Project Sorna

Forty-three

                Ruckus & dismay from beyond the fencing confirmed AJ's troubles. It was practically the 10th time the boy struggled when keeping his pride in yardwork. He grew up the Washington way, usual intent to make a full grown man of himself-being no coach-potato in the Edgewood neighborhood of his uncle, Lenny Prestley. Regarding himself as the closest mentor to AJ, the big guy didn't stand out too much than having soft greying eyes, balding of fringed hair, & overall quiet personality-with stranger's that was.

               Keeping his old man comfortable without his hip replacement, AJ had wasted no time in digging the rest of his way in the back woods. The concerned uncle steadily came down from the steps successfully & walked forward with his cane to see what was up.

              "Hey, kid!" he caught AJ's attention. "Take it from me; work your veins anymore into that hole you dug there, & you'll be just like your pop."

              AJ didn't entirely get the notion. "Doctor's rule, 'pop'; you need to relax."

            "Uh-uh. Don't tell me to relax when your breaking a sweat in 20-degree weather."

          AJ relucted to think twice, but he sighed away & turned his head  to think of something that would give society the benefit of the doubt.  His gravely hand wiped at the beads of sweat that made the chill seem like a heatwave in the early morning. The shovel toppled over to lean against the dirt as Prestley climbed to whisper the two words to his uncle, "I'm sorry."

         "Don't be sorry."

        "Huh. Dinosaurs, fossils, vacation, oh my!" AJ was sarcastic in a ruthful way, waving arms above his head. "It's more than that, uncle Lenny."

        "Don't know what to tell you."

        Mr. Prestley sauntered from his nephew to a well-winded cherry tree. He brought his attention to the bird-feeder that spilled grains of seeds on the ground.

       "Damn squirrels always outsmarting your old man!" Lenny kicked up the dust in a fit. His gaze contrasted against AJ's playful smug. It sure meant one thing-the boy knew more than his good uncle ever could. Sometimes his words came out with all the more emphasis.

       Your staring again. Is that how you attract young ladies at your youth?"

     "Robin always reminded me that dinosaurs, big or small, had a lot more bird in them than lizard brains. Lucky that I remember that much of her." he remarked on his sister's behalf.

       Lenny didn't care on sticking around, taking the birdfeeder to the garage for much-needed repairs.

        "The thing's cheap, uncle Lenny."

       "Don't need to tell me twice." Lenny took to his gears. "Why are you all of a sudden bringing your big sister up?"

       "Okay--someone has to be optimistic about something they live for, am I right? People go on about the positives, it's never about the negatives. Then, there's Robin. My sister's got her nose deep into some documentary rambling, all of a sudden gets swept off her feet to try something new."

       "You didn't give her a piece of your mind, after all? Why do you everyone else supports it?" his uncle expressed.

       "I tried. I tried, a-and she was as stubborn as ever!"

       White-haired Prestley was silent with no valid dispute of his own. His eyes looked around the protective barrier of walls & decorative furs, all he found to please only himself. But like many restless minds, there was always room for God to give Lenny his will. The man tried countless times to earn back his place as a pastor.

       "Robin might not be spiritual or religious like your uncle,but she'll find her way. I never known her as the glass-half-empty kind of young lady."

        AJ was aimlessly speaking his mind, discarding his sets of gloves without any sense of knowing the cold that attacked. "By God, if I were to give to slap some sense into her head!"

       Not thoroughly catching up to a telephone ringing, Lenny jogged from the cold into his mobile. Clutter hid the telephone at first, making him late to answer.

      "You have 5739-233 in DC, is that you, Robin?" he gave his best chant.

       No, a male voice. Straight-forward, too. Not as straight-forward as Lenny was eager with. He claimed himself as a mysterious official, not willing to take questions or elaborate any further than what he said.

        "What your saying concerns me, how?"

      

    

        "Would've made sense to contact Fred Prestley, the guy's her father. Like I have any idea-"

         "No?" he said, comprehending every word as AJ hiked up the ramp, amused to see the telephone through the window.