the old witch climbs on her broom.”
We ran until we came to the truck stop in front of the Silver Spur Cafe. After asking around a bit we hitched a ride with a trucker who was pulling a load of hogs to New Mexico. He showed us tattoos he’d got in seven states and said he was shooting for all the lower forty eight. He pumped his brakes and let us out in front of the mailbox.
When we came to the top of the driveway, Dan was knocking dirt off a shovel against a fence post. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with a blue bandanna.
“Don’t go behind the barn,” he said. “I killed me a mean old rattler and where there’s one there’s bound to be more.”
“We been kicked out of the trailer,” said Duke. “The truck’s gone and nobody’s there.”
“It’s three o’clock,” I said. “Has Heidi come by?”
“Not yet. Why don’t we call the jail? Maybe they’re going to hold her one more day.”
We walked up the path toward the house.
“One more thing,” said Dan. “I don’t want you kids hitching anymore. Even after your parents pick you up, you need a ride, you call me.”
Dan put in a call to the jail but they said Heidi had been released about eleven that morning.
“If the truck is gone I Imagine she hooked up with Gaylord,” said Duke.
“Even if they pick us up we can’t go back to the trailer,” I said.
“I think we better make up the beds in the extra bedroom,” said Dan, “Just in case. Now, who wants to help me put the new water pump in the truck?” Dukes eyes lit up. Mine did not.
“I’ll make up the beds,” I said.
That night at dinner I ate so much chili and cornbread it was downright painful to breathe. It was dark by the time I finished drying the dishes and Heidi and Gaylord still hadn’t come. I felt an unsettling mixture of concern and relief. Uncle Dan didn’t have a TV or video games but I could sleep through the night without Heidi dragging me out of bed by my hair to clean up the trailer or see Duke Wayne get a whipping just because she was in a bad mood. Dr. Moss said that Duke was the youngest ulcer patient she’d ever seen.
“Get your jackets,” said Dan, reaching for his hat. “We’ll drive into town, see if that new water pump does the trick.”
The manager at The Stardust Motel said Gaylord checked out early and headed in the direction of the trailer park, so we decided to check out the bars along Centennial Blvd...the Do Drop Inn...The Cave...The Dead Man’s Hand. We were standing outside the Leprechaun Lounge, plum out of ideas.
Uncle Dan looked up and down the strip and gave his mustache a thoughtful twist. “I don’t think we’ll find them until they want to be found.”
Duke became quiet. He looked at me, then at Dan, then at me again.
“You two have the very same shade of green eyes,” he said.
“I think you’re right,” I said. “Same color as Mrs. Raley’s cat.”
“Don’t that beat all,” said Uncle Dan. “Bossy takes after her Mom’s side of the family, just like you take after Gaylord’s.” We walked back and got in the truck. “How about a nice big piece of pie at The Silver Spur?”
* * * *
A month later an envelope came from Gaylord. It had arrived at the trailer park before it was forwarded to the ranch. He said he’d been working at The Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho’s Silver Valley. A one hundred dollar bill was enclosed.
“That’s weird,” said Duke. “Heidi can’t be with him if he thinks we’re still at the trailer park.”
Dan made an effort to track him down, but when he reached the office at the mine, he was told Gaylord had headed up to Post Falls with a Shoshone woman.
Dan smoothed out the one hundred dollar bill on the kitchen table.
“Well,” he said, “it won’t put you kids through college but we could splurge at that big bookstore in Phoenix.”
The bookstore was bigger than some of the dusty little towns I’d been in. I got a book on raising rabbits and Duke got one on
We ran until we came to the truck stop in front of the Silver Spur Cafe. After asking around a bit we hitched a ride with a trucker who was pulling a load of hogs to New Mexico. He showed us tattoos he’d got in seven states and said he was shooting for all the lower forty eight. He pumped his brakes and let us out in front of the mailbox.
When we came to the top of the driveway, Dan was knocking dirt off a shovel against a fence post. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with a blue bandanna.
“Don’t go behind the barn,” he said. “I killed me a mean old rattler and where there’s one there’s bound to be more.”
“We been kicked out of the trailer,” said Duke. “The truck’s gone and nobody’s there.”
“It’s three o’clock,” I said. “Has Heidi come by?”
“Not yet. Why don’t we call the jail? Maybe they’re going to hold her one more day.”
We walked up the path toward the house.
“One more thing,” said Dan. “I don’t want you kids hitching anymore. Even after your parents pick you up, you need a ride, you call me.”
Dan put in a call to the jail but they said Heidi had been released about eleven that morning.
“If the truck is gone I Imagine she hooked up with Gaylord,” said Duke.
“Even if they pick us up we can’t go back to the trailer,” I said.
“I think we better make up the beds in the extra bedroom,” said Dan, “Just in case. Now, who wants to help me put the new water pump in the truck?” Dukes eyes lit up. Mine did not.
“I’ll make up the beds,” I said.
That night at dinner I ate so much chili and cornbread it was downright painful to breathe. It was dark by the time I finished drying the dishes and Heidi and Gaylord still hadn’t come. I felt an unsettling mixture of concern and relief. Uncle Dan didn’t have a TV or video games but I could sleep through the night without Heidi dragging me out of bed by my hair to clean up the trailer or see Duke Wayne get a whipping just because she was in a bad mood. Dr. Moss said that Duke was the youngest ulcer patient she’d ever seen.
“Get your jackets,” said Dan, reaching for his hat. “We’ll drive into town, see if that new water pump does the trick.”
The manager at The Stardust Motel said Gaylord checked out early and headed in the direction of the trailer park, so we decided to check out the bars along Centennial Blvd...the Do Drop Inn...The Cave...The Dead Man’s Hand. We were standing outside the Leprechaun Lounge, plum out of ideas.
Uncle Dan looked up and down the strip and gave his mustache a thoughtful twist. “I don’t think we’ll find them until they want to be found.”
Duke became quiet. He looked at me, then at Dan, then at me again.
“You two have the very same shade of green eyes,” he said.
“I think you’re right,” I said. “Same color as Mrs. Raley’s cat.”
“Don’t that beat all,” said Uncle Dan. “Bossy takes after her Mom’s side of the family, just like you take after Gaylord’s.” We walked back and got in the truck. “How about a nice big piece of pie at The Silver Spur?”
* * * *
A month later an envelope came from Gaylord. It had arrived at the trailer park before it was forwarded to the ranch. He said he’d been working at The Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho’s Silver Valley. A one hundred dollar bill was enclosed.
“That’s weird,” said Duke. “Heidi can’t be with him if he thinks we’re still at the trailer park.”
Dan made an effort to track him down, but when he reached the office at the mine, he was told Gaylord had headed up to Post Falls with a Shoshone woman.
Dan smoothed out the one hundred dollar bill on the kitchen table.
“Well,” he said, “it won’t put you kids through college but we could splurge at that big bookstore in Phoenix.”
The bookstore was bigger than some of the dusty little towns I’d been in. I got a book on raising rabbits and Duke got one on
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