The Soda Bottle Kid

The sun rose slowly into Rodney's bedroom that Sunday.
The plan was to meet the gang at Ton and Tanks for a vote.
It seemed real important to get the confidence of the rest of the guys,
but in the back of his mind Rodney felt today meant more.
  He slogged downstairs looked into the kitchen at his mom.
" Honey it's Father's Day," She reported. " We should get up there about
10am." Then he remembered that they had to go to his Dad's grave,
an event that he dreaded. They had to drive 2 hrs to the home place cemetery.
  It was the usual placement of flowers and a prayer was said.
" Rodney did you bring a letter?" his Mom said. For years his mother
insisted that he write some kind of letter to his dad.
  " Mom I didn't write this year." Rodney said head down.
"Why" ?  " I don't think of Dad's here anymore, I know he's not!"
  "Rodney!"  " It's true mom he's in here", Rodney pointed at his chest and started
to tear up. " I dreamt about him. He told me he was proud of me and things were okay."
" You dreamt about him?" his mother quizzed. " Yeah, and I don't think we need to go
to that grave anymore."
  "Rodney, we have always gone every Father's Day, It's what we do, "his mom insisted.
" It's out of respect."
    " Okay mom, but, I know he's not there." "Rodney you come up with the strangest
stuff sometimes, but I understand."
  "I got to go this afternoon to Thomas and Tanner's place it's important." Rodney added.
Rodney got on the phone to Tank and told him to pass it on that it would be 3pm before
the meeting. "Ok, Rodney I understand , say hello to the old man for me." Tank was a
good friend Rodney thought.
   Rodney and his Mom got into the Turnpike Cruiser and headed for Storm Lake.
Rodney put all the windows down, like always, then turned to his mom, " How's come
dad went Veit Nam? Lenny said, they made people go even if they didn't want to.
 " Your father thought it was the right thing to do." " So do you think it was right?"
  "Rodney, I don't know anymore, I used to just agree with whatever he said."
  " Like you do with Ed?"  "No!, not like Ed!"she snapped.
   " You don't like him much do you?"
    "Rodney!"
 "Well it's true!, admit it."
   His mom skidded the car to the side of the road, " You have to understand
we don't have a lot of choices!"
  " That's not true, dad said we always have choices and fishing and
being happy is number one!"
  " Rodney , you remember that?"
  " Yeah I do, don't you? "
  His mom started to cry.  "Don't you", burning in her ears.
  "Hey I didn't mean it Rodney said softly".
" Let's just go, Let's just go....."
     They arrived at the cemetery, turned in, and proceed with the ritual.
Mom laid flowers, and Rodney said a prayer, It went something like this:
  Dad, I hope everything is okay in Heaven. I know you're not here anymore
'cause I feel you in my heart. I know you are looking at me when I screw up ,
 I hope I can be a man like you. Amen.
  Rodney and his mom held each other and cried for awhile then got in the
car and went home. They didn't say much on the way.....