Running with Jesse

Danny dribbles the ball in the glow of the afternoon sun, the concrete driveway still radiating the summer heat at 5:30 pm. 

“Fellas,” Danny says to the two boys, “I hate to do this to you at such young ages, but a father’s job is to teach his sons life lessons. And the lesson here is this: you two are too short to stop this game winner.”

He elevates, releases the jumper, and yells, “Steph Curry!” as the ball arcs across the painted sky.

And clanks off the rim, rolling out of bounds into the grass.

The two boys fall to the ground, rolling with laughter.

Danny has his hands on his hips, staring blankly at the ridicule his children are inflicting upon him.

 “Be a shame if the two of you never reached your teenage years…”

This idle threat only produces more laughter. “Yes, sir, Mr. Curry, sir!” the 9 year old says while laying on the ground. More laughter.

Danny chuckles at the little comedian.

Suddenly the screen door bangs against the side of the house, his 11 year old storming out across the grass.

“Hey, Jesse. You okay?” Danny calls to his oldest boy.

”No, I’m not okay! I’m running away.”

“Can I come too?”

”I don’t care what you do!”

Danny rolls the ball to his other two boys. “See y’all later. Looks like I’m running away.”

Taylor, his 7 year old, yells as Danny heads out across the yard to catch up to Jesse, “What do we tell mom?”

”Tell her I love her!”

”Yes, sir.”

Danny catches up to Jesse as he steps off the yard and onto the highway. They moved out into the country a few years ago, hoping to give their three sons space to roam, to explore. Danny silently matches pace with his fuming son for a few minutes, hoping the walk sheds some of the anger.

”Have a bad day, Jesse?”

”You have no idea, dad.”

”Why don’t you fill me in?”

Jesse lets out a deep sigh. “I totally forgot a homework assignment last night, I got sent to the principal’s office for talking in math, and then I got into a fight on the bus with Brad. I’m not allowed back on the bus for a week, and mom grounded me.”

”Wow. That IS a pretty bad day. I guess running away was your only option.”

”My life is basically over. What else am I supposed to do?”

”I don’t know, man. That’s why I’m running too.”

”And the worst part is, Becca was on the bus. She saw the fight.”

”Becca’s that girl you kinda like, right? Okay, well, that’s okay. Guys fight sometimes.”

”Yeah. But I was getting decked pretty good before they broke it up. Brad was sitting on my chest, smacking me in the head. Becca was laughing.”

”Oh, dang. That’s tough.”

Danny and Jesse walk in silence for about a mile, the sun beginning to set to their back.

“So, what are you thinking, Jesse? A fresh start in another state? Finish school there? Find a job?”

”I haven’t really thought that far ahead. How far is it to California?”

”Wow, let’s see… I’m gonna say about 1,500 miles.”

”How long do you think that would take to walk?”

”That’s gonna take a minute. Why California?”

”They probably haven’t heard about me getting waxed on the bus in front of the girl I was gonna marry.”

”Ah, good call.  And we could take up surfing there! Open a taco stand on the beach.”

”Can we eat tacos for free?”

”Some. Not too many. Can’t eat up all our profits. California is expensive.”

The first stars begin to fade into view in the graying sky, the moon just starting to climb out of the pine trees that line the road. Somewhere off in the woods to the right, something yips. A howl responds.

Jesse freezes.  “What was that, dad?”

Danny is still walking, leaving Jesse behind. “Probably a coyote,” he calls over his shoulder. Jesse quickly catches up with his father.

”Would they eat us?”

”Guess it depends how hungry they are.”

Jesse quietly ponders this new information as they continue down the side of the highway.

”Dad, do you think mom knows we’re gone yet?”

”Not sure. I told the boys I was running away too, but they may not have gone inside yet and told mom. Looked like they were starting another basketball game.”

”You think she’ll be mad at us when she finds out?”

”Hmm… I don’t know. Running away was probably not on the list of acceptable activities, being grounded and all. Then, again, I wasn't grounded, so I’m probably free and clear.”

”You’re not gonna stand up for me with mom?”

”Hey, listen. We’re outlaws now. Fugitives on the run. It’s every man for himself.”

”That sounds fair. And you’ve got your own problems now. You took marriage vows. There was probably something in there about not running away to open a taco stand in California.”

”Seems like there was…”

Somewhere, slightly closer, a coyote begins howling at the now clearly visible moon. More coyotes join the chorus.

”Okay, Jesse, so what’s the plan for tonight? Where are we eating and spending our first night on the road?”

”I don’t know! I didn’t bring any money. Only thing in my bag is underwear and socks. Oh, and my Nintendo Switch. Don’t you have money?”

”Nope. I was shooting hoops in the driveway when this happened. I wasn’t planning on running away when I walked out of the house.”

”Dang.”

”Dang, indeed.”

They walk in contemplative silence for a while. 

”Dad?”

”Yes?”

”Do you know what mom was cooking for dinner tonight?”

”Think she said poppyseed chicken casserole.”

”Man, that’s my favorite.”

”It is one of her all-time greats.”

”Dad?”

”Yes?”

”You think if we went home now, and we were really sorry, you think she might let us have dinner?”

”Wow. Are we giving up on the taco stand already?”

”Well, it might be a week before we could get the taco stand up and running. And it’s poppyseed chicken casserole night. And the coyotes sound closer…”

”That’s all true. Maybe. Maybe if we were REALLY sorry, mom would forgive us and let us eat.”

”Dad, let’s give it a shot. I’m as hungry as a coyote.”

Danny and Jesse walk into the house as the two younger boys are setting the table for dinner. Jesse runs up to his room to drop his bag. Danny rounds the corner, steps into the kitchen, and hugs his wife from behind. 

“Everything okay?” She asks.

”Yep. Just had to run away for a bit.”

”Well, welcome home. Wash up. Dinner’s ready.”