“Yeah, me and your grandpa used to hang out here on the weekends. I’d be wheeling and dealing salvaged cars and used parts, and Esteban would be telling stories about you kids and making us all laugh. He was quite a character, your grandfather.”
Ramón looked around the cluttered yard filled with halfdissected old cars and trucks parked in every direction with no apparent value other than to fill space. He rolled the scooter up to the front porch and leaned it on the kick-stand.
“Wait here. I think I have a manual for a bike like this one.” The old man squinted and looked at the blue metal frame for identification. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, a Vespa P200E. Well, I’ll tell you, you don’t find too many of these around here, but Esteban was an original,” he laughed.
Ramón looked at his prized possession with renewed hope. He wanted more than anything for the scooter to be restored to running condition and he felt lucky that his grandfather’s friend was willing to help out. He heard the sound of drawers opening and shutting, then the shuffling of stacks of papers coming from inside the building. While he waited for the shop owner to return, he took a few steps to look around the junkyard and felt his foot hit something soft on the ground. Looking down he was startled to see a huge tan-colored dog lying on his side with his eyes closed.
“Oh, don’t mind Oscar. He’s harmless. But back in the day he was a ferocious watchdog. No one dared to come onto this property without clearing it with him first!” Frank said with pride, stepping out of the doorway with the promised document.
Ramón looked again at the inanimate creature sleeping lazily on the concrete. He couldn’t imagine Oscar attacking anyone in his present state.
“Well, wouldn’t you believe it, I have a manual for your scooter. It’s not for the exact model but it’s close enough,” the old man said proudly, holding up several tattered pages. “I keep everything I come across. In this business you never know when you might need something! Just the other day, a passerby asked for an exhaust pipe for his 1955 Cadillac and lo and behold I rummaged around this place and found one in mint condition. By golly, he was impressed!”
Ramón nodded his head in agreement at the man’s story and readily believed it.
“Well, let’s see, we can change the oil, and I might have new inner tubes for the tires. The tread still looks okay,” Frank said, reviewing the tattered manual quickly. “Why don’t you take out the spark plug again and remove the tires from the rims and I’ll go get the parts.”
Ramón found an old blanket tucked underneath a pile of boxes and spread it out on the concrete. Carefully leaning the scooter over on its side, he placed it on the blanket and began to remove the parts as instructed. Frank returned with his arms full of wires, rubber tubing, a small battery, various hand tools, and a container of motor oil.
“This isn’t the exact match, it’s actually for motorcycle engines, but it will have to do. Different viscosity, you understand,” Frank said, placing the motor oil on the ground.
“Have you worked on motorcycles too?” Ramón asked, impressed with the old man’s knowledge.
“Oh, yeah,” he said letting out a big breath, “I’ve worked on engines of all types, even had my hand in body work early on, but the real money is in salvaged parts. You wouldn’t believe it but this place is a gold mine!”
The young boy’s eyes grew big, wondering if the piles of junk he saw had any value.
Oscar, invigorated by the lively conversation, picked himself up slowly and sauntered over to the two mechanics. He dropped his heavy body to the ground and rolled over on his back so that Ramón could scratch his enormous belly.
“Esteban always said, ‘Frank, don’t underestimate the need for specialists, even in the junk trade’,” Frank smiled. “Your granddad was a smart man.”
Ramón petted the contented beast lying next to him. He was happy to hear stories about his grandfather while working on the scooter. It made him feel closer to him somehow.
“Do you think we can really get it running?” Ramón asked. His excitement was growing with every turn of the wrench.
Frank worked quickly and despite his large hands he could manipulate the smallest parts of the engine.
“Yeah, we almost got it. Let’s drain the oil, then we’ll fill up her tires and try her out!”
“You keep saying ‘she,’ why is that?” Ramón questioned.
Frank paused, then answered, “Well, I guess it’s because we always have. The Romans started it. Their warships were named after women and throughout history we’ve kept the tradition. Didn’t your grandpa used to call that old truck of his Betty Lou?”
Ramón laughed loudly and replied that he had never heard his grandfather use that name before.
After the last of the repairs, they stood the scooter up on its stand. Frank finished filling the newly installed inner tubes with air. Ramón eagerly waited for the old man’s signal, then he started the ignition. To his delight, the engine turned over and the bike trembled with new life.
“I can’t believe it! We did it! We got it running!”
Frank smiled broadly, making the deep creases in his face even deeper. “See, kid, anything is possible. You just have to try! Keep the engine running for a while when you get home to make sure she doesn’t need anything else,” Frank cautioned.
“Here, I don’t know how much the parts were,” Ramón said, reaching into his back pocket for money.
“Don’t worry about it, kid. Anything for my old friend Esteban. He’d be real proud of you and your cousin taking a trip on your own. It shows initiative. He always wanted the best for you two,” Frank said.
“Thanks for everything,” Ramón said.
“If you run into any trouble on the road, you just call me and I’ll be there to help you,” he offered, pointing to a flatbed tow truck parked off in the distance. “Yeah, me and Oscar will be there in a jiffy if you need us!”
As a last gesture of friendship, Frank took a crisp fifty dollar bill and a worn business card from his wallet. “Take this, you might need something extra on the road.”
The scooter hummed impatiently as Ramón said goodbye to Oscar then to his new friend Frank. He boarded the blue machine and drove back to his grandmother’s house with the happy news. The old man waved goodbye from the road.
Chapter 12
The road raced by and within minutes Ramón was driving into the driveway of the house. Miguel came running out to see the scooter which by now was running smoothly.
“Ain’t she great!” beamed Ramón as he climbed off the seat, careful to keep the motor running.
“I can’t believe you got it started!” Miguel said in amazement, and quickly added, “She? Why does it have to be a girl?”
“All great vehicles have the names of girls, even ships back in Roman times,” Ramón answered, remembering Frank’s words.
“Oh, well. Should we give her a real name then?”
“Yeah, like what?” Ramón liked the idea of a nickname for his new toy.
“How about Ramona, after you?” Miguel laughed and took a step back just in case his cousin wanted to take a playful swing at him.
Ramón laughed and saw that his cousin was too far to punch on the arm.
“A real name, Miguel. She’s going to take us across two states. She deserves it.”
“How about the Pequod? That was the name of a ship.”
“The Pequod sunk in the middle of the ocean, and everybody died!” reminded Ramón. “And Pequod sounds weird,” he added after considering the name further.
“Okay, how about Natalie, after that girl you used to like in the sixth grade?”
“Natalie, yeah she was really pretty, but she didn’t like me back,” said Ramón with a sour look on his face.
“Well, this Natalie will love you,” Miguel teased.
Ramón nodded and smiled remembering the pretty blonde in sixth grade. “Maybe she did like me a little,” he thought to himself. “She did sit next to me at a soc
cer game once.” With that happy memory, he followed his cousin inside to take inventory of the supplies for the trip.
Water bottles and other items on Miguel’s list were on the kitchen counter except for the food in the refrigerator.
Ramón looked on the kitchen floor and saw one sleeping bag rolled tightly and the two backpacks on the kitchen table. “Where’s the other sleeping bag?” he asked, looking around.
“I figured we can only carry one, so we’ll have to share,” Miguel said confidently.
“How do you share a sleeping bag?”
“We’ll take turns!”
“We’ll what?”
“Yeah, one night I’ll sleep in it, and the next night you will,” suggested Miguel. “Besides we’ll only need it for two nights, right?”
Ramón considered the logic and decided the scooter could only handle one sleeping bag regardless of their desired sleeping arrangements. “Okay, forget about that. Let’s go. Where’s the map?”
“What map?”
“We have to have a map. How are we going to find Santa Fe?” Ramón questioned.
Miguel felt embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of a map, so he tried to cover it up, “I couldn’t find one. We can get one at the gas station for free when we leave.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Ramón replied. “How about food?”
“I’ve wrapped up some burritos and snacks in the refrigerator. I just need to pack them.”
“Well, looks like we’re ready!” Ramón’s eyes lit up and he paced around the room once before settling in one of the kitchen chairs. “When should we leave?”
“We have to go to the hospital. We’ll see Abuelita today and leave tomorrow in the morning,” Miguel suggested.
“You’re right, we’ll start off tomorrow. We should eat a lot in the morning just in case our food runs out.”
Miguel’s face changed from excitement to dread at the thought of the food running out. “Do you think we could starve to death before we reach Santa Fe?”
Ramón considered the problem carefully. They had very little money, and a questionable mode of transportation.
“Miguel, sometimes you just got to hit the road and see what happens, you know? Take the bull by the horns! We’ll be okay, we got each other.”
Chapter 13
“So, how are we going to get to the hospital?” questioned Miguel.
It was late in the afternoon and the concentration that Miguel had used to pack for their trip had tired him out. He could not think of another new idea.
“The Vespa, of course,” Ramón answered.
“What if they don’t let us in?”
“We have to act like we know what we’re doing. Everyone thinks you look older anyway, just pretend that you are.”
Miguel trusted his cousin’s words. Since he was five years old, he could remember adults commenting on his height and asking his parents if he was much older than he was. Now at fourteen, he could easily pass for sixteen.
The boys went outside and stared at the motor scooter. Suddenly, they realized that they would have to drive on an open road for the first time. Ramón felt the most daring and spoke up first.
“Okay, get on. Let’s go.”
Miguel obeyed and threw his right leg over the seat. Ramón boarded last and started the motor.
“All right, Natalie, here we go!” Ramón said.
The scooter lunged forward and roared down the driveway. Miguel didn’t expect the sudden bolt and his larger body shifted back off the seat. With the first jolt, Miguel slid off the scooter and tumbled down onto the asphalt driveway. Ramón didn’t stay on the scooter much longer. Miguel’s fall had tipped the scooter off balance and soon both boys were sprawled on the ground.
“Are you okay?” Ramón asked as he got up and ran after the scooter.
“Old Nat’s got a lot of power. I wasn’t expecting it. We better take it easy,” said Miguel, jumping on board again.
Ramón turned the hand gears and the scooter lurched forward again. This time Miguel was ready. He was holding onto the sides of the small luggage rack and leaning his body weight forward.
“We’ll get the hang of this,” Ramón said, picking up speed. “Hold on!” he shouted back to his cousin.
The hospital was three miles away from their grandmother’s house. The small-town streets were quiet and only a few passing cars drove by. Miguel managed to stay aboard the motor scooter while Ramón drove cautiously on the side of the road. When they arrived at the front of the entrance to the hospital, Ramón reminded his cousin how to act.
“Remember, act like you’re over eighteen!”
“Eighteen! They’ll know I’m not that old!”
“Lower your voice,” Ramón warned. “Just act like you are. I’ll do the talking when we get in.”
Miguel nodded and followed his cousin through the glass double doors. The nurse’s station was located in the middle of the large entry. A woman stood behind the tall countertop, dressed in a white smock and wearing wire rimmed bifocal glasses. Looking up from her charts, she noticed the two boys as soon as they walked in.
Ramón walked up to the counter with confidence and asked where his grandmother’s room was. Miguel stood to his side and tried to have an adult look on his face.
The nurse adjusted her glasses on her small nose and squinted her eyes first at Ramón then at Miguel. She pursed her thin lips tightly in an attempt to ascertain their credibility, then she spoke.
“Who are you here to see?”
“My grandmother. She came in yesterday in an ambulance,” answered Ramón.
The nurse stared into Ramón’s eyes for any signs of mischievousness. She then turned her hard glare at Miguel, “And who are you?”
“I’m his older brother” Miguel said nervously.
“Are your parents here?” the woman further interrogated.
“Yeah, they called us to come and visit,” Ramón quickly replied.
The nurse twisted her thin lips and was preparing to tell the boys that they had to leave unless they could prove that they were accompanied by an adult when a voice announced through the hospital intercom that there was an emergency at the other end of the hospital. Taking no further notice of the boys, the nurse turned her attention to the announcement and quickly left the counter to attend to the emergency.
“Okay, let’s go, quick, before she comes back!” Ramón whispered loudly.
“Which way?”
“The second floor, that’s where Grandpa was, remember?”
Miguel didn’t question his cousin. He followed him faithfully to the second floor and they walked along the long empty corridor looking for their grandmother’s room. At the end of the hallway Ramón saw a silhouette of a small-framed woman that looked familiar. He stood closer to the entrance of the room and looked inside. His grandmother was alone in her bed, sleeping quietly.
“Come on, Miguel, let’s go tell Abuelita where we’re going.”
Miguel looked at his dear grandmother lying still in her oversized hospital bed and hoped that she would be able to hear what they had to tell her.
Chapter 14
“She looks so small,” Miguel said, looking down at his grandmother enshrouded by the white sheets.
“Abuelita, can you hear me?” asked Ramón. He glanced around the bed and noticed the machines that were monitoring her. Faint beeping sounds could be heard along with the soft breath of the sleeping woman.
“Does she look really sick?” Miguel asked, feeling more worried. “Maybe we shouldn’t leave her. What if she dies?”
“Don’t say that. She’s not going to die!” Ramón said in a loud hush. “If she were super sick, the doctors would be in here doing something.”
Miguel wanted to believe his cousin but he remembered what his family had said to him when their grandfather was sick in the hospital. They had reassured him that Grandpa Esteban was going to be “just fine” and “would be home soon.” That was the time his grandfather
had died, and now looking at his grandmother lying helpless in the mechanical bed all the painful memories of losing him rushed back.
“Abuelita, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand,” Ramón said, taking the small hand in his own. “Just squeeze a little if you can.”
“Can you feel anything?” Miguel asked anxiously.
“Not yet, but I know she can hear us. We have to keep trying.”
From down the hall footsteps could be heard. The quick pace of the shoes walking along the linoleum floors signaled that someone was coming their way.
“Someone’s coming, get behind the screen!” motioned Ramón.
Miguel moved clumsily around the bed and snuck behind a large canvas screen opposite the doorway of the room. From behind the screen, the footsteps were heard entering the room, then two voices began to speak. Ramón held his finger over his closed mouth directing his cousin to stay quiet.
“She came in yesterday and the doctor is watching her for any other reactions to the medications,” the voice said matter-of-factly.
“Is she in stable condition?”
“Oh, yes, she wouldn’t be on this floor if she was in any real trouble,” the nurse advised. “But we need to keep her on our rotation every night for the next two weeks, the doctor was very clear.”
“Has her family been contacted?”
“We’ve tried to call the contact person on her charts but we don’t get an answer. It seems that her son is on vacation, but we’ll wait for a call back.”
After the room had been cleared, Ramón whispered to his cousin, “Did you hear that?”
“Yeah, she’s going to be okay.”
“Yeah, but not for two more weeks.”
“I heard that too. Maybe she’ll come home sooner,” Miguel said hopefully. “Maybe we could ask the doctor.”
Desert Passage Page 4
