The Long Walk

A hunger pang broke the silence. He took a deep breath. He saw lights in the distance. He was hungry, tired. It seemed that he had been walking forever, though only an hour. Th lights were getting closer. All around him, he could feel the cold and the night closing in. A car drove by, slowed down a little. The driver changes his mind though and sped off. One phone call can change this, one phone call can make me happy and warm again. Finally he reached the lights. Under them, a gas station, warmth and a phone.

He found the phone and slowly dialed her number. The first ring, thw second, his stomach growled, the third, he was tired. Would hae have to walk all the way home? The fourth ring, a comforting voice, although not the one he wanted to hear. Another number to dial, still hoping to hear her, the one he loved.

He prayed that she would be there. He needed her so much right now that it hurt. The night was cold, the silence around him enveloped his misery, the darkness closed in on him, causing him to hope that she was there.

The phone was answered. There was no need to explain what happened, the other voice had told her. Just the comfort of her voice was enough to lift his mood. She would come. She would be here soon.

They lingered on the phone, just the sound of each other's voices a comfort. He hung up, knowing that shw would be there to hold and comfort him soon. He was so lonely. He went outside, the night had turned angry, cold and rainy. It fit his mood. Angry at his father, his mother, the world. Only she knew his needs, how to treat him.

He looked in his pack of cigarettes. Only half a pack left. The remaining part of the carton still in his dad's car. He hoped it would last until she came. H lit the cigarette and put cupped his hands around it to warm them. He sat down to rest his eyes.

He opened them later to find that time had passed. His stomach growled to remind him what he had missed only hours before. Easter Dinner. It would be over now. H didn't care, his family could all go to hell for all he was concerned. Yet that dinner, right now sounded good. Wait, though, maybe she was here.

He went back into the warm store only to find a message from her. He dialed the number again. Bad news availed him. Her mother had nixed the adventure at the inception. His only option was hitchiking or walk back to his family. She missed him and wanted him home. Maybe he could find a ride. It was late evening on a holiday. He hung up the phone and dejectedly inquired as to truck heading North on 94. There were none.

He started to walk. Hours and miles ahead of him he could see his goal. It was her. He longed for her now. The thought of her kept him walking, striding with determination. His cigaretted dwindled.

The highway stretched ahead of him, there seemd to be no end. The faster he walked, the more rain there was. His knees hurt. Cars zoomed past him occasionaly. A Chevy truck drove by, he listened and decided that it needed a new rocker arm. A Dautson drove by. "Stupid foreign car", he thought. he plodded on. Looking up he saw a GM car approaching, it looked like a Grand Prix. It's blue. It is her, she has come after all. The car passes him and drives on into the cold, rainy Minnesota night. A blue Ford stops to offer him a ride. It may be a Ford, but at least it's a ride.

The next town had a truck stop and the driver's destination. He thanked the driver and entered the store. There still were no truckers headed North. It was now easter Sunday morning. His stomach growled again, an objection to running away from a holiday meal. There was food there. His pockets only contained one more cigarette.

He wondered around the town. Found a bus station. His knees were in pain, objecting to the walking, the rain and the cold. How much was a ticket to Bismarck? Seventy-five dollars. Only Seventy-five dollars and he would be with her again. He had her instant cash card. He called her again. She longed to be with him. He had checked her balance. There was enough money. She had just sent out bills. She said he could take the money. He knew she would come through for her.

He would be home soon. He loved her so much. He thought of her now. Her beautiful blond hair that shimmered in the sun, her hazel eyes that turned green when she wa happy. Her soft curves, her gentle carress. Thinking of her made him forget his lonliness, his hunger, his craving for a cigarette.

He watched the rain the rain fall outside the window. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of what he had done. It was the right thing, he convinced himself. I do not want to be controlled. His dad would come home and be mad. He did not care. In the meantime I... A voice broke his reverie "Bus number Seven to Bismarck--last call". At least he wouldn't have to leave her, not by somone else's choice.

It was still cold on the bus. The rain had stopped. He looked out the wondow ans saw a rainbow, the promise of a new tommorrow. His stomach roared. He was going home to a new beginning.

........................

The Story behind the Story. This was done as an assignment for English class. The idea was to use Hemmingway's style. I got an A on this paper, however I failed at this relationship.

What Dave was running away from was responsibility. He had dropped out of high school couldn't handle the responsibility of alternative. He had been a senior and would have graduated. This incident happened about a year after he left school.

I knew this was going to be a hard trip for him, so I gave him my cash card, just in case. It was Easter and he had gone with his dad to Minneapolis. His mother and him were in one car (his dad and sibs in another) on their way to Monticello when the subject of Job Corps came up. Dave fought with his mom. Seeing no way out of the argument, he openend the car door and jumped out. His mom tried to get him back in the car and so did his dad. Blinded with rage, Dave could not accept either option.

I was at my mom's when the phone call came. It was around 10 PM when my roommate called me to tell me that Dave was stuck at a Monticello Tom Thumb. when he called, I was ready to come get him. My mom was at work and I stopped to tell her my plan. She put the kibosh on it.

I went home and called the Tom Thumb and left a message for Dave, that I he should call me back.

The third phone call came at 8AM on Sunday morning. My mom was home by now and answered the phone. Little did I know, that as I was giving him permission to use my card, she was listening. After hanging up, I was reamed out for leting him use me.

The story takes an ironic twist, when Dave does go to Job Corps. There he got his GED, then dropped out. I wanted him home and was the one who encouraged him to go at first!

As the story twist and winds, I never got control of that checking account again. It was always negative.

Worst and/or best of all (depends on who you are when you read this), dave and I broke up 3 years later. I was still in debt, and I don't think I ever got the $75 dollars back. The irony was, that his father gave him the choice or monetary support or me. He chose the monetary support.

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