“You know, I bought that stuff to munch on while we were out there fishing not for a pre fishing snack just for you.”
Nick glanced over; his hand full of M&M’s and offered them to Kevin, “No thanks; it’s too early for that crap.”
“It’s never too early for M&M’s Kev.”
Kevin sighed, “You should have eaten breakfast when I offered it to you this morning.”
“Kevin it was way too early to even think about eating, my stomach was not fully awake yet.”
“Well, tell your stomach to go back to bed because I want food left for fishing.”
“You’re like really into fishing aren’t you?” Kevin ignored Nick and continued down the road. The sun was starting to shine high in the sky making it a little hard to see, “Hey go into the glove compartment and hand me a pair of sunglasses okay?”
Nick clicked open the compartment and fished out a pair for Kevin and of course the other pair for himself. He sat there debating which ones to keep and which ones to hand over, trying them both on, lowering them to the front of his nose and saying, “Why….hello there pretty lady.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I need to see which pair suits me.”
“You plan on flirting with the fishes?”
“Kevin when you try to be funny it just doesn’t work.”
“Whatever…just hand me my sunglasses,” Kevin reached over and took the pair he liked best right off of Nick’s face.
“Ouch, why do you keep abusing me on this trip?”
Kevin shook his head and put on his glasses, “See? Now I look good in these.”
“You look old in those. You look like some Burt Reynolds wannabe.”
“So I guess they looked better on you then?”
“Hell yes everything looks better on me.”
“So you’re the old Burt Reynolds wannabe?”
Nick not being able to come back with a witty reply, just pffted at Kevin who smirked in return.
They sat in the car in total silence for the next ten minutes, Nick shifting his position about twenty times. Kevin forgot how annoying he could be in a car… Actually he didn’t forget, he blocked it out.
“Whoa! How come I didn’t see this before?”
“See what?” But a glance over towards Nick answered his question as he saw Nick playing with a bobble head dog.
“I thought that thing was broken.”
“No it ain’t Kev…look it’s bobbing…I’m a bobble head dog yup I am.”
“He was on the dashboard but he fell off, where did you find him?”
“He was in this pocket over here. I have to admit I’m kind of surprised that you have one of these.”
“It’s Kristen’s not mine. We bought it together at some kind of flea market. She said it matched the car.”
Nick held it up to the dash, “Yeah she’s right it does. I think I’ll call him Winky.”
“Winky?”
“Yeah he kind of looks like he’s winking, doesn’t he?”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“Yup, he’s Winky.”
“You take naming inanimate objects very seriously I see.”
“Well technically he’s not really inanimate. He IS moving.”
“Oh right, silly me.”
“Winky Wrinkly Winkerson….he’s my Winkly friend…”
Kevin raised his eyebrows as Nick burst into song about the stupid bobble head dog, hitting his head with every word. “You are much too easily amused kid.”
“Winky….rhymes….with pinky….rhymes with….” Nick bit his bottom lip trying to think of another word.
“Stinky…” Kevin added.
“Hey you’re right!! Thanks man.” The level of excitement in Nick’s voice made Kevin laugh. There was just something about this kid that always got to him. Nick drove him nuts but there was something about him.
“Winky’s my stinky stinky….friieeeennnndddd.” Just as Nick held out the last word he hit the bobble head a little too hard and it broke off, the poor puppy’s head fell into his lap and rolled onto the floor.
“Oops.”
Kevin saw it all out of the corner of his eye and tried his best to not laugh or act like he knew what happened. “Oops what?”
“Nothing…um…everything’s all good.”
“Did you break Winky Nick?”
“Perhaps? Let’s say I did…how would you feel about that?”
“The same way I always feel…that you’re a giant bonehead.”
“Oh well in that case, yeah I broke his head off.”
“God you are the most destructive person I have ever known!” Kevin turned towards Nick ready to lay into him again just as one of their tires blew, sending both men forward.
Nick hit his head on the glove compartment as Kevin hit the steering wheel hitting the breaks and clumping over towards the side of the road.
“What the hell just happened?” Nick asked gradually moving himself back to an upright position holding his head as he did.
Kevin turned towards Nick, his face a little pale, “I think we just got a flat…are you okay?” Nick nodded, “You?” Now it was Kevin’s turn to nod.
“Well that explosion took about twenty years off of my life.” Kevin said opening his door and stepping out to look at the damage. Nick followed him shortly after; as he stepped outside he looked at Kevin who was crouched down staring at the back passenger side tire, “Yup this one totally blew! This sucks!”
“We aren’t having very good luck on this trip are we?” But Kevin didn’t answer Nick, instead he walked over to his friend who was still holding his hand to his head, “Did you hurt yourself?”
Nick shook his head but Kevin ignored him, opting to pull Nick’s hand away and take a look for himself.
“You are hurt! Jesus Nick how come you took off your seatbelt?” Kevin’s voice was stern and firm, much the same way it tended to be when he was in his worst moods. Nick always chose to avoid Kevin when he would get like that and sighed when he realized he was now going to incur the wrath.
“I just took it off for a minute to get the stupid head…”
“You’re lucky you didn’t go through the windshield!”
“Relax Kevin it’s no big deal.”
“NO big deal? Well you’re freaking head is bleeding a little bit.”
Now Nick looked alarmed, “It is?”
“A little yeah.” Kevin walked away from Nick and suddenly felt the need to kick the car. Nick seeing Kevin start to lose it, went over to try to calm his friend down, first putting his shirt up to his head to wipe the small amount of blood away.
“Kev, it’s no big deal…you have a spare right?”
Kevin just stood there biting on his bottom lip, “Nick, you have to be more responsible…what if we hit another car?”
“What are you talking about? God Kev…it’s a flat tire we’ll live.”
“That’s not the point.”
“And what is? To blame me randomly for something?”
“No….but…forget it, I’m not getting into this with you right now.”
“I don’t understand why you are so mad at me; you were the one driving the damn car.”
Kevin tried to ignore Nick and opened his trunk taking out the spare tire.
“Go in the back and get me the jack please.” He said passing Nick and motioning for him to help.
“Do you know how to even do this Kev?”
“I have changed a tire or two in my day.”
Nick walked over with jack in hand and handed it to Kevin who was already sitting on the ground ready to start his mission.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just stay out of my light…”
“Fine!” Nick said walking away kicking up pebbles as he did. These little temper tantrums were a big part of the reason why Nick seldom enjoyed Kevin’s company back in the good old days. Not even that far back. On the hundred hour tour, he thought he was going to end up killing Kevin because it seemed that every little thing he did, Kevin would pick up on and nag him about. Being late, eating too much, smiling too little, you name it and Nick got blamed for it. Just thinking back on those days made Nick yearn for a cigarette so he grabbed his pack from his jeans and lit up.
“Shit!” Kevin yelped followed by a few more choice expletives. Nick shook his head and made his way back over to the car, just as Kevin was lowering it off the jack.
“You okay?”
“Yup, just fine and dandy.” Kevin said while wiping the dirt off his pants. Nick extended his hand for Kevin to take but instead he refused it and helped himself up, “Fine…just trying to help.”
“If you want to help you can drop the cancer stick. No smoking in my car.”
“I’m almost done just a few more puffs.”
“Okay see? That’s what I’m talking about. You’re reckless Nick!”
“What the hell?”
“You…you aren’t taking care of yourself. You smoke, you drink, and you drive without your seatbelt on all the time…”
“Jesus enough about the seatbelt.”
“All the time!” Kevin said now moving in closer to Nick, “What’s gotten into you?”
“Oh you know what? I’m done. Have fun on your stupid fishing trip, I’m going home,” Nick said throwing the butt of his cigarette at Kevin as he passed him by.
“You’re going to walk home?”
“Walking is better than staying and listening to your crap! It’s not even 9 am and already I’m being lectured by St. Kevin…well spare the lecture, I’m out of here.”
“Yup walk away! Go ahead that’s what you do best!” That made Nick stop in his tracks.
He heard Kevin approach so he turned around, arms folded in a defensive pose, “When things get too rough for you just run away. Don’t deal with it, hell no just run away.”
“I’m not running away from anything you just happen to be annoying the crap out of me!”
That made Kevin smile, “Okay fair enough…I’m sorry I yelled at you.” He had now caught up to Nick and as he got closer he also had managed to calm himself down. “It’s just that, I worry that’s all.”
“No need to worry, I’m a big boy and can take care of myself.”
“Yeah I’ve heard that before.”
“I’m not AJ.” And there was the comparison, it happened at least once a week. One of them comparing his behavior to AJ’s just before he had gone totally out of control.
“I know you’re not AJ, if you were I probably wouldn’t be so worried…” Nick put his head down; Kevin could tell he was trying to digest that latest exchange. “Come on…let’s get back on the road, we’re really almost there barring another disaster.”
Nick rolled his eyes and once again brushed past Kevin but this time heading back towards the car. “Boy I’m having a great time so far Kevin, this has been great…” The sarcasm dripping from his voice was enough to make Kevin sigh as he followed his friend back to the car.
As always thanks for reading :) i'll be back next week with another update
