CARTER'S VANGUARD: WILLIAM CARTER
II
Chapter 13 - By Christopher Patrick Lydon
The barbeque was fully loaded in the back of Brody's truck;
through some unfathomable magic Jared had managed to talk the salesman down
a full hundred dollars for the floor model. Sure it was left over from last
year, but a barbecue was a barbecue--it didn't really matter that it was a
year old or that it had a scratch on the hood.
It was secured using a couple of brightly-striped bungee cords
that strained threateningly when wrapped around the big black monstrosity.
Will stood with his hands on his hips looking down at it suspiciously from
the loading dock.
"Are you sure that's going to hold?" he asked carefully.
"Sure," Brody said, already climbing into the cab.
"It's just a quick ride home; so long as I avoid the potholes it should
be cool."
Jared and Andrew were over by the little red Toyota talking
amongst themselves and glancing over in their direction every so often. Will
didn't pay them much heed as he stepped down from the loading dock and walked
around the truck. "You sure?" he asked again, imagining a fiery
explosion should the propane tank get dislodged and hit the road.
"It'll be fine," Brody said confidently, starting
the truck with a turn of the key as he reached for his seat belt. "Just
get in."
"Carter," Andrew called out, beckoning him over.
Will frowned and crossed to the Toyota. "Yeah?" he
asked, resting a hand on the roof.
Andrew gave him a typically Canadian smile, "I was just
talking it over with Jared; want your first driving lesson?"
"Now?" Will asked in surprise. "Don't I need
a license or something?"
Brody had turned off the engine and was listening to the exchange.
"Well, we were thinking of just showing you the basics,"
Jared said, leaning out the window of the Toyota. "Quick turn around
the school parking lot just to get you started."
Will looked a little dubious, "Shouldn't we off-load the
truck first?"
Brody grinned, "It can wait, this I gotta see."
Will shook his head reluctantly, "Ok, but if I get arrested..."
"You'll be fine," Brody called out. "Just think
of the men you'll meet in jail."
* * *
When Toyota designed and built the Tercel, they were trying
to create a fuel-efficient, inexpensive car. It was designed with economy
in mind, and it saved on everything, including space; but though it was cramped
on the inside, the car was thrifty and dependable...and small.
Will was petrified sitting in the front seat of the car, his
first time behind the driving wheel with the intent of driving the car. His
heart was racing and his palms were sweaty; he kept rechecking his mirrors
and adjusting the seat, anything but having to deal with the thought of the
monumental step he was about to take that sunny Saturday afternoon.
Brody was sitting smoking on the hood of his truck, taking long
puffs from his cigarette as he leisurely stretched out to watch the entertainment
unfold. He had liberated Will's sunglasses and was wearing them as he lounged,
a crooked smile on his face as he watched the fun.
Jared was in the backseat of the Toyota, his hands braced on
the backs of both front seats leaning forward so that he could see everything
that was going on and could offer his advice when it was needed. He grinned
and patted Will's shoulder reassuringly as he continued to look excited.
Andrew, however, wasn't looking so thrilled. Even though it
had been his idea, he was already beginning to have second thoughts sitting
in the passenger seat breathing a little too heavily as he tried to steel
himself to teach Will the fine art of driving. At least the Toyota was an
automatic; there wouldn't be the nerve-wracking torture of a new driver on
a clutch.
The route was to be simple---a couple of laps around the private
road that looped the school. It provided access to the parking lots, and in
the case of an emergency fire trucks could position themselves anywhere around
the squat modern building to bring their hoses to bear. At least the paramedics
would be able to get right up to them should they have to.
Andrew rubbed his face, obviously nervous, and that was doing
nothing for Will's nerves. He fidgeted again.
"Don't do anything unless I tell you to," Andrew insisted,
looking through the windshield, his voice firm. "Nothing at all."
"Yes sir," Will said, feeling his nervousness building
a little more.
"Start the car," Andrew commanded.
Will reached down and tried to turn the key; it didn't turn.
He tried again and looked helplessly in the rearview mirror at Jared, "It
won't turn."
"Push the button," Jared said helpfully, pointing
to the button just under the ignition switch. Will found it, pushed it and
the car started. With a yelp it lurched forward startling everyone in the
car.
"Brake!" Andrew yelled, clutching onto the dashboard,
visions of a horrific death suddenly foremost in his mind.
Will leaned down a bit to see and moved his foot off of the
gas. "Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, putting all his weight to
keep the brake down.
"It's ok," Andrew said, calming down and looking back
at Jared who shrugged, "Now always keep your foot on the brake when you
start the car."
"Brake, right," Will repeated by rote; so you weren't
supposed to push the gas when starting the car, right.
"Now slowly," Andrew stressed the word slowly, "take
your foot off the brake and push down on the gas, slowly."
"Okay," Will said, glancing down again as he lifted
the foot up and moved it onto the accelerator; he touched it again and the
Toyota began to trundle forward. He pushed it a little harder and the car
gave a burst of speed.
"Slowly!" Andrew bellowed again, still clutching onto
the dash.
"Okay," Will said, sounding frightened as he eased
off the gas a little. They were cruising at about twenty crossing the parking
lot to the private road. Brody waved as they went past, highly entertained
by the whole situation.
"Ok," Andrew said still sounding tense, "turn
onto the road, take your time and lift your foot off the gas as you turn."
Will complied, the Toyota crawling around the corner at a pace
that would make his grandmother happy. He cheered up happily as he realized
he had made it through his first turn and he grinned up at Jared who was smiling
goofily back at him.
"Now give it some gas," Andrew said. "And keep
your eyes on the road," he snapped, realizing Will was staring into the
rearview mirror."
"Relax," Jared said in his mellowest tone. "He's
doing fine."
Will pressed down on the gas, giving it a little more than before,
the car climbing towards thirty as it began to move down the small road. Will
was clutching the wheel tightly, leaning forward into his seat and darting
glances at Andrew hoping what he was doing was okay.
"Ok, we're coming up on a speed bump, slow down to..."
The car slammed over the speed bump causing the two drivers to wince at the
thought of what that had done to the suspension, "I said slow down!"
Andrew was annoyed again.
"I'm sorry..." Will said, looking in the wing mirror
at the yellow bump he was leaving behind, "I didn't react..."
"Bump!" Andrew warned, too late, as the car slammed
over the next one as well. Andrew threw up his hands in disgust. "Eyes
on the road!" he yelled.
"I'm trying," Will snapped back growing annoyed. "It's
hard."
"I know it's hard," Andrew fired back angrily. "But
this is dangerous, you need to stay focused and in control of the car at all
times..." He looked up, "Drive on the right side of the road!"
"I am on the right side of the road," Will shot back
with a slight snarl. He was losing his patience now; he didn't like being
yelled at and for something that was supposed to be fun he was certainly having
none.
"The right, right side of the road." Andrew cursed,
"Come on, Will..."
Will looked up and sheepishly saw Andrew was right, and deflated
his anger; he swung the car a little and brought it into the right lane. "Sorry..."
he said quietly.
It was that point Andrew realized Will hadn't buckled his seat
belt and threw up his hands expressively. "Seatbelt!" he exclaimed
gesturing angrily.
Will looked down. "Shit," he said, grabbing for it
and trying to press it into the clasp. As usual this proved tricky and he
bent down to get a better look, snapping it home triumphantly...
"BRAKE!!" Andrew yelped
Will, in shock and surprise looked up at the road ending in
a small turn and a high brick wall that was rushing towards them. He lifted
his foot and plunged it down on the brake; missing it completely, his foot
connected squarely with the gas pedal and the car screamed as it accelerated.
"BRAKE!!!" Andrew yelled loudly.
"TURN!!" Jared screeched from the back seat.
Andrew, seeing Jared was right, joined him in the frantic call
for a turn. Will panicked, cutting the wheel sharply as the little red rocket
hit the turn. They entered the parking lot where they had begun on two wheels,
a rather startled looking Brody standing up on the hood of his truck as the
small red car bounced back to its four wheels, three young men screaming for
dear life inside of it.
"I'm gonna die!" Jared wailed seconds before Andrew
grabbed and held onto the parking brake, the Toyota fishtailing to a stop
a few feet away from hitting Brody's truck.
Will, his hands glued to the wheel and visibly shaking took
a moment to catch up with what had just happened. He wasn't dead; he was very
much alive... alive... yep, he was alive all right.
Jared pried his hands from the death grip on the back of the
two seats, pale and white, shaking with fear. He exchanged a look with Andrew
who had gone white. "Let me out of the car," Jared insisted flatly.
Andrew struggled to find the handle, getting out and walking
away shaking his head and trying to calm down. Jared walked the other direction,
leaving the shell-shocked Will clutching the wheel and staring straight ahead
of him, the engine still running.
Brody calmly reached in through the window and turned off the
engine, recovering the keys. Once the keys were safely in his hands he began
to laugh. At first a slight chuckle, it rose in intensity to a full roar;
he clutched his sides and collapsed to the asphalt he was laughing so hard.
Jared glanced back, flopping to a sitting position on the ground
as well; laughing so hard tears were rolling down his face. He held up a hand.
"I'm gonna die," he mocked himself and began to laugh again.
Andrew's shoulders were shaking as he too began to laugh, turning
back to the car with an apologetic smile as he came back to kneel in the passenger
side door, "Are you okay?" he asked gently.
Will looked grumpy, a scowl on his face at his three friends
laughing at his expense. He narrowed his eyes and released the wheel, sitting
back and crossing his arms, a dark look of anger on his face.
Brody cackled again; trying to get up, he used the passenger
side door for support, coming up to see Will's scowl, snorting again as he
collapsed back into his fit.
"I'm sorry," Andrew insisted, reaching out, still
chuckling to touch Will's leg, "are you okay?"
"No, I'm bloody not okay!" Will snapped angrily. "First
I get yelled at, screeched at and now I am getting laughed at!"
"I'm sorry," Andrew reassured, still trying to hide
his own laughter. "It's just... well you're a menace behind the wheel."
"Well, you were the one to tell me to buckle my seat belt,"
Will complained.
"You were supposed to do it when you got into the car,"
Andrew said to his own defense.
"You said not to do anything you didn't tell me to do!"
Will snapped, setting his jaw.
"He's got you there," Jared grinned back. "Man,
I need a beer after that!"
