The Tracks

Turntable

"It has to be today, Uncle Bugs! I can't stand not knowing what's happening over there! Dei might be in danger!"

Jay frantically paced their kitchen, where his gang, Uncle Bugs and his father Richard were all gathered. The younger guys just got back from the North, after that encounter with Mayor Jose, and Jay immediately called up his uncle and asked to have this emergency 'meeting'.

"Jay, sit down. Stay calm."

"Dad, I can't just keep calm knowing they might do something to Dei!"

"Jay, I've met your girlfriend, and believe me, she's not one to let anything happen to her. She's feisty, that one."

"Oh, you should've seen her hit her brother in the head, Uncle Bugs! Ha! Jay, you better be protected if you end up with each other, she will definitely give you a good beating!"

"Shut up, Chip. You're one to talk. Grace throws you dagger looks and you'd be crouching in fear."

"Hey, that's a look of love, and I am a willing victim."

"Ok, ok, enough of this. We'll go to the North in the morning."

"What?! Dad, Uncle Bugs, we have to go now! Dei might be..."

"Asleep, Jay. She might already be asleep. And you need that, too. It won't do us any good if we just barge into their territory with no clear plan. And a clear head. Chip, Basti, Sol, go home. Get some sleep. Basti, stop eating those cookies, it's past midnight. Go. All of you. Now."

Richard pushed the guys out of the kitchen, closed the door and went back to the kitchen counter where Jay and Bugs were still sitting. Bugs was deep in thought.

"Dad, we have to do something. Uncle Bugs, we can't just let them go on with this lie hovering over their town! Mayor Jose has got them all fooled!"

The two older men looked at each other and pondered.

"I've heard news of bad investments in the North, Dad, making their town get buried in so much debt. It doesn't help that they've been getting bad harvests for the past cropping seasons. I can understand how Dei feels so desperate to understand why there's this big dark cloud above them. And if it's all because of a lie from years ago, then it's about time that everything should be straightened out."

Bugs looked at his nephew, a smile growing on his face.

"Are you this passionate about helping straighten a lie or just for Dei?"

"Uncle Bugs..."

"Son, I know how it feels to be in love. Heck, if I don't see your mother immediately in the morning, my first thought is that something has happened. Then I smell the food she's cooking downstairs and I'm overwhelmed with love."

"Uh, Dad, we're talking about this situation with the North."

"Richard's right, Jay. I know your heart is in the right place, but we just want to be sure that this is not all about Dei. Don't get me wrong, I like the kid. She's pretty, smart and brave. No wonder Jay here is smitten."

"Well, I haven't met her, but if that's how you describe her, then my son definitely takes after me."

"Hey, that's a Faulkerson trademark. We love strong women, especially those that can growl at us under the sheets..."

"Dad! Uncle Bugs! Back to the situation at hand, please!"

Bugs and Richard laughed at how they were making Jay embarrassed. His ears were getting red, shaking his head. He would have gladly joined in on the teasing but there were more pressing matters at hand. As the two men calmed down, Richard put his arm around his son's shoulders.

"Jay, we understand how this is affecting you. Your Uncle Bugs and I have desperately tried to bridge things between our two towns, but Jose is just too stubborn. He's always been like that, right Bugs?

"Yeah, and a sore loser. Damn, he used to sulk the whole afternoon whenever Leo or I would beat him in the race."

"Now that he's mayor of the North, he's probably basking in the power. He's gotten well ahead of us, and he's going to rub that on us."

"All the more that you have to talk to him, Dad! He's made everyone believe that Uncle Bugs is the one to blame for Leo's death. He can just go on leading the town when he's got this whole lie behind him!"

The clock struck two, and in the silence of the kitchen, the two older men looked at Jay. Bugs stood up and took his jacket from the back of the chair he was sitting in, and headed for the door.

"Uncle Bugs..."

"Rich, I'll pick up Vic and Mike tomorrow. Let's take your truck. Nine?"

"Sure. I'll pack us some sandwiches."

And just like that, Bugs left and Richard stood up to go upstairs. Jay was dumbstruck at what just happened that it took him a minute before he realized that his father and uncle left him in the kitchen. He went after his father who was halfway up.

"Dad! What's the plan?"

"You heard your uncle, nine tomorrow. You coming?"

"Uh...of course! Should I bring the guys?"

"Just Chip. Get some sleep now, Jay. You'll have to prepare some sandwiches for us in the morning."

***

Turntable. A rotating structure used for diverting locomotives or cars onto a specific track. (Railroading Glossary. TRAINS Magazine)