Under Lock and Key

18: New Year

Chapter 18: New Year

Lee Clarke, January 21st, 1947, Modoc County

2:00 pm

It was a gray January afternoon. I stopped for a second, a cleaning rag loose in my hand, some old shirt that was too stained to wear, to look out of the Big House window. I felt a warm presence behind me and knew it was Kelly without even looking. I knew it. I could feel him. He didn't have to say anything or touch me.

I watched through the window as a few boys walked across the frosted dirt moving towards whatever chore they had at this time. A few older boys from Air, jostling each other, rakes over their shoulders. A younger boy from Land, maybe thirteen, running to catch up to them. I knew them.

The kid's name was Nat. He liked to eat potatoes. Crispy. For breakfast. He put strawberry jam on them, and everyone teased him about it.

The tall guy with the dull brown birthmark on his cheek was Joshua. He was funny. Had a million jokes in his pocket. But would pick a fight with anyone who gave him any disrespect, whatever that meant. It was hard to tell.

Next to him was a new guy, Bennet. He didn't talk so far. He was still getting used to life here. He'd be okay, as long as he didn't spend too much time with Mitchell, the boss in Air who ran the card games.

Strange how much you know about people, but it's not like we had anything else to do. There were waves of new kids in and out, maybe they had nothing sentences or maybe they had parents with pull, who knows. I know all of them, because we share chores or a class or they ran next to me in Physical Education.

But there were some of us, with years on our backs. Knowing this place was the only home we'd have for a while. It was easy to tell who were good guys underneath, and who were people who...well...I do think everyone can get better or make better choices in life...hopefully. Some guys though, it would take a lot of work to get there.

The warm hand on my back was nice.

Kelly was definitely one of the good ones.

"Really? And then what did you say?"

We turned, exchanging a smile, to see Glen's leg, food tapping, the rest of him out of view, as he sat in Mr. Campbell's office, on the phone.

"That was probably a good idea especially if she has friends. Can't offend a customer."

Silence.

"No! The secretary of the bank loan officer?! You lucked out! Good thing the problem was an easy fix. What person doesn't change their oil...ever?"

More silence.

"I know. ....... I know. ...... I only have a minute more. Uh huh.....well.... I know. I.. " And here Glen's voice quieted to a bare whisper, but we could still hear it. "I miss you too. February is a long way to go. Take care."

I leaned my back against Kelly, and he slipped his hand around my waist.

It was sweet and a little scary to hear Glen talking to Mac on the phone. They found time to talk every couple of days, even if it was just a few minutes, when Glen had Chores in the Big House. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Cooper tacitly ignored it, but it was odd how the phone would ring exactly on the days when Glen was nearby to casually pick it up.

That was sweet.

Scary was how much Glen wanted it. How much he hoped for those calls. I knew he was a realist, he didn't think anything could really become of it, how could it? But still, he was putting his heart out to get hurt. What did we really know about Mac anyway?