»
Main Forums
»
Passions in Prose
»
Bernie: My Grampa
| Passions in Prose |
|
Bernie: My Grampa |
|
|
wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) 
|
A lone, burnt red schoolhouse stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of a golden pasture, somewhere in Central Texas. In it young boys and girls were working diligently on their math lessons, all except one boy who sat by a window looking intently outside for any kind of action he might find happening on the cool spring day. Bernie was ten-years-old and like most of his peers, he yearned for excitement. Unfortunately, though, he couldn't wait until school was dismissed to go down to the creek that ran through the woods by his daddy's farm. He was already there. Suddenly a voice interrupted him just before he had hold of the biggest frog he'd ever seen. The voice was calling his name. "Bernard... Bernard..." Bernie snapped back to reality, realizing the voice was that of his old maid teacher. "Yes Ms. Wormser?" "Look around Bernard. Your schoolmates have left you behind. Turn in your work as you leave," Ms. Wormser said facing the chalkboard, erasing the math problems that were scribbled in various places by young hands. Bernie looked down at his paper and saw that it was blank. Flipping through his book he struggled to find the page the lesson was on. Maybe he could get the first couple done while Ms. Wormser wasn't looking. Without turning Ms. Wormser sighed, "You were staring out that window again, weren't you Bernard?" she didn't wait for an answer, her tone sharp this time, "What did I tell you I would do if this happened again? You will have a new assigned seat in the morning. Now turn in what you have and leave." Bernie signed his name on the paper and placed it on the pile sitting on his teacher's desk. He stuck his tongue out at the maid and walking out the door, he slammed it shut. Ms. Wormser turned and shook her head. The schoolhouse was hot enough, but the intensity of the sun almost knocked Bernie off his feet as he walked out into the open of the pasture. Putting his hand over his eyes to block the glare, he looked for Billy, his best friend, who walked with him the four miles to his farm every day after school. To his dismay, Billy was no where in sight. Thinking nasty thoughts about his friend, Bernie remembered Billy had said earlier that he couldn't wait for him after school because his father had gotten stricter about getting his chores done on time. Bernie understood this completely and forgave Billy. He knew he'd never catch his friend, Bernie had met his father and knew what he was like. The old man put even his father's hardness to shame. Instead, Bernie decided to take it slow and began whistling an old tune, hunting for grasshoppers in the tall grass as he made for home. For some reason Bernie didn’t take the way home. Instead as he often did, Bernie wandered off the path completely. Aimlessly and full of bliss, Bernie walked amongst the tall grass head down eyes skimming for bugs. Suddenly Bernie was startled by the sound of a lion roaring in his face. Poor Bernie swung his head up wide to meet face to face with the monster cat caged in a trailer of blue and green hue. Bernie sighed in relief a circus must be coming to town, he thought. As he was starting to walk away from inspecting all the tigers and enjoying the smell of the elephants as boys do, Bernie made to leave. “Woah there,” a booming voice called out” “Young boy…” a round-bellied man stepped out from behind a trailer. With one hand he fastened his pants and with the other he pulled out a ticket from his pocket. “Do you like the circus boy?” “Yessir.” Bernie croaked. “Well next stop is Hillsboro take the ticket, on me, and enjoy yourself before you end up lion food.” The man laughed at this and picked up a large hammer. “Go to the circus boy but don’t stay too long at the side show. Good day!” Bernie nodded again and took the ticket. He politely thanked the man and started back towards the farm. He walked a ways looking at the brightly colored ticket. The circus, he'd never been to one, only having heard about them from Billy who had been once a few years back. He looked at the date it would be in town. It read: "Tonight ONLY, April 3, come be amazed..." Bernie grimaced knowing that his father would never let him go, his father didn't have the word fun in his vocabulary. He kicked a small stone in frustration and looked up to see how far it went. In horror he realized that the rock was on a direct b-line for a car that was slowly driving down the main road he hadn't noticed he was approaching. It didn't happen in slow motion but rather quickly: the rock hurtled, descending towards the open top of the Model A and landed on the leather seat next to the driver, out of Bernie's line of vision. The car came to a stop and he froze, standing directly in front of it there was no escape. The driver was an old worn out looking man in his seventies at least. He had ratty gray hair and whiskers on his chin of the same color. Seeing the innocent look on the boy's face, he smiled. His teeth were comical, two were missing on the top row, but the remainder was suprisingly white. He spoke in a creaky voice, "Hey there sonny. I saw ya boot that rock. Got a good foot on ya. Need a ride down the road?" Bernie relaxed knowing he was safe. He usually caught a ride on this stretch of road to the farm. This time he was lucky to get one so soon. Not many cars traveled this road and often he walked the whole distance without seeing a sole passerby. "Yes sir," he simply replied. "Well then hop on in." Bernie opened the door of the Model A, stepped up and in. Shutting the door he placed his books on the rock. "Sorry about that mister, I didn't mean to hit your car. To tell ya the truth I wasn't lookin' where I was goin'." The old man shook it off, "No harm done at all son. Forgit it. So how far ya goin'?" "Oh 'bout three miles down the way" They drove the distance in silence. Coming upon Bernie's farm he asked, "Mister ya don't mind me askin' where ya goin'?" "I'm goin' to Waco. Why?" Bernie paused, "I was jest wonderin' if you'd be passin' through Hillsboro?" The man frowned, "Well sure, I guess so. Yeah, I would be, wouldn't I?" "Well if it be okay, I'd like to be let off there," said Bernie. "I thought ya wanted out on this road," the man said. "Yeah I remembered an errand my daddy wanted and it save me breakin' out the horse. I'll get a ride on the way back." "No problem at all sonny." They talked until they reached a small town. The man finished up a tale and nudged his companion who was sound asleep. Bernie flew out of his seat. "Whuh,Whuh. Good story!" "To late sonny. I know ya was snoozin'." Bernie blushed, "I'm sor..." The man interrupted, "Forgit it. I've been borin' hitch hikers since Abilene. This is ya stop." Bernie said goodbye and got out of the car. Before he could take a step the man stopped him. "Here ya go son, for the road." Bernie took the two dollars and stuffed them into his pocket. "Thanks mister but I'm only on an errand." "Right. Right," the man smiled and drove off. What did he mean by that, Bernie thought, I'm only goin' to see the circus and what if I don't go back home? I'd only be missed at cow milkin' time. Shut up Bernie, your stupid for even doin' this. You'll see the circus and then go back home to face the music. Bernie looked around at the buildings in Hillsboro's town square. There was a bank, city hall, drug store, and a variety store, among others. The variety store caught his attention the most. He walked in and the clerk greeted him, "Can I help ya son?" Bernie's stomach growled just then, "The candy counter mister." The man pointed to his left and Bernie walked over. His eyes widened at the assortment of brightly colored wrappers and the containers full of gumdrops and jellybeans. He placed his order and the clerk scooped out a generous helping of licorice whips. Bernie paid the man and left the store walking back into the street. He looked at the clock on the city hall building and then at the ticket. He almost choked on a piece of the licorice, ten minutes until the circus started. He'd have to hurry. He didn't have to read the directions on the ticket to know where the circus was being held. A crowd was forming around a red tent off in the field. He ran and got in line. Bernie watched in delight as the lion he'd ran into before leapt through a ring of fire and a tiger sat up on its haunches. In one hand he held a bag of popcorn and in the other a Coca-Cola. The licorice he'd been chewing on before was long gone. That was the last act so Bernie stood and waited for his legs to wake up. Outside the tent he came to a quick realization: he was going to have to go home. He hoped for dear life that he could catch a ride, it was five miles back to the farm and that would put him arriving after dark. Surely some family would be goin' down the road from the circus. Bernie walked a mile down the road when he saw a car coming fast from behind. He stuck his thumb out and when the car drew near it slowed and stopped. The automobile was a shiny black 1933 Ford touring car, a real beauty. Opening the door he noticed the driver was a gorgeous redhead in her twenties, he wouldn't be falling asleep on this trip, he thought. "Where you headed son," she asked. "Where ya goin lady? "Nice line. Get in kid." What did she mean by that, Bernie wondered getting in the car. "Going to Chicago. I don't suppose your going that way," she asked. No he wasn't, he had to go home. "Matter a fact I'm goin' all the way to Chicago," he found himself saying. "Uh-huh," the woman rolled her eyes. "Well maybe I wasn't plannin' on goin' there but it’s as good as any," said Bernie. "Oh," she smirked, "Big man on the road, are you now?" "Yep," Bernie beamed. "Sit back and go to sleep then, it’s a long ride." Bernie insisted that he wasn't sleepy but soon couldn't keep his eyes open. He was dreaming about far off places when he was abruptly awoken. "This is your farm, isn't it kid?" Bernie looked around and saw that in fact it was. "Ah, no." he answered hoping she'd buy it. She didn't. "Don't lie to me kid. My folks live in the farm down the road. I'm just in from Chicago and I'm dying to see my little brother Billy. Maybe you know him?" Bernie muttered under his breath. The next day Bernie rubbed his sore behind. Ms. Wormser was going on about the French Revolution and he was doing his best to stay awake. Sitting in the furthest corner of the classroom away from the window, he thought about the woman and the old man, about how his little taste of adventure had been so thrilling. He thought the same thing as a Model T stopped for him on the road after school. "Where ya headin' boy," asked the driver. "Where ya headin," answered Bernie with a smile. |
||
| © Copyright 1999 Walt Burns - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) |
i dunno it looked so good in word yuh and i do know why it happens but o man i cant fix this so if ya got it in ya thanx for readin it |
||
|
~one voice~ Senior Member
since 1999-07-08
Posts 664Billings, MT USA |
WALT!!!! This is an awesome story! I am blown away at how you took a simple subject and made it interesting! WOW! Great job! ------------------ ~onevoice~ "She looked at her life like lines, never-ending, constantly forming, reforming and bending." |
||
|
Nicole Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835Florida |
Ohhhh! I loved this! Well done! I very much look forward to more.  ------------------ "Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with." *Mark Twain* |
||
|
Dragoness Senior Member
since 1999-08-07
Posts 513 |
Ah Walt...you've done it again! Fantastic!! ------------------ Set you heart free and your mind will follow. |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||