The Bass Player ch.1

They’re at it again. Same thing every night, my mom’s drunk off her ass, and my dad beating her senseless. The thing about the Midwest is there is a ton of tiny towns you have never heard of, and most of them aren’t worth knowing. And in a small town like mine everyone knows everything about everyone. The sheriff won’t stop him due to my dad being built like a bear. No one in this shit whole town has the courage to stand up to him. To be honest after tonight, none of it will matter. I’m done with them. I’m leaving tonight, leaving it all behind. All I got is 20 dollars, my pocket knife, and the clothes on my back.

A chair smashes against the wall in the other room as my father tells my mother she’s worthless whore. I slide the window up and step into the night. With a final look back I walk down the street. I make my way out of town, and start walking towards the nearest major city. After plodding along for a couple hours I see headlights in front pass me by, before they turn around and pull up behind me.

“Mer’ kid” the man calls out at me. Turning around I walk towards the driver’s side. Sitting in the driver’s seat of a beat up old pick-up truck is a tall man in wife beater covered in various stains. From what I can see he’s built like a twig, and can’t weigh much of anything. “Wat you doing out here at this time of night?”

“Walking to Torrington” I say gruffly “what’s it to you?”

“Wat’s in Torrington that has you in such a hurry you couldn’t wait till mornin’?” he asks with sly grin before adding “You going to meet yur girl?”

Frowning at him I inform him that “no I’m not”, not that it’s any of his business anyway.

“Hahaha alright kid, take it easy, do ya want a ride?” he says with a wide goofy grin.

I’d rather not walk the whole way, but I don’t quite trust this guy. Mulling it over, I grudgingly nod and walk to the passenger side of his beat up truck and get in. as soon as I’m in he starts driving. Looking over as he does he tells me his name is chuck, and that he lives just south of town, in the country? He asks me my name, and nudges me when I don’t respond for a moment. Sighing I look at him and grunt “Brian”.

He smiles and thinks a moment before continuing “Brian, huh. Not what I would have named ya but you can’t do nothing with yur name but use it. Is there anywhere special I need to drop ya off at or you just going to jump out the truck once we hit city limits?”

Thinking for a moment gets me another nudge from chuck. Glaring at him I mutter “I don’t have anywhere, but anywhere is going to be better than where I was. Just drop me off at a gas station or something like that. Doesn’t really matter.”

“Yur quite the piss-ant ain’t ya. Well if ya ain’t got any place ta go, do ya got money for a room? Have a job lined up? Any sort of plan? He asks still smirking at me. We pass a sign that says 15 miles to Torrington. Watching me closely he’s about to nudge me again when I start to speak

“The plan is to sleep in a park somewhere, and find a job in the morning. I have everything I need to survive, and as long as I away from there I’ll be happy.” I growl as the anger rises in me again. I look over at chuck sitting beside me and for the first time during this ride, he quiet. He’s deep in thought for a while before he suddenly pulls over, and comes to stop.

He gives me a hard look before softly saying to me “yur either staying with me tonight, or yur getting out of my truck. it’s up to you Brian, but my couch is goin to be a lot warmer and softer than any bench yur going to find.” he sits there waiting for my answer.

I sit there thinking over my options, trying to make a decision. I’ve just met him but he has shown me more kindness than anyone else in my home town ever did. But this could be just a set up to be kidnapped, or have him try and fuck me. It’s much better than sleeping on a bench, but he could also be an axe murderer. Realistically I doubt he wants more than my ass in his bed, and if he tries anything I’ll just make a run for it. Sighing I give him a nod and say “let’s get going then.”

Smiling wide he quickly turns around and starts flying down the highway much faster than before. We ride in silence for a minute or two before he reaches over and flips on the radio. I figure based on his appearance and his truck country or classic rock is going to be coming out of the radio. The music starts playing and soon he’s singing his heart out to staying alive by the bee gees. I give him a look and bust out laughing

After a couple more of discos greatest hits, we pull off the highway onto a gravel road. We drive down the road for maybe a mile before he pulls into the driveway of beat up one story white shack of a house. In the front yard is a couple rusted cars and a shed. The grass is growing tall around the cars and the buildings, but is otherwise cut short. We get out of the truck and he ushers me inside, unlocking the front door. Once inside he flips on the light to reveal wood paneling on every wall. The kitchen is off to the left, and a hall the leads to the right. In the living room is a large couch that looks well used, a coffee table and a dinky TV with rabbit ears covered in aluminum foil. Other than that the room is bare and clean, much to my surprise.

Chuck points at the couch and says “y’all can sleep there, and ride with me into town in the morning when I go to work. Deal?” I nod in agreement and plop down on the couch. He flips off the light and heads to his room. I drift off to sleep quickly and wake early in the morning. With no clock I’m not quite sure of the time as I get up and make my way to the bathroom.

I take a piss and check myself in the mirror. I’m skinny, but nowhere as skinny as chuck. I’m about 5’8″ and wearing the same plain shirt and blue jeans I had on yesterday. My dirty blond hair is cut short, and my soft green eyes stare back at me. Overall I’m your non-descript white guy. I finish in the bathroom and head back to the couch. I start thinking about how to get a job today, and a place to stay. I plan for a while when chuck walks in. he grabs a chair from the kitchen and sits across from me. I can tell from the look on his face he wants to talk.

The thought of moving on with my life has me in a much better mood, so smiling to myself I ask chuck “what’s up?”

“So he can smile” he says with a chuckle before looking serious again ” I let you stay here because it was your best option, and I don’t think sleeping on a bench tonight is going to be much better option. I’m a thinkin you should stay here till ya get yur self a job. That way you got somewhere warm to stay while you search for a job. Plus it’s going to be harder than ya think to find a job, I mean how old are ya anyway? Yain’t more than 16 from the looks of ya.”

“Quite the speech chuck! And I do appreciate your offer, but it’s best if I don’t get too attached. That way when you turn out to be a rapist or something, I can walk away without feeling bad. So I’m going to politely decline.” I say trying to keep the mood light, before mentioning “I’m 18 by the way, turn 19 in April.”

“Now listen!” he says with anger creeping into his voice. He standing now, bellowing at me “I’ve been out there just like you, alone and no one who would give two shits about my wellbeing. I had to fight and claw to get this little shack that I call home, and I’m offering you a chance to have some semblance of shelter while you try and figure yur shit out.”

I’m taken back by this sudden burst of negative emotion from chuck, and realize I don’t know much about him at all. But to top it off he has a good point, which is starting to piss me off. Getting on my feet, I notice the height difference between us, he’s easily a head taller than me. I square my jaw and yell back “Fine I’ll stay, but only till me get enough money to get out of this shit hole!”

An odd look comes across chuck’s face before his smile and says “Now that this negativity is settled, let me cook some breakfast!” He shuffles off to the kitchen and starts making some kind of breakfast, whistling some tune while he does. Confused by the sudden change of mood I sit down and watch him bustle around the kitchen. He is definitely a strange man, but kind. Still not sure what his ulterior motive is though.

About a half hour later, he’s announces breakfast is ready and indicates for me to sit down at the kitchen table. I sit down and he sets a plate of bacon, scrambled eggs and sausage. Digging in I revel in the flavor, tasting better than anything my mother ever tried to cook. Suddenly I realize I’m happy. This delicious food made by the disco loving redneck is making me happy. I haven’t felt happy in years. Smiling to myself I mutter under my breathe “thank you”

After breakfast we head at the car, and head into town. Chuck tells me he works from 10 to 7, and that I should meet him at the gas station around then. I notice that he avoids mentioning where he works. I find this a little weird, but He’s weird anyways, so I take it in stride. Plus I don’t want to get too attached to him, he’ll just end up like the rest of my home town.

We make it into town and he drops me off at a gas station, and I walk in, asking for a job. After determining I was too young, they send me on my way. With nothing in particular to do, and nowhere specific to go, I head off down the street. Eventually I reach the epitome of all teenager jobs, McDougal’s.

This particular location is in the bottom floor of a large office building. Due to its location, it’s cleaner than most, and is missing the drive through. I walk in and ask for an application and a pen. A pimply faced kid around my age hands me one, pointing to a man in a dress shirt sitting in the back. “Give it to the boss when you’re done” he says.

I sit, quickly filling in the information I can, before looking over at the manager.