“Yeah, I bet they will too!”
“Bye then, Jane, great news. See ya.”
“Bye Angie.” Jane put down the phone, paused for a moment, then bounced up and into the bathroom to prepare for work.
She could just imagine the ribbing she was in for, as soon as she let word out. Most of the guys at the station knew Graham, though; he’d been out and joined in their softball games last summer, before he’d gone to the Middle East.
She shivered in excitement, and found that her eye shadow just would not go on right the first time.
- 8 -
Dave Adkins stood gazing out of his front window. He had lost track of the hours he had spent in this activity in the past several months. It was now early May. “Meditating on the scene,” was his reply when challenged, usually by his son Cody.
Barbara, his wife, was more understanding, and rarely commented openly when others were there. Since his lay-off at the end of December, Dave had changed in many ways, some subtle, others more blatant.
Dave and Barbara had a great relationship—they talked. They talked with each other about their problems—Barbara had shared her concerns with him again only last night.
She could see the subtler changes in him. She saw listlessness, an unwillingness to venture into new fields, a loss in self-confidence, more grey hairs increasing among the sparse coverage on his head, and, most disturbing to her, she had told him, the bitterness eating into him along with his increasing consumption of scotch.
I know all this. I can see it all happening, almost as if I’m hovering above myself, watching. But somehow I just don’t have the desire to do anything about it—well, not yet, not now. Maybe someday.
As he stood there at the window, watching the light breeze stirring the twigs on the trees behind the houses opposite, he felt a slight tickle in his throat. Instinctively, he looked down at the glass in his hand. It was empty.
He shrugged his shoulders and turned away from the window. Well did he know the next step—toward the cabinet in the corner. He took that step, and another—and then stopped.
Goddammit, man. What the hell’s up with you? Pull yourself together. He turned sharply and began to pace, back and forth, up and down the room. I’ve gotta snap out of this. It’s driving me crazy.
He set the glass on the mantel over the fireplace, and turned to face the window again. From that position, he could see the new townhouses, most of them now completed.
All that bloody effort with the petition for nothing. Jeez. I wonder what kind of people will move in? His gaze settled on the flags fluttering over the recently opened townhouse show-home. If I only knew what to do with my life: what course to move on, what direction to take.
A flash of colour and sudden movement outside caught his attention. His son was home.
Wait for it, he thought, expecting the usual crashing sounds as Cody entered the house. Sure enough, there they were—sounds of the door slamming and of the heavy sports bag that seemed essential gear for all teenage boys thudding to the floor and sliding against the wall.
And then, an unexpected contrast … Silently, Cody appeared at the entrance to the room. He was just fourteen, at that gangly stage. “Hi, Dad. Whatcha doing?” he said quietly.
“Hi, Cody. Oh, nothing much, just meditating on the scene.”
“That’s what you always say! Why do you do it?”
Dave sighed. He knew it was a cop-out. “We-ell. You know I was in the Navy for a while.”
“Yeah, in the Reserves.”
“Each summer, I would go to sea on a ship. I spent a lot of time working on the ship’s bridge, the command centre. I was one of the Officers of the Watch. We each took turns on duty for a watch; that’s like a shift.
“I would spend a lot of time standing, surveying out across the sea ahead, out to the horizon. Sometimes, it was pretty hectic, with lots of other ships around; other times, it was very quiet, and it could get quite boring. And so I guess I acquired this habit.”
“Were you, like, a captain then?”
“No way!” Dave chuckled. “I was just a lieutenant—naval, that is. Hmm—come to think of it, though, that’s equivalent to an army captain, I guess.” He laughed at his own little inside-joke.
“Da-ad?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Scouter Ray was asking if you would be interested in helping out at the camp, on the May long weekend.”
“We-ell—would you like me to?”
“Sure thing, Dad. Remember in Cubs, when we found that nest of snakes in the rocks, and Tommy nearly shi—had to go to the bathroom in a hurry?”
“Course I do. That was a great weekend. An’ do you remember the wasp nest under the eave of the old barn?”
“Yeah, an’ Baloo tried poking it with that pole and got stung.”
“So, what’s the plan for the camp?”
“Do’know yet. We’re s’posed to meet in patrols next week to plan food an’ stuff.”
“Where’s it going to be at?”
“Killarney Farm. You know, where we went two years ago, when you an’ Mom came to pick us up, an’ Mom got mad ’cause our boots were all muddy.”
“Hope it’s going to be drier this time. Anyway, does Scouter Ray want me to call him back?”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks, Dad.”
Cody left, and Dave heard the fridge being raided. He smiled. He felt uplifted, somehow. He had always enjoyed camping, and especially working with young people. It was some years now since he had been active in Scouting, and he was pleased that Ray had asked him—and that Cody seemed to want him to go too.
Something good to look forward to now. Those were the days. I can almost smell the wood-smoke now. Trouble is, I can see the old faces, but the names are gone.
Reassured, he picked up his glass from the mantel, refilled it from the bottle in the cabinet, and resumed his position at the window. He sipped slowly at his scotch. He felt good.
He thought back to his ship-borne summers. And, it suddenly dawned on him: it was during that ship-time when he had acquired another habit. The ward-room was only a short distance from the bridge and, off-duty, he and his fellow junior officers, mostly young unattached guys, found the pleasures of alcohol—scotch especially—extremely attractive.
What else was there to do? Granted, you paid for it with a heavy head when your next watch came up, always too soon. But we were young then … and foolish.
His reverie came abruptly to an end as Barbara’s car came into the Gardens and swung into the driveway. Almost as a reflex action, he had moved his hand holding the glass behind his back as he edged away from the window.
As the front part of the car went out of sight close up to the house, he swallowed the remaining half glass of scotch, and placed the glass in an inconspicuous spot in the corner of the room.
He sat down in his chair, relishing the warmth from the rapid intake of the liquor, and picked up the magazine lying on the coffee table, flicking it open. He heard the sounds of his wife entering the house.
“Hi, dear, how are you?” she called out, as she stepped into the room.
“Oh, not bad. How was your day?”
“The pits, but not to worry. John lost a case, and you know when John loses a case the whole court house is at fault, not to mention his own staff.” Barbara flopped into her chair, her arms hanging limp over its sides, her legs spread out in front. She kicked off her shoes.
“I’m sorry, love. You could do with a drink.” Dave was on his feet, making toward the cabinet.
“Thanks, Dave, but no. No!” Dave stopped abruptly. “Yes,” Barbara continued, “I would love one, but no, I’m not going to have one. We have to stop this habit. Come and sit down, please. Give me a kiss—that’ll do me far more good.”
Dave had caught himself in mid-stride. He turned back to her chair. Kneeling down, he gave her a kiss.
She squeezed his hand. “I feel so much better now,” she said, smiling. “Seriously, love, we do have t
o cut right down on our scotch. It’s doing bad things for us, for you.”
“Hunh.” Dave’s grunt was a reluctant acknowledgement.
“So, how was your day?” Barbara’s tone was cheery and upbeat again.
“Me? Oh, well—I did the laundry, cleaned out the closet in the basement …”
“That’s good; it needed it. I had a call from Maggie this afternoon; she said to say hi to you. We didn’t get to talk long, ’cause that was when John came back from court. Was he ever black. But give him his due, give him a day to get over it, and he’ll be his normal, friendly self again.”
“Big case?”
“No, not really. I think that was why he was so mad. If it had been a big one, he would have taken it as part of the game, but if he loses a small one, he kinda takes it personally.”
“Mmm.”
“Cody home?”
“Yep. He’s got a Scout camp coming up, and he’s asked me to help out.”
“Oh Dave, that’s nice. Did you say yes?”
“Of course.”
“I’m glad, love. It’s what you need. Something to take you out of yourself, doing what you like doing. Where will it be?”
“Killarney Farm, Cody says. You know, where he went a couple of years ago?”
“Yes, that muddy, mucky place. I hope it’s drier this year.”
After a couple of days of showers, the bright sunny afternoon in Brewster Gardens was much warmer than normal for mid-May, in the high twenties in fact, and Dave felt no need for a jacket as he and Brutus stepped out for their walk.
The new townhouses had really upset their route, but they turned to go along the pathway alongside the little newly fenced yards, a shortcut to the remaining wasteland by the old brewery.
Suddenly, there was a scuffle and a snarling bark as Brutus stopped and backed up. Dave was shaken out of his daydream. Attacking Brutus was a small white terrier, on a leash already tangling around Brutus’ legs. The leash ran upward to, wow, a sharp-looking young woman.
“Hamish, stop it. I’m so sorry. He just doesn’t like big dogs,” she said.
With some effort, Dave and the young woman eventually calmed the terrier and untangled the mess. Brutus took it all with little fuss.
“I really am sorry. Hi, I’m Kelly. We’ve only just moved in here, and Hamish is trying to stake his territory.”
“That’s okay. I’m Dave, and this is Brutus. And we’re just getting used to these new houses being here.”
“Let me get the dogs some water. It’s so warm today. Come into the yard—I’ve a couple of dishes down here by the steps.”
Dave found himself following Kelly into the yard. She motioned him to sit at a picnic table as she put water from the outside faucet into the dishes.
He watched her, and liked what he saw. She was wearing short shorts, with a form-fitting tee shirt. She had a pretty face framed with a pert hairstyle. All in all, very attractive. She sat down opposite him at the table. Somehow, she seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place her.
“So is Brutus a husky?” she asked.
“Actually, he’s a Malamute,” Dave replied. “And yours is a Highland …”
“West Highland White,” Kelly filled in. “He’s a nice little dog, is Hamish, except when he meets big dogs for the first time. Just look at them now.” She laughed. The dogs were lying contentedly on the new sod in the yard. “It’s so warm today. Let me get us some juice.” Without waiting for a response, she went into the house.
Dave, not really at his best after two scotches for lunch, watched as she quickly returned, carrying two plastic cups and a container of liquid. She poured juice into the cups. Just watching her movements was starting to arouse his own juices.
“My parents used to breed West Highlands,” she continued. “But I lost Mum and Dad in a car crash five years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. It was a difficult time. Ted and I had just got engaged, and we had all gone out for a celebration. Their car was hit by a drunk driver.”
“That’s awful.”
“But we got married just after my twenty-fifth birthday.”
Dave found himself fascinated by this young lady. It was just her manner, her bubbling personality. It was as though she really wanted to talk with him.
He sipped at the juice in the cup. He already had those two scotches inside him, and his groin was reacting on its own.
“So you’ve all moved in here now.” Dave smiled, assuming a family of Kelly, her husband, and the dog.
“Just Hamish and me,” Kelly smiled ruefully. “I lost Ted while he was diving. Something went wrong with his scuba, and he drowned.”
“That’s terrible. You’ve really had a run of tragedies.”
“Yeah, it’s been so hard these past two years, with only Hamish as company. We stayed in the apartment that Ted and I had, until I could buy this place. I just hope I can make a new life out here.”
Dave looked at this attractive, vulnerable young woman, her face showing sadness, yet beauty. He felt drawn to her, but the picnic table saved him. Reality kicked in.
“Kelly, I feel really sorry for you. Let’s hope that a new house, a new area can work for you. Er … I guess Brutus really needs his walk. We’d better get going. Thanks for the juice.”
They stood.
“No problem. I’ve really enjoyed meeting you and chatting. We’ll see you around.” A broad warm smile flashed across her face.
“You bet.”
Brutus and Dave left the yard to continue their walk. Dave adjusted his groin, feeling aroused, refreshed, but strangely puzzled by his own reactions.
- 9 -
Dana reached her hand across the table and clasped Tony’s hand. Their eyes met. She smiled coyly and looked down at the table. Tony slid round on the booth’s curved bench seat until they were together. They kissed lightly, then sprang apart as the waitress sped past on her way to another booth.
Tony reached into a pocket in his jacket, which lay on the outer end of the bench. He laid a wrapped package on the table in front of Dana. She looked at him with wide eyes.
“Happy birthday,” he said.
Dana quickly unwrapped the package, and held up the bracelet. “Tony, it’s lovely.” She turned toward him. “Thanks.”
They leaned together and shared a long kiss. Tony helped her fit the bracelet on her wrist, as they gently caressed each other.
This was her seventeenth birthday, the twentieth of May, the first one she had not spent at the family table with her mother fussing over a birthday cake and some special food dishes.
Not that she hadn’t enjoyed those other birthdays, but this one was different. She had her special someone to share it with. Tony had asked her parents if he could take her out for the occasion, and they had agreed immediately. She was so relieved; she had thought they might object.
“Are you ready to order now?” The waitress was standing at the table.
Dana felt quite bubbly as they waited for the food to arrive. “Did you see that crowd hanging around in the gym this aft?”
“No, what were they doing?”
“Trying to practice for a rally for Julie Henderson.”
“D’you think she’s gonna win?”
“Course not, Tone, Andrea’s the best candidate for Student Co-President. Everyone knows that.”
“I’m not so sure. I’m really not too keen on how she gets some votes.”
“Come on.” She snuggled up to him. “You know I’m going to vote for you next year.” They kissed.
The food arrived, which was fortunate, as they were both hungry.
“You want ketchup?” came the call from the waitress.
“Please,” replied Tony, and he proceeded to hide his fries under a red ooze.
“I don’t know how you can do that,” said Dana, reaching over and dipping one of her fries in Tony’s red ketchup carpet.
“’Cause I like it!” He grinned.
&nb
sp; Dana and Tony got off the bus down at the far end of Millerby Lane. They strolled hand-in-hand along the Lane, past the little warehouses and the lock-up units that several small businesses worked out of. It was always deserted along there in the evening.
The sun had set some time ago, and its twilight afterglow was almost gone. Dana and Tony fell into silence. Nothing need be said.
It was so difficult for them to be truly alone together, without someone likely to burst in on them at any moment. At Tony’s house, they could go down to the rec room, but that wasn’t private. Any other Ferruccio could appear there without warning, and had done a couple of times when Dana and Tony had had to do a quick cover-up.
At Dana’s place, it was even harder, not having a real rec room, and the atmosphere being different. Her mother and father always seemed to need to know what was happening in every room of the house.
Granted, there was the Saturday when her parents had gone on a visit to her uncle in Montreal, and Iain had had an all-day training session; Dana and Tony had spent that afternoon in her bedroom. But that was so long ago, all of two months.
They walked around the side of Dino’s Auto-Body Shop, past the ghostly hulks of derelict car bodies, and onto the straight, flat ridge that was all that remained of the old railroad track-bed.
They turned along it, walking away from the Gardens, the old brewery with its now-padlocked gates on their right, its high brick wall looming in the darkness. Bushes and small trees clustered up against the wall.
They continued on, past the section where the wall was broken down, to the stream, where the piers of the long-ago-removed bridge still stood on guard at each side of the water. Dana felt a warm flush pass through her.
Tony stepped off the flat trail and, helping Dana down over the grassy tussocks, guided her toward the darkness by the brewery wall. They found a secluded grassy bank, backed by the wall and shrouded by bushes, whose new leaves now provided a partial screen.
They settled into a comfy hollow on the bank and embraced. Dana eased up her sweater. She could feel Tony’s weight as his arm pressed across her midriff. He felt so good and warm. Suddenly she tensed and raised her head, peering into the darkness. Tony pushed himself up and rolled away.
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