Small Town Hero
“Erik?” Chris yelled from the other room, “Want to head home or make a pickup?”
I limped into the office with a cup of coffee, “I’ll take it, you head home. Seeing as
though I just had to have one of these.”
“Good,” Chris stood up and started toward the door, “I need some sleep. You coming
down to the match tomorrow?”
“Have I ever missed a match?” I asked.
“No, and you even had the courtesy to get into that accident after New England’s,” Chris
turned and leaned in the doorway.
“Yeah, I'm a big ball of consideration,” I took a sip of coffee.
“Anyway, the address is on the desk. I’ll see ya in the morning. Drive safe.” Chris turned
and walked out of the office.
“You too,” I walked over to the desk and picked up the address. I recognized the address
and laughed out loud. “Why wouldn't he have just written the middle school? This has got to be a
joke.”
It wasn’t cold enough for the snow to stick to the ground, but it came anyway. It melted
the moment it hit my windshield or the asphalt. A few flakes blew around in little funnels spared
a few moments grace.
The streets were empty, but I still took it slow even with the option of four wheel drive in
my Durango. Even under the speed limit it only took five minutes to get to the middle school. I
pulled into the entrance and drove around the circle of grass in the center of the parking lot. I
searched the foyer but couldn’t see anyone or anything there. So, I came full circle to the entrance
and drove back toward the street.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw something fly out of the gazebo sitting on the lawn in
front of the middle school. I came to a stop and looked out the passenger window. Something was
moving in the gazebo. Then the figure walked down the steps and looked over at the car.
I lowered the window. The figure began walking toward the truck a man wearing a suit
with the tie balled up in his jacket pocket and the collar hanging open.
“You need some help, Mister?” I yelled through the wind and snow.
“Yeah,” the man in the suit said. His voice grinding through my memories like a pebble in
a blender. “I could really use a ride.”
“Saferides is a program for students,” I said and turned my attention out the windshield.
“Not middle aged alcoholics.”
“Pplease,” the man squinted in the flurries, “I don’t have enough for a cab… I don’t…I
don’t think I could even get a ccab out here now.”
“Again, our service is for students,” I rolled the window up, put it in drive and pulled out
onto the street. I drove slowly and in the rear view mirror I could see the man in the suit begin
walking down the sidewalk in the other direction. The man stumbled and fell to his hands and
knees and his breath filled the air around his head as he struggled back to his feet. I punched the
steering wheel.
“Damn it,” I threw the car in reverse. I didn't bother turning around, I just slid to a stop
next the man as he failed at wiping off his suit while still on his knees.
“You don’t live in that direction,” I said as I rolled down the window, “Mr. Reynolds.”
Mr. Reynolds leaned into the car but I didn't look at him. I could smell the liquor on him
even through the cold and the snow, “You know me? Who... who’s that in there?”
I kept my stare fixed ahead on the swirling snow on the blacktop. A few spots had started
to dust over with the light powder, but they were few and far between.
“Just get in the back Mr. Reynolds,” I said.
Mr. Reynolds reached out and grabbed onto the front passenger side door handle but
slipped off because the door was still locked, “Fuck!”
“I said the back, Mr. Reynolds,” I rolled the window up and waited for Mr. Reynolds to
put his hand on the rear handle, then unlocked the door.
“You know where I live?” Mr. Reynolds said righting himself in the back seat after falling
into it.
I looked at him in the rear view mirror but didn’t respond. I put the car in drive and pulled
off down the street.
Mr. Reynolds sat with his forehead against the cold glass staring at the flurries as they
whipped by the window. “Can I open the window, its so much cooler outside?” He pushed at the
window lift button but I had locked them.
“No,” I said, and I wondered how Mr. Reynolds had gotten the number for Saferide.
“I didn’t have anyone else to call,” Mr. Reynolds seemed to read my mind, and he held a
business card up in font of his face. “I found… this in my pocket. Must belong to my daughter. Do
you now my daughter?”
“Yes, Mr. Reynolds. I know Maria.” It was her fault I was in this situation. I didn't know
he was out of jail I also didn't think anyone in this town would ever sell him another damn drink.
I guess greed out weighs their morals.
“Wait... I know you. You’re the McManus kid aren’t you?” Mr. Reynolds looked over the
business card that he was still holding up in front of his face. I could see his eyes were glassy over
the card in the rear view mirror.
“Yes, Mr. Reynolds, I am.” I pulled my bad leg up and shifted in the seat to fend off a hip
cramp.
“You can let me out here if you want,” Mr. Reynolds reached for the handle, but the door
didn’t open, I had the child locks set.
“I don’t leave people stranded when they need help, Mr. Reynolds.”
“I don’t suppose you would be that kind of person.”
“Just sit quietly and I’ll have you home in a few minutes.” I turned off of Main Street and
was back near the high school when Mr. Reynolds broke the silence again.
“I really didn’t know what I did, Erik.”
“So you’ve said before Mr. Reynolds.” I wrapped my fingers around the steering wheel so
tightly you could hear my calluses scrape over the vinyl. “And I would prefer it quiet while I
drive.”
“Your parents must be good people,” Mr. Reynolds said quietly, “raising such a respectful
and tolerant young man.”
I kept quiet as I pulled onto Walnut Hill. A minute later I came to a stop in front of the
Reynolds' residence.
I turned in the seat calmly and said, “They did just that Mr. Reynolds. But my tolerance
only goes so far. If anything like this happens again, I will report it to your Probation officer and
do my damnedest to make sure it hurts you.”
Mr. Reynolds looked at me with a sullen face and then dropped his chin to his chest. I
unlocked the door and the man got out. Mr. Reynolds looked at me through the window for a
moment, then walked to his door. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him try three keys before
finding the right one. The door closed behind him, and I pulled away.
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