The Old Life

3 months later.

Now out of the Army and not going to School Bobby had to find a new direction in life. So just like old times he worked with his father and Strickland Propane as a full time employee. Since his first day on the job he quickly rose in up and became a grills salesman, or as his father put his a salesboy. 'Your not a true salesman until you've sold your first grill son.' He'd say. But that was today.

With the pull of the credit card and the machine clicked and the purchase was made.

"Thank you for choosing Strickland Propane." Bobby smiled to the couple who's bought the grill." Come back and see us again sometime." Hank beamed with pride as he watched it all happen.

The couple walked out with their grill and Bobby turned to walk back out onto the floor but was stopped by a smiling Hank.

"Way to go son." He patted him on the shoulder." You've just climbed another step in your career here, Sales-Man." He made sure to say 'Man' loud and clear so everyone could hear it. The other four members of office all clapped their approval." Boy I can't wait to tell your mom all about-"

Bobby was suddenly distracted by the vibrating sound coming from his pocket. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to reveal the name of the caller. It was Joseph.

"Excuse me for a second dad." Said Bobby as he walked away and pulled his phone out. But Hank pulled his cell phone out his well.

"Dale?" Hank said into it." Today's the day."

Bobby walked outside and answered his phone.

"Hey Joseph." He said into it.

"Yo Bobby, what's up dude?" He answered back. Joseph had been doing well since they returned to Arlen. He was still a Police Officer and was still having fun with busting criminals, though he was still without a partner. Bobby never knew if Joseph had told anyone about their adventures, he assumed even Dale wouldn't believe something that crazy.

"Eh I'm alright. Just sellin grills and makin cash here at Strickland."

"Hey dude what are you doing tonight?" asked Joseph.

"Tonight? I don't know probably havin dinner with my family, think my dad has something special in mind."

"Dude let's hang out later. We can go to bars, pick up chicks." He snorted with laughter. Bobby looked at the phone as if it was Joseph himself. Whenever Joseph talked about plans like this the two usually ended up going to a movie or something. But that sounded just fine with him.

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled.

"HeHaHa great!" Then Joseph hung up the phone and Bobby walked back inside.

"Say son!" Hank said assaulting Bobby right as he got in the door." Who was that you were talking to?"

"Just Joseph."

"Uh-Huh. Did you tell him about your sale!"

"I-I mentioned it."

"Well that's great!" Hank said slapping his arm around his son." Because the whole world deserves to share the happiness your feeling right now!" And the day went just as anyone would expect after that.

Later that night the two Hill men arrived home to see Dale, Bill and Boomhauer in the alley.

'Go on inside son." Said Hank getting out of his side of the car. "Your mama should have dinner ready."

"Okay." Said Bobby not really thinking anything else of it. As Bobby went indoors Hank met his friends in the alley.

"Dang ol' man say it ain't so." Boomhauer said upon seeing Hank.

"It's true gentlemen. The time has come."

"This is so exciting." Bill giggled.

Peggy found Bobby in his room. He removed his blue strickland shirt for a green over shirt and blue jeans.

"Bobby, honey where are you going?"

"I'm going out with Joseph." He replied buttoning up his shirt, his dog tags jingling underneath.

"Where to?"

"Just out." He replied. He turned and walked past his mother.

"Well don't stay out to late honey." Peggy said as Bobby made his way out the door. He gave her a wave as he exited the house via the front door and Hank entered from the sliding glass door in the kitchen.

Bobby made his way to the sidewalk. He turned right and prepared to go to Joseph's house but he was stopped.

"Bobby!" called a high pitched voice. He turned his head and saw someone run at him from behind the fence until she stood right before him.

"Connie?" Bobby said as if he couldn't believe it.

"Hi." She said as she stood before him. It had been so long since he'd seen her let alone even heard her voice. All his time away from home he'd though of her and now as she stood before him he was at a loss for words." How have you been?"

"I've been good." He answered with a nod of his head." How about you?"

"Uh School is so hard!" she rolled her eyes." Probably not as hard as the army, right?" Bobby shook his head with a smirk on his face.

"No. Probably not."

"So what are you doing tonight?" Connie asked.

"Well Joseph and I were probably gonna go out and-"

"Can I come along?!" she jumped up. Then she slowed back down." I mean so we can catch up." She said twirling her hair." It's been so long since I've seen either of you." Bobby breathed a deep breath then smiled.

"That's fine with me. Just let me call Joseph and-"

"C'mon!" she said grabbing his hand." I'll drive." And she dragged Bobby to her family's mini-van. Then before he knew it Bobby found himself at Sugarfoot's with Connie.

"What are you getting?" asked Connie as she stood in line with Bobby. He carefully looked up and observed the menu." What are you getting?" She gave him a shove getting his attention.

"I don't know yet." He responded not looking at her." Everything on this menu is swimming in gravy." At that moment Connie was handed her food.

"Well I'm gonna go find a seat, okay?"

"Okay." Bobby answered still looking at the menu. She left and then Bobby was left with himself.

"Hey Bobby!" called a voice getting his attention. Bobby looked forward and saw none other than Buck Strickland on the other side of the counter.

"Mr. Strickland?" Bobby said confused." What are you doing here?"

"Oh just collecting my revenue for the night." Buck snickered." Better question is what are you doing here?" Bobby pointed over his shoulder to Connie at a nearby table.

"I'm with her." He told.

"HeHe." Buck chuckled."Well old top I'd say you picked the perfect place for a first date."

"No, no it's not-"

"You know Sugarfoot was the name Ms. Liz called me. What's this girl's name for you?" Bobby looked at his boss strangely.

"Bobby?" He answered confused. Not knowing if Connie really had a 'pet' name for him. Buck looked at him disgrunteled.

"Yea well good luck on your date old top. And don't you worry veterans eat half off." Bobby nodded and began walking away." HeHe say that's a good marketing pitch." He laughed at a way to make more money.

Bobby ordered a slack of ribs and then joined Connie at the table.

"So how have you been?" Connie asked.

"I'venjonetokay." Bobby said with a mouthful of ribs.

"Chew your foot." Connie said. Bobby swallowed and then faced Connie with bbq smothering his face. And seeing that couldn't help but make Connie rear her head back and laugh.

They didn't notice it but a small group of people had just entered the restaurant. It wasn't that strange for people to come into a restaurant. Connie leaned in close to Bobby and whispered softly.

"So did you ever kill a man?" she asked. Bobby's eyes opened wide and he remembered the answer to her question.

"Yes." He replied back in her ear. Connie sat back and looked at Bobby surprised. But he was not he remained straight-faced and stern.

"What was it like?" she asked. Bobby might have answered he might not have but at that moment they were interrupted by someone.

"Hey Connie." A good looking boy with a smooth face and black hair sat down next to Connie. He was dressed out in a suite. It was Chane Wassanasong. He put his arm around her and pulled her in close.

"What are you doing?" asked Connie trying to pull away from him.

"Leave her alone. "Bobby said making a move like he would stand up. But the second he did a hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking back Bobby saw none other than Clark Peters and Stuart Dooley standing there. Peters was covered in black cloths and leather jacket still with his signature pony tail but now with a bull's nose ring. Dooley was in a sleeveless green shirt and jeans, on his right shoulder was a tattoo of a flaming skull wrapped in barb wire.

"Bobby Hill?" said Chane looking at him for the first time." What are you doing here with Connie?"

"He's with me." Connie said as she pushed Chane away. The boy laughed in response.

"There's no way a loser like Hill could ever date you." He said." Hey Hill, wasn't the reason you went into the military because you couldn't get into college?" Clark and Dooley laughed at the joke but no one else did. Bobby stayed silent but had a stern growl on his face.

"I wouldn't mess with Bobby." Connie spoke up." He knows all kind of crazy fighting stuff. He's killed people!"

"Is that right?" said Chane with a solemn look as he turned to Bobby." Is that what your gonna do Hill. You're gonna kill me?" He waved a menacing finger in Bobby's direction. Even though Bobby was no master combatant he had learned a thing or two from a handful of people who were. It would be so easy.

He could simply jump up and elbow Clark in the chin, knocking him to the ground. And then do the same to an equally surprised Dooley. Chane might have only a second or two to react but it would be too late because by the time he could Bobby would have taken him to the ground.

Or he could attack Dooley first by kicking him in the groin and tossing him into Clark before he could do anything. Chane might be able to grab him with his back turned. But Bobby would just head-butt him and throw him to the ground.

Or he could pick up the metal tray before him and smack them all in the head with it. There were dozens of different ways Bobby though the situation could go down.

Bobby slowly rose to his feet, Clark Peters and Dooley tensing up behind him.

"C'mon Connie." He said, reaching out and taking her hand." Let's get out of here." Then he turned and walked out the door.

"You should have fought them." Said Connie to Bobby as they were out in the parking lot. Bobby just heard the sound of the door opening up behind them and he knew that it wasn't a good sign.

"Yo Hill!" yelled Chane as he marched out of the restaurant with Clark and Dooley by his side." You think you can just walk away?!" Bobby turned and faced him, using himself as a shield between them and Connie.

"Chane look I really don't want to fight." Bobby said with his hands up.

Just then before anything could happen there was a siren and flashing lights. A Police car had pulled into the parking lot and the officer and stepped out of the driver's seat.

"Do we have a problem here?" asked Joseph in as cool a tone as he could manage. His baton was already out and he was patting into the open palm of his other hand.

Chane growled as he looked at Bobby but knew if he did anything Joseph would just intervene.

"You got off easy this time Hill." Chane said poking Bobby in the chest. Then he turned and walked off.

"You got off easy." Dooley said to Bobby as he and Clark followed Chane. Chane was walked over and past Joseph.

"Had to help your boyfriend?" He joked. But he stopped laughing when Joseph put his hand over his gun. Chane then quickly turned and did a fast walk out of there with Dooley and Clark following him.

"Well." Bobby breathed a sigh of relief." You showed up at a good time."

"HaHa Yea!" Joseph snorted." It was pretty cool huh?" He twirled his baton in his hand but then dropped it to the ground.

"So the gangs all here." Said Connie." What do you guys wanna do?"

"Well I was thinking-" began Joseph.

"I'd like to go home." Bobby said.

"What?!" his friends said in unison.

"I've had enough excitement for one night. I think I'll be heading home." He walked a few feet and to his car. But that's when he realized he didn't drive to Sugarfoots." Uh Joseph can you give me a lift?"

"Sure dude." He said getting into the driver's seat.

"Bobby I'll drive you back."

"No that's okay." Said Bobby." Joseph said he'd do it." He entered into the passenger's seat of Joseph's police care. Then Joseph backed out and into the road with Connie driving right behind them in the mini-van.

"So you were hangin out with Connie?" Joseph asked as he looked at the girl in the rear-view mirror.

"Yea." Bobby said leaning on his arm.

"What did you guys do?" Joseph asked still looking in the mirror." Did make out?"

"No." Bobby shook his head.

"Did you get back tog-"

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Bobby yelled pointing forward. Joseph had been looking in the rear-view mirror the whole time so he'd been swerving into the other lane. He quickly corrected himself as a car went roaring past them.

The two sat in the car panting as Joseph drove them back into the right lane.

"Just focus on driving." Bobby panted to him. Surprisingly Joseph did just that and they didn't talk the rest of the ride home.

Joseph parked his car on the street between his and Bobby's home.

"Thanks Joseph." Said Bobby exiting the car." I'll see you tomorrow."

"Later Bobby." Said Joseph as he exited the car and walked towards his own home. Bobby looked in the other direction where he saw Connie pulling into the driveway of her own home.

"See you tomorrow Connie." Bobby said to her before entering his own home. Connie put out her hand as if she was going to stop him but by the time she did he was already inside.

It was late when Bobby finally got back to his house. Looking at his phone it was almost midnight. Knowing both his parents would be asleep Bobby treaded into the home carefully. He was in the living room and prepared to go to his room when he suddenly felt a rumbling in his stomach. He'd been a long, wild night and even longer since he had something to eat. Bobby looked to his left and into the kitchen where he saw the refrigerator. His licked his lips at the thought of leftover steak or hamburgers but mostly for a fruit pie.

So Bobby made up his mind and headed into the kitchen. But the second he set foot inside the light flicked on startling Bobby.

Sitting there at the table was Hank, Dale, Bill and Boomhauer. The only one awake was his father while the other three were laid out on the table snoring loudly with spit hanging from their mouths.

"Bobby." Hank said in a quiet voice.

"Dad!" Bobby said startled." What are you doing up so late?"

"Waiting for you." Hank said with a yawn. Then Hank stood up and walked over to his son." I uh I had this waiting for you." Hank extended out his hand and Bobby looked down to see a can of Alamo beer." I thought you and I could have a beer together as sort of a celebration thing."

Bobby pawed over the cold can in his hand. His father didn't let him drink when he was 13, didn't let him drink in High School, didn't let him drink when he was in the Army, but now that he had sold a grill he was letting him.

"Unless you don't want to have it. We could-"

"No Dad." Bobby said." This is fine." He turned and looked his father in the eyes.

"Well alright." Hank chuckled. He reached into the fridge and pulled out a beer for himself." C'mon son." He said as he walked towards the sliding door. Bobby followed his father outside, leaving the sleeping trio of friends behind.

The two walked out and into the alley where they stood side by side. Together they grabbed the lip of their cans and then snapped them open.

"You've done good son." Hank said.

"Thanks Dad." Bobby replied. The two leaned their cans out and clicked them together before taking the first sip.

"Yep." Said Hank looking out into the street.

"Yep." Said Bobby.