Read Online Alligator Park by R. J. Blacks - Free Book Online Page A

He’s changed his clothes, into clothes I didn’t
even know he had. He’s even trimmed his hair and actually looks quite
respectable.
    We set out immediately for the
center city branch of the driver’s license bureau. Fortunately it’s an easy
walk from the university. Will proves to be in far better physical shape than I
had imagined. After ten blocks, I’m huffing and puffing and he isn’t even
breathing hard. I suppose living in the street has its advantages.
    We arrive at the Driver’s
Bureau at about 10:00 AM, and immediately sign in. Within thirty minutes our
number is called. Will hands the clerk his application; she glances at it then
asks, “Do you have your expired license?”
    Will fumbles through his bag,
hands her the license.
    “Military,” she says, then
looks at his eye patch. “We need to get an eye test. Please look into the
eyepiece and read me the three middle lines.”
    Will stares into the eye test
machine. 
    “A-P-E-O-R-T-D-E-X,” he says,
rattling off all the letters he was told to read. 
    “Perfect. Now stand in front
of the camera please.”
    Will accommodates her, breaks
into a smile as she takes his picture.
    “Good. Now I need a second form
of ID.”
    Will gropes through his bag,
retrieves a tattered, folded up piece of faded paper, hands it to her. She
unfolds the paper, studies it.
    “These are your military
discharge papers. Anything else?”
    “No,” he says, shaking his
head side to side.
    “I’m not sure about this. I’ll
be right back.”
    Will and I watch the lady disappear
into the back office area. Will turns to me, shrugs. I can sense his feeling of
helplessness. The lady returns.
    “I’ve discussed this with the
supervisor, and he approved it.”
    Will’s eyes light up and he
breaks into a smile.
    “Furthermore,” she adds, “he
waived the driving test since you’re already approved to drive several types of
military vehicles including trucks. I think that’s enough experience for anyone.”
 
    The clerk processes the
paperwork, then hands Will his license complete with picture ID.
    “Congratulations,” she says,
breaking out in a smile.
    Will studies it closely and
then shows it to me, beaming from ear to ear. I gaze at it in admiration, but then
something jumps out at me.
    “William Dane? The
hospital records said Franklin.”
    “Oh that. It’s
like this; the hospital always does a background check. If I use my real name,
they will see I was in the military and send me to the VA.”
    “What’s wrong
with the VA?”
    “The VA Hospital
is far away... and they keep you there a long time... and I would have to beg
for bus fare to get back and I don’t like to beg.”
    “Don’t they check
‘Franklin’?”
    “They do, but
they come up empty, so they let me stay figuring I got no other options.”
    To any other person, his
logic would appear to be flawed. But it made perfect sense to him so I just let
it pass.
    “Let’s celebrate,” I say.
“Lunch is on me.”
    “Well okay. I don’t know when
I’ll be able to pay you back.”
    “Don’t even think about it. Come
on, let’s go.”
    We exit the license bureau
and find a nice little center city cafe. Will and I find some empty seats amongst
a crowd of office workers and last minute Christmas shoppers. I order two
coffees and some croissants. Will looks around in awe. It’s probably been ages
since he was a paying guest in a restaurant and the smile on his face and
twinkle in his eye tell me he is clearly enjoying himself.
    “Now that you have your
license, I need to get a car. Will you help me find a good one?”
    “Of course, I’ll just cancel
my afternoon appointments,” he jokes, acting like some important executive.
    We finish lunch then take a
bus to a used car lot just outside of town. The car lot is plastered with
banners and signs all over, “Great Deals”, “Lowest Prices”, and “Zero Money
Down”. We stroll down the first line of cars checking out prices marked