The Life of Buddy

Chapter XX

                 Brian sat at the table trying to calm himself from his encounter with Mister Winters.  The drumbeat that was his heart had slowly began to fade and he soon found himself able to breathe normally again.  He thought how his girlfriend's daddy scared him more than his own daddy.  And his daddy could be a extremely intimidating and terrifying man when he wanted to be.

               But at least with my daddy I know that he loves me with his entire heart, her daddy would love to rip my beating heart from my chest and put it on display as warning to any other boy who dared date his daughter he thought. 

              Brandon walked over to the table and asked "What did Kelly's daddy want."  He had passed him on the way back from the rest room and said hello to him only to receive an angry grunt in response. 

             "To threaten my life."  He said.

            Brandon picked up his cup and finished his coffee.   He then eyed his plate and gave it a curious look.  "So you ready to go."  He said as he placed his cup on the table.

             "Yes."  He said and then slid out of the booth.

             "So what did you do this time." He said with an amused grin across his face.

             "He's angry with me because I did not meet Kelly at the mall like I promised."

            "That wasn't your fault."  Brandon said.  "That was momma's doing."

            "I tried to tell him that but he did not care."  He said.  "He felt that I needed to disobey momma and daddy and come anyway." 

           "That would have gone over like a lead weight."

          "Balloon."

          He gave him a confused look.  "Sorry?"

          "The saying goes like a lead balloon." 

          "Why would a balloon be lead."

          "That's the point."  Brain said as he waved goodbye to his cousin, Eli junior gave him a wave and then rubbed his backside one more time as he went back to work.  Brian could not help but wonder what his twenty cousin could have done to deserve a butt whipping.  Then again knowing his uncle there might not have been a reason. He just might have decided that his son needed one and that was the only justification he needed.
           "You're not making any sense."  Brandon said pulling him from his musings.

           "It's because..."  Brain then let out a sigh.  "Never mind."  He did not have the strength to explain it to him.   "I just can't believe how much he hates me."

         "That's how dads of daughters are."  Brandon said.  "The first time I met Amber's dad he spent the entire night just giving me cold stares and later pulled out a big hunting knife and warned me to keep my privates in my pants or he would cut them off."  Brian winced at the memory.  "But that's how dads are.  They view their daughters as innocent flowers that need protection and boys as evil monsters who want to take advantage of them.  You will be that way when you have daughters."

           A insulted look crossed Brian's face.  "I might be protective of my daughters but I will never tell one of my daughter's boyfriends that I expect them to disobey his parents or that my rules supersede the rules of his family."

        "Yeah that is messed up."  Brandon said as he started the car.  "I am sure he would not be too happy if Rick's girlfriend's dad to forced him to disobey his rules."  Rick  was the fifteen year old brother of Kelly's.