by A. E. Albert
Billy couldn’t help again wonder how the little man knew his name. He knew that bizarre things happen in the US capital of weird and forced himself to shrug it off. He decided to continue his walk and forget the whole thing happened. Of course, the memory nagged at the edges of his mind as he continued down the street.
Billy decided that the best distraction would be a visit to his favorite book shop located in the heart of the square. ‘Yuri’s Used Book Store’ was owned by a short, round Lithuanian man, and his store was as chaotic as he was.
Billy walked through the front doors, once again amazed by how many books could be shoved into such a small space. There were bookcases everywhere. But that didn’t include the hundreds, maybe thousands of books that were stacked up on walls and spilling into the aisles. There were books of every shape and color piled on Yuri’s desk and all along its sides.
The small shop had a slight moldy smell, but that didn’t bother Billy. These pungent aromas made him think of places and people he had never met, times that he had never experienced. He always felt this odd sense of expectation when he ventured over the little shop’s threshold, hoping to find a book into that world.
“Billy, my boy, haven’t seen you since, oh I don’t know, three days ago?”
Yuri yelled this greeting while attempting to hold at least twenty books in his short and chubby arms. A few fell down and the little shopkeeper bent over to retrieve them. Billy quickly rushed over, picked them up and placed them on Yuri’s desk.
“Hi, Yuri, anything new come in?”
“Why, I’m holding a few gems right here in my arms!” Yuri enthusiastically replied, as he dumped the rest of the books on top of his desk.
His eyes immediately lit on one in particular. “Well, I just got in some Jules Verne. Now there’s a true visionary!” he said, while shaking the book in his hands. “‘20,000 Leagues under the Sea!’ Every young lad has to read this one! What with Giant squids and nuclear subs! What adventure?” Yuri was really getting started. He pulled a bandana out of his shirt pocket and began to wipe the sweat beading on his forehead.
“Oh, here’s one, ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’! Revenge, treasure, and a prison break! I just love these old stories. They don’t write them like they used to, I tell ya.” Yuri held these two books in his hands and gazed at them fondly. He seemed to be remembering the time he had read them himself as a young boy.
Billy took this moment to wander over to the science fiction section. Well, the giant mass of books that Yuri told him was the science fiction section. But he wasn’t really into this genre and he was in the mood for fantasy today.
As Billy picked up a tattered copy of The Hobbit, he heard the little bell on top of shop’s door jingle. He looked up and none other than Trish walked through the door, accompanied by one of her girlfriends.
“I can’t believe I have to come in here. It smells.” She wrinkled her perfect little nose and waved a hand in front of her face.
Billy quickly hid behind a shelf, but peered in between the shelves so he could watch her walk through the store. His heart was thumping. He was torn between her seeing him and not seeing him, all at the same time.
“Hi, I’m here to pick up a book for Doris Abernathy, please,” she politely informed Yuri.
“Ah, yes,” he smiled, which quickly turned into a frown. “Oh, I forgot! Not to worry, though. Billy! Can you get me a copy of...what is it again?”
“Forgotten Love,” Trish said with a tight smile that expressed her annoyance.
“Oh right, Forgotten Love. Can you get me that out of the Romance section?” he yelled.
“Sure, Yuri,” Billy nervously replied as he left his hiding spot. At that moment, he decided he would have preferred she didn’t see him.
“Hey,” he breathed, giving Trish a shy smile. “Um, who’s the author?” he asked while walking down the aisle.
“Jennifer Donovan.”
Billy’s eyes scanned the shelves, but he was really just thinking about a way to start a conversation. He could ask her what she was doing later. No, that would sound like he was asking her on a date! he berated himself. How about her favorite book? That was pretty safe, he thought.
Finally, Billy located the book and of course it was three shelves above him. He stood on his tippy toes and reached up for the book, all the while mentally chanting: be casual, be casual.
As he felt the spine of the book with his fingers, he started to ask, “So, Trish, do you like to read-” Unfortunately, that sentence went unfinished as about thirty books fell on his head.
As he bent to find her book in the heap on the floor, he could hear the two girls trying to not laugh above him. He felt a burning blush sear his humiliated cheeks.
When Billy finally found the book, he stood up. “Ahh, here you go,” he said quickly and he placed the book in her hands. He promptly walked away and was so embarrassed; he didn’t even wait for her response.
As he left their line of sight, a loud eruption of girlish giggles filled the store. Billy decided to hide in the back room until they were gone. Finally, he heard the tinkle of the doorbell and felt it was safe to leave his hiding spot.
Billy decided that his day in the quarter was over, he just needed to get his book and he was leaving. He decided he was going to read The Hobbit after all.
As he picked it up, he glimpsed a snatch of plaid out of the corner of his eye. Instinctively, Billy turned his head and found himself staring at the back of a very familiar white headed man.
What’s going on? Did that old guy follow me here? That was Billy’s last thought as he began to slowly walk toward the exit. Although Billy was as quiet as a mouse, the man turned his head.
“Well, hello again, young man! What a strange coincidence to be meeting you here like this,” he said in his merry voice.
What are you talking about? thought Billy. I thought we had an appointment to keep! Instead, he replied, “Ya, strange. Well, I gotta go. I’m late and time goes by fast when you’re in the Quarter.” He turned around and began to walk out the door. But the sound of the man’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Yes, time is a funny creature, isn’t she?” he said as he polished his pocket watch. “‘Time heals all wounds.’ What an interesting saying, wouldn’t you agree?” added the little man. His eyes took on that brilliant cast, but only for a moment and then it was gone.
Billy had no idea what to say. What a weirdo! Familiar or not, he needed to get out of there and avoid him at all costs. Billy decided to walk out the door and head straight home without looking back.
Chapter 5
As Billy walked down Pine St., he decided he was going to hide out in his room for the night and just read. The day had been a complete bust and he just wanted to go in his room and forget that that the last 24 hours had even happened.
His hands were in his pockets and he was looking at the ground deep in thought. All of a sudden, a voice jarred him from his internal meanderings.
“Hey, Billy,” a soft voice said.
Billy looked up and stopped in his tracks. It was Trish. He couldn’t believe it. Trish was actually going out of her way to talk to him. Maybe he hadn’t looked as stupid as he thought at Yuri’s.
Billy could feel his palms had begin to sweat. “Uh, hey,” he replied, trying to act casual.
Trish actually smiled at him. “I’m just out walking my dog.”
Billy looked down to see a little Shiatsu pawing Trish’s legs and he took a step back. He didn’t really like little dogs. He thought that they were loud and snappy.
“How’s your head?” she sweetly asked.
Billy’s hand instinctively touched the bump on his head. “My head? Um, it’s fine.”
“Ya, I was just telling everyone about your little accident.” She motioned to a group of kids standing in the park. Billy could see Scott standing in the middle of them.
Suddenly, everyone started laughing. He felt his face burn. Ok, ha ha, the book incide
nt was funny, but not that funny, he thought angrily. That was when he felt something on his leg. He looked down to see Trish’s dog’s leg lifted and peeing all over his pant leg.
She let out a laugh, but quickly covered her mouth, “I’m so sorry. Flipsy, bad dog!” she chastised her pet, but with no real anger in her voice.
Billy ran across the street and walked quickly toward his house, which was only a few doors up the road. He clenched his jaw as he heard the unmistakable voice of Scott yelling out, ‘What a loser!’ and of course, everyone laughed.
Billy was in a rage as he jogged up the path leading to his front door. He entered the house and took off his shoes and coat, completely oblivious to the noise and chaos within.
A football game was blaring on the TV. Joe and Robbie were jumping up and down as their favorite football team made a touchdown. Toby was telling Sandy about his day with his mother. His already high voice reaching glass shattering pitches as he excitedly re-told a story, something about a dog and cotton candy. Only Aaron was quiet as he sat at the dining room table, carefully mixing ingredients into a pink solution.
However, none of this pandemonium affected Billy in any way. He was so deep in thought, he didn’t even acknowledge Sandy when she said hello.
“Helllooo there! Hey, how was your day!” Sandy yelled, attempting to gain Billy’s attention. Yet, nothing could penetrate Billy’s thoughtful state. Well, until a football hit him in the side of the head.
“What the heck?” yelled Billy, as he held the side of his face. He turned to glare at Robbie, who in no way attempted to hide the fact that he was the assailant.
“Hey, bud, just trying to do my part to help out the adults in the house,” stated Robbie in his typical sarcastic manner. He then laughed and turned his attention back to the football game.
Later, Billy would contemplate his actions, but for now he just saw red. After his confrontation with Scott, Jeanie, Trish and the white haired man, Billy just had it. Robbie was the perfect cherry on an already perfect few days.
“Hey, if you’re going to hit me, why don’t you do it over here, instead over there beside Joe?”
Everyone stopped to stare at Billy. The Billy they knew never yelled or was aggressive toward anyone or anything. Even Robbie was momentarily taken back by this sudden and unexpected outburst. Robbie was always like that and never had Billy gotten mad about it before. However, that didn’t stop Robbie from taking the few necessary steps to stand in front of him.
“You think I’m scared of you. You! Hey bud, I’ll take you out any time!” he threatened in an uncharacteristically calm voice.
Before Billy could think of a reply, Joe was standing in between the boys. “Robbie, go watch the game. If that ball leaves your hands again, I’ll retire it! You get my meaning?” Joe firmly stated, as Robbie continued to glare at Billy. “Now!” said Joe in an unyielding voice he rarely had to use. Robbie slowly turned around and sat back down in front of the TV.
Joe returned his attention to Billy. “You, upstairs now!” he said in a raised voice. Billy immediately turned around and quickly went up the stairs and into his bedroom.
As he sat on his bed, Joe entered and closed the door until only a crack remained. He took a deep breath and put his hand on his forehead. He then just shook his head as if at a loss for words. “Billy, what got into you down there?”
Joe didn’t raise his voice as Billy had expected him to. Billy looked down into his hands and remained silent.
“Hey, you need to talk to me. I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me,” Joe said with sincerity.
For the first time in his life, Billy felt all of the words he could never say rush to the surface. He didn’t want to talk about the last few days; instead he vented his feeling from all of his previous years. “You don’t get it, Joe! You can’t help me! What I need, what every kid here needs is not something you can pull out of a hat and give us!” he yelled, as he looked up into Joe’s eyes.
Joe stood still, not saying a word. “You just don’t get! You say you want to help me, but how can you when you don’t have a clue what it’s like to be me! I have no family, no friends, no real home! All of this, it isn’t real, Joe! Ok, so we do stuff like celebrate Christmas, but come on, like you’re not wishing you were at home with your own family! This ‘family’ is fake and our ‘parents’ are only here because they’re paid to be! I’m sick of it! All of you have a huge say in my life, but I could be gone in six months, you could be gone! This bogus family isn’t forever and real families are forever!”
Joe straightened himself up, returning Billy’s gaze. Billy rarely looked anyone in the eye, much less raised his voice. This courage didn’t last though, as he quickly put his head down and resumed staring at his hands.
Silence enveloped Billy’s small room. Finally, he said in a low voice, “Look, I know that you do your best and so does Sandy. But you get to go home, maybe visit your parents on the weekend. You enjoy Sunday night dinners together. Maybe talk about stuff you did as a kid or the first time you rode a bike.” Billy paused before continuing. “The fact that we can’t do that isn’t your fault and I’m sorry I kinda took it out on Robbie. It just gets frustrating sometimes. I, I …” Billy tried to think of the words he wanted to say, but they refused to come.
Joe knelt down in front of Billy. “This is good. This is exactly what we’ve been trying to get you to do. Get it out, talk about it,” he said in soft and comforting voice.
Billy just shook his head. “That’s just it, Joe, I don’t want to talk about it with you. The people I want to talk to about it aren’t around. And Ya, I know, I need to accept that and move on with life. Listen, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Just leave me alone.”
Joe continued to stay where he was. “Please, Joe, you can’t help every kid you meet and I’m one of those kids, ok,” he said in a quiet voice, his gaze pleading for Joe to understand.
“Billy, I can help you if you let me,” replied Joe, as he put his hand on Billy’s shoulder.
Billy didn’t want to build relationships, they end and that person goes away. He stood up and clenched his fists at his sides. “Get out of my room, Joe. Just please get out!”
Joe must have heard the frantic edge in Billy’s voice. He slowly got up and walked toward the door. He stopped and turned around to look at the angry boy before him. “Everyone has a different path, Billy. I know yours isn’t mine with Sunday night dinners. I just want to help you find yours.” His eyes were warm and he wore a sad smile upon his face. He then quietly opened the door and left.
Great, thought Billy, as he flopped down onto his bed. He put his fist to his forehead, clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, even Robbie. He didn’t even really understand what happened to him downstairs or in his room with Joe. Something was breaking open inside him and he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control the volatile emotions fighting to spill out.
Billy continued to lie on his bed and stare up at the ceiling. He could see cracks in the plaster, cracks that had probably been there for years. Just like me, he thought. And these cracks can’t be fixed by just calling in some repairman. The truth was, he didn’t know how to fix them and he didn’t know how to let Joe or Sandy help him.
Billy’s morose thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a ping on his bedroom window. He quickly sat up and stared out into the night. After the day he had, he didn’t want to deal with whatever that was. Another ping. His mind returned to the strange little man with white hair. Billy stood up and moved slowly against the wall toward the window and attempted to look out of it using his peripheral vision.
That was when he saw brilliant red gleaming in the moonlight. Jeanie. Billy walked to his window, looked down at his classmate and vigorously shook his head.
In the clear and well lit evening, he could easily see Jeanie clasping her hands under her chin and a look of ‘please’ on her face. Billy didn’t want to risk getting into more t
rouble. But he thought if he could at least resolve one issue, maybe he could pull off some kind of decent sleep tonight.
He quietly opened his window, jumped onto the big oak tree outside and quickly climbed down. Jeanie was waiting eagerly at the base of the tree. Billy gave her a hard look that said to follow him and he began walking toward the park across the street. When he reached a rusty old swing set, Billy folded his arms and gave her an impatient look.
“Ok, I know this is a little unusual, but I needed to talk to you!” said Jeanie in a little girl’s voice. “I don’t care where you live or who you live with and I really don’t like you thinking I do care. Which brings to mind! How dare you imply that I’m that judgmental! I talk to who I want, when I want. You got that, Townsend!” The little girl’s voice was being quickly replaced by a very irate and angry tone. “I mean, I just don’t see why we can’t be friends, even if you do move from here next week. Furthermore-”
Jeanie’s heated tirade was suddenly drowned out by a loud boom. Actually, it sounded like a bomb went off. The blast sent him and Jeanie through the air, both landing painfully onto their backs. Billy felt as if the air was knocked out of his lungs. He scrambled to his feet, only to find himself staring into a gaping hole about ten feet across, carved deep into the landscape. Jeanie was still coughing when the swing set was blown right out of the ground and landed in the street.
Billy’s mind went blank. He grabbed Jeanie and began to run. He had to practically drag her as she was still disoriented and coughing from the debris in the air. They could hear more blasts behind them, but they didn’t dare stop to look back. All of a sudden, a bright green and glowing ball whizzed past them and uprooted a giant weeping willow tree. Large chunks of earth unmercifully pelted them both.
Billy had no thoughts but to run. His mind couldn’t even begin to comprehend or analyze what was happening around them. His breath was becoming labored and a stitch was developing in his side. Jeanie was slowing down as well and he was having a hard time pulling her along with him.
