It was really upsetting him! Even though he’d long ago accepted that Brock was a hurtful young man, this seemed to be going too far, even for him! He looked over at his Dad, who was reading his newspaper and sighed.
Hobart had been moping around the house, looking gloomy, ever since the bike ride home from school. The evening was getting close to bed time, and the hamster wheel in his head was spin spin spinning around!
He’d just finished it but he found himself crumbling his latest Lego project into rubble! And laid his head down on the jagged pieces.
His father – having looked up from his newspaper, glasses slipped down the end of his nose so that he could look in the direction of his oldest son – pushed his glasses back into place, and shut the newspaper as he laid it down on the coffee table in the middle of the family room.
“Oh my! Look at the time! I almost forgot!”
All five heads looked up from what they were doing, none looked like they were “in on it” (good!)
It was family quiet time. Hobart’s Mom, Chichi, was in the den reading a book, and their children were all in the family room
“Hobart,” he said, “…so sorry to interrupt your quiet time, I just realized, I’ve got something I need from the hardware store…”
Hobart – quite glad for a chance to be with Dad one on one any time – “well, yeah, I guess…”
“Great!” Wilbur? Can you go tell Mom…
Clinton Hobart had long ago realized the deep running waters of his eldest son. As they rolled down the road toward the centre of town, he waited in quietness, but noted the cloud that hung over Gregory like a rainy day, was filling the crewcab’s interior.
“Dad, are you REALLY needing something at the hardware store?” Hobart said, turning a skeptical eye in his father’s direction.
“I knew you knew that I knew, and I also knew that maybe the rest mighta been wondering, and knew not to….”
“DAD! You always say that!” Hobart interrupted with a giggle, feeling himself lighten up a little.
Clinton laughed out loud!
“Well, kiddo, what’s on the Hamster wheel today?”
Clinton had been reading a lot lately, well, “listening” is more accurate, to audiobooks, and had already shared the concept he’d heard about the hamster wheel. A thought or worry that goes around and around in the brain, and just won’t quit! Like a hamster trying to escape by running on the wheel!
Hobart paused, he remembered now, “take it up with Dad!” Was the motto. He had a journal in a spot only he could get to, where he could write out the thought, so the hamster could go take a rest! Or he could say the ‘word’ to his Mom or Dad, “hamster Bob’s sure an energetic little fella” and they’d stop what they’re doin, and come up with a plan to have a chat.
“One word Dad: Brock. But listen! This time it’s really bad! I couldn’t even ‘use words’ (alluding to ‘speak don’t smack’) I had to walk away!”
Clinton used his eyebrows to indicate he was as listening, and turned the radio off entirely. He pulled into Pike’s Park, and parked in the spot overlooking the Bay.
“You know the new kid at school? The one from WhyyadoingObookia?”
Clint nodded.
“Well I was walking into the caf today and saw Brock pulling him by his backpack and fling him into a chair!”
“ he was chanting some song I’ve never heard before, and there were two others standing there, laughing.”
Mischook ran out crying and Mrs Feldman looked up from serving too late to see what had happened.
I pretended not to see, just like you told me, got my lunch and went to study hall. But the hamster’s been an energetic little fella ever since.”
Hobart was laughing out loud now, already feeling the weight of the world lifting from his shoulders.
Clint waited for a ‘pause in the action’ and began,
“Well, let me tell you, I KNOW that song, and it was Brock’s dad that used to sing it back when we were kids.
And they talked things over. Brock would maybe get what’s gonna come maybe, or maybe not… “That twern’t nuthin novody could do nuthin’ bout”
Clinton paused again, as the bright blue sky and sunshine filled the family pickup’s cab once again, and then,
“Let’s get you home, and you can maybe write it all down?”
“Oh, reach into the glove box and get that wrench I bought on the way home from work. We don’t need to do no liar liar pants o fire… but just in case any of them noticed we left…” they both laughed, and drove on home.
Running Down Vimy 