Going Home Pete Hamill
They were going to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.”I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. There were six of them, three boys and three girls, and they got on the bus at 34th Street, carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags.All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap. They were dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the grey, cold spring of New York vanished behind them.They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time. Vingo was on the bus from the beginning.
My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice that Vingo never moved.We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms. He sat in front of the young people, his dusty face masking his age, dressed in a plain brown suit that did not fit him.
“”Why school . His fingers were stained from cigarettes and he chewed the inside of his lip a lot.”" I asked my father. He sat in complete silence and seemed completely unaware of the existence of the others.”"What have I done .
Deep into the night, the bus pulled into a Howard Johnson’s restaurant and everybody got off the bus except Vingo.”"
“”I’m not punishing you, “” he said, laughing. The young people began to wonder about him, trying to imagine his life: perhaps he was a sea captain; maybe he had run away from his wife; he could be an old soldier going home.”"School’s not a punishment. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls became so curious that she decided to engage him in a conversation.It’s a place that makes useful men out of boys. She sat down beside him and introduced herself.Don’ t you want to be useful like your brothers.
“”We’re going to Florida,”" the girl said brightly.”"
I was not convinced. “”You going that far.I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building. “”
“”I don’t know,”" Vingo said.
When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. buy wow gold
“”I’ve never been there,”" she said.”"Go in by yourself, “” said my father, “”and join them. “” I hear it’s beautiful.Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. cheap wow gold “”
“”It is,”" he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget.”"
I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him.
“”You live there.”"Be a man, “” he said. mp3 players “”
“”I was there in the Navy, at the base in Jacksonville”".”"Today you truly begin life.
“”Want some wine.You will find me waiting for you when it’s time to leave. world of warcraft gold “” she said.”"
I took a few steps. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle.Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. wow gold He thanked her and retreated again into his silence.I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. After a while, she went back to the others as Vingo nodded in sleep.I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. wow gold
In the morning they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s and this time Vingo went in.But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, “”Who brought you. The girl insisted that he join them.”"
“”My father, “” I whispered. wow gold kaufen He seemed very shy and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously, as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches.
“”My father’s dead, “” he said simply. When they got back on the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again.
I did not know what to say. After a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story.