The Kindness of Strangers

Ch. 15 - All Their Homies Hate the Sawyers

I fall out of bed when Drayton slams the door open.

"Enough canoodlin'! The shops are about to open and we're burnin' daylight!" I choke on the air caught in my lungs as I lurch forward to angrily grab Drayton. The man takes one step away. "Don't give me the stank eye. It ain't my fault ye slept in!" Tommy groans and puts his pillow over his ears. I will not be supported so early in the morning.

I shamble onto my feet and grab my hairbrush out of the nightstand. I usually brush it wet but today will be the exception. I quickly brush it into a ponytail as I catch my reflection in the mirror. Yeesh. Maybe I should get bangs. I bet Mama would do that for me...or Verna. Verna has definitely cut all their hair to know how to make some good bangs.

Drayton taps his foot impatiently while I pull my socks and shoes on. I squint at him.

"If you keep eyeing me like that, I'll just get slower." The old man throws his arms up and storms downstairs, leaving me with some peace. I hear Thomas chuckle from beneath the pillow.

I meet Drayton downstairs to have a lunchbox shoved into my chest, leaving me, once again, wheezing.

"Since I already ate, you can eat in the car! Got an egg salad sandwich in there with some sausage links. Should still be hot since I wrapped it in the shop's foil." I look down to see a faded Bozo the Clown lunch box. It must've been in the family a while. Haven't seen one of these since my grandma's house. I hold the fun little box to my chest hoping to keep my breakfast warm as I follow Drayton to the truck. Despite the truck's age, Drayton takes care of it and it has a full tank plus a spare can. My van is so beat up and rusted, I'm surprised I made it to Texas at all.

I get in the truck wearily and put my seatbelt on. I've seen an accident or two and don't want my skull going through the windshield while I'm eating breakfast. I open my little clown lunchbox to see a lovingly wrapped sandwich and two sausages put to the side. He even put napkins on the wrapped side so they wouldn't get greasy. I notice Drayton looking at me opening my breakfast. I give him a smile before biting into my sandwich. He rolls his eyes and starts the car.

The road is so long and dusty, I don't even dare to stick my head out of the window. Might end up with mud in my lungs. Drayton keeps eyeing me and my breakfast, I'm almost done with it. Been taking my time so I don't get a stomach ache.

"I used to make all us boys lunches when I started to cook ye know. You should've seen Tommy eat back then. Had to pack him two boxes. That was before hard times of course...when the slaughterhouse was open." I smile at Drayton.

"I'm sure they loved the lunches you made. It's good sausage by the way, real juicy." Drayton smiles.

"I'm gonna use that same meat and some beef in my chili this year. Gonna give it that flavor I've been lookin' for. Gonna win that money prize for sure. Get the house fixed up some. Like how grandpa wants it." I finish gulping down the last of my food.

"That sounds amazing Drayton but...where you gonna get beef with no cows?" Drayton waves one hand at me.

"Aunt Verna used some of her man's money to buy a fancy livestock business. All the money and none of the work. She's working hard to get us back on top in this town. It's just gonna take a while." I nod.

"What was Tommy like...you know before the accident?" Drayton pinches his mouth hard and almost seems sick.

"This last accident was my fault. If I had known better and kept him out of my pranks, the clinic wouldn't have taken 'em. I don't treat him different though. He'd know why I'd gone soft and would be pissed as hell. When he was little and in school, he still had some issues. Couldn't talk for a long time...just too damn shy. Always in his own world." I smile.