Fanboy (boyxboy)

From Where You Are

"Catch that!"

Eli dropped the wrench to chase after the tire before it could roll into the car waiting in line for state inspections. He barely reached it in time, earning a glare from both the driver and his brother Gideon.

As he rolled it back to the service bay, Levi and his father laughed. Eli ignored them and tried to lift the 19 inch tire back into place. It was his first day changing tires and he already wanted to quit.

After the first week, Eli really thought he was going to survive his time in the garage. His dad started him on the smallest tasks - changing wiper blades, filling up wiper fluid, replacing head and tail lights, detailing. Even changing oil wasn't hard. He'd thought his brothers were just exaggerating how hard they worked.

But after a week of that, Levi pointed out that Gideon was the only one in the garage who could do the state safety and emissions inspections so Eli really needed to learn more. So he was learning - and hating every miserable second.

"Damn it," Eli dropped the tire again. He caught it before it could roll away.

"Lower the lift, Eli," his dad called.

"Aw, c'mon I was havin fun watchin him sweat," Levi teased.

Eli lowered the lift, like his dad instructed. Why hadn't he thought of that? Of course it didn't make sense to lift a tire up as high as he was trying. He tried again and slipped the tire right onto the bolts.

"Alright, now put them lug nuts on jus' like before," Levi coached, from where he was working. "Tighten em one acrost from another, so as you don' get wobbly wheels."

"I can't just go in order?" Eli sighed.

"Naw, cause then they git tighter on one side."

"Stupid design," Eli mumbled. He looked around for the wrench and reminded himself to just be glad that Levi was the one teaching him and not Gideon.

"Alright, le's see," Levi came over to check when Eli was done replacing all 4 tires. "I'm jus' gonna make sure-" he leaned on the wrench but it didn't budge. "Not bad, kid. Those are nice and tight. Now some folks swear you's gotta stand on the wrench but iffen you do that you might over-tighten em so now..."

It was the longest Saturday of Eli's life. He was sweaty and covered in grime. Every muscle in his body ached. He'd learned more about wrenches and torque than he'd ever wanted to know. And that was all before noon.

By the end of the day, Eli'd ripped a cuticle off his thumb and had blisters on both palms. He wanted nothing more than to go home and hide in his bed forever. Maybe he was making more money, but he was sure earning every last penny.

"Levi, kin you stay with Eli? I'm goin to a meetin," their dad asked as they were closing the garage doors that night.

"Really, Dad?"

"Yeah, I am. My sponsor's drivin me," their dad gestured to the car that was pulling into the parking lot.

"Fine," Levi sighed. He looked at Eli. "What are you makin' for dinner?"

"Leftovers," Eli was so tired he could barely even think about food.

"Naw, here, take some money," their dad handed Levi some cash. "Order somethin. I'll be home right after so save me some."

Eli had never been so happy to have a ride home as he was that night. He'd also never looked forward to a shower as much as he was when Jack facetimed him.

"Hey, kin I call you back?" Eli sighed, looking at the grease around his knuckles.

"Whoa, Eli," Jack grinned.