me.”
“Me? How did I become part of
your plans?” he asks.
“Think about it. There’s
nothing here for either one of us. I have no family, and the only family you
have are the pigeons.”
“Don’t be knocking my family.”
“I’m not knocking them. They’re
a fine family. But they can make out on their own. You’ve got to think about
your own future. What kind of a future would you have if you stayed here?”
“They promised us jobs,” he
says.
“You could wait another ten
years for those jobs. Isn’t it time to do what the commander said, make some
options?”
Will thinks for a moment.
“You know, you’ve been really
good to me, and I knows why you’re asking me, on account you’re feeling sorry
for me. But it’s better you went yourself. I’d just be a burden to you anyway.”
“No, not at all. I assure you
my intentions are entirely selfish. I’m a city girl, born and bred in
Philadelphia. The farthest I’ve been is the Jersey Shore, and even that scares
me a little. The thought of driving to Florida, a thousand miles, alone, terrifies
me. I hardly drive as it is. What if I broke down? What if I met some crazy?”
“Oh, it’ll work out,” he
says.
“Will, you’re a world
traveler. You have experience doing these things. I would feel safe traveling
with you.”
“You have a plan, a goal. What
would I do in Florida?”
“You have a brother. I’m sure
he would help you?”
“I haven’t seen him in years.”
“And that’s the best possible
reason to give him a call.”
Will ponders again. “You sure
you want to do this?”
“Of course, what’s the
number? We’ll call right here.”
Will rolls up his sleeve
revealing a phone number tattooed on his inner wrist, including the area code
and a name “Fargo”.
“Interesting idea, you’ll
never lose it,” I say.
“I had it tattooed there so
if I was to die in my sleep they’d know who to call to claim the body.”
I realized at that moment, in
spite of his shabby, uneducated appearance, Will was a realist. He had no
illusions he would live forever. And he was prepared for the worst, probably
better than most people.
What’s the number?” I say,
holding up my cellphone. Will rattles it off and I punch it in on the keyboard.
The call goes through and I hear it ringing. Then a man answers. I hand the
phone to Will.
“Hello, Fargo, it’s me.”
I can hear the other party
say something, but can’t quite make it out.
“It’s Will. You know, your
brother.”
I wander away just out of
earshot giving Will the privacy he deserves. Will isn’t talking much, but I can
see him bobbing his head in agreement to something. Finally, Will strolls over
to me, hands me the phone.
“He thought it was my phone,”
he says. “Thought I had a job. I told him I just borrowed it.”
“Well?”
“Oh, he was glad to hear from
me.”
“Does he know you’re coming
to visit?”
“He’s fine with that. Says I
can stay as long as I want. When we was kids, he talked about starting a
business with me. Then I joined the military. That put an end to that.”
“So now you have a second
chance.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.”
This was all too perfect. We had
both made our plans, and it was all coming together. In just over a week we
would be on our way. All I had to do first was sell my furniture and buy a car.
“Do you have a driver’s
license?” I ask.
“Not anymore.”
“What happened.”
“I just never renewed it.
What good would it do me without a car?”
“You don’t mind driving some,
do you?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Then we have to get you a
license?”
“Sure, except I’m gonna pay
you back.”
“Forget it, it’s on me. Let’s
meet here, tomorrow, 8:00 AM, okay?”
“8:00 AM’s fine, I’ll be
waiting, he says.
CHAPTER 6
Next morning, Will is waiting for me,
just like he promised. He stands there, fidgeting, looking all around, like
he’s excited about the trip.
“Me? How did I become part of
your plans?” he asks.
“Think about it. There’s
nothing here for either one of us. I have no family, and the only family you
have are the pigeons.”
“Don’t be knocking my family.”
“I’m not knocking them. They’re
a fine family. But they can make out on their own. You’ve got to think about
your own future. What kind of a future would you have if you stayed here?”
“They promised us jobs,” he
says.
“You could wait another ten
years for those jobs. Isn’t it time to do what the commander said, make some
options?”
Will thinks for a moment.
“You know, you’ve been really
good to me, and I knows why you’re asking me, on account you’re feeling sorry
for me. But it’s better you went yourself. I’d just be a burden to you anyway.”
“No, not at all. I assure you
my intentions are entirely selfish. I’m a city girl, born and bred in
Philadelphia. The farthest I’ve been is the Jersey Shore, and even that scares
me a little. The thought of driving to Florida, a thousand miles, alone, terrifies
me. I hardly drive as it is. What if I broke down? What if I met some crazy?”
“Oh, it’ll work out,” he
says.
“Will, you’re a world
traveler. You have experience doing these things. I would feel safe traveling
with you.”
“You have a plan, a goal. What
would I do in Florida?”
“You have a brother. I’m sure
he would help you?”
“I haven’t seen him in years.”
“And that’s the best possible
reason to give him a call.”
Will ponders again. “You sure
you want to do this?”
“Of course, what’s the
number? We’ll call right here.”
Will rolls up his sleeve
revealing a phone number tattooed on his inner wrist, including the area code
and a name “Fargo”.
“Interesting idea, you’ll
never lose it,” I say.
“I had it tattooed there so
if I was to die in my sleep they’d know who to call to claim the body.”
I realized at that moment, in
spite of his shabby, uneducated appearance, Will was a realist. He had no
illusions he would live forever. And he was prepared for the worst, probably
better than most people.
What’s the number?” I say,
holding up my cellphone. Will rattles it off and I punch it in on the keyboard.
The call goes through and I hear it ringing. Then a man answers. I hand the
phone to Will.
“Hello, Fargo, it’s me.”
I can hear the other party
say something, but can’t quite make it out.
“It’s Will. You know, your
brother.”
I wander away just out of
earshot giving Will the privacy he deserves. Will isn’t talking much, but I can
see him bobbing his head in agreement to something. Finally, Will strolls over
to me, hands me the phone.
“He thought it was my phone,”
he says. “Thought I had a job. I told him I just borrowed it.”
“Well?”
“Oh, he was glad to hear from
me.”
“Does he know you’re coming
to visit?”
“He’s fine with that. Says I
can stay as long as I want. When we was kids, he talked about starting a
business with me. Then I joined the military. That put an end to that.”
“So now you have a second
chance.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.”
This was all too perfect. We had
both made our plans, and it was all coming together. In just over a week we
would be on our way. All I had to do first was sell my furniture and buy a car.
“Do you have a driver’s
license?” I ask.
“Not anymore.”
“What happened.”
“I just never renewed it.
What good would it do me without a car?”
“You don’t mind driving some,
do you?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Then we have to get you a
license?”
“Sure, except I’m gonna pay
you back.”
“Forget it, it’s on me. Let’s
meet here, tomorrow, 8:00 AM, okay?”
“8:00 AM’s fine, I’ll be
waiting, he says.
CHAPTER 6
Next morning, Will is waiting for me,
just like he promised. He stands there, fidgeting, looking all around, like
he’s excited about the trip.
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