Boys Life

sweater came to the door. “Yes?”
    “Hi, I’m Tom Mackenson.” Dad offered his hand. Mr. Caldwell shook it. “Aren’t you the fella who works at the Western Auto in Union Town? Rick Spanner’s brother-in-law?”
    “That’s right. Do you know Rick?”
    “Used to work with him at Green Meadows. How’s he doin’?”
    “Better, now that he found a job. Had to move to Birmingham, though. I pity him, I wouldn’t care for the big city myself.”
    “Me neither. Well, the reason I dropped by so early and all is… I lost my job at the dairy, too.” Dad smiled tightly. “I’m workin’ at Big Paul’s Pantry now.”
    “Been there. Big ol’ place.”
    “Yes, it is. A little too big for me. I was just wonderin’… uh… if… uh…” Even a white lie stuck in his craw. “If there were any jobs to be had at the Western Auto.”
    “No, not that I know of. We hired a new fella last month.” He frowned. “How come you just didn’t go by there and ask?”
    Dad shrugged. “Thought I might save myself the gas, I suppose.”
    “You ought to go by and fill out an application. You never know what’ll come up. The manager’s name is Mr. Addison.”
    “Thank you, I might do that.”
    Mr. Caldwell nodded. Dad didn’t retreat from the door. “Anythin’ else I can do for you?”
    Dad’s eyes were searching the man’s face. Mr. Caldwell lifted his eyebrows, waiting. “No,” Dad said, and I heard in his voice that his answer had not been found. “I don’t think so. Thanks anyway.”
    “All right. You come on by and fill out an application, Mr. Addison’ll keep it on file.”
    “Okay, I’ll remember that.”
    Back in the truck, Dad started the engine and said, “I believe that was a strikeout, don’t you?”
    “Yes sir.” I had been trying to figure out what the numbers 3 and 3 might have to do with Dr. Lezander, but I, too, was coming up empty.
    So was the truck. “Uh-oh!” Dad glanced at the gas gauge. “I’d better stop in and filllleeeeeup! Don’t you think?” He smiled, and I returned it.
    At the station, Mr. Hiram White shambled out of his cathedral of engine belts and radiators and started pumping the gas in. “Pretty day,” Mr. White commented, looking up at the blue sky. It had gotten cold again, though; January was champing at its bit like an eager horse.
    “Yes, it is,” Dad agreed, leaning against the truck.
    “Ain’t gone be no gunplay today, is there?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    Mr. White grinned. “I swear, that was more excitin’ than television!”
    “I’m just thankful nobody got killed.”
    “Good thing the bus didn’t come in while all that shootin’ was goin’ on, there would’ve been some dead bodies to sweep up.”
    “Right as rain.”
    “You heard about the bus gettin’ hit by that monster out on Route Ten, didn’t you?”
    “Sure did.” Dad checked his watch.
    “’Bout knocked it off its wheels. You know Cornelius McGraw, been drivin’ ol’ thirty-three for eight years?”
    “I don’t know him personally.”
    “Well, he told me that monster was as big as a bulldozer. Said it ran like a deer, too. Said he tried to swerve, but it hit ’em broadside and he said the whole bus ’bout shook itself to pieces. Had to retire the bus is what they had to do.”
    “Is that right?”
    “Sure is.” Mr. White finished the job and pulled the nozzle from the truck’s gas port. He wiped the end with a cloth so no drop of gas would mar the pickup’s paint. “New bus has the route, but Corny’s still drivin’ it. Still number thirty-three, too, so things don’t change so much, do they?”
    “I don’t know about that,” Dad said, and paid him.
    “Ya’ll take care, now!” Mr. White told us as we drove away.
    We were halfway home when Dad said, “I guess I’d better check the phone book again. Maybe I missed somethin’.” He glanced at me, then back to the unwinding street. “I was wrong about the Lady, Cory. She’s not evil, is she?”
    “No sir.”
    “I’m glad I went. I feel lighter now, knowin’ that man isn’t callin’ for me. I feel sorry for whoever he is callin’, though. Poor devil must have a hell of a time sleepin’, if he sleeps at all.”
    He’s a night owl, I thought. It was time. “Dad?” I said. “I think I know who-”
    “God have mercy!” Dad suddenly shouted, and he hit the brake so hard the pickup slewed around and went up onto somebody’s lawn. The engine shuddered and died. “Did you hear what