7

A Chapter by Bob

“Add this to the little stash we already have and we good to go bud.” “Sure.” Replied John unmotivated “Cold feet Johnny?” As hesitant as John felt right now he knew that he couldn’t stay grounded here for much longer, “We’ll see in a couple weeks.” He had to keep working at Bryan’s garage pro bono but more for the good of himself than the public. One of the first things John learnt was electronics, and now he put that knowledge to good use. He fixed the washing machine and (to the displeasure of the sub) bought replacement parts for the thousand other broken electronics in their house. His mother must not have known about her son’s ‘early graduation’, just didn’t care or she truly believed they were only summer jobs but the subject of John’s working or the fact that somehow he’d recently come into a lot of money did not come up even once. For the last two weeks he’d been buying take-out for the two of them, sometimes they’d eat together other times John would eat in his room. The only reason he felt this tinge of guilt for leaving was because she would be alone, if there was someone else it would be much easier but nevertheless he needed to do this and he needed one last thing from her before he left. They sat next to each other on the couch watching T.V, they weren’t completely comfortable alone with one another but they’d settled into a nice and happy routine theses last few days, and in some unknown way this odd environment they shared at this time felt nice to them. “I’m leaving.” John thought about telling her the truth but decided against it, “I’m doing kind of a road trip thing with Jim.” “What about school?” it sounded like a genuine question not the parent reprimanding question. “That answers our question, she doesn’t know.” This would make things much easier John thought, “I guess I’ll miss the first couple days.” “So that’s why you been collecting money, I won’t even ask where you got it.” “I’ve been working.... Watch what you say Johnny...but while we’re talking I wanted to ask about John senior.” John did not remember a lot about his father as a matter of fact he could barely remember anything from his childhood. The sub showed him the little bits he now remembers, it was mostly just a bunch of images shown to him but at least now he knows what his old man looks like. “You don’t need to know anything about him.” “I get why you’d hate him. I understand all that but please, I don’t need to know about everything that happened with you guys just give me something.” “He was an obsessive b*****d that only used people. He was selfish John and nothing good can come from me telling you anything about him.” She looked straight at John when she said this, those were going to be her last words on it. “What do you think is gonna happen? What do you think I’m gonna do? Look at it from my point; he’s my father even if our lives were better without him in it.” John wasn’t trying to manipulate his mother but he had a feeling that would do the trick. She sighed reluctantly and through clenched fist she spoke, “John worked at the university where we used to live, he was very secretive. All I know was that he was the head scientist there, you know the other things about him John.” She was angered at having told him that and burst out, “or do you want me to tell you his eye colour, shoe size and favourite food.” “So I’m just supposed to be grateful for that piece of information.” As sarcastic, as John tried to sound he actually was grateful for what she’d told him, he was happy for getting any information at all. “He doesn’t care enough to write or call on your birthday or any other day so why should we care about him John?” she was screaming and from her anger, John could help but believe her. “There goes the idea of her knowing an address.” John put his hand on her shoulder, “If that’s all you know then it’s fine mom. I just wanted to know that’s all.” He’d calmed her down just as quickly as he’d gotten her to talk. “So is that our first stop Johnny.” “Our first priority isn’t looking for him but we’ll get to it, eventually.”

“Finally we are done.” The sub dragged the words out as if just finishing an exhausting task. They were finishing there last shift at Bryan’s but that wasn’t what he was referring to. John had asked Jim to stop by when he had time. “That is nice man. For this pretty lady I’d be working for no pay too.” Jim looked at John’s finally finished 1960 red (or used to be red) Ford pick-up. “It’s not as much fun as you’d think.” The reason he worked at Bryan’s pro bono was that he used the parts at the shop, along with their tool, machinery and facilities. The engine, gears, carburetor and everything else he needed to know he’d learnt from research and from prior work he’d done there. It was supposed to be a learning experience and nothing more but when Bryan came back from an auction, towing in that beaten up rust bucket. That’s what the sub saw but John thought it was a little too harsh, there was potential. After a lot of convincing John was given the task of fixing the suspension, fixing some dents, re-allying the wheels, and all of this after he thoroughly cleaned it. By thoroughly cleaned I don’t mean washing it John had to clean every nook and cranny, he had to strip it down clean and replace almost every part. A new paint job was the final task on the list but due to time constraints and money getting tight John decided to leave that. John sighed heavily as the two of them stood, looking at the truck, “Well Jimmy nothing keeping me here anymore” “It was bound to happen sooner or later man. Why don’t you drop me off at home and we pick this thing up again on D day.”

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