Legends Live On ~ by Patrick Councilor
Fonzie sat at the table in Arnolds close to closing. He was looking over the final draft of the blue prints he had drawn up for the news stand. Taking a sip of the Espresso that he had made for himself, he looked up to notice that it was later than he had expected. He took his last long drink of Espresso and put his cup up on the counter. He then returned to the table to told u the blue prints.
The payphone rang. Fonzie walked over and snatched the receiver up. "Shi, you are the song in my heart… How did I know it was you?" he repeated her question. "Cause the phone rings a little sweeter when it's you…Shi baby, you know the sound of your voice makes my heart melt, but I'm running out of daylight here. I need to get working on that news stand. I'll call you tonight… Alright… I can't wait… I'll work fast…" He slowly hung up then took a slow deep breath and released it.
Fonzie was marking his lumber for the cutting into the size of boards he would need. He hand jack hammered sections out of the sidewalk and had cement ready to be mixed.
The sun was setting when two figures approached him. It was Chachi and Potsie. "Hey Fonzie," Chachi said. "Where's Danny? Wasn't he supposed to help you?"
"I thought so." Fonzie opened a sack of cement and poured some into a large empty barrel he had.
"I'm flying back to LA tomorrow to work on finishing up my tour out there."
Fonzie set down the cement to give him a nod.
"I just wanted to let you know before I left."
Fonzie smiled. "Thanks Chach. Knock 'em dead."
Potsie and Chachi rolled up their sleeves. "We've got some time to help you out," Potsie announced.
"Hey, thanks guys." Fonzie nodded.
Potsie took one of the water coolers that Fonzie had to the side and started pouring the water into the cement powder while Fonzie took an electric saw to the beams to prepare to secure them in with the cement.
"After we get these posts set, I'll treat you guys to pizza, drinks, and a game of pool."
"I wish I could Fonz, but I have an early flight to LA," Chachi said.
"I can't stay either. I've got to get back to the family," Potsie explained.
"That's cool," Fonzie said. "The fact that you guys came out and helped is greatly appreciated."
Potsie and Chachi had gone. Fonzie was left in the light of the street lamps. The pool hall across the street closed hours ago. Fonzie took some more water he had in the coolers and wet the fresh cement. "Don't you know you gotta keep the newly poured cement wet," he said aloud. "The longer you keep it wet, the stronger it will be when it dries."
Fonzie's eyes started to get heavy. He sat down on the bench. "Prime location for a news stand," he thought aloud. "Someone can buy a paper and read it right here on this bench." He stretched out on it. He blinked once and then twice.
The next thing Fonzie knew, he opened his eyes to find that he had fallen asleep and awoke in the middle of the night on the street bench. He was cold - shivering. His teeth were even chattering.
In the haze of the night lighting, a figure approached. The person was casually walking his way.
Somehow, Fonzie couldn't muster the energy to sit up as the stranger approached.
Stepping into the light and stooping down to him, was Shishuichiu. She was wearing his jacket. She hugged him. "Did you miss me?"
"You know I did," Fonzie managed to say with chattering teeth.
She caressed his face with both hands. "Fonzie, you're so cold."
"I'll be okay now that you're here."
"You're not going to die on me, are you," she joked.
Fonzie smiled. "Not a chance."
She rubbed his arms to warm him. "I don't want to be away from you any more. But my family - we're moving to LA."
"LA is sounding better and better. Red and his family are out there... Maybe I'll move out there too. California can use a little more cool. Come to think of it, Danny could use a new environment - new friends."
"Fonzie, that would be great!"
"Do you think I could see a lot of you if I moved out there?"
"As much as you'd like." She smiled with tears in her eyes. She took a hold of him by the shirt.
Fonzie swallowed hard. "I love you."
Howard pulled him up into a sitting position. "Fonzie, I love you too."
Fonzie looked around with half open eyes.
"We've got to get you home," Howard said. "You'll catch your death of cold out here."
"Wh...where is Shishuichiu?"
"I assume she's still in Japan. Fonzie, you're as cold as ice."
"She was just here."
"Fonzie, you've must have been dreaming. Let's get you to the car." Howard
helped him to his feet and out of the light that shown on the bench, the pile of lumber, and the four beams that stood out of the cement.
Fonzie sat on the Cunningham's couch wrapped in a blanket, clutching a cup of hot coco, and his feet were in a small tub of hot water.
Howard was standing beside him giving him that father/son lecture. "Fonzie, you can't be working all hours of the night like that. You'll catch your death of cold."
Marion hurried out of the kitchen with another pot of hot water to add to the tub at Fonzie's feet. "Arthur, we were worried sick about you."
Danny came from the kitchen with a bag of little marsh-mellows to put in his dad's cup.
"Hey, thanks buddy," Fonzie said with sincerity. He then asked, "How'd you guys know I was still out there?"
"Shishuichiu called your house when you hadn't called her back," Howard said. "It was Danny who called us."
Fonz turned to Danny. "I can't thank you enough tonight, can I? I guess this means I can't ground you anymore."
Danny said softly, "Dad... I'm real sorry for all those things I said to you."
Fonzie reached out and pulled Danny into a hug. "I love you son." Fonzie's voice was all choked up. "And I love you guys, too. You're good family."
Howard put a hand on Fonzie's shoulder and Marion kissed him on the forehead.
When Danny stood back up, he said, "I guess we've got to get you well again. We've got a new stand to build."
"That's right." Fonzie then realized something. "I'd better call Shishuichiu to let her know that I'm okay."
"That's all taken care of," Marion said. "I took the liberty of calling her while you were in the shower. Now you just sit there and keep warm. You can call her tomorrow."
* * *
In the morning, Fonzie found himself on the Cunningham's couch. Marion brought him flap-jacks, eggs and orange juice to the table. "How are you feeling Arthur?"
"Much better. Thank you." He sat up. "Mrs. C. I don't have time for breakfast. I've got to take Danny to school."
"Howard has already left to take him."
"Oh. Well like I always say, 'when they made him, they ate the mole'."
"Now come and have breakfast with me Arthur."
Fonzie went over to the table and sat down with Marion.
"You see how things are working out? Danny loves you and everything is working out. You are a wonderful father Arthur."
Fonzie took a drink of his orange juice. "I don't know, Mrs. C. When I told Danny
that I didn't want him hanging around with those friends of his, I felt far from 'Father of the Year'."
"You are a great father. You can only do so much. You can only guide him and love him and then hope for the best."
"Mrs. C, I have something that I'd like to talk to you about."
"Well, what is it Arthur? You know we're always here for you."
"Last night in the cold, I had a dream that Shishuichiu was back. She was moving to LA. In the dream, I was ready to move to LA with Danny so I could be with her. I don't know how Danny would take that."
Marion started nervously looking around and she started fidgeting with her hair. "You and Danny would leave Milwaukee?"
Fonzie realized what he had just done. "Oh, Mrs. C don't worry. It's just talk. I was just thinking out loud. I mean, it was just a dream."
"Excuse me Arthur." She stood up. "I seem to have something in my
eye." She hurried into the kitchen as she started to cry.
Fonzie looked up and held his hands up as if to say to himself, "Way to go Fonz. You did it again."
* * *
That evening, Danny and Fonzie were hammering in the final nails to the frame of the news stand. "I don't know Danny," Fonzie said as he stepped back to admire their work. "I think you're a pretty good carpenter. What do you think?"
Danny stepped back to take a look. "I think we're doing alright. It'll look a little better with the siding, shelves, and a counter though."
"You're right about that. Hey Danny, can we have a small convo here."
"What's on your mind Dad?"
"How is school going?"
"Okay." There was a moment of silence. "While we're beating around the bush, would it be too much to ask to have you call me Dan? I mean, I am 17 now."
"No, that's not too much to ask." He took a moment to collect himself. "Dan, what do you think about pulling up stakes and moving somewhere else?"
"Los Angeles possibly? It is where Shishuichiu is moving to, isn't it?" There was slight sarcasm in his voice.
"Los Angeles, now there's an idea."
Dan gave him that look.
"Alright, I really like this girl, Dan. Is that so bad?"
Dan handed him his hammer. "What about my life, Dad?" He turned and walked away. "I'm going for a walk." He left Fonzie standing there with both hammers.