A door slammed in the entrance of number 256 Minot Street in Dorchester, South Boston. Bubba, the boy who had entered, had a deep cut on his lower lip, some other scratches and welts on the body, blood in the eye and a wounded pride. That's when his mom came from the kitchen and asked:
- What happenned, son?
Bubba was mad, and took it all on his mom... He started to scream and talk fast.
- WHAT HAPPENNED??? WE MOVED! People here DON'T like me. I am the hillbilly from Georgia here. People here are superb, disgusting ... Why couldn't we stay in Statesboro?
- Oh, son...
- Don't give me that, mom. It's irritating the way you're so sweet while I'm putting the house down! You don't understand it, because you don't go to school every day. I'm tired! I've decided! I'll sign up for the University of Georgia in two years. I'll get back there, whether you like it or not!
Very angry, and determined, Bubba - nickname he earned still quite small, cause he had the same name as his father - stomped off, went upstairs crying and locked himself in his room. he did not want to listen to his mother. Did not want her dissipate the anger he was feeling with her affection, her soft-spoken words, and the cupcakes she used to make to sell in the neighborhood. Yet she did try! She knocked on the door several times, bringing milk shake and such sweets.
- Bubba, talk to me, honey!
- NO! GET LOST! There you go, I talked.
- Then let me in so I can clean this cut on your mouth, at least.
Bubba did not even bother to respond. He was crying with rage. After half an hour, he fell asleep.
****
It was night, and was quite dark when he woke up hungry. He got out of bed muttering in pain, and left the room taking off the shirt that was stained with blood. Would ask his mother if she could save it.
- MOM!
He was calling loud, to see where in the house was she. But he got no response.
- MOM?!? I'M SORRY. I WAS NOT MAD AT YOU. WHERE ARE YOU?
He got nothing. It seemed that the house was empty. This was not normal. At that time his father was already home, usually, and his grandmother rarely leave. Maybe everyone had gone together to the supermarket to get something that was missing. And since he was hungry, he went to the kitchen, after leaving the dirty shirt in the hamper in his room. Bubba took something found in the refrigerator to make a sandwich. You could see by the marks on his arms and belly that the school fight had been unfair. He was pretty hurt.
There was a noise by the entrance door, and then his grandmother appeared in the kitchen, crying.
- Granny, what happenned? Are you ok?
Worrying that something had happened to her, Bubba rushed to provide a chair for her to sit.
- Granny, talk to me!
- Oh, honey, your parents...
Mrs. Lewis began to cry, unable to finish speaking. She sobbed and seemed to be very desperate. And that scene just worried the boy even more.
- Granny, where is everybody?
Holding the crying, she tried to continue.
- Your parents went to Quincy, talk to the principal of the art school they have there. They were trying to get a scholarship for you.
- Why I'm not aware of anything? Normally these things require us to do a test. I performed no test, nor I'm aware of a test coming.
- They wanted to surprise you. They wouldn't tell you anything if this appointment with the principal produced nothing good.
- So, they went to an appointment. At night?
- No... They were already returning... There was an accident on Hancock Street...
And then again, Mrs. Lewis started to cry. Bubba provided her with some water. She could see he was nervous by the water shake in the glass.
- Granny... Are they hurt? Is that it? Please tell me that they are hurt, in a hospital, waiting for us to go visit...
Mrs. Lewis lips started to shake. She was trying so hard to let the information out! But it was too hard to say what she had to say.
- Bubba... They are not in the hospital... I mean, they are... Just not being treated...
The boy started to cry compulsively. Granny was already crying. The tears started to fall on Bubba's lips, making the open cup he had burn. Soon it started to bleed again. He even tried to stop it with his hand. All in vain. Everything at that point was a mess. From his feelings to his body.Then his grandmother rose, wiped her tears and decided she had to do things that were pending from the day.
- So, your mother wanted me to take you to the ER, to see this cut on your mouth. She even left some money for a taxi...
- Granny...
- Let's do it the way your mother ordered me. She was worried about you. She asked me to take you to the ER, and that's what we're going to do. I just need to find some good soul in this neighborhood to take us, cause I spent the money to come back from Quincy...
- They were sent to a hospital at Quincy, then...
- Oh, baby... Let's forget about it for a moment, ok? I NEED to forget!
Bubba just agreed with a head shake. He was getting confused with his grandmother walking around the house, trying to find who knows what.
- Granny... I can go to Carney Hospital. It's a 10 minute walk. I go... You stay to rest... Not a good word right now... Please stop moving for a while. Let's figure things out.
- You go put on a clean shirt and I will find us a ride.
Mrs. Lewis was out the door in a second, despite the protests of her grandson. He figure it was better to let her do it all her way. So, he went to his room to find a clean shirt.
****
Mrs. Lewis was outside the house, looking for a familiar face. The family had moved there just two months ago, and still did not know the neighbors well. At this time an old car, faded blue, was passing slowly down the street. The driver seemed to look for something. She stopped at the Lewis house, and waved to the lady in front of it.
- Hi! Could you give me an information?
Bubba's grandmother approached the car. It was at this point that Mrs. Kelley realized that something was wrong. You could see the distress on the woman's face.
- May I help you?
- Hi! I normally don't ask strangers for help, but I'm really in need, and you seen to be a nice lady...
- Sure. What can I do for you?
- Can you give me and my grandson a ride to the hospital? He's hurt and his parents just died and we have no car right now, and...
- Oh, my... Calm down. I'll help. Where is your grandson?
- BUBBA!!!
 |
| Use your imagination to see this in the situation described. |
The boy appeared closing the door and approached his grandmother, not sure of what she was doing. He was a beautiful boy. Was about fifteen, was blond and blue-eyed. And had full lips, which accommodated a beautiful bruise...
- This lady...
- Mrs. Kelley...
- Mrs. Kelley agreed to take us to the hospital.
Bubba looked suspicious, and quite ashamed of the situation.
- Hi. Your mouth really need to see a doctor... Come in... I'm not going to kidnapp you. I'm your neighbor, actually. I live on Carruth street. Maybe you know some of my kids...
Mrs. Lewis poked him, and he relented. He didn't want to conflict with his grandmother at the time. He sat in the back seat while she was in the front seat beside the driver.
Soon enough Bubba realized that they were not on the way to Carney Hospital. It was then that Mrs. Kelley finally heard his voice.
- Where are we going?
- Wow... I'm sorry. I didn't tell you... We're going to Milton Hospital. Carney is not a good one. You will need to suture the mouth, so we'll get a good service.
- Milton?
- We could go to Boston Medical Center. But it is far for us, and we would lose a lot of time in traffic.
In a normal situation, Bubba would argue about the choice. Although he actually lived closer to the city of Milton than from downtown Boston, he had never gone there. But he was tired and confused, listless to keep any dialogue. So he shut up and looked out the window, trying to absorb something of the way.
****
In the hospital, they had to wait about ten minutes before a doctor called the boy. The staff conducted a detailed clinical examination, and found that Bubba was feverish. Besides dressing for wounds, and suture for the mouth, he was treated for fever and, in view of the strong emotional blow he was living, also received an indication of a mild tranquilizer. At the end of it, he was almost asleep with his eyes open.
If you asked him the next day, he would not remember to have been discharged after an hour, when it was found that the drugs were taking effect. Also he would not remember to have been taken back to the car in a wheelchair ... Five minutes after the car began to move he was already lying on the back seat, sleeping. And that's why he did not hear the conversation of the two ladies in the front seats. He didn't hear his grandmother tell about the horrible day they were having. Not even heard the two came to the conclusion that the encounter of them had not been casual. Mrs. Kelley was looking for the caupcake's lady in the neighborhood... That was the information she wanted when she stopped in front of Bubba's house. And he also did not see when two boys about his age took him from the car in front of Mrs. Kelley's. That night, he and his grandmother were hosted in Carruth street, received by the new neighbor, who felt sorry about the situation of the two. Upon waking the next day, all this would be a surprise to Bubba.
Continue...
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