orginal: "Attics" (slash)
Summary: Traveling south to visit David's dying grandfather, Hassan tries to figure out what is bothering David so.
I have decided to come out of the woodworks, so this is my first small try.
Summary: Traveling south to visit David's dying grandfather, Hassan tries to figure out what is bothering David so.
“Why can you not drive a little faster?” asked Hassan. David ignored the man sitting in the passenger seat and continued to drive exactly at the speed limit. This was not the first time that this one sided exchange had occurred. Ignored, Hassan went back to admiring the countryside and making fun of the town names as they passed. They had passed the rocket that marked the border of Alabama hours ago. Heading south, pine trees stood out against the sky, broken and jagged where the tornado had cut across the state. After a bit, Hassan tried again, “I could run faster than this.”
Finally, David responded, “Do you want to be pulled over and deported to Mexico?”
“I’m not from Mexico.”
“Do you think that Alabama cops know or care? Look foreign, out you go.” Hassan shook his head and continued to look out the window. The car slowed and pulled off the highway onto a side road. Further on, the pavement dropped off turning into a red dirt road. Hassan watched an even heavier silence fell on David. Pulling the car down the driveway, they parked in the grass alongside multiple other cars. Their New York plate marked them as different from the “Sweet Home Alabama” plate right next to them. Walking up to the house, David tried to ignore the whispers and stares from his extended family. He had left there for a reason and was here only for his mom as it was her father who had wanted to see him.
“Honey, I am glad you made it. Look at y’all, Bless you heart, that drive must have taken forever.” David’s mother bustled over, sounding cheerful but her eyes look tired. She wrapped David in a giant hug before turning to give Hassan a similarly welcoming one. “Your sister Annie says she’s not coming, can’t get away from work. Your grandpa is in the other room. He really wants to see you.” With that she moved on, distracting herself with trying to make sure everyone had eaten.
Hassan hesitated, watching David. “Alright,” David muttered as he headed around to the side door to avoid the relatives congregating on the porch. Climbing up the old back stairs, Hassan was amazed as the amount of red dust that had settled and how unused much of the house looked. Heading towards the front room where the hospital bed had been set up, the house got cleaner but still looked faded.
Outside the front room, David paused, unwilling to go inside. David had never mentioned to Hassan anything about his maternal grandfather before asking five days ago if they could drive down to Alabama. David’s grandfather was dying of lung cancer, and he wanted to see David before he died. Still, David had come unlike his sister. Needing to know what was going on, Hassan finally asked, “Tell me about your grandfather.”
“I spent my summers down here. Catchin’ crawfish in the creek and playin’ with dogs until the stars came out. At home, we had to be back to Mama by the time the street lights came on but here, we had all night. My cousins and I loved the outside but on rainy days we would drive grandpa crazy. However, we stayed away from the attic. Grandpa told us, we would fall through and die, the insulation would make our skin burn, we would get fungi growin’ in our lungs. The stories were vivid, and I was ‘friad of it.” David’s accent shifted as he told the story, bringing a smile to Hassan’s face. “At twelve, my sister Annie and I decided that no attic beat us, so we climbed up there one day when grandpa was gone and the rest outside. We first only found boxes of pictures. Until we hit a small box in the back corner. At first, we had no idea what it was. We pulled out a long white robe and hood. Annie realized first and dropped it disgusted. We had moved to DC the previous year and knew from pictures in school what we had found. We put it back, and I never told anyone. Annie won’t come back, and I never went back after that day. Grandpa wondered why I was always busy during summer from then on. I did not know how to deal with him anymore.” With that Davis lapsed into silence, staring at the door. Hassan did not answer, as there really was none, just leaned over and kissed David, not caring who might see them. The old man was dying, and he was still the grandpa that had loved him deeply as a child. The rest was still there, and David would not hide that he and Hassan were together. With that, David grasped Hassan’s hand and walked in to see his grandfather.
Driving home a few days later after the funeral, Hassan started laughing. David, his thoughts interrupted, looked over. “What is so funny?” David demanded.
“Well, your grandfather was right on one thing. Attics are dangerous.” David looked confused. “I would never have met you if you had not fallen through yours and gotten stuck in your washing machine.”