Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
He walked over to the right side of the room and turned on an old, dust-covered movie projector. Legend held a remote control and pushed a couple of buttons to get the show underway. At last, the performance began. On the screen came a cereal commercial from his youth.
“Look. Watch. Listen,” he ordered. The sack of shit turned scared, weary eyes towards the screen.
A little boy and girl were smiling, big and bright, as they jammed their silver spoons in the sugary concoction of muesli and milk. A commercial much like he’d see on Saturday mornings, between cartoons. It then went to another commercial straight out of Kentucky. Old VHS lines ran through the screen as cheery music played about the Kentucky lottery. ‘Instant Win! Time for that Instant Grin!’ went the jingle. A man sang it happily, encouraging those that desired to wish upon a star, for riches and relief.
“Remember that, Luis? You used to like to play the lotto. I sure remember it. And I remember this commercial playin’ all the time, too. I bet you sure miss Kentucky, don’t ya? The pickin’s there was ripe.”
Then, the montage of pictures began to play. Just simple images of simple people, doing simple things.
A photo of Paula, his mother. She was petite back then, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. A Barbie doll in the flesh, with Kentucky, Southern flare, and a smile that could light up a room. There she stood with his father at the hospital, holding Legend after he was born. They looked so happy. Perhaps relieved. Maybe, they’d felt like they’d hit the lottery, too.
More and more photos showed up, pictures of little Legend growing up, a big smile on his freckled face. There were snapshots of him playing with rocks down by the pond in his first years of life, and others holding a Christmas card from Grandma. One of his favorites was when he held his baby sister, Melanie, and another, was him at the public park, on one of the swings. He was wearing a thick orange jacket, and his little feet kicked high into the air. No one could have told him that life was coming… and would be delivering a few terrible blows.
The first grade school photo looked a bit different. The smile was faint, barely there. Second grade school photo—no smile at all. But there was some bruising on his face. Boys will be boys. Perhaps he’d fallen, or gotten into a fight with a classmate over a cookie? There was no joy, no ‘instant grin,’ like the lottery commercial promised.
Legend regarded Luis, who was slumped against the wall. His eyes were big as his fists had once been as they hammered into his little body. But now, he was an old man, and all he could do was squint, mumble, and pray as he looked on. Reality had come to him and shown him the creation of his deeds.
“I take it you remember me now. Yeah, here I am.” Legend removed his leather bike jacket, and slung it over a nearby chair. “That little boy grew up and became a man. You see this room?” He turned about in a slow circle, arms wide, the cold air blowing his hair about, and the odor of Luis’ sweat filling his nostrils. “It’s set up almost the exact same way my mama had her livin’ room. Do you remember? Ugly ass couch right there, TV over here. Pictures on the wall up there… I want to take you back to that time. A place you left behind, in such a hurry.
“You left the great state of Kentucky to live in Puerto Rico. From my understandin’, you hadn’t been here since you were three years old. You know, when I tracked you down, I found it ironic that you live only twenty-two minutes away from my father. Same city, too. I took that as a sign that maybe, just maybe, I needed to make a pitstop. So, I did. Sorry to have kept you waiting an additional day, but it was necessary. I like closure. A last chapter. Kind of a stickler about things like that, as you can probably tell.”
Luis was eerily quiet. The noises from behind the taped lips had stopped all together. Perhaps he was in shock?
Legend went over and turned down the air.
“That was a little loud. I want you to hear everything I’m sayin’. It’s funny what things stick wit’ us, long after they’re over, Luis. Our first time tasting a peanut butter and jelly sandwich… our first time playin’ on the beach… our first day of school… What sticks with me, too, is the first time you approached me and told me that even though I missed my dad, it was going to be okay, because you were gonna help take care of me. I smiled at you and thought, ‘Great! He ain’t my real daddy, but he might do!’ I was real trustin’ back then. I took people at their word, ’specially adults. I wanted someone to take me to baseball and basketball games. Show me how to put on a tie. I wanted to be able to say, ‘My daddy is comin’ to pick me up from school today.’ Like some of the otha kids got to say…