Chapter 16
It was five-thirty that Friday night and Darin changed into a clean pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved white dress shirt.
Darin left his room and got inside his Bel-Air.
He started up the engine and turned on the radio. The song The Love You Save by Jackson 5 started to play.
Darin didn’t particularly care for that song, but the lyrics drove his thoughts to Sheryl. He sang along with some of the lyrics for the first time in his life.
Darin continued to sing along with the Jackson 5 while he drove down Marshall Avenue then turned south on Thorndale Avenue.
Darin parked his car in the parking lot of a strip mall located a little north of the high school. This lot covered overflow parking from the high school during all the graduations.
Darin walked over to the high school amongst the crowd of other town folks.
He followed them over to the football stands where the Burkeville Bears had their home games.
Once Darin entered the stadium, he saw all the one hundred and fifty seniors sitting in chairs on the football field. His heart raced when he saw himself sitting in a chair. He smiled recalling that day and how excited he was to be graduating.
Darin walked over to the middle of the stands. He stared up at them and focused on the top. He had a flashback.
In Darin’s flashback, it was a Friday night on October 11th, 1968. Fifteen-year-old Darin was at the stadium with fifteen-year-old friends Charles and Kenny.
They walked to the middle of the stands and headed up the stairs to the top.
“Hi, Darin,” called out fifteen-year-old Sheryl. She sat at the top bleacher with her friends Kathy and Cindy.
“Hi, Sheryl,” said Darin while he and Charles and Kenny sat down on the bleachers down in front of Sheryl.
“Hi Sheryl,” said Kenny, as he started to like her.
Sheryl gave Kenny a little smile as she wasn’t fond of him.
Darin remained quiet during the first two-quarters of the football game even though Sheryl occupied his mind. He wanted so badly to talk to Sheryl, but he was chicken. There was something he wanted to ask her, but every time he tried at school, he couldn’t drum up the courage.
Half-time arrived, and the Burkeville Bears were ahead against the North Chestwood Panthers. Robbie performed his magic as the quarterback.
Charles and Kenny went down to the concession stand. Kathy and Cindy also headed down to the concession stand behind Charles and Kenny. But they wanted to avoid the two guys, as they were never interested in them.
That left Sheryl and Darin up in the stands, and his heart raced. Should I? He asked himself over and over again in his head.
Sheryl left her seat and moved down and sat next to Darin. “It’s an excellent game,” she said and gave Darin a warm smile.
“It sure is,” said Darin and he looked at her. “Ah, I’ve wanted to ask you something,” he said.
“What?”
“I ah, I, was, ah, I was, I was wondering if you would go with me to the Fall Dance,” he said then cringed knowing she would turn him down.
“I would love that,” said Sheryl.
Darin stared at her in disbelief. “You would?”
“Of course. I was wondering when you would ask me out,” she said then gave him a kiss on his cheek.
For the rest of the game, Sheryl sat next to Darin, and he was in heaven.
Back to 1971 and the graduation ceremony and Darin snapped out of his trance. “Hey buddy, are you going to sit down or block the stairs?” said an irritated man behind Darin.
Darin turned around and could see this man was irritated that Darin stood by the stairs blocking access to the stands. “Yes,” said Darin, and he walked up the stairs and sat at the top. He looked down at the field and saw Sheryl near the rear of the students. He smiled while he watched her chat with the students that sat near her.
He saw Principal Richard Delvecco stand behind a podium on the makeshift wooden stand in the field in front of the students.
“Good evening everybody,” said Principal Delvecco into the microphone starting the graduation ceremony
Ten minutes had passed.
“Robbie Hanson,” Principal Delvecco said into the microphone.
Darin felt like booing out loud but refrained when he saw Robbie Hanson get up from his chair and walk over to the stage. “You’ll get yours soon enough, asshole,” he muttered under his breath while he watched Robbie walk up the steps and walk over to Principal Delvecco.
A few more minutes passed.
“Darin Archer,” Principal Delvecco said into the microphone.
Old Darin watched while his younger self stood up from his seat, walk over and up the steps, and walk over to the podium.
Young Darin walked over to Principal Delvecco and accepted his diploma with a handshake.
Old Darin up in the stand suddenly felt that handshake in his right hand.
Five more minutes passed.
“Sheryl Watson,” Principal Delvecco said into the microphone.
Darin smiled while he watched Sheryl get up from her chair and walk over to the stairs then go up them and walk to the diploma.
He clapped as loud as he could when she received her diploma.
The graduation ceremony was over, and now everybody milled around on the football field.
Darin walked down the stands and headed over to the football field.
He walked through crowds of people in search of Sheryl.
His ears perked up when he heard that familiar sweet voice. He looked to his right and saw Sheryl with her father and mother Harriett standing fifteen feet away. Darin stood there and took discreet glances at her.
Some other girls walked up to Sheryl and blocked his view, so he walked away.
Darin walked through the crowd and walked past Robbie Hanson, who stood with his father and mother.
Robbie didn’t see Darin, as he was too busy having his picture taken with his mom and dad.
Darin walked through the crowd and stopped when he saw three very familiar faces. He stood six feet away from June, and young Darin. He took a discreet glance of his father, mother, and himself as a teenager while he eavesdropped on them.
Henry looked at a stranger standing near them. “Sir, could you take our picture?” said Henry to a stranger.
“It would be my please,” said the stranger.
Henry handed the stranger his Kodak Instamatic camera.
Henry stood by young Darin’s left side, and June stood by his right side.
When they were ready, the stranger snapped the picture of young Darin, June, and Henry. The stranger handed the camera back to Henry.
“Thank you, sir,” said Henry.
The stranger nodded and walked away.
Thirty-six-year-old Jimmy Newton walked up to young Darin. Jimmy had been young Darin’s history teacher during his senior year.
“Congratulations, Darin. You finally made it,” said Jimmy.
“Thank you, Mister Newton,” said young Darin shaking his hand.
“Please, call me Jimmy for now on. Now listen, after you get your bachelor’s degree in history come talk to me. I have an old college buddy, Doctor Ervin Bowman that’s a Physics professor at the university. I told him about you. And I think he can help land you a teaching position there. They could use an excellent professor of history,” said Jimmy.
June and Henry looked proud of young Darin.
“Thanks!” said young Darin and really wanted to teach history at a university.
“No problem. Stay in touch,” said Jimmy then he patted young Darin on his left shoulder then walked away.
Jimmy stopped and turned around and looked back at young Darin. “Ervin just started on a special project that is right up your alley. I mean with your skill with history. You will love it if he gets it to work.”
“What’s that?” young Darin curiously asked.
“You’ll have to wait,” said Jimmy with a smile then he walked away.
Young Darin was curious by Jimmy’s comment while he watched him walk away, but the sound of someone approaching took his thoughts on that away.
Old Darin’s eyes widened. “So that’s what he really meant by that comment,” he quietly said while he thought about the time machine.
Jimmy walked within four feet of old Darin. He stopped and looked at old Darin.
Old Darin looked at Jimmy.
Jimmy smiled and walked away.
Old Darin’s eyes widened with joy when he saw Sheryl and her parents walk over to young Darin and his parents.
“Congratulations Sheryl,” said June then gave her a hug.
“Thank you,” said Sheryl.
“Hello, Mayor,” said Henry then shook John’s hand.
Young Darin and Sheryl held hand while their parents stood around and chatted about how proud they were that their kids graduated from high school.
Old Darin walked away, and it was so weird to relive that day, as a bystander.
Darin walked out of the stadium and headed back to his Bel-Air. He had to relive something else later tonight.
Darin drove his Bel-Air to Lake Willow and parked in the parking area.
He got out of the car and walked over to the bench used by Sheryl and himself. He lit up a Marlboro and waited while he smoked.
Darin watched the sunset after he finished his third Marlboro. He flicked the butt into the dirt at the same time he heard the sounds of car tires driving down the dirt road.
He turned around and saw a black 1965 Chevrolet C-10 pickup drive into the parking area and stop near Darin’s Bel-Air. “It’s Rusty Moore,” he said quietly when his former high school colleague got out of the pickup.
“Can you help me?” called out Rusty the second he saw Darin.
“Ah, sure,” said Darin while he got up off the bench.
Darin walked over to Rusty.
“Oh, I thought you were from my class,” said Rusty the second he realized Darin was an old man.
“Ah, no,” said Darin. “But if you still need some help, I’m here anyway,” he said.
“Sure, why not,” said Rusty, then he unlocked the tailgate of the pickup. “Groovy. Help me get the keg out of the truck and unload the firewood,” he said while he put the tailgate down.
“I’m Rusty Moore,” he said, extending out his hand.
“I’m David Thomas,” he said, shaking Rusty’s hand.
Darin looked at Rusty and recalled him from high school. They were acquaintances, and Rusty was always nice to Darin in those days.
Darin looked and saw the beer keg and a pile of firewood in the bed of the pickup. He recalled the fire by the lake and the keg of beer to help his fellow students celebrate.
Darin grabbed one of the handles of the keg while Rusty grabbed the other one.
“So, old man, what brings you here to the lake?” said Rusty, as he felt he knew old Darin.
“I come here to watch the sunset,” Darin said while they walked the beer keg away from the pickup.
“Do you live here? You look familiar,” said Rusty.
“I arrived yesterday. I’m from Orlando, Florida,” said Darin while they placed the beer keg in the dirt near the shore of the lake.
“What brings you up here to Burkeville?” said Rusty while they walked back to the pickup.
“I’m looking for a teaching job at the university. I want to teach history,” said Darin while they started to gather up the firewood out of the bed of the pickup.
“Good luck,” said Rusty while they walked over to another area by the shore of the lake and dropped the firewood into the dirt.
Darin assisted Rusty, and they got a bonfire going.
“Stay and have a few beers for helping,” said Rusty.
“Thanks, I will,” said Darin, and they stood there and watch the fire grow.
Four minutes had passed, and cars started driving down the dirt road and parked in the parking area of the lake. The celebration party for the class of 1971 started again for the second time.
Darin sat on the bench and watched while he former classmates headed over to the keg and filled their plastic cups up with Budweiser beer.
While he watched his former classmates arrive, he was on the constant vigil for sighting of Sheryl.
Darin’s eyes lit up with an idea the second he saw Marty Worsley walk up to the beer keg and Jimmy Murphy was nowhere in sight. He got off the bench and strutted over to the beer keg with a smirk.
Marty stood near Rusty, Josh Burns and two other students drinking their beer.
Darin poured a cup of beer while glancing over at Marty. “Are you the guy I heard that’s going into the Air Force?”
“I am,” said Marty with a proud smile.
Darin looked around and saw Jimmy Murphy heading over toward the beer keg. “Did you hear about that special shot the Air Force doctors will give you while in basic?”
“No, what special shot?” said Marty a little curious.
“Around the nineteenth day, the Air Force doctors will give you a shot in your left nut, and they will use a square needle,” said Darin.
Marty looked unsure of Darin’s comment. “A shot in my left nut with a square needle? I’ve never heard of that,” said Marty and he started to get a little worried.
“Oh yeah, it has stuff they inject into your nut so that you won’t get horny and jerk off in your bunk late at night,” said Darin and looked dead serious.
Josh’s eyes lit up, remembering something. “Oh, yeah, my cousin said they did that to him when he went through Army basic,” he added.
Marty got exceedingly nervous about going through Air Force basic and felt he made a huge mistake enlisting.
“Well, good luck, Marty. I heard the extreme pain in your nut only lasts a few minutes,” said Jimmy, and he walked away with a discreet smirk.
“Yeah, my cousin said they did that to him when he went through Army basic,” added Josh and he looked dead serious.
Marty got exceedingly nervous about going through Air Force basic and felt he made a huge mistake enlisting.
“Well, good luck, with Air Force Basic. I heard the extreme pain in your nut only lasts a few minutes,” said Darin, and he walked away with a discreet chuckle.
Darin walked back over to the bench and sat down and watched the kids.
After a few minutes of watching the kids, Darin’s eyes lit up when he saw Sheryl and younger Darin walk over to the beer keg.
He got up off the bench and walked away to another part of the lake. He really didn’t want to meet his younger self in person, as he didn’t know what would happen. Would he vaporize right in front of everybody? He wondered.
So old Darin milled around his former classmates, chatting with a few, as it was easy to talk to them once they had beers in their bellies.
Darin’s eyes widened and got nervous. He walked past Robbie Hanson, Mickey, and four other former Burkeville Bears football players, Bobbie, Herschel, Denny, and Frank, while they walked over to the beer keg and filled up their cups.
“Asshole,” he muttered under his breath while he walked over to a quiet area of the lake. He lit a Marlboro and watched his former classmates talk and laugh in joy with being freed from the bonds of high school.
Ten minutes had passed, and old Darin saw young Darin slip off into the woods. He knew what he was going to do at this moment and was going to happen next.
He saw Sheryl while she stood near the woods waiting for Darin.
Old Darin saw Robbie, and his buddies staring at Sheryl while she waited by the woods.
Old Darin walked over to within earshot away from Robbie. He had to eavesdrop on them.
“Go ahead, Robbie,” said Herschel.
“You’ve wanted her for years,” said Frank.
“Take her into the woods. You know she wants it,” said Denny.
“Come on, buddy, put another notch in your crotch,” said Mickey patting Robbie on the top of his left shoulder.
Old Darin could sense from Robbie’s eyes that he wasn’t interested in fooling around with Sheryl.
“Come on, buddy. You have a reputation to up hold, and this might be your last chance with Sheryl,” said Mickey.
“Not tonight,” said Robbie.
“Come on, Robbie. If you don’t, then you must be queer,” said Herschel in a joking manner.
Robbie looked pissed at Hershel while his other buddies chuckled at Herschel.
“Yeah, if you don’t, you’re queer,” said Denny.
Mickey and Bobbie all nodded agreement with Denny and Herschel.
Robbie looked at his friends and felt the pressure. “I’ll show you I’m not a queer,” said Robbie, then he headed off to Sheryl.
Mickey, Bobbie, Herschel, and Frank walked after Robbie.
“Hey, Sheryl,” said Robbie.
“What do you want?” she said and looked bothered with Robbie approaching her.
“I thought that I needed to apologize to Darin.”
“You apologize?” she said.
“Yeah, I acted like a jerk with him for years. It’s time to bury the hatchet,” said Robbie.
Sheryl looked surprised by Robbie’s proposal. “Wow.”
“So, let’s go in the woods and find him. I want this to be private,” said Robbie, and he put on his best poker face.
“Okay,” said Sheryl, then she walked off into the woods with Robbie.
Mickey, Herschel, Bobbie, Frank, and Denny walked off into the woods after Robbie and Sheryl.
Old Darin saw Robbie and Sheryl walk off into woods with the four other five guys following. He rushed off to the woods after them.
Old Darin stopped and peeked behind at tree. He saw young Darin while Tiffany tried to seduce him.
Old Darin walked away, as he wanted to witness someone else. He knew the outcome of Tiffany’s proposal with sex this night.
He rushed off and once he got twenty feet away and saw Sheryl and Robbie standing between some trees. Mickey, Frank, Bobbie, and Herschel had their backs turned to give Robbie and Sheryl some privacy. Old Darin peeked around the trunk of a tree.
“I thought you wanted to talk with Darin?” said Sheryl.
“No. I wanted to be alone with you,” said Robbie, then he forced a kiss on her lips.
“Stop!” cried out, Sheryl, and pushed Robbie away from her.
Robbie grabbed Sheryl’s body and pushed his face into her face. He forced another kiss on her lips.
“I said, stop!” she cried out a little louder and pushed him away.
Old Darin saw Robbie slam Sheryl up against the trunk of a nearby tree. “Nobody turns down me. Nobody,” snarled Robbie while he was nose to nose with Sheryl. She started shaking.
Robbie shoved his right hand up inside her tee shirt and started fondling her bra.
Old Darin had a strange feeling. He glanced over and saw young Darin looking by a tree watching Robbie force himself on Sheryl with his hand up her tee shirt.
“STOP ROBBIE!” she screamed.
“Come on, Sheryl, you know you’ve wanted me for years,” said Robbie then he forced his lips against her for a kiss.
“STOP!” Sheryl gave out a muffled yell with Robbie’s mouth all over her mouth.
“SHE SAID STOP!” yelled out young Darin without thinking of the consequences.
Old Darin smiled when he saw younger Darin rush away from the tree and rush over to Sheryl.
Robbie pulled his head away from Sheryl’s mouth and saw young Darin standing ten feet away. He got a smirk on his face then removed his hand out from under Sheryl’s tee shirt and charged over to young Darin with clinched fists.
Young Darin swallowed hard when he saw Robbie charging after him like a pissed off bull. Young Darin got visibly nervous. He felt faint. When Robbie got within three feet of young Darin, young Darin’s eyes crossed. He fainted and dropped to the dirt.
Old Darin felt ashamed of himself for fainting back then when Robbie confronted him.
Robbie towered over young Darin’s limp body in the dirt. “The pussy passed out again,” he said then laughed.
“YOU’RE A FUCKING ASSHOLE, ROBBIE!” Sheryl yelled out at the top of her lungs.
Robbie turned around and looked back at Sheryl. He figured he would go back and really have his way with her.
“She said stop,” called out a male voice from the woods.
Robbie looked to his left and saw about thirty of his former classmates in the woods including Charles, Kenny standing by Mickey, Bobbie, Herschel, Frank, and Denny. “Hey, I’m just funning around. No harm. You know just messing around,” he said then glared back at Sheryl with vengeful eyes.
Robbie walked away to Mickey, Bobbie, Herschel, Frank, and Denny.
Robbie and his friends glanced over at Old Darin when they walked away.
“Who the fuck is that old hippy?” said Denny.
“I never saw him around town before,” said Mickey.
Frank, Bobbie, Denny, and Herschel all nodded they didn’t know old Darin.
Robbie glanced back at Old Darin and got curious about the old hippy. It was an excellent curiosity about the old man.
Sheryl rushed over to young Darin in the dirt, as did Charles, and Kenny.
Young Darin’s eyes opened, and he felt relieved when he realized Sheryl, Charles and Kenny were by his side and not Robbie. Young Darin got up and was embarrassed.
“Let’s get out of here,” said Sheryl, as Robbie ruined her mood to party.
Young Darin nodded in agreement, so he and Sheryl walked away through the woods and headed to the dirt road.
Charles and Kenny followed.
Old Darin rushed over to Charles and Kenny. He tapped Charles on the back of his left shoulder.
Charles stopped, and Kenny kept on walking.
“Charles. There’s something important I need to tell you,” said old Darin.
“Do I know you?” said Charles as he looked at the old Darin and there was something familiar about this old hippy.
“That’s not important right now. What’s important is that you shouldn’t join the Marines,” said old Darin, and he looked serious.
“Why not?”
“Because you will die in Vietnam if you do,” said old Darin.
“Die, how can you know that? You don’t have a crystal ball or better yet a time machine.”
Old Darin looked at Charles, and he knew he couldn’t tell the truth. “No, I don’t have a crystal ball or a time machine. But I know for a fact that the Marines have a high mortality rate in Vietnam. So, please join the Air Force. It will be a safer choice,” said old Darin.
Charles could see the seriousness in old Darin’s eyes. “Okay, thanks. I’ll think about it,” he said then turned around and ran to catch up with Kenny.
Old Darin stood there. “Please listen to me, Charles. Please!” he quietly said while he watched Charles run up to Kenny.
Charles turned around and gave old Darin a quick glance. There was still something about this old hippy that made him start to question his desire to join the Marines. He turned back around.
“Tiffany! Get over here,” Old Darin heard Robby call out from the woods. He knew what would happen next. He had to investigate.
Old Darin snuck around the woods and eventually stopped when he saw Tiffany on her knees, giving Robbi