Cecil Gordon didn’t spend much time in his office. From the moment he came through the two sets of sliding doors each morning, someone needed something. He liked it that way. It made the days move faster. Talking to the other workers. To the customers he’d known for years, from the time he was stocking shelves in that same store with cereal boxes for minimum wage.
Answering questions. Solving problems. Moving on to whatever may come up next.
Lately, it had been very good to stay busy. It kept him from worrying about his son. Not that his son had given him anything to worry about. He’d been a good kid. A little mouthy at times, like all kids are. But he listened to the important things. He got good grades. He worked hard. And he gave a shit. Cecil knew that was ninety percent of the battle—and then the talent filled in the rest.
Cecil was extra worried on the first day of fall practice. He knew Lonnie was in for an experience different than any he’d seen. Eighteen years old, and thrown into a new world. Just like that. Another face in the crowd on a college football team with guys who were all older and more mature. Lonnie would have to grow up, fast. Cecil had no reason to think he wouldn’t. Until he did, Cecil would find a way to fret, whenever he had the chance.
The missed call from Lonnie, especially on that day, alarmed Cecil. He had a strict policy of keeping his ringer off when he was in the store. He regretted not making an exception that day.
Cecil excused himself from the assistant manager who was trying to mediate a dispute between two employees over whether one of them had eaten the other’s chicken salad from the fridge in the break room. He promised he’d be right back.
He hustled to his office and returned the call. There was no answer. He realized Lonnie had left a voice message. Cecil pressed play.
“Dad? Hey, I’ve got some news. I’ll try you again after practice.”
Cecil listened to it again, focusing on every inflection in his son’s voice. Good news? Bad news? What was the news?
He pressed another button and held the phone to his head. His wife answered after two rings.
“What’s wrong?” she said.
“Why does something have to be wrong?”
“You only call when something is wrong.”
“That’s not true,” he said.
“It is true. So what’s wrong?”
“Have you heard from Lonnie?”
“What’s wrong with Lonnie?”
“Nothing. He called me.”
“He wouldn’t call you unless something was wrong.”
Cecil closed the door. “Today’s the first day of practice.”
“What makes you think I don’t know that?”
“He said he has news.”
“Good news or bad news?”
“He just said news.”
“If he didn’t say it’s bad news, it’s not.”
“Maybe he just didn’t want me to worry.”
“He wouldn’t have called if he didn’t want you to worry.”
“Do you think he got that girl pregnant?”
“I don’t think he’d be calling you on the first day of practice to tell you that.”
Cecil checked his watch. “Should I drive over there?”
“Aren’t you working?”
“Bill would cover for me. I’d be back in two hours.”
“With at least two speeding tickets.”
“Three hours then. Should I go?”
“You told me last night we need to let him live his life,” she said.
“Just because I said it doesn’t mean I believe it.”
“Cecil, we won’t be around forever. The boy needs to figure out how to deal with things on his own.”
“That’s morbid,” he said. “We’re young.”
“Not as young as we used to be. Either way, we won’t live forever.”
“I should go.”
“You should stay. Do your job. It’s probably nothing.”
“If it was nothing, he wouldn’t have called.”
“Just assume it’s good news.”
“He didn’t say that.”
“Choose to think it, Cecil. What were you planning to do, run out onto the field and bring him home?”
Cecil sighed. “I just want to be there for him.”
“I know you do. There will come a time when you can’t. He needs to get used to that now so it won’t be a shock to his system later.”
“OK,” he said. “I need to get back to work.”
“Are you just saying that so you can get in your car and drive over there?”
“Maybe.”
“Promise me you won’t do it.”
Cecil shook his head and mouthed a profane word or two. “Fine. I’ll trust you on this one.”
“You’d be a lot better off if you trust me on all of them.”
“I’ll try.”
“Don’t try,” she said. “Do. And you can do something else for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Bring home two pounds of that ground beef. The good stuff with the green label.”
“I will,” he said.
“Don’t forget. If you do, I’ll have to run out and get it and I won’t be able to get dinner ready on time. My mother is coming over.”
“Well, that’s news.”
“Is it good news or bad news?”
“No comment,” he said.