Summer's Spell

Chapter 3 - Breaking Away

Sheldon struggled his final test with the last four questions. He had to guess. 25% chance they'll be correct. It's the best he could do as he turned his paper, face down, on the desk. It was over. He walked outside the building, feeling the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Summertime was here. "Crank, crank, crank, Pop!" Jack is finally free from his box.

He changed into faded jeans, a t-shirt, and messed up his hair

His Uncle Bob ran a convenient store in the small town of Harperville, three hours away. Harperville was famous for its majestic scenery and historical landmarks. The thought of working in retail sales appealed to Sheldon. It was exactly what he wanted, an ordinary job, with ordinary people in small town USA.

Next on the agenda was breaking the news to his Dad. Walter may be a bit disappointed, but the idea of working for his Dad, sitting behind a desk, working as a leasing agent or whatever, did not appeal to him. Enough of being Walter's son.

It turned out that his Dad was nothing but encouraging and understanding. "This will be a great opportunity for you, although I do think you'll be back shortly. Have fun and be sure to call."

Before he left, he had one more stop to make, his girlfriend Victoria.

Sheldon was expected to spend the summer at her parent's yacht, just as he had last summer. Victoria begged and pleaded for him to stay. When he refused, she had a fit, very uncharacteristic for her. She would normally bite her tongue. Her words echoed in his mind.

"Sheldon, you'll never make it in the real world. You're too spoiled and too set in your ways!"

They argued, and it culminated in a huge fight. Sheldon didn't care. He packed his bags.

I'll show her, he thought. Maybe I'll never come back.

Sheldon arrived in Harperville with no more than a carload of his belongings. He settled into his apartment, just two miles from store. Uncle Bob's convenient store was located on the outskirts of town, accessible to major highways.

On the job, he was simply known as "Don." He met a wide variety of people from different regions, races, cultures. In Harperville, no one knew he was rich or who he was. The anonymity gave him a sense of freedom.

The job had its "ups and downs." After a few days on the job, the excitement gave way to boredom. On one particular day, business was very slow. Customers trickled in a few at a time. Sheldon watched the clock; he stared out the window; he made small talk with the customers, until finally, 5:00, quitting time.

Harperville, like most small towns, did not offer much in the way of entertainment. However, he did know the town had a comedy club. Down the road, the neon lights beckoned him:

Tickles – Open Mic Monday

Open mic tonight? Sheldon had been working on a comedy routine just in case he found the courage to perform. Comedy was in his blood, and he loved the limelight. Back in Lake Palestine, he wouldn't dare try such a thing. What would people think? He could imagine the gossip: "Walter's son performing in a sleazy comedy club. How tasteless!" And what if he failed? Here, he found the courage to be himself. So why not?