Someone's Son Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Sheldon looked forward to his father coming to get him now. Not just 'Father' but 'Dad.' He felt comfortable with that name.        

          Things seemed to be changing for the better. Today they were going to the public beach at Little Dyke Lake. It was very hot and a perfect day for a swim.

Sheldon splashed over to other children on the raft. It held about eight kids and a familiar face was one of them. "Hey, Troy!" he yelled out. A half wave saluted back.

          "How deep is it back there?" he asked. It should be OK, since his father was nearby. They were surprised to see Sheldon this far from shore. He was braver than they knew him to be. When he jumped he sank like a stone and his mouth and nose filled with water. But he recovered quickly, and quickly got back on the raft.

          “You okay, son?” his father called.

 “Yes dad,” the boy said. “I have to do this,” was a whisper for him. He had to protect his ego by proving to the other kids he wasn’t a “wuss.” After jumping in six times more times, Sheldon was tired and decided to return to shore. He knew his father was pleased to see him overcome fear of deep water. And he was really happy about being called, dad.

          After changing into dry clothes they were off for a hot dog and coke in Great Village. Almost every house was white. "Once I bet there was a sale on white paint," Sheldon guessed.

          "Must have been," his father answered.

          "When I grow up I think I'll buy a house here and paint it different, maybe green, or blue-green. Something to remind me of the sea." It would certainly place more color in the area.     

"Now let’s get to my place and clear out that brush,” his dad said. “And be careful around the fire. And using the axe, okay?”

          Sheldon almost laughed. His dad sounded just like Larry, always worrying about him. Larry already taught him about that stuff.

          The old dried up tree was more solid than it looked. "Always make sure no one is in front or behind you," his father said.

With legs properly spread apart Sheldon cut it down. It took a long time. But he did it. Then they made a fire. Sometimes his father acted so strict. He got tired of hearing, "Watch it Sheldon!" or "Be careful Sheldon!"

          One of the boy’s habits was taking a stick from the fire, and swinging it around. Then watch as burned up bits went flying through the air.

          "Leave any wood that touches the fire in the fireplace. That way it burns itself and not you!" his father loudly yelled. "Smarten up, Sheldon," he added. There was a price to pay for being careless. When the boy tried to move a piece of wood, his hand got burnt from the other side. It felt as if he'd stuck it in a hornet's nest.

          Three of his fingers really hurt. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" the boy said, doing a little dance. It must have looked funny but Sheldon wasn't laughing. Neither was his father. The boy watched patiently as his father held his hand tightly. Then scraped hot spruce gum from the boy's fingers with his fingernail. That hurt too.

          "His father quietly asked, "Why must you learn the hard way?"

          Down to the creek they went, where Sheldon stuck his inflamed hand in the cool water. And three little blisters came up. “No more stupid moves,” Sheldon promised. "Cross my heart."

          Dad winked back at him.

          Sheldon knew he'd been forgiven.

 

Then it was his father's turn to have a birthday. “When I was a little fellow, I used to get “Birthday Bumps,” he said.

          "Everyone stood in two lines, and the Birthday Boy would crawl on hands and knees between them. It was 'speedo' time because everyone took turns whacking my behind. With their hands, or course."

          By the time dad got from one end to the other, Sheldon figured he must have had a sore butt. Would dad think Sheldon was acting silly, if he and mom did the same now? It might be fun. But Sheldon didn't want to hurt his father.

          Dad liked the hunting-joke cap Sheldon bought. The patch showed a deer holding a rifle, with the hunter hanging upside down. It was funny. "Thanks a lot," dad said, and gave Sheldon a shoulder squeeze. Sheldon didn’t mind. Now if he would only take the boy hunting. It would be neat going with your own dad.

          Mom must have read his mind. “You know how I feel about guns,” she said. “They make me nervous.” After awhile, they played catch. Mom watched for a few minutes before father and son left in the car. It wasn't a fancy birthday party. Just cake and ice cream. Sheldon wished Larry could have come.

Larry managed to take his young friend on hikes a couple of Sundays. "Don't forget me," he said last week. This was a strong hint for them to get together again soon.          

          Father and son worked at the huge stack of wood beside his house. Sheldon chucked pieces one at a time through the open cellar bin. "Lookit my chunks fly!" he yelled. They shot over the pile, and bounced into the air.

"For goodness sakes, Sheldon. Watch it!" his father shouted. Then he got in the way somehow, and limped for a good half hour.

           "Sorry."

An answering grunt sounded like, "Aahts-oke."

          Soon after this major chore was completed they sat in the kitchen wondering who was the most tired. His dad was still nursing his leg.

"Are you still upset with me?" Sheldon asked.

"No." That was all that his father said, "No."

          "Are you sure?" Sheldon stubbornly asked again.

          “As a matter of fact, I am upset!” his father growled as he grabbed his son by the waist from behind. Oh boy, Sheldon loved to wrestle.      Then his father was squeezing his son’s neck, as if he was Conan the Barbarian or something. Sheldon could barely stop laughing he was enjoying himself so much. Imagine, for three whole years the man didn’t seem to care about his boy.

          Those kinds of thoughts twisted around his mind. However, he quickly pushed them away. He was having too much fun right now. Then Sheldon twisted around and grabbed his father's neck in an arm lock. “How old are you?” he suddenly asked.

          "Forty-plus," was the muffled answer.

          Both father and son collapsed on the floor, out of breath and energy. “And you’ll be thirteen next month,” his dad said. “Bet you didn’t think I’d remember, eh?“

Sheldon was pleasantly surprised. He wondered what kind of a birthday present he’d receive.

“That’s a very important age in your life,” his father continued. “The beginning of manhood, and sometimes dealing with disappointments.”     

          Then his father went into the bathroom and returned with his shaving foam. He put some on his hands and dabbed his son's face. Then he proceeded to teach his son how to shave. After he was finished with the safety razor, he got out his Old Spice.

          “You’re going to be a man soon, and shaving is part of growing up,” he said. Sheldon liked the lotion scent. When Sheldon grew older that's the brand he would always use. Then his father looked serious and said, "Don't ever forget me son. No matter what."

          Sheldon didn't know what his father meant at the moment. But he could see him blinking slowly. Were those tears in his eyes? Maybe his eyes just watered easily.

 

They went for a walk at the back of dad's place. There were a few acres of woods with mostly spruce trees, and some poplars. Larry once said, “Their fancy name is, Trembling Aspen.” Sheldon liked that name better.

          Larry had spent a lot of time with him since his father had gone. And Sheldon grew to think of him as his own dad. He knew he wasn't, but Larry was almost like one. Now the boy had two dads. But, Sheldon didn't want to think too much about Larry right now. He wanted to remember every detail about time spent with his number one dad.

          Somehow he knew the fun time was coming to an end.

          The next few Saturdays his father came was as if they would be their last ones together. Sheldon didn't know why he felt that way, but it sure was strange.

Maybe it was because they squeezed in so much within a few hours. As if they had to make up for the past and the future.

          Sheldon pushed these thoughts from his mind and concentrated on his father standing beside him. They tried very hard to spot a rabbit, but the coyotes must have caught them all.

          "Some of the farmers want the government to put a bounty on them,” dad explained. “But others say the animals are too smart to be seen or even trapped."

          The boy's eyes blinked. His mind showed him images of baby pups waiting for their mother. He didn't want them to be destroyed. "They have a right to live in the bush too," he said firmly.

          Man and boy stopped often on their walks and just talked. "Now I'd like to be a Forest Ranger," Sheldon said. "Instead of an astronaut," he added.       

His father wanted to be a pilot, but somehow it didn't work out. The man looked solemn. "Sheldon, if you really want to be a Forest Ranger, then make it happen."

          The boy said, "I will."

          "I don't know how I ended up as an engineer," his father said.

Mom told Sheldon later. That his father wasn't just building bridges in little towns like Truro. He was a big shot in charge of large projects all over. Not just Canada, either.

          "Want an ice cream?" his father asked as they hiked along the edge of the highway to the Variety Store.

          The man walked between Sheldon and the road. His arm rested lightly across the boy's shoulders. It felt comfortable to the boy, as if it belonged there.

Sheldon didn't care if any of his friends saw him. Instead, he wished they would. He placed his hand on the man's arm. It was a bond, as they strolled on the country road. Sorry Larry, he thought. My father is moving in on your territory.

          Yes, father and son, always and forever.

Sheldon's eyes were watering.