Chapter 59

the sound: The Who – Eminence Front, Alice Cooper – No More Mr. Nice Guy, Paul McCartney and Wings – Helen Wheels, John Lennon – Mind Games, Faces – Oh La La, Bachman Turner Overdrive – Takin Care of Business, Steve Winwood feat Eric Clapton – Dirty City

Robert continued to move as he rose slowly to stand before me, hands on his hips. Greybeard stayed beside me and when Robert leaned forward to make a grab for my jacket front Grey slapped his hand away and told him to “leave off”. Grey’s hand came to rest lightly on my knee and for once I kept my big trap shut about my personal space.

Someone cleared their throat across the room and I looked up from Grey’s hand on my knee to see a very young, rather timid Dr standing in the doorway. He looked so scared it would not have surprised me in the least to have been able to see his knee’s knocking together from where I was sitting.

I smiled as Grey rose to stand beside Robert, two massive hulking men looming over this poor young medic…“betcha he wishes he was on the day shift” I thought just as he began to speak.

The young Dr seemed to find himself as he talked…“Mr. Kirkpatrick is in surgery; the bullet entered his left buttock and traveled through to exit at his groin, just barely nicking his femoral artery. Had it been a hair’s breath closer to the artery he’d have not lasted long enough to get him here – he’d have bled out before you could have got him into the truck….as it was he’s lost a massive amount of blood. How it missed his pelvic bone on the way through is beyond me….anyway…only your quick thinking in getting him here and your sister’s having kept her finger in the hole in his groin thereby slowing the bleeding saved him.”

I smiled at him, “and Rosie?” I asked.

“She’s resting comfortably” was his reply, “we had to sedate her to keep her from following Mr. Kirkpatrick into the operating room. She’ll be right as rain after some rest.” He turned on his heel and marched briskly away.

I looked up at the two men standing before me as Snot approached us. Both men looked white and scared, but as I watched I could see them visibly relax and begin to gain color.

Snot asked Robert “who should go get Wizard and the boys?” Robert just looked at him.

“You should” I said, as Robert and Grey both sat down abruptly, kinda like they’d lost their legs. Grey reached his hand into his pocket and came out with the truck keys “wash the truck and pick up the boys” he said to Snot. “and pickup some food” I added and then shrunk back when Grey’s head snapped around to look at me.

“well?” I said, “it’s not like we’re not goin anywhere are we?” I blurted

“no…yer right Baby” he said as he turned to Snot “send one of the girls for some grub too.”

Snot hesitated and looked to Robert who was sitting with his elbows on his knees and his head in his big hands. Robert nodded and Snot turned away to make plans.

“She’s right you know” Grey said quietly to Robert.

Robert sighed and nodded again…”ya, I know” he replied.

“well you are gonna be the one to tell Mama”…hissed Grey…You are gonna be the one to march right into the big house and tell Mrs.K you shot her baby boy in the ass and god damn near killed him!”

Robert slumped further down in his seat and didn’t reply.

{ a quick word from Wyz: because it's come up in conversations with those of you that read my blog and know me...I feel a need to state for you, my faithful readers, that although this happened in my life...the timeline has been distorted for storytelling purposes. Because really? what kind of fun reading would it be for you if I posted 17 consecutive chapters that simply said: "today we got drunk" or "today we went grocery shopping" or "today we went to the dump"? (as opposed to The Dump?}