Shelter from the Storm. (Chapter 6)

On Newberry Road going east a beater Dodge Intrepid was driving

somewhat erratically and nearly swiped a box truck going in the

opposite direction. The driver of the box truck blew his horn furiously

and the horn of the Dodge responded in kind. An arm popped out of

the driver's side window of the Dodge and produced the ever famous

middle finger salute.

 In the box truck, the driver glared into his rearview mirror at the

sheer recklessness and arrogance of the person in the Dodge and

while he couldn't get the license plate number of the car, he could

make out its description very well. A fading red 1994 Dodge Intrepid

with a clear plastic tarp covering the right rear window.

 The driver of the box truck looked at his fuel gauge and realized he

was going to have to fuel up.  He also pulled out his cell phone and

decided to call and report the reckless driver of the Dodge to the

police while he was stopped. 
"That woman is going to hurt or kill somebody,"  the driver growled
to himself.

At a roadside convenience store/fuel stop called PUMP-N-GO which

was five miles outside of town on Newberry Road going east, cashier

Jason McIntosh was going over the day's store purchases before the

night clerk came in for her shift. He heard a truck pull in outside the

store and looked out to see a white fifteen foot box truck pull in at the

pumps. He noticed the logo on the sides of the cargo box and noticed

it was from A-1 Automotive; the local auto parts remanufacturing and

distribution company.  Jason looked out and then thought about the 

old Dodge he saw drive by recklessly not too long ago.  Jason thought,

I wonder if that car almost hit him?

As the driver pumped fuel into the tank of his truck, he had the urge to get

a soda and a snack in the store.  He also wanted to contact the police and

report the reckless car that nearly tagged him four miles back. When the 

delivery was complete, he hung up the nozzle and went toward the store.

As he neared the curb in front of the store, the driver of the A-1 truck

pulled out his cellphone and punched in the number of the Newberry

Police Department.

At the parking lot of County General Hospital,  security officer

Rodney Hart was patrolling the grounds with flashlight in hand

when he saw a car pull in at the main entrance. He knew right

away who it was when he saw the clear plastic-covered right

rear window. 
 "Reva Hobbs," he said to himself.  He had heard things about
this woman when he worked the day watch and she worked
nights as she did now. Most of what he heard about her was
not good, either. Rodney was amazed she was even still working
for the hospital. Her boozing and alleged child endangerement
was well-known and here she still is.

 Those poor kids, Rodney thought to himself.  He knew of

her two children and what they must be going through.

 Rodney watched as Reva got out of her car and headed 

toward the employee entrance in what looked to Rodney as 

an intense and fast pace. He looked at his watch and noticed

she was early. "Strange she would rush here since she's early,"

he said to himself. After looking at his watch he also knew his

ten-minute break was coming up so he continued his walk

through the lot and toward the rear hospital entrance that he

saw Reva enter in through.

At the Newberry Community Community Church fellowship

hall, Mac Davenport was showing the children attending the

pinecar assembly night various car designs using white paper

and an uncut pinecar block.  Mac had also brought two of his

old pinewood racers which he made when he was fourteen-

-years-old.  He even brought the templates he used to trace

the designs.  The twin boys Toby and D.J. looked at Mac's

old models in awe. 
"Those are cool," Toby remarked excitedly.
 One car resembled a deuce coupe in bright red with the
wheel hubs painted silver and yellow flame decals on its sides
and the other was a wedge shaped car painted yellow with a
black number 5 on its sides with add-ons of a rear airfoil, a
race driver figure and a curved windshield.

 "I like that racecar," D. J. stated excitedly.

 "I won my first race with this car,"  Mac replied  to D.J.  "I

kind of consider it my favorite, too." 
 Mac then turned to Brian as he got up from the work table
and said to him, "Brian, I'm leaving you in charge here while
I ready the saw. I'm asking you to guide those who need help.
I'm picking you because you have the most experience." 
 Mac then chuckled, "You're being promoted chief, got it?"

 Yes sir, Uncle Mac,"  Brian acknowledged with a grin.

"That's my man,"  Mac then stooped down a little and raised
his right hand in the high-five position with Brian responding
in kind. 

 Mac then headed over to where he put the saws to begin
carving the pinewood blocks once the kids drew their designs.

Gary Canfield walked over to Mac as Mac was testing the scroll saw.

When Mac shut the saw off, Gary said to him, "Mac, that was good

of you to put Brian in charge of helping the other kids with their projects."

 "I believe he's earned it, Gary," Mac replied as he watched the kids go

about their designs,  "He's had the most experience and he's also the
oldest of the kids."

 "Very true," Gary answered,  "That boy Alex really looks up to him, too."

  "I've noticed that, too," said Mac as he continued watching the children

at the work table, and sure enough, Brian was standing next to little Alex

and guiding him in drawing his design. Mac simply nodded in approval.

 Gary then brought up, "I also noticed their mother's car as it left the

trailer park this evening when Vera and I went to get him and Julie."

 "What about it?"

 "She pulled out of the trailer park rather fast and fish-tailed a bit down
the road."

 "Oh?"

 "I got to thinking, what if those kids were with her?"

 "Did either Julie or Alex mention anything about this to you or Vera?"

 "No they didn't.  They were too glad to see us when we got to their trailer."

 "Hmmm?  I don't like the sound of all this, Gary. I sense trouble with a

capital  'T'."

 "So do I."

  Mac and Gary both watched the kids at the work table and saw Alex
the first to leave the table and come over to where Mac was. 

 Alex presented his design to Mac and noticed the design was a pick-up
truck outline. Mac looked from the block then at Alex, smiled and said,
"Good job, little guy!"
 Mac then took the block from Alex and proceeded to cut the block to
the desired shape with the band saw. 
 When Mac handed the carved body back to Alex, Alex' eyes went wide
with excitement when he saw the shape of the wood.

 "Now,"  Mac spoke,  "Take this back to the table and when everyone is
done we'll start sanding, okay?  Alex nodded in reply and went back to
the work table with the wooden truck body in hand.

 Mac watched him go and thought about what Gary just told him and

thought to himself, They need shelter from the storm.

This concludes Chapter Six.