Stuck In Endora

Chapter Two

I walk outside, cradling paper grocery bags in my arms.

"That's my truck," Gilbert says, nodding towards the yellow Ford I saw last night.

"Okay," I say, acting as if last night never happened.

Gilbert's brother, Arnie, barrels out the door behind us and clambers into the truck. I can't help smiling at the sight of the 17 year old who is utterly amused with just a jar full of grasshoppers. He's a good kid, but I've seen him climbing up the water tower one too many times. My gaze follows him for a time but I soon turn back to the groceries in my arms.

I set the bags in the back of the truck, and Gilbert sets more beside them. He's too close for my taste, so I step back and make my way to the passenger seat. I may only live a few minutes away but I can already tell this is going to be the longest ride of my life. Gilbert climbs in and slams the door, which makes me jump a little.

"Where to, uh...?" He asks, obviously wondering my name.

"Wynne. Just outside the town square here," I point down the road in the direction of my house.

"Wynne. Hmm, it's better than Gilbert." He grins and looks away from the road, which makes me uncomfortable.

I  nod and don't say anything. I watch the road go by and make a mental note to always take the car to the store. It's not like my parents ever go anywhere and if they needed to we have a Buick in the garage.

Arnie giggles beside me, "Wynne," he keeps repeating my name.

"Arnie." Gilbert says firmly.

"He's fine, I don't mind." I say and turn to Arnie, "How many grasshoppers are in your jar, Arnie?" I ask, trying to make this ride a little more pleasant.

He smiles and begins to count them, but they're moving too fast and he's counting out of order. Suddenly he stops and grabs his brother's arm, "Gilbert! Can we go to the water tower? Pleaaassseeee?"

"Arnie, no! No water tower. You're not supposed to-"

Arnie is already off the subject and has turned back to me, "I'm gonna be eighteen next... next uh..."

"Month." Gilbert helps him out.

"Yep, next month! Next month, next month, next month!"

Soon we come upon my street and I tell Gilbert where to turn. I don't wait for him to cut the engine before hopping out. When the last of the groceries are set on the porch, I return to the truck and say goodbye to Arnie. I say nothing to Gilbert and return to my house.

The rest of the day consists of putting away food and making lunch and making dinner. Doing all the things the child of the house shouldn't have to do. When all the work in the kitchen is done, I realize how oddly quiet it is. I venture downstairs with laundry as an excuse, but peek into the TV room. My dad isn't here. Going outside and checking on the garage, I see the Buick is gone too. Thank God. Maybe we can have a peaceful night now. I come back inside to find my mother waiting in the kitchen.

"I got groceries," I smile, seeing her angry expression.

"I know." She groans and goes on, "Right when I needed to get out of here too. He started up again and it took me a lifetime to get him out of here when I could've just left."

I want to tell my mother that it's not my fault she married a sleazy man. I want to tell her that she could've just left but then I'd be stuck to face the man. I want to tell her a lot of things but instead I just say, "I'm sorry. He's gone for now though."

She nods, "Yes, that's right." She gives a long sigh, "Anyways... was that Gilbert who delivered your groceries just a minute ago?"

I look down, "Well, yeah. I should've brought the car."

"Do you... like ... Gilbert?"

"NO!" I shake my head and turn to go out the door yet again. I want to say that even if I did like him, he's Mrs. Betty Carver's, and I would not like to mess with that woman for a man I don't really even know. I feel no need to explain where I'm going because my parents don't do crap for me, and they don't deserve any explanation. I can go wherever I want.

 I wander around Endora, because there is nothing to actually DO in Endora. Finding my way down the Carver's street, I spot a certain yellow Ford turning into the Carver's driveway. The garage door opens for it and I catch a glimpse of Mrs. Carver with her hand on the button. I can see this relief in her eyes, this hunger. Part of me feels for the woman, the woman married to the materialistic and fake Mr. Ken Carver, but part of me is disgusted that her only relief is the 20-something year old delivery boy. I hide behind a tree to watch this all play out. Arnie is sent out the front door to play with the Carver boys, Todd and Doug. I try to see through the windows but they've thought of everything, and all the curtains are closed. The boys play in the yard for quite a long time and something goes on in the house. The hot air of summer fills my ears and the town is quiet. Suddenly, I'm shaken from my thoughts and silence as a car travels down the road. It's Mr. Carver. I catch Gilbert's eyes in one of the windows, and soon both of them are standing up, their hair is messy and from what I can see Gilbert's apron from the grocery store is ruffled. They quickly make their way outside and I hear Mrs. Carver.

"Gilbert was just making a delivery. Oh Ken, honey, how was your day." Every word that woman just said is a lie. Ken is not her "honey". I wonder if he knows.

"Gilbert!" Mr. Carver's booming voice is so loud that I can hear it completely clearly from across the street and can catch his fake tone. "Where's your truck, son?"

Before Gilbert can say anything, Mrs. Betty Carver says, "We parked it in the garage, it looked like rain a few minutes ago don't you think?" If Mr. Carver believes that he's an idiot. Endora has been in a drought for months.

"Well, I better be going," Gilbert smiles what I assume to be his best I-most-certainly-am-not-fooling-around-with-your-wife-please-do-not-kill-me smile. "Arnie, let's- Arnie?"

I search the front yard, Arnie isn't there anymore. The Carver boys shrug and police cars rush past me. Arnie is gone and everyone knows where he went. I start off running towards the water tower before Gilbert can get there. I decide watching a mentally-challenged kid climb up a water tower and his brother- his brother who is 20-something, works at a grocery store, and is stuck in the same hideous town I am- fight with the sheriff and convince him that it's the last time is more exciting than going home. So by the time I get to the water tower, Arnie is almost to the top, but it's only just begun, because Gilbert still isn't here to start his convincing. I climb the nearest tree and settle in to watch one of the only exciting events in Endora unfold. It will happen just like it always does, but it will happen.

I pick at a scab on my arm as I wait for Gilbert to arrive to the scene. A slamming car door startles me and I look down to see Gilbert sprinting over to the police officers. They speak for a minute and then Gilbert takes the megaphone from the sheriff.

"Match in the gas tank, boom boom." He sings.

A small crowd has gathered around the water tower, and we all wait in silence. Finally, Arnie begins to crawl down the ladder. Something about that song always gets him down. Now I wait for the argument between Gilbert and the officers to start. It goes back and forth for quite a while, and while I can't hear from my tree, I know Gilbert will win. I watch the argument drag on and on but in the end Gilbert takes Arnie by the hand and they get in their truck and drive away. From where I'm sitting I can see through the back window of the truck that Gilbert has one hand on Arnie. I climb down the tree and follow them, Gilbert hasn't moved his hand from Arnie. He really cares about that kid. He really does.