PART 1: a flash of light

The story starts on a Walmart parking lot after dusk. A large crowd has gathered around a camera crew all set up with big lights, a red carpet and a woman wearing a black tuxedo holding a microphone, 

“Ladies and gentlemen.  Tonight is the night we have all been waiting for.  As promised, behind me on the platform here are the two cars – On my right is the newest sedan from Tesla, the Model S. Everyone knows about its formidable accomplishments including the record-breaking 0 – 60 in under 3 seconds and its range of 365 klms.  On my left, a rather rare, limited production electric car called the Zenn LSV.  Made in Quebec until 2013, this car is fast becoming a collector’s item.  Only 500 cars were ever made.  It is considered a “neighborhood car” having a range of 40 klms and a top speed of 60 klms per hour.  We have secured licensing for this car in Ontario.   The draw for these two cars ended on December 9th, and tonight we will announce the winners…..”  

The winners are announced, an older man and a young woman happily step onto the platform to accept their keys.  The cars are driven off the lot and into the future, and the lights go down.  

Decades later, a young boy playing behind his grandma’s barn, is sitting in the rusted out shell of the Zenn car, pretending to be a race car driver, leaning into each imaginary curve and eventually crossing the finish line of his dreams.  He crawls out of his race car window, stands beside the car and makes his bows to the cheering crowds in the stands.  His eye catches a flash of light underneath the Zenn car turned race car.  Crawling under the shell he pulls out a fairly large flat brushed aluminum case.  Four rusted out metal clips are all that is left of a failed fastening system.  

Breathless and bright-eyed, the boy lays the case on the kitchen counter.  The entire extended family gathers around and without saying a word the grandmother enters a 4-digit code on the LED keyboard at the base of the case.  As everyone holds their breath, the case opens with the hiss of servos.  Soft blue lights turn on as another hiss lifts a transparent case to stand and lock into the top edge of the lid.  The boy stumbles backward to leave room for a 3D helio-display of the lady in the black tuxedo, “Ladies and gentlemen, let me present, the Mona Lisa”.   The hovering lady vanishes, revealing the painting, leaving everyone in stunned silence.  

The little boy notices the secret smile on his grandma’s lips.  He runs over and gives her a hug, 

“Is that a picture of you, grandma?”  

“No darling,  this lady came with the car.  She was my special secret for many years.”  

“What is going to happen to her now?”

“Did you win your race today?”

“Yes”

“Were the stands full or empty?

“They were packed, grandma.”

“And they cheered?”

“Yes, they did.”

“And what did you do?”

“I bowed … That’s when I saw the flash of light”

“Well, I guess she’s yours then.  All your older siblings and cousins have played in that car, and no one has seen the case till now.”