A Patient Boy, Page 6 of 8
"What, son?"
"I got to poo ..."
Jesus. "Well go ahead, son,
it's all right."
"I don't want to mess."
"It's all right. Nobody will
mind."
The car was rocking. Harsh whispers,
the damn girl wouldn't stop moaning
and whining Denny's face clouded
with concentration. For the first
time his eyes showed concern.
" ... It won't do it."
What, son?"
"I tried, but I can't."
"When we get you out, then."
"Daddy, I'm scared ..."
Oh, God, Oh, God, Oh, God
... don't let him go into that
other world. Don't let him lose
this little bit of sanity. Please! God
heard me. He had not completely
abandoned us. Denny was holding
my hand now, like when he was
little. Teddy would still hold
my hand, but now Denny had taken
it. Both kids were out of the
car and being helped onto the
road. I couldn't cry. Alice was
already doing that from someplace
on the other side of the police
car.
"Denny, boy..."
"I'll be OK."
"When we get you out of this
mess..."
"You're going to get me out,
right Dad?"
"You bet. Soon as they get
these kids cleaned up they're going
to move the car and we'll get you
out."
"They'll hurry, right?"
"Any minute now. So tell me,
what do you want to do when your
legs heal up?" I saw his eyes
brighten.
"Old Brown," he said.
"Old Brown," I said,
giving him a big smile. Old Brown
was the biggest trout you ever want
to see. We're talking eight pounds
of German Brown, with his lower
lip curved in this endless snarl
that said, "No one's caught
me yet and no one's ever going to." He
patrolled an area of Jarrett Creek
under this old bridge in the middle
of Ed Sally's land.
It was a lost cause if he saw
you. In my whole life I've only
gotten him to take the bait three
times. First, I was so excited that
I yanked it clear out of his mouth.
Second, I made sure to wait, sunk
it in that ugly lip, then damned
if he didn't head straight for a
clump of weed and wind around it
till the line broke. I came back
half a dozen times that summer just
so I could see my hook with that
little bit of line trailing behind.
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