Ernest Sr. Walked with determination down the road to his sister-in-law’s house. Ernest knew she would be surprised. The boy was his. Virginia would give him up whether she liked it or not. His wife should have kept him until he returned from the army. Ernest Sr. married Virginia’s sister Sarah. She was the older of the two. Sarah had dropped the boy two years earlier and left with a man she had met at the bar. Sarah left Virginia her forwarding address. Earnest Sr. Had written to Sarah, informing her he would not be returning from the army for another eighteen months. Sarah’s return letter said the boy was at her sister’s, goodbye.
Ernest Sr. Promptly volunteered for a dangerous assignment. However, unfortunately, he had only lost his left arm up to the elbow rather than ending his life. He was home now, and his son would know at least one of his parents starting today.
Ernest, Jr. saw the man walking up the driveway. He did not recognize who he was until the man came closer. Then, it hit him. He could have been looking in a mirror. So, this was his father. Young Ernest noticed only one arm swinging at the man’s side. There was no other hand. Ernest wondered why the man had come. When Ernest, Sr., Knocked on the door, young Ernest opened it slowly. The man filled the doorway as he stepped inside. Virginia went into the room where the two were standing. Virginia’s face turned white when she saw Ernest Sr. Look at the boy and say, get your things; you are coming home with me. The boy looked at his dear Aunt. She just lowered her head and said, do what your dad asked.
Ernest, Jr. looked to his Aunt for support, but none was forthcoming. The young boy slowly walked to his room and returned with two pairs of overalls, underwear, and tee shirts. Ernest Jr. scooped his hand to the floor where He had lined up a handful of toy soldiers the night before. He stuck them in the pocket of his overalls. When he returned to the room, Ernest Sr nodded towards Virginia and said, you can see him on the weekends.
Ernest Sr. Looked at his son and said coldly; we are leaving. Get your things.
There was no talking on the way home to wherever that was; they got in a waiting taxi. Young Ernest looked at the road behind him from his Aunt’s home, hoping he would get to come back. The cab pulled up to the motel; the flashing light was pretty. Ernest Junior wondered why they were stopping here. His father grabbed his suitcase from the backseat and told his son to leave and walk towards the office. Ernest Senior said I need a room for my boy and me. We will be here till the end of the month.
The hotel manager gave them key number nine and pointed them in the direction. Young Ernest saw cockroaches scurrying across the floor as Ernest Senior opened the door. Ernest refused to cry. He remembered the toy soldiers he had stuffed in his pocket earlier. As Ernest pulled them out, his father glanced his way and said, what do you have. A ray of hope flashed in the young boys’ eyes. It is my toy soldier’s look, dad, just like you. They even have tiny little guns.
Ernest Sr. took one from his son’s hand. He broke the arm of the toy soldier off and said. Now he is like me. The young boy turned his face so his father would not see the tears slipping out. A month passed, and just as his father had said, they were leaving.
The cab pulled up in front of a dilapidated old building. Ernest’s friend from school, William, lived here. Ernest knew because he had heard James making fun of him one day. He called him a guttersnipe. Ernest did not know what a guttersnipe was, but it did not sound good. So Ernest guessed he was now a guttersnipe too. About two months into the move to the Project, Ernest was getting used to things. He got up, brushed his teeth, dressed, and walked the mile to school every morning. His friend William waited for him each morning.
The boys stopped at Pete’s Market and got pop cycles for breakfast when they had five cents. You could buy one and break it into two pieces. They took turns picking the flavor. Ernest and William would run side by side in the relay races in the upcoming sports competition. They had been practicing every day after school for a month. The boys were excited about the meet and had a good chance of winning. Ernest Jr. Was happy, but he did miss his Aunt Virginia. Best not to think of that now.
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