Now Danny knew what his father meant about ‘truth’. If he told the truth, he would have to say something bad about his father. He didn’t want to do that. He looked over to Robin. She was sitting at the table fidgeting with a pencil. She smiled and nodded.
“Dad and I had an argument …” Danny looked to his father again. Mr. Petzinger nodded for him to continue. “I ran out of the house and I saw Henry. That’s when he asked me if I’d help him pick up some rocks in his yard.”
“Okay,” the Judge said. “Then what?”
“We did a lot of talking. I told him I missed my mother and hated my father.” Danny looked to his father. “But I don’t hate you now, Dad.” Mr. Petzinger smiled and waved him on. “I told Mr. Wolff I hated school and I wanted to run away. I told him … a lot of personal stuff.”
“What happened then, Danny?” the Judge asked.
“He told me I should moon a funeral procession.”
Laughter filled the room. Danny felt proud he was able to make everyone laugh. He forgot how stupid that sounded when he first heard it.
“He really said that?” the Judge asked, laughing a bit himself.
“Yeah. But I think he was just trying to make me feel better. You know, he was good at that. I think he said stupid stuff just to get a reaction. I don’t think many people understand that about him.”
“Yes. I agree, Danny. Continue.”
“Well, we started picking up rocks. I picked some up and put them into my pack, and Henry was picking up rocks too and putting them in my backpack also. And he kept on doing it until my backpack got so heavy I took it off and threw it on the ground. And then I cursed at Henry, called him a moron and a jerk and told him that I hated him. But I didn’t mean it. I was just mad.”
“It’s okay, Danny. What did Henry do then?”
“He knelt and kind of looked at me. You know, deep in the eyes. Makes you feel things.”
“I think I know what you mean, Danny. What did he say?”
“He congratulated me for throwing the pack off my back.”
The Judge threw Danny a quizzical look. “Why, Danny?
Danny knew he had to continue now, because the Judge would freak out or forever ask questions until he was satisfied. Danny remembered Henry’s lectures about choosing the right words. Danny sensed Henry’s teachings had a broader use than just curbing foul language. So, he reached down deep and decided to tell it like it was. From his heart.
“Henry told me that in real life I was trying to carry the world on my shoulders. Carrying things that didn’t belong to me and I should throw them on the ground just like the backpack.” Danny raised his hands to his face and began to cry. He loved Henry for talking to him and making him feel better. For making him laugh. For helping him not to curse. And for helping him to love his mom and dad.
“Well, well,” the Judge sitting back in his big chair. “That’s an epiphany, Danny. Thank you.”
And right after the Judge said that, Mr. Petzinger rose and asked permission to speak and, of course, the Judge allowed him. Charles admitted to the Judge he had not been a good father to Danny and he intended to change that – change his behavior. And he credited Henry for this new-found spirit. “On the day in question, Charles said, “I smacked Danny and he ran out of the house and went to talk to Henry. Danny used to run to him a lot and I hated that. I hated Henry because I thought Danny loved him more than me. On that day, when I saw Henry putting rocks in Danny’s backpack, and Danny threw his pack down, I snuck out to the shed in Henry’s back yard with all intentions of knocking him out. Then something incredible happened, Judge. I heard Henry tell my son that he was the only person in Henry’s life that gave back more than Henry put in. Henry said Danny had a spirit in him that he hadn’t seen in anyone. He said Danny was a precious soul, and he told my son to forgive me because I had a lot on my mind. And then he told my son his mother loves him, and not to think for one second she left Coalsville because of him. And Danny asked him how does he know that for sure. And Henry told Danny because he was the only person Henry knew in this world who could look him in the eye and see his soul. And that he was one of the most precious creatures he has ever met and he was sure his mother knew that. And he told Danny to have patience with me and that I would come around simply because he knew I was going to do the right thing. He just needed patience.”
Charles wanted to say more but he had a lump in his throat and he couldn’t. So he just sat down.
* * *
Dixie moaned from the beating she just took from Jason. She lay on the ground in one of the alleyways, while Jason stood over her, kicking her repeatedly. “Where’s my money,” He cackled over and over. “Why don’t get it from your sugar daddy.” Jason raised his arm, his fist clenched, and just as he cocked his elbow to hit her, Henry grabbed his wrist from behind and Jason spun around.
Dixie looked up and before she could say anything, Jason backed off. She watched these two men stare at each other for a few seconds. Jason never liked people looking him in the eyes. She had noticed before when he and Henry spoke to each other, Jason had a hard time looking Henry in the eye. She tried to get a better look at Henry to see what kind of spell he was casting on Jason, but her neck hurt and she couldn’t move very well.
“Well, take her,” Jason said. “She’s all yours.” And then he left abruptly.
Henry sat down next to Dixie. “Are you okay?”
“I feel just ducky.” She paused for a second or two, and held his arm. “What the hell just happened?”
“Hell,” he said. “Did I just hear you say hell?” He chuckled, and then Dixie laughed too, but the laugh quickly turned into a groan from the pain.
Dixie went to say something, but stopped. She tried to find the right words but none came except for, “I’m so sorry for what I said inside.”
“Shh. You told them what you saw.”
“But I did it for money, Henry. I took money to testify …”
“Don’t worry about it. Here … you forgot this.” Henry handed her the CD. She chuckled. “What’s so funny?”
“Did you open your present yet?” Dixie asked.
Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out the gift she gave him, still unopened.
“Why did you leave the CD on the bench?” Henry asked.
“Open your present,” Dixie commanded, “and then I’ll tell you.”
Henry opened the present and took a long, hard look at it. There, in the box, was the 1913 twenty-five-cent piece he had been seeking for a very long time. Then, together, they both laughed.
“I sold my CD player and my ankle bracelet to buy that,” Dixie says.
“And I used my coin collection to buy the CD,” Henry followed.
And then they both laughed real hard.
“You see,” Dixie said when she could talk again. “I told you I didn’t steal your coin collection.”
Henry kissed the coin and put it in his pocket. “I’m going to start the collection all over again.”
Dixie rubbed her CD, held it to her chest and then leaned her head on his shoulder. “You remembered this is my favorite CD.”
* * *
Judge Brady wanted to get the hearing over with, so he stood up and addressed everyone. “I guess that’s it folks. It’s been a very enlightening day, and no one leave town.”
Before the Judge banged his gavel for a call to closure, Mrs. Maltin walked in with Tommy who appeared healthy except for the cast on his right arm. “Your Honor,” Mrs. Maltin snapped, “I don’t know if I’m too late, but I heard that you were going to pass judgment on Henry Wolff. I think Tommy has something to say before you do that.”
The Judge motioned for everyone to sit back down. “Okay, Tommy,” the Judge bellowed. “Come over here so I can sign your cast.” Tommy walked over to the bench and Judge Brady took a pen from the bench and signed the cast.
“Okay. Tommy. Sit over here and let me hear what you have to say.”
Tommy sat
next to the Judge and told a story about an afternoon of fun and games. It was snowing hard, so the afternoon included a snowball fight with the forces of good coming to his rescue to defeat the forces of evil. Tommy told the Judge how the leader of the good guys convinced everyone that they could fly if they wanted to. The Judge stopped Tommy from talking because he wanted to be very clear on this topic.
“Now, Tommy,” the Judge said, “did Mr. Wolff tell you that you could really fly, you know, like a bird?” And the Judge flapped his elbows into the air.
“Oh, no. Don’t be silly. He told us he was being simmballic, or something.”
“Symbolic?”
“Yes. That was the word he used.” Tommy continued the story. “Mr. Wolff said I can do anything I wanted if I just put my mind to it. And he pointed to a plane in the sky and said we can even fly. And then I said, ‘Someday, I am going to fly. I’m going to be a pilot.’
“I’m very glad you told me this, Tommy.” The Judge looked to Mrs. Maltin. “I guess this means you’re not going to file a suit against Mr. Wolff.”
“That’s correct, Judge,” Mrs. Maltin. “In fact, I was hoping Henry would be here. I think I owe him an apology.”
“Good. Good,” the Judge said. “But there’s one thing I don’t understand, Tommy. Why did you jump out of your barn? That doesn’t make too much sense to me after hearing what you just told me.”
“I didn’t mean to jump. Mommy called me for dinner and when I turned to come down, a big, big, huge rat scared the heck out of me.”
“A raccoon, Your Honor,” Mrs. Maltin corrected. “We got raccoons in the barn.”
“Yeah, a raccoon,” Tommy said. “He ran in front of me and I got real scared and I just started running and running. And I just ran out of the barn without thinking. Pretty stupid, huh?”
The Judge wanted to laugh. “No. Not stupid. Silly, perhaps. And I guess we all have done some silly things in our life, Tommy. You’re not the only one.”
* * *
Henry laughed as he tried to help Dixie on her feet.
“This is a fine predicament we’re in, Ollie.”
Dixie moaned as she tried to put pressure on her foot. “Who’s Ollie?”
“Who knows?” Henry said.
Dixie hobbled a couple of steps. “My ankle. I can’t walk on it. I sprained it real bad.”
Henry picked her up and carried her. As he walked with Dixie in his arms, Dixie blurted out of nowhere, “Work like you don’t need the money.”
“Love like you’ve never been hurt,” Henry retorted.
“Dance like nobody’s watching.”
“Sing like nobody’s listening.”
“Live like it’s Heaven on Earth,” Dixie finished just as Henry began walking across the street. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a truck breezing down Main Street at a fairly fast clip. He stumbled slightly. The truck was coming too fast. He realized that he was not going to make it across the street in time, so he tossed Dixie out in front of him.
The tires screeched and skidded and bounced across the Main Street pavement as the driver jammed on his brakes.
Dixie let out with a blood-curdling scream. And then there was silence.
* * *
The Judge was talking to Robin and Mrs. Maltin about how things turned out for the best. Tommy would need some healing time, but he’d be okay soon.
“I really do owe your father an apology,” Mrs. Maltin said to Robin.
Just as she said this, Wheezy surged into the courtroom and was breathing in and out loudly, wheezing, straining to get the words out in between the gulps of air. “There’s … been … an accident ... Mr. Wolff got hit … by a truck …Come … quickly…”sites.
Chapter 17
Coalsville changed this past year since Henry died. The town expanded the park, which now spans two blocks and crosses over Main Street onto the south side. This allows residents from both sides of town to use its facilities without claiming any special rights because of its geographic location. The park includes a swimming pool, several basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, and crazy objects that children like to climb and swing on.
The park has attracted the youth from the entire town without any incidences of discrimination. One thing that can be said today is the best basketball players do live on the south side of Main, and the best tennis players live on the north side. At first, the children picked the teams based on turf prejudices and a territorial dominance developed, but as friendships and trust grew teams were picked based on the equitable distribution of talent. That’s how it is today, and the drive for victory has become a personal drive for excellence rather than a desire for geographic dominance, and that has made all the difference on how the children perceive each other these days. In the beginning, the volleyball players were mostly male adults. Eventually, as women and children got more involved in the game, volleyball became the rallying point for the neighborhood, a time for fun and relaxation where people of all genders, sizes and ages could have fun and forget about the daily stresses of life.
The people of town perceive their children have higher self-esteem and the statistics show crime is lower. A Harvard study states one of the reasons for a lower crime rate across the country was because of an increase in the number of people who attend a place of worship, which happens to be up over the past year in Coalsville.
A committee sprang up over this past year dedicated to the goal that all people in town should have a roof over their heads and three meals every day. A large mansion on the north side of Main Street was converted into a halfway house to accomplish this goal. This house shelters and feeds the homeless and, in addition, the committee tries to find them jobs in the community if they are able to work. In return, the residents of the shelter must take part in the upkeep of the house: cooking, cleaning and gardening. Those who find jobs are required to do the laundry on the weekends or handyman jobs around the house if they demonstrate such skills. Everyone is required to keep his or her own rooms neat and clean. Wheezy currently works in this house and leads a team of five maids.
* * *
JUDGE BRADY has been doing some very important things for the residents of Coalsville. In addition to being one of the committee members of the halfway house, he started a program that called for a moratorium on indictments and prosecutions against all drug users and dealers, a no-fault time period where no charges would be levied if these backsliding citizens stepped forward and told all. In some cases, the program helped previous offenders get their records expunged. They had to provide attrition to the Judge and volunteer for, and successfully complete, a three-month rehabilitation program.
The Judge founded the rehabilitation program, but it is now under the administration of a private organization, which solicits support from hundreds of wealthy citizens of Pennsylvania. What makes this charity special, besides having over two million dollars in its coffers, is that doctors, nurses and therapists are dedicating their time and skills to rehabilitate these unfortunates. In addition, local transportation and utility companies, like the telephone company, donate their services making this program one of the most comprehensive and unique charities in the country. It has caused such a national stir that a California county has just passed a charter to establish a similar program modeled after this one in Coalsville. In fact, a national television news magazine recently finished shooting two hundred hours of video about this charity, and they are now in the post-production stage of producing a five-hour special. Part one of the special is slated to air during sweeps week.
* * *
JASON - the man who caused people in town to lock their doors at night – changed dramatically after Henry died. The way Jason tells the story today, something transcendental happened to him in the alleyway just before the accident. When Henry looked him in the eyes on that fateful day, Jason saw a loving expression on Henry’s face, as if Henry was forgiving him for what he was doing and, in that instant, he felt bankrupt em
otionally and spiritually for a lifetime of wrongdoing and he had an extraordinary need to take stock of his life. Jason tells people today that it was as if this act of forgiveness pushed out the cowardice and fear that were his guiding forces in everything he did. Initially, Jason took advantage of the moratorium and rehabilitation programs and started the process of healing. He got a job at the hardware store at the end of town where he works today. He goes to Narcotics Anonymous meetings five times a week and he’s a mechanic on the side. He knows that this journey of sobriety is not easy and is going to be a life-long endeavor. He says whenever times are tough and temptations are strong he remembers that look on Henry’s face, which helps him find the courage to carry on.
* * *
MRS. MALTIN became inspired to write a new book during this past year. After years of fighting writer’s block, she wrote a complete novel in one month, a story that focused on a boy who was grieving over the death of his father. The boy became listless, lost his zest for living. There was a wizard, the next-door neighbor, a sort of a strange old man who performed miracles in secret while he observed the people and needs around him. This wizard had special talents, not the least of which, he could fly. The unusual neighbor taught the boy tricks and wizardry things and, more importantly, he taught the boy how to love and how to let go; that is, he showed the boy that he was carrying the world on his shoulders when he didn’t have to. Mrs. Maltin’s publisher is amazed at the ‘new voice’ she exhibited in the novel, and is absolutely ecstatic over the fact that it has been on the NY Times best sellers list for the past six months.
Also, Mrs. Maltin and Charles Petzinger have become quite good friends and are now dating. This is generating an unusual amount of interest in some people who go to the new park to talk and gossip. Mrs. Hodges, the woman with bulging eyes, leads the pack on this matter, and suggests they should marry soon or else people might have questions about their chastity and morality.
* * *
TOMMY MALTIN’S arm healed quite nicely. He played baseball in Little League during the summer and swatted the ball so confidently that his 400 batting average was one of the top in the league. Tommy grew four inches during the year and, when he went to school that September, he was big enough that the bullies who once picked on him are now seeking his friendship. Tommy is taking a unique interest in military battles, especially the great battles of the Civil War. He wrote a book report titled, ‘The Southern Military Strategies That Almost Won the Civil War’, and got an A+ on the report – the highest mark in the class.
South of Main Street Page 28
