A Small Town

Chapter Seven\ Teddy

When Bax finally arrived at the garage it was afternoon. The weather was cold and overcast but he was sweating from the exertion. Bob was inside the station sitting on an old kitchen chair tipped back on two legs behind the counter. At first, Bax thought he was asleep but then he spotted the cigarette between his fingers.

"Kind of dangerous smoking at a gas station don't you think, Bob?" Bax asked by way of greeting.

The old man opened his eyes and gave him a sour look.

"You're cars not ready." He said.

Bax frowned. "What's the holdup?"

Bob tipped his chair forward, his boots landing on the floor with an audible thump and rose to stand with a small groan. He took off his baseball cap and scratched his head vigorously like a dog with fleas. "Waiting on a part. Could take a couple o' days."

"I don't have a couple of days. As it is I'm gonna have to pay you with a personal cheque. I'm outta cash and if there's a bank in town I haven't seen it."

Bob came around puffing his cigarette like a steam engine. "Banks twenty miles east, but I'll take a cheque and so will the hotel... as long as you got two pieces o' ID."

"Great, lucky me!" Bax said sarcastically, turning to leave.

"What's your rush? Bob asked, but before Bax could answer he continued. "Always strikes me as funny, people running around, speedin' and zigzaggin' in an outta traffic just so's they can get home and do nothing. Tell me, you got someplace special to be, or are you just in a hurry to go nowhere?" This was by far the longest Bax had ever heard the old man speak.

He turned back suddenly angry with the old man. "I just wanna get out of this little shit stain you call a town, Bob! Is that too much to ask?"

A crunching of tires on dirt and gravel drew their attention before Bob could answer. An old pick up truck pulled up to the pumps and without a word, Bob Kout stepped past Bax and outside.

The man in the truck got out and started cranking up the gas pump. Bob headed towards him casually flicking his cigarette down to the ground and stepping on it without breaking stride.

"Hey, Bob!" Called the new arrival over the hood of the truck.

"How's it going Teddy?" asked Bob as he retrieved the squeegee and began cleaning the windshield of the pickup.

Teddy smiled, he had a huge scar on his face that travelled diagonally from his right jaw across the bridge of his nose and ended in the hairline above his left eye. At first, Bax though he was gap-toothed then realized that all the upper teeth on the right side of his mouth were gone.

"Real good Bob, thanks," said Teddy. He grabbed the fuel nozzle and began filling the truck's tank. Who's yer friend?"

Bax raised his hand in greeting, "I'm Jeff."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "I ain't see you around here before, Jeff." It sounded almost like an accusation.

"I'm just passing through, had some car trouble..." Bax said, wondering why he was explaining himself to some damaged hick.

A light bulb went off behind Teddy's eyes. "Oh right... you're the alternator guy!"

"Yeah, I guess I am," Bax said.

Teddy smiled again, and Bax could see the soft pink gums where the teeth should be glistening wetly. "Well, that's gonna take a couple o' days... ain't it Bob?"

Bob finished cleaning the window and spat on the ground. "Yup... that's what I told him, but he's in a big rush."

Bax looked at the two men and considered making a smart remark but thought better of it. No need to piss off the locals, when they could make this tough for him. "Well, I guess I'll head back into town. You guys have a good day."

Teddy had finished filling the tank and pulled his wallet out to pay. "I'm headed that way... you want a ride, Jeff?"

The contest between his sore back and a ride with a scar-faced, toothless hick wasn't even close. Once Teddy got his change he and Bax got into the truck and headed for town.

They rode for a minute neither one saying anything.. Bax didn't like the silence so he ventured some polite conversation.

"So, do you live around here, Teddy?"

"Yessir, all my life. I got a place up the road, handed down from my daddy and his daddy before him." Said Teddy, there was a stubborn pride in his voice that struck Bax as odd. "You staying at the hotel, I guess you met Sara, huh?

The question took Bax by surprise. "Oh – yeah, I met her. Seems like a nice girl." He added awkwardly.

Teddy snorted, "'Nice' yeah right! I'll give you some free advice, Jeff. You watch out for Sara Massie... she's a man-eater."

"The good kind or the bad kind?" Bax asked, trying for a little joke.

Teddy turned his eyes from the road to look at him. "What do ya mean?"

Bax sighed, "Forget it... what about the girl at the bookstore, Lisa. What's her story?" He had asked it without thinking. Why did he care 'what her story' was? He would be gone it a couple of days.

Teddy whistled through what remained of his teeth and Bax wondered what had happened to his face. The injury that could cause that scar must have been serious.

"She's alright I suppose... for a Turner." Teddy made a u-turn and pulled the truck up in front of the Hotel. "Well, here you go, Jeff. I head past here most days around noon so if you're looking for a ride out to Bob's just flag me down."

"Well, I might just take you up on that, Thanks for the ride, Teddy," Bax said as he stepped out of the pick-up. "Good meeting you!"

"You too, take it easy!" Teddy called as he pulled back out onto the road, made another U-turn and headed east. Bax watched him go and then headed back into the White Birch.

The front desk was empty as usual, but he found the old man in the hallway a few doors from his room and asked about lunch. He mentioned he would be staying another night at least and the man simply nodded and walked away.

Weirdo, thought Bax as he pulled out the key and stepped into his room. He looked around dejectedly. No TV... no Internet... not even a phone... How did people live like this? he wondered. He crossed the room and retrieved his duffle bag. If he was going to be stuck here he might as well unpack.

Most of his things had gone ahead to the cottage in Sundridge with the moving company. He had packed the duffle at the last minute with things he would need right away until he had a chance to unpack his boxes. Just the essentials, a few shirts, socks and underwear. An extra pair of jeans which he was already wearing. Toiletries, the Paperwork for the new place and some granola bars.

He tossed all of this into one drawer of the bureau and pushed it shut. The drawer closed but then popped out again just a little. Bax pushed it in and felt a soft resistance. What the Hell?

He scooped out his belongings, dumped them into the next drawer and pulled the first out until it stopped. Peering into the small space he could see something behind it so he jiggled the drawer all the way out, rested it on the floor, and looked inside. At the back of the bureau was a manila envelope. It was wedged in tight. Bax reached in and pulled it out.

The envelope was sealed shut and there was no name or address. He hesitated, began to slide his finger under the edge to tear it open and stopped. I should just take it down to the front desk he thought.

He went back to the bed and put it in the side table. He would be a good citizen and take it down later.

Bax sat down on the edge of the bed and felt the little book Lisa had given him poking him it the rump. He leaned to one side and pulled it out. 'Magnetawan Ontario - a History' stared back at him. He thought of the barn owl with her big eyes, rolled onto his back opened the book and began to flip through its pages.