I'm so sorry for the long wait. Works been super crazy and it just started to settle down and then I had writers' block. I hope your still with me. Please enjoy!
SEPTEMBER 28, 1957
Will Gilligan was known by his entire school as the number one Aquathlete, A.K.A swimming and running star. He was always a couple of laps ahead of the others and most of the time won first place. In some cases when he was way ahead he would stop a couple feet from the finish line and wait for someone to catch up and when they were close they would cross the finish line together. Everyone loved him for that.
"ON YOUR MARK!" Shouted Coach Mills holding up a starting pistol as Will and the others got on their marks.
"GET SET . . . GOOOO!" He shouted and fired in the air.
Off they ran and as usual Will was a couple of laps ahead of the others. He got to the pool and dived in. He was always amazing in the water. He reminded everyone of a fish. He got to the other side and gracefully glided out of the pool and ran the rest of the way crossing the finish line. The coach met him at the finish line.
"Congratulations Will you won," he replies smiling weekly and appearing to be shielding his eyes from the sun. "But I think you left something in the pool."
He looked out into the crowd and noticed that everyone was covering their eyes with their hands. Then he looked down and noticed that his swim shorts had come off in the pool.
"Oops," he gasps his ears going red as he tries to cover himself.
The coach hands him his hat as the other swimmers run up and hands him his shorts and form a circle around him so he can put them on.
Driving home Danny chuckles.
"Look at it this way," he says. "You'll be a real ladies man in the Navy."
"Mom!" Will whines as his ears once again turn red.
"Daniel Patrick Gilligan," Ellen scolds her eldest son as Patrick gives him a look.
"Sorry Will," Danny apologizes.
OCTOBER 5, 1957
"Hey Mom," Danny replies as he and Will arrived home.
"Oh, hello boys," Ellen says as she washes up after spending the morning pulling weeds. "How did it go at your eye doctor appointments."
"Well I'm basically blind as a bat," he huffed. "While Hawk-Eye Will here has eyes like a hawk."
"I could see the very bottom of the chart," Will replies while peeling a banana.
"Sorry Danny," Patrick says as he enters the kitchen. "I guess you inherited my eyes."
"Yeah, well," he says rolling his eyes. "The military's out of the question for me that's for sure."
JUNE, 21 1958
"MOM, MOM, MOM," Will shouted as he runs through the door.
"YES, YES, YES," Ellen shouts as she finished hanging up a new portrait of the family.
"I passed I got my license," Will replies jumping up and down. It was a big accomplishment. Everyone he knew helped him study for the written test but it took him three tries to pass the driving test.
"Congratulations my Mighty Driving Man," Ellen replied pulling Will into a hug.
"Awe thanks mom," Will replies.
JULY, 5 1958
Will got a summer job working at the local gas station to earn some extra pocket money. He had just finished cleaning the windshield of a customer and said goodbye when Wendell the owner and mechanic of the gas station came out of his office.
"Hey Will," he replied. "The McDuffs have returned from vacation and and went to start their car and heard a strange rattling sound. They don't want to risk driving it here so they want me to go tow it. Do you want to come?"
"Sure," Will replied.
They got in the tow truck and drove to the McDuffs. When they got there they met them in the driveway.
"Thanks for coming Wendell," Mr. McDuff greeted them. "We just got back and started the car and heard this strange rattle."
"Let's have a listen," Wendell replied.
Mr. McDuff reached in and started the car. When it started they could hear a distinct rattle. They listened for a couple more seconds then he turned it off.
"Hmmm," Wendell was thoughtful for a moment. "Can't tell what it is until I get it to the shop."
"Mrs. McDuff by any chance is Shannon missing her rattle?" Will asked randomly.
"Huh?" Wendell asked.
"What?" Mr. McDuff asked.
"Now that you mention it," Mrs. McDuff replied thoughtfully. "She is missing one of her favorite rattles"
Mr. McDuff and Wendell looked at each other then popped the hood up. Wendell took a look inside and sure enough pulled out a baby rattle. Everybody was stunned.
"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle," Wendell replied!
"Well look whose a Mighty Mechanic Man now," Mrs. McDuff stated.
"Well um how much do we owe you?" Mr. McDuff asked scratching his head.
"Oh there's no charge on this one," Wendell chuckled as he cleaned off the rattle and handed it back to Mrs. McDuff.
"Oh nonsense!" Mrs. McDuff replied waving a hand. "How about some coconut cream pie made from the coconuts we brought back from Hawaii."
"Thanks we'd love some," both Will and Wendell replied.
That's it for now please read and review! I promise not to keep waiting for long.