The Golden Connection: Three men bond while working on the G. G. Bridge. Jeff's Dream: A man goes west during the gold rush and a raven changes his life. Hanno's Song: A boy's love and an elephant's courage overcome all obstacles. Nikos: A Greek family seeks refuge during the Greek-Turkish war in 1920. The Red Box: A red shoe shine box changes the life of a homeless man and his family. Stormy: A thoroughbred and a young man struggle together to reach their goals. April Fourteenth: Black Sunday affects people's lives and a child's future. Chapel on Wheels: A poor southern family experiences an eventful life in Chicago. Maska: A cattle rancher learns to understand and respect wolves. Kostas: A fisherman has to make a choice between wealth and doing what's right. A Crow and a Burglar: Jewelry fascinates a crow, a burglar and a ruthless woman. The Dream Painter: Magical paints help people fulfill their dreams. Qanuk: A polar bear survives global warming and wins the hearts of the country.

We Are All Connected

Historic & Inspirational Short StoriesBy George S. Evans

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 George S. Evans
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-4754-1

Contents

The Golden Connection.......................................1Jeff's Dream................................................31HANNO'S SONG................................................69e Nikos.....................................................105The Red Box.................................................143Stormy......................................................165April Fourteenth............................................189Chapel on Wheels............................................223Kostas......................................................265The Dream Painter...........................................295QanukA Polar Bear's Struggle to Survive.....................313Maska.......................................................343A Crow and a Burglar........................................365

Chapter One

The Golden Connection

By George S. Evans

The San Francisco Bay is swarming with crowded ferries during the prosperous 1920's. The heavy traffic creates congestion, dangerous situations and frequent delays. To alleviate these problems, several proposals to build bridges across the bay are repeatedly offered to the officials; but the highly profitable, influential ferry boat companies and other powerful groups vigorously oppose the ideas.

Joseph Strauss, a world-renowned bridge designer, dreams of building a bridge to span the mile-wide Golden Gate strait, the bay's entrance to the Pacific Ocean. The strait is known for its strong winds, treacherous waters with its heavy swells and white-capped tides, connecting San Francisco with Sausalito and the magnificent coastal redwoods.

Fifteen years of contentious debates cause years of delays just before the country enters into the era of the big depression. Legislators and the people think that the estimated cost of $35,000,000 for such an impossible undertaking during the depression is not prudent or realistic. Adding fuel to the hotly contested debate, Strauss sets aside the traditional bridge designs in favor of a suspension bridge that was not only functional but it would also be a structure of beauty. After countless meetings and presentations, Strauss finally convinces the authorities that the graceful bridge is feasible, safe and economical.

Finally, Joseph Strauss proudly stands with 200,000 people to witness the ground-breaking ceremony at Crissy Field on February 26, 1933. The Marin anchorage on the Marin headlands above Ft. Baker's Horseshoe Cove would be built at the same time as the San Francisco's southern anchorage. But Strauss's dream would become riddled with nightmares.

Besides the frequent occurrences of blinding fog banks hanging over the San Francisco that make it hazardous for traffic to maneuver on the Bay, the economic hardships also make it difficult for the people to navigate their lives. The poor, middle class as well as the wealthy are all treated equally with disdain during this time of high unemployment causing hunger and uncertainty.

One of many unemployed is Bob, normally gregarious and happy, walks alone as he sadly passes through the main gate for the last time after working there for fifteen years as a welder. His head is down and his shoulders are slumped as he heads for home located in a middle class neighborhood. Bob isn't in the mood to talk to his neighbors working in their yards. He is preoccupied with what to tell his wife, Joan. Bob pauses at the front door for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. As soon as he enters the house, Joan greets him with a kiss.

"How was your day, honey?"

His downcast eyes said it all.

Joan's smile fades as she senses that something is terribly wrong. He hands her his three months severance check without saying a word.

Joan becomes teary eyed and they embrace. Joan, wearing a mask of confidence, says, "Something will come up. We'll just have to watch our expenses and I'll look for work."

"No, honey, our two sons need you at home. Besides, once the factory closes its doors, the whole town will be in trouble."

"I'm afraid we'll lose our home when our savings run out," laments Joan.

"It worries me too. Maybe we should consider selling it before things get worse and rent a smaller place."

For months, Bob tries to find work but it's hopeless. They have no choice but to get out from under their mortgage and move into a low- rent basement apartment in a less desirable part of town. Most of their furniture is sold at bargain prices. The only place they can afford is a damp and depressing basement apartment. Two light bulbs suspended by a frayed cord barely shed enough light on their few pieces of furniture. They cancel their newspaper subscription and depend on their radio for the news and entertainment. Like many other families, they live in the shadows of poorness for the first time.

However, living on the edge of poverty is not new to Bob. He grew up on a small dairy farm. Bob's father, Jim, develops a heart condition and the burden of working the dairy farm falls on Bob's broad shoulders. In addition to milking twenty cows twice a day, Bob feed the herd, cleans the stalls and maintains the equipment. It is an all-consuming, difficult life. Coping with and surviving nature's erratic behavior was an on-going challenge. Even during a good year there is barely enough money left over to buy basic necessities after the mortgage is paid. The lingering drought during the early thirties and the widespread dust storms hamper milk production and eventually bury many families under mountains of debt. The majority of banks are reluctant to loan money to farmers and ranchers during these uncertain times.

Eventually, Bob's family is forced to sell the farm, equipment and cows for pennies on the dollar at an auction. They pack what little they have and move to a small apartment in the city. Long lines of the unemployed compete for a limited number of jobs and the fortunate few who are hired have no choice but to work for sub-standard wages. Jim works as a handy man, does minor repairs for home owners and he also works as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Mary, Bob's mother, bakes and sells pies. Bob, now twenty-seven years old, finds a part-time job as a welder; which eventually becomes full time. He had learned to weld and repair their old farm equipment since they always had to make do with what they had. In time, Bob had saved enough money to live on his own and he rented a room from an Irish, Catholic family that lived in a large, old house located in a well-established neighborhood.

Within a week, Bob is convinced that he chose the right place to live when he met Joan, the eldest of three daughters. It isn't long before Bob takes a strong liking to Joan who often sits on the front porch swing to take in the cool breezes after a hot summer day. Joan, 25, is a waitress at one of the local restaurants. After a few weeks, Bob puts aside his shy nature and he joins Joan on the swing. They talk and laugh late into the night. It becomes a nightly ritual and their happy moments together make it easier to bear the hard economic times.

After a few months of courting, Bob, to no surprise to anyone, asks Joan's father for permission to marry his daughter. On the following evening while Bob and Joan are on the porch swing, Bob proposes to her. She happily accepts the ring without any hesitation. The parents are very pleased and...