Fem

Part 30

I rode by Tori's house on a Saturday afternoon and her dad was mowing the lawn. Tori wasn't home, but he invited me in to show me some more ducks. He said ducks were great because the mallards came in all different shades of green, red, and gold. He said ducks are opposite from people because men are drab but ladies get tarted up. But for ducks, it's the boys that put on a show.

He said, Ain't that a kick in the ass?

He showed me an unpainted mallard that was perfectly carved. The wood was sanded smooth and there were at least a hundred feathers on the back. The face had a little smile and the head was cocked just right, giving a bit of attitude.

Tori's dad turned it over and over in his hands. He said, What do you figure this guy is thinking, little man?

I said, He's thinking he needs colour.

I sat on a little stool in the corner and watched Tori's dad paint the head. He had a dozen little brushes and these tiny pots of paint. When he started working he got super focussed. He had a little monocle that he used for close detail.

The beak was orange and red shaded into each other. There was a white ring around the neck. The rest of the head was this most incredible emerald green. He painted it different at the back so it looked like light reflecting.

I watched his body as he painted. He swayed as he worked but used the tiniest of wrist movements to work the brush. I was watching a piece of wood come to life.

There was a loud pounding at the door and then it opened. It was Tori's mom. Somehow she didn't notice me sitting in the corner. She looked and sounded like a big version of Tori. They had the same pinched lips and bossy voice. She was mad. She said, We're eating dinner and you haven't even mowed the back lawn yet!

She slammed the door and started yelling for all the kids to come to the table. Tori's dad came out of his artist's trance. He looked a bit surprised to see me sitting there. He said, Hey little man.

I said hey back.

He did one last thing on the duck. He painted its eyes. They were glossy black circles. On the surface, the eyes made the duck look like a dumb animal, but there was so much more behind them, like knowing how to survive a winter and hunt and find a mate.

The duck's eyes were like Tori's dad's eyes. Simple and handsome but with so much going on behind and below.

Tori's mom shrieked that he better get to the table, pronto.

He said, Women.

He winked at me, like I understood.

I don't understand much but I do understand this. When I grow up, I won't be like him. There's no way I'll be ordered around by a big version of Tori. Even imagining it makes me feel sick.

*

Chad's dad is the first base coach. Before our at bat in the last inning, he came over to me. Marty, he said, you never swing!

He was being nice, but it bugged me that he noticed. I shrugged and said, The pitchers are no good. If I wait, they'll throw four balls before they throw three strikes.

Chad's dad laughed. He said, If you see a nice ball coming down the middle, keep your eye on it and swing.

There was one out and I was on deck. Jeremy was at bat. He was swinging hard at every pitch. He was either going to strike out or hit a home run.