Bobby Richards

A young man, named Bobby Richards sees the way a life can be for a high school drop out, trying to support a pregnant girlfriend and future child. Bobby is not book smart, but what he lacks in brains he makes up for in ambition. When Bobby decides he can

 

Bobby Richards

 

            Bobby Richards takes his time driving down the boulevard. He cracks his window as the sounds of The Strokes pour into the highway. The St. Christopher medal hanging from his rearview mirror suggests his religious beliefs. He reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a cigarette. He lets it dangle from his mouth, but he never lights it. He pulls up to a quiet driveway. A young girl walks out to his car.

            “Wow Bobby. You’re cool.”

            “Hey, shut up Susie.” She laughs at him.

            “What are you doin here anyway? My dad said he’d kill you if you ever came back. I don’t think he was jokin.”

            “I got a job.”

            “Why? My parents said they’d take care of me if you just stayed out of it. Just listen for once, Bobby. You sure as hell didn’t take my advice that one night and look where we are now.” She reaches to pull the cigarette out of his mouth. “What about school?”

            “I dropped out.”

            “Oh, Bobby. You’re so smart. Don’t start getting dumb now. I’m taken care of. Go back to school.”

            “But I love you Susie.”

            “Bobby. You don’t know what love is. You only said you loved me at Rachel’s party and it worked that night. But look at me now. Do you think that I love you for this? I hate you, Bobby. You’ve ruined my life.” Susie starts to cry. Her father goes to the front window and sees Bobby’s car.

            “Susie! Is that Bobby? You tell him I said to get on outta here.”

            “Tell your father I said he can go ahead and shove his own foot up his a*s.”

            “Bobby…”

            “I’m leavin. Please call me Susie. I’m keeping the job and I still love you. I’ll see you soon?” Susie looks away and Bobby revs up his engine and drives away. She goes back into the house.

            “Why does that Bobby Richards always try botherin with you? I thought he got a good hint after I cussed him out for leavin you behind at prom.”

            “I dunno, daddy. He just doesn’t understand some things.”

            “How hard is it, Susie? You take a date to prom and you bring them back. That’s how it’s supposed to be. Did it change since I was in high school?”

            “No. You’re right, he’s an a*****e.”

            “You’re a sweet girl. He doesn’t deserve you, that’s all.” Susie’s father reaches out his arms to hug her.

           

            8 months.

 

            “Did you think that I could do it all by myself?” She holds the bottle high in the air.

            “Please stop. It’s no good for the baby.”

            “What do you care? You’re on wheels anyway and you can’t work. We’re fucked.” She pops the cap off.

            “I can get a pension or something. You know we’ll be alright. Put the bottle down. You want a drink, I’ll get you a ginger ale.”

            “What are you gonna do Bobby? Wheelchair your way down the steps and down the street? Move. I’ll get my own damn ginger ale. Oh, and while I’m at it I guess I’ll apply to another god damn grocery store. Me and this large sac that you caused and can’t even help pay for!”

            “I’m doin what I can, Susie! You know I’ll take care of the baby when it comes and you’re at work. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

            “Should have thought of that before you left me behind on prom night. By the way, Bobby, this might not even be your baby. See, when you left me behind, drunk off my a*s, Willy Jacobson picked me up and when I woke up, we were in a motel. Thanks Bobby. Thanks a lot.”

            “Susie. I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”

            “Of course you didn’t know. You were too busy f****n me in the locker room, drivin away, and sittin pretty with the next foolish b***h. Well I ain’t your b***h, Bobby Richards! You’re my b***h now! And I’m goin to the store, so you sit there helpless like you always do and I will be back in a couple hours.” She slams the door.

 

            5 months.

 

            “Everything seems to be in order, Mr. Richards. Do you think you can work five days a week with the baby and all?”

            “Oh, yes sir. I’ve already discussed it with my wi… It’s fine sir.”

            “Bobby, you can call me John.”

            “Ok. John.”

            “Well I like what I’ve heard from you today. Can you start next week?”

            “Yes I can!” Bobby springs from his seat to shake John’s hand.

            Bobby walks out of the office knowing that he’s just earned a decent job with pay that will take care of Susie and the baby. Businessmen crowd the streets with all sorts of gadgets in their hands. The lights flicker red, green, and yellow at a constant cycle. Every corner is inhabited by a vender of some sort. This is the city. This is where Bobby took Susie.

            The light turns red and a picture of a man pops up, telling Bobby that it is ok to cross the street. One step was all that it took. In his ears the sounds did not even exist. People yell and scream, horns buzz and even the sound of a whistle occurs. There was no sense in even trying. Bobby Richards lies helplessly on the ground. The light turns green but no one goes. The ambulance comes and parks in blood. No one knows who he is. They wouldn’t even recognize him anyway.

            “Sir, can you hear me? Sir?” His back is twisted. His eyes are glazed over. “You have a broken leg. Can you move anything sir?” He doesn’t respond. The medics can see the struggled force inside of his eyes. A tear sneaks through. “I think it’s his spine. Let’s hurry!” They load him up and take him away. An officer reaches down to the ground to pick up Bobby’s pay as you go cellular phone and briefcase. He dials the house. Susie answers.

 

            At the hospital.

 

            “Mr. Richards, please.”

            “He’s still in surgery. Can I get your name miss?”

            “Susie Thompson. Can someone at least tell me what happened?”

            “The doctor will be out shortly. How about a drink of water miss?”

            “No. I’ll just wait. Make sure they know that I’m here.”

            “Oh, they knew you’d be coming. You were the only name we could gather in Mr. Richards’ belongings.” Forty-five more minutes seems like an eternity spent in hell with shackles. A short, skinny doctor comes from between the double doors down the hall. He walks over to Susie.

            “He’s going to live.”

            “Good…great! Right? You sounded uneasy about it.”

            “He’s paralyzed from the waist down, Ms. Thompson. The pickup truck hit him and he knocked his head off of the flatbed. He landed on his back. He’s very lucky that there was no brain damage. He had an angel in his briefcase today I suppose.”

            “Briefcase?”

            “He was carrying a briefcase across the street. The witnesses told the police.”

            “Can I see him?”

            “Yes. He’s sleeping now. He’s going to be very tired the next few days. Room two fourteen.”

            “Thank you.”

 

            Bobby is unconscious for the moment. He doesn’t understand a word that Susie says and cannot respond back to her, but she speaks anyhow.

            “The doctor said you had a briefcase. I found it funny because we can’t even afford more than one loaf of bread at the moment.” She holds his hand now. “You didn’t have to go out and do that, Bobby. You didn’t even have to offer to help me.” She starts to cry. “The doctor says you can’t walk. It’s ok. It’s my turn now, anyhow. I need to do the same thing that you did for me…Show you that I love you.” The doctor walks into the room.

            “You can stay if you like, Ms. Thompson. The bed next to Bobby is vacant for the evening and we don’t expect to fill it throughout the night. I’ll have the nurse red it up for you.”

            “Thank you.” She holds Bobby’s hand tightly now. “It’s going to be ok, Bobby. We’ll get through this, you know? Somehow.”

 

            Weeks go by and Bobby’s legs never come back to him. His aspiring personality dwindles into a clutter of disaster and lost inspiration before his own eyes. He no longer feels like the strong provider he was trying to be. Instead, he lays in bed half of the day wondering why he was too weak to handle the world. His mind shames over the fact that his own pregnant girlfriend takes care of him day in and day out, all the while fighting through her own pains. Still, he wakes up each morning and thinks the same thing to himself over and over… “Hope? There is none.” He looks at the beautiful girl in the room next to him and the child that she bears and realizes how he’s let her down so greatly. He should have never gone to her house that one day and told her his plans. He should have never told her that he loved her. For now, she still believes him.

 

            Willy Jacobson

 

            Willy Jacobson walks into the abandoned warehouse three blocks away from Susie and Bobby’s less than admirable apartment. Three men walk out from the shadows in the corners. One carries an already bruised and broken baseball bat.

            “Willy. You look pissed.”

            “No. No, not pissed.”

            “Then what?”

            “I had an “accident” today.”

            “What happened my man?”

            “I hit a guy.”

            “Aw well s**t, I do that at least three times a day.”

            “No, no. I hit him…with my truck.”

            “He dead?”

            “Don’t know. I knew he was comin.”

            “Then why’d you do it?”

            “Bobby Richards, man. He’s with my Susie.” He looks up to the light peeking through the cracks in the walls. “They’re havin a baby.”

            “Man, you shoulda let em go, Willy.”

            “You don’t understand.”

            “What?”

            “That’s my baby…” Willy starts to cry.

 

            5 Months.

 

            “Bobby, did John ever call you back?”

            “No. He said he would let me know if he could find me something else. I thought I could work with the phones or something. He never let me know.”

            “Oh. I’m applyin to the bank today.”

            “That’s dumb. I can find something, Susie, really.”

            “No…Just let me do this. I’ll let them know that I’ll need some time off when the baby comes. Hopefully they’ll be ok with it. The ad said they really needed help.”

            “Alright. Your father never called you back?”

            “No…he’s still not so happy about me leavin the house for you. I tried telling him how it is, but you know my father. He’s real stubborn.”

           

            John called Bobby back two weeks ago. He told Bobby that his job was no longer manageable for him and that if a spot opened up working at a desk, he would let him know. He said not to count on a call for at least another six months. Bobby knew that he was in serious trouble but didn’t have the nerve to tell Susie that his job was gone.

 

            “Maybe I can talk to him.”

            “I dunno, Bobby. I think if he even heard your voice he’d find a way to strangle you over the phone. Even after all this happened, I still don’t think he’s feeling very forgiving.”

            “I’m gonna call.”

            “Well, alright. But not while I’m home. I’m goin to the bank now. I left the bread right on the table so you can make yourself a sandwich if your hungry. Peanut butter’s over there on the counter also. I’ll be back soon, alright?”

            “Ok… Susie wait.”

            “Yeah?”

            “I’m sorry for all this.”

            “Ain’t your fault. It’s two things… One, all men are horny. And two, you never were too fond of trucks anyhow. See you soon.” Susie leaves. Bobby picks up the phone.

 

            “Hello?”

            “Mr. Thompson. This is Bobby. Bobby Richards.”

            “Bobby? What do you want? You’re brave for even calling me.”

            “Yeah, I know. Listen sir, I know we don’t have a great history, but I’m gonna get right to the point. Since the accident, Susie and I have been real pressed for money. I don’t think I can find another decent job to take care of the three of us.”

            “Yeah, so?”

            “Well, I was hopin you could at least help Susie out. I’m not askin you to help me, sir. Seeing as how it is mostly my fault. But Susie doesn’t deserve any of this.”    

            “Now you listen to me. She walked out on her mother and me. I didn’t ask for any of this either. But you two decided you could make it out there on your own.”

            “Yes, I know but…”

            “So what are you gonna do when the baby comes? Are you gonna call me up and ask me to take care of that too?”

            “No. We just need to get back on our feet some…”

            “Everyone needs to get back on their feet. If you wanna be a man, you take care of my daughter and her baby. You make good money and you do whatever you can to make sure that they are happy! None of this back on my feet bullshit. Please, son. Please. Be a man.”

            “Ok. I’m sorry.”

            “No, no. Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Grow up, Bobby. Be a man, not a dumbass kid. I know you had a bad break and all with that accident, so pick yourself up and find another job. Be a man to my young lady for a daughter and I swear on my life you better be an amazing father. And don’t you ever call me again and ask me to pick you up. You pick yourself up, Bobby Richards. Pick yourself up and do what I had to do at your age.”

            “What was that, sir?”

            “What, didn’t you hear me before? Be a man! Tell Susie I said I love her. Go work on what I said, Bobby.” Susie’s father hangs up the phone.

 

            “Be a f****n man, Bobby,” he thought. He picks the bread up off the table and reaches for the peanut butter. “I can make my own damn sandwich at least. No help here.” He wheels his way to the living room and turns on the television. His decision between The Price is Right! and the news is not very difficult. He leans as far back as possible into his stiff chair and watches Bob Barker, that old son of a b***h, dictating prices to his viewers and making them play these foolish games for cars and pool tables like puppets on strings. Regardless, Bobby knows that he’d give anything to be one of those puppets.

            Susie walks in the door and stares at Bobby slouched over in his seat, listening to Bob Barker ramble on about a super grand prize.

            “Bobby. What are you doing?”

            “Watchin this. What happened with the bank?”

            “Well I stood at the counter and filled out an application. Everything looked real good, til they got a look at the rest of my body and asked me when I was due.”

            “What did that matter?”

            “They asked about you…I told them. I told them you couldn’t do nothing about it if I went into labor on the job and they told me they couldn’t be liable.”

            “Oh. Hey look at this idiot. He thinks he’s gonna win plinko. No one wins plinko.” He was hardly paying attention to Susie.

            “Didn’t you hear me? I didn’t get the job. We don’t have any money. I don’t know what we’re gonna do, Bobby.”

            “What, yeah…it’s fine. We’ll try again tomorrow.”

            “There is no tomorrow! We gotta get some money. And I’m tired of eating those goddamn peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!”

            “Ok, I’ll call John tomorrow.”

            “You call him now!”

            “Uh…tomorrow.”

            “Did you call my father?”

            “Oh yeah.”

            “What did he tell you?”

            “To be a man.”

            “Is laying in your chair, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and not helping your pregnant girlfriend into the door being a man?”

            “Guess not. Hey what do you think about getting on this show?”

            “I think you’re a jackass.”

            “Oh. I filled out another crossword today. Send it in tomorrow, please.”

            “Are you kidding me? Get that desk job Bobby! We need it.”

 

            Susie starts to walk out of the room. Bobby shuts the television off.

 

            “Susie, wait. I called John two weeks ago…”

            “What? And you didn’t tell me why? What did he say?”

            “There’s no desk job. Not for another six months at least. I don’t know what to do…I’m running out of ideas.”

            “Oh God. Can they do that to you?”

            “Yeah…I guess, I mean I dunno.”

            “What can you do? Can’t you be an operator?”

            “It’s kinda tough now, Susie. I don’t even have that high school diploma to back me up. I shoulda listened to you. I was smart. Then that was my first sign of stupidity.”

            “Damnit, Bobby. Alright, we need to file for some type of disability.”

            “I know, I thought of that. We won’t hear anything back for a few weeks though when we do.”

            “Well, let’s at least file it.”

            “Alright. Hey, your dad was actually kinda nice to me.”

            “Yeah?”

            “Yeah…it was almost as if he was givin me a pep talk.”

            “Did it work?”

            “Well, no. We still hate each other.”

            “Haha, thought so.” Susie bends down as far as she can and kisses Bobby on his forehead.

            “We gonna be ok?”

            “Yeah…eventually.”

            Angel Guard.

            “I said that I would take care of you.”

            “I know.”

            “Why did you doubt me?”

            “I didn’t know you.”

           

            Angelic Guardian.

            “I’m sorry. You dropped your purse.”

            “No. Thank you. You look familiar.”

            “We had chemistry. I’m Willy.”

            “No Susie. Don’t trust him,” Bobby says.

 

            Guardian Angel.

            “I watched you sleeping.”

            “Why didn’t you lay with me?”

            “Because we’re always together.”

            “Are we?”

            “I’m always with you.” Bobby smiles.

 

            4 months.

            “You see this grass? It needs cut every few days, I swear.”

            “Take a break, Jacob. Call your daughter.”

            “No. She made a choice. We agreed.”

            “She is mine just as much as she is yours. Give me the phone. I want to talk to her.” Mrs. Thompson takes the phone from Mr. Thompson’s hands. She calls Susie.

            “Susie? It’s your mother.”

            “Mom, hi. What have you and daddy been up to?”

            “Oh, you know. He’s just been worrying about the grass and fillin out his silly crosswords. Same old routine. How do you feel? Where has Bobby been?”

            “Well. He lost his job last week. You don’t have to worry about us though. He’s already got a couple real nice looking interviews lined up. We’re gonna be ok. Ultrasound came in the mail today…the baby looks real beautiful.”

            “Susie. Do you need Money?”

            “No, we agreed!” Mr. Thompson’s voice bellows from the background.

            “It’s ok, mom. Bobby says hello. I better go, we’re having dinner soon.”

            “Susie.”

            “Yes mom?”

            “You know your father has alotta pride…but I want you to know that you can come home whenever you want to. We’ll take care of you. We want to.”

            “I know mom.”

            “I love you, angel.” They hang up. Bobby looks up from the table. He’s working on a crossword puzzle.

            “How’s that puzzle comin along?”

            “Real good. I almost got two full rows done. We’re sendin this one in, I got a real good feeling.” He snaps his pen onto the table.

            “Bobby.”

            “Yeah?”

            “I love you.”

            “I love you too. Come here.” Susie walks over to Bobby and sits on his lap. He places his hand onto her stomach. “That’s a real good kick,” he laughs.

            “My mom says hello.”

            “No she doesn’t.”

            “Oh, Bobby.”

            Seven Street corners away, Willy Jacobson deals his weekly dose of cocaine to his most loyal customer- a seventeen-year-old high school dropout, living off of his wealthy parents who never even stick around the house for Christmas. Willy never sleeps. Most nights, he cowers away into the corner of his broken down apartment and whimpers in sullen pain, knowing that he is failing.

            “Here kid. I can’t do this no more, either. This is goodbye.”

            “What? Willy, come on man. We’ve been at this routine for almost a full year now. You need more “insurance”?”

            “No. I got a baby comin, you know?”

            “Sure. You’re not even married or datin anyone, are you?”

            “Months ago, I went to prom. Chick was only seventeen, maybe even sixteen. I dunno. We went, I had a real nice time with her, you know? My punk a*s friend Bobby decides he’ll drive, but his date doesn’t even show. He was always a weird kid anyhow.”

            “You still talk?”

            “F**k no. Lemme finish the story, you’ll see why.”

            “This chick, her names Susie…we go to prom, everythings great. I’d had a few drinks before I went, no big deal though cause Bobby was driving. I snuck a few more at prom. Next thing I know, Bobby’s walkin out with Susie. They left me behind.”

            “You f**k him up?”

            “I never saw him again.”

            Disappearance.

            “Tomorrow, you’ll look into your mirrors and see the picture of a child reflecting the image of a seventy seven year old oil tycoon. This is our nature. It is our past that we never want to leave behind. You are a child first, and a man second.” The speaker on the television looks over to the monitor with his glazy brown eyes. “Take advantage of everything, and leave nothing behind. God bless you.” He steps down. Bobby leans forward and turns off the television.

            “He seems good. We should maybe vote for him.” Susie looks at Bobby.

            “I didn’t like his voice.”

            “What was wrong with it?”

            “It cracked every time he said something potentially awkward. He seems unsure.”

            “So? Not every politician is completely positive that their plans are going to run through smoothly.”

            “I can’t be unsure anymore, Susie.”

            “I’m voting for him.”

            “He’s a child first, Susie.”

            “That was a sweet analogy.”

            “That was chicken s**t. I’m listening to your father for once. He’d be a good president, you know.”

            “Right, right. Be a man. Ok…let’s go with the Asian.” She leans forward.

            “I think he would be good.”

            “Oh…God. Bobby. My water broke I think!” She opens her eyes.

            “Bobby? Bobby?” The room is empty. Susie falls to the ground. She reaches toward the small coffee table and knocks over her purse. She takes out her phone and dials for help.

            Birth.

            “What do we have here?” The doctor looks at Susie. A nurse and another assistant wheel her to the desk.

            “Her water broke. It’s time.”

            “Ok, let’s go Ms…” He looks at the clipboard. “Thompson.”

            “Wait, wait! Where’s Bobby?”

            “Bobby? We weren’t informed of anyone named Bobby ma’am…”

            “My boyfriend. It’s his baby.”

            “Well we have the future father in the waiting room, miss. He elected to wait until after the birth, though. Your parents are on their way.”

            “No, tell him to come in. I want Bobby.” The doctor looks at his nurse.

            “Tell the future father that she would like him to come in…”

            “But sir his name isn’t…”

            “I know, just do it.” The nurse goes to the waiting room.

            “Ok, Susie. It’s time. He’s coming.”

            “Susie, your parents are here.”

            “Tell them to come in.”

            “Ok.” The nurse brings her parents in.

            “Hey Suse! So the baby’s coming! This is so exciting.”

            “Where’s Bobby at?” Her father asks.

            “I don’t know…I keep telling them to bring him in.”

            “He’ll be here. How are you feeling?”

            “Ready to explode.” The nurse walks in.

            “Susie, would you like for the father to come in now?”

            “Yes, I’ve been asking!”

            “Ok one moment.” The nurse leaves.

 

            The door swings open and out comes an unfamiliar figure to Suzie and Jacob.

            “Hey Susie.”

            “Willy. What are you doin here?”

            “I’m here for the baby. It’s my baby too.”

            “Susie, what’s going on?” Her father walks toward Willy.

            “It’s ok, daddy. Willy was just leaving.”

            “No I wasn’t. You know that’s my baby.”

            “I’m so confused. Willy? Who are you? Where’s Bobby?”

            A man in his wheelchair moves behind Willy, speeding as he passes the doorway.

            “Excuse me. I need to step outside.” Mr. Thompson chases after the man in the wheelchair. “Bobby Richards!” The man in his chair stops.

            “Yes sir.”

            “What are you doin, Bobby? We had a deal. Get in there and be a man.”

            “Sir I was a man, thanks to you. I died seventeen years ago because I wasn’t. I’m not the baby’s father, sir. I’m only a guardian.”

            “What? But I saw you and you came to the house and everything…”

            “That was Willy the whole time. Only you could see me, sir. Your daughter’s in real good hands now. Willy’s a man now too. You were talking to him all along.” He smiles at Mr. Thompson and begins to wheel his way down the hall.

            “Wait, Bobby.”

            “Yeah?”

            “Is this real? Is my daughter having a baby?”

            “It’s up to her and Willy, sir. But after all this…maybe you’ll like Willy after all.” The door behind Mr. Thompson opens and his wife runs out immediately.

            “Come on, Jacob! It’s a boy! It’s a boy!” Mr. Thompson walks into the room. Everyone knows who Willy is, almost as if the past months had not happened with Bobby.

            “What is the baby’s name?” Susie looks to her father.

            “Robert Richard Thompson.” She smiles at her father. “My little angel.”

           

 

 

            

Author's Note

Copied and pasted this over from word- I apologize if there's any formatting mistakes, I'll try to clean it up if there are! Enjoy!