Chapter 63

"Jimmy, have any of you had anything to eat?" Mom asked.

"Now that you ask, no. We've been hard at it too, although we can see it's been an exciting day around here," I said.

"Mostly just a little bothersome, but Chucky baby says he's making good progress, finally. The poor landscaper didn't get any warning and they've been out here all day moving sod to give all these trucks a path back to unload behind the house," Mom said.

"I had no idea they'd need this much equipment. How many trucks are here?" I asked.

"Chucky said there would be seventy-two today, I didn't have the nerve to ask if there would be more tomorrow. I think most of these brought earth-moving equipment. There are a lot of bulldozers and maintainers driving around out back," she said.

"I saw the practice truck out front, is Jacob back already?" I asked.

"Yes, but they haven't been long. He's asleep. Apparently they didn't stay in the motel room last night after all. Sherry said something about getting an early pickup time or some such.

"I think they left for Miami as soon as they unloaded in Jacksonville. Anyway, Sherry drove for a while and let Jacob see what it was like to sleep while the truck was moving.

"She picked up the load and after they were out of Miami, on the way back, she turned it back over to Jacob for the run home," Mom said.

"Did she mention anything about log books?" Bill asked.

"Oh, is that what she was talking about? She told me they had to stop for about an hour so she could teach Jacob how to cheat on his log. I didn't understand what they were doing with any logs, so I ignored it," Mom said.

I was still confused a little, but Bill laughed a lot. I decided it had something to do with hours of service for the driver, and all that crap I hadn't paid much attention to. Looked like I'd be getting another lesson before long.

"Did you run into trouble, Jimmy? I didn't expect it to take so long for you to get the helicopter," Mom said.

"It didn't, but when we got back we realized we didn't have any way for Jacky to unload it. Bill took us to Tom Doolin's equipment place and we picked up a track-hoe for Jacky and we had to get a different trailer to haul it. It's too wide for our skateboard," I said, trying to use some of my new truck driver lingo.

"Did you bring it here or take it out to the airport?" Mom asked.

"We were hungry, so we came on home. It's parked out front and the helicopter is still at the airport," I said.

"Well, at least you didn't bobtail by here. You know how I hate that," she said.

"Believe me mother, we'd have taken the helicopter back before we dared that," I said.

"Good. I'm glad you remembered."

"I thought we should come here so Jimmy could tell you about his introduction to Pete Johnson," Bill said, grinning like a big fool.

"I'd almost forgotten about Pete, where did you run into him?" Mom asked.

"Apparently Glenda Doolin married him. He was working for Tom and he tried to run us off the lot. I called Tom and explained the problem and he changed Pete's attitude," Bill said.

"It seems I do remember Glenda dating Pete while they were still in high school. It's a shame she didn't dump him after graduation," Mom said.

I was getting confused by Bill and Mom discussing people I didn't know squat about and I couldn't keep quiet.

"Who is Glenda, besides Tom Doolin's daughter?" I asked.

"Jimmy, I can't believe you don't remember Glenda. She was always so nice to you at the football games. She was a cheerleader for the same school your sisters just stopped attending.

"Pete Johnson was an All State running back, like someone else we've had a run in with lately. Glenda was his girlfriend and the head cheerleader. I can't believe you don't remember her," Mom said.

The light shined for me then and I could remember Glenda perfectly. She was the first girl I ever remember being impressed with. At nine years old they didn't mean much to me then.

Glenda was different. She was like a goddess in my memory. Long blonde hair, enormous titties, and her legs were so beautiful. I remembered Glenda all right. I would watch her, hoping she'd do a jump or handstand so I could see her panties.

We'd always sit near where they did their yells and I'd beg to go down by the fence so I could be closer. Glenda always made sure I got one of whatever they threw to the crowd that week. It was usually a peewee football or some other party favor type thing.

Several times, after the game was well in hand, she'd lift me over the fence and call me their mascot. All the other cheerleaders would come by and make a fuss over me, but Glenda always said I was her man and she'd shoo them away. It was a shock to think beautiful Glenda was married to that asshole we'd seen today.

"I had no idea what became of Glenda, I was just a kid then anyway," I said.

"I didn't either. It's strange we didn't get a wedding invitation," Mom said.

"I think they had a small quiet wedding, after Pete's troubles at Georgia Tech," Bill said.

"That's right. I wonder why she still married him after the scandal?" Mom asked.

"Who knows? I don't think Tom is very happy about it yet," Bill said.

"Happy, he was joking about having him killed," Jacky said, and then blushed for speaking out.

"I wonder..." Mom said, and then changed the subject suspiciously.

"We had another stroke of luck, and for the driveway, of all things," Mom said.

"How could we have luck with the driveway?" I asked, knowing the topic of Pete Johnson had been retired and would stay that way.

"Chucky baby saw it all formed up, and said he could get his men to put in the rebar, pour the concrete, and do the finishing, tomorrow.