Fall 1986
“Hey what’s the first thing that goes through a bug’s mind when it hits a windshield?”
“I don’t wanna-”
“His asshole.”
Tim had hovered right between Nick and Deej to deliver that payoff.
Deej swats at him, “Yeah who asked you?”
Tim gleefully gallops back to the group of apes he’d fallen in with after coming along with Deej’s youth group to check things out, which pretty much translates to these kinds of meaningful encounters with females. Nick just puts his head down onto the tray he’d inherited that had a few pickable fries left, from which his brother had just picked one, evidently thinking he deserved a tip.
Deej asks, “Are you ok?”
“Yeah just…I dunno.”
She had called Monday night to invite him along to an event at a big church in Dunlap and he could bring whomever. Since it was time with Deejay he didn’t want to make Vance a third wheel, and besides he had practice most nights. But Irene mentioned it to Tim and here we are and Nick is just feeling out of sorts. These are not his stars.
They are seated at one of those square booths opposite a pair, not a couple, his name is Wade and hers is Beth, both schoolmates of said Deejay, as they call her, both play in the small school band. Wade is a percussionist and so Nick found that interesting, but of course the conversation has three insiders and so Nick just looks on. However, Deej has a way of touching her knee to his more often than not, so there’s that at least.
The opposite pair decide on hot pies and hop up to the counter so Nick warily continues,
“Been a long day.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Not really, then an algebra quiz, felt kinda lost.”
“Ouch. If it makes you feel any better I sat in something wet today that I’m glad to leave unexplained.”
“That sucks.”
“Glad you could come with us, even with…”
“Yeah, he’s usually a sideshow.”
Nick wore his old track sweatshirt and it seemed a tad warm in here, maybe it was the company. He senses activity her way and looks over to see her readjust her ponytail and looking at him, and so the gaze starts, her smile warms, and so does everything beneath his sweatshirt. Finally this seems like the time to hand her what he’d been securing in the font pouch along with his trusty hairbrush, a Memorex 60-minute cassette with the side sticker labels simply stating: For DJ. The case liner is still turned with the yellow brand label facing outward,
“Made you something.”
Her eyes get really big as he slides it under the table and she sticks it in her purse and takes a sip of whatever pop they serve at the time. Then she casually looks around, tugs her pone again, turns toward him and slips her left knee over his right knee, and seems to have found new inspiration, not to mention slightly flushed,
“Thank you, Nicky…umm, so, what else are you taking besides algebra?”
To this point they had just sat together in the big welcome at the ceremony then it was like an activity fair, pingpong, Nick slapped the volleyball around some but it was just a hangout thing and trying to avoid Tim as much as possible. The vans segregated males and females, as Nick got the sense there had been shenanigans on prior trips that would be best to avoid going forward.
Deej ended up shooting hoops and didn’t try volleyball till after Nick had already busted a blood vessel at it, so Nick just kinda stood by and checked out some booths. One was recruiting for a vocal group that toured the region, he asks if they had any instruments but just their leader on piano. Figures.
At one point Tim smarts off to Deej and she’s too quick, pins back his thumb till he squeaks out an uncle, although he was sure to add theatrics to salvage it with some laughs. After about an hour and a half they load up the vans and here they are as Nick recites his day,
Nick is pretty sure he had mentioned his schedule before recently, but here goes, “Physical Science, Typing, Freshman Lit, Study Hall, Phys Ed, Restroom, Health, and Lunch. Not in that order and sometimes Restroom repeats a few times.”
This gets an amused smile, “So you are sure to get it right.”
“Good to the last drop.”
She looks away grinning, holds back a chuckle, then, “Are you taking a language?
“Spanish next year I think, Mom thinks it’s more valuable than French.”
“She’s a smart lady, you should listen to her more.”
“Yeah.” Nick runs dry and looks around.
“So in phys ed do you play football?”
“Yeah at first is usually the tradition in fall. But Dougan is head coach so he’s watching the game tapes all day, think I’ll try to take it in the fall next year since at this point we just stand around dribbling.”
This gets a giggle and she flushes.
“What?”
“Ohhhh my, what are we gonna do with you?”
Nick instinctively grins, “Is that why there’s separate vans?”
She doubles over a bit and covers her mouth with a wrist, “Mmmmm, maybe.”
“You look nice.” The sweater brings her eyes out, not that they need much help.
“Stop it, I didn’t do anything.”
“Don’t need to.”
“Nicky, YOU behave,” through gleaming braces.
Right about then is the call to board for home, specifically the same Baptist church was home base. Nick and Deej clasp pinkies a few times on the way out then she squeezes his hand,
“See ya when we get there.”
Riding toward the front and as far from the dipshits behind the rear van seat as he could get, Nick has a killer guitar riff in his head that he’s pretty sure is original and sure wishes he could actually play. He looks into the window and can see his reflection looking back from whatever light is available, ruddy and slightly pimpled; what a strange turn life took two years ago when starting seventh grade as a newly minted teenager, and now, for the moment, the adventure is on and the tunnel doesn’t seem so dark.