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21 July 2009

Summer Sketch #2

Lord, it just makes you worry for your children, every day, when you can‘t even trust people. And here she was just doing what girls her age do, babysitting for family friends. I’ll tell you one thing, it won’t two minutes after he heard about it that Tom tore out the parking lot - he didn’t even tell the other assistant manager. He didn’t run to his car, but walked fast and steady, legs trying to catch up with the rest of his body, which was lurching forward like it sometimes does. And here Tom hasn’t talked to the girl in months; she won’t have nothing to do with him since he showed up at the house drunk when they were having her sixteenth birthday cook-out. And she barely had anything to do with him before that. I don’t need to tell you her mama never speaks with him except when she has to.

But when he heard, he tore off, and I only learned the full story, little by little. First he tried to call Sherry while he was driving, but couldn’t get through. He left a message for her, blubbering and stammering, but I don’t know what he said. Anyway, in about fifteen minutes he’d made it to packing plant, where that Davey fellow worked the afternoon shift. Tom knew he usually worked the fork in the back, and so he just hopped the fence into the loading dock and walked around. Davey was sitting on the bench having a smoke, and Tom didn’t bother speaking to him; he just come up from behind, grabbed him by the collar, and slung him into the back of the fork that was parked there. Davey never knew what was coming, and Tom kicked him so many times in the ribs and the gut that he never had a chance. By the time they pulled Tom off, Davey could barely sit upright, and Tom was screaming and sobbing all at once now, screaming, “She used to love to chase your dog, David! Remember?! We’d hold her hand, and walk to the pond, and she’d break away and chase your dog… Remember?!”

They say the look on his face was the most pitiful, all purple-veined and twisted red, beard matted in sweat and tears. Ever notice how at the end of a fight nobody ever looks like they found the relief they were looking for in the first place? Tom did right though, I won’t deny it. Maybe it won’t the smartest way to go about it, but I won’t deny it was right. There's no telling what will happen to him in court. I hear Sherry still won’t talk to him, and she may not yet, considering her state of mind, poor thing. But he showed her something, at least.

Lord, it just makes you worry for your children.

6 comments:

chandler said...

Are you channeling Flannery? I'll have to tell you some day about my O'Connor connections.

School Master P said...

Totally cool!

That's more flattery than I would deserve even for the best writing I've ever done (much less this post), but I thank you none the less.

I love, love, love O'Connor, and have a visit to her home (now a museum, I believe) high atop my travel to-do list at some point in my life. I can't wait to hear about your connections, and I have many Flannery-fan friends who would love to hear them as well - I shouldn't be surprised because I've had Flannery conversations with your Macon compadre (a.k.a Belle) quite a few times.

She's also told me some Allman Brothers stories - I like the Allmans as well, but on a lower order than Flannery!

chandler said...

Then you'll love this-- we lived for a short while in Milledgeville, and my mother was responsible for the Flannery room at the Georgia College library. And one of the Flannery scholars lived across the street from us. Love love love me some Flannery too!! The museum and old homeplace were not nearly the attraction they are today, but there really had not been the focus on cleaning it up back then.

As for the Allmans, they are on a completely different scale than Miss O, but I love their old stuff as well, and also have some of those stories. Their manager's ex-wife was my mother's decorator, of course the Big House is legendary, the graves at Rose Hill, etc etc etc. The list goes on.

Would love to see more of your writing sometime!!

Chandler said...

Okay, I have one more Flannery surprise for you-- one I have been working on since our last post (that sounds too creepy, doesn't it?). If I don't see you Sunday, I'll check in next week with you. I hope that it will spread a little sunshine in your stressful life right now!!!

Take care!

School Master P said...

Oops - sorry, Chandler. I didn't see this until just now or would have mentioned it at church. You're free to surprise away, however. Thanks!

chandler said...

So that i seem even MORE stalker-like, i'll send your surprise to your home email.

Good luck with school tomorrow!