The telephone booth

Chapter Seventy-Two Steve Dixon

Chapter Seventy-Two
Steve Dixon
 
     Steve and Robert went to the tennis court together. The drizzle had moistened the playground a little and while Robert was playing; Mr. Dixon's wheelchair was next to a chair where a middle-aged man named Patrick Williams was sitting and happened to be one of Mr. Dixon's friends. Although Steve knew his wife was fine, he didn't know where Evelin was; she had disappeared after the fight with Steve; this made Steve a little worried and hopeless; he said to himself: "What is she doing?" Steve finally smiled when he saw his wife from afar.
   Mr. Williams sighed and said: "Your son plays much better than you. Why do you bring him here to play instead of you? Why do you torture yourself? Look at your son, he doesn't live for himself anymore, he's dead. Robert lives for you, breathes for you, he does whatever you say without any objection because he has become you and this is terrible because he hated you." Steve interrupted him angrily and said: "Stop it; you know if I had a gun next to me I would definitely shoot you."
   Patrick laughed and said: "You're just bluffing and that doesn't scare me; it doesn't stop me from continuing my speech."
   Mr. Dixon was very angry but said nothing.
   Patrick Williams, ignoring his friend's anger and continuing his speech, said: "He hated you and he was right; you hated him too, you weren't abusive to him but you weren't good either. Honestly, when I heard that you saved him I was very surprised; this behavior can be considered one of the seven wonders. Why did you save him?"
   Steve said softly: "Because his mother asked me."
   Patrick looked at Steve in astonishment and said: "I have to be very stupid to believe that."
   "That wasn't the only reason, there were other things that made me do this willingly."
   Patrick said: "Your son is coming." Then as he got up from his seat he gave Robert a towel and said: "Your game was great boy. You took four straight points from the service."
   Robert took the towel from Mr. Williams and sat next to his father; he said: "You praise people very well but I wish these praises were true."
   Patrick said: "I don't praise anyone for no reason." Then as he looked at his wristwatch; he said: "I have to go now but I made an appointment with your secretary for tomorrow, Steve take care." And he left.
   A few moments passed in silence and Robert dried his face with a towel; until Steve said: "You were playing really well Robert."
   Robert didn't say anything in response to his father because he was busy working with his mobile phone.
   Steve realized from Robert's face that he was worried, probably something bad had happened; so he said: "Is there a problem?"