Exhilaration | Shawn Hunter [Boy Meets World]

Grandma Was A Rolling Stone

Me, Cory and Shawn were all in Mr. Feeny's yard, collecting snails off his flowers. The boys thought it would be for when we go fishing with the Matthews, but I knew better. Anyway I did it to be nice.

Mr. Matthews came out. "Hey, guys. Collecting snails?"

"Yeah, Mr. Feeny said we can take 'em off his flowers and use them for bait for when we all go fishing Sunday," Cory told his father.

Mr. Matthews looked to Mr. Feeny. "Fish don't eat snails."

The boys looked to our teacher who smiled. "Gee, I guess I was mistaken."

"Well, whenever you guys are ready the bass master here is all set to pass on to the younger generation some of the finer points of spin casting," Mr. Matthews showed us the fishing pole.

Cory turned to Mr. Feeny. "Manipulating young and impressionable minds," he said, handing the bag of snails over. "I hope you're proud of yourself, Mr. Feeny."

"Indeed I am, Mr. Matthews," Mr. Feeny replied.

"Come on, guys," Mr. Matthews called. We jump over Mr. Feeny's fence and watch. "Now, the main thing to remember is that basically it's a simple flick of the wrist. You open the bail hold the line with your finger and then it's 2:00, 10:00." He kept moving the pole back, not knowing it knocked down Mr. Feeny's plants until it was too late.

"Kind of a quarter after 3 thing you got going on there, Dad, huh?" Cory teased causing me to snicker.

"May a, uh, fellow angler try his luck?" Mr. Feeny asked, looking at the pole.

Mr. Matthews handed it over. "Be my guest, George."

"Thank you." Mr. Feeny messed with the pole a bit before aiming for the bucket on the ground making it in.

I started clapping. "Nice job, Mr. Feeny."

Mr. Feeny smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Cooper.It's like getting back on a bicycle. One never forgets."

"Mr.Feeny, you fish?" Cory questioned.

"Oh, sure.I'm an old bass hog from way back," he answered. "I'll never forget that September morn, 1956. I was after small-mouth bass on the Louisiana Delta..."

"Sounds fascinating, George," Mr. Matthews commented.

"Spanish moss hanging down and the cypress knees jutting up through the brackish water of the bayou..."

"Sounds fascinating, George," Mr. Matthews repeated.

"Dad, how come Eric's not coming with us this year?" Cory asked.

"Well, your brother's discovered girls. He can't sit still. When you're Eric's age and you can't sit still, I'll take Morgan. It's the endless cycle of fishing."

"And what about after Morgan?" I ask.

"Well, then I'll just be some guy in a fishing hat with a lot of boring stories," he said, glancing at Mr. Feeny before holding a hand to his chest.

"Did you just scare yourself, Dad?" Cory asked.

"Whoa, yes, I think I did," he answered.

***

Sunday came and it was time to go fishing. Cory didn't come because he had plans with his grandma, but Shawn went. It was fun. We drank root beer, eating potato chips and bonding away with one another.

We got back to Mr. Matthews house by sundown. We barely walked into the backyard and saw Eric liplocked with some girl.

Eric saw us and pulled back from the girl causing me to raise my eyebrows.

"Nice night, huh?" Mr. Matthews commented.

"Yeah," Eric answered.

"Well, we're just, uh, passing through."

"Good. Pass."

Once Mr. Matthews walked near the door, Shawn nudged Eric. "Eric, the lipmaster."

I pull Shawn away. "Leave Eric alone," I tell him.

"Yeah, thank you, Betty," Eric told me.
"Look, anybody else, or are we all done here?"

I then notice Cory speak up from his treehouse. "Everyone have a great day without me?"

Eric pointed to Cory. "How long have you been up there?"

"Long enough to watch you swap spit with a Feeny," he said before climbing down.

"Well, I'd say the mood is sufficiently killed wouldn't you?" Eric asked the girl.

"Dead and buried," she said.

"I think my little sister's busy tomorrow so it looks like it's just you and me."

"I'll bring the pen." Huh? "Good night. Everyone."

"She's related to Feeny?" Mr. Matthews questioned.

"Niece," Eric answered.

"Nice," Mr. Matthews said.

"Nice? She's beautiful. That's the most incredible girl I ever kissed."

"Which puts her at the top of a list of what, two?" Cory teased.

"Look, making out is not a spectator sport," Eric commented before walking in the house.

"Ooh..." Mr. Matthews said as everyone, but me clapped. Mr. Matthews looked to Cory. "What are you doing back from Baltimore so early?"

"I didn't go to Baltimore," Cory answered.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I stayed here all day 'cause Grandma dumped me while my best friends was out stealing my dad," Cory looked to me and Shawn.

I rolled my eyes. "Calm down," I tell him.

"Oh, grow up. We weren't stealing your father," Shawn said.

I pick up my backpack. "We gotta go home."

"Good night, Shawn. Good night, Betty," Mr. Matthews told us.

"Night, Dad," Shawn teased with a smile.

"Night new dad," I add as me and Shawn exit the house. "What are you doing, Shawn?" I ask when I notice he was following me.

"Walking you home, buddy," Shawn said.

I laugh. "My house is just next door," I say.

He stopped. "So you don't want me to walk you?"

"We're already half way there so you might as well keep on going," I say.

***

Later, me and Shawn were gaping over Cory's baseball card of-

"Cal Ripken Jr., rookie year," Shawn said, holding the card. "I never thought I'd actually get to hold one of these things."

"So glorious," I say as Shawn handed it to me.

"My grandma picked it up at the swap meet for seven bucks," Cory said.

"Seven bucks in dog years," Shawn commented. "This baby's worth 150, easy."

"It is?"

"Yeah," I say. "I want your grandma."

"Boy, your grandma must really love you," Shawn said.

"Yeah. Or else she shot a man in Reno just to watch him die."

Me and Shawn share a look before looking to Cory. "You're kidding right?"

"I'm not sure," Cory answered, honestly.

***

Hi!

I was unsure if I should published this chapter considering how short it is.