Only the dream was never realized. He had contemplated tossing it several times, but in the end it just sat in the sun outside whatever house he lived at and slowly turned from black to a gray with the passing of the years. It was clean and had two stoppers which could be removed. This meant Bill had to take the truck in, instead of the car, but he doubted he could afford fifty five gallons of gas anyway, still the station had taken his check before, so he would fill it as high as he could.

His son Will rode with him the two miles back into town and the gas station was not too busy yet, apparently Bill was staying just one step ahead of the rest of the people getting supplies. He put fifty gallons of gas into the barrel and paid with another check that was sure to bounce. ‘Well’ he thought, ‘either way we will use the gas, I guess.’

When he got back home Trisha was in the car with John. John had Bill's shotgun in the front seat with them. Trisha rolled down her window, getting ready to pull out of the garage as Bill pulled in. Her eyes were red and watery, as if she had been crying.

“I called Marcy up in Boone, the Wal-mart and grocery stores are still open up there. I am going with John to get what we can. I'm taking the college money, you better go watch the news, I can't talk about it right now.”

Bill looked over to John and said, “Was it your idea to bring the gun?”

He nodded.

“Good call. You should bring a pistol too, I don't think anybody is going to get mean yet, but it won't be long.” Bill laughed when John raised his shirt up to show the butt of a pistol. To Trisha he said, “Buy everything you can get especially the stuff no one else is buying. And fill up the car too. I'll have Claire and Will help me with this. Where's Max?”

Trisha sniffed, “Still in bed, don't forget to give Trudy something to do. Don't leave her out.” This had been an ongoing argument lately, that Bill left the girls out of all his planning. He nodded his assent and Trisha left without another word.