Par Avion/Issue 2

This is Issue 2 of Par Avion.

102; Crash
I never thought that today, I’d sit with the man who saved my life 5 years ago. I better explain myself; I was in Hugoton to see my step-brother’s memorial stone. He died a horrible car accident which sent me, my wife and him to the hospital. Luckily, a local deputy was there. We landed the car in a lake, and soon enough my step-brother Frankie was gone. The police department never found his body, so it’ll still be down in that lake.

My wife and I couldn’t get out, and time was running out. I remember looking at my wife, as the car filled up with water. I told her that I loved her, and she said the same to me.

But luckily, the windshield was kicked in by this cop, and me and my wife swam out. I got the deputy’s name to Deputy Adam Smith.

Anyways, I’m sitting at Clancey’s Coffee Shop, just got served by this nice girl, who behind that smile you can tell, that she isn’t as happy as she looks. Maybe she was just trying to chee me up.

I was up all night, having nightmares about that car crash. I still see the entire thing for me; My wife screaming as she discovered that Frankie had disappeared, how the car filled up with water. I think about it every second of my life.

Maybe, because of those nightmares, I looked tired or sad to her, and she was just trying to help.

Now that she has left, I return to my book, Prey by Michael Crichton. Crichton is my favorite author. I have read all of his books. I even read Jurrasic Park, by him, before it got made into those modern movies. I love reading, and actually wanted to be a writer. But, well, truck driver’s better than nothing. 51 years and still a truck driver. Pretty impressive if I say myself.

As I sit here, Adam Smith come over to me.

“Hey, Craig. Long time no see. How’s the wife?” He asks, sitting down on the chair in front of me.

I’m shocked, haven’t seem Adam Smith for three years.

“Adam?” I just say, but quickly enter the conversation. “Um, she’s fine, thank you. How’s your wife and children?”

Adam smiles, looking at me as he talks. “Not bad at all. Timmy is in 7th grade now, and Sally is in 4th.” Replies Adam. “Your parenting years are only gonna get harder.” I say jokingly with a smirk.

“I never heard, by the way.” Adam says, his smile fading. “In that car crash... what happened to your brother?”

I open my mouth as to speak, though nothing comes out. I haven’t talked with anyone about Frankie since the crash. I simply can’t.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” Adam says, trying to catch my eyes, though I’m looking at the table.

“No, no, it’s fine.” I say. “They never found him...”

Adam nods without any words. For a few seconds, we just sit like that. Then the waitress returns with my coffee and omelet, and Adam’s food and coffee.

“Well.” Adam says, as the waitress walks away. He raises his coffee with the words “For your brother.”

I raise my cup as well and take a sip.

We start eating and soon enough discuss news, rather it’s about the robbery Adam claimed he was the “hero” of, and we also turns taxes being raised on the middle class. We also debates politics, him beings a conservative and I being liberal. We have a nice lenghty 20 minute debate, which ends when we call a stalemate, even though I believe I win.

The nice waitress then approaches us with the checks.

“Thank you for stopping at Clancey’s Coffee Shop, and have a great day.” She says with a curtsey, as I put an extra $10 for a tip. I notice Adam gives $15, though I put no more thoughts into that.

“Till we meet again.” Adam says, shaking my hand.

“Till we mee.” I repeat.

Adam leaves, while I stay for a little bit to take advantage of the free wifi. I need to message my wife via Facebook. I’m usually not a fan of all this modern technology, though Facebook is one thing I can relate to; a website where you can have all your friends as the same time. I do like the idea.

I hear from across the room, the waitress talking to another customer.

“Bye, Greg, see you again tomorrow.” She says. I turn my head around, seeing her giving a man a check.

This motivates me to check my watch. It’s already 8:45 AM, I better get going.

I start packing up my bag and I head to the front door at the same time as the man, presumeably named Greg.

He opens the door for me with a polite smile.

“Thank you.” I say, leaving Clancey’s.

“No problem, sir.” The man named Greg replies.

Deaths

 * None

Credits

 * Erin Fergerson
 * Greg Demoor
 * Craig Nelson
 * Adam Smith