Gold Digger (Color of Gold)

"Uncle Miles," the twenty-five year old young woman in the lab coat said.

"Hey Louie, Beware of fat men bearing gifts." he added. He had intentionally used the masculine version of her name.

"Granny's donuts, my god you are amazing. You do know my name is Louise," the young woman chastised him while biting into a strawberry jam filled donut.

"I know my kid brother wanted a boy and tried everything he knew to make you into a tomboy." Miles replied.

"Well that explains why I became a nerd instead of a princess," she said hugging him. "So do you have them?" she asked.

"How could I come home without them," Miles said. He handed her a plastic grocery bad with twenty two long pill bottles filled with dirt and a pocket notebook. It was an old school pen and paper type notebook not a digital notebook.

"I will get onto this right away and let you know what I find," she said.

"Fair enough, what do you want for dinner," he asked.

"Why? You have no idea how to operate a stove," Louise said with a laugh.

"No Louie, but I do know how to operate a phone. I'm going to bring dinner to you," Miles said.

"Pizza, with hamburger and onions," she said. "Don't order till I get there. I will be working a little late on these samples."

"The hell you say," he said with a smile. "I'm going now, but I will get two so you have at least a slice left.?

After Miles complained about having nothing to do in his retirement, his niece Louise came up with the idea for them to prospect. She didn't want to get rich either, but she sure wouldn't mind making a few extra bucks, she had said.

For Miles it gave him the excuse to take his Honda scooter and sidecar on the road. Which was why he had just come back from his first three weeks in the mountains. He spent the time checking out ten spots on each of three different streams.

Louise was a geology graduate student at the local branch of the state university. So she analyzed the samples from his micro core samples. The core samples came from a shallow spot in the creek. With a five pound hammer he drove a two foot pipe as deep as it would go into the creek bed. When he pulled the pipe from the creek bed, the pushed a wooden plunger into the pipe making a perfect one inch diameter core sample. He labeled the long pill bottles with the GPS coordinates. It had taken him three weeks to get the thirty site samples.

Miles also shared his small house with Louise. He planned to continue sharing for the duration of her school at least. In exchange for the free rent, she did the lab work. She also had a 49% stake in the company. Fifty one percent of nothing was still nothing, he told himself with a laugh. She also kept the house in some sort of order.

On his way home he stopped for two medium pizzas with hamburger and onions. They fit quite easily into the sidecar. From the pizza joint, he drove straight home. He parked his scooter in the half of the garage dedicated to it. His truck was parked behind the house. It really hadn't been used much since the mechanic got the motor rebuilt on his Honda scooter. The second parking space inside the garage, which was almost as big as the house, was dedicated to Louise's car.

The place Miles purchased after the divorce was much smaller than the place where he and Barbara had lived for over twenty five years. Since it was two bedrooms there was just enough room for his niece Louise. There was only one room in the house that she was forbidden to enter. It was the room where he slept. The same was true for the room where she slept, he never entered it. She and her secrets from safe from his urge to snoop.

Louise came home about 10pm to find her uncle doing research on the Geological survey map site. She knew his research was useless, but she said nothing. Her research gave up the clues to make the project even possible. Their premise was based on her science and his investigative work.

Sure Uncle Miles could research and even do test holes all over the mountains, but her scientific approach was the only one that would prove of any value in the end.

"So tell me where you went," Louie demanded.

"Eat your pizza while I explain it to you. First of all I found the creek you researched. I began at the state highway 210. It is a small wooden bridge that might not be there in another year. It really needs repair.

I took samples there while I camped in a primitive state run park. I walked up the creek about ten miles and took samples every time the creek got wide and shallow. Then I moved camp to a spot of land where the creek ran through a small community. I started there and ran five miles north and five mile south of town. I scouted the creek all the way up that mountain for three more days. Each night I moved camp further up the creek. I got all the way to the top of the on the forth day.

Then I went up a creek that a park ranger suggested. He had no idea what I was really doing. He just thought that I was panning for gold. I took a smaller number of sample from that creek. I expect the samples came from a twenty five mile stretch of the creek.

Then I did the same thing with an unnamed creek off the old black river basin. I ran it almost forty mile by moving from road crossing to road crossing," Miles explained.

"Well tomorrow I will begin mapping the three creeks. It will take me about a week but when I am finished I should have a pretty good idea where to send you next," she suggested.

"You sure have your mother's way of talking. Everything you say comes out as the plantation owner talking to her foreman. I should call you Miss Scarlet," Miles said.

"Well one thing for sure, you are not a lazy foreman. I couldn't ask for a better partner," she said. "And you have good taste in Pizza."

"Yes I do," Miles agreed.

During the week while she made her maps and threw the chicken bones to determine his next exploration spot, Mile worked on his scooter. He touched up the black stealth paint, and checked over all the belts and hoses.

Even though everything was new, It wasn't immune to breakage over the rough roads of the smokey mountains.

Miles was getting bored after three days. He needed something to fritter away his time. Louise recognize the restless feet syndrome almost before he did. It is what led her to devise the plan in the first place.

Her answer to his restlessness was Ada Fine... Professor Ada Fine to be exact. The professor was a widow a little older than Miles. She of course didn't ask her age, but the indications were all there. Louise decided that Ada would do nicely for her uncle. Louise had decided, so all that remained was to engineer a meeting.

Louise didn't have the same type relationship with Ada Fine she had with her science department professors. Since that was the case she expected it to prove more difficult. Every minute that she wasn't analyzing the samples, she spent trying to think of a way for them to meet.

"Uncle Miles, I have a plan," she said.

"Not another one?" he asked.

"Of course," she said. "You are convinced that we should concentrate on the creeks with a record of producing gold. Even though I think it is a waste of time, we should at least take a scientific approach to your obsession. We should research the historical references," she demanded.

"Oh, how would that work. You want me to sit behind a computer all day?" Miles asked.

"Of course not, there is a history professor at the university. I have been told that she loves pure research. Let's include her into the project. A third of a find is better than half of nothing. If you are right that is," Louise said.

"Sure why not, you are more the academic type, so you recruit her," Miles said.

"So you are good with her getting 30% of the profits that are derived from her site selections?" Louise asked.

"As you pointed out 40% of something is better than 100% of nothing. I think her input will be very valuable. If she is willing to work for Pizza. Hire her," Miles replied.

Louise met with Ada the very next day. She explained that Ada's role would be the historic research of the streams of the state. Then her Uncle Miles would do the field work of collecting samples. If the samples looked worthwhile, she would map the stream for the best geological place for a more detailed evaluation.

"We are in this for the long haul," Louise explained.

"Give me as much input as you have on the project and I'm in," Ada said without hesitation. "I have an idea to finance the operation as well. It may not work out, but it is a possibility."

"Did I mention my uncle is an ex cop?" Louise asked.

"It's legal, but it will require he talk to some people. That is assuming I can set it up a meeting. Let me try before you ask him," Ada suggested. "Actually I should meet him first."

Louise was amazed how simple it had been to arrange for Ada to meet her uncle. She suggested lunch. She was surprised when Ada agreed without question. The date was set contingent upon Ada making contacts with her revenue generating source.

Miles was feeling cramped living inside. He just wanted to go back on he road. The scooter was ready, and his ten year old truck had been serviced and it was deemed as good as it would get, by his mechanic.

If the Samples proved to be of any use, he would be using the truck to transport his small amount of tools to the most likely job site. If the samples were a bust, then it would be back to the woods for more creek walking. Either way he was ready to get on to it.

Instead he showered then dressed in jeans and a short sleeve sweat shirt for his meeting with Ada and Louise. The three of them had planned on a Sunday brunch at the International House of Pancakes in the larger town a few miles from his place.

Inside the plastic restaurant, he met Ada and Louise, "Hello there Louise, this must by your professor friend." Miles said.

"Yes, I'm Ada Fine," she said.

"Nice to meet you Ada Fine," Miles said. Miles seated himself at the small table better suited for two people rather than the four which the number of chairs tended to dictate. "So, has Louise explained the concept of our project." Miles asked.

"Yes she has and I think the idea sounds very interesting," Ada said.

"Did she also explain that no one gets paid unless or until the company is profitable?" Miles asked.

"She said I would have a 30% stake in anything I brought to the table," Ada suggested.

"That is correct," Miles said.

"That won't do," she said.

"I'm sorry, did Louise not make the terms clear?" Miles asked.

"Yes, but I'm here to negotiate," Ada said.

"Well let's order before we have our first negotiations. I always negotiate better on a full stomach," Louise suggested.

"Well I suppose I get to pay the breakfast tab," Miles said. "Or is that part of the negotiations?"

"No it is not, I expected to be wined and dined before we entered into any agreement," Ada informed them with a smile.

A few minute later over his French Toast, Miles suggested, "So what exactly do you have in mind."

"I want to be a full partner in everything the company does. I also want a full vote in any decisions the company makes," Ada explained.

"Well that actually doesn't sound too bad, if you are also willing to pay your fair share of the expenses." Miles agreed. Miles knew that there weren't any real expenses at that moment, but he hoped it would give her pause for a reality check.

"Not at all, as a matter of fact, I think I have a plan for that. If it works out it will also build some working capitol toward the future expenses," Ada suggested.

"Oh what might that be," Miles asked. He also looked at Louise suspiciously. She shrugged her shoulders. She either didn't know or didn't want to commit to Ada's plan.

"If I listen and decide I'm not interested in your revenue plan, what happens to the rest of your involvement?" Miles asked.

"Then we take a vote if it goes your way, we continue on without the plan," she suggested.

"Then explain your grand plan," Miles demanded. He was surprised how quiet Louise was during the exchange."

"Have either of you heard of QE2TV?" she asked.

"Afraid not, but I don't watch much TV. Well I do but nothing on commercial TV, so I have no idea what QE2TV might be, even if I was a faithful watcher I might not know. So what is it," Miles finally asked.

"It's a producer of Docudramas. They do a lot of history and some adventure docudramas," Ada explained.

"Like?" Miles asked.

"Well did you watch the series call, 'Mining The Gold Towns'?" she asked.

"Actually I did," Miles said. Louise just shook her head.

"Well they made that and a lot more. After they make them they try to market them to the smaller TV outlets. The producers are always looking for new shows since the ones they make are good for only one or two seasons. I think they would give us an interview. If it works out we would at least have a second temporary revenue stream. One more likely to produce a steady income," Ada informed Miles and Louise.

"So we have to perform on camera. I'm not sure I'm up for that," Louise said.

"Me neither, I go into the field to get away from people," Miles said.

"Just meet them and then decide. If I can get a meeting with them at all," Ada said. "Either way I will start my research on streams which have produced gold previously. I'm sure some of them have dried up by now, but that doesn't mean they aren't viable for our needs." she said.

It was obvious to Miles, that she had given some serious thought to the project. "We are going to need a place to hold team meetings," Miles suggested.

"We never use your living room as a living room, so let's convert it to a meeting room," Louise suggested.

"That's easy for you to say Louis," Miles said using the masculine form of her name.

"What you like the idea of sitting on a day bed looking at the empty walls?" she asked.

"I like knowing I can, if I want to," Miles informed her. "Or have a place to entertain."

"Get over it. It's either that or pay a thousand dollars for an office to sit empty 90% of the time," Ada said. Miles didn't like her cavalier approach to his property.

"Well one thing at a time. We can meet there for now, but I reserve the right to throw you all out," Miles informed them both.

"You can't throw me out, I live there," Louise said. She saw the look Ada gave her, so she went on to explain' Miles is my dad's older brother. I am living with him to cut down on my expenses, so that I can attend graduate school. That is our only relationship."

"So do I send QE2TV an outline of our project?" Ada asked.

"Why not," Louise said. Miles just nodded his agreement.

"Good then we need to meet at Miles's house and lay out the office plan. We will need to decide what if any furniture we want in the office," Ada said.

"You are certainly the little organizer. So are we going to need a time clock?" Miles asked.

"I have a feeling that nothing is going to get done, if I don't get you organized. You are working on retirement time and Louise is working on academia time." Ada said.

"And what time are you working on," Miles asked.

I am working on researcher time. We have a lot of information to review and a short time to do it." Ada said.

"Why a short time?" Louise asked.

"Winter is coming," Miles said. "Right boss?"

"Exactly," she replied.

"Finish your analysis of the samples. Then we can decide where we go from there," Ada suggested.

"So let me know when you want to look the place over," Miles said to Ada.

"Now would be good," Ada said.

"Okay, you can follow us to the house." Miles said.