort of nonsense, but I suppose we all did something of that sort of ludicrous when we were young, or I was young, anyhow.”

“It’s a youth thing,” Emilie grinned, “but it is important to set our eyes on real things, because celebrities don’t live forever and they aren’t perfect, either.”

“Perhaps you ought to tell ‘em that,” the man suggested, “they don’t seem to listen to me when I tell them.”

“Maybe I will,” Emilie agreed cheerfully.

They were soon pulling up into a long driveway about a quarter a mile long. At the end was a little farmhouse. “I’m home and I have guests,” the father shouted stepping inside.

“Hello, Daddy - Oh my goodness!” a young girl walked in, “Hi!”

“Hi, what’s your name?” Emilie asked.

“Mandy,” the girl breathed, “What - what are you doing… I mean.”

“We ran out of gas,” Emilie told her shortly, glancing at Derek who rolled his eyes good naturedly.

“Oh boy! Cowboy Ricky Roy!” a little boy ran in, “I can’t believe it it is!” Derek laughed. That was one of the more child friendly characters he had played. “Oh, and it’s Liza, the perttiest girl in the west! Ain’t it? See, I can even talk like you,” the little boy exclaimed.

“Well, isn’t that so.” Emilie ruffled his hair, “Now, how ‘bout some gas, cowboy? Like a horse needs hay, cars need gas.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” the little boy quoted from the movie proudly.

“It’s in the garage, let me get it,” the rancher went out into the garage.

“Ooh, Cathy will be so mad!” Mandy laughed, “She wanted to go out with friends, but Mama said she shouldn’t, but she insisted, so Mom gave in. I bet Mom will say ‘I told you so.’”

“Funny how things work, aren’t it,” Derek murmured.

“Got yer gas, I’ll drive you out again,” the rancher returned. Emilie and Derek followed him to the truck. Mandy and David, the little boy, waved as they left, each with their autographs in hand.

When they finally reached the car there wasn’t any car.  “Emilie I gave you the keys,” Derek mentioned casually.

Emilie grimaced fingering her compass necklace, “Yes, you did, my bad. I think I left it in there.”

“Well, aren’t we a responsible pair?” Derek sounded exasperated, “I have my cell with me, you?” Emilie nodded regretfully. “I’ll call… someone. Hey, Mr. I’m sorry we never did ask your name.”

“Joe Morgan.”

“Mr. Morgan, do you know a taxi business around here we might call?”

“Not off the top of my head,” he shook his head, “Tell you what, I have spare room at my house and I am sure one of my kids would be willing to give up their room to be able to say a famous person slept in it. You can stay at my place and we can take care of everything in the morning, but we’d best call the police now.”

“Good idea,” Derek began to dial.

“Thank you so much,” Emilie thanked him, “I am so sorry for causing so much trouble. I am being honest when I say we hate to intrude.”

“It really is no problem, I’d do the same for anybody, famous or no,” Mr. Morgan smiled.

“I have no doubt!”

“They’re on their way,” Derek slipped his phone into his pocket.

The police came, Derek gave them the description of his car and it’s license plate. They officers said it shouldn’t be too hard to track down such an expensive car a bit surprised that anyone could be so careless. Afterward they went back to Mr. Morgan’s home, much to his kids’ delight. Mandy gave her room up for Emilie and slept on the living room couch. The next morning they called the police office. The secretary told them that they were tracing it and would hopefully find the blue corvette. It was not until that evening it was found, miles away. The culprits had been apprehended. Derek and Emilie rented a car and drove all the way back to the border of Texas to pick up the car.

Emilie had to admit. Derek was a very good sport about it. It was, after all, his car that she had lost and he hadn’t said a word about it until they had finally got it back. Even then he didn’t say much except he was glad to have it back and he knew better than to hand his keys to her again. The latter was of course jokingly, but Emilie promised herself never to ask or offer, either. She felt very badly about the whole thing.

Four days spent, they were finally on their way back to Carlsbad Caverns. Driving leisurely, it took them two days to finally arrive. It was dark, so they didn’t stop by the caverns, instead they found themselves a hotel to check into for the night.

“This looks good.” Derek pointed out the Trinity Hotel and Restaurant.

“You can spend the money,” replied Emilie, “I am going to stay at a cheaper hotel.”

“Then at least have dinner with me,” insisted Derek.

“Umm…” Emilie thought about it.

“On me, anywhere you like, though I’ve heard the restaurant here is really good,” tempted Derek.

Emilie chuckled, “Fine and I’ll even take your advice and say we should go here.”

“Great,” Derek climbed out of the car and opened her side of the door before she could climb out. She smiled without meeting his gaze. She felt her cheeks flush just a little and hoped in vain they didn’t show, but nothing could be missed by Derek’s searching eyes.

Emilie asked for a small meal, but Derek insisted she have anything she liked. It was against her nature, she grew up always trying to be conservative especially on someone else’s dime, but finally she ordered what she really wanted. Actually, Derek ordered what she really wanted for her, because he knew what she wanted. Her acceptance was that she didn’t protest. For himself, he ordered a very high priced wine. Emilie laughed and told him he had very good taste and they toasted to their finally making it to Carlsbad Caverns.

“Well, now that we are done, can you admit that that wasn’t so hard?” Derek asked as they left.

“What do you mean?” Emilie looked at him oddly, cocking her head so that her hair hung down at one side very lovely like, Derek thought.

“You are always very inexpensive when you are given a choice of gift,” he told her, stopping and facing her, “even when you have a very rich donor. You don’t have to be that way.”

“I don’t want to spoil myself,” Emilie pushed past him with a tolerant but amused smile, “and I don’t want anyone, least of all you or myself, to think I only hang around for your money. That would be horrible.”

“What are you saying?” Derek grinned playfully.

“I am saying, and I’ll be honest about it, I’m saying I like you for who you are,” Emilie held his gaze very seriously, “and I don’t like using money like it’s a - toy or something. It is something to be valued and treated respectfully. Not for money’s sake, but for friendship sake. I don’t know how to explain it. But money makes things all complicated.”

“In other words, it would disturb you greatly to think I thought you only liked me for my money?” Derek followed Emilie leisurely.

“I hope you never think that,” replied Emilie reaching for the car handle. Derek jumped forward and opened for her.

“I don’t think that, I promise,” he swore.

“Thank you for dinner,” she said as he climbed in on the other side, “I am very grateful.”

“It was nothing.”

Emilie glanced down as though that was not the answer she had hoped for. “I know,” she smiled a little, “that’s what makes it so hard to express my appreciation. No matter how little it is to you, I am grateful, and thank you. It was a very nice treat and a very nice treat to spend it with you.”

Derek didn’t dare trust himself to say anything. Emilie was being serious and giving him a lot by saying all this. She wasn’t inviting him to proceed into anything more and she was closing the door to playfullness. So rather than ruin it by saying something stupid or trying to go too fast, he asked her where he should take her.

“The hotel across the street from where I parked the rental car,” she replied. He nodded compliantly.

“I saw you take the piece of paper with you from the table, what’d it say?”

“Oh, it just said,” Emilie took the little slip out and read it, “‘Before you can see the light, you have to deal with darkness.’ It was from the waiter.”

“Hmm… not too encouraging,” Derek remarked.

“Not if you aren’t in darkness, but when you are, I think it would be very encouraging,” replied Emilie.

“Eh, true. Oh, here you are.”

“Thanks,” Emilie climbed out. 
The next morning Derek came and picked Emilie up and they drove to the caves.

“So this is where you want to work?” Derek shoved his hands into his pockets and looked around. They were in the main building over the caves.

“Yes,” Emilie nodded, “It’s great!”

“I’m sure I’ll agree with you once I see it,” Derek agreed, “I bet you know a lot about the caves.”

“Sure do.”

“Tell you what, I’ll take care of your ticket for the tours,” he offered.

“Thanks, but I have money to pay for myself,” Emilie protested.

“But I’m also paying for a guide who can explain it all to me and will be perfectly patient when I ask for a repeat if I pay for you,” Derek replied.

“Okay, then,” Emilie laughed, “Let’s start over here before we go down.”

“Sure.”

“You know we are taking the natural entrance, right?”

“The what? I thought they had elevators.”

“They do, but I want to take the natural entrance. It’s a hike, but we can do it. Up and down.”

“Down and up?” Derek asked surprised.

“Yes.” Emilie was skeptical that Derek would do it, but she tried to pretend she knew he would.

“I’ll down, not up,” Derek told her shortly, shoving his hands in his pockets. There was a smile hidden behind her firm face.

“Der-”

“Down, not up,” he answered.

Emilie laughed causing her honey-comb necklace to shake, “Oh fine! But that’s not going to stop me from using the natural entrance up, too.”

“Oh yes it is,” Derek teased as they pulled up, “I’m your ride, remember? I might just choose not to wait and go. How about that?”

“Oh, I’m not worried about that,” she replied confidently, “because I know you wouldn’t do that… right?” Derek only smiled mischievously.

“Here, let’s look at some of the exhibits before we go, there is a little video we ought to watch first,” Emilie led him into a little theater just as the informational video began. It talked about the cave and how it was formed and how it was discovered and all the scientific discoveries they anticipated to be found and all the medical advancements that might be made possible through the discoveries.

“So, let me get this straight,” Derek said as they walked out of the theater, “John White was a cowboy in this area who discovered the caves.”

“One of the men,” corrected Emilie.

“Okay, one, and the legend is, every night around the same time the people of this area saw what they thought was smoke, but it couldn’t be, because it would travel against the wind sometimes.”

“That’s right, it was the bats.”

“And John White went to explore and he was the one who explored it most.”

“Mhm… the actuality of the caves was a huge debate. Not everyone believed it was true until the government sent an investigator to see. He was a skeptic himself until he saw it. That was in 1923. Later that year it was made a national monument and seven years later it was made a national park.”

“Hmm…” Derek mused, “fascinating.”

“Wasn’t that interesting about how the caves were made in different ways? Some by rivers, others by chemical reactions?” Emilie asked.

“It is, but what do you have to say about the millions of years?”

“I agree with the science, just not the dating,” Emilie replied, “you see, I don’t think that these caves needed that much time to be formed that way. There is a lot of data - “ The buzzing of a cell phone cut her off.

“Sorry,” Derek took out his cell, “We get cell service out here? Hello?” A voice spoke rapidly over the phone. “No!” Derek answered quickly then pausing. “Chandler,” he mouthed to Emilie. Mr. Chandler was a director, producer, writer, you-name-it who had cast Derek in many of the movies he produced or directed. Most the movies Derek had ever played in was by Chandler so he knew him well. “Thank you for the invitation, but no! I said my last movie was the last.” Derek told him, “I’m headin’ in a diff-” Emilie tapped him on the shoulder and pointed. Was that Drake? “-erant direction in life. Hey, I gotta go, something’s come up. Bye!” Derek sighed. THey would never understand why he left the dreamlife of fame for something he couldn’t even describe, but it was something different and something real.

For now, though, what was Drake doing there? They had heard about the Carlyles. Hadn’t all the foster kids been sent to new homes? “Hey Drake, what’s up?” Derek meandered over.

“Oh, hey,” Drake didn’t appear particularly pleased, “nothing much.”

“Drake, do you like caves?” Emilie asked suddenly.

“Yah.”

“Great! Would you like to go up and out through the natural entrance to Carlsbad with me? Derek says he’ll only go down.”

Drake smiled. He couldn’t help it. Would he? He had wanted to do it for so long! “Yes!”

“And what will I do while I’m waiting?” protested Derek.

“A great big movie star like you will think of something,” Emili patted his shoulder as she passed him to go outside, “Look at the exhibits, read the info, watch lectures. There is so much to learn! But let’s climb down right now. Think you’re up for in and out, Drake? We’ll be going on a tour down there. You’re welcome to come.”

“OK,” Drake shrugged and followed, far more excited than he let on.

It was a warm, cloudless day but they all wore jackets, because no matter how hot it was above, in the caves it was dramatically cool. Drake’s heart beat with excitement. He was often the oldest child there when the Carlyle’s took them to the caverns, so though he had gone on the tours many times he had never been able to do this strenuous hike. Derek had no problem climbing down, he even had a good time, but he was not going back up. Drake’s heart was oddly warmed by Emilie’s friendly teasing and Derek’s comical replies, but the reminder that, though this was how friends and family should act, it was not what he’d experienced iced it all back again.

“When is the King’s Palace tour?” Derek asked.

“One, we have an hour and a half, just enough time to leisurely go on the self-guided tour around the Big Room,” replied Emilie.

Drake had walked the Big Room many times. There were many stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites climbing up from the ground and great big columns. He saw the little Fairy Land area with all those tiny, popcorn stalagmites. He particularly liked Mirror Lake. The site was upside down and reflected on the dark, colorful water. It was humid and cold in the caves, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. It used to be a challenge not to touch those formations that were close to the path, but after he had learned about the damage the oil of his skin could do to the delicate of ecosystem of the cave he never thought twice about it again.

“So, they say that your skin can permanently discolor the rock,” Derek remarked, “is that true?”

“Yes, the oils in our skin can mess up the minerals on the stone,” informed Drake, “there are a lot of fragile ecosystems down here. Only a few insects live way down in the cave, even though many find shelter up near the entrance.”

“That’s right, and you know that scientists believe that as we study more and more, we might even be able to learn of some bacteria and organisms that can help us cure some presently incurable diseases like cancer!” Emilie added. “The caves were formed over, I do believe, thousands of years being eaten away by sulfuric acid. All these stalactites and stalagmites took a long time to form, too. As it rained above ground, the water seeped through picking up minerals until it came to the roof of the cave. The minerals either dropped and eventually formed a stalagmite or popcorn or some sort of ground formation or stuck and hardened to the ceiling eventually forming a stalactite, drapery, or straws. Popcorn and formations were also formed by the water being evaporated and the calcite being left behind.”

“And what about Lily pads, rimstone dams, and cave pearls,” Derek read from a sign near a little pool.

“Well, the rimstone dams were formed by slow moving water leaving behind the calcite eventually forming the dam,” Drake told him, “while the cave pearls were made by layer upon layer of calcite around something like sand or something else, just like normal pearls.”

“That is fascinating,” Derek shook his head, “All the intricate happenings underneath our feet, hidden.”

“It really is, isn’t it,” Emilie smiled. “Drake, you know a lot about caves. Maybe you and I can help inform Derek about all the things he has missed by not ever visiting one before!” Drake grinned and Derek rolled his eyes with a good natured laugh.

An hour and fifteen minutes later they arrived at the underground cafeteria. They had a quarter of an hour to spare before the tour began.

“Oh, Drake!” Emilie cried in disappointment, “You don’t have a King’s Palace tour ticket, do you?”

Drake shook his head. “That’s alright, I’ll cover it,” Derek jumped in. When they went to the tour gathering place the ranger went around to collect tickets. Drake stood there awkwardly when it was his turn. “SIr, this young man’s with me. We forgot to buy-”

“No problem!” the ranger assured, recognizing the famous pair, “Just remember to pay on the way out.”

“Thanks,” Derek smiled in relief. If he and Emilie did not notice the eyes on them, the girlish giggles, and the hidden pointing, Drake felt every stare, heard every whisper, saw every point. He did not like so much attention which was now directed towards him because of his association with the actor and actress. Still, he managed to enjoy the tour.

When they went down into the first chamber, the ranger pointed out what looked to be with a column or a drapery and stalagmite nearly touching. “John White named that the Eternal Embrace,” the ranger told them, “How many of you think they are touching? Alright, half of you. How many of you think they aren’t? About a fourth of you. Well, several years ago there was a ranger who was sure that they weren’t touching and it bothered him each time he led a tour, so finally he got permission to check. He grabbed his ladder, carried it down, climbed on up, took out his credit card, and you know what he did? He managed to pass his card between. After that he said, ‘Just goes to show, the one thing that comes between love is money.’ And he named this formation Frustrated Lovers.”

“Is that true?” someone asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” the ranger laughed, “but it is true that they aren’t actually touching.”

“Will they in a couple thousand years?”

“Not unless they start growing again. At the moment, there is not water or calcite coming down, so they aren’t growing. That’s not to say that won’t change, but for now, they will be forever The Frustrated Lovers.”

Drake smiled. He was always amused at the ranger legends, but his favorite part was yet to come. When the blackout finally came, he sat in awe and respect for the caves. He held his breath in surreal joy when he saw how much light a tiny match flame can bring. Of course he knew all this, but no matter how many times it was done, the awe of what a little light can do amid darkness always amazed and warmed him through and through.

“There was a story,” the ranger told them as he held up his little lighter, “about two photographers. They had come to the area to do a wedding photo shoot and decided to visit the caves. So, they came to the caves and climbed way down into the deep. This was before there were tour guides and people were just trusted. While they were down there the generator short-circuited and the lights went out. That wasn’t something so unusual, so they just sat down where they were and waited… and waited, and waited. When it is that dark it is hard to tell how much time had gone by, but they began to get worried they’d miss the photo shoot, and they couldn’t afford to do that, so they searched their pockets to see what they could find. One of them had a single packet of matches. They didn’t think that they could do anything with that so they put it away, but after waiting some more and no lights coming on, they decided to think about using the matches again. They discussed some ideas and decided to play a game of leapfrog. One of them would light a match and the other would run as fast as they could up the path. When the light went out, they’d light one and the other would run as far as he could past and so one. Believe it or not, they made it. It just goes to show what you can do with creative minds and a little light!”

“Not to mention a fast sprint,” mentioned another visitor. Everyone laughed.

“Let’s continue,” the ranger guided them on.