30. River
RIVER
My old man had put two chairs out on the porch of the general store with two freshly printed signs that read, Not for Sale .
These, he said, would be our chairs.
The chairs we sat on after he closed up shop and the sun set over the park opposite the store.
In the middle of summer, and even late spring and early autumn, the warmth of the day lingered long enough in Mulligan’s Mill for you to enjoy it from an old wooden armchair on a porch pointing in the right direction.
He’d even brought a stool out for my foot while it was still in its cast, placing it in front of my chair so I was more comfortable as my ankle slowly healed.
In a way I knew he’d placed those chairs out there to hold me captive for a little father-son bonding time.
But I didn’t mind at all.
If I’m honest, I was growing to love the time I spent with my old man.
“Close your eyes, I have something special,” my father said as he shuffled out onto the porch, the summer sun melting into the trees behind Winnie’s Wishing Well in the middle of the park .
I huffed out a laugh as I closed my eyes just as he asked me to do. “Let me guess. You found an old packet of jerky that’s passed its due date and needs eating.”
“No. Guess again.”
“You broke the printer cartridge again and you need me to fix it.”
“Rude! I’m a proud, self-sufficient Menominee elder. I can do anything I put my mind to.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Guess again.”
I opened my eyes and threw my hands in the air by way of giving up the game. “Dad, I could be here guessing until Manabush and Saw-whet have another showdown between day and night. Why don’t you just tell me what the surprise is?”
From behind his back, my father pulled out the cigar box that had been sitting on the shelf in our living room for as long as I could remember.
I grinned. “Your cigars. You’re finally going to open your cigars? I thought you said you never had a good enough reason to smoke them.”
The old man smiled, standing tall and straight. “My son is home. My son is safe. My son has finally found happiness. What better reason could there be?” He opened the box and handed me a cigar. “ Mamaceqtaw would be proud. I am proud.”
As day turned to evening…
As the sun handed the light to the night…
My father and I watched the stars twinkle in silence.
Puffing peacefully on our cigars.