Rush of Lunacy - Part 1

It was 1851 and the gold rush was in full swing! People from all over were doing whatever they could to travel to California in hopes of finding gold and striking it rich!

“But Pa! California’s even considered a state now! We done a great deal of thinking on it and we wanna’ join all the other forty-niners!”

The middle son James pleaded. He had red hair and always seemed to have the most to say in any given situation. He was quick witted and far too irascible for his own good.

“Astoria just doesn’t have much going for it…”

The oldest son named Henry added. He took after his father as he had brown hair and was far more laidback than his brother James.

“We can’t just be flour millers or loggers forever. What kind of future is that, Ma?”

Willy, the youngest of the three of them had taken a different approach and had directed his persuasive approach toward his mother, instead of his father. Willy had wavy brown hair that always appeared like a mop. He always seemed to have a girl in love with him. He was likely the most attractive son of the three of them and he soaked up all the attention like a sea sponge.

“Flour is consistently useful and practical! Without it, we might’ve all starved!”

Their Ma said, as she slammed down a lump of dough on the kitchen table. She was making a loaf of bread. She picked up her wooden rolling pin and poked James in the stomach with it.

“I can see, clear, as a sunny day, without clouds who started this whole idea!”

He glared at James. Some of her wispy hairs had come down from her tightly wrapped bun on the back of her head.

James smiled a little and retorted.

“Ma, but think about how rich we could become! We could find so much gold, enough to build you a fine house with lots of fancy furniture and clothes! Stuff you’ve only dreamed of from storybooks!”

She turned around with the mound of dough and nearly elbowed James unintentionally. He dipped out of the way just in time.

“I don’t want, nor do I need any of those things! Can’t you boys just be happy and content with what you got here!”

Willy laughed.

“Can you imagine Ma in a dress fit for a queen?”

“All of you! Get out! Except your Pa. Out of the house! Quit your yammering on and on about all this nonsense!”

Henry, James, Willy saw their Pa’s affirmative head nod to leave the house so they filed out toward the barn. The three brothers entered the barn. James kicked at the hay on the ground which frightened the clucking chickens.

“I don’t wanna’ go down in history as the chicken brothers from Oregon who didn’t get the gold in California! I couldn’t stand to have that written on my epitaph when I’m dead…”

He scoffed at the chickens in the barn with a disgusted look on his face and continued his declaration.

“This is our chance to prove our manhood, our ability to make it out there! Don’t you see, we were made for this! We’re watching history unfold! And we just can’t miss an opportunity this great!”

“It would be such an adventure!”

Willy smiled at the thought, his eyes bright with excitement.

After a quarter of an hour, their Pa entered the barn alone.

He looked at his sons with a deep sigh.

“You’re all grown and if this is truly what you want to do, it’s your call. Even though your Ma is not in favor of the idea, you have my respect for whatever you decide to do…”

He bowed his head and chuckled, as the young sons whooped and hollered like three proud roosters.

“We a’going to California boys!”

James crowed up at the barn rafters.

~~~~~

Author’s Note:

This is a collaborative story. To read part 2, written by Archery Owl, follow the link below: