Close Out

by Todd Strasser

  “I wrote this for you,” Spazzy said, and began to read: “Dear Kai, Knowing you, you’re probably wondering why we’re having this party. Well, the reason is that everyone in this room feels that this summer you helped us become better people. You either taught us something important, or made the summer more fun for us, or did something that made us look at life differently. We know it’ll probably embarrass you if we start telling you all the good stuff you did, so we won’t. Besides, if you think about it, it’ll probably be pretty obvious anyway. So we got together and decided to give you this party for two reasons. The first is to let you know that we appreciate everything you did this summer. The second reason is to say that we all hope you’ll find a way to stay in Sun Haven. Because we really want you to.” Spazzy started to fold up the piece of paper. “That’s it, dude. Short speech. I hope it wasn’t too cheesy.”

  “Well.” Kai grinned. “It was pretty cheesy. But I appreciate it just the same. Thanks, Spazzy.”

  Everyone clapped. As the clapping died down, a short, awkward silence followed. “Okay, guys,” Spazzy said, “the touchy-feely part of the party is over. Time to go out to the pool and have fun.”

  Everyone went out the sliding doors to the back. Those who wanted to swim went into the cabana and changed into trucks and swimsuits. Those who didn’t gathered around the food. Once again Jillian had hired the bald guy with the pony tail who’d cooked for them on the Fourth of July. This time he served barbequed ribs and chicken.

  Kai found himself standing beside Teddy while they waited to fill their plates.

  “I looked at those sketches,” Teddy said. “They’re not bad. I’d change the colors a bit.”

  “Then you’re serious about opening your own shop?” Kai asked.

  Teddy shook her head. “Not yet. But I figure I’ll put up some signs around town and run ads in the local papers and see what happens. If I can get a business going that way, then maybe I’ll think about opening a shop.”

  “Great,” Kai said.

  “But I’m afraid I’m going to need that thruster back that I gave you,” she said.

  That stung. Kai gazed down at the patio. He loved that board. Even if he hadn’t finished paying Teddy back for it, he hated to give it up.

  “Just temporarily,” Teddy added, “until my assistant has time to sand it down and put my new logo on and re-glass it.”

  “Your assistant?” Kai repeated, confused.

  “You, dummy.”

  Kai grinned.

  “I wouldn’t look so happy,” Teddy warned him. “You’ll be lucky to earn minimum wage.”

  “Maybe he won’t need much more than that,” Bean said, joining them. “After all, he could be living rent free.”

  Kai eyed him suspiciously. “How’s that?”

  “My roomie, dude.” Bean put his arm around Kai’s shoulder. “And since I live rent free, so would you.”

  “What about mortuary college?” Kai asked.

  “I’ll be home on the weekends,” Bean said. “I’ve kind of gotten used to having a live body around.”

  Kai didn’t know what to say. Suddenly he had a job and a place to stay.

  “Guys, I’m really touched,” he said. “Truly. You’ll understand if it takes a while for all of this to sink in, right?”

  “Take your time,” Bean said, and went off to speak to Jillian.

  For the next few hours Kai partied with his friends. Later, in the dark, he walked down to the beach with Curtis. It was another moonless night, and the black sky was speckled with shimmering stars. They stood at the waterline.

  “Think you’ll stay?” the older man asked.

  “Don’t know,” Kai answered. “Not sure I’d have anyplace else to go, even if I wanted to.”

  Out past the breaking waves half a dozen small white terns with black-capped heads and pointy wings dive-bombed the surface, often emerging with a wriggling silver-sided shiner in their black-tipped yellow beaks.

  “What about you?” Kai asked.

  “’Fraid it’s time to close up shop, grom.”

  “You’re selling the motel?”

  “It’s the only way I can pay off all those back taxes. But the truth is, I’m ready to go. I’m tried of the whole damn thing. Tired of getting grief from the damn town. Tired of being harassed. They want to get rid of the Driftwood that bad, let ’em.”

  “But then they’re going to win,” Kai said. “This place really will become Buzzy Land.”

  “Not quite,” Curtis said. “See, there’s this organization called the Shore and Beach Preservation Association, and it turns out that they don’t want all this beach land being developed any more than you or me. They have special funds set aside to buy parcels of seashore when they become available. Problem is, they usually can’t come up with the kind of money guys like Buzzy can. On the other hand they can make special allowances for the property that guys like Buzzy would never make”

  “Like?”

  “In return for an agreement to preserve the dunes and beach and land near the beach, they might be inclined to allow for a parking lot and picnic area up near the road. They might even be inclined to allow for the construction of a small shack to rent surfboards and other stuff people going to the beach might need.”

  “So it would be like a park?” Kai asked.

  “Like a park run by a private nonprofit organization,” Curtis said.

  “But that still means surfers would have no place to stay around here,” Kai said.

  “Not right on the beach,” Curtís said. “But after I pay those back taxes, I should still have enough left to be able to get a place back on the other side of town, where I could run a small rooming house. Like one of those bed-and-breakfast deals. I admit it wouldn’t be within walking distance, but surfers could stay at my place and then drive down to the beach in the morning.”

  Kai and Curtís watched the terns feed on the shiners.

  “I guess what I’m trying to say, grom, is you can’t stop progress,” Curtis finally said. “But if you’re smart about it, you might be able to make progress take a detour.”

  They walked back up the beach. It was late by now, and people were starting to leave. Kai thanked them one by one, and told them he’d see them soon.

  Then it was Jade’s turn. They faced each other in the doorway.

  “So, I guess I’ll see you around,” Kai said.

  “Don’t forget, you still owe me big-time,” she said.

  “I’ll make it up to you,” Kai said. “I promise.”

  Jade gave him an amused look. “I’ve heard that before.”

  “Let me know what I can do, okay?” Kai said.

  Jade leaned forward and pressed herself against him. Placing her lips close to his ear, she whispered, “I think you can figure that out by yourself.”

  Kai felt her tongue brush his earlobe, and then she was walking away into the night.

  Kai turned and found Shauna waiting in the hallway.

  “I hope you plan to wash your ear,” she said.

  Kai smiled at her. But she surprised him by stepping close and kissing him hard on the lips. Then she backed away.

  “I know you don’t like competition,” she said. “But I think some things are worth competing for.”

  “In this case I’d have to agree,” Kai said.

  “Good.” Shauna kissed him again, then stepped past him and down the path that led from Spazzy’s house.

  Kai closed the front door.

  Finally they’d all left except Bean, who was helping Jillian and Marta clean up.

  Kai and Spazzy sat on some chairs next to the pool, gazing at the sparkling aqua-blue water lit by the underwater light.

  “This was great, Spazzy,” Kai said. “Thanks, dude.”

  “Were you really surprised?” Spazzy asked.

  “Are you kidding?” Kai chuckled. “Totally.”

  They listened to the crickets chirp in the dark.

  “You know, we’re leavin
g for California tomorrow,” Spazzy said.

  “You and Jillian drive?” Kai asked.

  “Yeah. Marta stays and closes up the house, then flies out. We plan it so we all get to Santa Barbara around the same time.”

  The wind chimes clinked.

  “I’ll be sorry to see you go,” Kai said.

  “I know you’re not sure where you’ll be next summer,” Spazzy said, “but you’ll stay in touch, won’t you?”

  “Absolutely,” Kai said.

  “Thanks, dude. I guess I don’t have to tell you again that this has been the best summer of my life.”

  Kai smelled the salt scent of the breeze coming off the ocean. He heard the crash of the waves. He thought about the friends he’d made over the past few months.

  “For me, too, Spazzy” Kai said. “For me, too.”

  Thirty-two

  Jail smelled.

  Otherwise it was pretty much like what you saw on TV. Bars and reinforced metal doors and superthick shatterproof glass. Surveillance cameras and guards in uniforms who tried to look relaxed, but were secretly alert and sized you up as if trying to decide how much chance there was that you might be smuggling in a weapon or drugs or something else the prisoners weren’t supposed to have.

  But the one thing TV didn’t get across was the smell of body odor and chemical disinfectant. Both distinct and strong and entrenched, as if the war between them had been going on too long and had reached a stalemate.

  “This way.” A large blond woman in a uniform led Kai down a corridor. The gun, baton, radio, and can of mace hanging from her black police belt thudded against her hips as she walked, and Kai wondered if that annoyed her or was something one just got used to after a while.

  They stopped at yet another reinforced metal door with a small glass window at eye level. The woman guard peered through the window, then pressed a button in the wall. The door slid open.

  “In there,” the woman said, in that tone of voice that indicated he was now being handed off to another guard.

  Kai went through the doorway and found himself in a narrow room with a long table divided by low partitions at regular intervals and a chair at each station. A thick wall of scuffed Plexiglas ran down the center of the table, with large white numbers above each partition. There were holes in the Plexiglas to permit conversation between two people sitting across from each other.

  “Name?” a guard inside the door said.

  “Kai Herter.”

  The guard scanned a clipboard. “Number three.”

  Kai went down to number three. His father was sitting on the other side of the Plexiglas, wearing dark green coveralls. He looked exactly as he always did, unshaven, hair askew, his eyes appearing to bulge behind the thick squareframed glasses. Kai sat down in the chair.

  “So what do you want?” the Alien Frog Beast asked.

  The coldness of the remark caught Kai by surprise. “Good to see you, too,” he shot back.

  Pat rolled his eyes and started to get up. “I don’t have time for this.”

  “From what I hear, you’re going to have plenty of time,” Kai said.

  His father stopped, then sat down again. His shoulders slumped forward. Kai felt bad. The guy was a crook, but he was also his father. The only real family he had left.

  “What’s gonna happen to Sean?” Kai asked.

  “I took the fall for him,” his father said. “No sense in us both going away. He’s got a sister outside of Chicago. She’s from his mom’s first marriage. She wants him to come out there.”

  “What’s gonna happen to you?” Kai asked.

  “I’ve got four states pressing charges plus all the federal counts against me. Guess they’re gonna keep me here until they figure out how to divide me up.”

  “Any idea where you’ll wind up?”

  Pat shrugged. “My lawyer says the Feds usually win over the states in situations like this. So they’ll have first crack at me. They’ll probably want to send me to Ray Brook. My lawyer says he’ll try to get me into Otisville.”

  “Prisons?” Kai asked.

  “Yeah. Ray Brook’s medium security Like I’m dangerous, right?” His father snorted in disgust. “Otisville’s minimum security.”

  “You could work in the prison store,” Kai said.

  “You kidding me? That’s the last place they’d ever put me.” Pat actually smiled for a second. “So what about you?”

  “I don’t know,” Kai said. “Guess I’ll stay around here for a while and see what happens.”

  Pat nodded. “You seem pretty good at taking care of yourself.”

  Not like I have a choice, Kai thought.

  “You’re gonna be sixteen,” Pat said.

  “Yeah.”

  His father rubbed his hand across his mouth. Kai could hear the older man’s palm scrape across the stubble on his jaw. The Alien Frog Beast seemed to be lost in thought. Then he leaned closer to the Plexiglas. “You know the place where Sean and I moved?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Go down the wooden stairs in the back. There’s a black metal mailbox on the wall next to the door. Inside’s the door key. In the bathroom medicine cabinet are some bottles of pills and crap. One of them says vitamin B. Inside’s a key to a safe-deposit box for the First Bank of Sun Haven. Box number two-fifty-six.”

  Kai waited for his father to say something more, but the Alien Frog Beast said nothing.

  “That’s it?” Kai asked.

  “That’s it.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “Stay in touch.” His father started to get up.

  “I will,” said Kai. Pat turned and walked toward the door where a guard stood.

  The guard frowned and looked at his watch. “You’ve still got two minutes.”

  “That’s okay,” Kai’s father said. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

  Thirty-three

  It was 6 A.M. and there was just the slightest chill in the air. The grass in front of the L. Baiter & Son funeral home was covered by a thick coat of dew and felt cold under Kai’s feet. Carried on the offshore breeze, a monarch butterfly glided overhead on fragile wings. Kai had read somewhere that like birds, these butterflies flew south in the fall.

  He wondered if he should have put on his wet suit, then decided against it. The water was still warm and despite the morning chill, as soon as the sun came up the day would get hot.

  With his board under his arm, Kai walked down to the beach. Bean had decided to sleep in this morning. The waves were small, no more than waist high, but the conditions were perfect—glassy, the offshore breeze steady, the waves peeling off the jetty with almost machinelike precision. When Kai got to the beach, someone else was already in the water. Even from the boardwalk, Kai knew it was Lucas.

  By the time Kai kneeled down to wax his board, Lucas was outside, waiting for a wave. Kai stroked the wax on. Thanks to the morning chill it took a little more effort than usual. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucas turn his board toward shore and paddle into a wave. Kai stopped waxing and watched. Lucas popped up, dropped down the small face, then appeared to hesitate for an instant, as if he couldn’t decide what to do. Unlike the hard slashing turn Kai was used to seeing, Lucas chose a more relaxed, sweeping course back up the face and over the lip, disappearing behind the wave.

  Kai splashed into the water. He paddled out and sat up on his board outside, half a dozen yards from Lucas. They nodded at each other. Kai expected Lucas to remain tight lipped, so he was surprised when he said, “Sorry I couldn’t make the party. Something came up.”

  “Something to do with your father?”

  Lucas nodded, then looked around. “Nice day, huh?”

  “Be nicer if it was just a little bigger,” Kai said.

  “Yeah. But hey, when isn’t that true?”

  “You’re right.”

  A new set was coming. Kai and Lucas let the first wave roll under them. The second wave jacked up nicely. Kai and Lucas exchanged a look. Either of t
hem could have taken it. There was that moment when, if Lucas had wanted the wave, he would have started to turn the nose of his board around. Instead he nodded at Kai. He was giving up the wave. Kai grabbed it.

  He took a short ride, kicked out, and paddled back. Once again he and Lucas sat outside, scanning the horizon for the next set. A seagull hovered thirty feet in the air over the jetty and dropped a clam onto the rocks. Then dived down to devour the insides before other seagulls got to it.

  “So how’re things?” Kai asked.

  “Different,” said Lucas. “I told my father I want to surf alone from now on.”

  It was a simple thing to say, but Kai knew it meant a lot.

  “Kind of weird about fathers, isn’t it?” Lucas asked. “I mean, they work so hard to make you think they’re these big heroes. And then one day you wake up and realize it’s not true.”

  “My father was never a hero to me,” Kai said. “I just thought I was stuck with him. Your dad may have done some bad stuff, but at least he cares about you.”

  “Yeah, but there’s this deal he expects,” said Lucas. “It’s like,’I’ll care about you as long as you do what I want you to do.’ Then the day comes, you wake up and decide that part’s not so important anymore. What’s more important is what you want to do, not worrying about what he wants.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Kai said.

  Two guys came down the beach carrying boards. They’d come from the direction of the Driftwood Motel, and stopped on the sand in front of Screamers and started to wax. It was obvious they were gonna paddle out.

  “You ever see those two before?” Lucas asked.

  Kai nodded. One was the thin guy with tousled blond hair and tattoos on both arms. The other was the stocky guy with dark hair shaved close to his head and black tattoos on both shoulders.

  Lucas and Kai watched as the two paddled out, then sat up on their boards nearby. The blond one gave Lucas and Kai a nod. Kai could tell both guys were a little edgy about being out at Screamers.

  A good-size set started to come in. It was going to peak closer to where the other two were, but they both glanced at Kai and Lucas to see if either of them would try to claim the wave anyway. Neither Kai nor Lucas budged. It was one of those sets that seemed to look bigger and better the closer it got. Finally the stocky guy with the short black hair shrugged as if to say, “If you guys don’t want to take it, I will.” He turned and paddled into the wave, which by now had jacked up into a beauty. The guy took off, zigging and zagging while Kai and Lucas watched enviously.