21
"Hey baby" Jack called out as he walked along the footpath towards his workshop, watching to the now teenager dancing in the street.
"GRANDY!" Penny yelled, leaving his friends to run over for a cuddle. Such a lovely boy. Jack accepted the hug and then patted his back, pushing him to run back to resume the game of basketball. Imp was not a sporty kinda guy and it was nice to see that Penny had included Neve, also fourteen and such a pretty lithe gazelle. She had tried a few times to find something thing common with Imp and had just annoyed him instead. Ben was a sixteen year old who seems too old for all of them now. Pen was a nice distraction. Well … and Monkey who Mae was currently scolding for hogging the ball. the team of teens were all fit and energetic.
As Jack walked he found Dozer falling into step.
"Whatcha doing boss?"
"Going to the worship to look for a part for my mower… I threw a bolt" Jack explained, then looked at the older man walking with them.
"Boss, this is my dad. He came here before the lockdown so he and mum can be here for Christmas. We never missed one and it would not be right to miss one now, just because of the flu." Dozer said, and then asked "Can Dad see your workshop?"
"Sure"
They walked to the red house and Jack waltzed through the unlocked door. Hey… Hoodlums live in this town.. who would steal from Jack? Then he paused as Dozer's father made a noise in his throat as he looked around the huge open plan house. Al the walls were gone, it was like a hall inside and the walls were lined with shelves… tables along the middle. Car parts…. Bicycles in disrepair… it was a scrap dealer's dream. Towards the back was a Jeep in pieces and the man moved forward sit on an old chair by the vehicle with glee.
"Well, I'll be dammed… look at this old girl" he said, his hands moving over the ex-military vehicle.
"Yeah… one of my projects. Babs is working on it I see… she has the new carburettor there, not in yet. She loves cars, that girl of mine" Jack said with pride.
"I was motor pool in the army" the man said "I worked on these."
"Well… all hands are welcome. If you want to tinker with it… the tools are right there. Go for it. My house is your house and all that" Jack laughed as he leaned over and pulled out a manual "Here… the original owner's manual was in the glove box."
"Wow" the old man was in heaven.
"Jack was Heddlu… Special Forces Dad. He trains SWAT" Dozer said with pride as he motioned at Jack. He then turned to Jack and added "Dad was shot in the Falklands War. He said it was like nothing he had ever felt."
"The heat of the metal fills your body. I know it is a small piece of metal but it fills your very being with surprise. You are cold and yet… hot all at the same time" Jack shrugged "but it is a feeling you can't really describe. The surprise is the thing I remember the most. The bullets strafing and the smell of fear stronger than gunpowder… then that feeling of being punched. You know… I have some other parts over here."
Dozer watched his father fall in love.
How can you not.
Jack was such a lovely guy.