Cold Ponies and the War Bracelet

This story is set on a snow November night in a Northeastern town. It revolves around 4 UCONN Students who take a dangerous trip to a friends house for a party.

COLD PONIES AND THE WAR BRACELET

 

By Terry Gilpin

 

Sometimes Common sense seems to come thru a door into your brain and when it does, it doesn’t stay very long.  Jim was only glad that the good forces stayed with him that night, because common sense had long departed.

 

Driving down Lincoln Street  Jim began to think out the night ahead. He had til 7:00 to pick up  Toni .  Wow Toni! His excitement level grew higher each time he thought about her and when he sees her, whoa.  He wondered if this is what it felt like to be in love. He already knew, he really liked her so much.  And not just for her looks.  He thought about it and his mind wandered to other things school, nights clubbing, kissing time with Toni. “This light always takes forever”, he complained out loud while waiting for the light at Lincoln to change. He was totally pleased when he could arrange events to come out guaranteed to go according to plan. Sometimes they didn’t but he felt confident that tonight’s party would finally establish him a part of a crowd important for  him his senior year at UCONN.  Yes it was his turn to be master.  He was already excited and chest busting proud of his friendship with Kathy and Toni of the UCONN cheer squad.

 

At first it was just infatuation with Toni, but then it was more.  He liked the way she twirled her hair and scrunched her nose when she found something funny. She had the same views about politics and her family background was so similar to his.  Has an older brother like himself, he was middle class from nearby Trumbull, just 20 minutes from Norwalk. It was perfect.  And getting Toni interested turned out to be so easy. All it took was a cherry Blue 69 mustang that he had spent all his hard-earned money from his stock boy days.  They were over for good. Thank God.  Toni oh Toni. Pretty blond. 5 foot 7 inches of heaven. Lean charismatic with blue eyes so big you could see all the way to her soul.  Her soul saying ‘ I’m nice but don’t think it’s an open invitation.’  He couldn’t believe it when she just walked up to him in the campus parking lot by Tower Residence and stood there in her short blue wool skirt and white knitted wolverine sweater with big UCONN lettering.  “Hi I’m Toni.”  Just like that. “This car is totally sweet.” “I know” he had answered. Hopefully not sounding too full of himself. Looking up at and into those amazing eyes with lashes that went on forever.  “You like mustangs?” almost tripping over the words while he felt his face grow hot.  “Only the older models.  This is a 69 boss.  My dad has all the magazines.”

 “I do too”. 

“Where did you find it?  It must of cost a fortune”

“My dad and I found it in a garage in Darien. Actually my dad knew the guy from his work site. It didn’t look like this though, it was covered in rust and almost everything on it was broken” He reached inside the front driver side window and under the seat and pulled out a rag and began gliding it back and forth along the top of the drivers side door.  He did it remotely not really realizing his mind was preoccupied with something else.  “I worked paying to restore it bit by bit a little at a time. Do you know Jensens garage?”

“No.” she said as an afterthought.  “Well this guy Ron who is a fanatic about every care made in the 60s, Corvair Catalina, Novas, Mustangs.  He’s the real genius. It’s the garage my dad uses and he told me about him. After my dad bought it he asked the guy to restore it but I kinda talked my dad into letting me take over and pay for the restoration myself.  Then we would sell it and make a great profit, cool huh.”, he nodded in her direction.   “After last year when it was half way finished”, Jim had continued, “my mom conned my dad to  letting me  keep it.  So the papers say its my dads but only because insurance costs are less for a 55 year old then a 21 year old”

“Until the insurance company finds out” he said with a laugh. “Oh I thought you were a senior” she knowingly said pointing her finger at him and looking Jim  right straight in the eye.  Jim felt himself melting, “You’re a senior too?”  “Yep” she said. Jim was just about to smoothly ask her if she wanted to go out sometime when  reality had come up behind him and slapped him on the back.    Jim’s best friend Joel was excitedly exclaiming “Wow you got it back” The paint job is awesome.  Joel was his life long best friend and sometimes friends unintentionally seem to take you  from paradise back to a gritty gray parking lot .  “Joel How you doing bro” He smiled squinting his eyes at his friend.  Joel squinted back and got the message “Joel meet Toni, Toni  Joel.” He looked over at Toni and smiled a hello, without missing a beat he turned to his friend with a look of embarrassment.  “Hey Man I’m sorry, am I interrupting, Ill catch up with you later.” He pushed his fingers through his light brown, stick pin straight hair away from his face. It was funny how best friends shared the same height and build. Thin muscular a little too pale. Yep that was Joel and Jim. Joel started to turn away just as shrieks could be heard from the North end of the parking lot  emitting from a silver BMW.  The driver could only be heard muffled while two girls hung from the windows of the front and back seat passenger side of the vehicle whooping and screaming “Ooh ho yeah yeah, Huskies are the best!” shaking blue and white pom poms. “Hey Antoinette” they sing songed “Practice in 10 Minutes” the girl in the front yelled through the passenger side window, her brown curls and full lips with wolverine tattoos on her afternoon sun streaked face  .  Toni looked at Jim disappointed. Yeah he did, he saw disappointment in her face. Then he looked at Toni with exasperated anticipation not wanting her to go. She read it but said “I gotta go.”  I’ll see you at the rally?  She questioned.  “Yeah sure.”  “Maybe I can get a ride sometime?”   “Absolutely” he said a little too enthusiastic.  “Nice meeting you. You too Joel.” He couldn’t help but watch her bounce away into the waiting car. And still as she waved through the open window he found it hard to turn away. And then 5 seconds later she and the silver BMW were gone zooming out of the parking lot. “Sorry man” Joel began.  I didn’t even really see her standing here with you”  “That’s ok she was about to leave anyway.”

 “Wow” Joel whistled “What a fox”

 “Yeah she’s cute.

“How long you know her?” Joel asked bubbling over with excitement for his friend. “Just now. right here. she came over to me.” He said his voice high and tight. “It’s the car that drew her over to me.  This car is my destiny. It was worth 4 years of hard work.”  Joel had stared at his friend with realization then said “Maybe it’s the car.  I don’t want you to get too high on this. She really is very popular.”  “I know, I know you think she likes my car and not really interested in me. Sure she’s popular can have any guy she wants but I feel that there was something else about I don’t know our chemistry.  Call me crazy but I just feel it.” “Man you’re hooked” Joel noted.  “Girls like Toni have their own set of friends.  They hardly ever venture out of their own crowd.  Like this is who we are. bro.  Just regular Joes that’s us.  Were friends with everyone. If you ask me that’s the best way to be.  Who needs that clique s**t?” Joel had said and he knew he was right.

 

 Jim had opened the driver side door and closed it pretending not to have heard what  Joel was saying. But he remembered it nawing at his insides causing the beginning of a dark mood that had lasted all that day.

 

 

That was two weeks ago on a Tuesday. The next day on his way to Anthropology class he turned the corner and there she was his idea of the perfect girl. “Hey Boss 69” Did she forget his name? “Hi Toni how’s it going?”Her blond curls were soft around her oval shaped blue eyes and she was wearing a white sweater with a pink denim belted skirt and suspenders.  The clasps hugging her small waist. She completely caught him off guard. He was still thinking about the C+ from Eng Lit. Man he worked his brains off studying Ken Kesey and researched him for two weeks. English was never one of his strong suits. “Good” she answered hugging her purse closer to her shoulder. “Where you off to?”  Jim looked around to see if anyone was watching him talk to the most beautiful girl in the school. “Got Anthropology with Dr. Winston. And you?”

 “I got Poli Si with Battista Id better get going or ill be late.” 

“Bye he said see ya later”

“Bye”

Jim started past her and brushed her arm accidentally with his and felt electricity fly up through it. He turned to meet her eyes and was surprised when she said suddenly “Hey when can I get that ride you promised me?”  Her eyes seemed afraid he would deny her. “How about today?” He looked at her nonchalant trying to be cool. “What time is your last class?”He had felt his heart pounding against the thick wall of his chest and found he was having trouble breathing.  “ My last is like 1:20. Is that ok” That’s perfect” he had lied.  His last class ended at 11:45 he would have to wait almost two hours for her. “Great! see you then.” she smiled

 

That was the ride that changed his life. He couldn’t believe how easy it was to talk to her.  They talked about cars and teachers and graduation and careers.  She wanted to be a journalist. They started dating immediately. It worked out so great because Joel ended up dating her friend Kathy and soon the foursome were always seen together.  Kathy had just broken up with Parker, star football, baseball athlete and she had sworn off athletes for the time being at least.  Even though Joel saw himself as a rebound guy he didn’t care.  Jim and Joel felt that life was being extremely good to them maybe… too good Jim had thought.  He had pushed that thought out of his mind.

 

 

HONK! HONK!, a blast from car impatient behind him startled Jim into the changed light above him  “OK OK keep your pants on” Pushing  into first gear he sped through the green light slid kicked into second as the car jolted forward. Then quickly before his brain could fully decipher the danger, his right foot jammed on the brake pedal narrowly missing a green Mercedes stopping to await a left turn.  He swooped to the right around him and passed  “You idiot” the Mercedess driver yelled. “Everybody’s in a rush.”  He mouthed whoops and then smiled to himself.  He was still smiling when we passed the Barclay bank with the digital clock illuminating 4:15 and 34 degrees. Jesus, it was cold.  The sky looked slate Grey in the November sky Thanksgiving being 5 days away, Another blast of cold air from a Buick rushing past bit into  the mustangs interior It is definately rush hour.  The driver of the Buick that passed him was shaking his head.  Too bad for you Jim thought nothing is going to ruin my mood today.  Reaching the corner of Todd and Byre he glanced over at Jensen’s garage on his left and saw Ron tinkering under the hood a minivan.  Thinking and moving fast Jim quickly maneuvered the mustang into the left lane of the two lane street and turned into the entrance of the garage.  The loud engine startled the part time kid that works on Friday afternoon.  “Hey you again” Ron looked up and yelled.  Walking to the driver door.  “Is she a beauty or what?”   “Looks better every time I see her.  How ya doing? You taking care of my baby?” smiled Ron. The part timer turned away seeing a customer that just pulled his Toyota Camry into the station.  Jim breathed to Ron “Its purring like a kitten. A loud kitten but still purring, Ron You’re a genius.” You bet I am fitting the rebuilt 302 in this baby worked out pretty good.  I guess Jim nodded. He knew very little about cars. He was working on art advertising and he knew he would have to figure out cars someday.  He used to joke to Ron that when he got big and wealthy he would hire Ron to teach him. Ron had laughed and said you’re on your own. 26 years it took him to teach himself everything. Working junk yards and reading up on every model every car company put out. That’s what Jim’s dad had said at dinner that night 4 years ago when  Jim was a senior at Norwalk High.

 

 “Hot date tonight” Ron asked with a wry smile.  “Yes indeed.” Jim answered “Big party at  friend’s house in Danbury.  A lot of people. Parents away, whole deal.”  “Great have a good time but no drinking and driving” he sternly warned Jim.  “You mess up 4 years of my blood sweat and tears and I’ll hang you.”  “No way” Jim shook his head “My blood, sweat and humility paid for this car to get it to where it is today. He seriously looked at Ron. “What you think? I’m not that stupid.”  “Nah I know you’re a good kid.  You’re dad’s a good guy and the apple don’t fall far from the tree. It’s the truth.  Your dad is one together guy and I know you are too.  But don’t let fools tempt you. Right?”  “Right”. Jim agreed.  Say Ron I noticed the heater now that it’s getting colder I’ve been putting it on and it keeps going off and on.  The fan I think.  Jim was worried because if we get cold enough tonight and with the mustang it could get quite cold.  “I got no time today” Ron squinted as the clouds broke away letting in a little sunshine. “Bring it in tomorrow, I’ll take a look”  

“Yeah and maybe you can work on fixing the trunk hinge. I’m getting tired of untying and tying it every time I need to use it”

 

“Yes sir”, Ron Saluted. “You know what I mean”, Jim laughed. “See you tomorrow?”

“Sounds good.  See ya.”

Jim started the car and shifted into 1st. With one whack on the hood from Ron he left the garage asphalt and turned right onto Main as Ron yelled “Hey watch the weather it might snow.”  He heard.  He just couldn’t believe that this time after 2 panic filled false alarms, the weatherman got it right. 

 

 

Jim watched through the windshield  catching glimpses up at the sky.  He frowned. He pulled the car into the right lane, turned  and  saw Joel walking out of the local CVS.  He pulled over. Leaning over he cranked the window open.  “Hey whats going on?” Joel gave his friend a concerned look, then with a lightened tone chirped “actually you can drive me home. My car blew the water pump. “ It’s in the shop again!” Jim turned to his friend and whined. “That’s because you don’t take care of it.  You gotta keep up the maintenance, change the oil check the antifreeze tune it up” “Yeah Yeah whatever” was Joel’s answer to him.” I mean it if you’re not gonna take care of it, then get rid of it. Before it turns into a piece of junk” Joel turned to his friend an amusing hurt expression on his face. “That car is a classic. You think you’re the only one that can own one. No siree she’s my baby” Joel had a 2000 Malibu. “More like an old man than a baby” Jim muttered.

 

Arriving home he parked in the driveway glanced at his watch 4:35 and already almost dark. God he hated winter. He swung open the back kitchen door. “Mom you home? Shutting the door behind him.  “Lucy Im home”, he said in his best Ricky Ricardo accent.  His moms real name was Lucille and everyone always called her Lucille but he liked to joke around with her.

 

The counter top 9 inch TV in the kitchen showed the heavily coiffed hair of its anchor doling out the news of the day. “In here” came the reply of his mother’s always-pleasant voice.  It amazed him that she was almost never in a bad mood.  Not like some his friends’ mothers. Joel’s mother was constantly ragging about something or other.  With Joel always cutting any visiting guest time spent there short with his famous ”Cmon Let’s get out of here”.  “Where Dad?” Jim asked with one hand on the refrigerator door pulling it open. “He’s at Michael’s lot picking up the new car? She explained walking in the kitchen and opening the cabinet under the sink.  New car Jim thought with humor.  It was probably a bomb so he could take to work at his construction site where he was mason foreman. Something that could take a little mud.  An old wrangler he had said.  “The wrangler?” Jim asked.  Jim’s mom stood up straight turned and eyed him as he started to drink from the orange juice carton.  “Everyone does it” he defended himself.  She gave him the Tsk Tsk look as she reached in the cupboard and handed him a short glass without berating him. “If he doesn’t come home with the wrangler its because Trance talked him into another car.  You know you’re father.  He’s too easy going sometimes.” Jim said “Nah he pretty much knows who he can trust.  Remember with that guy who tried to sell him the lawn mower last year.  That salesman was such a liar.”  He chuckled.  His mom looked at him with surprise. She liked seeing her son looking so happy. “ You’re in good mood today.  Oh yes I know why. The party and the girl.” She smiled.  Jim smiled back. He opened the refrigerator and took out last nights meatloaf. He lopped off two slices and dropped onto a plate then practically threw it into the microwave and hit the time and walked to the utensil draw to collect a knife and fork.

 “Where the party again?” his mom asked.

 “Danbury”

“Please drive safe.  The TV said something about snow tonight.”

 “I know Mom its supposed to be only a flurry.”   The microwave announced the ready for his meatloaf with 3 steady high-pitched beeps.  Jim crossed over to it and retrieved his dinner. His mom grabbed the sponge from the sink and wiped the counter where pieces of meatloaf had escaped onto the kitchen cutting board where Jim was slicing it.  After  one quick swipe the sponge was returned via airmail back into the sink.  “I’m doing laundry. Are your dirty clothes in the hamper?”  “Most of them” Jim lied.  He just couldn’t seem to get his worn clothes into the hamper that was 3 feet away from his bed.  They seemed to always end up on the floor.    He wolfed down the last of the meatloaf and through a full mouth said

 “You and dad going to dinner tonight”  

“Yep to The Italian Table.”  His mom’s favorite.  His mom was the seafood lover his Dad liked pasta and hated the slight scent of anything from the ocean, Jim thought shaking his head.

“We plan on going around 7, when is your party?”  Jim shrugged, downed the last of the juice and put his dish in the dishwasher. Gotta get ready. And he kissed his mom and bound up the hallway stairs.   Those long lean legs taking two at a time.  While his mom turned her attention to the TV anchor announcing the grave site found by the Vietnamese government.  Marcus Chanet  was seriously stoling out that “ what appears to be soldiers and vehicles from the late 1960s. Platoon 2111 with the US army while convoying thru the Ia Dang Village of Central Vietnam must have encountered heavy rain and the a mudslide had wiped them out without a trace”  Then he went on to say that  until recently  another mudslide had dislodged the corpse of the men and their jeeps.  It appears that 8 men and two jeep vechicles were recovered.  The Vietamese and the United States were working towards identifying the bodies.  Lucille stared at Marcus Chanet for a few seconds before picking up the portable and called  Dan her husband to tell him.  He always wore the POW/MIA bracelet from when he was 14 years old  The soft metal had remained strong and sturdy while still it had adapted to his growing wrist.

 

Once at the top of the stairs, Jim snapped his fingers and forced his brain into hyper drive. Jeans white and black sweater he bounded into his room pulled the essentials from the drawer and closet and zipped into the hall bathroom singing to himself “Whistle baby, whistle baby and we’ll start real slow.”  Then he heard it.  Over his right shoulder he heard a low masculine whisper.  Jimmmm  It stopped him dead in his tracks. He quickly whirled around and saw no one.  He went to the top of the stairs and yelled “Joel”  “Mom is Joel here?” He asked.  His mom told her husband to hold and came to the bottom of the stairs and looking up at  him glancing out the front bay window and said “no”. quizzically.  “Oh I thought I heard his voice.  Must have been a mind echo.”  He nervously explained to his mom. Sometimes he heard his mom’s or his dad’s voice calling him when they hadn’t.  A mind echo.  Except this voice didn’t sound the least bit like his dad or even Joel for that matter.  Just a fluke he shrugged and jumped into the shower.

 

45 minutes later he was set to go.  “Not too late” warned his mother in the typical parent goodbye. “Watch the weather” she waved to him. A minute later he was behind the wheel of the mustang trying to slip the key into the rebuilt ignition but it was giving him a hard time ..again. He must remember to mention that also to Ron tomorrow.  He glanced at his watch, 6:20 and darkness covered the Fairfield Connecticut town. Finally the mustang’s ignition synced with the key and the engine roared.

 

Jim , Joel Toni and Kathy were talking and laughing on Route 7 just about  12 miles outside of Danbury. Jim maneuvered the car to the right past  the front lawn of high pine trees covering the view to a large imposing building made of stone with three pillars lining the entrance.   New Jersey born Kathy inquired what the tall older building was. “That is Cornet Institute where people with emotional psychiatric problems go.”    Joel exclaimed. “You know wackos.”  “ No kidding no wonder it looks so creepy”  Yeah, my mom said they are moving the patients to another facility soon. One in Hartford” said Jim.  “Why”  Toni asked.  “No money. They are gonna close it” Jim answered. Form the back seat Kathy wide eyes stared as they passed the main gate the only section with a clear cut view of the barred window.  They did not notice the small  frightened face gazing out from the fourth floor.