Pete's Recovery
Pete sat in the small park alongside the Current River. His mind was nearly blank. He was listening to the laughing screaming children as they ran back and forth playing. Conversations around him provided a quieter background to the noise of the playing children. He watched the children run and play and smiled at their antics. Their laughter and screams of pleasure transported him back in time to when his two were young and playing in this very same park when he and Cindy brought them home for similar July 4th celebrations. The years had seemed to fly past. He remembered when he was a child and playing in this same park during community picnic's and celebrations. He had just celebrated his 46th birthday last month. He wondered where the time had gone.
Emily walked up beside him and sat down in one of the chairs he had placed earlier. Closely behind Emily came Jack and their children, now grown as were Pete's. Pete looked at them and smiled then said, "I was beginning to think you had gotten lost. Where are Slim, DD and their crew?"
Jack laughed and said, "We almost did get lost. I think the traffic and crowd gets worse every year. I think next year I'll just come down here like you did and miss the parade. Let all those other fools stand in the hot sun on hard concrete watching everyone march or drive by. Hell, you can see almost all the parade here anyway since it ends here."
Emily punched him in the arm and said, "You'll do no such thing and you know it. You have to see the grandbabies doing their thing." Emily looked up and smiled then stood and waved. She yelled, "Hey guys. Here we are."
Jack and Pete turned to look in the direction she was looking and saw the rest of their immediate friends walking toward them. After everyone had placed their chairs and coolers they got down to some serious laughter and conversation.
Emily looked up at Pete and said, "So, what's this I hear about Randy? Are the rumors true?"
Pete smiled and proudly said, "Yep. I got back from Pensacola a couple of days ago. He's now an Ensign, US Navy. I knew he had been taking night college courses for years and was super proud when he finally got his degree. The little asshole didn't tell me he had been selected for Officer's Candidate School until a week before his commissioning. I had to leave three days after he called to get there in time for the commissioning. I have pictures of the ceremony and Joanie pinning on the new rank. It took him almost 9 years to get his degree and the commission but I couldn't be any more proud of him. Joanie is about to pop her buttons she's so proud of him. I was proud of him for making Chief Petty Officer in eight years but this is even better."
"What does Cindy say about it?"
Pete looked over at Emily with a blank expression. He frowned and said, "I have no idea. Apparently she was too busy to come to the commissioning. Randy said he called her to invite her but she wasn't home. He left a message on her machine but she didn't show and never even called. As of the date of commissioning he hadn't even heard from her."
Emily looked upset. She touched Pete's arm gently and said, "Oh, Pete. I'm so sorry. I know better than stir up bad memories but damn. I can't believe Cindy would act this way to her own son. I know how much he must be hurting from her actions. The next time you talk to him you be sure to tell him how proud we are of him and give him our congratulations."
Pete nodded his head and turned to watch the officials guiding the old vehicles that had been in the parade into their parking positions. He would soon have to go look at all the old cars and trucks. He was in the middle of a frame off restoration of a numbers matching true 1967 Chevelle Super Sport. In his spare time he was completing a dream he had when he was young. He had always wanted one of the SS's but had been too poor to get one when they were new. Now he could and by golly he did.
After lunch Pete grabbed a beer and wandered off. He made a tour of the booths and then headed for the car show. He was almost through the entire show when he came to an old faded 1967 Malibu sitting under a tree on the back row. There was a surprisingly good looking woman in her early 40's he guessed sitting beside it.
Pete moved closer to the car and bent over being careful not to touch it. It had a 283 cid engine with a power glide in the floor, bucket seats. From its looks it was a true survivor. There was no evidence it had ever been restored or had body damage repaired. Pete smiled over at the woman watching him examine the car. He said, "Nice. It looks like a survivor. You've got it cleaned up really well. I used to dream about having a car like this one except I wanted the SS version. One of the families here in town owned one just like this when I was young. I used to watch it drive down the street and almost die of jealousy. I haven't seen you around here before though. You drive far to get here?"
The woman smiled again and stood. She walked over beside Pete and said, "No. I live here now. From what you say I bet this is the car you drooled over when you were young. It was my father's. I moved back last fall to teach at the school. I'm living with mother and the old car was still in the garage. She hadn't driven it in years. It was Daddy's car and when he died she couldn't bear to part with it but she had her own car she drove daily so just left his sit in the garage.
"I needed something to help fill my spare time and get my mind off my problems when I came home so I began working cleaning the old car up. After I got it clean and running Mom gave it to me."
Pete smiled and said, "Becky? Are you Becky Livingston? Jesus I haven't seen you since I left for college. You sure have changed a lot."
The woman looked at Pete and smiled once again. She nodded he head yes and said, "Yep. That's me. Or at least I used to be. I got married to Sherman Potter and kept the name after we divorced."
"Wow. I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Pete stumbled and hurriedly continued talking. "I mean about not recognizing you. Not the divorce. I'm sorry. I know how that must have hurt. I think you were still in Jr. High School when I left home. You're what, 37 or 38 now?"
Becky laughed and laid her hand gently on Pete's forearm. She smiled once again and said, "Boy you're a smooth tongued devil aren't you? I was 40 in June."
Pete hurriedly changed the subject back to cars. He said, "I sort of know what you mean about needing to fill in your spare time. I moved home a little over two years ago after my divorce. I spent the first six months or so helping Dad on the farm feeling sorry for myself and drinking way too much. After several one sided conversations with my mother and a couple of friends wives I decided I had to do something to fill my time in also. I didn't want to work full time and I sure didn't want to just sit around and get fatter so I found a part time job doing taxes for the Stiles accounting firm and I bought my dream car to work on in my spare time.
"I'm about half done with a frame off restoration of a true 67 Chevelle SS. It's even numbers matching."
"Wow. Cool." She looked around and frowned slightly then continued, "Where is it? I walked through the cars earlier and I didn't see it."
Pete smiled and said, "Its home. The interior is still ratty and I haven't painted the body yet. I have it running like a top and the frame is powder coated. I have part of the body back on the frame but there is still a heck of a lot of work to do before I let anyone see it. In fact the fenders, grill, hood and trunk lid are still lying on the floor."
Pete sat visiting with Becky for over an hour before he reluctantly told her he needed to get back to his friends. After he stood to leave he hesitated for a moment then said, "I still live out at the folks place. They sort of need help and I suppose I just never got around to finding a place in town. I am working on the car in the shop there. If you wanted to come out and see it someday I'd be happy to show it to you."
Becky smiled and said, "I'd love to. What are you doing Saturday? Got time to do a show and tell then?"
