Me and Charley

11. Insight

Fuzzy rectangles of intense light around the window shades told me that it was full daylight already. I put my glasses on. It was a quarter to nine. Amazing! Paul's bed was empty. Jack and Jimmy were gone too. I got into my shorts and a fresh t-shirt and headed downstairs where I found everyone at breakfast in the kitchen, other than Mom who had long since gone to work.

Aunt Laura said, "Well, good morning, sleepyhead. Sit down and I'll get you something to eat."

I asked, "Why didn't somebody wake me?"

Jack replied, "Our mom said let you be, if you were sleeping that hard you needed it."

I asked, "How long have you been up?"

Jack replied, "We been up since six."

"Jack!" Uncle Mack exclaimed. "Trey, they showed up about twenty minutes ago."

"Just kidding, Dad," Jack said, grinning. He sure liked to stir the pot. He asked, "What are we going to do today?"

Uncle Mack replied, "Well, if we get moving soon we could go to the state park and hike to the falls." The park was a 45-minute drive away, and the walk to the falls took another twenty minutes. "Then we could have lunch at that restaurant in the park before we come home. What do you think?" I had done that with Uncle Mack and Aunt Laura and their kids during the Memorial Day gathering a couple of years before.

"Oh, yeah!" Jack exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Uncle Mack said, "All right, as soon as Trey's finished we'll go. Sneakers on everyone, please. You too, Trey."

Aunt Laura said, "Now Trey, don't rush. There's plenty of time."

I said "Yes'm" but I moved it right along. It came to me that this was just about the last chance to do something with my cousins for a while.

Paul asked, "Can Charley come?"

"If he wants to," Uncle Mack replied, "but I'm not sure he can do the trail to the overlook."

Paul said, "It's not hard. Me and my brothers did it with our dad when I was seven, one time when we came for Thanksgiving. Our dad didn't think I should come but I wanted to and Doug insisted. When we got home Robbie drew this fancy certificate for me and put it in a frame. It's still hanging on the wall in my room."

I asked, "Robbie can draw?"

"Oh yeah," Paul said. "He's a good artist." I would never have thought that of Robbie.

I finished my breakfast and called Charley's house. Ms. Rhoda said, "Charley left an hour ago. He's riding his bike to David's, to see what they do to get ready for church meeting."

"Really? Did they say he could come?"

"They don't have a phone, so there was no way to ask. Charley said if their bishop says David can come here, he can go there."

"That's an awful long way for him, all by himself."

"Well, Trey, we've found that when Charley gets his mind set on something, it's best to let him try it. He thinks things out and nearly always comes out all right."

"He's awful brave. I wish I knew how to be like him."

"Not very many people are like him. Give yourself time, honey."

"Yes'm. I'm sorry he can't come with us. I think my cousins will be disappointed."

"Call when you get back. Maybe he'll be back by then. I'm sure he'd like to spend some time with your cousins while he can. Are you coming to church tomorrow?"