When John tried to offer Dog some money for his help, Dog pushed it away saying, “Nah, I don’t have any use for that. Just being neighborly is all.”
I hadn’t noticed until we were ready to go that while Dog and John were changing the tire, Mom had loaded all of our stuff back into the car.
“If you don’t mind my asking, you don’t seem the type to belong to a motorcycle gang.” John said to Dog.
“What this old thing?” Dog said talking about his Hells Angels jacket. “Belongs to a mate a mine. Just holding it for him.”
“You have got a wonderful accent.” Mom said.
I chimed in with, “You’re from Australia aren’t you?”
“Right you are lil’ roo.” Dog said giving me a smile and I remember thinking that he didn’t look so scary when he smiled.
“So what brought you all the way over here?” Mom asked.
“Had my fill of the Never Never… uh, sorry, I mean back home.” Dog dropped his head as he continued, “You see, I had me a matching set of rug rats much like yours, but they and their mum went up early.”
He didn’t have to translate that. All three of us knew just by the look on his face that he meant his family had gone to heaven.
John offered his condolences, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
And Mom added, “Oh that’s terrible.”
“Felt like I needed to go walkabout; so came to see what all the fuss was o’er here.” Dog said while wiping at his brow.
“How long have you been in the states?” Mom asked him.
“Let’s see,” Dog must have been thinking because it took him a full half minute before he answered, “Must be getting on to four years now.”
John and Mom thanked Dog profusely and try as they might they couldn’t get Dog to agree to any compensation, not even a meal on us. After he rode away on his chopper we got back on the road.
I guess I must have fallen asleep or something because the next thing I remember, Mom was exclaiming excitedly, “Alvin—Alvin look!”
I sat forward resting my elbows on the backrest of the front seat and seen the sign that read, Welcome to Maine.
“We’re here!” John announced.
“Don’t forget your promise!” I reminded John.
“What promise?” Mom asked.
“He doesn’t want to walk into his grandmothers wearing a diaper.” John told her.
“Oh Alvin!” Mom sighed, “She already knows you wet your sheets.”
“Yeah, but I don’t wet during the day time!” I protested.
“Sit back and put your belt back on!” She said sharply while reaching to turn the car radio on.
When we’d gone about another fifteen minutes I again spoke up, but all I said was a whiney, “Joooohhhhhnnnn?”
After a while longer I gave up on them and quietly slipped my pants off, pulled the diaper down like underwear and then pulled my pants back up. Of course I’d been wearing a pair of pants that the Doleshires had given me and without a diaper on they were huge on me. And I’d have to remember that since I didn’t have a belt on, I’d have to keep hold of my pants so that they didn’t fall off.
I sat back there feeling a little smug and proud of myself for pulling that off, no pun intended, without getting caught. It wasn’t until after we arrived that it struck me that I probably should have attempted to hide the diaper and not leave it lying on the floor of the car.
When we arrived in Lewiston Maine, it took us another thirty minutes to find the house and when we did I was flabbergasted by the shear enormity of their home. I don’t remember their house being so big, but apparently it was.
“Alvin I want you on your best behavior. Don’t give your grandparents any grief!” Mom warned.
“What?” I objected. I felt that was uncalled for.
“Alvin, just do what your mother tells you!” John said as he pulled the car to a stop.
From the second I stepped foot out of the car I knew I wasn’t going to like living here in Lewiston Maine, because, as I lowered my foot out the door I stepped right into a mud puddle.
“Ah man that’s just great!” I murmured to myself, “Thanks for the warm and cheerful welcome Lewiston!”
~ The End ~