Time Flew By

Bess sat in the old rocking chair her grandmother had given her back when she herself had her first babies. Slielntly rocking in the nights air to the rythym of the wind in the leaves she let het mind wander back some 60 years earlier.
The afternoon by the creek was a sunny and warm one, the sheet spread out and lunch was chicken sandwhiches and potatoe salad with iced tea. Harold was talking of big things , ventures of business in hardware. He spoke with such animation that Bess could hardly keep up with him , his hands moving with each gesture of punctuation. The light in his eyes told of his pending adventure to travel and bring the newest and latest to their small country village where "They won't be able to buy enough " he spilled out as he intently loooked at Bess.
Harold had always been looking for that elusive get rich quick scheme, the big break that would make him somebody in this town.
"we'll get married then." He said softly to Bess.
She fell into his arms and her babies well they started to arrive one by one.
Harold did marry her, Bess thought to herself, But it wasn't long before the hardware idea was just that another idea. With mouths to feed Bess knew it would be a long time if at all before Harold would be bringing in any real cash.
Bess dropped off the four youngsters to her mothers and went to work at the confectionary.
One night as she made her way home Bess looked at the stones in the road she kicked one sending into the quiet creek.
She had to do something, Harold had gone off on some trip again swearing this time He would bring home the money. I guess somewhere she believed him or wanted to but the night air was so crisp it kept her focused on her immediate future, no day dreaming tonight, she had to get home.
The years had melted into many and The letters from Harold had long stopped, Bess had no idea what had happened to him. He just ceased to exist in thier world. the kids had grown and turned out ok, better thatn ok they had been launched into thier own lives and were making thier own ways.
This gave Bess that saitisfying feeling in her belly that something had worked in her life.
This night on the walk home things would be different very different, She had worked her last shift. Bess was officially retired now and set up to spend her days doing some gardenning and well she didn't quite know what yet.
Her son had set up a computer in her den and had said" Mom you have to have one so we can keep in touch" Bess had no idea why they couldn't use the telephone but she would give it a try.
Coming in the screen door she hung up her keys and put her purse away , gave buddy a scratch behind the ears and made herslef a cup of coffee. Bess sat down and faced the blank screen, Why not she thought to herself and turned on the computer.
Bess was drawn into a new world she new nothing about. She opened her mail and there was a notice that she had won 500,000 dollars she couldn't believe her eyes. reading on Bess decided to visit the site where the lottery money had come from, there bess found a link on thier site explaining how they don't tell thier winners in thier emails how much they've won, so if you get one of these emails its a scam. Slightly disaponited at not having the money Bess decide to dig into this a little deeper.
Who are these people who scam , How do they have the consience to do this to people. Bess wanted to know to make them accountable. she wrote her email to the site for reporting the scams and went to bed.
The next morning the phone rang and Bess answered with her ussual cheerfulness, what was said next changed her life.
"Hello Bess" the male voice said.
"Hello" Bess returned.
"My name is Nigel Barrington of the international crime fighting association. I received your email and wanted to follow up personally with you, would it be alright if we talked a bit?"
Bess could feel the unease stir in her she certainly did not expect a phone call and from a complete stranger, then she remebered her phone number was attached to her outgoing mail and she had forgot to block it when she sent that email last night.
Against her better judgement Bess found herself asking "what is it you want Mr.... uh " She had forgotten his name." Thats quite alright it is Nigel Barrington, you can call me Nigel. I want to ask if you would be interested in helping us catch these scam artists by using your computer from home." Bess broke out of her thoughts and Said" I'm sorry Mr. Nigel i realy don't think that is something for me, i was really just sounding off and am flattered but I have no experince with this kind of thing."
Nigel, in a reassuring voice said " It really is no trouble, I thought you might be interested but I see you are not, I am sorry to have troubled you,If you change your mind you can call our 1-800 line and reach me through oprerator 4."
"Oh , Well, I really don't know what to say" bess managed to get out.
"Perfectly understandable" Nigel replied.
" Sorry to have bothered you, but do think about it, We can gaurantee your safety with us we have the most secure outfit to hide you from the con artists and we can set you up with the latest equipment for surviellence of these scams on the internet. We are looking for people that these crimanals would not suspect, therefore I cantacted you hoping youo would come on baord."
Bess Started to feel very uncomfrotable she couldn't trust this starnger certainly not after what had happend with Harold and through the years life had taught that to give this man on the phone any more information would be a terrible mistake "I must go now, goodbye Mr. Nigel" with a click bess was released from that interaction. Bess starred at her coffee and thought, what if, then laughed at herself. Bess the cyber detective, she turned and went about her day.
Nigel's number was written down on a scribbly left on the table cluttered by other papers.