Tutu's & Cowboy Boots (Part 1)

by Casey Peeler

  Chapter 16

  Cadence

  The next morning Gran comes in my room and tells me to get my lazy ass up and get ready for church. Um, no, not going. Within ten minutes, Mom comes in and says the same thing. I’m not saying I’m against church, I just know that today, I’m not going. I’m exhausted and tomorrow is the first day of school. They leave me in bed, and I sleep until they return.

  Lunch on Sundays is unique at Gran’s. She looks like she’s cooked a Thanksgiving feast. What’s the deal with that? My stomach growls as I make my plate. Gran laughs and tells me I better eat more than just a vegetable or two. I have to agree that missing breakfast and only having a salad last night has made my stomach an angry organ and I believe it’s ready to attack me.

  Mom, Gran, and I sit and talk while we eat. Gran informs me that I can drive her truck to school tomorrow or for as long as I like. She said with Barrick here during the day, she’s got transportation if she needs it, but she swears she only needs the Gator.

  “Um, Gran. I’m not driving that truck. It will probably break down on me, and I’ll be lost in the middle of nowhere. Besides do you know how long it’s been since I drove an actual car?” She looks at me confused. “Gran, I don’t know how to get there and I haven’t driven in months.”

  She shakes her head. “Cadence, turn right out of the driveway, and turn right at the stoplight in Lawndale. It’s down the road on the right. You can’t miss it. It’s not a big deal.”

  Mom chimes in. “Cadence, you don’t have a choice, honey. That’s your only option.”

  “Fine, but I’ve got to clean it out or something.”

  They both look at each other and shrug their shoulders. After lunch, I decide to pick out my outfit for tomorrow, and then clean out Gran’s truck. I’m shocked when I step outside and see Barrick’s truck at the barn. Doesn’t he ever take a day off? I shake my head and walk toward the truck.

  As I pull the rusted handle, I say very ugly words in my head toward Gran and Mom for making me drive this piece of shit. I clear out the trash, and then use a wet towel to clean the seats. When I finally feel that the seats will not stain my name brand clothes tomorrow, I climb in to get comfortable. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I drove. You never have to drive in the city.

  There isn’t any power anything. I try to move the seat back for my long legs, but get angry as I pull the lever and it doesn’t move. When it finally does, it slides back too far. I hit my hand on the steering wheel. As I look to my right, I burst out laughing from agitation. There’s no way I can drive this truck. It’s not an automatic.

  I get out of the truck, slam the door, and march myself to the house. “Gran, you’ve got to take me. I can’t drive that truck,” I say as I point toward it.

  “What do you mean?” she questions.

  “I can only drive an automatic. Please! There’s no way I can drive that truck.”

  Gran stands and walks to the truck. “Cadence, you’re going to learn how to drive this truck. Get in,” she says while holding the driver’s side door open.

  Gran then walks around and gets in the passenger seat. “For starters, take a deep breath. It won’t do ya any good to try and learn worked up like that.” I look at her like she’s lost her damn mind. I exhale slowly. “Push the clutch in and put the truck in second.” I do as she says. “Now, let up on the clutch and press the gas at the same time.” I do as she says and the truck moves and jerks like it’s having a seizure before the engine dies.

  “Great! I broke it!” I say with my arms crossed.

  “You didn’t break it. You just let out the clutch too fast. Come on Cadence. Let’s try it again.” Gran attempts to teach me for the next thirty minutes. We spend most of that time with her yelling and me yelling back. She tells me to get my ass out of the truck and I can walk to school tomorrow.

  “Grrrrrrrr!” I yell as she walks into the house. So much for her having patience. I’m so screwed.

  Barrick

  I try my best not to watch Ms. Mae and Cadence, but let’s face it, it’s free entertainment. I finish giving the animals water and that’s when I hear Ms. Mae yell at her. Dang. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her like that. I shake my head, but then I hear Cadence yell as well. Should I check on her or not? I debate for a few minutes, and decide I might as well. If she starts throwing something at me, I’ll retreat.

  Walking to the other side of the barn, I see her walking in circles talking with her hands. I stop to think this through. Do I really want to do this? I look around and go for it.

  “Um, you know what they say about people who talk to themselves,” I say while making a crazy sign by my head as she snaps her head my direction.

  “I feel about fucking crazy.”

  “Whoa now. No need to drop the f-bomb,” I say. I hate that word. “You want me to help ya?” I ask, motioning toward the truck.

  “It’s hopeless,” she states.

  “Nah. Come on.” I tell her to get in the passenger side. “Listen to the engine and watch what my feet do.” She looks at me like she doesn’t understand. “How do you find the beat of the music?” I question.

  “I feel it.”

  “Exactly. This works the same way. You’ve got to feel it.” We spend the next ten minutes riding around as she watches what I do. I pull into the school parking lot and tell her it’s her turn. “You got this,” I say as I open the driver’s side door and wait for her to walk around. I help her move the seat to her perfect setting.

  Walking around, I sit in the passenger seat and say a little prayer that I made sense because if not, I’m about to have a serious case of whiplash.

  She takes a deep breath and lifts her foot from the clutch but doesn’t press the gas. I can see the irritation flare. She does it again. The engine dies again. After four unsuccessful attempts, she gets the truck moving and I can see the excitement on her face. It quickly fades as she forgets to switch gears.

  When the engine dies, she throws her hands up in defeat. “Look, you got excited. You got it this time. I’ll help ya.” As the engine comes to life, she finds a happy medium between the gas and clutch and begins to move. When the engine is approaching a transition, I tell her and she’s driving in circles around the parking lot in no time with a smile on her face.

  “You ready to try the road?” I question.

  “Hell, yeah,” she says and we turn to make our way back to the farm with only one stall out.

  Ms. Mae and Regina are on the porch talking when we get back. They pause when they see the truck approaching. Cadence puts it in park and almost forgets to press the emergency break, but as it starts to roll she remembers.

  “See it wasn’t that bad,” I tell her.

  “If you say so. Let’s see if I can do this tomorrow on the way to school.” I can’t help but laugh at the fact that Cadence and her prissy self has to drive Ms. Mae’s old beat-up truck. “What are you going to do about your classes? Is this your last day around here?” she questions.

  “Nah, actually, I scheduled my classes at the community college to work around my schedule here.”

  “Oh,” she says and I can’t help but wonder why she asked.