Perchance (3 page)

Cooper

             
I was being nudged in the arm by somebody.  There had better be a fire, that’s all I can say. 

             
“What?” I croaked out. But all I could hear was the
Beastie Boys talking about Sabotage
.

             
I jerked my earbuds out, prepared to stare down the sucker who woke me up.

             
What I got was an eyeful of Mr. Flight Attendant, with his hands on his hips, giving me this ‘I know you just didn’t say what to me’ look.

             
“Sorry, are we there?” I
said as I sat up and tried to straighten myself.

             
“Yes, the rest of the passengers deplaned a while ago.”

             
I jumped out at that statement.  “Oh crap, thanks.”

             
I grabbed my stuff as fast as I could and made my way out of the plane, getting some ‘so not so friendly skies’ glares as I did.

             
I pushed my hair back trying to look halfway presentable, not for him but for my Mom.  She’d slap me where I stood if she thought I was getting off of the plane looking like a homeless guy.  I mean, she’d never hit me, but sometimes she’d make you wish she would.  It would be easier to take than the lectures I got.

             
I pulled downward on my dark green Van Halen t shirt and tried to flatten the wrinkles in my jeans as I walked out of the gate and towards baggage claim.  My Da..Eric said he would meet me there. 

             
I rounded the corner in the small airport, well it was smaller the Charlotte
,
and looked around.  I fully expected a cheesy sign that said “COOPER NEAL I AM YOUR DADDY” on it, but no, that would be too easy. 

             
I looked
for the baggage claim
and went to retrieve my bag and there was a man standing next to it.  I stopped in my tracks with widened eyes because his appearance shocked the hell out of me.  It was like seeing myself in a mirror.  Yes, he was older and a little taller and had a little beer gut, but other than that it was me.  He smiled and took hold of my suitcase
that I pointed out.

             
He made his way towards me until he was about a foot in front of me and stopped.

             
He put his right hand out and said, “Cooper, son, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Eric, your Dad.”

             
I lifted my backpack higher on my shoulder and reached out to meet his handshake.

             
“Hi Eric, nice to meet you.”

             
He smiled and chuckled. “Trish was right, you’ve got manners. That’s good, she raised you right.
  I knew she would.
”

             
“No help from you.” I mumbled under my breath.  How’s that for manners old man?

             
“What was that?” He said, but we both knew good and well that he had heard me.

             
“Nothing.  Where do you live again?”

             
“I live in St. Francisville.  It’s about an hour from here.  We’ll be there in no time.
  You hungry? We could eat here in the city or wait until we get home.
”

             
“Yeah, I’m starving.” I said as we walked through the parking garage to his car or truck or whatever he drove.

             
“Ok, we’ll eat here and then make the trip.”

             
We ate at a restaurant in Baton Rouge and then made our way for his house.

             
S
o the guy drove a pretty sweet truck.  I would give him that.  It had a
huge
back seat and was up on these really tall tires. 

             
“Nice truck.” I said, breaking the silence I swore I would keep, but it was driving me up the wall.

             
“Thanks.  I’m glad you like it.  Well, here we are.” He pointed at a small white house, older, but not too old.  He pulled into the driveway and I got out and reached for my suitcase and headed for the front door. 

             
“Um, Cooper,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, your mother said that you were a pretty responsible kid, real independent and so I thought maybe you would want to stay in the apartment above the garage.  It’s not much, but maybe you would be more comfortable there while we get to know each other.”

             
I nearly dropped my suitcase on my own feet, but I was soooo playing this cool.

             
“Yeah, that’s cool.  Thanks.  You live here by yourself?”

             
He laughed and said, “Yeah, I’m an old bachelor.” He started to look uncomfortable.

             
“So, um, yeah, I usually work nights and the plant is about an hour away so I will be gone from about seven at night until seven in the morning.  If I work overtime, maybe longer.”

             
“Oh, ok, that’s fine.  School?” I questioned.

             
“Yeah, I already signed you up and they are ready for you. And, um, I don’t want you to have to ride the bus, so you can use this.”

             
He walked towards the garage and unlocked a padlock and opened it. 

             
He pushed the garage doors open and I nearly fell to my knees.

             
It was a 1971 Hemi Cuda, blue and silver and she was a beauty to behold.

             
Eric chuckled as he gauged my reaction.  “You gonna be alright there kid?”

             
I had to inhale first.  “Yeah, that’s some sick car.”

             
“Yeah, it was mine when I was a kid and my Mom held on to it for me.  I recently had it painted.”

             
He threw me the keys and said, “Stay careful and don’t take advantage of the fact that you have your own place and I work nights, ok?”

             
I nodded and said, “Yeah, that’s fine.”

             
He clapped me on the back and walked towards the house and then stopped swiftly.

             
“I’m glad you came
,
son.” And then he continued walking and shut the front door behind him.

             
We were almost there.  The bus was taking us to Baton Rouge, but then my Aunt Brenda was picking me up from the bus station and driving me to where she lived.  It was Saint something or other…I couldn’t remember.  The whole way Edith, the older lady with the medicine cabinet, had managed to pry my whole life story from me. 

             
I don’t know how she did it as I usually didn’t talk much a
bout my family or my Mom or him.

             
But every time I would wince at her asking a question, she would say it was ‘ok’ and pat my leg and then I would end up spilling my guts.  I don’t k
now how she did it, but she did it well.  That woman could pry State secrets from the President, I was sure.

             
She was such a lovely lady and I was never going to see her again, so it didn’t matter.  I went on and on about how my Mom was overwhelmed and worked her tail off and how Tuesday had sticky fingers and shoplifted every chance she got
. 
She was really a pro by now and had only gotten caught twice.  But she did it daily.
  I told her about how my Dad was a drunk and he left us when I was eight and I hadn’t seen him since. 
I told her how my Mom preached this semi-feminism to me and how I couldn’t trust any of the male species…ever.

             
I wasn’t perfect by a long shot. I hated school.  It was the bane of my existence but I went every day and tried to make decent grades so that it would be one less thing for Mom to worry about.  I did it for her and her only.  If it were up t
o me, I would probably get my GED
and go to school and study American History.  It was the only class in school that I liked and I read biographies and history books in my spare time.

             
I was in the middle of a tangent about how much I love history when the bus stopped and I looked out to see a sign that said ‘Baton Rouge’.  I looked over to Edith and she was gathering her things to get out.  She looked at me and gave me a half sad smile and said, “It was so nice meeting you dear.  Don’t let the mistakes of your parents be yours too.”

             
I debussed and was met right outside the doors by a woman with black hair and the sweetest smile.  It was contagious.  I smiled back at her and she hugged me until I feared for the welfare of my innards. 
She touched my face and said, “Oh, aren’t you a doll?”

             
I shrugged and she waved me off like I didn’t know what I was talking about. 

             
We got my monstrous suitcase from the baggage claim
outside the bus
and made our way to her car.

             
I scanned the parking lot for Edith, just to wave goodbye, but she was already getting into a
taxi and he was taking care of her suitcase.

             
We got into Aunt Brenda’s older model compact car and headed towards her house.

             
She asked if I was hungry, but I wasn’t.  I was just tired and ready to get settled.

             
“Oh Remi, this whole thing is going to work out, I can feel it.” She gushed.

             
“I hope so.” I wasn’t as enthused, but it didn’t bring down her giddiness. 
I rode most of
the way with my forehead leaned
against the windows.

             
We pulled into her driveway.  She lived in a smaller khaki colored house with red shutters and a red door.  There were hanging baskets on the porch with flowers and
plants in them.  There were flower beds lining the walkway and circular ones in the front yard.
It was certainly nicer than I was used to. 

             
I smiled at her and she hugged my shoulder with her hand. 

             
“It’s gonna be ok Remi.  We’re gonna be just fine.”

             
“Ok, I hope so.” I whispered.  I got out of the car and went to retrieve my suitcase from the back of the car and brought it into the house.  It was small, but tidy and it was simple.  No knick knacks or tons of pictures or worse, fake flowers. 

             
“Ok Remi,
your room is in the back on the left.” She pointed down the hall.

             
“Thank you, for taking me in.”

             
She didn’t move to hug me, which I appreciated.  Mom must’ve told her that I wasn’t really the touchy feely type.

             
I walked into my room, unpacked, found
the
bathroom, took a shower and then passed out on the bed w
ithout even turning down the comforter
.