Page 15 of Missile Tow
“Yeah, you’re right,” he accepted. “Major difference in that for sure. So, I’m gonna assume you didn’t ask him to come back?”
I shook my head, remembering pride getting in my way. “We don’t speak any longer. If he wanted someone new, what could I truly say?”
“Good point, son. But you’re still living in his shadow.” His words stung. “In my humble opinion,” he quickly added. “You’ve lost your spunk. Your reason for life, I’d suspect.”
“Sort of,” I acknowledged.
“How much longer do you think you can keep stuff on hold?” he asked. “It started with last year’s lack of Christmas lights. Plus, I haven’t seen you at the Grange Hall for bingo in months. No more jogs through town with that mangy mutt of yours in tow, either. Come to think of it, do you do anything besides bust your ass over there?”
“You spying on me, old man?” I laughed, sort of pleased he found me interesting enough to observe so carefully.
“I live vicariously through you, son. It tickles this old man to see such a young buck in the prime of his life. What doesn’t tickle me is seeing him wasting his precious gifts.”
“But shit, man,” I defended. “My folks died. Grampa died. John ditched me. Can I at least have a moment to deal?”
“You’ve had a year, Chip,” he reminded me. “You’ve had onefullyear. Don’t ya think it’s time to live again? I only have a fewgood years left. Humor me. Fall in love again. If not with me, then some young buck like yourself.”
I smiled at him and held my hand out. “Why’d you keep this secret so long?”
“What took you so long to ask?”
I shook my head and grinned. “John would’ve loved this revelation,” I said, quickly going to the first person I loved sharing news with.
“John’s not here any longer, son,” he reminded me. “But you and I are. Do me a favor, will ya? Set a goal to make a decision this coming year. Stay in town and seek a partner to share your life with, or start anew somewhere else. Sell the whole kit and kaboodle and don’t look back.”
“You’d miss me, old man,” I quipped.
He laughed out loud. “But I’d be happy as fuck knowing you decided to live again.”
We stared at each other until our grins broke us up with more laughter. “If I help you with these lights, you’re going to have to help me with mine too. Over there at the store,andthe ones at home.”
“I can hold a ladder with the best of ’em.”
“I bet you can,” I agreed.
Mr. J. reached for my hand again and held it firmly. “You’re a good man, son. Truly a one in a million person. Just remember this. When you lead a life you’re thankful for, you also have to be thankful for the painful stuff. The rough stuff helps us grow into better, stronger people. We shouldn’t choose only the good events to feel good about; instead, we can dust ourselves off and welcome the next chapter.”
“Who knew you were so wise?” I joked, still holding his hand in mine.
“Perhaps,” he stated. “But I wasn’t wise enough to pick myself up twenty years ago and make the choice my heart wanted. How about you learn from this man’s mistakes?”
“I could do that.”
“I know you can.”
CHAPTER EIGHT: Van
Spokane, Washington, was flat. Unlike Seattle, with its abundant trees, lakes, hills, and the backdrop of mountains, Eastern Washington was arid and barren. With the Cascade Mountains bisecting the state, Washington had two identities: the Seattle side, green and wet, and the Spokane side, arid and dry.
Most folks knew about Seattle and Tacoma, but Spokane was the second-largest city in the state, beating out Tacoma by about ten thousand people. Neither Tacoma nor Spokane had the national reputation of being as terrific as Seattle, but both offer their own qualities.
With sub-zero temperatures and snow swirling in the wind, there were no rodeos happening in Spokane in mid-December. Of course, I knew this would be the case, but I was disappointed just the same.
I’d been on the road about eight hours when my planned overnight stop showed up on the horizon. I hadn’t made reservations, assuming a mid-week day wouldn’t be busy in this city as far as hotels went. I wasn’t within city limits yet when I noticed a tall building in the distance with bright flashing lights and decided to pull off the freeway and check it out.
Northern Quest Resort and Casino was the name on the modern high-rise. If a stylish hotel weren’t attached to the sprawling casino, I probably would’ve searched for arecognizable brand like Hilton or Holiday Inn. Even though it’d been dark for an hour or more, the time was still early, so I decided to ask about a room and perhaps play some slots.
After checking in and taking a quick shower in an oversized bathroom, I dressed in a fresh button-down shirt and kept on the same jeans from earlier. Gucci loafers and a spritz of my signature cologne, Clinique Happy, had me on my way downstairs.
