Choices
Contributed by daprdan
on Wednesday, 17th May 2006 @ 12:16:46 AM AEST
Topic:
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The boy was young, only 15. Tall, lanky, hair slicked back, always wearing blue jeans and a T shirt, and heavy Engineer boots. They were returning to the Midwest, after having lived out west for 6 years. The boy drove his mother’s car behind his father, who drove the truck loaded down with what was left of the family possessions. He had no license, just a permit. Yet he drove the nearly 2000 miles back to the place of his birth. His mother, Betty, had returned nearly 5 months prior, taking with her, his baby brother Patrick, to help with her mother’s recovery. His sister had been sent back by train to Betty only a month later. His grandmother Effie was now paralyzed on her left side from the numerous heart attacks she had succumbed to. After 5 months, his father Don had sold their house and packed what was left into the truck. What did not fit, was sold. Most of his things were sold as well.
They set out 4 days before Thanksgiving in '64. It was a warm 68 degrees Fahrenheit the night they left, but by the time they got to Flagstaff, it was a bitter cold, -21 degrees Fahrenheit. There was more than two foot of snow on the ground. The roads were being plowed but it did little good, the traffic was at a crawl, and the snow fell at an alarming rate, covering the road with a blanket of snow just behind the plows passing.
They stopped in Flagstaff for gas and something to eat. Their last meal had been breakfast that same morning at around 6 AM. I was now 11:30 PM; he and his brother Jim were starved. When they got inside the cafe, Don told them to order anything they wanted. Everyone was happy. He told his father Don, that the cars heater didn't work and he and Jim were freezing. Don told them to wrap up in blankets and ask him if he thought he could drive like that all night. The young boy would not admit he couldn't, he was too stubborn for that.
They were back on the road by 1 AM. Around 4 AM, the right front tire blew out on the car. The boy pulled to the side of the road and barely kept the car from flipping over as he negotiated a 1 foot drop off. The drop off was not visible, having been hidden by the snow. Don did not see what had happened, and had went nearly 3 more miles before realizing the car's lights were not in his mirror, and that meant they weren't behind him any longer and something was wrong. Don turned around and found them; the boy was already jacking up the car to change the tire. He had done so, many times for his mother Betty. Don pulled out a cigarette and lit it. After he had removed the tire, Don handed him the pack of Camels. He looked at his father and Don said "I know you smoke", smiling at him. He didn't know what to think, he knew his father was hiding his smoking from Betty, his mother, but he didn't know that his father knew he smoked. He took one out and reached into his pocket for the lighter. Don was already replacing the tire with the spare, and said "We're gonna need to stop at the next place I can find, get the flat fixed, and get a used tire, this one won't make it very far."
When everything was put away they were about to pull back on to the road when a Police car, with its big red gumball light on top flashing, pulled up behind the car. The officer hit the siren a short blast. Don got out of the truck and walked back to the car, the snow was coming down harder now, covering the roof and trunk with an inch or more of snow, still melting on the warm hood in spots. "Don't say a word, I'll take care of this" Don said, to the boy through the window that was partially rolled down. Don walked back to the squad car and the officer got out and walked to the driver side window of the car, with Don in tow behind him. The officer flashed the light inside the car and seen the back seat full, but a clearing for the rearview mirror. He flashed the light towards the truck and could see that there were two mirrors, one on each side and both in good shape not broken, and through the back window of the truck he could see it too, was as full as the bed of the truck.
He asked the boy what the trouble was. He said "I had a flat and my dad stopped and helped me put the spare on." Don piped in " The spare isn't a very good one, is there a place around here I could buy a good used tire, and get the other fixed?" Now the officer was distracted with giving directions. Don said thanks and tapped on the window, "Let’s get going, I know where we can go for that tire." The officer turned around and came back to the car, "Can I see you license and registration please". Don’s face flushed, and he said “Officer, these two boys are my sons, he is driving cuz I couldn't sell the car and we need it for my wife. He doesn't have a license, only a permit". The officer said "Let me see the permit". The boy dug it out of his wallet and handed it to the officer. The officer looked at it and asked for Don's license and compared them. Seeing that they were the same address and last names matched as well, he smiled and said "I know this isn't right but, I understand the reason and will let it go this time." Looking in the window, he said "You do what your father says and follow him where ever he goes." The officer handed the license and permit to Don, who handed the permit back to him through the open window.
An hour later they were at a gas station that had tires chained to a rack on the side of the station. The tires were covered in snow and ice had formed in the lower section of each of the tires open cavity. Water had accumulated from the freezing rain and the snow melting in the day and then freezing at night. Don chose the one with the most tread that was of the right size. 40 minutes later they were on the road again the flat fixed and a better spare in the trunk. Don drove until nearly 11 AM before he stopped again. Route 66 was a mess, snow was getting deeper the further east they traveled, and the plows weren't always effective. It was slow going, sometimes as slow as 15 and 20 MPH through the towns that were being slowly snow bound.
Everyone was hungry, but funds were getting low. They went to a greasy spoon truck stop and took three specials; they were only $1.25 each. Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes, with green beans that were hard, almost tasteless, but all the fresh baked buns they could eat. They all drank coffee which was free with the meal, and the water. Religious teachings were evidently suspended for the trip. The boy was slightly perplexed over this. Don said nothing, Jim was smiling. They were only in Lubbock and still had a long way to go. They were tired and Don said they would stop at a gas station on the edge of town where the truckers were and sleep awhile. The boy and Jim slept in the car and Don in the truck; it was damn cold for the daytime, at -15 below. A fitful sleep and the cold didn't give the boy much needed rest.
Copyright © daprdan
... [2006-05-1712:16:46]
(Date/Time posted on site)
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