The Outhouse Gang by Neil Plakcy

Author:Neil Plakcy [Plakcy, Neil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781611870268
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: 2010-06-23T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Nick called Fred that night. “I don’t want to hear any arguments,” he said. “You had a good time last year. And your friend Dennis will be there.”

Fred tried a dozen excuses. “No more arguments, Frederick,” Nick said finally. “Just be ready at quarter to nine.”

Fred passed the phone to Carol, and she and Nick argued for a few minutes about the Outhouse Gang, but Nick would not be moved.

Fred was sulking when Nick arrived. Nick tried to make conversation on the ride over to the hardware store, but Fred would not respond.

At least he was still talking to Dennis Warner. As soon as Nick pulled up, Fred was out of the car, and he and Dennis hung out in the shadows behind the store until everyone else had arrived.

Chuck was right. It was starting to look like a boy scout outing, some kind of father and son caper. Sandy Lord was there with his fifteen-year-old, Tommy. Chuck Ritter and his son, Bruce, who was graduating from high school soon. Paul Warner had come with Dennis.

The last to arrive was Harry Mosca. Nick expected him to be alone, having heard that Terry was in California. But there Terry was, getting out of his father’s car. His light brown hair reached his shoulders now, and he had a short, scruffy beard. In his navy pea coat and blue jeans, he looked like a man, no longer just someone’s boy. The men all gathered around him, shaking his hand and slapping his back. “Good to see you again,” Nick said.

“Good to be seen, I guess.” Terry slipped away to the kids, who gathered around him as eagerly as their fathers had.

“All right, let’s go,” Chuck said. Everybody jumped into the bed of the truck. Their destination was a farm on the Stewart’s Crossing-Newville Road, about ten miles away. Tom Laroquette had been out hiking and noticed the outhouse a few weeks before, and had made careful note of its whereabouts. He gave the directions to Nick, who was riding in the cabin with Chuck.

The guys were all still friendly toward Nick, though he thought he noticed a coolness. He sensed some disapproval from Harry Mosca in particular, but Harry’d always been so churchy and moral it was a surprise he was in the Gang at all.

Chuck slowed when they got close to the farm. “According to the directions, it should be just up ahead,” Nick said. “Right where that billboard is.”

Chuck stopped the truck in front of the billboard and he and Nick got out. “This where you saw it?” Chuck asked Tom.

Tom stood up to get a better look. “Rippling Creek Homes,” he read from the billboard. “Eighteen new home sites from the seventies, by Crossing Homes.” He turned to the other guys. “I swear, this is all new.”

Charley Woodruff jumped out and picked up a handful of dirt. “He’s right. They just started bulldozing here in the last couple of days.”

“You think the outhouse is still here?” Nick asked.

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