Whatever Became of Uncle Bob?

Chapter One: Uncle Bob's Last Picture  

Crevice The Cat

We weren't sure if that really was Uncle Bob laying all sprawled out all over the place. I mean, Uncle Bob was the casual sort, and he did tend to get mighty comfortable once he relaxed.

Still it just wasn't like him to be so careless and leave his left leg bone here, his right arm bone away over there, and the rest of himself all scattered round higgledy squiggledy.

Still, the sheriff identified him as Uncle Bob so we guessed it was. Besides, there was Uncle Bob's digital camera laying twenty seven feet and eight and three quarters inches away from the car, and the car was definitely Uncle Bob's car.

Uncle Bob's car was easy to recognize because the license plates said UNC BOB. That's the ones we got him for his birthday only three years and eighteen days earlier. He was so proud and happy to get them.

My cousin Little Bob went over and picked up the digital camera and held it next to his heart. You could tell he was a thinking about his long lost Daddy.

The rest of us was looking at those bones scattered around.

Us kids thought those bones were mighty peculiar looking for bones. They sort of looked like plastic ones like they sell at the Halloween Store over on Grimsby Street. I picked up the skull and and was getting ready to give it a good thump to see if it sounded like plastic, but Sheriff Wentworth saw what I was going to do and he got all red faced and mad, then he started yelling some real bad words, so that scared us kids and we ran away.

We ran up and down a few hills, and the sheriff chased us for a bit, but he was so fat from all them doughnuts he eats at Aunt Ethel's Doughnut Shop that he got tuckered out real quick like.

We runned a bit more, then we all stopped to hide at the log. That's a big oak tree that is a laying across the stream way behind the store. I looked over at Cousin Little Bob to see how he was doing, and I saw he was still a hanging on to his Daddy's digital camera. Looking down, I saw in my hands Uncle Bob's skull!

Well, I just stared at it, now knowing what to do with it. Something caught my attention, and I asked Cousin Little Bob if his Daddy had a tattoo on the top of his head. This was sort of a strange tattoo to have on top of a head, it said Made in China.

Well, my cousin he said no way would his Daddy have a tattoo like that on top of his head. So we got all cheered up cause we know this wasn't Uncle Bob's skull at all. Hoorah!

Cousin Little Bob started to play with his Daddy's digital camera. He flicked the power switch to the On position then he moved the mode button to Review Images. He smiled at a picture, so we asked him what he was a smiling at. Little Bob said it was a picture of his long last cat named Crevice, missing about three years now.

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Chapter Two: Uncle Bob's Next to Last Picture
 

Mangolia

Cousin Little Bob continued his review of all the digital images on his Daddy's camera. Deep in thought and reminiscing about his poor lost Daddy and Crevice the Cat, the guy had some tears trickling down his face.

He stared at one picture for the longest time, deep in thought. Suddenly his eyes just sparkled and the biggest grin shot right across his face. I ain't poetic, but it was like the darkest night brightened by a friendly lightening bolt that chased away all gloom.

Little Bob started mumbling something over and over again. Well, we just couldn't figure out what he was saying, but he kept saying it louder and louder till all of a sudden we realized he was saying "Mangolia".

We didn't get it at first, but he calmed down a bit and said his Daddy was in Mangolia, cause that's where that picture of the big old jar like thing was taken. He'd seen it in some adventure magazine his Daddy had that told all about Mango Matt.

The Great Time Reversal

The words on the stone above me slowly became sharper and easier to read.
 
Beneath this monument marking my scheduled passage and arrival on this world my body slowly gained form. A layer of dust became bones, another layer of dust became rotted flesh. Rotted flesh over the years became solid flesh, giving my shape to a lifeless black suit of clothes

As the time neared for my death, it became common for my descendents and surviving friends and relatives to visit and think. I was unaware that my grandchildren and children were now visiting my burial site. The time of my death was drawing nearer

A ceremony was held in my honor, or so I was told. Family and friends gathered in joy as my body was raised from the earth. I was transferred to a waiting hearse. This vehicle brought me to the funeral parlor, where embalmers brought my body to a more deathlike appearance.

From there my body was taken to a hospital and an awaiting bed. Soon death would come. Family members awaited this moment joyously. My wife held my hand as the time approached.