The Future Awaits
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Chapter 7
The next morning Tommy's leg is healed enough for him to wear his feet. I look at the sockets and see why he's had trouble. They need a thorough cleaning. Obviously his prosthetist didn't give him adequate instruction on maintaining hygiene. I hand him some gauze and a bottle of alcohol and show him how to clean them.
"How come they didn't tell me all this stuff?"
"I don't know, but it's important that you do this every day, especially if you've been working hard or in a dirty environment. You must wash your legs with soap and water and put on clean stump socks every time."
"These sure feel better now," he says after he puts the feet on and stands up.
"Good. Give me your dirty socks and I'll wash them. I have to do mine and Tor's."
"I only got one other pair, sir."
"Good Lord! Get yourself at least a dozen pair when you get back to school. Get a bottle of alcohol and some gauze, too, and keep those sockets clean like I showed you."
Mike's music teacher has to be excellent, because I'm delighted at the assurance with which he plays Sunday. Though it's Easter, we have a light lunch, for Mike's birthday was a few weeks earlier and tonight Dave and Martha are having a birthday dinner for us to celebrate with him.
Because he's proven himself competent and we'll need a second car when I move to the flat, Tor and I have bought a car for Mike. He's mentioned several times how much he likes a particular sporty little convertible. When we come back home from church, he jumps out of the car and looks at the one Tor's parked next to.
He calls me to look at it. "Isn't this great? It's just like I want, dad. You know who it belongs to?"
I shrug. "Guess one of the students left it here and got a ride with someone else."
"Wish he was around so I could ask him to give me a ride in it."
"Maybe he'll be here the next weekend you're home."
That evening, I help Martha clear the table after dinner, then pour coffee for all of us. Martha brings in a cake with seventeen candles on it, while we sing happy birthday to Mike.
He looks at us in surprise. "My birthday was three weeks ago."
"But you were at school and we didn't get to celebrate it with you." Dave reaches behind him and takes a present from the sideboard, setting it in front of Mike. "Better late than never, Mike."
Mike tears into the package and takes out a small automatic camera similar to mine. Though without the professional options, it's perfect for his use.
"Thanks a lot! Now I won't have to borrow dad's." He hugs both Dave and Martha.
When he settles down, Tor says, "I know you thought Drew and I forgot you, babe, but we didn't. We wanted to wait until you were home to give you this." Tor hands him a lumpy envelope.
Mike opens it and takes out a birthday card. He looks at us, then opens it. A pair of keys falls to the floor. He picks them up, looking at them curiously. Then it dawns on him. His eyes get wide and mouth drops open, but he can't say a word.
"That was your convertible you were looking at." I tell him.
"Mine?" He looks at us blankly, still not believing it. Suddenly he shoots out of his chair with a shout. "Oh, wow! I don't believe it! I don't believe it!" He almost breaks my neck with his hug, before he grabs Tor. "Oh, man! This is wonderful."
"I hate to tell you, babe, but you can't keep it at school. Freshmen aren't allowed to have cars on campus. When Drew moves up there in June, he'll bring it with him and keep it at the flat. He's going to need a car, because I'll have ours, so his use comes first. It will have a faculty permit on it, as well as a handicapped license plate. You're not to abuse either. Okay?"
"You know I won't. Gee, I love you guys. This is fantastic. Can I go get it so Uncle Dave and Aunt Martha can see it?"
"Of course. And watch that heavy foot. If you get a ticket, you're going to have to pay it out of your own money."
"I promise, dad."
When Tor and Drew leave to get the car, Martha asks Tommy to come into her study. He's been more relaxed around her and Dave this time, though he says little unless addressed directly. Mike and Tor have just come back when Martha and Tommy come out. Tommy's smiling.
The new car is duly admired, and after thanking Dave and Martha for the party, Mike takes Tommy and leaves for a spin around town. He's hoping some of the guys will see him.
"I don't know when I've been more impressed by a young man. Tommy is quick to grasp every nuance of a situation. It's amazing. On second thought, it may be the key to his survival." Martha tells me, before we leave.
I can guess that she has talked to Tommy about Tor and me, for he stays completely relaxed around us, talking more than usual. He looks sad when he begins to pack Monday morning for his return to school.
"I like coming here, Dr. Torrence. It sort of feels like I'm home."
This time he doesn't flinch when I put my arm around his shoulders. "That's way we want you to feel, Tommy, especially when we move to the flat. It will be your home, too."
"Thanks, sir. I'll help out with things if you'll let me."
"I expect there will be quite a bit for you and Mike to help me with. There's going to be a lot more space to keep cleaned up for one thing."
Though Tor and I have to scrunch up to fit in the small rear seat of Mike's new car, we let him drive it back to school. He's ecstatic, especially when he parks near the dorm and a couple of passing students look the car over. "Way cool man." One of them says.
Mike gives his car a final pat when Tor and I are ready to leave. "Will you be coming back up before school's out?" he asks plaintively.
"I don't know, babe. It depends on our classes." Tor says.
"Please drive mine if you do." He points a finger at Tor. "And be careful with it going home."
"Yes, daddy," Tor says in a tiny voice. Mike grins; Tommy roars with laughter.
We stop at the campus security office on the way out and register the car, getting my faculty permit. Once he's on the interstate, Tor can't resist letting the car roll. He's almost as bad as Mike about it. I'm about to say something when I hear a siren and look back to see a state police car behind us, blue lights flashing.
"Oh, shit!" Tor exclaims, pulling off on the shoulder.
The cop is pleasant, especially after he sees the Dr. in front of Tor's name. He gives Tor a lecture, then lets him go with just a warning citation.
Tor sets the cruise control and glances at me. "If you dare tell Mike about this, I'll kill you."
"Why? Since I warned him about a lead foot instead of you, it would only be fair."
"Damn it, Drew, if he ever finds out, I'll never live it down."
"It would serve you right if he did, but okay."
With little more than six weeks left in the semester, Tor and I are busy with our classes, but we take one short weekend mid way to drive Mike's car back to the campus so he can enjoy it. When I pull into the faculty lot near the dorm and park, Tor looks at me. "Remember, you promised."
"What?"
"Not to tell Mike about that ticket."
"I'd forgotten. Thanks for reminding me." I say with a broad grin.
"Damn it, Drew!"
"Calm down. Your little indiscretion is safe."
"It had better be."
Even if I had wanted to tell Mike about it, it would have been all but impossible, we see so little of him or Tommy. Only at dinner and breakfast the next morning do they grace us with their presence. Mike even relents enough to let Tommy drive it. When they return for us to leave for home, Tommy parks it carefully.
"Thanks, Mike. That was fun." Tommy's obviously pleased at Mike's good fortune, but I detect envy as well. It makes me sad to think a fine kid like him has so little.
Since the institute is on a slightly different schedule than the main campus, Tor and I finish giving our exams some three days before Mike has his last one. He gives me a call the night before. I agree with his proposal, though it's going to mean a lot of driving.
Tommy's last exam is the same as Mike's, and he will have to leave immediately to get back to the reservation to start his job. He can carry only his few clothes, because he plans to hitch-hike, and he doesn't know what to do with the things he'll be leaving behind. There are one or two students from towns near his area, but they won't give him a ride. Tor and I drive up in our car, because I'm taking some things I'll need when I move. I make arrangements to put everything in the secure storage area that goes with my flat, then Mike and Tommy help us load their things in the car and take them to storage as well.
When everything is secure, Tommy gives us another of those wistful looks. "Guess I better hit the road. I'll sure be glad when school starts again so I'll have a nice place to live."
"Didn't Mike tell you?" Tor asks. "We're driving you home. We can start now and spend the night somewhere along the way."
"Ain't no need for you to do that, Dr. Torrence. It's a long ways and I've hitched it before. I'll be okay if I get rides."
"Drew and I want to. Neither of us has been to the mountains before, and we need a break. I hear this is a beautiful time of year up there."
Tommy smiles. "Yes, sir, it sure is, specially with the rhododendrons blooming. I know a good place you can stay and I'll have a whole day to show you around."
"Good. Let's get going."
To be continued...
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