N.A.M.I.

Chapter Four

Part of Tommy couldn’t help but love the act of breaking the rules of the road, however the throbbing pain in his nose reminded him that his dad’s words “there are rules for a reason” are all too true.  He had a chalky paint like taste in his mouth from the airbag residue.  He started to shake his head and was somewhat amused by the poof of white dust that escaped from his hair and floated slowly to his lap.

Bob noticed that his option of taking the streets was becoming less and less feasible if he ever wanted to get to Tabby’s school.  The traffic was moving like molasses pouring over a cold plate.  He could see a drainage ditch across the road that had been built once this area started to develop to herd flood water to a large man made reservoir.  This reservoir just so happened to be only a few blocks from Tabby’s school.  He knew the initial act of getting into the concrete ditch would be a bumpy ride.

He looked toward Tommy and saw he had both hands full.  One was still holding the handkerchief to his nose pulling it away for examination every few seconds, and the other firmly grasping the handle of the passenger’s door.  He was proud of his little trooper as when saw a smile creep across his face as he shook his head violently releasing a cloud of white dust.  It had never taken much more than a stick, some dirt, and a heaping serving of his imagination to make Tommy happy. 

“Hold on Tommy, it could get a little rough again.”  Bob saw Tommy’s slender fingers tighten around the door handle.  He couldn’t even imagine what was going through his mind and was a little concerned that he hadn’t once asked his father what was happening.  No matter how troubling that might be, his son’s mental well being would have to wait.  The rapidly approaching road was bumper to bumper and there it stood between Bob and the ditch on the opposing side.

 Bob barely slowed as he swerved out of the easement and onto the street.  He was able to find an opening between a city dump truck and a small SUV.  He felt his truck bottom out as he bounced over the grassy medium that divided the north and south lanes.  His luck did not hold as he tried to burst through the traffic to the safety of the drainage ditch on the other side of the street.  The impact sounded like one of those clapping hand contraptions you get at the high school basketball games to annoy the opposing teams free throw shooters. However it was amplified with a jarring thud and abrupt stop.

Bob sat in shock for what seemed like minutes but in reality was no more than a couple of seconds.  He looked toward Tommy, and like a tsunami, reality hit him and he knew exactly what was going on.  He was in a fight for his life.  He had to reach into himself, past the depressing moments of the recent months he viewed as failure and become that man that never let his family down no matter what the cost.  He heard the car door slam and the onslaught of profanity from the driver of the car that had smashed in the bed of his truck.  He smiled at Tommy and was surprised to see him smile back.  They had held a conversation in that brief glance that I am your dad and I am going to make everything ok.

Bob’s foot fell on the gas pedal as if it weighted a thousand pounds. The high pitched shriek of tires and nauseating smell of burnt rubber filled the cab of the truck.  He could hear the other car’s driver scream “What the hell do you think you are doing?”  Bob was turning his wheels back in the direction of the ditch when he realized he was still caught up on the car that had collided with him.  He readjusted his wheels and slammed on the gas again.  The truck seemed to be working it’s self free when the driver’s side door ripped open and a burly hand grasp his shirt.

 “Get your ass out here!” The man was bleeding from his forehead where he had apparently bumped it on the steering wheel after hitting Bob’s truck.  The man tugged on Bob’s shirt with an abnormal amount of torque.  Maybe it was anger, maybe adrenaline but Bob was slung to the ground.  He didn’t have time to properly brace himself for the impact and felt his chin spilt open as it bounced off the roadway.

As Bob scrambled to his feet he heard Tommy scream in pure terror.  The driver of the other car had morphed from accident victim to assailant and Bob was his target.  Bob could still feel the cobwebs from the violent impact of his face on the pavement.  The man stepped within arm’s reach and let a haymaker go toward Bob’s head.  The force of the blow was deafening.  Bob staggered back and tripped on the curb.  He toppled down the hill toward the ditch he so desperately had been seeking.  As he tumbled backwards he saw the man following him down the embankment.

Bob got his footing and was able to avoid the mad man’s next attack pushing him to the side and throwing him off balance. Bob looked back toward the street and saw Tommy standing on the curb gazing down at him white as a ghost. Something inside Bob knew he had to end this. The man had fallen to one knee and was starting to stand when Bob’s right foot struck him across his face.  The man crumpled to the ground.  Bob did not hesitate and with what was more of a hop then a step planted his heel firmly on the downed man’s cheek.  The man went limp.  Bob knew he could have seriously injured him but his compassion was directed toward the boy that stood atop the curb looking down at his father.  Tommy seemed as if he was seconds away from going into shock.

Bob darted up the hill like an animal, using his hands like claws to pull him up as fast as possible. He grabbed Tommy under one arm and headed back to his truck.  One by-stander thought about trying to stop him but the look of determination on Bob’s face quickly quelled any heroic gesture. Bob push Tommy to the passenger’s side floor board and again slammed the gas pedal on his truck.  With two quick jerks from left to right the truck was free and heading toward the ditch.  Swerving to miss the man he had just knocked out his truck bounced down the concrete sidewall and into the flat bottom ditch heading northeast toward Tabby’s school. 

Tommy slowly crawled up from the floor board, sat in the passenger’s seat and fastened his seatbelt.  The white powder on his face was streaked in lines from his tears.  His chest seemed to convulse as he tried to regain a sense of calm.  He looked toward Bob and burst into tears.  “You killed him daddy.”