The Runaway
Page 17
A man was standing over him, looking down. “What you doing, kid? Get lost?”
Michael got his bearings, groggy from sleeping. “I used to live here. I didn’t know I moved?”
“Yeah, I know who you are. Go up to the store. They got the address.” He turned around and went into the house, apparently fixing it up for the summer influx. There were a lot of people around in all the houses, enjoying their beach houses for the summer.
Michael went up to the store, recognized the woman but forgot her name. “Well, hello Michael. Your mom said you’d be by, maybe, and left this for you. It’s been here six months or so, ever since they moved.”
Michael glanced up the at the curled edge calendar behind her head. It was June 28th, his sixteenth birthday.
She continued, “We’re sure going to miss Porter around here.”
Michael took the folded paper and saw it was an address and directions in the city. He said, “Who’s Porter?”
“My goodness, you don’t know? Of course not, how could you? You coming in here like you still lived back there. Your Mom and Porter got married. You remember Porter, don’t you? He did all the maintenance around here for the year rounder’s.”
Michael thanked her and left heading for the Post Road. He had a lot to digest and think about. A whole lot.
He caught a ride into the city past the Roger Williams Park. A lot of memories there. He got off at the end of an uncle’s street. He wasn’t going there but High Street, the address on the paper that was a few blocks over. He found the house and walked around the back to the stairs to the third floor as indicated.
Half way up, a woman came out of the door and saw him.
“Michael!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? We were just going to get you!”
Michael smiled up at her. “That’s okay, Mom. I found my own way.”
Table of Contents
The Runaway
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Chapter 1 – Starting Out June 1951
Chapter 2 – New York
Chapter 3 – New Jersey
Chapter 4 – Baltimore
Chapter 5 – Akron
Chapter 6 – Terre Haute
Chapter 7 – Terre Haute Revenge
Chapter 8 – Arkansas
Chapter 9 – Big Spring, Texas
Chapter 10 – Midland, Texas
Chapter 11 – Odessa, Texas
Chapter 12 – Salt Lake City
Chapter 13 – Reno
Chapter 14 – Hollywood
Chapter 15 – Hollywood Jail
Chapter 16 – L.A. County Jail
Chapter 17 – Whittier
Chapter 18 – California Youth Authority
Chapter 19 – Fitting In
Chapter 20 – The Train Home
Chapter 21 – The Bus Home