Playing the 'Son' Card (2 page)

Other than a bit a melancholy and my
continuing aversion to anything at school beside academic work,
overall I did fine on my own after mom left.

I became used to getting groceries
from time to time, stopping in on the way home to pick up a few
things to take home on my bike.

As far as the kids at school were
concerned, I got a little worried when some of them found out that
my mom had moved. I suppose they must have found out from their
parents or something. Anyway, I figured they might actually try
something if they thought I was on my own, so when they said
something to me, I invented an aunt who had come to look after
me.

Mom headed to Bellingham to get
going with her new position. She was going to stay with her friend
in their home. I’d actually met the friend a few times, especially
since Dad died. They’d come to help us out right after he died, and
we’d gone out there quite a few times for holidays and a bit in the
summer.

Her friend was a nice lady, married
with two boys. I’d gotten along okay with them, and they were nice
enough for little kids. They were actually only one and three years
younger than me, but with the timing of birthdays and my being
ahead in school, they were three and four grades behind
me.

Their father was nice enough, too,
and included me in all the boys’ activities when we were out there
visiting. I was quite jealous of them still having a father, and
that colored my ability to really make friends with them, but I
still got along okay. I went camping with them once and to the pool
with them a few times.

As March rolled around, I was about
to meet the family again.

My mom wanted me to come out to the
coast and visit with her for the long Easter weekend, which that
year was in mid-March.

Mom wanted me to come and stay with
all of them, and even look around at potential new homes for us. As
a real estate agent and head of the office, she had a good idea
what was available, and wanted me to see different parts of the
town.

We talked about my traveling, and
agreed that I would take the bus on my own.

I was a little nervous, as it
involved a transfer in downtown Seattle. Even though this was out
of my comfort zone, I talked myself into it, thinking that I’d
boasted to my mother that I could handle myself as well as any
teenager aged 13 or 14.

I was going to leave Spokane on
Wednesday night. I told the school I would not be back until the
following Wednesday. Whatever social problems I had at school, I
was still an excellent student, and my teachers had no problem with
me missing three days of classes, especially when I told them in
advance.

I didn’t bother to tell my mom about
the extra days, figuring if she sent me back early, I’d just stay
home for a couple of days.

As the departure date arrived, I was
both frightened and happy. I was frightened because this was
something I’d never done before, and happy because I’d get away
from my tormentors for a few days.

My only luggage was a backpack as I
took the city bus to downtown Spokane and the small bus terminal. I
wondered if they would give me a bad time for being a kid traveling
on my own, but I guess I was tall enough not to be thought a young
kid. With my newly deepening voice, it was easier to talk in a
lower pitch as well, so I think that helped.

I was excited and apprehensive as
the bus pulled out of the terminal and made it’s way a few streets
to the freeway. As the bus rolled westward on I-90 through the dark
night, I thought about how I wanted to shape my new life, and how
the move would give me a chance to make a fresh start on
life.

I thought about how I’d copy the
good social skills of my peers, and how I’d get myself involved in
things. I’d get back into those things that I had done in my
earlier life, and make an effort to become a new boy. I could leave
behind the sorry little boy who had lost his father and become a
loner, and start living the life of a teenager who was outgoing,
friendly, and more aware.

I was determined to make this work,
and this long weekend was going to be the start.

CHAPTER

3

I fell asleep after the bus’ first
rest break in Moses Lake. I woke briefly in Ellensburg and promptly
went back to sleep, only to wake as the bus pulled into the
restaurant at the summit of Snoqualmie Pass for a 45 minute
stop.

I followed the rest of the
passengers out into the cold night air. There was still snow around
at this elevation of over three thousand feet. As I trailed the
group into the sit-down restaurant, I looked around at the ski
lifts and the facilities present. As I observed the signs for ski
and snowboard rentals, I had the thought that this might be
something else I could do in the future.

I took a seat at the counter,
thinking that was the best place for a single person. I ordered a
cheeseburger and fries, making sure to keep my voice low. With my
heavy sweater on, I looked much bulkier than I really was, and I
hoped that I could pass for a kid in my mid-teens.

No one bothered me, or spoke to me,
except for the waitress who took my order in a tired and bored
manner. There was a recent copy of the Seattle Times on the
counter, so I read through that a bit as I waited and while I
ate.

The bus driver called the departure
a few minutes after I finished, so I left my money on the counter
and headed back out to the bus, feeling pretty grown up. After all,
I’d gotten myself on an inter-city bus, then ordered my first solo
meal in a restaurant, and things were going pretty well.

It was just before six o’clock in
the morning when the bus pulled in to the terminal in downtown
Seattle. I grabbed my pack and followed the crowd into the
building, looking for information about my northbound
departure.

I knew, from my checking out the
schedule before I left home that I would have a two-hour wait, so I
also kept my eye out for a place to sit and relax. I found the
departure bay number seven, and found a seat to relax in after
buying the current day’s edition of the Times.

I had a brief panic when the new bus
pulled in to load, and it said ‘Vancouver, B.C.’ on the front. I
went back to the main board, and checked again to make sure I had
the right place to wait. Finally, a little confused, I went and
asked the bus driver, and he confirmed that it was the right bus to
Bellingham. I hadn’t realized that this bus went all the way to
Canada.

I learned this was not an express
bus. It stopped at Everett and Mount Vernon and one other place
before taking the back road into Bellingham and stopping at the
Alaska Ferry terminal before going downtown. It was just before
noon when the bus reached the stop downtown.

I took my pack, thanked the driver,
and got off. It was a nice day, for mid-April, and quite
comfortable out. I certainly didn’t need my jacket, and my heavy
sweater would have to come off before long.

My mother had said that she’d meet
me, but had given me her cell number in case she was not there. I
gave her fifteen minutes, and then took out my cell
phone.

“Troy! You’re here. Sorry, but I
lost all track of time,” she said breathlessly.

“Ah, hi, Mom. I hope it’s not a bad
time.” I had almost suspected that this might happen. It was not
unexpected from her.

I heard her talking in the
background. Then she said, “Ah, listen, Troy. Do you think you
could grab a cab, and come up to the office? It’s only about 15
minutes or so by car, up by Bellis Fair Mall, on Northwest Avenue.”
She gave me the address. “I just have a meeting right now, but I’ll
be available in about, um, 45 minutes, I think.”

Two days before, this might have
been a major problem for me, but not any more. After all, this was
the new me. I’d made a major journey on my own, and I was soon to
become a high school freshman. I could handle a simple thing like
this.

“Sure, Mom. No problem. I’ll get
there. You just do your meeting, and I’ll see you when you’re
free.”

It was a very relieved voice that
replied, “Thanks, Troy, that’s super. I’ll see you
soon.”

I pushed the end button on my phone.
This was something else I’d done on my own after she left and when
I heard about my upcoming trip. I had gone and bought a prepaid
phone. Mom had put five thousand into my bank account to buy things
for the house. I was careful with the money and figured just over a
hundred for the phone was an okay expense.

I looked around. I was standing on a
street corner, and I looked up to see a directional sign that
indicated ‘Northwest Avenue’ and ‘I-5 Business’ not more than a
block away. I thought about walking, because it was a nice day, and
if it was 15 minutes by car I could walk it in about 45 minutes or
so.

I took off my sweater, and put it
and my jacket across my backpack and started walking. About a block
along, I saw the sign for a local bus stop. One of the routes
listed was for Bellis Fair. I took out my phone, and called the
number to see when the next bus was. The automated system told me
that it would be along in less then five minutes, so I was in
luck.

Less then 25 minutes later, the bus
pulled into Bellis Fair Mall. The driver was not busy, so I asked
her where the address for my Mom’s office was. She was very
friendly, and gave me directions. It was only three block
away.

About 40 minutes after I’d spoken to
Mom, I arrived at her office. I paused outside, looking it over
with a critical eye. It was a stand-alone building with her
company’s name in large letters on a neon sign. The location was a
prime one, in a busy commercial area of town, with lots of stores
and restaurants as neighbors. It looked pretty good.

The inside looked really nice, too,
as I entered. I walked up to the receptionist, ready to identify
myself and ask for my Mom, but the young women spoke to me
first.

“You must be Troy,” she said,
looking up at me with a very friendly smile. “I recognize you from
the photos on your Mom’s desk.”

I was a little taken aback, but
recovered to say, “Yes, I am. Hello.”

“Troy,” she said, “I’m Melanie. It’s
very nice to meet you. Your Mom is always saying so many nice
things about you.”

I returned her smile. She was a very
nice looking women, and looked quite young to be doing the job. I
took in the surroundings. The office entrance area was large, and
modern looking with a high ceiling. The company had spent money
here.

“Thanks, Melanie,” I said. “Um, any
idea how long she’s going to be?”

“Sorry, Troy,” she apologized, “But
I don’t.”

“Okay,” I said, still keeping a
smile on my face. It was easy to do when looking at her. “I’m used
to that.”

She brightened up. “But, Troy, I can
show you to your office, and show you where you can wash
up.”

“My office?” I had a puzzled look on
my face.

“Oh, yes,” she explained. “When we
got this place set up, we had a bit of spare space, so your Mom set
up an office for you, for when you need it. She said that you have
spent and likely will spend a lot of time waiting for her, so you
might as well have an office where you can use the time
productively.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t quite stunned yet,
but I was really surprised. “Okay.”

I followed her down one of the
corridors. She pointed out the bathroom on the way, and then I
found myself in a beautiful office with a full-length window. A big
desk and modern furniture were my first impressions. There was a
nice chair, and a couch with a table. This was almost a living
room, I thought.

“So, Troy, I’ll just leave you here
to get organized, and I’ll tell your Mom that you’re here when she
gets out of her meeting.”

Now I was stunned and literally
speechless. I could say nothing as she left the room to return to
her desk at the entrance.

After a couple of minutes just
standing, I put my pack on the couch and went and sat at the desk.
A large computer screen was slightly off to one side. I looked
around the room, still unbelieving at where I found myself. For a
moment, I just sat, trying to get used to the situation.

A moment later, I pushed the button
to start the computer. It looked very new, and a top of the line
model, too. There was certainly no expense spared here. I wondered
if all the offices were like this. I looked up at the still-open
door, and did another double take. My name was on the door. ‘Mr.
Troy Evanson.’ It was like I was working for the company. This was
all so incredible.

After a few more minutes, I got my
mind working again. I’d just arrived after a long bus trip and I
needed to wash up and clean up. I had things to do.

CHAPTER

4

I pulled a clean t-shirt out of my
pack, along with some deodorant and toothbrush, and headed down the
hall to the men’s room. It appeared that this was staff men’s room,
and it was designed for busy real estate agents who needed to wash
up and put on a clean shirt occasionally. In fact, there was a
shower, and a stack of towels set out.