Lucas And The Time-Traveling Fog Unfinished Business

Chapter (14): Tough Enough

The next day I felt so rejuvenated with hope and most importantly I was in a good mood that I didn't hesitate at all to get ready especially when one of my new friends from California came to the front door and asked my mother if they could pick me up to take me out on the town. Once I was with them, I immediately asked them if I could find myself a knife, specifically a switchblade. Frankie asked me why and I basically had to explain my encounter with Tommy from the beginning to how I had a knife to my throat and wanting to defend myself. He told me, "Gary, as much as I would like to help a brother like you out, no one can buy a switchblade from anywhere anymore."

"Since when?"

"Since LAST YEAR when the government decided to make it illegal for everyone to buy and own one. Remember all those punks that rioted at town hall last summer?" My other friend Mikey replied as we arrived at Frankie's house where I was told to wait in the backyard.

As we were walking to the gated fence I curiously asked "If it's so illegal then how did Tommy get his hands on one?"

"Doesn't matter but what matters now is how you defend yourself when he strikes you with it... I've encountered dirty greasers like him before so it will happen, but when it does you'll be ready." Frankie then headed back inside and when he came out in the backyard, he looked to his left, then his right, and asked "Is this the kind of knife that greaser Tommy used to threaten you with?" As with one subtle swing with his arm the blade popped out and he let me have a close look at it. I looked at the shiny blade with its shiny black handle. When looking at it I swear I heard Tommy's voice saying "Next time you get in my way again... you're DEAD you hear me, DEAD!"

I shook my head and confidently said "Yeah that's the one he used."

"Thought so," Mikey replied. "Did you know that every greaser has one of these babies? They are almost hard to come by nowadays." Frankie said. After that I got shown through baby steps on what to do to stop the blade, even being told what position I should be in and everything. I got to say it was really cool letting someone in the know but not really in the know about what would happen or already happened to me in the future.

It was a slow process... kinda like learning how to ride a bike but instead of falling off the bike and scraping your knee, you're trying not to get slashed or stabbed. I found it really useful and trying to disarm my friend here almost became like a game to me and the goal was simply to grab his backhand and smack it away from him.

After a brief session, Frankie said "Alright, that's enough for today before someone spots us roughhousing and calls the cops." But when I asked him how long it would take for me to be good at avoiding all his strikes and disarming him, he told me that "Give or take a few days or maybe a week and you would be more than ready to take down Tommy Cooper for good."

"I like the sound of that... Frankie." I replied with a smile.

So, whenever I was free and not busy spending time with the family I would be in Frankie's backyard learning self-defense. It took me till Christmas Eve, almost five whole days to learn and master the art of self-defense. But just as I was feeling a bit cocky in my abilities the real test was about to begin and this time, I was ready. Me and Frankie got into positions while the rest of Gary's friends watched as Frankie played the role of a greaser, at times it felt like he was actually Tommy. So as we were rolling around in the grass where I was desperately trying to get the knife out of his hands, I got him pinned down on the ground and snatched it out of his hands and it was in mine. But as I had it ready to kill him... seething with rage I looked at the knife then at Tommy whose image faded away and turned into Frankie. I snapped out of my angry trance and tossed the knife away and helped Frankie up to his feet.

He thanked me and said "Golly, I've never seen you that angry before, you looked like you could have killed me back there. This greaser definitely has it coming to him. You're ready my friend." That's the best news I'd heard this entire trip. After my last lesson, I was in such a better mood now that I asked for help without really giving a full reason as to why. Perfect timing too because Christmas was almost there, where people are supposed to be jolly and not depressed. That and having to sing Christmas carols while seeing kids making snow angels and having snowball fights in the neighborhood but not here in sunny California though. Where the only fun thing you could do was making a sand angel or Frosty the Sandman.

That reminds me I just realized something, this will be my first true holiday without spending time with my real family and possibly never seeing my little brothers Liam or Alex opening presents again. I don't even remember what I got for Christmas last year now that I think of it, maybe I got some clothes or just a $100 Visa gift credit card. I don't even know what I truly want for this Christmas, maybe to feel like I'm at home, I guess? But even that is currently up in the air still. So, I don't know anymore.

Anyway, I was really getting excited for this Christmas eve but I didn't know why maybe it was all those fun memories I had as a kid when me and my brothers would go help my dad chop down the pine tree at some tree farm or we would race to see who could finish decorating the ornaments on the tree first where I would easily win. But this was different, there's like this sense of nostalgia I was having where I wouldn't mind having some hot cocoa with marshmallows by the fire and listening to some classic Christmas songs on some Victrola or being the one who got to put the star up on top of the tree.

Christmas eve was finally here and... we arrived at Uncle Ernie's and Aunt Ruth's house where everything was Christmas-themed and perfect around their house like the tablecloths and wall decorations. They went all out. We were the first ones to arrive and we were all wearing our festive outfits. I had a gray polo shirt with a red vest and green tie while the girls were polar opposites. Mary had a green and red plaid dress while Susan had a red and green plaid dress. Their house seemed like ours back home but I wasn't too sure about that, I loved the music that was playing in the background as it was Mistletoe and Holly sung by the late great Frank Sinatra.

After chilling and making small talk with my aunt and uncle the rest of Gary's extended family arrived. I greeted all of his close family members including cousins and grandparents where once again I somehow knew every one of them by name and nickname even. Being here had a real homey feel to it that I couldn't explain. I enjoyed and savored every moment of this holiday from eating the Christmas eve meal, laughing at people's conversations at the dinner table to opening presents with my cousins on Christmas eve. I was surprised at what stuff I even got that day. Once we left late at Aunt Ruth and Uncle Ernie's house, I helped my dad to put the presents that we received in the trunk then made my way to the backseat. As I was sitting there, Susan fell asleep resting her head on my shoulder.

She looked so peaceful and adorable sleeping that I didn't have it in me to move a muscle or tell my parents that she was asleep. As we arrived back at the house, Gary's dad carried her on his shoulder while I saw one of her Christmas presents which was a vintage Blonde Barbie doll with a black and white striped dress that was in her grasp falling to the ground in slow motion on the driveway. I picked the doll up and followed dad as he tucked her into bed, kissed her goodnight, and left to go grab our presents in the trunk. As for me, I placed the Barbie doll upright on her nightstand, kissed her on the forehead, and whispered "Sweet dreams." I looked back at her one more time before closing the door where I then had to help my dad with the presents from the trunk.

After that, I was beaten, but I have to say that this was one the best days I've ever had since being stuck in 1959 again. Where for the first time in a while I felt like I was truly at home spending the holidays with my family again. Now I couldn't wait to see what's in store for me tomorrow. As the old saying goes, as one day ends another one begins.