Memories In Ink

Chapter Five: Three To Go

          The rooster crowing outside jolted me awake. The sun's rays shining through the wall of the barn had temporarily blinded me as I sat up. I realized that what had happened last night was not a dream at all. There she sat, Sarah. A fly buzzed through the air and made a landing on Sarah's nose, startling her awake. "Oh golly, my head is killing me." I chuckled a bit. "Yeah, mine too." My voice startled her, then she turned to face me. She looked puzzled. "D-did we?" She asked me. I looked down at the floorboards of the old Ford. "I believe we did Sarah." She sat up, and began to chuckle. "Man I hadn't had that much fun in a long time, and you were just as gentle as could be." My face turned red hot once more. I checked my watch, that was looped around my steering wheel. Six o'clock, mother didn't wake for another hour. "I've got to get you home Sarah!" I said as I grabbed my pants and began vigorously putting them on. Sarah dressed herself as I eased the barn door open to see if mother was awake. As I opened the door, the bright ray of sunshine blinded me, but to my advantage, she was still in bed. I turned back to Sarah. "We're all clear." Sarah sat down in the drivers seat and cranked the flathead six to life. I eased the barn door open as she backed the red sedan out into the open. I shut the barn door back quickly and got into the passenger seat.
          The birds chirped that morning, as if they did every morning, but that morning was different somehow. The cool morning air filled my heart with desire as I looked over at Sarah. She looked up at me, with a hung over grin. "You know, I wanted it to happen Everett, please don't fee bad." I chuckled as I lit a cigarette. "I know, to tell you the truth, so did I." Sarah yawned and looked out the window, watching the green sea of grass moving with the morning wind. "You know Everett, I don't think your mom would kill you, she just wants what's best for you." She said while twirling her hair. I kept my eyes ahead on the road, nervously tapping the wheel. "I know, it's just, dad was the same way." Sarah stopped twirling her hair and looked at my curiously. "What do you mean?" I cleared my throat after taking another puff of my cigarette. "Dad was in the army, and mother got pregnant with me, and had me while he was away. He wrote to her every chance he got. Once he got out of basic, there weren't anymore letters." Sarah looked devastated. I took another puff and went on. "About, I'd say two years, she gets a knock at the door. Gentleman holding a folded flag, handed it to mother and explained everything. He wrote her one last letter and never got to send it before he died. She's never let me see it." Sarah's eyes began to tear up. "Everett I'm so sorry, I didn't know." I gestured her to take it easy. "It's okay, I just never liked talking about it." I looked back up at the road to see a stop sign. As I halted to a stop, I looked over at Sarah, with promise in my eyes. "If you were to- well, you know, even if you wouldn't, I will be back." I caressed her shoulder as she began to tear up. She snatched my hand away from her shoulder. "Now don't you go saying that!" She exclaimed. I finally found someone and now I, I don't know how to feel." I eased my hand back onto the steering wheel and eased on into town.
         As we passed through town I notice the ice cream parlor was open. I geared down the '38 Ford into the parking lot. I killed the car and looked up at Sarah. "Would ice cream make you feel better?" She looked up at me and grinned, as the tears dried from her eyes. Two vanilla cones please. "I asked the lady up front." Sarah looked at me as if the past ten minutes had never happened. As we got back into the car, Sarah pulled the keys out of the ignition. "Please don't take me home yet." I smiled at her and nodded. "I won't. I just wish I didn't have to go in a couple days." She sniffled a bit as she stared down at her ice cream. "You promise me you'll write me every day?" She asked. I looked at her and smiled. "I promise. It would be hard not to, you're all I ever think about."       
          As we finished up our ice cream, Garry's blue '35 sedan pulled up quickly. "We'll I'll be!" He exclaimed. "Ole plow boy done him some plowing!" He grinned and chuckled loudly from his divers seat. Sarah grew a quick smirk on her face. "We'll it's more plowing than you've ever done!" She exclaimed back to him. I couldn't hold in my laugh and lost it all at once. Garry, too dumb to realize it was meant to be an insult, laughed right along. "We only got a couple days left partner, what you say we go do something fun?" I looked at Garry, then back at Sarah. Sarah grinned and shrugged. "Sure, why not Garry!" She said as she scooted closer to me. I looked at Garry as I lit a cigarette. "What kind of fun?" I asked as smoke twirled out of my mouth. Garry grinned. "Well, dad needs help on his old tractor, since you're the fix it man and all." I turned to Sarah as she nodded yes. I could definitely tell, as long as she was with me, she was happy. "Alright, let's go!" Garry started up his sedan, revving up his engine. "You wanna race there boy?" I chuckled and turned my keys into the start position, allowing the flathead six to breathe. "You're on turkey!" I yelled as I slammed it into reverse. Garry grinned, revealing his yellow, Tobacco stained teeth. "Then let's go boy!"
          Our tires barked into the distance as we raced up the road. Sarah was grinning ear to ear as we beat him into the driveway of his house. I geared down the Ford as we pulled up to Garrys barn. Garry trailed in close behind, leaving a wake of dust and debris in his path. As Sarah and I climbed out, Garry slammed on his brakes, leaving deep ruts in the grass. "Garry Jameson Heinz! I'll shoot you dead!" A voice roared from out behind the barn. A rugged, looking old man with three teeth to his name came stomping out of the barn. "You heard me didn't you boy?!"The man screamed out at him. Garry slammed his door shut and made his way towards the barn.
"Easy pa!" Garry said." Garrys father folded his arms and gave Garry a very sharp look. "Now just because you're gonna be gone and all don't mean I ain't your daddy!" He said while putting his finger in Garry's  face. Garry patted his shoulder, emitting a cloud of dust from his fathers shirt. "Yeah yeah I hear you pops." He chuckled. He turned back to me. "Pa this is my buddy Everett here, know him from school. He's here to fix your tractor." Well good! Damn thing won't start." Garry's dad said, while opening the barn door, to reveal a tired, rusted old John Deere. He motioned us to come forward as he put his hand on the fender. "She's been a good mule, but the blasted thing won't go no more!" He said while spitting tobacco on the dirt floor of the barn. Sarah trailed close behind me as I eased up to the tractor. "Mind if I have a look?" I asked as I approached the worn out, rugged tractor. The smell of burnt oil, as well as the body odor of Garry's old man, filled the barn, along with the blistering, mid morning heat. "Show me what it's doing sir." I said to his father. He spit once again, creating a wet spot in his dry dirt floor. "Well, when I turn the key, nothing." He explained while showing me himself. "Mind if I pull the dash panel off?" I asked as flies landed on all of our heads. "Go right ahead son, see what you can find." His father agreed in the midst of pulling out his Prince Albert snuff. I pulled the panel off to reveal an impressive rats nest. As I examined further, I discovered his ignition switch wires were chewed in half. "Well sir, you're not gonna like it, but it needs rewired. Some rats decided to chew your wires in half." I explained as I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Garry's dad looked disgusted. "Well shit fire! Now how am I gonna work around here!" I grinned with confidence and made my way to the front of the tractor. "I'll show you sir." I explained as I grabbed a piece of wire and toked my cigarette. "What I'm gonna do, is hook you up a switch directly to the coil from the battery." Garry's dad looked impressed. "So can I start it now?" I approached the front of the tractor with the hand crank. "Yes you can, but unfortunately you'll have to crank start it until you can get it fixed properly." Garry's dad seemed a little flustered, but his frustration soon came to an end as I cranked the two cylinder straight to life. The grin on his fathers face was priceless. Sarah had an impressed grin herself as I walked away from the tractor. "Thank you so much young man!" He exclaimed as he reached his grease stained hand out to mine. I firmly grasped his hand and shook it. "It was my pleasure sir, now you need to keep Garry in line over there, he ships out with the attitude he's got now, that drill sergeant will kill him." He chuckled. "Will do son." "Come on Garry, we got work to do!" He said as he and Garry headed out to the field. Sarah grabbed my arm as we made our way back to my sedan. "You never told me you were good with your hands, Everett." She said as she caressed my hand in hers. I toked on my cigarette as we walked towards the car. "I had to be, having no dad around." Sarah caressed my hands as we approached the car. "Everett, any woman in this world would be lucky to have you, you're the kinda boys my father told me about when I was a little girl." My face was red as could be as I looked out into the hazy, humid pasture. "Sarah, there's someone I want you to meet." I said as the smoked rolled out of my mouth. Sarah grinned. "And who might that be?"
       The '38 Ford made its way into my driveway, leaving clouds of dust behind us. The rubber tires running over the gravel emitted fierce pops, startling the chickens from their usual hunt. The brakes growled as the Ford came to a stop. I reached my hand up to the keys and killed the car. I looked down at my lap, then up at Sarah, the warm breeze dancing along her fiery red hair. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked as I put out
My cigarette. She smiled at me. "I'm positive, I'd love to meet her." We both exited the sedan as the humid mid afternoon air rushed towards us. Mother was out hanging clothes up as she saw us, and slowly put down her clothes. "Everett, is this who I think it is?" She asked as she approached us. I cleared my throat nervously. "Mother, this is Sarah." Sarah grinned and gave her a polite hug, my mother wrapped her arms around her like she was a child of her own. "You're absolutely beautiful Sarah! You remind me of my mother, she had bright red hair as well." She looked back at me, with approving eyes. "Well, you kids come in! I've got dinner cooking in the house." Sarah smiled at me and followed my mother into the house. As I entered, my cat, Max jumped as he saw Sarah, not used to company. Mother laughed as she put on her apron. "Oh don't mind him! He just doesn't know how to handle new faces." Mother opened her wood burning stove, emitting the scent of fresh baked rolls. "Now y'all get to the table and get ready to eat." Sarah and I sat down across from each other as mother sat the chicken, rolls, and green beans out onto the table. The mid afternoon heat carried the scent throughout the room. Mother held a pitcher of water with three glasses. She poured Sarah's first, mine, then hers last. The old chair let out an exhausted creak as she sat down into it. "Now." She said as she folded a napkin and placed it into her lap. "Let's pray y'all."  Well all bowed our heads to pray, and joined hands. As mother prayed, the words did not enter my head, all I could think of was Sarah's soft hand in mine. What Sarah and I did, God would be ashamed, but with possibly no time left here, I wanted her to truly know how much she meant to me. All I could do is hold onto her hand, knowing our time was almost up. As mother finished the prayer, Max decided to jump up onto the table and sniff at the chicken. Mother slapped the rugged, chipped up table and screamed: "Get of the table ya hear? Now go on! Git!" Max let out a sassy meow and hopped down off of the table. Mother grabbed a plate and fixed it for Sarah, smiling as she handed it to her. "So Sarah how did you and Everett meet?" She asked as she took a drink of water. Sarah cleared her throat nervously. "We'll ma'am, I was taking his order one morning and he was just so sweet, very polite, unlike his friend Garry." She chuckled. Mother had a look of disgust on her face. "Oh that Garry! He's good for nothin'!" "Well" Sarah added, "He offered to take me home, as I rode my bike that day. He was such a gentleman. You really raised him right ma'am." Mother's face lit up as she took a bite of chicken. "Honey, you're very kind, and you can call me mama. No sense in that ma'am, I ain't nobody fancy." I bit into my chicken, allowing mother and Sarah to do most of the talking. Mother continued once she swallowed her food. "It wasn't easy, being a widowed mother, but it made one tough old bird out of me." Sarah chuckled. "Yeah these kids sure don't know how to stay out of trouble do they?" Mother shook her head. "Not one bit." She said. "They don't think about the future, ain't got no hobbies, it was even worse when we were growing up." The afternoon wind coming through the windows allowed a break of the humid air. Mother took another sip of water. "He did behave right?" Sarah coughed a bit due to the awkward question. "Oh yes ma'am." She said, covering her mouthful of food. "Good." She said as she looked at me with authority. I gained the courage to speak up as I finished my dinner. "This dinner sure is good mother, nothing ever beats it." She smiled and looked back down at her plate. "That's what your father used to say." On instinct, I pulled out a cigarette and began to light it. Mother's hand came down on the table, causing the food to jar out of its place of rest. "Everett Jeremiah VonDyke! You will not smoke in my house! Do you understand me?" My face went completely pale. "Y-yes ma'am" I stuttered as I put the cigarette back up. Mother stood up, making the chair screech against the hardwood floor. "I'll take y'all's plates if you're done." Sarah handed mother her plate, as did I. "It's getting late now." Mother said while washing the dishes. "High time you take miss Sarah back home, so her pa won't be worried now. You hear?" I stood up and cleared my throat. "Yes ma'am." Sarah stood up and gave mother a hug. "Now if you ever need anything, you know where I am, you're one of mine now so don't you be forgettin' that!" She said to Sarah. Sarah smiled at her. "Yes mama. Thank you!"
       The screen door screeched as we made our way outside, staring at the sun, beginning to make its way to the tops of the trees. "Well, it looks like we need to get you home." Sarah sighed. I looked into her eyes with love. She returned the look with a wide grin across her face, stretching the skin on her red lips. We slowly made our way down the steps into the yard, the grass brushing against us. I reached out to open Sarah's door as she climbed in, thanking me modestly. I shut the door and glanced up to see mother. I couldn't tell, but it almost seemed as if she was crying, not out of sorrow, but almost joy. I made my way around the front of the bright red sedan, and opened my door. I eased down into the warm cloth seat and closed the door. "Everett?" Sarah looked at me with curious eyes. I looked at her as I let go of the door. "Yes, Sarah?" "I had a great time." She said, trying to fight the tears as she smiled. My heart completely fluttered, my mind went numb, as well as my tongue. "I did too." I stuttered as I nervously fumbled my keys out of my trousers and inserted them into the switch. Sarah leaned over to kiss me, making the seat stitching creak. I turned the key as the reliant six once again fired right up. Sarah looked at me and winked as I kicked it into reverse, grinding the gears as we backed out of the driveway.
The sun, now a quarter of the way behind the trees, cast an orange haze over the vegetation as we drove down the Highway. I pushed in the clutch and went to third gear, grinding once more. "Why does she do that?" Sarah asked in a curious tone. "Well, she needs a new clutch, and I ain't in no financial position to get one." Sarah chuckled "Well you paid for my meal silly! How did you manage that?" I cleared my throat as I reached into my shirt pocket for another cigarette. "Well, when I see something I want, I can pull some strings." I let out a mischievous grin while keeping my eyes locked onto the Highway. Sarah let out a laugh. "Right! I wanted you first!" I took a puff of my cigarette and then replied: "I think we both did at the same time." My smile quickly went away as the evening was nearing. Two more days to go, and they wouldn't go slow either. The further along to Sarah's we got, the more my heart felt heavy, as the anxiety set in. The bright red Ford danced along the windows of Sarah's house as I pulled into the driveway next to her mother's green '42 Lincoln. "Well, Everett, I'll see you-see you real soon." She said as tears began to fill her eyes. I looked up at her, while the engine of the Ford let out a monotonous pur. "I could use a ride to the bus station Monday, if you wouldn't mind." Sarah wiped away the tears. "Of course silly." Sarah leaned in, her perfume putting me in a haze. Our lips met as her mother opened the door. "Sarah Johnson! Where in the hell have you been?" We both froze in fear. Her mother marched off the front porch, approaching the car. "And who might this young man be?" She asked while sternly pointing in my direction. "M-Mother, this is E-Everett." She stuttered as she knew she was in trouble. I looked at her and smiled, assuring her her daughter was safe. Surprisingly, she smiled back. "You must be the young man she was talking about the other night, I didn't realize it was you until I recognized the car." She chuckled. "Yes ma'am, it was me, I'm sorry I kept her out all day-" I cleared my throat and awkwardly added: -"and last night as well." Her mother laughed. "Young man, I can tell you take care of her, she's an adult, just like you are, I trust you." Sarah's face turned to an expression of relief. "Thank you ma'am, she sure does mean something to me." Her mother smiled. "Well, we better get in the house, it was nice to meet you sir!" I smiled as Sarah got out, and I kicked the Ford into reverse. "You too ma'am." Right before I backed out, Sarah gave one final look at me. Although she didn't say anything, I knew exactly what she was saying in her heart, she and I were both afraid to say it out loud.
The orange ball was almost completely behind the trees on the way back home. Trying to fight the anxiety of the days to come, I turned on my radio. "Wildwood Flower" faded into the atmosphere, matching frequency with the purring six cylinder. The faint headlights on the gravel road mesmerized me as I continued home. All I could think about was never seeing Sarah again, and that pain filled my heart. The Ford came to rest as I made it home.
I opened the door to my house, the familiar smells filling my nose. Max was asleep on the chair arm along with mother. I eased into my bedroom and closed the door. I turned on my radio as I slipped out of my trousers. I placed them onto my dresser slowly, looking down at dad's picture. The band to my watch clanked as I took it off of my arm. As I put my shirt on the dresser, I looked up at myself, and to my surprise, looking back, was a very young Everett, holding his fathers flag. I shook my head, and walked over towards my bed as the crickets sang durning the night. The bed creaked as I applied my full weight on the springs. I lay there for at least three hours that night. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was momma, and Sarah.
I must have dozed off around 11:30 that night. My sleep was peaceful and allowed me to forget my troubles. Suddenly, I could hear gunshots. I shot up out of bed, but it wasn't my bed. I looked around, to see what appeared to be barracks. As I looked around frantically, a soldier was sitting in front of my bed, unable to see his face, the moonlight cast over his helmet, revealing years of bullets and bloodstains. The soldier locked eyes with me, I'm not sure how I knew that, but I could almost feel him staring at me. Suddenly he began shouting. "They're over the mountain! Take cover!" I looked around once more, seeing Garry in a uniform, with a bullet in his abdomen, clutching his gut in his hands screaming. I blinked as hard as I could, trying to make it go away. I opened my eyes and both Garry, and the unknown soldier were gone. As I looked up, I could see my mother, and Sarah. I couldn't understand why they were crying, then I saw them holding a folded flag. I called out to them, but all they could say was: "Why". They looked up at me and began saying: "Pass the ammunition." They said it over and over again. I screamed but nothing would come out of my fear driven mouth. They continued saying: "Pass the ammunition, pass the ammunition." They kept getting louder until my head was on fire.
I shot up, drenched in a cold sweat. The bright sun shined through the window as I sat up. I looked over to the left to see my radio was still on, playing "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition." I let out a deep breath of relief.