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As Pete pulled into the parking area at the side of the store, the loose gravel rattled against the front fenders of the car. Wonder why Lon wouldn’t get this paved? Guess he’s just too tight. Well, nothing much ever changes around here, he thought. I hope some of the old gang is here or shows up. Being up at State for the better part of a year, I’ve really been out of touch. Sure would be nice to catch up. Pete slips out of the car. Even though it was almost sundown, it was still warm and the entrance to the Marvin General Store was covered by only a screen door. From the inside he hears some muffled conversations. He takes a few steps in that direction and smells the combined odors of tobacco smoke and the oil that was periodically put on the wood floor for purposes that had never been explained or for that matter that he had never wondered about.

  Pete is just about ready to go on inside the store when he spots someone familiar emerging from the nearby privy.

  “Hey, Roy, how the hell are you?

  “Holy shit, Pete! How long’s it been? I guess that I haven’t seen you since last August after that last ball game with Windy Valley…that’s almost a year.”

  “That’s about right. Hey! Bring me up to date. How are you and the rest of the juveneers making out these days.”

  Roy grinned. “Well, I think the juveneers are a thing of the past, Pete. Old Bump, who wasn’t smart enough to master “ juvenile delinquents” and gave us that name, popped off last December. His ill will towards us was justified, I guess. You remember that time we lifted up the rear end of his old Model A and put that block under the back axle. He fired her up and couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t go. Oh God that was funny.”

  He continued. “I hardly see any of the bunch any more. Harry enlisted in the Air Force …afraid of gettin’ drafted in the Army. Bill and that Fonner girl over by Clear Springs got married last fall…nobody was surprised about that. Last time I saw them, she was big as a house …looked ready to pop. Guess he didn’t neglect his night work. And Joel went to live with his uncle over by Greensburg and got into an apprentice program for plumbers.”

  Pete nodded. I guess Roy’s right, he thought. We’re all getting’ scattered out and soon none of us will be in our teens. That seems to be the age bracket for juveniles.

  “How ‘bout you Pete? How’s your Mom and Dad? Did College agree with you?”

  “That’s a lot of questions all at once. Hmm. The folks are okay except that Pop hasn’t got over Eisenhower being elected …he’s such a stiff Democrat, you know. I did okay up at the University…didn’t flunk anything, anyway. Most of the courses that I had were okay but I’m looking forward to getting into some of the ones in my major in the next couple of years. It’s so big up there though…I really felt like a little fish in a big pool. How about you? How’d you make out at Fayette? ”

  Roy frowned. “Guess you didn’t hear. I dropped out in January at the end of the first semester…I passed everything but it just didn’t click for me. Maybe it was because I was living at home and commuting in and out everyday…didn’t feel like I was part of it.”

  “Well, what’ve you been doing since then?”

  “First two or so months I didn’t do much of anything other than help Dad out on the farm…weren’t many jobs around. Then about the first of March they were hiring in town at the glass factory and I been there ever since.”

  “Well, that’ll put a little jingle in your pocket but there’s not much future there, I wouldn’t think.”

  “Yeah, you’re right about that, Pete. The old man thinks that I should just stay home and take over the farm. But, you know, there’s no money in that either and I sure don’t want to spend the rest of my life pitchin’ hay and pullin’ tits. Maybe I should give college another try …or there’s always the military, I guess.”

  Roy paused and shook his head. “I dunno, Sometimes I think it’s like I’m just waitin’ around for something to happen.”

  “Well, I’d be a poor one to give advice,” said Pete. “For my part, I’m just hopin’ to get a decent job when I finish…doin’ what, I have no idea.”

  He paused and nodded towards the store. “Anybody inside that I’d know?”

  Roy grinned. “Oh, you’d know them alright. But it’s just the same old farts talking about how the world’s going to hell in a hand basket …the usual bullshit.”

  “I can get along without that,” responded Pete. “Say, I was thinking about going to a movie tonight. How about going along?”

  “Maybe. What’s playing?

  “It’s called Stalag 17.”

  “Funny name for a movie. What’s it all about?”

  “It’s about a German POW camp during the war and the American soldiers kept there. That’s really all I know except it’s supposed to be good.”

  “Well, okay. I haven’t been anywhere or done much of anything for quite a while so maybe that would be a good change of pace. Hope you wouldn’t mind taking me up to Judy’s before we head into town. I stop up there most evenings so I’d better let her know…she’d be wonderin’ what happened to me.”

  Pete grinned. “That’s no problem…it’s not really out of the way. Sounds to me, though, like you’re becoming henpecked …like an old married man.”

  Roy just smiled. He made no response.

  A few minutes later the two friends were in the car on their way.

  “For a Chevy, this bucket of bolts moves along pretty good,” said Roy.

  “Yeah, well it’s got all the pep that I need. I haven’t been behind the wheel of anything for most of the last nine months or so and my driving may be a little rusty. I sure don’t want to pile up the old man’s car…he’d have a shit fit, for sure.”

  They pulled off the main road onto the gavel side road and proceeded towards the place where Roy’s girlfriend lived.

  Pete spoke. “This is a pretty good hike up here every night for you, Roy.”

  For a few seconds there was no reply and then Roy responded.

  “Well, I wouldn’t want this to get around but Judy and I got it together back a couple of weeks before Easter for the first. Now I get just about anything I want and as often as I want it. But it’s hard waitin’ until her folks and brother quit watching television and go to bed.”

  “Yeah, I bet it does get hard,” said Pete, with a grin.

  By this time they had reached their destination and Pete pulled over in front of the house. Roy quickly exited the car, looked back in and said, “Shouldn’t be too long.”

  Pete watched as his friend walked up on to the porch, nodded to Judy’s younger brother sitting in the swing and went into the house. The screen door had hardly banged shut when the boy got up from the swing, walked over to the door and after peering in for a couple of seconds returned to the swing. The boy repeated this routine every few minutes as time passed.

  Pete looked at his wrist watch. Holy shit, he wondered, how long does it take to tell somebody you’re going to the movies. He’s been in there for at least ten minutes.

  Time continued to pass. If that kid doesn’t quit pacing up and down on that porch he’s going to wear a hole in the boards, Pete thought. Oh my God, look at the time.

  We’re goin’ to have to go like hell to catch the movie. Oh, man!

  A couple of minutes later the screen door opened and Roy emerged from the house. He crossed the porch with out acknowledging the boy and started down the walk.

  He got into the car, sat down and looked straight ahead.

  “Everything okay,” inquired Pete?

  Without turning to face Pete, Roy responded. “Uh, something’s come up and I’m not going to be able to go to the movie with you. Could you take me back down to the store? I’ve got a bunch of things to do.”

  “Well, sure…glad to.”

  The short ride back to the store was an interlude of strained silence. Pete pulled the car into the parking area and stopped. Roy opened the door and started to get out. He stopped and turned back to face Pete.

  “I’m in deep shit
, Pete. Judy’s knocked up and there’s gonna be a wedding tomorrow night after I get home from work. Well, the old man always told me that if you burn your ass you have to sit on the blister. Oh, Christ.” He turned and got out of the car.

  Pete watched his friend disappear around the side of the store.

  I guess we never know what’s around the next corner, he thought. Well, Roy said he kind of felt like he was waiting for something to happen. Something sure did.

  LOVE STORY