[at-l] "I'll see you later"

[AThiker at smithville.net (Felix)]

The day could not have been more perfect. The cool breeze blew through 
sun-warmed air and every leaf in town danced to its song. Big, white 
clouds occasionally cast their shadows on the sidewalk as they floated 
across the blue sky, headed no where.

Mrs. Purtlebaugh was inside getting dressed. Perfume and laughter filled 
the air and she was headed somewhere.

"Will you be alright alone for a while?" she asked through the front 
screen door. "I have to get there early to help set up the tables."

"Yeah, I guess," I said, having no clue what could possibly go wrong 
with me laying on the porch watching the sky through the swaying limbs 
of a maple tree.

"Okay, then." A moment later I could hear her voice in the backyard 
talking to Mrs. Thacker. I couldn't understand the words, but I knew 
they were saying something good.

I was watching a wasp darting back and forth along the eaves as Mrs. 
Purtlebaugh and her Dodge Dart creaked they're way into the street. This 
was as close to being in a hurry as Mrs. Purtlebaugh had ever been.

 She wanted to make sure that all the red paper plates were put on the 
tables with white tablecloths. And, that all of the cups and spoons and 
forks were blue. When she cared about something, she cared about it with 
all of her being. There was importance in it somewhere, and the good in 
that was everywhere.

When the breeze blew just right, I could hear the band at the high 
school practicing. At least I thought they were practicing. I heard 
horns and drums and sometimes whistles, but it didn't sound like a song 
at all.

I knew Ken Benson. But, not his bother, Vincent. Vincent had been gone 
for a while. I'd seen his sister, Carol, driving his old pick-up truck 
once in a while. I knew it was his because of the 'VLB' on the front 
license plate. She could barely see over the steering wheel.

There were signs about town, in front yards and store windows. Even the 
marquee at the Indiana Theatre said something about it. Vincent was 
coming home from where ever he'd been. People seemed to be pretty happy 
about that.


-- 
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
ALT '03 KT '03
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/