Route 66-based story
written by OC,SH’s founder, inspired by his September 2009 Route 66 road trip
CHAPTER 1: POTENTIAL SALE
He glanced down & kicked at the cracked pavement. In that moment, he flashed back to a scene some 40 years earlier.
“Get away from that wet concrete!” his mom had commanded, then turned back to the discussion between his dad & the contractor.
Now, that concrete was far from new, & his Dad had been dead some 5 years. Meanwhile, his Mom lay in a nursing home, close to death, & he was contemplating selling the building … & the concrete … to new owners, who may or may not keep up the Route 66 traditions. He didn’t want to sell the place, but he didn’t think he should keep it either.
It was a dream of his Dad’s … &, as it turned out, his Mom’s, though she never admitted it. His Dad had a fascination with Route 66 & just HAD to own SOME business along Route 66, “for nostalgic purposes”, he had explained at the time. So, with only some savings & a gritty determination, his parents bought a run down place along Route 66 & contracted some renovations … including new concrete along the walkways … that same concrete that now held their son’s stare.
He sighed heavily & took his stare away from the concrete to glance at his cell phone. A prospective buyer was already 30 minutes late. Figures, he muttered to himself. He kicked at the cracked concrete again & turned around in the warm sun, looking for a car that may or may not show up. He looked back at the building & couldn’t believe 40 years had gone by … so quickly.
He glanced again at his cell phone, & hit the redial button. The prospective buyer answered: “Sorry, we’re not coming. I don’t think we really want that place after all.”
Good, he thought. At least I don’t have to deal with this today.
He jammed the cell phone back into his pocket, glanced at the building once more, turned & started to walk toward his car. He kicked again at the pavement, wondering if his parents ever wondered if they made the right decision moving here. He knew they did.