TSHTF

[dstraito]

The city of Paradise Texas like most other cities in the nation was juggling lack of funding and a history of ever increasing spending. Most cities and Paradise was not any different, relied on their tax base on property taxes. Occasional bond issues came along for specific needs like schools or roads or other infrastructure but for the most part, property taxes made up the lion’s share of tax revenue. Now with unemployment nationwide over 50% and in Paradise over 60%, tax revenues were down. Paradise had slightly worse employment numbers than the nation because so many people were in ranching or farming and they couldn’t afford the animals, the equipment maintenance or the seed stock for farming. The banks lenient lending practices as promoted by several progressive presidents allowed loans for many people who could not afford them. Foreclosures were at an all-time high. People that walked away from their houses did not pay taxes.

Mayor John Johnson held a closed door meeting with a couple of city counsel, Robert Greenley and Shawn Preston.

“We have to turn things around, we are nearly bankrupt.” The Mayor said.

“You can’t get blood from a turnip; we have lost a lot of tax payers.” said Shawn.

“Yeah, and we are still sitting on those huge pensions we weren’t able to get the court to annul.” Robert said.

“So we need to enlarge our base, we need to annex more areas so we can increase our tax base.” John said.

“We looked at doing that last year; the infrastructure needs we would be taking on by annexing areas outside the city would be enormous. The streets, lighting, water and sewage alone would not justify the additional tax revenue we would receive.” said Robert.

“What we do is cherry pick. Specifically, we need to incorporate and annex the land Ralph has. He has been making improvements to his property that should make the tax go way up. All we have to do is annex it and have the property appraisal reflect all the additions he has done.” The Mayor said.

“He can’t have done that much where one person can affect our tax revenue that much.” Shawn said.

The Mayor answered “Not just him, there are four or five areas around the outskirts of city limits that if we annexed, we could almost achieve enough revenue to get through this next year. That coupled with layoffs. We need to let 6 of the policemen go, get rid of the Fire Department altogether and go to a volunteer Fire Department. We will have to cut our teaching staff in half, get rid of non-essential departments like the library, the swimming pools, the landscaping department that takes care of mowing and cleanup.”

“Aren’t those services needed?” Shawn asked.

“Minor inconvenience is all. We will weather the storm and come out victorious when things turn around.” John said.

“What if things don’t turn around?” asked Robert.

“Then it doesn’t really matter what we do here does it?” the Mayor answered.
“What about liability, like if someone gets hurt in a fire and there was not adequate support?” Robert asked.

“That’s not really our problem now is it?” the Mayor answered.

“Maybe not, but getting reelected might be if we let essential city services go.” Shawn said.

“I guess we can wait until the next elections but making the city go bankrupt is not going to get us reelected either.” John said.

“We know you have history with Ralph; you know he won’t go along with annexing his land. He fought us once before on that and beat us, what makes you think we can try this again? And don’t we have to wait for a general election before we can even bring it up for a vote?” Shawn said.

“Not if I declare a major emergency, I might be able to do an emergency annexation based on crisis conditions. That fool out there thinks he knows what is best for this city but he is wrong.”

Ralph and John had major issues with each other since they’d both run for Mayor of Paradise. Ralph had more votes and looked like a lock-in for the win but at the last minute, John ran a smear campaign against Ralph and in time, those charges were dismissed as unfounded but in the short run, it was enough to garner enough votes to capture the office.

Ever since then, there had been bad blood between the two. John tried everything he could to get in the way of anything Ralph asked for. BP routinely needed to get permits for different actions and John instructed the city inspectors to make BP jump through hoops and go an extra mile. BP always complied and unable to stall any longer they always got the permit they needed but not without a lot of extra effort.

John said “There might be another angle; I’m talking to our lawyer about evoking Eminent Domain and taking Ralph’s land for city use.”

Shawn said “You know he would fight that, and is that what we should really be doing?”

“Just you reminder yourself whose side you are on?” John said. “He has been a thorn in the side of progress for years.”

“Progress or in your side John?” Robert said.

“What does it matter? I’m for progress and if he is a thorn in my side then he is stifling progress.” John said.

Robert said “I don’t want to cross him; he has always been fair to me.”

“Then maybe you have outlived your usefulness in this council.” John said.
“Uh, if I recall, those positions are voted on, so wouldn’t it be up to the voters to determine that?”

“If you say so John.” Robert usually caved to whatever John wanted but he was stubbornly resistant tonight. Robert got up from his chair and without saying another word he left.”

The Mayor said “Shawn, he may be a problem.”

Shawn said “If he is, we can deal with it. I know who he has been having an affair with, so if we need to, we can use that.”

“Only if we have to.” The Mayor said.

[dstraito]

He must have seen her run into Starbucks on her back to the Compound on her last day at work. She bought her Caramel Macchiato and turned to go and he was standing right behind her.

“Yum, that looks good.” He said with a leer.

“You wouldn’t like it; it doesn’t have any alcohol in it.”

“Whoose said I always have to have alcohol?” He was slurring his words.

“Let’s see. It’s now six o’clock in the evening and you start drinking when, eight in the morning? It’s a wonder you are still standing up.”

“Quit Bitchin’ at me woman. Is it any wonder I left your ass?”

“What do you want Mark?”

“Listen.” He punctuated his sentence by poking her in her shoulder.

She shrugged her shoulder back like he’d shot her.

“You’d better start being nice to me; you are not always going to be able to live in that fancy place of your dads inside a nice safe wall.”

“Why not, whose going to make me move, you?”

“Nope. Not me. But someone will and then I’ll be talking to you anytime I want to.”

Something in the way he said that was very threatening but he didn’t make a specific threat.

She stepped to the side and walked past him. He spun and reached for her shoulder to stop her but she ducked her shoulder down. His drunkenness caused him to not be able to stop the momentum from twisting and he fell into a woman spilling her Flavored Latte. It hit the floor at the same time Susan walked out the door. It was also at the same time the woman started screaming at Mark and making a scene. Susan got in her car and quickly drove away. She was thinking how sad she was to be leaving the shelter but excited to be taking on the lead role with the animals at the Compound.


Chapter

The Compound was essentially complete. Ralph, Susan, and Doug spent the week interviewing the candidates that made their “Yes” list. So far, all the people they’d asked to join the Compound said yes. They too had been feeling overwhelmed with everything that was going on. They saw the Compound as a life-vest in a sea of turbulence. They were on the same page as they saw the fabric of society unraveling. They too saw the need for a like-minded community where everyone had each other’s back.

Gunny moved in and started taking part of the regular strategy meetings so now it was the core of four that continued building this society. Tonight, Sheila was coming over. She did not know why she’d been invited to dinner but she’d accepted. Ralph had mixed emotions as Sheila was the daughter of his mortal enemy, the Mayor, John Johnson. Ralph felt her allegiance when things go really bad would be toward her father and he could not tolerate that division.

The doorbell rang. Doug opened the door to find Sheila in a bright sundress covered with a sweater. Even though it was January, it was 75 degrees out and Sheila always liked to dress like she was going to the beach.

Doug showed her in to the study where Susan, Ralph and Gunny were already sitting. He pulled out a chair for her to one side of the desk and took the only other empty chair in the room.

Susan got up and poured her a glass of wine. What they had to talk about was heady stuff, doom-and-gloom. Agreeing to live in the Compound was a major life change and the invitees also had to agree to abide by the rules.

After a little small talk, Ralph finally said “Sheila, you have probably been watching the news, you know what is going on, and the nation is dangerously close to a collapse.”

She nodded her head in agreement but didn’t say anything.

“You probably saw some improvements we have done to the Com…, well to my land around here. We feel the responsible thing to do would be to prepare for possible problems that might or might not be coming our way.” Ralph said.

Doug said “We’re impressed by your work, you have a hard work-ethic, you are good at organization, and we think you would be a valid addition to us here.”

“Us, who is us exactly?” Sheila said. “It sounds like you are preparing for the end of the world and while I think things are bad, I’m not sure they are so bad as to declare the end times.”

Susan said “We are forming a co-op, if you will. We hope that things won’t turn really bad. Worst case scenario, we all live as a community, nothing happens and in time you can choose to continue or go your own way. But,” She said. “But, if events happen like we expect them to, survival may depend on groups like us, co-ops of people combining their skills and resources in order to survive.”

Sheila said “What exactly do you expect to happen? I mean, things are bad right now, I’ve seen that we don’t have half the merchandise in the store that we used to. I attributed that to a slow economy, but it’s more than that isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Ralph said. “There are a lot of things that could happen, the collapse of the economy, wars with foreign countries, and the collapse of our infrastructure. We’ve already seen where the nation’s power grid has collapsed, the hurricane Vicky decimated the nation’s ability to respond to disasters. What we see happening is a collapse, not just economically, but totally, into anarchy, into chaos. When that happens, there won’t be any law, there won’t be any rules. What there will be are groups of people roving through areas looking to take whatever they can from other people. What I expect is that we will have to be a community to survive, we will have to form bonds that make us dependent on each other for our very lives and it will take us all to survive.”

“Wow. That is a lot to take in. What about my father? What role does he play?”

“He could not be part of this community. We’re assuming he is going to try to shore up the Paradise community if anarchy comes and would not be willing to follow the Compound rules.”

“The Compound rules?”

“Yes, we have adopted a constitution so-to-speak, a set of rules to live by to ensure our survival.”

“What if I don’t agree to all the rules?”

“Totally your choice, of course. We want to invite you to be part of the community but it is a community you join with free will. If you don’t join that is your choice. This is a one-time only offer however. Here is a copy of the rules, we don’t have to have your answer tonight, but within a few days.” Ralph said.

Sheila took the papers Ralph offered. She said “You know, my father still has it in for you, he would probably disown me if I joined up with you.”

Doug said “He might, and that would be his choice, but we place a high value on you and what you could bring to the community so we are willing to face those consequences. What matters most is the question are you willing to face those consequences? We understand about family and would totally understand if you could not make that commitment.”

“But if I don’t and things happen and I’m out in Paradise, then I’m on my own right?”

“Our first commitment would of course be to the people that have joined us. If we could help anyone after that, we would, but understand, resources will be very tight and there might not be anything we could do.” Ralph said.

Sheila stood. “Okay, you’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll get back with you tomorrow.”

“Fair enough.” Doug said.

Susan walked Sheila to the door. “We really are just trying to do what’s right here and survive in the face of overwhelming odds. This is not about a power play between Ralph and your father. This is about assembling the right people together to fight forces that are larger than any one of us.”

“What about my sister, Emily?” Sheila asked.

“We talked about that.” said Susan. “Everyone at the Compound would have to have a job, a purpose or a skill that would be beneficial to the community. We would make room for Emily. You and she could have one of the A-frame cabins to share, but she would have a set of duties that she would have to willingly perform and she and you would have to agree to the rules.”

“Okay then, I’ll let you know tomorrow.” Sheila said.

Susan walked back into the room with Ralph, Doug and Gunny.

“Gunny, you didn’t say much.” Ralph said.

“I’m listening. You want my opinion, ask for it, until then I’m gathering information. I don’t like her family relations.” Gunny said.

“Nor I.” said Ralph.

“Sheila is worth of inclusion.” Doug said. “Let’s not rule her out because her dad is an asshole.”

“Let’s see what she says tomorrow.” Susan said. Gunny left to go to his cabin.

Ralph went upstairs after saying goodnight. Doug and Susan were left to lock up and put the fire out.

The two of them sat on the couch Doug put his arm around her.

She asked “What are we really doing Doug?”

“We’re trying to survive.” He said, kissing her lips gently.

“I’m not so sure I want to survive if things go as bad as you say.”

“Maybe they won’t get that bad. Worst case scenario, we spent a little more time and money than we had to prepare for the unknown. Yes the unknown that we think could possibly happen, but still unknown. Think of it like insurance. You probably pay $1000 dollars a year of for car insurance, right?”

“Yeah, about that.”

“To my knowledge, you haven’t used it or had an accident since you started driving, about 13, 14 years?”

“Fifteen.” Susan said

“So you have spent $15,000 and gotten nothing for it? You didn’t need it, but you had it in case you did. That is all we are doing here. If nothing happens, then so much the better. But if something does happen, we have carefully considered the possibilities and put this plan together as the best way we know of dealing with it.”

“Doug, I know you’ve been after me to marry you and I haven’t been ready because, well I just haven’t been. But, I’m not sure I want to start a family under these conditions. I sure wouldn’t want to bring a child into anarchy and chaos.”

“Marriage to children, you move fast.” He said.

“I’m serious.”

“Well, another way to look at it is we would be able to take care of each other, better than anyone else possibly could. If events happen, then we have each other, if events don’t, then we have each other. I don’t see a down side.”

“You’re sweet, but naïve.” They kissed for a while and then Doug said “I’ve got to go, several more interviews tomorrow.”

“You could always come up to my room for a while.” She said.

“No, the one rule Ralph has is for us to be plutonic until we get married, I’m going to honor that.”

She shrugged “Okay, but if the end of the world happens tomorrow, you’ll never know what you missed.”

“If the end of the world happens tomorrow, I’ll be with you there in the end, and we’ll end up together.”

“Goodnight, Doug, Love you.”

“Love you too, honey.”