Once they had the application completed, they walked over to the counter. It did not take long, and the video card was handed to John. They walked out of the store. John was proud of the fact he had his identity.
Bobby was confident now that John had the start of his identity that now he would be able to get a job. He pulled up to the Daily News Building. They sat there for the longest time while John nervously fidgeting with his fingers.
“You know what to say?” Bobby asked.
“I want a job.”
“Yeah, that too,” Bobby said, giving John a look and then laughed.
“You’ll do fine. If you don’t know what to say, just look stupid and say ‘cool.’”
“Cool?”
“Yeah, that means okay.”
“Why don’t I just say good?”
“Because that isn’t cool.”
John stared at Bobby for the longest time. He doubted his eyes as Bobby glanced down at his watch.
“Hey, I got to get going, or I’ll be late for school. You think you can do this on your own?”
“Sure, why not.”
John reluctantly got out of the car and walked up to the Daily News entrance. Bobby gave him the thumbs-up and drove off.
It had been a long morning for Jane at The Little A’Le’Inn café. Things finally slowed down, and she and Jenny were allowed to take a much-needed break. They sat at the counter with coffee in hand. When they heard the door open, Jenny turned to Jane.
“I’ll get this one. You just take it easy.”
Jenny reached over for a menu and then followed the customer over to his table. When he sat down, she was surprised to see Charlie Hill, Bobby’s teacher.
“You lost?” Jenny asked.
“Bobby told me you worked here. It’s a long way from the corporate rat race.”
“You’ve been back here for how many years? You could have called to let me know.
A tear rolled down Jenny’s cheek. Seeing him again was painful, more painful than she realized it would be. She swallowed hard, wiped away the tear before answering.
“So you could say I told you so,” she asked.
“I wouldn’t have said that,” Charles whispered as he glanced around the café. “This is a step-down, even for you.”
Jenny glared at him a moment. It was then Jane took note of the two and was about to interrupt them, but Jenny motioned for her not to interfere.
“This town isn’t noted for high-level corporate positions.”
“But surely you could have found something more suited.”
“Suited to what?”
Charles shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Jenny put a pen to her pad and then decided to do her job. “You going to order or just dispense advice?”
Charles quickly glanced at the menu and then looked up. “Your sunrise special, for starters.”
Jenny was taken aback by the remark. Just then, Widow Megal walked in with her pedigree white poodle, Buttons. She walked over to a booth. Jane walked over and handed the widow a menu.
Widow Megal glanced up as she accepted the menu from Jane. “Buttons would like a bowl of warm milk.”
Jane pointed to the sign by the door. “No animals.”
“Buttons is my baby.”
Jane glared at Widow Megal and then looked at Buttons. “She has your nose.”
Jenny walked over quickly. She smiled politely at Window Megal and motioned to Jane.
“I’ll take care of this table,” she said.
Jane turned to Jenny and restated her concern. “We don’t serve animals.”
“Widow Megal is an exception,” Jenny argued.
“Exception? Explain.”
Jenny thought for a moment before answering. “When you have rules, but some people don’t have to abide by them.”
Jane appeared puzzled. “Is that fair?” she asked, looking around and then quickly added, “To everyone else.”
By then, other patrons had taken notice and were watching the exchange.
“No. But Ms. Megal, she’s…”
Jane cut her off and then nodded. “An exception.”
“Yes,” was all Jenny replied.
Jane walked away while Jenny turned to Widow Megal and smiled sheepishly. She knew her father liked the widow. In fact, Mable Megal was her mother’s best friend. It did not bother her that Elmer was interested in her. In fact, life would be easier at the ranch if she did not have to worry about her father. Bobby should graduate in the spring and if he went away to school, and Elmer and Mable hooked up, then Jenny could go back to her old life.
Clyde walked over to the register where Charles Hill stood waiting. Once Charlie paid his bill he walked to the door. He turned and looked at Jenny for a moment before leaving. Just then Jane walked over to Jenny.
“He looked at you most peculiarly,” Jane said, looking at Jenny for her reaction.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Jenny said.
“It was just an observation,” Jane responded with her head cocked.
“You’re all wrong.”
“Then the way he looked at you meant something.”
Jenny smiled. “Did he look at me like that?”
Jane shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”
Jane walked away from Jenny. She quickly took the fresh pot of coffee off the Bunn Burner and topped off everyone’s cups.
CHAPTER 17
After Bobby left John at the newspaper office, he quickly drove across town to school. By the time he reached the school grounds, it was already in session, and he was marked tardy again. Bobby just shrugged. A few more months, and he would not have to worry about any of this anymore.
Bobby got out of his car and slowly walked into the building. Before he could make his way to third-period class, the school secretary hurried out of the principal’s office.
“I think the principal wanted to see you, Bobby.”
Bobby just rolled his eyes. “I almost forgot.”
“I bet you did. Mr. Rowe left a note yesterday afternoon.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. But I think there is a big mistake about what happened yesterday.”
“Why? That is unimportant, right now. You’re on the agenda for the staff meeting tonight.”
“Cool. Then why don’t I wait until tomorrow, when the principal will have more to tell me?”
The secretary shrugged as she realized the principal was busy that morning. It made sense to let Bobby go to his class and then deal with all their issues with him tomorrow morning after the staff meeting that night.
Bobby had the secretary write him a hall pass, and then he happily walked down the hall, knowing he just dodged the bullet again.
The afternoon sun was high in the sky. In the distance on Highway 375, the heat of the day caused mirages to appear. It was on Highway 375 that John was given his newspaper route. Without Bobby to guide him, he went back to the ranch and took the only vehicle he had access to, to deliver his papers. As long as he flew under the radar, he would not have to worry about the Cammo dudes from Area 51. Things had gone well, and John had delivered all but a few of his newspapers. Because of the heat of the day he had not seen another vehicle at all during his deliveries until he saw an old pickup coming down the road.
Driving the old pickup was Old Man Pitt, the town drunk. The truck swerved in and out of his lane. John was curious about the truck coming straight for him. Nevertheless, Old Man Pitt did nothing to get out of John’s way. If truth were known, John had the right of way, but it was one thing to be right and another to be dead right.
John quickly maneuvered the spacecraft upward out of the pickup’s way and as he did that he quickly tossed a paper through Old Man Pitt’s open window. The paper landed on Old Man Pitt’s lap.