The Milkshake Project

To Know Him...

Rider and I walked side-by-side on the rocky ballast next to the train tracks. Far from the harsh lights of the train yard, thousands of stars glittered across the expanse of the sky. A coolness had set over the field, and a mist of fog had gathered at a bend in the tracks where the meadow we were crossing became forest again.

"So, what happened tonight?" Rider asked as he kicked a piece of gravel down the track bed, "You seemed a little shaky at Freddie's."

"It was nothing, really. I just had a bad time at this party I went to," I said, wrapping my arms around myself.

"The Frat's party?"

"Okay, you know his name is Jack, but yeah."

"What happened?"

"Rider, I don't really want to talk about it. I feel better now, so can we just not talk about it?"

Rider went quiet and looked to me, but I averted my gaze to the starry sky. It wasn't that I didn't trust Rider or thought that he wouldn't believe me. I didn't need a sign to know that Jack didn't like me leaving, and I was sure he wouldn't like me telling people about what happened. I had learned the way word blew across Amber Hill.

"I've just got to be a little more careful about where I go now," I thought out loud.

"Ah, come on," Rider said, "The way I see it, you gotta look you're fear right in the eye..."

He jumped up on the train rails.

"and laugh in its face!" He yelled, throwing his arms back and giving a hearty laugh.

In a triumphant finish, he placed his hands on his hips and held his head up high and proud. I couldn't help but feel a giggle bubble through me.

"Okay, come on, get down," I laughed, "Your humor won't stop a train."

"Ah, don't worry, Dolly," He said continuing to balance on the iron rail, "The next train doesn't come until midnight."

He bobbled a bit as he held out his hand to me.

"Care to laugh in the face of fear with me?" He asked.

"Why, sir, I'd be honored," I curtsied, hopping up onto the other rail.

He took my hand in his, and together we continued our walk on top of the train rails.

With my hand in his, I noticed that Rider's touch was much gentler and warmer than Jack's. The way he neither held my hand too hard nor risked losing my grip was balanced in every part of his hold. We walked across the field, hand in hand, moving to each other's bumbles and tilts to keep balance. We moved forward as one.

We were coming up to the bend when I noticed that my shoelace had come untied on our carnival escapade.

"Here I'm gonna tie my shoe while you see if you can keep this up without me," I said.

"Gee, I'm glad we're only five inches off the ground," He replied, as I dropped his hand.

I jumped off the rail and walked down into the flat area below, kneeling into the dewy grass. Up ahead, Rider began to whistle "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" as he went with arms spread wide like a trapeze artist. I sat watching as he disappeared behind the bend.

It was amazing to me. A guy with so many rumors coiled around his name and this is who he was. He was different than the Rider most people saw. The Rider I was getting to know was still a greaser, still a reckless wild-heart, but at the same time still a good person. I wondered why nobody really knew that.