My Water Path

by Timothy Joseph

  I told him Moses was just like my dad. He told me he was glad.

  * * *

  Stewart gave me a massive hug when I arrived at his house. Madge came in from the kitchen and said, “Hi, Jory. You had us worried.” She picked up a magazine. One word went through my mind—sure.

  Apologizing for the trouble I had caused, I told her I was thankful they would be my legal guardians, and I’d visit a whole bunch when I went to live with Moses. She looked up from the magazine. “We just want you happy, Jory.”

  What she meant was, as long as you don’t live here.

  Stewart looked at me. “I need you to promise me you won’t run away from us again.”

  “I promise, Stewart.”

  The next day, I asked Stewart if he would drop me off at our house and come back for me later. When I unlocked the door and went in, I realized it wasn’t our house anymore, but my house; Dad wasn’t around anymore. I felt suddenly, vividly alone again. I walked into Dad’s room and saw the photo of the two of us. I picked it up.

  I told him about my room in the houseboat, how Moses rescued me, how I loved working on huge diesel engines with Jacob, and all about Moses, Bess, Mayhew, and Lucilla. My conversation ended when a horn honked. I closed the door behind me, locked it, and got in the car with Stewart. He told me the State people would be at the store tomorrow afternoon to get me.

  * * *

  Waiting for them was horrible. I asked Stewart if he had talked to the lawyer; he hadn’t. He said it would take some time for the paperwork to get through the State offices—at least a month, maybe more—and I just had to be patient.

  When the two women from the State arrived, I picked up my backpack, said goodbye to Stewart, and reminded him to talk with the lawyer. He promised me he would. They put me in the backseat, and we headed away from town and in the opposite direction of Moses. I made a mental note of what highways we took. I asked where we were going, and they said to the State home for that night, and to a foster home tomorrow. I asked which foster home. The passenger opened a file and confirmed my fear—Momma Bitch.

  We drove for about an hour, and the woman driving said we’d make a pit stop. She pulled into a gas station, parked, and asked if I needed to use the boy’s room. I nodded. We all walked into the station and split up at the restrooms. As soon as they disappeared, I bolted, grabbed my backpack from the car, and started for the woods when I saw a pickup truck just starting up after having gotten gas. I walked up to the driver. It was an older man, with another man around the same age in the passenger’s seat.

  “Is there any way I could catch a ride in the back of your truck?” I asked quickly.

  “Where you heading?” he asked.

  “Which way are you going?” I asked.

  “Down to Clinton.”

  “That’s exactly where I need to go. I’d sure appreciate it.”

  “Well, young fella, you just hop right in and ride along.”

  “Thanks,” I said, tossing my backpack in the back and quickly climbing in from the rear bumper. I scanned the station and the women had not returned. I pushed my backpack against the back of the cab, laid down with my head on the backpack, and made like I was going to take a nap. The driver put the pickup in gear, and we headed down the highway.

  I got off at a gas station in Clinton and I thanked the old man for letting me ride. I went to the men’s room, took out my pocketknife, and pried the back off the pocket watch and added the hundred-dollar bill to the few dollars I had in my wallet before snapping the back on tight. I purchased some food for later and put it in my pack. Just down from the station was a little restaurant, and I was hungry and thirsty. Two police officers sat at the counter on stools, and I swallowed so deep it hurt my throat. I took a

  stool at the far end of the counter and did not look in their direction. They left while I was halfway through my hamburger.

  I figured I would use the same method to catch a ride in the morning; it seemed to work well. For now, though, it was getting dark, and I had to find somewhere to spend the night. I noticed three junk cars along a fence near the restaurant, and with no one in sight, I walked cautiously over. They had been there for a long time, and two were ripped apart. The other one still had doors. I opened the back door and it still had a seat. Spreading out my jacket and using my backpack as a pillow, I had no problem finding sleep.

  * * *

  The hitchhiking method worked pretty well, but since I didn’t want to go back through Tchula, I had to find a different and longer way home. It took almost two days. My last ride was with a young woman. When she stopped for me, she seemed surprised to see someone my age hitchhiking. As we drove along, she told me all the dangers of catching a ride with strangers, and babbled on about how I shouldn’t do it. She was nice, but she never once stopped talking. I think I learned her entire life story in less than an hour.

  Suddenly, I recognized where we were. “Ma’am, this is where I need to get out. Right here! Can you let me out, please?”

  She pulled over to the side and stopped the car. “Are you sure you want out here? I believe that’s probably a colored church.”

  “Yes!” I got out and thanked her. She told me to be careful.

  I saw my school, the church, set way back off the road. I wanted to go in and see everyone, but I instead skirted around the church to the path where we would walk to the boat, went into the woods a little ways, and sat down. I figured if Mayhew and Lucilla weren’t in school today, I’d just sleep near the church and wait for tomorrow. It wasn’t long before kids streamed out of the building and headed home. Sure enough, Mayhew and Lucilla came toward the path. I leaned against a big tree and watched them approach.

  Lucilla saw me first. “Jory! How’d you get here?”

  Mayhew ran to me. I raised my hand in the air, he raised his, and we slapped our hands in triumph. I turned to Lucilla, and she and I did the same.

  “Did you run away again?” Mayhew asked. “I knew you would.”

  When Moses pulled up in the boat and spotted me on shore with Lucilla and Mayhew, I saw a smile grow on his face. I climbed in the boat, and he spread his arms. “Come here, son,” he said, and I did.

  I sat in the bottom of the boat to hide. Moses spread his knees and I leaned against the seat he was sitting on, his one hand on my shoulder, the other on the motor tiller. Lucilla and Mayhew sat facing me, and we talked all the way back. I told Moses to let me off before we got home and I’d walk to the houseboat through the woods, in case Mac was waiting again. He dropped me off before the cove entrance, and I clambered through the woods toward home. By the time I got there, Mayhew was running in my direction, telling me Mac wasn’t there. When I went inside, Bess was waiting for me with a hug and kiss. I was once again home.

  “Guess what I have in this pot,” Bess asked when we had settled at the kitchen table. I would know my favorite smell anywhere.

  “My nose says chicken and dumplings.”

  Bess smiled. “I knew I was fixing it for something special.”

  While we were eating, I told Moses what was happening. Stewart would be my legal guardian, and I would still live here, but it would take at least a month.

  I looked down at my bowl and added, “Grandpa, until it’s all worked out legal like, I’m going to stay camped out in the woods. I can’t stay here and have you thrown in jail again. They’re looking for me because I ran away from the State ladies. They stopped at a gas station, and I ran. They will know I came back here, and we’ll be put in jail again—I can’t stay.”

  “They already came by looking for you.”

  “They’ll be back. I’m gonna have to go.”

  He put his hand on his chin. “We will just have to make sure they don’t catch you, won’t we?”

  Mayhew and Lucilla both shouted, “Yes!”

  Mayhew said, “If they come, he can hide underneath in the hold. Me and Jory will find a really good hiding place in case they look under there.”

  The
houseboat had a steel hull, and the floor of the cabin was built about two and a half feet above it, so the entire floor of the house was hollow underneath and provided a large storage area. Down the middle of the hull was a wooden floor attached to the frame. It tapered to the middle, so what little water there was sat under the floor. We had been down there often, fetching stuff for Moses and Bess because you had to be on your hands and knees, something neither of them could do easily. The main access hatch was in the living room under a throw rug, and another outside on the stern deck.

  I looked at Moses. “But Grandpa, if the police ask you if you know where I am, I know you can’t lie to them.”

  He nodded. “I can’t lie, no.” We all looked at him, including Bess. He thought for a moment. “You and Mayhew make a place for you to hide, and if I’m asked, I will say, ‘I don’t rightly know exactly where Jory is,’ because you’re not going to tell me.”

  43

  Hiding Place

  AT MIDAFTERNOON THE NEXT DAY, Moses was about to leave to pick up Mayhew and Lucilla from school when he came quickly into the kitchen. “You best find your hiding place, son. The police car is coming down the lane.”

  Bess and I looked out the window as it was coming to a stop. Moses lifted the rug and opened the hatch as Bess handed me a flashlight and rushed me along. I quickly found my hiding place, which was behind some boxes that hugged the side of the boat. I squashed myself against the hull and boxes and moved some lighter boxes above me, just in case. I heard Moses walk to the back deck, and Bess to the kitchen.

  A few moments later, I heard the knock on the door and Bess walk above me to answer it (her footsteps were always lighter, quicker). I could hear every muffled word. Moses entered the living room, and the cop asked if I had come back. Moses told the truth. “Yes, he did come by yesterday, but he told us he wouldn’t stay because he didn’t want me to go to jail again. You have my word, officer. He also said a family friend was going to be given responsibility for him, and he was just waiting for that to happen.”

  The cop, Fat Mac, said, “Then yous know where he went. Until anything’s final, he belongs to the State.”

  “No, I don’t rightly know exactly where he is. He didn’t want to tell us.”

  Mac said, “I doubt that. I be thinkin’ maybe he be right here.”

  “You can look around.”

  I heard them walk toward the back of the houseboat; doors opened and closed. It wasn’t long before they were back in the front room.

  “If he shows up, yous best bring him in, y’hear?”

  “Yes, sir, I do hear just fine.” Moses replied.

  Mac said, “Just you know, you be back to jail if I find yous be telling me lies. And this time, yous be staying in that cell, and ain’t be no damn lawyer gettin' you out.”

  “Yes, sir,” Moses said again. I heard Mac stomp through the front door to the deck and off the boat.

  I had the strangest experience all of a sudden. I felt as if something inside me was ripped out and tossed into an empty place, a huge void—fear swallowed me. The fear was not of Mac or jail, but of my future with Moses evaporating in front of me.

  Before I knew it, I saw the light through the hatch as Moses pulled it open. “All clear, son. You can come out now.”

  I climbed out, closed the hatch, and tugged the rug back. “Grandpa, I have to go.”

  Bess brought her hands to her cheeks, slowly shaking her head. “My boy isn’t sleeping in the woods when he has his room right here. I won’t have it.”

  “Well, you heard the boss,” Moses said, if a bit resigned. “We will just be very careful.”

  A shame the promise of being careful didn’t make me feel any better.

  * * *

  At dinner, Mayhew and Lucilla told us the police came to the school looking for me. They had asked Mayhew if he had seen me.

  “When I said no, he called me a liar in front of the whole class,” Mayhew said. “He asked me if I knew where you were hiding, and I said I didn’t know. He called me a nasty name and he said he’d put anyone in jail who didn’t turn you in when you come back to school.”

  Lucilla said, “T’ain’t no one ever going to turn—”

  “What’s that you’re saying?” Moses said.

  “I mean, there isn’t anyone at school who would ever turn you in. Never!”

  “But I don’t dare go back to school,” I said. “They’ll catch me for sure.”

  Moses said, “You’ll just do your lessons here until this is straightened out.”

  “But we don’t know how long it will take. What if I get you in trouble again? I think I should leave.”

  Bess said, “Now, Jory, it has been decided. You’re staying right here, and I don’t want another word otherwise.”

  * * *

  Life was nearly back to normal, except I didn’t risk going to school or into town. When Mayhew and Lucilla were at school, I would help Moses with the saws, do chores, work on my lessons, and help Bess cook. When Moses would leave to pick them up from school or pick up saw blades, I would tell Bess I was going to go fishing, or I would take a book to read under a tree. I would check the lane through the woods for a police car, and hike into the woods along the shore, where I could fish or read without worrying about being spotted. We were back into our routine of studies, games, drawing, and being a family.

  Still, I missed going into town for shopping days, and I really missed school. I needed to go see Jacob and get in contact with the lawyer and Stewart.

  One day, Moses and I dropped Lucilla and Mayhew off for school and continued toward the dock where Jacob worked. I sat in the bottom of the boat between Moses’ legs, and he kept the boat far out on the river. When we reached the dock, I snuck out of Moses’ boat, climbed over the gunnel of the tug, and dashed inside the cabin while Moses went to pick up saws.

  Jacob and Max were happy to see me. I answered all of their questions and told them about hiding from Mac in the hold of the boat, and about how the cops went looking for me at the school.

  Jacob shook his head. “That fat-assed creep ain’t got nothin’ better to do than to chase a kid. Jory, he’s stupid, but he’s likely to figure out he didn’t check the hold. He knows it’s there. You best have an escape route.”

  With that, they brought me along to the marine office. Darleen smiled when she saw me. “Well, howdy, young fella. You doing okay? Is that Fat Mac still after you?”

  “I’m fine. Yeah, he’s still after me.”

  She rolled her eyes heavenward. “Have you heard anything yet?”

  “No, that’s why I came in. Could I make another collect call?”

  “Honey, I’ve told you, you can make all the calls you please.”

  I gave her the paper with the number of the lawyer, and she placed the call. She handed me the receiver. When a woman answered, I asked for Martin Hasbrook; she said he wasn’t in, and asked who I was. I answered and asked if she knew when he would be back. Darleen must have seen the look on my face. She reached out her hand, smiled, and said, “Can I speak with this person?”

  I handed her the receiver.

  “Hi, I’m Darleen. Who am I speaking with?” She nodded as she listened. “Very good. We’re calling to find out if there has been any progress with Jory’s case?” She paused. “Who am I? I’m a good friend, and we’re trying to determine what’s happening. Okay, sure, you promise to keep it confidential? Do you have a pencil and paper handy? Jot down this number, please.” She gave the woman the office phone number. “Would you please call here when you know something so we can let Jory know he needs to call?” Pause. “Thank you very much.”

  She hung up the phone and looked at me. “Sorry he wasn’t in, but they will call here when they know something. I’ll send Jacob to let you know, and I’ll call back in a day or two if I don’t hear anything. Okay, darlin’?”

  “Thank you.” I looked at Jacob. “I should let Stewart know I’m okay, but I don’t want to talk to him. He’ll make
me feel bad. Can you tell him I’m fine?”

  Before he could answer, Darleen said, “Seems to me since I’m your secretary now, I’ll be happy to relay your messages.” She looked at Jacob. “Unless you want to, Jacob.”

  “Oh, no! Please, be my guest, Secretary Darleen.”

  She snorted and dialed the store. Stewart answered and accepted the charges. She told him I was fine and waiting to hear from the attorney. With all the “noes” I heard, I was certain Stewart was trying to find out where I was. “I assure you, he’s just fine…Yes… You’re welcome.” She hung up.

  I walked around her desk and over to her chair. “What’s wrong?” she said.

  I reached out and hugged her. “Thank you.”

  Her arms went around me. “Oh, sweetheart. We just want this over with, too. Everything’s gonna be fine. You have Moses and Jacob watching out for you.”

  She was right, but I sure was tired of being a fugitive. I just squeezed her and thanked her once again. She said, “If you decide you want to live somewhere else, you just let me know. You’d be a good example for my two hellions.”

  Jacob said, “Don’t worry. I’m first in line after Moses.”

  44

  The Hold

  THE SUN HAD JUST ABOUT SET when Lucilla ran in from the front deck, shouting, “There’s lights coming down the lane. Police!”

  Mayhew ran to the window as I moved the rug and opened the hatch to the hold. “It’s the police car!” he yelled.

  Moses said, “Lucilla, you go back out on the front deck and do what you were doing, Mayhew, you continue with your homework, and everyone act really calm. Remember, you two, you can’t look frightened. Act really calm. Understand?”

  Lucilla nodded diligently and headed out front, Mayhew went back to his homework (though he started tapping his foot like crazy), and Bess went to the kitchen as I crawled into my hiding place and pulled the hatch shut behind me.