The boys gathered at Ton an Tanks it was almost 3:30 before everyone
was there. Rodney was still thinking about his dad, and wasn't quite
with it when he started the meeting.
I have it on good authority that the price on bottles might go to 5 cents,
after July. All in favor of holding out until the price goes up say aye.
"Now wait a minute", Brian said, "what makes you think that the price is
going up and why should we wait?" " And where are we going to put
all the bottles we get?"
"It's just what I heard from someone that works at Pepco.",
" Are you guys willing to wait"? The vote was 5 for and 2 against.
"Do we have anymore things to talk about"?, Rodney asked in a subdued voice.
" Yeah, I do, have you thought about the way we will get over 400 cases of soda
bottles to the store"?, Brian said.
Again Josh spoke up " I can do it".
"What we stealing the church bus again"!, Brent said
"No, this creek goes behind the Hinky Dinky store."
"We'll float them there!" The gang looked at each other,
Tank said, "Not in the flat bottom it has a hole in it."
"We'll fix it. ", Josh said " We can screw a piece of innertube over it".
"Everyone else can work on a raft". " All in favor?"
Again the gang looked at each other, and slowly the hands went up.
The obstacle of logistics had brought out the best of them, and the thought
of building a raft sparked excitement in all of them.
Rodney, cornered Josh later, " You know how to build a raft"?
" I read Huck Finn, does that count"?
" You're something else Josh," Rodney laughed.
" Yeah, I know, hey who told you about the bottle deposit going up"?
"Lenny did, but I don't know if he's full of it or not." It's a chance I got to take."
Josh joked," At least we will have a raft at camp Wannamaka!!"
" You want to go skating tuesday night, Rod?" " Travis is going."
"Yeah ,sure", Rodney said.
The boys kind of drifted out of the camp at Ton and Tanks place until
the only ones left were Rodney and Thomas.
" Ton where in the hell are we going to put all the bottles?", Rodney quizzed.
" I guess we'll fill the tack shed, then the barn up at the house, then my dad's shop."
Ton laughed. " hey you alright Rod? I mean I know you went to your dads grave
and all today." Rodney turned and said, "You think this is a crazy idea?"
Ton, just laughed, " yeah Rod but that's why it's so much fun. My dad always
said to enjoy whatever you do." Rodney teared up and said, "yeah mine too."
Ton through his big arm around him and said, "That's what I thought."
"It's hard for me and Tank to find good friends like you."
" 'Cause your fat?" Rodney asked. "yeah, and Tank 's ugly", Ton smiled.
" We don't really care about those kids that make fun of us, but it kinda hurts
sometimes."
"I like you guys you're a lot of fun, I'll see ya.", Rodney pumped his
pedal as he jumped on to go home.
He thought about all the things that had gone on today as he rode the gravel home.
His dad, his friends, and this big soda bottle thing.
The discovery of a friend in Josh and Ton, two of the most unlikely guys
when he started all this. "Clipper, it just goes to show you, You never can tell."
he told the dog as he sat on the porch that night. " What a day might hold in store for you."
" You just have to keep your mind open, even if you're a dog."
The dog looked at him knowingly. "Oh really, Your that smart ,eh?"
He rubbed the dogs head and went in for supper.
"Mom, can I go skating tuesday? Josh and Travis are going and I could
ride with one of them."
" I suppose, who's Josh I never heard you talk about him?" His Mom asked.
Rodney proceeded to talk about his afternoon and all it's discoveries.
" Well, you sure learned a lot today." his mom looked at him approvingly.
Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered a time when things were happy
and she was able to make new friends easily. She thought about why her life was the
way it was and what Rodney had said on the ride to the cemetery.
When did he get so grown up? He was right about one thing, She and Edwin
were going nowhere fast. He was such an ass when they had come back,
he resented the Father's Day trip. He just couldn't understand.
No matter how she tried to explain it, It turned into her still loving
her dead husband, And how she must not care that much about him.
Edwin had left in a big huff earlier and not returned yet, and she was glad
to have time with Rodney at supper. Spaggetti and meat sauce and garlic bread.
Rodney loaded his plate and ate every bit, then belly full went to bed early.
Some time during the night Ed returned and he thought he heard some yelling.
He soon returned to sleep and got up early to start the mowing.
Going to write anything today???? He laughed in the back of his mind.
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