As it's the weekend you get two chapters. I know Bob wasn't in episode 4. I just thought I'd write a little something about what he was doing while everything else was going on. Since this was the episode where he was originally supposed to die, it seem appropriate to post something.
CHAPTER 4: Will the Wise
Hawkins was a small town. Gossip travels fast in small towns, probably because it doesn't have far to go. That was one of the best and worst things about living in a small town. Gossip was how Bob found out about Will and Joyce's frantic search for him at the school.
A couple of customers were talking about it. Apparently Joyce had nearly run them off the road, as she speeded to the school like a bat out of hell. More customers revealed more details. Will had been found on the school field in some kind of trance. He'd been taken home ill.
Bob was worried, he wanted to go straight round but his regional manager was coming up for a meeting. He couldn't miss it, he'd be fired. As it was he was distracted through the whole meeting, doubtful he took in a word that was said. It was late when he finished, he couldn't really go round now. He phoned when he got home but there was no answer. They must be asleep. He didn't want to disturb them. Tomorrow was his day off, he'd go round then.
Next morning Bob set off as early as he dared, he wanted to let them have a sleep in. He put together a collection of crosswords, wordsearches, number puzzles, find the object puzzles, even a puzzle box. When he was ill as a kid nothing cheered him up like a puzzle. Bob also took some food for Joyce, she wouldn't have thought to feed herself.
Approaching the turn-off to the Byer's house Bob saw something that made him step on the breaks. Jim's police truck was parked in front of the house. How did Jim know what happened? Through the grapevine like Bob, or had Joyce called him. He froze, not sure whether to stay or go.
Sitting in his car, Bob remembered the one time he'd gone to the house while Jim was there. He'd walked in, straight away he knew something was up. They stopped talking as soon he entered. They weren't actually doing anything, but it was the way they acted, they couldn't have looked more guilty if he'd caught them having sex on the kitchen table.
Jim quickly made his excuses and left. Joyce walked him to the door. They exchanged a few words. Bob couldn't hear what they were saying, they were talking softly and the washing machine was on. Jim gave Joyce's arm a squeeze, it was a comforting squeeze, a reassuring squeeze, but it seemed like so much more.
Bob tried really hard not to be jealous, but he couldn't help it. Joyce and Jim had a lot of history. They'd dated in high school until Lonnie came on the scene. Even when Jim moved away, they stayed in touch. Everyone in town had heard Lonnie's drunken rants about the 'love letters', if you could call Christmas and birthday cards love letters.
But it was more than that. Will's disappearance seemed to create an a bond between them. A deep connection that Bob could never hope to replicate no matter how much he tried. It was a depressing thought.
Realising he'd been sitting there for a while, Bob turned his car around and went home. He didn't feel like being a third wheel.
End of chapter 4
