Lightning Bug.

“Your move,” I said to my brother. He was bent over looking at the wooden board in front of him. I leaned more back to take another drink out of my Coke. The sweat running down the can created a ring of water on the kitchen table where it was sitting.
“I think you may have this one.” He said and placed a wooden piece on the board.
“Come on John, are you trying to let me win!?” I said as I captured one of his pieces and placed it back beside his other pieces on the table. I took a savory bite out of my roast beef sandwich. John groaned because he did not see that potential move. The game was done; I won by a large margin. “He’s not just a pretty face.” My mom commented. It was our third time playing Cathedral, some medieval like game with wooden blocks, and the object is to form solid lines to capture the most squares and make sure you have the least amount of pieces left over. We tied a couple of games as well, but that was enough for today. I decided to tag along with my parents to come to the cottage for the long weekend, from Saturday August 5th, till Tuesday. I couldn’t resist playing the game with my brother when I finally settled in for some lunch. Last time we were both at the cottage a while back we went to Kingston for the day and stumbled into this store called Minotaur, and in there we found out about this Cathedral game, but didn’t purchase it. Well my brother, while on vacation for a week, went back and bought it for us.

It was really hot outside on this Saturday afternoon, the sun shone right from above with no clouds daring to move in front of its light. The Cicada bugs could be heard as if they were right beside you, a continuous buzz sound that usually accompanies the heat, a sort of electrical shock sound. I sat outside after lunch and joined my dad outside on the deck. I thought it was a good time to start drinking. I marched down the steps towards the back of my cottage to make my way to the shed where I had just put in some Corona. I figured they wouldn’t be completely cold just yet, but I did not mind at all because I enjoy Corona a little warmed up. My bare feet crunched under some of the hard grass, and whenever a blade caused too much resistance I would put more weight on the other foot, which made me look like I was walking on hot coals.

My shed is sort of like a miniature version of my cottage, with some differences. It has old wood flooring that borders on the rotting kind. In the sills of the windows you could see shells and shells of dead bugs, mostly wasps or hornets, as if to have died in some great battle. Junk consumes all the space inside, unorganized tools on the shelf on the far right, various gardening tools along the back wall which mostly get used for any other task except for gardening, a dresser which holds old and useless fishing tackle, a broken and incomplete croquet set, some outboard motors that haven’t been able to run since the 60s or 70s, a big black inflatable tube, and of course hordes of lawn chairs and chez lounges. The only things of use in here are the washer/dryer and the age-old rounded beer fridge that stands 5 feet tall. It keeps the beer cold.

I grabbed a beer that was semi-cold and I also got a couple of Pepsis for my dad. I walked in the similar fashion back to the deck where I put the cans of pop in the fridge, opened the crisper for a lime, and then proceeded to the counter with lime in hand. I opened the drawer to get a bottle opener and knife. I sliced the lime in half on the cutting board and then sliced a wedge for my drink. I opened the bottle and plunked the lime in with my index finger. When it reached the liquid below it started to bubble like I just created some sort of chemical acid in a beaker. I cranked up the radio in the kitchen before going outside and then headed out the side of the deck and pulled up a white plastic chair to sit in.

My dad told me of a task that needs to be done down by the dock. Apparently I need to use the scythe and clear out some of the whips out there so that people can drive their boats in more easily. After I finish my beer I go back to the shed and get the big scythe and some chest waders. I put on some socks and wiggled my way into the chest waders. I picked up the big scythe which was made of some twisted aluminum, near broken wooden handles, and a big curved rusty blade. I make my way down to the edge of the lawn into the river; I step carefully on some of the larger stones that are lined up on the bank. When my boots sink into the water and the sand bottom below the pressure causes the rubber of the boots to form as best, and as close, as it can onto my legs. I reach down and try and pull some of the smaller bull whips by hand but with little success. So I guide the blade down into the water and pull back as if to yank on a rope to cut away the weeds. My dad comes down to observe and tells me where he wants it lined up to, I walk over and bend one of the whips down to mark the spot. I clear out a big section of the bull whips and then try to guide them to the other side of the dock so that they are out of the way. The river is all mucky now from me walking about and stirring up the sand below. As I treaded back from the other side of the dock I feel the ground come out from under my feet, it crumbles and I start to sink down. I tried to step back to save myself but it was way too late and the water began to fill into my chest waders, I feel the cold liquid course through my body causing my arms and back to stiffen out. I stepped into a deep hole created by one of our boats. I stepped out and a sudden rush of tin bubbles made its way from the bottom of my boots all the way up to my chest. My brother is laughing in the distance as he is swimming around but took notice to me crying out.

I walk back onto solid land and take off the chest waders on the dock, slamming my socks down to the ground. I’m completely soaked. My dad starts to giggle up on top of the deck and asks if I found the deep hole. I got changed into my swim shorts and wife beater and grabbed another Corona. No more work for the day. Instead I just continued to sit down and soak in the sun.

Prodigal Son (Part 4).

A hand reached around and grabbed the man wanting to fight me. It was his larger friend. “Forget this bitch, come on man.” He said repeatedly pulling his friend away to keep walking. I still stood there and watched to make sure they didn’t harass the girls I was with as they walked away down the street. Once they were out of sight I turned back to lean against the lamp post on the corner. One of my old classmates, Jacques, came across the street to see me. He talked to me for a bit, we exchanged updates on our life, and then he was off down Water Street.

When 03:00 hours nearing I went up to the two girls and told them I had to go meet my friend. They were clearly still doing the girl talk sort of deal, so I told them to stay safe and I went along my way. I didn’t like leaving them alone, but a lot of the drunkards have already gone home by this point in the night. I walked down Simcoe Street until I got in front of the Rooster. It was completely dark all over and no music could be heard. I was hoping that Kelly didn’t just leave because the bar closed early, and I just remained outside alone in front of the bar. It looked like some shady drug joint when it looked all closed up late at night. The yellow bricks had spots of dirt all over, an alleyway to the parking lot was pitch black with trash all over the driveway, and the windows of the building all opaque with the occasional crack. The big doors squeak open and it drew my attention, both Van and Kelly came out looking towards the Mr. Sub at the corner of George Street and Simcoe. They appeared to be worried about one of their fellow employees getting into a fight and hurting someone, but after closer investigation they found it wasn’t him.

Kelly told me more hilarious stories of the Liberal Party of Canada being at the bar today, and how one of them was telling people how she runs a porn website. The DJ at the 2nd Floor Lounge must have been interested in that because he took her in the booth with him for some relations. Wink wink. After the stories we walked back to his place. I went to sleep in a room in his house that is unoccupied by anyone living there, the bed is rather large and really creaks when I move around in it. It didn’t take me long to fall asleep though.

The next morning Kelly and I made some pancakes and French toast. As we’re eating his landlord makes a surprised visit. Kelly makes a freak out face and goes upstairs while talking to the lady. He goes up to the room I was sleeping in and puts the stuff in his roommates’ room because they aren’t technically allowed to let people sleep in that un-rented room. Kelly’s house is pretty cool, it had all wood flooring in most parts of the house with bright yellow and blue painted on the walls. The living room is mostly a dark wood with plants everywhere. After breakfast we had some time to kill before my bus arrives at 17:30 hours. So we make the rounds downtown. The rounds being all the pawn shops, used gaming stores, vinyl record store, and then Pete’s Subs for lunch. I couldn’t resist buying a vinyl record though. It was Stars – Set Yourself On Fire. After eating at Pete’s Subs and playing a little Die Hard Arcade there we went back to Kelly’s house to play some PS2 until my bus arrived.

I left his house pretty early and packed everything into my backpack, and slinged my sleeping bag over my shoulder. As we walk towards the greyhound station it starts to rain a little bit, but not too badly. It is still sunny outside when it was raining which cooled me off from the humidity. I take glances at some of the landmarks of this town that I will miss again when I get on that bus home.

When we arrive at the grey hound station Kelly says his goodbye and makes his way back home in the distance. The bus arrives fairly early and everyone packs into the available seats. I put on my MD Player and started to play some music as the bus pulled away. I wasn’t near a window to admire the scenery as some 16 year old girl occupied that seat. So instead I just drifted off in my chair waiting to arrive in Oshawa.