Detour, Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters or places.

Morning came early for Bosco after a fitful night. Breakfast was much the same as the previous day, except bacon was served instead of ham. Again, Bosco joined Wanda Sue and Junior in feeding the chickens and the pigs. Then they embarked on a new adventure at the direction of Grandma Clemm.

"Shooo shooo." Bosco waved his arms at the chicken that was the object of their chase.

"Maurice, you're s'posed to be tryin to catch her, not scare her away." Wanda Sue smirked.

"Yeah, I tried that and it bit me." Bosco replied sarcastically.

"A little peck never hurt nobody." Wanda answered him.

Junior ran towards the chicken they were trying to catch, causing it to run back towards Bosco in a desperate attempt to escape. "Catch her, city boy." Junior shouted.

Bosco was fast growing tired of this game. Reaching out, he grabbed the hen by her tail feathers. "Be still, you stupid bird." He grumbled.

The hen clucked with all her might, causing Ben, the rooster, to ruffle his feathers and charge at Bosco.

"AHHHHHHH" Bosco screamed as Ben sunk his spurs into Bosco's already injured leg, causing him to release the hen.

"BEN! NO!" Wanda Sue shouted as she and Bosco tried to fight the rooster off.

Grandma Clemm rolled her eyes.

"I got her." Junior announced, having finally caught the chicken.

Meanwhile, Wanda finally managed to get Ben away from Bosco.

"You're bleeding, Maurice." Wanda pointed out.

"Yeah, no kidding." Bosco huffed, turning toward the house. He slowed as he passed Grandma Clemm, who now had the hen in one arm.

Swallowing dryly, Bosco hesitantly asked, "You're not going to um ….ring her neck….are you?"

"Of course not, boy." Grandma replied. "They's better ways of doin it." Grandma grinned, an almost evil twinkle in her eye, as she pulled her other hand from behind her back to reveal a razor sharp hatchet.

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"Ouch…..ouch…..owww…." Bosco muttered under his breath.

Wanda Sue seemed oblivious and continued her work.

Pa Clemm was looking on and finally took pity on Bosco. Stepping to the edge of the garden, he asked, "Maurice, you know anything about mechanicing?"

Bosco looked up from where he had been picking okra. "I know a little. I'm pretty good with older models. Why?"

"Why don't you leave that pickin to the women folk and come take a look at somethin for me?" Pa Clemm suggested, turning towards the barn.

'Gladly.' Bosco followed, wondering what Pa Clemm wanted him to work on, hoping that maybe they had another vehicle besides Herman's truck that could be repaired.

Bosco stopped in his tracks when Pa Clemm swung the door to the barn open to reveal a very old and worn appearing tractor.

"I can't seem to get her goin this time. I need to bush hog one of the other pastures and plant some more corn for the chickens and hogs. I thought you might want to take a looksee." Pa explained.

Bosco gave Pa Clemm a bewildered look and then looked back at the tractor. The closest he'd ever been to a tractor was playing with a little toy tractor as a child and that had belonged to a friend of his who'd moved to the city from upstate. But he didn't want to tell Pa Clemm that. The man already seemed to think he was hopeless. Besides, he could at least try. It beat picking okra any day. "I'll take a look at 'er." Bosco replied and went to work.

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Two hours later, Bosco was still completely enthralled with his little project. He really enjoyed mechanic work. And actually the tractor motor wasn't that different from any other motor. He looked up as he heard the barn door open.

"How's it goin?" Pa Clemm asked.

"Good." Bosco replied with a smile, one of the few Pa Clemm had seen from him.

The two men chatted, while Bosco continued to work. Somehow, the conversation turned to their families. Bosco told him about Rose and Mikey, but didn't mention his father. Then he asked Pa Clemm about Junior.

"Junior must have been a surprise since he's so much younger than Wanda Sue and your other son." He commented.

Ezra pursed his lips and looked at the ground. "Yeah, I'd say he was a surprise alright. He's Wanda Sue's boy." He looked back up to see Bosco's reaction, which was nothing more than a curious glance.

"We had us a young feller working here for a summer. Turned out he wasn't worth a plug nickel. I should have known it I guess by that smile. Ran around half the time grinnin like a jackass eatin briars. First thing I know, he up and leaves. Then my baby girl turns out pregnant." Pa Clemm sighed. "I guess it's a good thing he left b'fore I fount out or I'd likely be in jail for killin him."

Bosco watched as Pa Clemm clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He involuntarily took a step back.

Pa Clemm noticed Bosco's movement and his own tense posture. He tried to relax a bit. "But that's all water under the bride. Wanda Sue is really a good girl." He commented. "Did ya need anything, Maurice?"

Bosco looked back at the tractor. "Do you have any electrical tape? I need something to cap off the end of this hose." He added, holding up one end of a hose for Pa Clemm to see.

"I think I've got some duct tape, but no electrical tape. And Grandma Clemm may have a snuff can that will fit that hose. I'll go check." Pa commented, then left.

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Bosco finally managed to get the tractor cranked just in time for lunch. Afterward, he sat in the swing under the shade of the oak tree. He was just about to doze off when he heard a piglet squeal and then a shrill scream.

It took him a moment to realize what must be happening. Jumping up, he ran toward Louise's pen. To his horror, he saw Junior dangling from Louise's huge jaws. The sow was shaking him back and forth like a rag doll while Junior let out a terrified scream.

Not knowing what else to do, Bosco scaled the fence with one leap and jumped onto Louise's back.

The pig went into a frenzy, not only jerking Junior around, but swaying back and forth trying to throw Bosco from her back.

Bosco wrapped his arms around the pig's giant neck and looked to see how Junior was trapped. Luckily for the boy, it appeared that Louise held him by the back of his overalls and not his flesh. Bosco tugged at the cloth, trying to pull it from Louise's mouth.

Louise shifted her hips again and almost tossed Bosco aside.

Out of desperation, Bosco pulled the knitting needle from his back pocket and jabbed Louise in the snout. The move caused her to drop Junior, but also made her more angry.

Louise lurched forward, hitting the fence hard, causing the old dry boards to splinter. Once free, she ran across the Clemm's yard towards the garden with Bosco hanging on for dear life.

Ezra Clemm, having heard some commotion from the direction of the pig pen, stepped out on the porch just in time to see Louise race across the yard with Bosco on her back. "What in tarnation? Maurice, have you lost your mind?!! Get off that pig, you fool!" Ezra shouted, as he ran after the two.

Louise never slacked up. She hit the garden fence full speed and one of the boards smacked Bosco in the forehead knocking him from her back.

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Maurice? Maurice, baby, can you hear me?

"Ma?"

"Maurice! Maurice, open your eyes!"

Bosco struggled to open his eyes, unsure what was going on in the world around him. He felt a cool compress against his forehead.

"Maurice?"

Opening his eyes slowly, he saw the entire Clemm family staring down at him.

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Bosco rested in bed for the rest of the afternoon and evening. His head throbbed. His knee burned. His whole body ached. His little experience with Louise had left him totally drained.

At some point, he heard a very faint knock on the door.

"Come in." He muttered, half hoping whoever it was would change their mind and go away.

The door cracked open and Junior peaked in. He made his way slowly to Bosco's bedside, his head down and hands in his pockets. Finally he glanced up at Bosco and spoke almost in a whisper. "I'm sorry, Mr. Maurice. I didn't mean for ya to get hurt. I won't never mess with Louise's babies again. I promise."

Bosco could see tears well up in the little boys eyes and as much as he wanted to be mad at Junior, he couldn't. "Hey, it's ok, buddy. I know you didn't mean for it to happen."

Junior looked up again, finally meeting Bosco's eyes. "Do you forgive me? I won't be a bad boy no more."

Bosco sighed. "Yes, Junior. I forgive you and you're not a bad boy." Bosco assured him.

"I'm not?" Junior questioned. Bosco nodded his head 'no.'

"Thanks, Mr. Maurice." Junior said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Junior. But you know, all my buddies call me Bosco. Why don't you just call me that?"

Junior grinned at him. "I like that. Thanks, Mr. Bosco."