An Awkward BeginningA Story by DarinA young boy and the new boyfriend feel each other out on a sunny saturday outing.We stood together on the front porch of my house. His mother, Kate, dropped him off just ten minutes earlier with strict instructions that we have fun and no eating without washing our hands. I only laughed at her orders, but her eyes told me that this was my big test and ALL orders had better be followed to the letter. Somehow, I felt like she may have brutal words for me if she found out any different. So, even as I laughed and walked her to the door, I felt a huge flock of butterflies begin to take flight in my stomache. She had left me for the day with her most valuable possession...Tyler. Tyler was five years old. And even though he was the youngest person I currently knew, he was also without a doubt the most intimidating. He held a toy car in his hand...not smiling. In fact, his face held a look of evil skepticism. His eyebrows were narrowed, the knuckles on his hands were white from the grip he held on the toy, his lips tightened, and not a word emitted from his mouth in the entire ten minutes we stood there. My mouth was dry, and the warm morning sun beat down on us as I struggled for words to say that would not make me come across to this kid as some kind of dork. He looked very unimpressed by my presence, only ready for mother to return. I knew I needed to say something, so I took a deep breath and just started. "What you wanna do today, Ty?" I asked, my voice sounding like a duck from the dryness. Narrow blue eyes only peered up at me. I was about to think he had no answer when he just shrugged his shoulders. His grip on the toy car seemed to tighten a bit. I nodded my head back at him, but was at a real loss for suggesting what to do. I knew plenty of activities I wanted to go do, but few were good for a five year old boy at tagging along. No beer league baseball with my buddies...no hanging out at Butch's garage to work on our hot rod because of the colorful language...not even an afternoon nap in the hammock out back. This was my big opportunity to make an impression on Tyler. And I knew I best not blow it...or she would send me to the ever-growing trash bucket of ex-boyfriends who couldn't make the cut for dating her. Kate and I had started dating nearly two months ago. Tyler's dad was a fireman who had been killed in a fire almost three years ago. She worked for the post office and had yet to find a man to fill the huge shoes that Marty left behind. And judging by the actions of this little tike, he was probably questioning my abilities for the job as well. I probed my mind for something...anything...to win this boy over for the day so he would not trudge home that afternoon and tell Kate how much spending time with me sucked! "Is that your favorite toy?" I asked, pointing at the car. He nodded. I did the same...still thinking. I had on shorts and a tank-top shirt. There was a breeze and the temperature was only seventy-two, but the sweat rolled down my back like beads of rain down a window on a spring afternoon. My ears and neck were burning as I racked my mind for something to say. Then he broke his silence, and I thought I was going to fall over at the sound of his voice. "I got a trampoline at home. It's real big...and fun." The words came out of his mouth like a voice from a robot. "Cool!" I answered. Then a thought hit me and I went with it. "You like going to the park? We can go and play on the swings and stuff." "Where did my mom go?" he asked. "She had to work today. So, she asked me to watch you. Is there anything you wanna do?" "Can we go to her work and play there?" His eyebrows stayed narrowed, and the grip on the toy never let up. "I'm afraid not. She has things to do." I felt like I had just given the one answer that would get me put in the bucket later. But he seemed to be okay with it, and started to ease up his grip. His eyes wandered around a bit, as if searching for something. "Do you have a trampoline?" "No Ty, I don't. Sorry." "You should get one...cause I might get bored pretty soon. Mom says you have to take me to Mcdonalds for lunch!" His voice was taking on a brave tone. I could tell he was getting a little more confident being around me. Yet, I was feeling more and more insecure by the second. This kid seemed like he could have the potential to push some major buttons. "Sure! We can go to Mcdonalds. But lunch is a few hours away. What'll we do till then?" "You're the grown-up...you tell me." I sighed quietly. Bloop! First button pushed! "I have a friend who has a farm. You wanna go see the animals? Maybe feed the chickens?" I was struggling for ideas now. Tyler's expression did not waiver in the slightest. "Mom says that chickens eat thier own poop!" Well, I guess feeding the pigs would be out of the question too! I thought to myself. "You like to go fishing?" I asked. "My dad never got to take me yet. Did you know my dad?" "No Ty, I didn't." I answered. Kids sure can ask some hard questions! I thought. "Then how do you know my Mom?" he asked. And for a moment, his eyebrows lifted and I felt the pressure of his question even more. "We met at the grocery store. She's been telling me all about you for a couple months now." I replied. "My dad was a fireman. What do you do?" More tough questions! "I'm a plumber." I answered, a little reluctantly. "Does your butt hang out of your britches when your at work? Mom says that the last plumber that came to our house couldn't keep his butt from showing. She told my aunt that on the phone one night." His eyes lit up a little as he said this, and I could tell he found a little humor in this himself...and I found myself wanting to smile for a moment. "No. My butt stays hidden. But thanks for asking!" My face was red. And his mother is worried about us washing our hands before eating? I was thinking we had other issues to work through, rather than worry about dining hygene. "So, is that a no for the park?" Tyler just shrugged. "Mom's last boyfriend took me to a place where they had lots of games. But it was real boring!" "Why was that? Games are fun, aren't they?" I asked, very amused at his statement. "They were the kind you have to put money into to play. I wasn't old enough or something...but he liked to play. Then he ran out of money and we had to go. He said the rotten scumbags took all his money, so we had to walk back home instead of taking the bus. Mom was mad at him too!" "He took you to the casino? What a guy! No wonder your mom was mad!" I exclaimed. "Is that bad?" he asked. "Casino is no place for a kid your age! We need to find someplace to go that's more for your age...a place you'd get a real kick out of going." I said as the idea hit me. I looked down at him and smiled. "How about a day at the Zoo?" "What's that?" he wondered up at me...his eyes had taken on a look of pure curiosity. I could tell the wall was coming down, and his face held wonder. My own thoughts were now no longer of being intimidated, but more of excitement. Because, not only had I managed to think of a great days activity, but I may have just started our new relationship down a path that might lead to great things. I could be the one guy that this kid remembers as a mentor. A beautiful day at the zoo, and a full evening of memories to fill his mother in on when she returned. "A zoo is a place full of animals from all over the world! All the things you are going to learn about in school someday! Elephants, alligators, and anything you won't see on a farm!" I was getting excited just telling him about it. And as I explained it, I could see his eyes light up too. Bam! Home run! "For real?" he asked. His eyes were wide and the grip on the car disappeared. "For real! Let's go dude!" I smiled. It was a moment of triumph. His wall was gone and my inhibitions were gone. We both trudged down the steps of the porch towards my car, on our way to a day of fun and male bonding. I was nervous, yet excited for him. From my conversations with Kate, I knew the little guy had taken his fathers death hard...and few men after had placed him in good light. They all viewed him as luggage, rather than a person with feelings. Just a sideshow attached to the main event. And it was very important to her that any man filling his fathers shoes be compassionate to him and try to be a friend. I felt a feeling a liberation wash over me as we walked to my car. I was an important figure at that moment...important to one person. I was opening up a door with him, and guiding him down an exciting path. Not just to a zoo, but into life. We drove across town to the zoo...the entire trip filled with conversation. Tyler opened up more and more as the miles wound down. I was coming to learn that I was going to be fine with him. I was going to do well in anything we did. He talked, and I listened, and we both laughed. And as we got out of the car to buy tickets, a very sweet and comforting thing happened. Tyler reached out and took my hand. We walked hand in hand into the city zoo, ready to take on the world! We bought cotton candy and forgot to wash our hands. We ate too much and ruined our lunch at Mcdonalds. And we laughed at the animals, and ourselves! Boys will be boys, mom! Tyler continued to ask the probing questions too. "Do you think monkeys eat thier own poop?" Only a kid could wonder that! © 2009 DarinReviews
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Added on June 26, 2009Author |