Tuesday squeezed Matt’s hand. They were going to win. While the council deliberated on the timing of the petition and subsequent vote, Tuesday asked Matt to help her stand on her chair.
She whistled with her fingers like old Burt from her younger Starlight days taught her. “Everyone interested in helping with the petition and referendum, meet me at the Starlight tomorrow morning at nine.”
9
MATT
A grand total of five people gathered in Spike’s Concessions on Wednesday morning. Granny, Matt, Spike, Mary from Tasty Dip, and Tyler from Copycat. Dion said he’d try to make it, but he had a lot of work on his schedule.“But count me in,”he’d promised.
Matt doctored the cup of coffee Spike handed him, and when he looked to the huddled group, all eyes were on him.
“What’s our marching orders, Captain?” Granny said. “We have six weeks to get three hundred and fifty signatures.”
The town council gave them until Thursday, April 30, to collect signatures, which initially seemed like ample time, but this was Sea Blue Beach. The referendum of 1964 took six months to get half as many. And Matt felt sure Harry, infuriated how he’d been outmaneuvered, would start a campaign of his own.
“I’m not sure we need a captain, but”—Matt surveyed the crew and sipped his coffee—“where do we start?”
Spike retrieved a thick folder. “I went by town hall this morning and asked Leslie for copies of our original charter and constitution.”He handed the folder to Matt. “We can put forth the petition and call for a vote but—”
“Federal and state law gives Harry and his council the right to invoke eminent domain for the good of the town.” Matt flipped through the documents. “We need to start a campaign, get as many signatures as we can—more than we think we need. You know Harry and his crew will find a way to remove a few during the verification process.”
“Can we really stop them from tearing down the Starlight?” Mary said.
“We can try. If enough people vote to keep it, then maybe the town council will capitulate,” Spike said. “Petitions can only be posted at the courthouse and post office.” He pointed out that detail on the papers Matt held. “We can’t go door to door, but we can pass out flyers and such.”
“Harry will be a stickler for this to be done by the book.” Matt passed the folder back to Spike. “I’ll see about getting a story in theGazette. And some ads. Tyler, can you design a flyer?”
“Already got something in mind,” he said.
“Great,” Matt said. “Also, Rollo on the Radio always wants me on, so I’ll reach out.”
“Why isn’t the rink a historical landmark?” Mary said. “Or some sort of House of Blue or Lauchtenland artifact? It was built by one of their princes.”
“I can answer that,” Granny said. “In the state’s mind, the Starlight has done nothing significant for history and does not qualify to be a historical landmark. As for the royal family, I’ve no clue.”
“Should we reach out to them?” Mary certainly had lofty ideas. “You’re a celebrity, Matt. Don’t you know people?”
“Not from the House of Blue. Lauchtenland’s royal family is very private. We’ve not heard a word about them since Princess Catherine’s twenty-first birthday. They don’t go for celebrity attention.” Matt eyed his small posse. “Let’s just focus on what we, the people of Sea Blue Beach, can do.”
“What about Malachi Nickle, a freed slave?” Spike said. “He helped build this place. Doesn’t that qualify the Starlight as an historical landmark?”
“He helped build the town,” Granny said. “The prince built the skating rink, while Malachi built the sawmill, which does qualify as a historic landmark. It was used heavily during both world wars.”
“Matt, talk to your dad,” Tyler said. “Is there any other part of town for Murdock’s development?”
“Good point. I’ll ask.”
Mary was a member of a half dozen clubs and committees, and experienced with the red tape of town hall, so she volunteered to file the proper papers. She’d also present the Starlight’s case to those who liked fighting for causes.
Another meeting was scheduled in three days to kick off their campaign. With high fives and bolstered declarations of courage, the small committee dispersed.
Spike pulled Matt aside. “Got a second for me to show you a few things?”
Starting with the main area, Spike pointed out the scuffed and battered walls, the stained and threadbare carpet, and the duct tape holding a set of speakers together. There were worn places on the skate floor, and a rotting section of the balcony railing begged for a lawsuit. All of the wooden benches bore the marks of kids-in-skates for the last few decades.
The Wurlitzer organ worked but barely. It needed major repair if Granny wanted to keep it. Matt pressed one of the keys, and it never released. As far as he could remember, Granny had played music from a sound system. But the antique organ was part of the Starlight’s original magic.
“Dirk could sure play the whiz out of this thing,” Spike said. “You’d think Harry would appreciate that his daddy got born again in this place and was forever changed. From drunk on booze to drunk on the Spirit. That’s what he always liked to say. From Drunk Dirk to Dear Dirk.”
