Abbie

Sammy bustled through the house as much as a man with a bum knee could bustle, frantically searching for a necktie to match his hastily pressed shirt, one still bearing the wrinkled evidence of its recent home in the clothes dryer, then scouring the bedroom for a belt lacking welding scars, paint splatters, or significant wear, and finally shoe polish to touch up the dress shoes hibernating long enough he had forgotten what color they were. Abbie could tell his nerves were on edge when she was asked to fetch an antacid tablet, followed within a few minutes by a request for a second after he had forgotten whether he had chewed or lost the original. While she did her best to alternately steer clear of his path and jump in to offer aid or advice at his behest, it would be a relief when he walked out the door.

As Abbie watched her father in his preparations, it occurred to her she had never before seen him dressed in anything other than work clothes. She bit back a laugh as he struggled with the necktie as if it were a snake writhing around his neck seeking to strangle him. When the tie was finally wrestled into place, she gave it a last minute straightening and patted him on the shoulder.

"Knock 'em dead Daddy," she said with a reassuring smile.

"Whew! I hope so." He looked in the mirror hanging above the living room sofa for one last inspection, then turned to Abbie, "Look Kiddo. I don't have any idea how long this thing will take but be a good sport and stay with your grandmother. She's feeling a little bit weak today and you always manage to cheer her up."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine."

"Don't forget she likes dinner at five o'clock."

"Daddy. I am not going to let her starve. Trust me, everything's going to be alright."

She hugged him and sent him out the door, waiting until she heard the sound of his pickup truck in the alley behind the house. He would worry, she knew. It was his nature, hardwired into the way he was built.

"Alright, Grandma," she said, closing and locking the door behind her. "It's just the two of us. What are a couple of hot chicks like us gonna do all afternoon? How about cruising for a couple of hot guys?"

"Oh, listen to you! I'm about the furthest from being a hot chick as you can get," replied her grandmother with a smile. "How about something a little more suited for the way I feel today?"

"I've got just the thing," said Abbie. She went to the hall closet and rummaged around for a minute. 

"How about Scrabble? I used to play this with you all the time."

"Wonderful. But now that you're eighteen, no more made up words and no more giving me all the Q's and X's."

Within minutes the game was underway but Abbie could tell her grandmother wasn't feeling up to snuff. During her rare visits from Ohio as a youngster, Abbie had always been amazed how her grandmother could assemble words from even the most obscure letters. Now, she was listless and obviously not enjoying herself. Occasionally her head would nod forward and slump to her chest as she drifted off to sleep.

The jarring ring of the phone jolted her grandmother awake.

"Hello?" said Abbie, picking up the receiver.

She talked for a few minutes then lowered the phone back into the cradle.

"Well? What was that all about?" asked Grandma.

"That was Markus," replied Abbie, "from next door. You know, the guy that's got Daddy all upset."

"Well, this young Markus isn't the only thing that's got your father's nose bent out of joint. It seems of late, anybody who isn't white will set him off."

Abbie sat quietly for a moment, lost in thought.

"So are you going?" asked Grandma.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Now Abbie, I may spend most of my time in this wheelchair, but don't think that means my mind has gone soft. That young man called you because he wants to see you, didn't he?"

Abbie couldn't help but smile. "With two women as sharp as we are around here, it's a wonder Daddy's not all straightened out."

"I agree," said Grandma, "but you didn't answer my question. Are you going to see him?"

"Oh, I can't. I told Daddy I'd stay with you. He'd pitch a fit if I left you."

Her grandmother crossed her arms and attempted to look cross. "I do believe I am old enough to fend for myself, young lady. I was planning on taking a nap anyway and just looking for an excuse to tell you."

Abbie was positive her father would be unhappy should she leave Grandma untended, but her resolve weakened with each passing minute. Her desire to be responsible and obey her father was rapidly dissolving in light of the possibility of spending time with Markus. She knew she was rationalizing her decision, trying to find explanations to justify disobedience.

"Don't you use me as an excuse not to go out and have some fun," said Grandma, "I was young once. Heaven knows I wish I were again. You go and I'll be fine."

"What about dinner? It'll be time to eat soon."

"Not today. What I really need is a nap and if your father comes home before you get back, I'll deal with him," Grandma said in a conspiratorial manner. "And if you get back before him, well, he never has to know."

Abbie shook her head, "Oh, Grandma. You are so bad. What kind of an example are you to your granddaughter?"

Her grandma reached out and patted Abbie's hand. "I'm the best kind, one that breaks the rules every once in awhile and has some fun. I just don't want you to get old like me and have lived a life of regrets, so get going. I promise, I'll be alright."

Abbie's sense of guilt lasted just about as long as it took her to help Grandma into bed. She spent an obligatory fifteen minutes in the bathroom in preparation and another five deciding exactly what top to wear. Had I known I was going to meet a cute guy, I would've brought more clothes! A final peek to check on Grandma and she slipped out the door, pulling it shut behind her.

"I thought you couldn't get away," said Markus when he answered the door. "You said you had to stay with your grandmother."

"Well, things have a way of working themselves out," answered Abbie with a touch of coyness. "Now are we gonna get out of here or not?"

Markus grinned. Abbie loved his smile. It lit up his face, making him the kind of man you innately trusted yet suspected a bit of mischievousness lurking around in there somewhere. She realized he was far from perfect, his terrorist attack on her father's roses bore testament of that, but she sensed a depth of sincerity and integrity uncommon in almost every other guy her age, or any age, for that matter. And to her mind, the ability to trust was the most valuable thing she could think of in a relationship: far more important than race, social standing, or even appearance. Of course, it doesn't hurt one bit that he's so cute! She only wished her father could see what she did, that he could see past the color of his skin and gain a glimpse of his true character. She tried to be fair when thoughts like this popped into her mind, but realized she was looking at the world through her experiences and not his. But she hoped, perhaps falsely, one day he would be able to see beyond the negative things that had happened and gain a true perspective.

"Aunt Sadie," he called into the house, "I'm going out for a while with Abbie. We're just gonna walk." Turning back to Abbie, he grabbed her hand and said, "Let's go."

They walked down the street, caught up in conversation and the joy of being together, oblivious to the grime and poverty surrounding them. For the most part, the streets were deserted, the heat of the day chasing even the most die-hard lovers of summer indoors or retreating into the shade. Even the occasional car meandering by seemed sluggish, as if drained of all vigor or saving it for more temperate days.

"So how did your father act about lettin' you see me?" asked Markus.

"Ha! What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"What? Are you kiddin' me? He's gonna kill me when he finds out."

Abbie shook her head. "Nope. Ain't gonna happen. He's gone for at least three hours and we ought to be back by then. He's got some kind of safety review meeting down at the mill. Besides, Grandma said she'd cover for me if he got back early."

"Alright, if you say so," said Markus with caution. "I just don't want to be the one who woke up the grizzly bear."

"Especially after that display this morning. I can't believe you tore up his roses, he loves those things."

"I know, I know. Believe me, I've heard enough about it from Aunt Sadie to last a lifetime."

"So where are you taking me anyway?"

"Where else do you take the prettiest girl in town on the hottest day of the year when you got some really hot news? You gotta go down to Meyer's."

Abbie flushed at his description but secretly enjoyed it. "And just what is this Meyer's"

Markus kicked a partially crumpled soda can from his path into the vacant lot where it would reside awaiting an scavenger to claim it. "Meyer's is this old corner grocery store, been there for ages. There's this old timer runs it; he never leaves and it never changes. But the good thing is they serve up a hand dipped ice cream cone that is just the thing for a day like today."

"Ahh, so you're gonna try to fatten me up, are you?"

Markus jumped back, feigning shock. "Girl! One lil' ole ice cream cone ain't gonna do a thing to anything as fine as you."

Again secretly pleased, Abbie folded her arms across her chest. "All this flattery is getting a bit deep, Markus," she said in a scolding manner. "So knock it off and tell me what this really hot news is anyway."

He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "I still can't believe it. Aunt Sadie kept at me and at me, but never in a million years did I think anything would ever come of it."

Caught up in his excitement, Abbie asked again, "Well? What is it? Don't leave me hanging?"

"Alright. I ain't gettin' my hopes up too much, but here goes: I been makin' a bunch a calls to every coach I could think of. Every coach that ever showed even a hint of interest, I called him. Even ones that didn't, I called. And finally, one agreed to talk to me."

"Markus, that's great! I'm so happy for you." She gave him a big hug, and he wrapped his arms around her. It felt good, she realized. "So who is it? What school?"

"That's the funny thing. It's only about thirty miles from here, over in Wheeler. Coach Drew Holmes, a guy I talked to way back when I was a sophomore, he thought I was still going to Northern State. Anyway, I told him all that had happened and he said he knew all about Samuelson and what kind of a guy he was. He seemed pretty excited to hear from me."

"That is too cool. Before long, the pros will take notice and you'll be on your way to the top. Wilt Chamberlain look out!" She paused and poked him in the ribs. "I guess the only question remaining is whether you'll remember the little people when you're a big shot."

He grinned, put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I don't think I could ever forget you."