I was hoping my mom would buy me a car for my 18th birthday, like just an old junker, but I knew she couldn't, I understood. So my birthday came and I wasn't surprised.
"I'm sorry baby. Maybe I can get you one before college. I'm saving up."
She worked hard to raise me and my brother and sister on her own and there was no extra money for that kind of thing. It was alright. My boyfriend would pick me up for school and drive me most everywhere else, so that was fleek. The only thing was he had a job after school and I had volleyball. I was hoping volleyball was my way out of Kentucky. I was captain and I was pretty good, definitely the best in our area. My mom of course didn't have any money for college. So it was either I'd get a scholarship or go the community college. I worked my ass off to stay in shape and pretty much practiced even if in the off season with anyone who'd play or I'd just practice my serve for hours.
Volleyball practice ended around 6, and my mom was at work then, she worked til 9. My aunty picked up my little bro and sis at their school early in the day and took them to her house. We lived out of town a little ways. I'd ride my bike most of the time but it was like 5 miles. After going hard all day, especially at practice, and then that hilly road home, it was really too much, especially if it rained. It was a day like that when I was pumping as hard as I could in a pouring down rain storm when I got super lucky. Mr. Jenkins, our neighbor came rolling up in his truck.
"Hey Jessica, you're soakin' wet girl, let's throw that bike in the truck and git you home." He got out and I had to help him throw my bike in the back. It must have been hard to be an old farmer and lose all your strength just getting old. We hopped in the truck and it was so toasty warm I was happy as heck to peel my soaking sweats off and sit in my volleyball shorts and let the heater dry my legs.
Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins had been our neighbors forever. They lived about a hundred yards down the road, but out in the country that's like next door. Their daughter Sue Ann baby sat me when I was a child. Now they lived alone in their old farmhouse and Mr. Jenkins was too old to farm. He leased out his land to tobacco growers now. Sometimes mom would send me over with a pie since Mrs. Jenkins had her stroke. She had always been so sweet but now she could barely talk and she used a walker. I guess Mr. Jenkins spent a lot of time taking care of her.
"Girl, you're gettin' in good shape with all that volleyball and pumpin' that bicycle so far." Mr. Jenkins slapped down his big rough hand on my bare leg, which was kind of a shock. Even more of a shock was that he left it there a minute and gave it a few squeezes, even sliding up my thigh a bit. But he lifted it off before getting to my shorts and I just though it was kind of a grandpa affection. Whatevs.
"How is Mrs. Jenkins?" I asked.
"Well, she is getting a little bit worse off every day. Sue Ann is talking about bringing us to Knoxville and a retirement home where she can get care."
"That's sweet of her. I bet you'd love that."