The streets of Detroit were bustling with the hum of chattering people.  Word had been spreading around town that the Tigers were pulling together a baseball team worthy of challenging for a World Series in the next couple of years but Louis was not a baseball fan.  Well he was, just not a Detroit baseball fan.  Growing up on the West Coast made him a Dodgers fan by default although he was taken by the Phillies these days.

He had been having a less than quiet pleasurable coffee at @Tammy’s establishment when an outburst from the proprietor had caused some alarm.  Ranting at the customers, threatening some of them with violence.  It seemed remarkably out of character for his dear family friend yet at the same time remarkably reminiscent of people from days gone by.  So Louis found himself intrigued and bored in Detroit and took himself off to do some digging of the genealogical sort.  

Detroit Public Library – Open To The Learned And Ill Informed Alike

Louis pushed open the door to this marvelous institution.  There was a mustiness he found in all libraries and Detroit was no exception.  He looked at the floor plan but it didn’t help too much so he made his way to the main reception where a frumpy woman in a cardigan sat with her head down.  He didn’t want to interrupt so waited patiently while she worked but when she didn’t look up he politely cleared his throat.  Her hand pointed to the Quiet Please sign located in front of her desk but she looked up anyway.  Louis whispered.

“Excuse me.  I’m looking to do some genealogical research.  Do you have an area where I could look at census data or newspaper filings?  Also do you have newspaper records from places like Seattle?”

“Second floor son.  We might have some from major newspapers like the Seattle Herald but not the smaller ones.”

“The Seattle Insider?”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of it but I may be mistaken.”

Louis thanked the woman and took the stairs to the second floor.  The census records were hard to come by.  The only ones he could find were ones from 1920 and before.  Louis took a piece of paper and a pencil.  Tammy must have been born around the turn of the century at the latest so he started at the 1920 one and located the Seattle entries.  He stared at the entries for two hours.  Nothing sprung out.  The streets were in alphabetical order and finally he started seeing names he recognised in the Ballard areas:

Name: Joy

Name: Swaps

Name: Shini

And others but no real clues.  Finally he came to the name he was looking for;

Name: Tops.  

No dependents. 

He tried 1910.  Same responses.  After about six hours in the library, he was starving and his bum was numb.  He wasn’t hungry enough to go back and incur the wrath of the crazy lady just yet so he opened the 1900 census. 

Finally after another hour looking something sprung out:

Name Tops  Dependents: (5) Tipsy Mopontop, Topsy Mopontop, Timmy Mopontop, Tommy Mopontop, Tammy Mopontop.

The man certainly liked to focus on a theme and run with it until he got his money’s worth.  Louis was shocked.  He remembered sitting in the Seattle Court and the angry outbursts from crazy judge Tops when Atticus Bloke was working his magic.  The craziness seemed to run in the family, that’s for sure.

Tammy was on the receiving end of a rather mysterious phone call.
A woman, clearly a woman, as her intentions were good, had called to Tranquillity Headquarters and had asked for Tammy, just as she had said goodnight to Soseki, who was yet again looking into the books to find out what happened to the crew bank account.

As she stood in the door opening, she heard Soseki yell her name, just in time for her to hear.. She turned around and went back in, walked towards the telephone and answered

Yes.. This is her, this is Tammy..
as she answered she looked a bit puzzled

Yes, that is awkward indeed!

So you have burned the Seattle Insider articles as that newspaper was full of crap, written by untrustworthy reporters that had unreliable sources? I see.. but.. What does that have to do with me?

Smiling, she replied
I see.. Well.. maybe you have a section on how to not spoil perfect custard and send him there when he is finished doing his research on me?

Oh.. that is even better!
Tammy laughed loudly now.. Then added

Don't you think that goes too far? After all, LouisMezzo is a respected crewleader of Philadelphia!
 

Tammy nodded
You are totally right. Thank you for informing me and good luck.. Have fun! Please inform me of his reaction when you do that!

Good night to you as well, Miss!

She hang up, smiled, greeted Soseki again and left the Headquarters for the night.