Mark and Senator Hatcher finally reach the lake and head on over to Ben's cabin. (Yes, the same Ben who was showing Mr. Tuggle around the lake.) Over a cup of coffee, the Senator lets Ben know that he and the intrepid woodsman will be puttering around the lake to get an idea of what's going on. He also takes a moment to reminisce about the past, and oh, what wonderful days they were. You remember, don't you? Back when the fish could swim free and not be afraid of carnivorous rocks. Back when there weren't any speed boats. Back when the ladies and gents would stroll along the bank in their finery, free of the foul city air, talking of nothing and everything as they restored their constitutions and put everything back in balance. Of course Ben, being the party pooper that he is, just has to point out that things have changed. The horse drawn carriages have been replaced by cars and the kids aren't satisfied by paper boats and hoops. Oh Senator, you're living in the past it's true, but can't there be a middle ground somewhere? (I guess that's what we're here to find out, isn't it?)
Tired of listening to Ben ramble on about how his clients come in by plane, and how it's time to change with the times, Mark and the Senator hit the lake to enjoy the splendor of nature (which seems to amount to geese and beavers). Heading for a quiet little cove, which is probably on the other side of the lake, and which they'll probably reach by evening seeing as how Mark is the only one doing any sort of paddling, the two take in the sights, marveling at the beaver dams, the rolling green hills (or maybe those are trees) and that dead tree/telephone pole by the rocks that we can only imagine is about to be added to the dam. Yep, everything seems to be going well, but it seems that it might be going too well, for on the horizon is a shadowy boat with two equally shadowy passengers, who, considering that they're uninvited, can only be bringing trouble to the two campers.
Trouble indeed. The nefarious Parker brothers reappear and it would seem that Joe (the side-burned one) and Moe (the bearded one) aren't too pleased to see the older man and his khaki-wearing friend camping on their side of the lake. They are even less pleased when they find out that the elderly gent is Senator Hatcher, enemy to speed boaters and shadowy camps everywhere. Looks like there's trouble brewing. Perhaps it's time for a little two-fisted diplomacy, eh, Mark?
Mark and Senator Hatcher finally reach the lake and head on over to Ben's cabin. (Yes, the same Ben who was showing Mr. Tuggle around the lake.) Over a cup of coffee, the Senator lets Ben know that he and the intrepid woodsman will be puttering around the lake to get an idea of what's going on. He also takes a moment to reminisce about the past, and oh, what wonderful days they were. You remember, don't you? Back when the fish could swim free and not be afraid of carnivorous rocks. Back when there weren't any speed boats. Back when the ladies and gents would stroll along the bank in their finery, free of the foul city air, talking of nothing and everything as they restored their constitutions and put everything back in balance. Of course Ben, being the party pooper that he is, just has to point out that things have changed. The horse drawn carriages have been replaced by cars and the kids aren't satisfied by paper boats and hoops. Oh Senator, you're living in the past it's true, but can't there be a middle ground somewhere? (I guess that's what we're here to find out, isn't it?)
Tired of listening to Ben ramble on about how his clients come in by plane, and how it's time to change with the times, Mark and the Senator hit the lake to enjoy the splendor of nature (which seems to amount to geese and beavers). Heading for a quiet little cove, which is probably on the other side of the lake, and which they'll probably reach by evening seeing as how Mark is the only one doing any sort of paddling, the two take in the sights, marveling at the beaver dams, the rolling green hills (or maybe those are trees) and that dead tree/telephone pole by the rocks that we can only imagine is about to be added to the dam. Yep, everything seems to be going well, but it seems that it might be going too well, for on the horizon is a shadowy boat with two equally shadowy passengers, who, considering that they're uninvited, can only be bringing trouble to the two campers.
Trouble indeed. The nefarious Parker brothers reappear and it would seem that Joe (the side-burned one) and Moe (the bearded one) aren't too pleased to see the older man and his khaki-wearing friend camping on their side of the lake. They are even less pleased when they find out that the elderly gent is Senator Hatcher, enemy to speed boaters and shadowy camps everywhere. Looks like there's trouble brewing. Perhaps it's time for a little two-fisted diplomacy, eh, Mark?
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