Planet Urbulus

MR.SMITH

"Hello, This is Willy Anderson speaking." I said as I held the old family telephone close to my ear.

"Hi, this is Mr. Smith." Mr. Smith was my boss's last name." Griffin has been in a terrible car accident. He is now in the hospital, and I still haven't found a flight-engineer."

A flight engineer is someone who monitors and operates the ship's complex aircraft systems.

"So, I want you to take Griffin's position as a pilot." 

My mouth dropped. Pilot! YES! When I was just about to say something, he said."Since I can't find anybody to be the flight engineer, you may choose anybody you want to be the engineer." Right away I knew who would be the one to come with me."But," He continued." The person you choose has to be willing to go. If they are not willing,then choose someone else. Do you understand?" 

I tried to sound as business like and polite as I could."Yes Sir."

"Another thing.If you cannot find anybody to be the engineer," He paused."Then I will cancel the mission." He sounded really upset.. But...why? We could always do it next year or something."Anderson. Do you understand?" His tone changed from upset to serious. He sounded like my mom when I kicked my neighbour's dog. Don't ask about that. That's for another story.

"Yes Sir, I understand.I think I know someone who might be a great engineer."

"That is good news. Who do you suggest would like to go with you?"

" Abigail Jones." I said.

"Abigail Jones." He repeated slowly."Ah, yes, Abigail Jones. Isn't she the girl who works as an astronaut corp?" 

"Yes sir. She used to work with me." Until you promoted me. I thought with a frown. I was happy that I was now an astronaut,but I was a little upset. Abigail and I wouldn't be working together as partners anymore.

My boss didn't say anything for a while."Mr.Smith, are you still there?"

"Huh,oh,yes I am! I'm still here!"

"Is everything alright sir?" I asked with a little concern.

"Yes everything is fine!" All of a sudden he changed the subject and started to chat with me about yesterday's gossip, his problems,and about the people he liked and disliked at work. He talked to me if I was like his best friend! It was a little odd. I tried my best to just say yes or no. And if I had to, I would just do small talk.

As he was bragging about himself and talking about how to become a brilliant boss like him, I leaned against the wall. I was half asleep. I could feel my eyes starting to close. Just then I felt someone lightly tapping on me. I yelled."Yes sir!"I looked at my mother's startled eyes. Then I heard my boss talk from the telephone.

"I couldn't agree more Willy!"

My mother grinned at me. Then with two hands,she passed me a chair. I held the phone with one hand and the other with the chair. I put the chair down and plopped down on it. I brought the phone back close to my ear.

"Willy, if Miss.Abigail does agree, I want you two to leave a soon as possible."

I was so sleepy that I couldn't think about what I was saying."Yes sir. How about in a week or so?"

"Yes! Perfect! Sounds good. How about Monday?"

I yawned."Sounds good." 

We talked for many hours.(He did the most of the talking of course.) I'd noticed that he kept calling me Willy instead of Anderson. He seemed very odd. The only suggestions I had was that he was either drunk or as tired as I was. But,if he was as tired as I was, he wouldn't be talking so much, and he would probably hang up and stop bothering me. So, that left me with thinking he was drunk. I tried my best to stay awake.

As my boss was blabbing stuff to me,I looked around to see if mom was still around. She was. She was carrying folded clothes onto the table. The thing about my mom is she won't go to bed unless i'm in bed. She was always like that. Even when my dad was with us. 

My dad's name was Willy Ace Anderson. Yes, I was named after him. When I was sixteen my parents got into an argument. They argued for five days. During the five days was when my dad decided he was leaving. For the rest of the five days they argued about who I was going to stay with.

I was very upset. For one thing I had no say in it. And for another thing,they wouldn't tell me what they were arguing about. I know it sounds stupid that I couldn't here what they were saying. I used to have my bedroom in the basement. And my parents would always argue in our baby blue Sedan. Sometimes I was able to make out what they were saying. like " Why can't you just be a father!" or " I am going to leave and never come back to this house again!" There were lots of swear words. I had a broken heart. It was like someone shot my heart and made a giant hole in it.

When my dad did leave, I never wanted to go to school. Sometimes I would run away so that I would miss my bus. I also never wanted anyone to say my name. I hated the fact that my name was the same name as my father's. I told my mom this and she started to call me by my middle name, Abe.

But, like every man, you get over it.

Mom tapped me on the shoulder and whispered." You need to get to bed. It's almost two o'clock." I was shocked. We've been talking for almost four hours! I nodded at my mother in response. When she saw my nod she turned around and went straight back to work.

I interrupted my boss as he chattered away on the telephone. "Excuse me sir." I said worryingly. I didn't know if he would get mad a t me interrupting him.

" So, that's why I...yes Willy?"

"Can I talk with you tomorrow?"

"Sure. It does look pretty late. Have a good night Anderson."

" You too sir."

"Oh, one more thing. You don't have to keep calling me sir. Just call me Mr.Smith."

I was surprised." Yes sir,I mean...Mr.Smith." 

He chuckled. "Goodbye now."

"Goodbye." I was the first to hang up.

 I was so tired that I started falling asleep on the chair. A few minutes later I could feel myself  slowly go up the stairs. I opened on eye. My mom had my one arm around her neck like if it was a scarf. She was trying to help me up the stairs. I shoved her arm off."I can go up myself." I said half-whispering. She didn't say anything. She just watched me. I struggled to not trip on the stairs while trying to hold on the railing. Clearly my mom could see that I was Struggling really bad.( It was a good thing she wasn't one of those mom's who take videos of you.) She came over and tried to help me once again. This time I let her help me.

I felt sorry for mom. She must have thought my friends finally convinced me to go drinking with them. I know I shouldn't have friends like that. I'm working on it. You know how hard it is to let friends go,right?

Finally, I was in my bed.