orangetoughguy | log post II

[Freddy can't help but laugh. Watch this fucking kid smoke around his fireworks.]

Who fucking wouldn't?

[So Larry ratted out the men in his family. Hah. Was his mom away? Seeing grandma? Does Larry (did Larry) have grandparents? The kid wonders what his mom might have said about it, if it was too dangerous for little Lawrence Dimick, bear cub he was, to be playing around. If she only saw him now. Shit that horrible visit in May wasn't so far back.]

My dad was the same way. Him and his dad, it was one of the things they could fucking agree on. But I took it to a whole new level and they didn't see that shit coming.

[He can still hear her voice. Though his mind isn't on her scolding at him. There are ghost of snippets of you have to be careful with him, he's just a little boy. She wouldn't really have said the things she did in May after decades of not seeing one another ...would she?

C'mon now, old man. Let's not think about the past. Not when this is a pretty swell moment right now. They got a portion of the beach to themselves.]

We were at the dinner table too. It just fell on out.

[Larry leans on the car. Smoking? Hmm. He doesn't say anything because the kid should know. Not even the basics. So he's gotta know.]

They butt heads, huh?

[Freddy's mentioned it before. Sounds like the two older Newendykes threw their weight around. It makes sense that Freddy would try and keep everybody happy.]

Fireworks brought everybody together?

Edited 2011-07-04 06:26 (UTC)

Hey a professional guy like you's gotta start somewhere. I got personal experience that says you can sweat under pressure.

[Especially when it's the kid putting the pressure on in his own kid ways. Okay cigarette down, away from the goods thanks. He's got to take a moment to lean next to Larry and chomp on his sandwich. Just imagining Larry's inability to keep his mouth shut charms the jeans off this Newendyke.]

Like a fuckin' warzone. [Funny cause his granddad was in the air force, get it?] I don't know if fireworks brought'em together or they looked at this shit like each one's a loaded gun.

See that's not exactly how it went. I got so excited talking about it, I forgot to leave that detail out. Felt so proud of myself.

[As a rowdy prideful bear cub would. He wants his mama bear to know. Larry gives Freddy a sheepish grin aware that he all too often gives himself away out of joy or because of that particular pressure. This has nothing to do with the fact that this man has LAPD interrogation training. Nope. Not at all.]

Though you got experience makin' me feel like that too with the sweating. [Oh so much sweating and pressure. Uh huh.] There ya go.

[Nudge, nudge. Then he takes another bite and has to lick away some of the barbecue sauce from his mouth.]

So how did you get to know all you know?

I'll bet it was a real good show you put on for your pop too.

[What did happen to Larry's dad anyway? He didn't do any research on Dimick Sr. No need to ask though, not today, and he wouldn't dare use his interrogation tactics on him. But on the flipside it's all natural that the kid can talk and talk and talk. Sometimes it gets answers, sometimes it doesn't. Oh green eyes catch that lick of sauce, it plays in near slow motion in Freddy's mind. Pop! The nudging brings him out of that time slip.]

A couple beginners tips from family, the rest? Trial and fucking error.

[He holds up his hand as if to say simple as that, but he also wants to show how he still has all his fingers (including his little one).]

What kid don't wanna be like his dad when you start out?

[Younger, not knowing better? Shit happens. Wherever is Dimick Sr? Larry imagines it's either the grave or obscurity. Maybe he drives big rigs, maybe he's on some porch drinking his hooch and talking about the weather 1,000 plus miles away.

He doesn't mean to have his thoughts wander down that lane and in the next take a pit stop at imagining a young Freddy putting on a light show. There must be some things wrong with that.]

Trial and error? [Good thing he's not eating or else he'd be choking on the laughter.] Bullshit.

[Larry has to set down his sandwich to take that hand and inspect it as though he's never seen it before. It's not all an excuse to touch him.] You ain't never hurt yourself?

Edited 2011-07-04 06:58 (UTC)

[That's a harder question to answer evident in how when Freddy was younger he kept changing what he wanted to do for a living. What he wanted to be was a superhero...ever since dad got him his first comic. In a sense that made his dad a lot like Uncle Ben or Pa Kent, just not as old or something. The kid never really thought about it that way. He can't rebuke Larry's remark either without turning things down roads they don't really need to go. The trial and error thing, now that's way better.]

Uh huh. [Freddy nods once, looking pretty damn proud over his incendiary prowess. He even lets the old man inspect his fingers.] I didn't say I never hurt myself. I ain't ever blow a finger off, that's all. Seen a kid who did though, blew off his big toe.

[His 'solemn' expression is one for the books. He's not solemn about what he witnessed at all. To punctuate this Freddy takes another chomp out of his sandwich with his other hand.]

[As close as they are, as many subjects and secrets pass through there are still nuances that should be brought out. Freddy's Pa Newendyke days and Larry's own kinda left behind. Much of it is already to be seen. What more can you say when you are at a loss anyway?]

Holy shit.

[Even though he makes a face Larry is still eating too. He's not that disgusted.]

How do I know that kid wasn't you huh?

[Laughing a little while chewing. Nothing dramatic.]

Oh I think you know that kid wasn't me but you're sure as hell welcome to check.

[Is that a dare? Could be. Except he's still eating and the feet in those sneakers are probably rank today. On the flipside, if they go down to the water Freddy might be inclined to take his shoes off for the tide. Mmff. Good sandwich. His is almost finished. His first that is.]

I will. Though not now. I'm eating.

[And absolutely aware of the nature of sneakers.]

Yeah. I always remember that's what they say about fireworks. Use em and you're mutilated. Fuck I mean they've been around for more than hundred years. People live to tell the tale.

[He leans to take another bite and avoids sauce getting on his shirt. It plops to sand. More sauce gets on his face as he finishes it off.]

So what were you knuckleheads up to that got your buddy toe less?

Yeah like since the Chinese or somethin'.

[Real educated response there, Newendyke, though to be fair he's not wrong either. Fff. He can't help but grin at Larry too. Mff, there goes the rest of that sandwich. Freddy licks sauce off his face now just as Larry does. Damn. It's too early to give up light shows for nude ones. Ahem. He puts his cigarette out.]

Nope. Bubba Barney was no buddy of mine. [Freddy clarifies. That makes the story he's about to tell more entertaining.] See he thought he was the shit in the 7th grade, his second time in it too. So he comes around acting like Pumpkin's Corner is his little playground, the bastard. Me and my buddies we were tryin' to set a record for chaining firecrackers. We told the fucker "Hey pussy face, get out you're gonna get your whole fuckin' foot blown off!" And Bubba Barney he's just like "Bullfuckingshit. I stay wherever the fuck I want and I'm gonna stay here."

[Freddy pantomimes the whole scene, foot coming down like only a tween having a tantrum can do.] Bam! Snap crackle pop! No toe.

[The kid shrugs.]

Chinese or the Japs. They make about everything. I'm not surprised.

[He swipes his fingers across the corners to help get his mug clean. It's hard to not try and keep an eye on Freddy as he's dealing with the same problem. Uh. Yeah. That's not in the plans. Not yet. They got other fireworks to light.]

Bubba Barney.

[Really flows off of the tongue. How can anyone not say it after hearing it? Shit someone in this wide word is actually called that. He's taking in the story, detail by detail.]

Jesus Christ.

[Now that he's not scarfing up food he can ruefully laugh. Freddy's retelling makes it even better.]

Bet that fixed his wagon after.

[He said Japs. Larry's old enough for that to be a cultural throwback and Freddy's uncouth enough to let it go. It's not the first time he's heard it from Mr. White's mouth nor does he think Larry would ever treat a Japanese lady unkind. Hell the only time he can imagine Larry doing a woman wrong is if she wronged him first. Something about that rogue take on chivalry makes the old man so fucking attractive. Ahem. Right, this is about Bubba Barney though.]

Barney's his real name. Bubba he used to sound like a fuckin' tough guy. That doesn't make a teacher change your name on the roster though.

[Freddy laughs too.] Oh yeah. Who was he gonna call, the cops? [Irony.] Nobody's supposed to be hanging out in Pumpkin Corners anyway. That's private property. [Another shrug.] And anyway the last time I heard of him they reattached it. He musta gone looking through the whole compound for it.

[The kid doesn't actually know because he ran away as soon as it happened.]

[Time changes things, so does education. Larry's got at least one. Now and then he picks up on what's socially acceptable. For now he is full of plenty of these cultural throwbacks. Such easy going acceptance from Freddy makes the other man more than a little attractive than what he already is. Let's add firework enthusiast to the list while we're at it.]

Goddamn he was lucky it was a toe. Fireworks pack a punch. That's like having a low grade landmine.

[Here is a quazireformed hellraiser from firebug to cop.]

He didn't snitch on you did he?

That's what I said. Not to his face or anything.

[That would be incriminating. Freddy finally works to crack open a beer.] Naw. Guys named Bubba don't turn out so well after getting caught being a snitch. I thought you knew that.

[He's looking at Larry funny but it's really just a joke. Lawrence Dimick probably knows more about snitches than he really cares to.]

Hey now. I know that being young gets you to do plenty of shit you later learn you shouldn't.

[The ol' bear laughs because it's a joke. Also because youth has nothing to do with mistakes. Forty three and they're not in short supply. Not all of them end up to be fucked up.]

Bubba though. Of all the names to pick. Sounds like he should be barefoot and bucktoothed unless your The King that is.

[He's the only other famous Bubba that ever matters. Ever.]

I think losing your toe though gives a fucker a reputation.

He was pretty close to barefoot. [Just saying. Freddy's pretty close to being slack-jawed and knee-slappy too just from laughing with Larry. What a strange pair sprouted from a big fucking mistake.]

Yeah yeah sure it does and he can tell all the guys in the bar about it until the cows come fuckin' home. He can tell them it got crushed when he robbed a factory or got into a fight with a bear.

[Freddy nudges his beer against his chest.] But me, Freddy Newendyke, I'll always know his fuckin' secret.

[That's kryptonite right here.]

Now that's just askin' for it. The only time anybody should sport thongs is at the beach or pool.

[In a car sharing booze, food and smokes next to what would be at least two hundred all-American dollars worth of fireworks makes this more comedic.]

Freddy Newendyke knows plenty of secrets. Folks better watch out for him anyways.

[The condensation of the beer feels good even a little on the cotton of his shirt. It reminds him there's a whole lot of cold water where that's from. Brown smiling eyes turn to the waves.]

I think I'm gonna go to the water a bit.

[He gives Larry another look much like asking "Oh really?" because he wonders if the old fuck drinks in the sights of a specific kind of thing on beautiful people. Women and men alike. Another smile and he's taking a sip.]

You go on first. I'll be there in a second.

[Freddy doesn't tell him but he plans to bring a fountain with him just to watch it spew over the moving waves.]

Okay.

[He keeps his shoes and socks together near their gear and cuffs his jeans. They're full length because he doesn't wear shorts or thongs. Call it another quirk of his age and taste.

So what if they didn't bring any swim gear. Since there are more people in the general vicinity going in the buff isn't a good idea. He's content to dip his feet in. Larry's always liked seeing the ocean off the California coast. The City is like that. Something about the temperature and how there's nothing off of the horizon.

Say, aren't they coming up on about one year in this fucking loony bin?]

[Oh shit they are. Almost a whole fucking year. To even think about it scares Freddy not because he isn't happy but because it almost seems too good to be true. And then a small part of him, a boy from Fresno, California, sort of misses his family. His (few) friends. The Los Angeles he knows. Shit it's all too much. Thank Christ the firebug's not dwelling on one year anniversaries. He's busy getting the fountain, one of a couple so setting it off now is no waste in the sunset. Freddy scurries after Larry and hopefully while he isn't looking so he can 'surprise' the old man when he thunks the thing in the sand.]

Okay watch this.

[He lights the thing and starts shuffling back. Oh yeah he waves at Larry to do the same thing.]

[A whole damn year. There's a big portion of it they've spent together in it. That is worth celebrating. A year since the heist and all the bullshit and bloodshed. The bear isn't trying to think of it, but here it comes bit by bit like the waves over his ankles. Just as he's turning around he hears Freddy. In an instant he's in the present, smiling.]

Just can't fucking wait can you?

So sue me come on!

[Freddy really does sound like a kid now. He laughs and waves for Larry to come back. Not necessarily to keep safe from the spout but to be next to him when it starts spitting out green, then blue, then purple, then red, then gold.]

[Oh he comes back alright. A missing toe is bad, a missing head is dead. Larry lopes on over. He has the impulse to cover his hears but he doesn't.]

Not like we got a shortage though.

[Mr. White stands right near his side. Nothing doing. Two men, friends light off a few early fireworks.]

It's the first one.

[Freddy counters. He's had a lot of firsts with Lawrence Dimick here. The kid takes the old man by the arm (not the hand) to do a wide 'touring' circle of the fountain that just gets bigger and bigger. It reflects its colors off the incoming waves too.]

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