Chapter 20

05:30, August 28, 1983

Lexington Bound

Today was Lottery Day. The funny thing about living on a farm is that even on days like today, chores still need to be done first. Because as Pap-pap was fond of saying, “There are no days off on a working farm until after the harvest.” Truth is, even then there isn’t time off because we have a cow, three pigs, and two dozen chickens to feed, milk, and collect eggs from every day.

So all three of us were up at five thirty today and skipped Pap-pap’s oatmeal. We all had a cup of coffee and went to it. Granny started breakfast. Pap-pap said he’d do the eggs and milking this morning. I had to slop the pigs and move as many bales into the loft as I could. So I skipped my run, figuring I’d still be getting a real workout moving hay into the loft. I wanted to get it all done if I could, and grab a shower before we would leave. Granny would ride up with Joseph and Pap-pap and I would take the truck. That way we could set up an account with the Bank of Kentucky for me and one for him and Granny to put the lottery money in temporarily. I would call the house and have Mom bring the girls out to meet us at the bank.

Pap-pap and I worked until seven thirty when Granny rang the bell to let us know breakfast was ready. I ran upstairs real quick and took a fast Navy shower. That meant I turned the water on and washed my hair, getting soaked everywhere. Turned the water off and soaped up everywhere except my face. Then I turned the water back on and rinsed off. Climbed out of the tub and washed my face and shaved. Something I noticed I was having to do more often. Then I went down and ate my fill while Pap-pap came up and took a shower. We were both in Sunday go-to-meeting clothes. After all, we were conducting business and going into the big city today.

I got on the phone and told Mom that Granny had won the Lottery last night. To say I surprised Mom was an understatement. “She won some money playing the Lottery? I didn’t know she even played.”

“She doesn’t. This was the first ticket she ever bought, and she didn’t win some money, Mom. You can’t talk about this with anyone yet. Not your husband or any of your friends. Mr. Snodgrass advised her not to say anything to anyone until the Lottery Commission does. The only reason he allowed us to tell you was because she wanted to set up a trust fund for all three of us. To do that, she needs May and Mary Jane to set up a new bank account at the Bank of Kentucky for the trusts she is creating. She will be the executor of the trusts until they turn twenty-one if they aren’t living at home or twenty-five if they are.”

“I see. Can I tell the girls why they need to go to the Bank of Kentucky or just tell them to meet Granny and Pap-pap there?”

Since they were both eighteen, they didn’t need an adult signature, which sort of upset me.

“Don’t tell them, Mom, let Granny tell them. She’s having fun. I know she will love shocking them when they hear how much they are getting.”

Alright then. “What about you, Harrison? Are you getting a trust fund too?” “Yes, Ma’am. You and I need to talk, Mom, but not there. Can you meet me here tomorrow morning after breakfast?”

“Yes, I can, but only if you don’t disparage your father again.”

I sighed. “Mom, I promise not to lose it like I did the other day, but he is one thing we need to talk about. I was serious about not claiming him as my father anymore. I know that upsets you and I won’t bring it up again. But I know some things you need to be aware of. Some are beneficial for you, but some can be harmful, and I apologize, but you need to be aware of them and be ready. Also, bring your mortgage payment book with you tomorrow. Granny and Pap-pap want to talk to you about it.”

Mom also sighed. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Mom, one more thing. Ask the girls to bring me that list they were making for me. They know what I’m talking about.”

“Will do so, and Harrison, please know that I still love you and the girls, and I miss you very much.”

‘“I know Mom. I love you all too. But I can’t stay there, not if he is. We’d end up with one of us in the hospital, or worse.”

She sighed again. “I realize that Harrison, and thank you for being the bigger man and staying away from him. I read the article in Mr. Snodgrass’s paper and then talked to him and Wilma. They told me how bad you could have hurt those boys and your...” She sighed again “My husband. So thank you for not getting physical with him.”

“We can talk about that tomorrow, Mom, along with everything else. Oh, I might invite the twins to go with me to Lexington today. I need to do some school shopping. I think I might be growing. Their help is what I need in picking the right outfits. After all, I need to not embarrass my girlfriends when they’re with me.”

“Two girls sharing you as a boyfriend. What is the world coming to? I hope you are at least being safe with them.”

“We can talk about that tomorrow too, Mom. Love you. Call me if you need me for any reason. I mean it, Mom, for any reason at all.”

“I know you mean it. You’ve changed so much, Harrison. Mostly in good ways, but the cost of those changes ... I don’t know, sometimes I think it was too high.”

“I would pay it again if it was necessary, Mom. Rule One.”

“Yes, I know you and your seven rules.”

I laughed. “There are ten of them now, Mom. I’ll fill you in tomorrow. Love you, we need to go. Mr. Snodgrass, the lawyer, just showed up. He’s helping Granny with the Lottery thing.”

“Okay, Harrison, oh just one more thing. How much did she win?”

Now I smiled. “Well, unless someone else picked the same numbers yesterday, Granny won four and a half million dollars, Mom.” I heard Mom drop the phone. I smiled as I hung up.

Then a strange thought came into my head. The twins were eighteen, legal adults. There was another way to become a legal adult before your eighteenth birthday. Dad kicked me out. Maybe I should talk to Joseph about becoming emancipated. I wouldn’t need an adult signature either, if they gave me emancipation. They would legally consider me an adult. Which meant I could do the things I wanted to without supervision.

It wouldn’t happen today, and probably not until after the Lottery money was divided. But if it did, I could rent an apartment, or buy a house. Pap-pap had already had me apply for a hardship license so I could legally drive the truck without him. So I could buy a car or a truck. Probably a truck. After all, I was going to eventually inherit the farm so a truck would be better.

But I also wanted a motorcycle. One that was black on black. Something I would only use when hunting my prey. And I was determined now. I would hunt them, incarcerate them, and make them pay for every trauma they’d caused their victims. My personal Guantanamo. That couldn’t be anywhere near the farm. I needed to find a place and buy it with a shell company.

It was the eighties. I could probably find a place to secure a fake ID for the bike and my prison site. But was that the right way to go? I needed to get that list from my sisters and a copy of the one Joseph had from Mrs.Morris. I needed information, and I needed it soon. School started in a week.

Just then there was a knock on the door and we were off, headed to the Bank of Kentucky local branch office to meet with the Branch Manager and set up some accounts.