6

Chapter 45

"Beep…beep…beep."

Over and over.

The sound was monotonous…and emotionless.

Broken only by the sound of his own breathing.

And David's.

Ed's head slowly drooped downward.

His eyelids started feeling heavy.

He shook himself awake; he glanced over at his friend.

His heart sank a little more.

Every time he looked…he was filled with hope.

And every time he saw…his hopes were dashed a bit more.

His head started to slowly droop again; his eyelids slowly drifted shut.

"Beep…beep…beep."

Ed slowly drifted off to unconsciousness.

Ed sat on his front porch…a book in his lap.

He was considerably younger; about fourteen or fifteen.

His eyes didn't leave the pages; the rest of the world did not exist to him.

The sound of birds chirping and the wind rustling the grass was a merely a back-drop…a peaceful hemisphere for him to relax.

Ed didn't notice a head poking over the side of the porch; he smiled and grinned as his eyes darted across the pages.

"Heya, Butthole,"

Ed glanced up; it was David.

"What do you want, Fart brain?"

David hopped over the side of the porch and sat down across from Ed.

"I'm bored,"

Ed set his book down.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he furrowed his brow in slight irritation.

"Lets go swimming,"

Ed sighed.

"Dammit, David,"

David looked a bit confused.

"What?"

Ed rolled his eyes and glanced at his book; David glanced at it then got up and started pacing back and forth.

"Go to town,"

Ed scrunched up his mouth…becoming more agitated.

"David,"

"Uhmmm…we could roll around in the dirt for awhile,"

Ed sighed again…looking David in the eyes.

"What's up, brotha?"

David glanced around nervously. He slowly took a seat…his eyes to the floor.

"Dad," he said quietly.

Ed nodded in understanding…his expression softening.

"David…I was reading,"

David scrunched up his face in frustration.

"Dammit, Ed. Is your reading more important?"

Ed looked a bit guilty; David echoed his response.

"I'm sorry…I was just kidding,"

Ed didn't have time to respond; the two boys heard the sound of gravel crunching.

A panicked look immediately crossed over Ed's face; he glanced over at his book…but didn't have time to react.

"David," an older voice said.

The two boys turned their heads; it was Ed's father.

"Hi, Mr. Garrett,"

The two men nodded politely.

The older man turned to Ed…and shot him a questioning look.

"Ed,"

Ed's anxiety spilled into his facial expression.

"Dad,"

Ed and his father exchanged glances for a moment; his eyes narrowed to slits.

He noticed the book…and slowly approached to see the cover.

"That's…"

The older man snatched the book before Ed could do anything. He displayed another expression of deep guilt.

His father's expression turned from questioning to slightly angry.

David started to slowly slip away.

"I told you I don't want you reading this crap. I told you I want you to study medicine,"

Ed looked down at the ground…ashamed of himself.

"Yes, sir,"

"You have an enlightened mind like me. You're too good for being a grease monkey."

"Yes, sir,"

David paused in his tracks…listening to the entire conversation.

He felt a deep-seated anxiety…at the sound of the fatherly and dismissive tone.

He desperately wanted to just disappear un-noticed…not taking any of the disapproval.

But he felt a sense of shame abandoning his friend.

He slowly turned around…taking a few steps forward.

"You shouldn't talk to him like that,"

David was trembling with fear; he felt like if he moved a muscle…he would collapse into a petrified state…and do something ridiculous.

"Exscuse me?" Ed's father shot back.

He twisted his head towards David; his face filled with an expression of disgust.

David looked down at the ground.

"I said you shouldn't talk to him like that,"

"Leave. Now. Goodbye,"

The older man turned back towards Ed; David…feeling rejected, prepared to leave.

Then something snapped in him.

"No,"

The older man slowly turned back towards him; an expression of rage poured onto his face.

"What did you say?" he said through gritted teeth.

David's eyes filled with rage.

"I'm sick of watching you talk to my friend like that! I'm sick of watching you treat him like that! Ed has a love and a talent for fixing things…and he such a nice, down to earth guy. He doesn't deserve to be pushed around by you!"

His father had steam coming out of his ears; he started heaving heavily and turning bright red.

"You'd better leave boy…NOW!"

David took a step forward and glanced over at Ed; Ed mouthed the words "stop," but his eyes were filled with gratitude.

David looked over at Ed's father and looked him straight in the eyes.

"I'm sick of you,"

As David said it…he realized the face he was looking at wasn't Ed's father.

But his own.

Ed's father after a moment of fuming…turned and walked inside, slamming the door behind him.

Ed glanced from the door to David…and back to the door.

He slowly got up…and walked out to his friend.

The two clasped hands and looked each other in the eyes.

"Thanks, brotha,"

"Don't mention it,"

All David could think was…how much he wished that had been his father.

How much he wished he had the courage to stand up to his own father.

How much of a coward he felt…despite having done what he did.

Ed just felt grateful; someone finally understood.