Reconnection

Tye was driving east, his thoughts focused on a mysterious woman and two boys. He had forgotten all about the stressful deadline of making it to the airport by six; right now, he felt a sense of connection to something more important. As he pulled into a small, rundown gas station with a hand-painted sign, he thought to himself, “I was ahead of her. I’ll wait here to see if she drives by. Maybe I can catch another glimpse of her license plate.”

Pulling up to the worn-looking pumps, he grabbed his credit card and was pumping gas when a stranger approached him. Tye noticed that the man was older, with a scraggly beard, dirty jeans, and worn boots. “Nice truck,” the stranger said warmly. “Yeah,” Tye replied, trying to stay focused on the road. “Where’d you get it?” the man continued, curiosity evident in his voice. Tye, feeling the weight of the moment, wanted to keep things simple and replied, “It’s a rental.” “I’ve never seen that truck rented before. Where did you get it from?” the man asked, his genuine interest clear. Tye, wincing at the dangling preposition and hoping to ease the tension, responded, “From a dealer.” “Your truck being worked on?” the stranger asked, his tone sounding a bit concerned. “Yeah, something like that,” Tye replied, glancing briefly at him. “Oh,” the man responded, his voice betraying a hint of disappointment. Tye looked more closely at him, and he felt a pang of regret for sounding dismissive. Realizing they were both in this moment together, Tye looked him in the eye and said, “I really like this truck; if I ever buy another one, I’ll get one just like it.” After finishing up at the pump and securing the gas cap, Tye smiled and said, “Have a great weekend.” The man brightened, replying, “You too, brother,” before turning back toward the gas station. Tye heard the man call him “brother.” It had been a long time since someone had called him “brother.”

Back in his truck, Tye realized that he had not been watching the road, and he was annoyed.  “Ugh,” he sighed, thinking, “You are an idiot.  That conversation at the gas station was about as useful as watching a rabbit hole. Go back and check on her.” Turning west once again, his thoughts raced back to his schedule. “You’ll never get home,” he said out loud.  “Home, yes, New York is your home. You have friends and a place of your own. No family here, no family there.  You always have to make it on your own.”

As Tye approached the spot where he had changed the tire, he was struck by a sense of anticipation and emotion. “What is this feeling in my gut?” he wondered, sensing his change of mood. “It’s five o’clock; I must be hungry.” He looked around, noting the emptiness of the rural road, with only faint black burn marks from the flares left as a reminder of his earlier struggle. With a sigh, Tye continued past the scene, not so eager to reach the little town but eager to get something to eat. “Get a burger and get out of there,” he thought, hoping for a brief escape. As he turned the corner onto the main street, a wave of memories washed over him, connecting him to both his past and present. Each building was a reminder of his youth, a glimpse into a life of joy that was cruelly interrupted by grief and then fear. But today, the memories were happier. His good friend Jack lived in that house. He remembered the comforting times spent in that church with his mother.

Pushing on, it was a short drive to the center of town—just five or six blocks— each block felt heavy with nostalgia. He parked and caught his reflection in the rearview mirror, pushing his hat back and smiling. “Not too bad,” he thought, acknowledging the attractive man he saw before him. As he stepped out of the car, the lively atmosphere of the town left him feeling uneasy. With his head down and his cowboy hat pulled low, he navigated through the crowd on his way toward the festival. Deep down, he wondered if he would see anyone from his past, but a part of him hesitated, not wanting to recognize anyone or to be recognized.

The food trucks were lined up halfway through the lively games and rides area. Weaving through the crowds, the music from one ride overlaid the music from another, creating a chaotic symphony of noise. He pushed on, navigating to the food truck, carefully stepping over the multi-colored power cables crisscrossing each other like snakes between the game trailers and the street. Looking up and then down, concentrating on the crowds, and the cables, and the rides, he heard someone calling “Tye, Tye!” Scanning the crowd for a familiar face, his heart raced when he remembered the voices. Looking down, he saw Benjamin and Andrew sprinting towards him. Tye dropped to his knees, bracing himself as they playfully body-slammed him, wrapping their arms around his neck and planting kisses all over his face. He was relishing the moment when his exuberance was interrupted by another familiar voice cutting through the excitement, calling out, “Boys, boys!”

Evelyn rushed to find the boys, weaving her way through the crowd. Her heart was racing as she searched for a way forward. Finding an opening, she pushed the crowd apart, but stopped cold in her tracks, righting herself and catching her breath. “You,” she said accusingly.  “What are you doing here?” Without leaving Tye time to respond, she added, “Are you stalking me?”  The crowd had parted and formed a circle of interest around them - a bewildered cowboy, holding hands with two smiling boys before a seething mother. Tye began cautiously, in defense, “I grew up here, and I came back for a class reunion,” he said, building his case like an attorney in a hostile courtroom.  “I was not expecting to see you, but I hoped someone could tell me who you are. I don’t know your name.” 

Evelyn paused to think, playing back in her mind the events of the afternoon.  “Had she not told him her name?” she thought.  Her single-mother strength renewed, she thought about what she was about to say next. “Honesty is the best policy and something you could use more of today,” she thought. “Evelyn McDougal Mahoney.” As the words came out of her mouth, it was as if bells were tolling. The color drained from Tye's face.  He dropped to his knees and put his hands on the sides of his head, mumbling, “What are you doing to me, man? You’re killing me.”

Evelyn watched with disbelief.  It was another backwoods hayseed - probably someone with no job, no money, and no future. Tye was still on the ground when she said, “What is wrong with you?” The boys were standing on either side of Tye, each with a hand on his shoulders. He rose, tears in his eyes as he spoke.  “Michael was my best friend,” he said. “We grew up together.” Evelyn paused in disbelief, saying, “I don’t understand. Michael's best friend was a guy named T.”   Tye wiped his face with his arm, saying, “I am T.  Michael was too lazy to say the word Tye when we were little, so he called me T.” Evelyn did not respond.  Thinking about the story, she reluctantly admitted, “That sounds like Michael, always taking the easy route, but I still don’t believe it. Tell me something only you and Michael would know.” Her accusatory tone brought out the defense team again. Tye carefully chose his words, “When we were eleven, Michael wanted to streak. We took off all our clothes and ran through the woods. I remember because we got poison ivy, and we were in serious trouble. It is very hard to explain how you have poison ivy on your private parts.”  Evelyn laughed.  “Michael told me that story.” As she spoke, her tone softened and became more friendly. “I just can’t believe it’s you.”

Tye looked down. Contemplating what to say next. The boys saw Tye’s tears drying on his cheeks and stood faithfully by him as he spoke, holding his hands,  “I don’t know what is going on. I traveled here from New York for a class reunion, but when I got close to town, all I could think about was the grief and sadness of my life here. I lost my nerve and was headed back east to New York when I found you on the side of the road.” Evelyn listened in shock.  He was talking about himself, but it was her life he was describing. Her anger softened slightly, and disbelief gave way to genuine intrigue. “Let’s get out of the middle of the lane here and find a place to talk. The boys want to get something to eat. Are you hungry?” Benjamin responded loudly, “I’m starving.” Tye looked into Evelyn’s eyes; the vitriolic viscousness had been replaced by concern and consideration. He responded in a  voice softened by a strange emotion he was feeling: “I’m always hungry.”

Both boys grabbed Tye’s hands and started pulling him. “Let’s go,” said Andrew.  As all three boys walked beside her, Evelyn thought, “This feels right. Why am I so uneasy?” With one burger, chicken strips, drinks, and a bun loaded with four burgers, they settled together on a beat-up picnic table with peeling green paint just to the side of the red food truck. Evelyn was on one side, while Tye and the boys sat on the other.  Evelyn began, “I was bringing the boys to their grandparents’ house.  As I got closer and closer to town, I grew more and more worried.” Evelyn glanced down at the boys. They were busy playing a game on Evelyn’s phone and couldn’t point out her lies.  “They never say it, but I can feel it. They want to know why I have not remarried, why the boys don’t have a father. I cannot bear it.”

Tye listened solemnly, thinking of the right thing to say. His lengthy pause hung heavy in the air, suddenly interrupted by Evelyn, who asked, “You actually ate four hamburgers squeezed in between two buns?” Tye replied sheepishly, “Yeah.”  She could see that there was a little-boy charm in his response.  She was thinking about what to say next, but never got a chance to speak. The boys were finished eating and ready to ride. “Mom, can Tye ride with us?” Benjamin asked. “Yeah, please, Mom,” Andrew added. Tye, not waiting for a response from Evelyn, looked at the boys and said, “Help me clean all this up and put it in the dumpster. I will buy tickets.” Trying to wipe the peeling paint with paper napkins, Evelyn, the single mother, was composing a speech on safety and staying together. As she was about to speak, Tye reappeared with four all-event, all-weekend arm bands. “We’re all set,” He said, smiling. Evelyn sighed, wondering what was next.

The four of them were jostled, shoved, pushed, and squeezed as they moved from one ride to the next.  Evelyn spotted one ride that seemed suitable for their ages and was pointing to it and about to speak when Benjamin said, “Tye, you have to try this one, “pointing to the next tent. “Yeah,” Andrew added.  It was the classic strength test where you slam a hammer down on the plate to make the ball hit the bell on top. Without responding, Tye pulled off his t-shirt, tucked it into his jeans, gave the man $3, and picked up the mallet. Evelyn grabbed the boys’ hands and tried to stand back to give him room to swing, but was stopped by a fast-growing crowd that had encircled them. Evelyn thought, “I think they are more interested in Tye without a shirt than in the actual event.”

The crowd gasped in excitement as he drew the mallet back and, with one stroke, sent the ball flying through the air, breaking the bell and the mallet.  There was a moment of silence followed by a cascade of cursing by the attendant:  a towering man with huge fists attached to arms that seemed to reach to his knees.  Tye stood holding a shattered wooden mallet.  The attendant yelled and pointed, drawing back to punch him when Tye put both his hands up and motioned for the big man to follow him behind the tent. Evelyn knew there was going to be trouble, and a fist fight was about to begin. Instead, there was silence.  She, the boys, and the crowd were watching with anticipation. What bloodied and beat-up person would emerge? Evelyn looked down and noticed that he had dropped his T-shirt. Picking it up, she discreetly put her head down and smelled the t-shirt, looking around to see if anyone was watching her. The t-shirt had that man’s smell she remembered so well, and she smiled. 

It felt like hours had passed, but in just a few minutes, the now-smiling attendant, missing three teeth in the front, rounded the corner, counting $100 bills, followed by a very sweaty shirtless Tye.  The two looked like best friends, shaking hands and patting each other on the shoulder. Tye quickly put his shirt back on and said, “Let’s get out of here.”  By that time, the gawking crowd had dissolved, getting lost in one another.  As the four moved down the line formed by the faded canvas tents that lined the edge of the festival, Evelyn was the first to break the silence, asking, “What happened there?”  “Well,” Tye paused, catching his breath, “I knew I caused him damage, and I fixed it.” Surprised by the brevity of his answer, she asked, “That’s it?”  “No, I asked him how much for the equipment and how much he would make that weekend if I hadn’t destroyed his event, and he told me.  I paid him. Discussion over,” he said dismissively. “That was so cool,” said Benjamin. “Yeah,” Andrew added, “I can’t believe you hit the bell so hard.  You must be the biggest winner ever.”  Evelyn chimed in, “I bet you never want to see that guy again.” He replied, “Ironically, we will be seeing him on the way out. We won two of those large stuffed toys.” 

With his head down a little, trying not to draw so much attention, Tye pointed to a ride, saying, “What about this one?”  Benjamin cried out to his mother, “Can we ride alone, please, please?” “Yes, you can ride alone,” their mother added, pointing to the line where you enter the ride.  With both boys in line, Evelyn was standing next to Tye, and there was an awkward moment where neither one spoke.  Sensing the discomfort, she asked, “Did you hurt yourself?” “Only my pride,” he responded, “I am so embarrassed.” She laughed, feeling a confidence and familiarity with him she hadn't felt before: “I wouldn’t be embarrassed.  Everyone was looking at you without your shirt, and they probably didn’t even realize you broke the mallet.” His face turned bright red.  She thought, “How is it possible that a guy like that, so powerful, can still blush?”

Realizing he was unusually uncomfortable, Tye needed to compose himself and said, “I’ll be right back.” Evelyn watched him push through the crowd, thinking, “Surely he’s coming back.” She then turned her attention to the boys on the ride, colorful fish and birds, ducks and rabbits all swirling around full of kids screaming with joy as the character cars rose and descended, each motion accompanied by rap music. Evelyn thought, “Who chose this music?” They were enjoying themselves, waving and smiling. She took out her phone to capture pictures and a video of them. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Tye at the yellow and green ticket stand.  He was pushing his way to the front to talk to the red-haired gypsy ticket attendant, but a family of ten was at the front. The parents were arguing loudly, and several of the children were crying. She observed as Tye leaned down to speak with the gypsy. Suddenly, the angry father grabbed Tye's shoulder, pulling him away from the window. Tye turned and said something to the father before quickly heading back to Evelyn and the boys.   As he was walking back, she saw the ticket attendant hand the father ten all-weekend green arm bands.  She was about to ask him what happened, but the ride was over, and the boys were screaming as they came out of the exit line. “That was awesome,” Benjamin said.  “Yeah,” Andrew added, “Let’s ride again.”

The excitement of the evening, an amazing adventure filled with laughter and hugs, came screeching to an abrupt halt as Evelyn began to sense something special unfolding. “Boys, we need to go to your grandmother’s before she goes to bed, and it will be your bedtime soon,” their mother said firmly. “Oh, Mom,” Benjamin complained. “We just got started.” “Yeah, Mom,” Andrew chimed in. “We want to ride with Tye.” Both boys started to whine, and Andrew even began to cry. Evelyn shot a glare at Tye, who quickly understood the cue and said, “Your mother is right. You have two more nights to ride, and we need to pick up two huge prizes.” Andrew replied, “Let’s go get our prizes,” as both boys grabbed Tye’s hands, pulling him back toward the site of the earlier drama.

As the four approached the he-man site, it was clear that the event was closed and no one was around. All the stuffed toys had been taken down, and the vibrant lights that used to illuminate that section of the rides were now dark. “What a shame,” Evelyn said, disappointment in her voice. Andrew glanced at Tye, his expression hopeful as he asked, “Does that mean we’re not getting any prizes?” Tye, exuding confidence, replied, “Not  necessarily.” Before she could ask what he was planning, he jumped onto the ride, pulled back a tarp, and unveiled two of the largest stuffed dogs imaginable. “Wow!” Benjamin exclaimed as both boys wrestled to hold the dogs, which towered over them. She watched the scene unfold, impressed by how effortlessly he achieved the seemingly impossible.

To an outsider, it appeared to be a family of four walking along the rides with two large stuffed dogs tucked under Tye’s arms, the boys holding their mother’s hands. Not knowing how to end the fun, there was an uncomfortable silence. No one was speaking as they approached the parked cars. Evelyn broke the impasse by saying, “Say goodnight to Tye boys.”  Tye set the stuffed toys down and hugged the boys. “We love you,” Benjamin said.  “Yeah, we love you so much,” Andrew added. “I love you too,” he responded. 

As Tye rose, Benjamin asked, “Will we see you again?”  Tye looked at Evelyn and asked, “Would you like to see me again?”  Evelyn, choosing not to answer directly, responded, “Where are you staying? Are you here all weekend?” He thought about what he should say. He didn’t want to reveal too much about himself just yet, so he declared, “I am staying in a little town not too far from here. It is late, so I will probably spend the night and be here at least through tomorrow.” Feeling slightly rejected by a noncommittal Evelyn, Tye said “Good night,” and walked away, this time not looking back.