Itt
Never been on a plane before a nervous Itt walks up the stairs and inside he sees animal prints, wood grain, and expensive soft leather tastefully decorated space. However the stench of cigar lingered in the air fighting the scent of potpourri. Walking out from the cock pit is the stranger that frequents Itts home and wakes up and walks around naked with no shame showing off his 40 something waist.
“What are you doing here?” Itt asks.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m making sure that you got everything you need”, the stranger says. He hands Itt an envelope totaling $1500.00 in cash.
“He already took care of me”, Itt says patting his jacket to feel the envelope that was once given to him and realizes its missing. He thinks ‘THAT BITCH STACY’. He snatches the money from the stranger.
“Boy! Itt, you…lucky you…..”
“I’m lucky what?!” Itt hops up from his chair. The stranger pushes him back into his seat.
“Calm yo ass down. This is not the time, nor the place”.
The engine of the plane revs and fastens seatbelt light flashes on.
“Put yo seatbelt on, boy”. The stranger says.
“The name is Itt. I’d appreciate if you call me by that”, Itt said with authority in his voice almost sounding like his father.
“And my name is Paul and you can call me Mr. Paul. You got that?” Paul said with authority.
“Yeah, I got it”, Itt said quietly.
He looks out the window as the plane is moving faster and faster and then lifts. He grabs the arm rest and looks over at Paul sitting in the seat across from him and then quickly turns his head back looking straight ahead. After 45 minutes into the flight his nervousness disappears and then reappears when the aircraft experience some turbulence. Paul hears Itt panic and sits next to him.
“Calm down Itt. This is natural. It’s just a little turbulence. It happens all the time”.
“Ok. Ok. When are we gonna get there? Do you have a phone I can use?”
Paul hands Itt the planes phone that is mounted next to him. Itt pulls out a sheet of paper with Carla’s number written on it. He dials.
“Hello?” Carla answers.
“Hi, this is Itt.” Itt says.
“What is it?” Carla answers.
“No, this is Itt from the computer”, Itt says.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Yes. Yes. I’m Shy’s mother, Itt. I wanted to talk to you….”
“Can we talk in person? I’m on my way to Minnesota
“Yes, of course”.
She gives him the address and directions from the airport.
Shy
Noises of pain, grunting, and complaining is all you hear from Shy.
“Come on now. You got this. Drop and give me 20,”Thunder yelled.
As he gets down on the musty floor breaking news flashes across the TV screens placed through out the gym.
‘It seems that only one person has made it out alive. The passengers have not been identified just yet. There was no one inside the school. Stay tuned for further details.’ The news anchor reports.
“Isn’t that your school, Shy?” Thunder asks.
“Yeah, too bad school is out, then I wouldn’t have to take this class if a few select people were right in front of that plane”, Shy says with no empathy.
“Man that is tragic. Be lucky you weren’t in there”, Thunder says.
“Why? I probably am better off.” Shy says.
“You shouldn’t say things like that. I wanna talk to you. Come to my office”. Thunder says worried about Shy.
Just as they decide to go into Thunder’s office the news report that the identity of the survivor is Itt Chapmen. Shy stood shocked and starts to run to the nearest trash bin to hurl. Thunder runs over to Shy and places his hands on Shy shoulders and asks if he was ok. “I’m fine”, Shy said while coughing up remains.
“Do you know him?” Thunder asks.
“(Coughing) yeah”, Shy replies.
Thunders’ phones ring in his office. He looks toward his office trying to decide should he answer or continue attending to Shy. He decides to attend to Shy. Even though he just met Shy he feels a connection with him. He sees himself in Shy when he was his age and remembers the feelings of being bullied and having eating disorders. He never had the problem of being a cutter, he turned to liquor. But he has been sober for 3 years and turned his life around. Shy asks Thunder if he can use his phone.
“Of course, take your time.”
“Dad, can you come a pick me up please?”
“You alright, Shy? You sound sick.”
“I’m okay, dad. Can you just come and get me?” Shy says.
Thunder sits and waits with Shy outside until Robert arrives.
He gets inside the car and Robert gets out and has a few words with Thunder. They shake hands and Roberts gets inside the car, looks at Shy and then begin to drive.
“Dad, can you go by the Abbott Northwestern Hospital
“Are you ok?” Robert reaches his arm out and places his hand on Shy’s forehead.
“I’m not sick, Dad. I think a friend of mine has been in an accident.”
Shy felt closeness with his dad and felt he could open up a little about what is going on. He tells Robert about Itt and the plane crash. Robert had been developing new
recipes most of the day so he had not watched the news.
They arrive at Abbott Hospital
“Sir, are you a relative”, the clerk asks.
“BITCH, LET ME SEE ITT CHAPMEN!” Shy yells.
A doctor walks up and signals the nurse that he would take care of the situation. “Son, are you a relative of Itt?” The doctor says in a low and calm voice.
“Yes, he’s my….my brother”, Shy says.
“Come with me.” The doctor says.
Robert runs into the hospital after he parks and calling ‘SHY….SHY, WHERE ARE YOU?’
The clerk stands and point in the direction that the doctor took Shy. Robert realizes that he really needs to lose weight. He is breathing heavy and drops to his knees. A nurse walks up and assists Robert and demands another nurse to get him some water.
Meanwhile
Shy stands in the doorway and lays his eyes on the most beautiful bruised, bandaged being that makes his heart skips a beat, Itt. He is frozen and then he hears his father’s voice in a distant and his spell is broken. Left foot steps ahead and slowing followed the right foot. He now stands less than 4 inches over the person he has loved for the last year. He faints…….
To be Continued…….
