“Laura, is that you?” a man asked from a corner booth.
“Pops!” I said, picking up my tray from the counter.
“Scoot over for my grandchild,” he said, gesturing to the man at the end of the booth.
I sat and began unwrapping the straw and sticking it in my milkshake.
“What do you have there?” Pops asked.
“Milkshake and fries, the lunch of champions.”
“Why aren’t you in school?”
“I got suspended.”
“What did my grandchild do to get suspended?”
I wasn’t really his grandchild. Not biologically. Pops was Dennis’s dad. Terrence’s grandfather. But even though I wasn’t blood, Pops called me his grandchild. His new granddaughter by marriage. His only granddaughter.
“Long story. Let’s just say it was totally worth it.”
He laughed and so did his buddies. They all tipped their hats with an introduction. Pops would come here every weekday and sit in this booth and drink his coffee with sugar and talk to his friends. They would stay until the lunch crowd arrived, which was now. I think they stayed later because I was here. But they were in deep discussion about the movie Eve of Destruction. One of Pop’s buddies was lending his barn to the film and another was lending his law office, though the location director wasn’t sure if they would need them or not.
“I’m going to be in it,” I said, smiling.
“Well, ain’t that a thing.”
I took the top off my milkshake and started dunking my French fries. “I get to invite a guest, and I asked Terrence if he wanted to go with me. He said yes.”
“I’m glad you two are finding solid ground. You’re making your pops proud.”
When Terrence’s dad and my mom got married, it was Pops who helped me feel welcome. I didn’t have a grandfather who was alive, so he filled that role. It felt weird having a grandparent who was nice and didn’t have a flaw—like giving hundreds to thousands of dollars to a testiphony.
“You and Terrence will have a lot of fun. You’ll remember this time for the rest of y’all’s lives,” Pops said, grabbing a fry and dipping it in my milkshake. “Yum. Next time I’ll have to get one for myself.”
With the last fry on my tray eaten, the men grabbed their coats, straightened their hats, and said their goodbyes.
“Fair warning,” Pops said. “Watch out for the speed trap down on Hunt Road—that hill toward the Piggly Wiggly. There was a cop hiding by a bunch of overgrown bushes.” He turned to me. “That’s where I got my umpteenth speeding ticket—by not paying attention to gravity.”
“Love you, Pops.”
“I love you too, Laura.”
-
Little Rock, Ark.—Curious about the end of the world? Here’s your chance to take part in the apocalypse. In Eve of Destruction, it’s 1954, and a Red Warning is looming over the country. A nationwide drill is set for 10 a.m. across North America. What happens to an American city when the unthinkable happens… FOR REAL?
All ages welcome. Locals with pre-1954 vehicles are needed. Dates: November 26–December 6.
Refreshments and snacks provided.
-
Headed your way to a movie theater near you is Eve of Destruction, the story of a world on the brink of annihilation. The nation fears a Red Warning, so to be prepared for the worst, the United States declares the first nationwide Civil Defense drill. Set in Arkansas in June 1954, the story follows four teenagers as the town of Pikesville stages a mock attack.
Even in 1984, people have nuclear war on their minds. Do you think there will be a nuclear war in your lifetime? Do you think if there is a nuclear war, you will survive? Do you favor a nuclear freeze? Please answer honestly. Once done, drop off your surveys at any of the following locations: Ellis Grocery, the post office on Main Street, the town hall (the local FEMA location) on Hatcher.
Results will be published in an upcoming issue of the Arkansas Telegram.
1. What are the chances of a nuclear war?
■ High
■ Low
2. Do you think a nuclear freeze will happen in your lifetime?
■ Yes
■ No
3. How often do you think about a nuclear war happening?
■ Several times a day
■ About once a day
■ Almost once a month
■ Almost never
4. Given that the state is a prime target, how prepared do you believe we are in case of attack?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. If a nuclear war occurs, do you believe one side will emerge as a “winner”?
■ Yes
■ No
6. What are your chances of surviving a nuclear war?
■ None
■ Poor
■ Good
■ Excellent
Your Age
■ 15 or under
■ 16 to 21
■ 22 to 30
■ 31 to 45
■ 46 to 60
■ 61 or above
Your Sex
■ Male
■ Female
Chapter Seven
Mom dragged Dennis to the hotel to fix a few issues that had been plaguing the staff of the Flat Inn, Terrence was at a pickup basketball game down at the Y, and I was at Max’s house trying to decipher my handwriting. Max’s room was the natural place for the creative process, strewn with his own drawings, action figures, and costumes from Halloweens past. Last year we went as Batman and Robin. I was Robin, of course. I never got to play the lead.
“I think we need a female lead,” I told Max.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because they keep canceling the ones that have one, like She-Hulk.”[32]
He didn’t answer. I got to work on the origin story of my girl while Max got to drawing.
“I want her to be strong and independent and speak her mind but not be too bossy,” I said.
“Okay, how about a name?” he asked.
“Penny,” I answered, my eyes on my notebook. “Penny Star.”
“Is that too on the nose?” he asked, sharpening his pencil.
“Really? Too on the nose? Like Flash or Firestorm—”
“Okay, I get your point,” he said.
“Thank you very much.”
“Well, does it not sound like a stripper?”
“Uh, fine, I’ll change the name.”
A loud, piercing sound came from the living room. Max’s older sister, Erica, was home from college, watching soap operas. When she was done screaming—it didn’t last long—she turned down the volume. She was thoughtful that way. “I only want to hear that tone blaring in the end-times,” I said, pulling my knees to my chest.
“Like now?” Max said.
“They’re doing more tests lately, aren’t they? Should we be worried?” I asked.
“We’re just getting our origin story.”
“I went to a meeting yesterday at Tech about the end of Star Wars,” I said.
“The movie?”
“No—nuclear arms race,” I said. “We set off ninety-nine red balloons in protest.”
“When did you get political?” he asked.
“I’m not.”
“You do know red balloons are not great for the environment.”
“Do you think there’s going to be a nuclear war?” I asked.
“No. No one is that stupid,” he said. “What does your dad say?”
32
She-Hulk had her own comic books, but they were canceled in 1982. She became a minor character in other comics, including the Incredible Hulk. Two years ago, she was a member of the Avengers, and this year, she appeared in the April issue as a member of the Fantastic Four.