Chapter 3: After the Corps

Finally, the long awaited day arrived. Lee was separated from active duty with the U S Marine Corps. He elected to take cash in lieu of a ticket home. Lee found he could pocket some serious change if he took mileage then purchased a bus ticket home instead of letting the government buy him an airline ticket.

When Lee's bus arrived in his home town he watched the streets and buildings pass slowly by as it approached the bus terminal. For some reason he had not taken any leave time to go home and visit during his entire enlistment and he was soaking up the changes and similarities of his old home. His eyes felt strangely wet. Finally, the bus stopped and Lee rose to resume his interrupted civilian life. Lee stepped off the bus and moved aside until the driver opened the luggage compartment.

Lee quickly grabbed his sea bag and walked toward the terminal. He had purposefully not told anyone he was returning home. He didn't want any fuss made about his return and was afraid his family would all insist on meeting him when he got off the bus. Now he wondered if that was a good idea. It would be a long walk home. Their small plot of ground and old house was over ten miles out of town. Lee could make the walk, no problem. That would be an easy hike compared to some he made in the Corps, but he would rather not do it.

It was almost noon so Lee walked down the street to the local café for lunch. When he entered everyone looked up to see who entered. Most of the customers immediately turned back to their meals. A very pretty waitress walked up to Lee and said, "Just sit, Honey. Ya want coffee now?"

Lee smiled at her and said, "Yes, Ma'am, I guess. No wait. I want a Coke instead and a double burger and onion rings. Throw on an order of fries, too, please."

"Ya got it, Sugar."

Lee moved to a booth in the front window. He put his Sea Bag on one seat and then sat down. He looked out the window until the waitress placed a glass of water and his Coke in front of him. She said, "Burger'll be done quick. There's free refills on the soda. Let me know if ya need anything else, Sugar."

While he was waiting for his meal, Lee sat quietly sipping on his drinks. A group of greasy looking young men entered the café. They were loud and boisterous. As they walked into the room they carelessly pushed chairs out of their way and moved a table or two by hitting them with their hips. They laughed at the commotion and took a table near two young women. Their talk was loud, bragging about themselves and making comments to the women. Lee ignored them as best he could. He listened to their conversation occasionally.

Lee was about half way through his lunch when something the slobs were laughing about caught his attention. By that time he had discovered they all worked at the local Chevy dealer in the garage. The taller the group said, "No shit? Andrew and Sandra Porter actually did that to Ramona? God, I love it. Bitch thinks she's too good for us. Hell, she refuses to go out with any of us. I ask ya, what's wrong with us? Nothing, that's what. I'm glad they put it to her."

Another said, "Yeah, give her some crap, sure, but there was no reason to get her fired. At least she was nice to us and would talk to us even if she wouldn't go out with us. They really had no reason to do that to her. And besides, Sandra and Andrew are total assholes. Ever since they finished college and came home they've lorded it over us worse than they did in high school. Crap, neither one of them ever talks to the help in a decent tone of voice. After he got to be new car manager and she became office manager they've been on a tear. That shit should have happened to them instead of Ramona. Crap, if they would do something like that to family what would they do to us if we piss them off?"

"Hell, Dude, if you knew they faked the records why didn't you tell the old man?"

"Duh. Maybe because I like to eat and I need my job not to mention I value my health. Andy and his buds would totally mess a dude up if he found out I ratted him out. Hell, look at what he did to that dude that got sent off to the Marines. What was his name? Oh, yeah, Lee Rogers. And what about what he and those asshole friends of his did to those two guys he thought were messing with Sandy. No, I don't want him to even know I exist."

"So where did Ramona go when they fired her?"

"Dunno. Left town. Even her mother couldn't help her I heard. She and the old man are having trouble over it I think. She believes Ramona and the old man believes the faked books and his daughter."

The three finished their meal and walked past Lee on the way to pay the cashier. One of them looked at Lee with a puzzled expression as he passed. Lee watched them in the parking lot. They stopped and were talking loudly. The one that looked at him as they were leaving was pointing at Lee through the window."

Lee decided it was time to move on. He shouldered his sea bag and walked out of the restaurant after paying his bill. He walked almost a mile to the edge of town and the shop where he used to work. When he entered, his old boss was lounging in the same chair he used while Lee worked there.

The owner looked up at Lee when he entered the door. He stared a moment then roared, "Lee, you son of a bitch! When did you get home? Damn, boy, it's good to see ya."

Lee said, "Just got in a while ago on the bus. Haven't even been home yet. I'm hoofing it and thought I'd stop in a spell on the way. How's it going you old fart?"

"About like before. Damn, ya look good. Come on and sit a spell while we catch up. What're ya hoofin' it for? I thought maybe ya stopped in for your ride."

"Naw, hell, ya don't haveta give me a ride. I guess I'll just walk out to the place. I never told the folks I was acommin. Wanted ta surprise 'em."

"I wasn't offering ya a ride, Lee. I asked if ya were here fer your ride. I'm not too sure how much of a surprise your being home will be. Your daddy and granddaddy brought your ole truck in last week for me to tune up and get ready for ya. They told me your last letter said ya wasn't gonna reup so they expected ya home soon. I just happen to have the keys here if ya wantta take it."

"Really? Man, that's great. Hell, yeah." The two friends talked for another thirty minutes then Lee said, "Well, guess I oughtta go. I'm kind of anxious to see everyone."

"OK. Sure been good to see ya. Say, Lee, what're ya gonna do now that you're out?"

"Dunno. Take a couple weeks off to relax first, then guess I'll try to find a job somewhere. Know anyone that needs a good mechanic?"

"No, sorry, Lee. I would like to take ya on but I just don't have the work right now. I'll ask around though and let ya know if I hear anything."

Lee and his old Boss visited several more minutes then Lee paid him for the work on his truck. When Lee walked around behind the building to the parking area he stopped in shock. The truck sitting there had to be his but it wasn't at all like it was when he left home. While he was gone his family had paid for all the body work Lee wanted done. The truck sitting there was showroom new. It had been completely restored! After he started it he found even the interior and AC were redone. Finally Lee put the truck in gear and drove off toward home. The old truck was running like a top but he wished his folks hadn't hired it tuned. Hell, he could have done it for a lot less and would have enjoyed doing it too.

It was almost dark when Lee drove into his family's yard and honked the horn. His mother came to the kitchen door then squealed and ran out of the house when she saw Lee walking toward the door. His father was coming along behind her. He heard a commotion from his grandparent's home and turned to see both of them coming across the yard toward him also.

Lee's mother enveloped him in a hug and gave him a kiss then stepped back to allow his father and grandparents to welcome him home also. After several minutes of excited chatter Lee followed his parents back into their house. He sat at the kitchen table with his father and they visited while his mother finished preparing supper. It was only a few minutes before his grandparents arrived carrying food to place on the table for an impromptu family gathering welcoming Lee home.

After a large meal and some much needed reconnecting Lee's father asked, "Well, Boy, what're ya agonna do now? Taint much work hereabouts. I can use some help around tha place but you know we caint rightly support ya."

"Yeah, I know Pop. I've got a little money saved from the Marines. I'm gonna spend some time on the island camping for a while then try to find work in town. I'm a damn good mechanic and I even can do a little fabrication and body work if I need to. Think I'll try for work over in Sparta instead of Waterloo though. I would like to have my own place sometime, but I don't want to compete with Burt or the Chevy garage here. I'll take a job anywhere though, if it's good enough. You know of anyone hiring?"

"No. Not so's ya could talk about. I wouldn't want to say. Best thing is to just hit the streets and ask around I suppose. Things are still pretty slow in these parts."

Lee stayed around the farm the next day visiting with his family. Late morning on the second day after he got home Lee loaded his camping gear into his truck and drove to town. He bought provisions enough to stay on the island for at least two if not three weeks. He had several cases of beer, some soda pop, dry beans, rice, eggs, taters, onions, coffee and other staples. He parked at the family pier and loaded the boat with his provisions. He took a roundabout trip to the island and circled it before landing at his usual place.

He had to make three trips to carry his provisions to his normal camping spot and even then he left some of the canned goods near the landing in a well concealed spot. Lee had several places he liked to camp on the island and he would probably move between them during the time he was there. His first stop was the best he thought, though.

There was a little undercut bluff maybe fifty feet above the waterline surrounded by large trees so it was almost always in the shade. It was on the southeast part of the island and was an excellent place to sit and watch the sun come up in the morning. Many days he could watch the fog rise from the lake and the small stream that ran into the lake from the opposite shore. That stream was the southern boundary of his family's small piece of ground.

Lee settled in for a rest that first day. In the evening he took his fishing gear and went fishing. He caught enough fish for supper and to eat the next day. That evening Lee feasted on fresh caught fish, fried taters and onions, lettuce salad and pork and beans. That was his favorite lakeside meal and he looked forward to it the next day also. After supper he watched darkness fall while he had a few beers, then tapered off on some of his daddy's corn squeezins.

There were some squirrels on the island and Lee shot a few of them to eat as well. He even went over to the mainland and shot a small deer one morning. Of course, he had to be careful doing that because it wasn't deer season, but what the heck. He was living high on the hog for a country boy.

Before he knew it his provisions were gone and so was his self awarded vacation. He managed to spend a full three weeks on the island. His father and grandfather had each visited him twice during that time so he was almost completely caught up on the local gossip for the time he was in the Corps. Now it was time to find work even though his funds were nowhere near depleted.

Lee motored back to the mainland early on a Monday morning. He was dressed in his best clothes—nearly new Levi's and a pearl snap western shirt and his boots. Lee spent the complete day searching for work in Sparta. He stopped in all the garages and talked to the managers or owners. None of them gave him much hope of work but most said they would keep him in mind.

Lee purchased some supplies and returned to his island instead of returning to his parent's home. On Tuesday Lee stayed on the island once again and relaxed. By now his little overhang was feeling and looking real homey. He spent some time cutting and putting up small logs to extend the walls outward and then roofed the newly added "room". He even got busy one day and chinked the cracks in the logs with a clay and grass mixture. He roofed over the entire undercut so he had a small covered porch on one side of his "room" also. The protection helped a couple of times during a hard rain and he expected it to help even more in the cooler months if he spent time there like he used to. He even built a small fire area inside in case he wanted some heat.

On Wednesday Lee once again went into Sparta looking for work. This time he checked back with a couple of places where the owner or manager had been gone before then hit two farm implement dealers also. On his way back into town from an implement dealer just outside of Sparta Lee saw a sign for Tinkers' Salvage. On a whim he drove into the lane and wound his way onto the property. He drove past several old wrecked cars until he came to a rough looking but sturdy building with an office sign on it.

Lee got out of his truck and was met at the door to the office by a weathered skinny old man. The man looked at Lee then spit tobacco juice onto the ground. He said, "Hep ya, son?"

"Yes, Sir. I sure hope so. I just got out of the Marines and come home. I'm lookin for work. I was a mechanic before I went into the Corps and that's what I done all four years I was in. I was just wonderin' if ya might have need of a good mechanic. I can also fabricate some parts and I'm passable good on simple body work."

Spit. "Well now, son, I don't rightly know if I need help or not. I mostly just let folks wander around and pull their own parts. That seems to work ok for me."

"Yessir, I guess it would but how do ya know they aren't taking more than they're paying for? If you had a puller you might not lose as much to crooks."

"Yeah, I recon, but I don't hardly make enough to be a paying a young feller to sit around and wait on someone to come huntin a part here. Some days I don't sell three or four things."

"Who drives your wrecker there, Sir? Do you drive it or do ya have help? If you drive it, how many sales do ya lose if you're out on a call?"

"Well now, you might have something there son. I don't get more than a couple or three calls a week but when I do it might take me two or three hours round trip."

"I'm licensed for everything up to and including semi trucks. I have a CDL and HazMat endorsement. I could drive the wrecker or I could keep the store open while ya were gone if you wanted to do it."

"Well, Son, I don't know. I just couldn't pay ya much. This's just a one man operation I got here."

"How about this? I'll keep looking for work but I'll come here every day and be available to drive or pull parts if you need me to. I'll work for a percentage of the gross take and while I'm just sitting around I'll pull some of the more commonly needed parts for you to store in the building there. I'll label them with the pertinent information and I'll have them already pulled if you need them. Then, if I'm gone and you need something I've pulled already it will be a fast and easy sale. Most of the larger salvage yards do that now. Some of them even pull engines and undamaged body parts to store inside for a quick sale. Almost all the big salvage yards have an internet site and sell parts that way too. Do you have one?"

Old Burt laughed and said, "You kids and the internet. Look around, Son. I don't even have one of them computers here. I wouldn't know how to use it if I did. You sound just like my granddaughter. She's always on me to get a computer and use the internet. Hell, Son, I'm too old to learn those new things, I do just fine like I am."

Lee and Burt Paulus sat and discussed his work proposal among other things for over two hours. At the end of the discussion they had hammered out a deal. Lee would work five and a half days a week but he would continue looking for full time work. Lee would be paid 20% of the gross sale on parts and 20% of each towing bill if he drove the wrecker. No benefits. Each of the men was happy with the deal.

Lee was happy because he had work even if it might not pay much and it was in his favorite industry. He got to work with engines and vehicles. Besides, he didn't need much income as his expenses were very low. He continued to live on the island through the summer so his only expense was a little food and beer and the fuel to get to and from work. He was happy with the situation and so was Mr. Tinker. Lee ended up working much more than a 40 hour week. Many days he got to work early, about 7 a.m., and sat around drinking coffee with Burt. Many other days he just sat around after normal business hours visiting or sometimes finishing up a job he was working on before quitting time.

After Lee had been working for almost three weeks he heard a vehicle drive into the lot. He looked out the open door of the office and saw a small beaten up Honda Accord stop in front of the door. A young woman was driving. He watched her get out of the car and stared at her. He knew he should know her. When she came in he could see she was dressed in a white waitress uniform with a name tag on her left breast. The name tag said Ramona.

Lee smiled and said, "Hello, Ramona. How are you?"

She looked at him and frowned, then said, "OK. How do you know my name? And where's Grandpa? Mr. Tinker."

"He's out back somewhere with the loader. He'll be back soon or you can go find him if ya want. You really don't remember me do you? I'm..."

Ramona grinned real big as she broke into his sentence. She yelled, "You're Lee Rogers. When did you get back from the army? And what are you doing sitting here? Is grandpa pulling a part for you or something?"

"Marines, Ramona. I was in the Marines, and I got back about six weeks ago or so. Bert's not pulling a part for me. He wanted to move a few old cars and it was a nice day so he took off. I work here now. So how are you? What're you doing now? I heard you got fired over at the Chevy dealer. I'm sorry. I heard Sandy and Andy dumped on ya to get it done."

"Yeah, and no one would believe me when I explained I hadn't done it. Hell, you could even see where the books were altered, but Sandy's dad bought their line of crap. At least he didn't try to put me in jail. I'm still not sure momma's marriage will last. Now Sandy and Andy are working on getting rid of her I think."

Lee and Ramona sat and visited for almost 45 minutes before Bert came driving up in his loader. They brought each other up to date and exchanged stories about their lives and their favorite assholes, Andy and Sandy.

When Bert came into the office Ramona jumped from her chair and ran to her grandfather. She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek then returned to her seat. Bert poured a cup of coffee and sat in his ratty, broken down old chair with his feet on his desk. He listened to the youngsters talk for a moment then said, "It sounds like you two know each other. Am I right?"