Postcards to America by Patrick Ingle Page B

venture down this particular path, ‘do you have anybody to send emails to?’
    ‘No. Perhaps you could help me there…?’ “Corner” gave the youth a stare.
    ‘What are your interests?’ asked the tattooed youth.
    ‘I’m interested in the “Wild West”.
    Oh! That explains the “Red Indians”, thinks the youth, feeling a lot more comfortable with the stranger.
    So he showed “Corner” how to use a search engine. ‘Just type in a word and click on the button,’ he explained, ‘and it will give you a list of sites. Then type in another word or words to narrow the search still further.’
    ‘Have you got the hang of it?’ asked the assistant as he left “Corner’s” side to serve a new customer.
    ‘Nearly,’ answered “Corner”.
    After typing words into the search engine for thirty minutes, “Corner” finally found a site that showed promise. He clicked a button and a site showing the flag of the Confederate States of America appeared on the monitor. Overwritten on the flag “Corner” could see the address of the site: www.friendsoftheconfederacy.com
    ‘I’ll send them an email to cheer them up. Yes, that’s what I will do. I will send them a few words of encouragement.’
    When “Corner” finished typing, he looked at his few carefully chosen words. “ Don’t give up hope: All is not lost. From a friend”. Satisfied with the message, “Corner” clicked the “send” button.
    After a further period of searching, “Corner” found another site that showed promise so he clicked on: www.siouxreservation.com .
    They definitely need help, “Corner” thought. Therefore, he typed out a short warning: “ Beware, General Custer is on your trail. From a friend”. As on the previous occasion he pressed the “send” button.
    That’s enough messages for one-day, thinks “Corner” shutting down the computer and approaching the youthful assistant.
    ‘How much do I owe you?’ he asked.
    ‘That will be two Euro.’
    “Corner” handed the money over and said, ‘Thanks for your help. I think I’ve mastered the Internet now. It’s a great means of communicating.’
    ‘Did you send many emails?’ the youth asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
    ‘Yes I did,’ “Corner” replied. ‘But…’
    The youth waited as “Corner” turned towards the door and then looked back.
    ‘ But I got no replies. They must have all been out.’
    *
    A day later “Corner” returned to see if his emails had been answered. The friendly assistant showed him how to open his inbox. There were two messages there for him. He read the first message, which was from friendsoftheconfederacy.com.
    ‘Thanks for your message of support but I have to tell you that Savannah was burnt last night.’
    The second message “Corner” received was from siouxreservation.com. Eagerly he read the message.
    ‘Your warning was timely. We wiped out the “long knives” and the “short knives” too. We left one horse escape. We are not partial to horsemeat – we leave that to the French.
    In appreciation for your help we are offering you the chance to purchase at a special discount hair taken from the scalp of the “long knives”. For the low, low price of nine dollars and ninety-five cents including all federal taxes, we will send you twenty-five strands of the white man’s hair.’
    Shortly afterwards “Corner” left the caf� to withdraw nine dollars and ninety-five cents from his account.
    *

Chapter 10

The Raid
    Bobby cut himself shaving. He also tripped on the bathroom mat and banged his knee off the side of the bath. So, he knew the omens were bad even before the day had properly begun. Those of a superstitious nature would say that bad luck always came in threes; so, what else awaited him today. He soon found out.
    Five minutes after he opened the shed doors two unmarked police cars pulled up outside the door. With a screech of brakes another two police cars stopped and disgorged uniformed officers.