(6)
— Originally published in Pangolin Papers, Fall, 2003
Continued from page (5)
“I’ll give you a horsey
ride.” He swept Joey over his head and onto his shoulders and
mounted the steps. Joey giggled. Doris opened the door from the inside,
smiling. Joey hugged the man’s head and laid his cheek against
the long hair. The man lowered Joey to porch, and all three went in.
Sweat poured from Riley’s scalp, around his ears, down his neck, into
his eyes. A breeze rustled the trailing flower-covered arms of the cherry
tree. Petals blew across the grass. Riley shuddered.
He released the emergency brake, pulled a U-turn, and found his way
past the middle school to the main drag and eventually to the apartment.
In the parking lot, he turned off the ignition and stared at the carbon-singed
brick façade, the cave of an entrance banked by mailboxes, stairs
barely visible beyond them. He’d always known that Doris was too
beautiful to remain alone. He’d steeled himself. But Joey . . .
I’ll give you a horsey ride.
Joey’s laugh. His hug. Riley slammed his eyes shut and banged his
forehead against the steering wheel.
Still shaking, he carried Joey’s present across the parking lot
to the garbage cans and tossed it in.
Inside the apartment, the air was lifeless. He opened the window and
turned on the fan. How long until dark? Five hours. He knelt by the
table and rifled through the tool crate. The hatchet would be useless.
The tree’s trunk was too thick. Maybe the bow saw. He fingered
his chainsaw. He’d have to get gas and check the oil, be sure it
would start right away.
For the rest of the afternoon, he sat in the apartment and watched the
shadows lengthen. He’d have to wait until it was completely dark.
Maybe Doris would forget to turn on the porch light. He’d park
around the corner and hope nobody recognized his pickup. He’d
have to be quick, before anybody figured out what he was up to.
He’d try the bow saw first. If that didn’t work, the chain
would cut through the trunk in about ten seconds. Then he’d kill
the saw’s engine and be gone before anybody saw him. He’d
use his knapsack to carry the bow saw. He found Joey’s flashlight
still in the knapsack.
At sunset, he drove to the gas station, changed the chainsaw’s
oil, and filled its tank. In the vacant lot next to the station, he
worked with the saw until it started every time he pulled the cord.
TOM'S TALES