Read Online The Leisure Seeker: A Novel by Michael Zadoorian - Free Book Online

hat behind the seat. I’m tired of looking eccentric. I have not lived an eccentric life.
     
    “Mother, where are you?”
    I’m talking to my frantic son this morning. I had John stop for a moment in Miami, Oklahoma, to take a quick look at a beautiful old theater there, the Coleman. (It put me in mind of the Vanity Ballroom off Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, where I used to go dancing during the war. Me and three girlfriends along with dozens of other girls and their girlfriends, and a few 4-F fellas pleased with the odds.) When we drove past, I spied a phone booth and decided to call.
    “We’re in Oklahoma, Kevin.”

    “Everyone is so worried about you two. I’m going to fly out there and pick you up.”
    I have steeled myself for this battle. “No, you’re not. Your father and I are having a wonderful time, but we don’t wish you were here.”
    Kevin takes a long breath and exhales loudly through his mouth. I can feel his shoulders slump, right over the phone. “Mom, we are very close to calling the police and filing a Missing Persons report.”
    “Don’t you dare, Kevin!” I mean it, too.
    He sighs. “Mom. This is crazy. Why are you doing this?”
    “Dear. Because we want to. It’s so nice to be traveling again, I can’t tell you.”
    “Really?” he says, his tone changing, allowing a hint of enthusiasm. But a moment later, his voice grows frantic again. “Wait, wasn’t there some kind of problem with the van? Something with the exhaust manifold?”
    “Oh, we got that fixed ages ago, honey.”
    “Are you sure?” he says, not quite believing me. “That could be dangerous.”
    “Don’t worry, Kevin. Everything’s working just the way it should be.”
    He sighs again, even louder this time. I don’t mean for this to be hard on him, but Kevin is forever upset about something. Even when he was a child, he was always sad or guilty or crying about something. Cindy took care of herself. Kevin was the sensitive one. You learn these things about your children: their personalities reveal themselves the moment out of the womb.
    I suppose he was a mama’s boy, but I can’t say I cared. I wished he didn’t cry so much, but I was glad when he came to me for comfort. Yet John would get so upset with him. He was afraid the world would eat him alive, and he was right. Bullies could spot Kevin six blocks away. He was always coming home with something broken, something stolen, something thrown in the mud. John tried to toughen him up—pep talks, boxing lessons—but it never seemed to take. He kept trying to get Kevin to not be afraid, to put up his dukes, but it was no use. Those dukes were down.
    Even now, Kevin tells me stories about the company where he works, a place that distributes replacement engine parts for one of the Big Three, how his coworkers take advantage of him, bully him. Some things never change.
    “You gotta come home, Mom. Are you taking your medications?”
    “Of course I am.” This is mostly the truth.
    “Oh Mom.” Another sigh.
    So now, I’ve had it. “Damn it, Kevin. Stop being such a sad sack. We’re not coming home. What do you want me to come home to? More doctor appointments? More treatments? More drugs? I take so many right now, they’re going to turn me into a dope addict. No. There will be no coming home. Do you understand?”
    One final sigh. “Yes. I understand.”
    “Good. Now, how’s Arlene and the boys?”

    A pause. “They’re good. How’s Dad? Is he okay?”
    “He’s fine, honey. He’s driving great and he’s doing really well. Don’t worry so much about us. We need to do this.”
    “Okay. Just be careful.”
    I see John futzing around with something in the van across the street and think I need to get over there pretty quick.
    “Bye-bye. Give our love to everyone.”
    “Mom—”
    I hang up in time to watch John start to put the van in gear. For the love of Christ, I think he’s going to drive away without me. The Leisure Seeker lurches forward a