Ring in Mine
Kim Terry
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Kim
Ring in Mine: Chapter 17 After the two bad driving days at Thanksgiving, the dry roads and sunny skies were a welcome change. I needed time to think but not have too much time to think. With the Moody Blues new cassette playing I drove through the canyon enjoying the beauty of the white capped peaks and snow ladened evergreens. It was almost as if God had decorated the forest for Christmas. I past a narrow turnoff to a campground. On a whim I made a U-turn and drove up the narrow paved road. The gate to the campground was locked but the trailhead was clear. On a weekend it would have been filled with snowmobile trailers; the roar of their mighty engines disturbing what today was serene solitude.
I used the ubiquitous vault toilet to take care of my needs and followed a packed trail through the snow into a grove of trees. A single beam of sunlight fell into the shadow of the clearing. I was raised believing I was a child of a loving Father in Heaven. How could a God love me when my own father couldn't? The church I was raised in believes that a young boy knelt on his knees in a grove of trees and received an answer to his prayers. I decided to ask God the question of why my father favored a cousin over his son.
I knelt in that beam of sunlight and opened my heart to my God. I asked questions that I couldn't ask anybody else. I knew that anyone in my church would tell me I was going to hell because of my actions over the last month. Having sex with a guy would definitely get me thrown out of the church.
I knelt waiting for an answer until the beam of sunlight moved up the trees behind me and the chill of the day moved in. So much for having an angel bring me my answer, but, sometimes God answers prayers differently than we want.
I thought I would be even more down after my unanswered prayer, but I felt much better. Things were going to work out. The rest of the way home I cranked up the music and sang along with my favorite group. I must have been quite animated as I sang. Other drivers stared as they passed a crazy kid holding the wheel with his left hand singing into a rolled up paper tube in his right. I was feeling pretty good by the time I drove into Papa's neighborhood.
As I turned onto Papa's street my temporary euphoria evaporated. Mom's car was parked on the road in front of her parent's house. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle dealing with my Mom right now. Why did she have to be here? I drove past and pulled behind Leroy's Auto Shop. I didn't want to be seen from the road. I hoped I could stay here until mom left.
"Bobbie their is no need for you to be hiding." Leroy said as he greeted me with his standard hug. "Grab a Coke from the fridge and meet me in the office."
Leroy was always good for a Coke. I don't remember him ever drinking anything stronger. I had always thought it was strange; here was a tall handsome black man who wasn't a member of my church that never drank alcohol or coffee and there was my dad that never missed church on Sunday and during the week seemed to always have a coffee in the morning and a beer after work. Mom didn't touch either. I remembered growing up Mom getting on Dad's case. I vaguely remember him hitting her once as she nagged him. She didn't say anything after that. I guess she gave up.
Leroy's shop had three bays. As usual there was a car on the lift and one waiting to be worked on. Leroy lived in a small efficiency apartment on the side of the shop. I stopped by his fridge and grabbed a coke and went to sit in his living room/office. There sitting on the couch was my Mom. I felt betrayed here was the lady that had chosen Aunt June and Jeremy over me.
I turned to leave; standing in the doorway blocking my retreat was Leroy. "Bobbie, your Mom needs to talk and you need to listen. This is not negotiable!" Everyone in town knew when dickering about price when Leroy said something was not negotiable additional haggling was not going to happen.
I sat on Leroy's recliner. I wasn't feeling particularly charitable when it came to my mom and didn't want to sit by her. Leroy stepped into the shop and closed the door.
"I know you are angry with me. I probably would be too. Don't be upset with Papa or Leroy. They knew when you saw my car you would come here instead." My mother's eyes glistened as a single tear ran down her face. It was then I noticed a red handprint on the left side of her face.
"Mom did dad hit you again?" I asked. I stood up and walked over to my mom. That was when I noticed that the handprint on her face was not the only sign of violence. Her blouse was torn with the telltale sign of a growing bruise plainly visible. All my anger for my parents was transferred solely to my father.
"Was it about his drinking again?" I asked. "I'm going to beat the crap out of him."I turned to leave with murder in my eyes. Leroy had lots of tools that would equal out the size difference.
"Don't Bobbie, he's not worth it." She stood and grabbed my arm. I had not realized really how frail my mom was. I can't remember the last time I saw her without long sleeves. I pushed her sleeves up to her elbow and her arm was covered with bruises.
"Mom we need to call the cops." I insisted."
"We can't do that. It is a woman's place to bow to the dominion of her husband." Mom misquoted church doctrine.
"Mom that's righteous dominion. The scriptures say you are to honor your wife. Dad needs to be called on this one." I retorted. "If you won't call the cops, I have another plan. You need to promise not to call Dad and tell him I am coming."
"What are you going to do?" Mom pleaded.
"I am not going to attack my dad. I just need to talk to him." I answered. "Promise you will stay here until I get back."
Leaving Mom sitting on Leroy's old couch I went to find Leroy.
"Leroy is Bruce Milliman still a sheriff's deputy?" I asked. "Give him a call. There is going to be a domestic disturbance at my house in about 15 minutes."
I left before he could ask any questions. Five minutes later I parked on the street in case I had to leave in a hurry. Dad's car was in the driveway.
"Dad, Mom I'm home." I called as I entered the house blocking the door open with my backpack.
I wasn't ten steps in the house before I was confronted by my dad.
"I told you were not welcome here you little faggot. At least you're not my son." Dad shouted as he grabbed my arm.
"I am just picking up the last of my stuff. Then I'm going back to school. I want to be there when they charge Jeremy just in case they need my testimony to put him away." I taunted.
"I'll make sure you can't testify against my Jeremy." Dad threatened as he threw me to the floor.
I hit my head on the coffee table and the world went dark.
I my eyes were pried open. The paramedic's bright flashlight temporarily blinded my just returned sight. I tried to move and cried out in agony. I hurt all over. My shirt was covered in blood.
"Steady boy, I want to get a neck collar and backboard on you before you try moving." The paramedic cautioned.
"Get that faggot out of my house. He came in here threatening me with a baseball bat. I had to defend myself." Dad lied to Officer Bruce.
I motioned to the paramedic and talked softly in his ear.
"Bruce, I need to talk with you for a minute outside." The paramedic said leaving me with his partner.
They returned with my little cassette recorder I had left recording in my backpack. As Bruce started the playback Dad panicked when he heard our earlier conversation. He jumped forward knocking the recorder to the floor. Pieces flew everywhere.
Bruce put handcuffs on my dad with Aunt June watching from the kitchen doorway. The paramedic retrieved the tape. "You are lucky that breaking the recorder didn't seriously damage the tape" The paramedic said as he wound the tape back into the cassette with his pencil.
Dad was locked in Bruce's car as they slipped my gurney into the ambulance.
"Bruce, I want you to check on my mother. Dad has been beating on her." I informed the officer as they shut the ambulance door.
This was the first chapter beyond the original story. Due to input from my readers we will learning more about Bobby. I would appreciate hearing from you. ringinmine@yahoo.com