Read Goin' South
It had been
about a month since I had heard anything from my best bud Cletus and I was
worried. He hadn’t returned any of my phone calls or text messages and that was
not like him at all. When I talked to the sheriff all he would say is his deputy
was up north on some assignment, but he wouldn’t give me any details. Then one
day I got a call from someone named “Mark”. I was just about to decline the
call when for some reason I hit the accept button instead.
“Hey, buddy.
Sorry to be incommunicado for so long. How have you been?” The voice on the
other end didn’t sound familiar to me so I had no idea who this “Mark” person
was or how he got my number. Yet he was calling me buddy like he had known me
for a long time.
“Do I know
you, Mark?”
“Sure you
do. It’s me… Cletus.”
“Cletus? Y’all
sure don’t sound like Cletus and Cletus wouldn’t say no highfalutin word like incommuni…whatever.”
“No, I
don’t, but I can’t explain now. Trust me. It is really me. Remember the time….”
He proceeded to relate a story only Cletus and I would know.
“Do you
fancy a road trip up north to Rhode Island?” Rhode Island? I had never been out
of North Carolina never mind going up north to Yankee country. Pops would never
let me associate with no Yankee scum. Not so sure he would cotton to the idea
of me going to Rhode Island to meet up with Cletus either.
“Damn boy. I
can’t get over how different you sound. I gotta talk to Pops first. If I can
I’ll text you and y’all can give me the details.”
“Tell him to
talk to the sheriff and that I need your help. By the way, have you met Bo?”
“Yup. Met
him the other day. Just moved into the old Jenkins’ place. Was out plowing the
fields. Something different ‘bout him though.”
“You’re
right there. I’ll explain everything when I see you. I know Pops will let you
come to visit. You have my number now so give me a holler so I can give you
directions.”
“Sure thing
Cletus. Be careful whatever you’re doin’.” I disconnected the call and went to
talk to Pops.
I high
tailed it home and told Pops everything Cletus had said, whereupon Pops went to
talk to the sheriff. Whatever the sheriff told Pops it was enough to convince
him to let me go north, with one provision: I had to stay with Cletus at all
times and not go wandering alone among the Yankees. I could tell Pops was none
too thrilled with the idea in any case and if he had said no I would not have
disobeyed him, no matter how much I had to find out what had happened to
Cletus. I called Cletus later that night and he told me the route to take and
where we should meet. I was to call him when I got there or if I needed help
along the way. I barely slept that night I was so excited, so I started to
throw clothes and other things I would need into my huntin’ pack. Made sure my
rifle was all primed and in the rack of my new truck Pops had just bought for
me. As soon as daybreak hit I had breakfast with Pops, told him I would see him
soon, and took off for parts unknown.
