The Oddities of Mr. Shaffer

Chapter 1: Alpha

It was July 10, 1973.  It was a bright sunny afternoon.  It was warm, very warm, and I decided to wear my nice brown suit.  I was in the local park, catching up on my reading.  I used to like to watch the kids play around there.  It just filled me with so much joy to see them be so happy.  Some were on the swings, paired up taking turns pushing each other. Others were playing on the slides.  And some were out around the field, playing tag.  Parents and relatives would gather on blankets on the beautiful grass lands of the park to have picnic's.  Every once in a while, a nice gentlemen or lady would come over and greet me kindly and ask for an autograph.

One of my weekly hobbies was to look in the newspaper and find me on the front page.

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Robert Shaffer Does It Again!!

The witty inventor astonishes people world wide with his new invention he calls the "Calsmic-Bot"!  This interactive robot not only has an astonishing sleek design, but is also very smart and coordinated.  Able to do chores around the house for you in a flash, and also able to interact with your kids!  It's not smart, it's CALSMIC-SMART!!!  Buy one today!

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 Yep, the Calsmic-Bot.  One of my newer creations at the time.  Many found it to be mediocre, and really I couldn't argue with them.  The machine took a Rotary-Battery, one of my older inventions, and needed about 2 hours of recharge power before it could be up and going again.  I was working on a more improved model, but never could get around to it.  More ideas were arising for me at every given moment.  Sticking to one set project was not only a challenge for me, but a hassle.  Inspiration came from many places; a billboard, a movie, a commercial on the tube, anything really.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, could tie my brain down for one second.  It always seem to drift away with the world.

That night as I was driving home in my Miura SV, I was stopped by a very unpleasant cop.  He said I was driving 12 miles over the speed limit.  Trying to reason with the guy wasn't getting me no where, so I asked him what the damage was going to be.  He then gave me a smirk and grabbed a pad book and pen from the side of his hip.  Making a fast motion scribble of his hand, he tore off the ticket and handed it to me.  The ticket read:

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Name: Robert  T.  Shaffer

Speed Limit Violation

Fee: $250   

Due: September 3, 1973

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As I stared at the ticket for a brief moment,  the officer gave me a firm pat on the shoulder, laughed, and said "Keep inventing Shaffer, you're making this world a more successful place."  To be truthful, I was very insulted.  The rest of the ride home was smooth sailing.  I wasn't even a notch over 20 MPH.

Later that night, I was looking at the Television and yet again the news reporters were talking about the Cold War.  Numerous people I ran into and had a conversation with always had something to say about it.  Sometimes they would say "I hope this thing with Russia doesn't get out of hand."  And then others would say "What are you going to do if a war breaks out, Shaffer?"  I hated it.  It wasn't the concept of me hating other countries or a group of people for what they did, but it was the concept of each side wanting to go to war for what they thought was the "best logical solution".  That is the reason there is conflict; because both sides, or multiple sides, wont keep there mouth shut for 1 second to here what others have to say.  I didn't want to keep living in a world like this.  I wanted to live in a world of free will and self governing.  A world where ones thoughts woudn't restrict the minds of many. A world of fairness and liberty.  There was no place like that here on Earth.  

And then, it hit me.  I was going to build a city.  A city where all of my thoughts of a great society would finally exist.  A place where many would call Heaven, while others may call it a Utopia.  But then, other questions arose, and one of the most important ones that I didn't have an answer for was where I would build this great city?  I then got off my living room couch and sat outside on my porch.  Thinking for a few minutes, I still had nothing.  My eyes wearily then looked up to the pitch black sky.  And with a grim smile and a faint voice, I said "That's what I will do.  I will take to the skies....."