My Special Summer (Living and Dieing with Buster Brown)

In 1953, five boys try to decipher fact from fiction, myth from reality as they deal with poverty, friendship, trying out for Little League, first boy/girl party, a tv idol coming to town.

My Special Spring

(Living and Dying with Buster Brown)

By

Larkin D. Thompson

© 2010

 

Donny Russo was nine too and where I had sandy hair and light complexion, Donny had the darker hues of his Italian roots.  He was a lot smaller than me but he was quick and coordinated.  Delbert Ford, (D.L.), was ten, he was a little big bigger, good looking and with a darker complexion.  He was none too coordinated as far as that went but he was pretty strong.  The other players that made up our five some playing work up at the park were Duane Maples,, he had just turned nine where Donny and I were about to turn ten.  He had fair skin and sandy hair, wore glasses and size wise fit somewhere between Donny and I.  He loved baseball and he was improving everyday.  Sam Blythe was 11.  He was a foot taller than any one else and skinny as a rail. He was slow in thought and foot.  He was our protector and peace keeper.  He had no coordination but good naturedly played what ever game we decided.

 

(The above descriptions were from the beginning of the story.  Below is a scene from page 16)

 

When the classroom clock read 12:00, the bell rang and the class room door opened and kids happily and noisily filed out with their lunches in their hands.  The boys ran for a picnic table that sat on edge of the playground.  Duane, Butch, D.L. and Sam sat and looked to see what they had for lunch. Butch and Sam had metal lunch boxes,  Duane and D.L. brown bags.  Sam retrieved a thermos and poured steaming coffee into the top/cup.

            “Hey, “ Butch observed. “Ain't against the rules to have coffee at school.”

            “Naa.”  Sam took a sip.

            “Yes it is!”  Duane expounded. “You… you… can't have coffee or hot tea at school.”

            “Mouse boy,” Sam shook his head. “I don't reckon you don’t know what you're talking bout.”

Sam reached in his lunch pail and produced two cigarette butts and shows them to Duane and the others. Duane quickly looks around to see any teachers are nearby.

            “You'd, you'd better put those away before we all get kicked out of school.”

            “Hum-do-yea, who's gonna tell.” D.L. frowned.

Duane shrugged it off and examines his lunch.  Sam continued to sip his coffee.

            “Whatta ya guys got?” Duane asked.

The boys eyeballed each other’s lunch. Butch piled the contents of his lunch pail out on the table.

            “Let's see, two peanut butter and jelly samwiches, sno balls and a banana."

            “I got, I got a Vienna sausage sandwich,” Duane examined his stash. “And a, and a  apple and a, and a cupcake and some cookies.”

            “Well, I got a chicken sandwich and part of another �"“ Sam started.

            “Real chicken?” Butch interrupted.

            “Yeah.” Sam continued. “Cinnamon rolls.. an apple and some potato chips.”

D.L. just stares blankly in his bag.  Dumps it out, revealing two sandwiches and a boiled egg.  

            “Same old crap.”

Off in the distance, Donny exited the classroom. Duane saws him and rose waving. “Donny!  Donny!”

Donny acknowledged the call and waved but walked in an opposite direction.

            “Where, where's he going?” Duane asked.

            “Who cares.” D.L. didn’t look up.

            “He bobly doesn't have any lunch again.” Butch observed. “Go get him, Duane.”

Duane took off in the direction where Donny was last seen.

            “So why doesn't that dumb butt have a lunch half of the time.” D.L. asked.

            “He's poor.” Sam answered.

            “He's poor?” D.L. gasp. “There ain't no one the more poorer than me.  Look at this! Potted meat sandwiches again!  Everyday, potted meat sandwiches... It taste like ground up turds with sand in it...  Don't his folks have any money at all?”.

            “I don't think them ain't his folks.” Butch gave em low down. “And besides that they don't have any money.”

            “What do you mean them ain't his folks?” D.L. was confused. “They're his grandma and grandpa ain't they?
            “No. I don' think so.”

            “They're not?” Sam was surprised too. “That's what I was thinking too. Say, who are they then?”

In the distance Donny and Duane appeared coming to the table.

            “They're just people he lives with.” Butch explained. “Shhh, here he comes. Don't say anything, D.L.”

            “What?” D.L. was insulted. “Do you think I'm stupid?”

Donny looked a little sheepish as he sat down.  Butch tossed him a sandwich.

            “My mom made me two... that's too many. You can have it.”

            “Thanks L.T.”

Sammy put a cinnamon roll in front each of the boys and gave a half chicken sandwich to Donny. D.L. rolls the boil egg to Donny.

            “I don't want this damned thing.”

Duane gave up the apple. Donny throws his hands up and laughed.

            ”Wait a minute!  Now I've got more than anyone else.”

            ”How come you don't have a lunch anyway?” D.L. asked.

Donny tries to brush the question aside as Butch shook his head. “I just don't.”

            “So, what are you,” D.L. tried to seem nonchalant. “An orphine or something?”

            “Now,” Sam looked at D.L. “That'll be bout enough.”

            “No, it's ok.” Donny shrugged his shoulders. “I'm not an orphan, D.L., I wish I was.  An orphan is a kid who's folks have died and don't have no one else. My real folks are still alive.”

            “They are?” Duane and Butch asked at the same time.

            “Yep.” Donny confessed. “They just don't want me.
A wave of silence fell on the table as each boy reflected on Donny's statement.

            “Do they, do they live around here?” Duane wondered.

            “Yep.” Donny sadly admitted.

            “Wait a minute.” D.L. couldn’t believe his ears. “Hum-do-yea?  You've got a mom and dad�"“

            “They're divorced.” Donny interrupted.

            “And they just say they don't want you or your brother?” D.L. asked in conclusion.

            “That's all folks!” Donny did Bugs Bunny.

            “I ain't never heared something like that before.” D.L. stated. “When we grow up and you want to bump em off, I'll help you.  You can bet your hum-do-yea on that.”

            “Thanks, D.L.” Donny nodded. “And thanks everyone for the food.”

            “We always have plenty of food to share.” Butch added.

            “So you... you're not related to those people you.live with?” Duane asked.

            “The Klags?” Donny shook his head. “No, they're just some folks that let me live with them.”

            “And they don't even have enough food for you to make a lunch?” D.L. asked.

            “You know, they would... but then they might not have enough to eat and it's not their fault that I'm there.” Donny explained.

            “So, what do they think you do for lunch everyday?” Butch wondered.

            “Oh, they think the school gives poor kids a lunch.” Donny explained the charade.   “They think I get a free lunch in the cafeteria.”

            “Cafeteria?  What cafeteria?” D.L. cried. “There ain't no cafeteria for poor kids or I'd be there right now.”

            “Yeah, but they don't know that.”

The boys continued to visit and eat their lunches.

            “Hey, that's alright,”  Butch snapped his fingers. “ I'll bet Donny'll win that talent show and one day Donny's gonna be a famous star and then he can get the Klags a new house and plenty of everything.”

            “What are you talking about, that's stupid.” D.L. cut the good guy act.

            “I saw Donny tap dance and sing.  He was great.” Butch informed the others. “Bettern anyone else I ever did see.”

Sammy and Duane were impressed.  Not so D.L.

            “Tap dance... who couldn't that?  Any one can tappity tap tap tap.” He demonstrates, dancing around the table.to the laughter of the others. “Only fairies do that.” D.L. stated.

            “What, what do you mean Fairies?” Duane never heard anything bad about fairies before. “Real fairies fly.”

            “Yeah, I like Tinkerbelle and them other ones like Cinderella's grandmother.” Sam slowly drawled.

            “Not those kind of fairies.” D.L. scoffed. “ Fairies!  You know... queers!”

            “Queers?  What's queers?” Butch asked. “I heard my dad say that once.  He called some guy he didn't like a queers.”

            “You guys don't even know what queers is?” D.L. asked and it was obvious they didn’t “Queers is boys who want boys for their girlfriend instead of girls.”

            “Oh... you mean like Duane.” Butch quipped and the other boys laughed as Duane gave Butch the evil eye.”

            “They want to kiss and do you know what to boys instead of a girl.” D.L. defined the issue.

            “Oh, you do mean Duane!” Butch cracked up

Everyone but Duane laughed and he came charging around the table, fists clinched and arms down to his side. Butch circled the table keeping it between himself and Duane. Sam finally hooked Duane going by.

            “Sit down, Mousy, we was just kiddin.”

Duane sat but stared daggers at Butch.  The boys continue to visit and finished their meals.  They were about to depart for the playground when Sandy and Vinia came passing by.

            “Hey, Sandy,” Donny called out. “What do you want for your birthday besides a big fat kiss from Duane?”

Sandy smirked and Duane gave her a big smile and threw her a kiss.

            “Did you get my invitations?” She asked.

Donny, Duane and Butch reacted affirmative.  Sam said nothing.

            “I didn't.” D.L. said.

            “I know.” Sandy said coldly.

Donny grimaced knowingly.

            What about Sammy?” Butch asked. “He's in the fifth grade and he's our friend.”

            “Yes, Sammy's a very nice boy.” Vinia said..

            “Well, sure, if he wants to come.” Sandy acquiesced. “But not Delbert.”

            :What are you talking about?” D.L. was surprised. “I ain't never - done - nothing - to - nobody.”

            “Remember in square dance class and I ask you to be my partner.” She refreshed his memory. “You said I was the ugliest girl you ever saw and looked like walking dog do-do and to get away from you.”

The boys muffled their laughter as D.L. tried to save the situation. “Whaaat? I said that?  I don't member hearing myself say that.  Are you sure?”

            “I'm quite sure.  You don't think I'd forget that, do you?” She said, leaning forward to make her point.

            “You're so vulgar, Delbert Ford!” Vinia added with a snap.

            “Shut up, you ugly Vinia Baby Hueing.” D.L. sneered.

 

One of the favorite cartoon characters of the era was Baby Huey.  Huey was a baby duck  who was ten times bigger than any other duckling. Like Rudolph, the red nosed,  he was  teased and ridiculed,  but because of his size and strength he always ended up saving the day by putting a whooping on a fox or wolf or other tormentor.

 

            “For your information.” Vinia was trying to beat back her embarrassment.  “It’s Baby Huey not Hueing, you're so simple.”

            “Oh yeah,” D.L. had a come back. “Well you're twice the more bigger as Baby Hueing anyway and twice the more ugly.”

            “It's Huey!” Vinia half shouted and then syllabified  the name. “Ba-bee-Hue-ee.”

            “You ought to know.” D.L. finished her off.

The boys laughed as the girls shook their heads and walked away.

 

The battle of the birthday snubs was not over... but right now we had more important things to think about.  The first of the Little League tryouts were the next morning and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a uniform.