CHAPTER THIRTY
“How was the big hike?” Carole asked when Reggie got home that evening.
“Fine,” Reggie said, but his wary smile told of a better-thanfine time.
“You look really beat.”
“Um. Yeah. It was a long day and I’m wiped out.” Reggie grabbed a coke and a bag of Doritos. “Think I’ll go to bed.”
“Sure. You can fill us in tomorrow,” she said as Reggie headed to his room. “Remember, we’re driving up to the mountains. It’ll be good for your dad to get a break from the hospital.”
Sunday morning started off quietly. Reggie and his mom picked his dad up at the hospital and went to Outback for lunch, his dad’s favorite spot. Then they took the long drive on the Rim of the World Highway. Reggie noticed how the woods and the vistas seemed to bring peace to his dad, and Reggie felt it, too.
“Remember all those switchbacks on the Timberline Trail, Dad?” Reggie asked. “We doubled back on ourselves so many times, I thought we were lost.”
His dad let out a laugh. “Yeah, I remember. You kept asking me to check the compass.”
Reggie remembered all the good times they had. He started feeling a greater acceptance of his dad. Reggie felt good, he suddenly realized, about himself. As he gazed out the car window, he savored the success he had on the trail the day before, but didn’t want to brag and thought he would share it with them later. He felt like he wanted to savor his victory over the lion, or was it over himself? He thought.
After their hike, they checked John back into the hospital. They walked him to the fifth floor common room. A crowd of vets played cards at a table and one guy in a wheelchair made small endless circles in the middle of the room. Other vets sat along the perimeter, staring at the ceiling, or what Reggie thought, staring at some distant moment in the past.
John thought he’d watch a bit of TV and went to sit down. When they waved goodbye, Reggie looked at his dad and the other men and felt a little depressed. He saw many had lost their limbs, and thought that many had also lost their minds and their lives.
As soon as Reggie and Carole got back to the apartment, the phone rang. It was John.
“Turn on KTLA-TV!” he shouted.
“What?” Carole said.
“Channel Five, right away. I’m hanging up to watch, bye.”
“Dad says we have to watch TV,” she said as she flicked it on. Reggie looked puzzled.
They heard the news anchor say, “And we’ll be right back with more of that incredible video of the teen lion-tamer who saved his friends in the Santa Monica Mountains.”
Ping! Reggie looked at his phone and saw a text from Stephanie telling him to turn on Channel Five news.
There was a car commercial after a Ross commercial, followed by a Stater Brothers commercial, then another car commercial filled the screen as Carole asked, “Do you know anything about this, Reggie?”
“I’m not sure, Mom.”
The anchor finally came back on the screen: “Here’s Vera Chu with an exclusive live interview with an Encino High student who recorded the daring rescue in Topanga Canyon from a possible mountain lion attack. Vera?”
A short woman standing on a mountainside appeared. “I’m standing here, live in Encino with Stephanie Demancik, an Encino High Junior who was on a hike in Topanga Canyon yesterday and caught on her camera the remarkable footage of a fellow student who stared down a mountain lion. Can you tell us, Stephanie, about this young man and what happened?”
“Reggie?” his Mom gasped. “Is this the same Stephanie that you—”
“Yeah…”
And there she was, Stephanie talking to the reporter with a huge smile on her face. She spoke, “Well, Reggie Youngblood, who’s the president of our hiking club at school, climbed to the top of a ravine where a mountain lion was looking down on us and we were all freaking out because we thought it was going to attack us.
And Reggie just went up and talked to it and it ran away.” “What do you mean, talked to it?” the reporter asked.
“Reggie has been studying mountain lions and their behavior and their relationship with humans, and so he used his understanding of the animal to coax him to leave us alone. It was incredible.”
Carole turned to her son with her jaw on the floor. “Reggie, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Mom, just watch!” Reggie said as he remembered that Stephanie’s uncle worked at KTLA.
The reporter shook her head. “Reggie must be a very brave guy.”
“He is, and he showed all of us how we can share the lion’s habitat.”
“Go, Stephanie!” Reggie yelled, pumping the air.
“How did you capture that exciting rescue on video?” the reporter asked.
“Reggie told the hikers to follow him up the ravine and make lots of noise... I was behind him about ten yards and I turned my SLR onto video.”
“Well, thank you, Stephanie, for sharing your exciting video. Back to you in the studio, Mike.”
The anchor popped back on the screen and said, “Here’s another look at that incredible video taken by Stephanie Demancik in Topanga State Park.”
Together, Reggie and his mom watched the footage of Reggie saving the day. “Reggie, I can hardly believe what I just saw,” his mom said as she scooted over on the couch and gave him one of those choking hugs.
“Enough, Ma,” he said.
The anchor came back on, “Watching these kids hugging their hero shows what brave young leaders we have. We’ll be right back.”
The phone rang and it was John: “Can you believe it? That’s our son!”
“I know!” Carole shouted. “And here he is...”
“Reggie, you’re a hero!” John yelled. “I ran around the TV room telling all the guys ‘That’s my son!’ I knew you knew a lot about cougars, but geez, Reggie, where did you learn that?”
“I don’t know, Dad, it was just in me somehow.”
“Well, I’m real proud of you, Reggie.”
“Thanks, Dad. How are you feeling?”
“Right now, super.”
“Say Dad, can we talk later? I have to call
Stephanie, if that’s okay.”
“Go for it, hero,” John laughed. “Talk to you soon.” Reggie ran into his room to call Stephanie.
“So, did you see it?” Stephanie asked.
“I can’t believe it, actually. I had no idea you were taking a video the whole time... Guess I can’t get frustrated with your constant picture-taking anymore. Nice interview, by the way.”
“My God, my hair was a mess and I stumbled over my words.”
“You did great.”
“Guess what?” she asked.
“You’ve got another surprise?”
“My uncle, you know the producer at KTLA, he told me that the CBS network has picked the story up for a feature piece to be broadcast on Monday. You’ll be famous!”
“That’s, um…” Reggie whispered as he heard his mom knock on the door.
“It’s Joe on the phone, Reggie, want to talk with him?”
“Yeah... wait… hold on Steph... it’s Joe, can I call...”
“Hey, take it. My parents want to go out to dinner—they want to meet you by the way—I’ll see you on Monday, okay?” “Definitely.” Click.
The home phone rang. Carole picked up, said hello and handed Reggie the phone.
“Joe? Guess you saw the news,” Reggie said.
“Not really, I’ll catch it tonight, but the commissioner did and Mr. Callahan called me to confirm that you’ll be at the wildlife corridor meeting on Thursday. He said he thinks your story will help the meeting and shore up public opinion. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thanks, and I’ll be there for sure. I’ll have my Mom call the school. Ten thirty, right?”
“Right, I’ll see you then. Thanks, Reggie.” “Thank you, Joe.” Another call came in.
“Isaac?”
“Hi, Reggie. My parents told me you rescued your hiking club from a mountain lion yesterday and you’re a big hero. Did you fight him off?”
“Nah, I did what I had to do and it worked.”
“Mr. Modest!” Isaac laughed. “Who’s the girl who took the pictures?”
“My new girlfriend, Stephanie. You never met her.”
“My Mom says she’s cute.”
“Totally, dude. Long brown hair, brown eyes and a super personality.”
Reggie got a signal on his phone, another call was coming in.
It was Jennifer. “Say Isaac, hold on a sec, I got another call coming in.”
“Hey, Jennifer. How are you?”
“Hey there, superstar. You must be floating on air ‘bout now.”
“Yeah. Right. Jennifer, can I call you right back? I’ve got Isaac on the other line.”
“How’s he’s doing? Haven’t talked to him in a long time. Why don’t you put him on and we can have a three way call?”
“Hold on, let me see.”
“Isaac? Jennifer’s on the other line. Wanna say hi?”
“Yeah. Put her on.”
“Hi Jennifer. How’s things with you?”
“Real good, Isaac. This art school is awesome and I’ve got a girlfriend now.”
“Good for you,” Isaac said. “Guess what guys? I’ve got a boyfriend too.”
“Cool. You’re a fast mover,” Jennifer said.
“Good news, dude,” Reggie said.
“Yeah! His name’s Javier, and we fit right in at this liberal school. He’s good-looking and super athletic. Even got me into martial arts. And, Javier’s modest, just like you, Reggie.”
“Hey! Give it up!”
“I miss you Reggie,” Isaac said.
“Me too,” Jennifer said, “It’s just like old times.”
For a moment all three paused, then Isaac said, “You know,
Reggie. I need to thank you for always sticking up for me. You too Jennifer. And…and Reggie, I’m sorry for being selfish after the fight, I could have been a better friend then.”
“Don’t worry about it, Isaac. Both of you were, no, sorry, are great friends. You know what’s funny guys? I always wondered why you two picked me as a friend.”
“Simple, Reg,” Jennifer said, “You’re a hopelessly sensitive and sweet straight guy.”
“Ha. Don’t make me laugh. You two are the best friends a straight guy could have.”
“Let’s not get too mushy here,” Jennifer said, “And on that note, I gotta run, Terrie’s pulling my arm. Congratulations on rescuing that cute girl.”
“Bye Jennifer,” Reggie and Isaac said at the same time.
“Alright, I better split too,” said Isaac, “Take care, buddy.
And kiss a mountain lion for me.”
“Ha! Take care of yourself too, bye.”