You know how it is, things pass through one's mind. I was recounting a memory as I drove.
"Hello, this is Denim." My head reared back, I was in disbelief. The voice was that of my son on the phone. "I was wondering if we might meet." "Uhm...well sure." This was a most unexpected call. "So---what did you have in mind, where, when?" "Oh, I don't know, someplace." A little quick thinking---"Do you play pool?" "Kinda." "Well, there's this pool hall down in Kahului, you know the one?" "Yes, I do." "Yeah that one on Dairy Road. So when, tomorrow?" "No, I was thinking tonight." "Okay, sure, be there in two hours, Is that okay?" "K...sure...see you there." It was I must admit the most apprehensive drive ever. What would I say to him? What in the hell did he want? So many questions flew through my brain. I got there, and was chain smoking as he drove up. He pulled right up along side me in his truck. I ditched the cigarette and stepped outside. This young man approached. "Hey, how yah doin'?" "Cool", he answered. My eyes were taking in the sight of him. I think he was doing the same, as a time of silence passed. "Let's go in. I"ll get us a table." I approached the counter. He had stopped and was talking with someone or other. I walked over to the pool table and just racked the balls. Looking at them I still was wondering what I might say to him. It had been forever; No! Never. Denim walked my way and at the side of the table just stared at me. "Nice to see you Denim." His mouth was open as if to reply but it stopped there. "You can call me Charles, that's fine." "Yah know, I"ve got one question for you.....Charles! Why did YOU leave ME?" My mind flew in so many directions. How was I to answer? It just ran from my mouth----"your mom and I were just worlds apart." "Yeah, but you let him adopt me. How could you do that?" "You're right. I did'nt want that but I took a look at my childhood. My parents divorced. I never heard nothin' but shit about him. I was wanting you to have a family, love, something different. Last names, what do they mean? I just thought you'd never know. I don't know if you will ever understand. I don't, even now." That spoken, he looked me hard in the eye and me back at him. "Well, I just wanted to know." "You wanna play?" "Sure...why not." "I'm sure you never played straight pool but it is my favorite game. In New York that is the game we play. It is not the slop eight ball game. You just shoot and call every shot. It is a finesse game. Wad'yah say wanna' try?" "Sure, okay." He caught on rather well and I was finding that certain something that fathers feel as they teach their sons. It was a different but a good feeling. "Hey, this is a cool game, Charles." "Not bad, hey?" We fell into fun and good laughs. "My birthday is next week." "Oh yes, it is, isn't it?" "Well I was thinkin', I don't know, but you got such a cool pad"...Without letting him finish, the words exploded from my mouth. "Denim, invite all your friends, great idea, great just great!" Well the party was much more then great. My son and all of his friends were grooving to loud music and having this wonderful time. Out of nowhere my glass dining table crashed to the floor. I mean everything and everybody froze in place. The girls in particular stood with their jaws dropped and I saw paranoia fill the entire place. "Okay, don't anyone move. There is glass everywhere. "You, you, come here, watch your steps." In no time at all all of the glass shards had been deposited in two large trash cans. "No one's hurt, right? " No answer, "well let's party...Happy Birthday Denim." I overheard someone say "your dad's really cool."
I home. My dog, Bowster was wagging his tail alongside the neighbor's great dane. As I approached the door I could smell spaghetti sauce in the air. "Hey my man how's it goin'?" "Makin' our sauce Pa. Fay called, she'll be a little late. And this is Gloria." A fabulous young thing was sitting at our bar sipping red. "SO where's mine?" I reached for her hand and kissed the air above it. "Nice to meet you." "Don't mind him he does that with all the girls. "I got your favorite, Pops, Amarone." "That's my boy, chip off the old block." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, he'll be dancin' next." "You bet I will!"
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