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| (visual by Paul Garland via this license) |
dispatch fourteen
Caravel by Ian Singleton
debuted 15 October 2009 | kept 483 times | click to keep
I woke sitting up from the sofa to reach the phone.
Tommy?
Hello. Who’s speaking?
It’s your pop.
I didn’t reply.
Tommy, listen. You gotta listen to me now, your Uncle’s passed away.
Which, I asked.
My father stopped breathing. He started again slow, Uncle Dem. Uncle Demetrius. He’s been missing for some time now.
Yes, I know that. Fifteen years.
His body was found in a motel down in Bridgman, Michigan.
As the night before came back to me, I almost tumbled into laughter.
I think–here my father paused for thought–I think he was trying to get closer to South Bend. He had a lot of memories down there.
So you want me to go? To take care of this business?
Yeah. You’re gonna have to, Tommy. You live closest.
What if I don’t give a damn?
Tommy, this is your blood relative.
Aren’t you his blood relative too? His long-lost brother who hasn’t seen him in forever?
My father swallowed a deep breath over the receiver.
I’ll go, but only ’cause no one else will. Blood relations, I said.
All right.