The Story Behind Gear Box the Beagle
As told by Wyatt, who heard it firsthand from Dad himself.
Well folks, Gear Box is another one of Dad's dog creations. Now if you've been paying attention, you've probably noticed a pattern. Dad and Mom seem to have a weakness when it comes to cute dogs.
First there were Dachshunds. Then came Corgis. Then Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. And eventually somebody looked at a Beagle and said, "Yep, we'll take one of those too." So that's how Gear Box came to be. Now Gear Box makes his first appearance in Book Two, and if you haven't read Book Two yet... Well folks, I'm not angry... But I am a little disappointed. You really should fix that. Anyway,
Book Two is the one where my little brother Dunkin gets shot down while flying his Cobra Ultralight by one of the Crossville bank robbers that is out on bail. Dunkin ends up stranded out in the woods, and suddenly the entire "Great Dunkin Rescue Mission" is underway. One of the characters helping in that search is a fellow named Bubba. Now Bubba is based on one of Dad's friends from his days down in Kissimmee, Florida. In the story, Bubba owns and flies a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter affectionately known as Old Bucket of Bolts. Folks, if you've ever seen a Chinook, you know they're not exactly small. In fact, if somebody offers to help you look for something using a CH-47, they're taking your problem very seriously. Now the reason Bubba is always willing to help Dunkin goes back a few years.
You see, Gear Box went missing. One day he simply disappeared and Bubba searched everywhere. He spent days looking for her. He checked roads, fields, trails, and every place a curious Beagle might wander off to. But Gear Box was nowhere to be found. Then one afternoon Bubba stopped by UASRO Headquarters in Old Bucket of Bolts carrying a photograph of Gear Box. He showed us the picture and explained that his Beagle was missing. Well, about that time Dunkin's ears perked up. Now that's usually a sign that one of two things is about to happen. Either he has spotted a donut... Or he actually knows something useful. As it turned out, this was one of the useful times. Dunkin told Bubba that while landing on Runway 36 a few days earlier, he had spotted a Beagle in the woods near a run-down shack occupied by a man who appeared to be homeless. The description matched Gear Box perfectly.
So Bubba, Dad and Dunkin climbed into our UTV and headed out to investigate. Sure enough, when they arrived, there was little Gear Box tied to a tree beside the shack. Folks, I don't think I've ever seen a happier reunion. Bubba immediately untied him, scooped him up, and hugged him so hard I thought poor Gear Box might pop like a squeaky toy. After they got back to UASRO, Bubba thanked Dunkin over and over again. Then he looked at him and said, "Little buddy, if you ever need anything, you just call old Bubba and I'll make it happen."
And folks, Bubba meant every word of it. So when Dunkin found himself stranded in the woods years later, Bubba didn't hesitate for a second. He climbed into the cockpit, fired up Old Bucket of Bolts, and came looking for his friend. And that's the story of Gear Box the Beagle. A little dog who got lost, got found, and ended up helping create one of the most important friendships in the entire series.