OutLaw Nation Ch 3

timmo3663 (55)in #fiction • 7 years ago (edited)

It was a warm evening for mid October. Roger attended the party that the Buddy hosted at the bar-B-Que joint. He was tired from the long plane ride last night and retired early, climbing the ladder to the loft in the barn out back around ten PM. He pushed the hay door open and sat in the rocking chair facing out into the open field beyond. He looked up at the cloudless, star filled night.

He could still hear the activity down inside the bar. The party was in full swing. At one point he heard Tiny let out a belly roar of laughter. Roger couldn't help but smile. These were good people, he thought. Men that didn't have a place in society . Men that wanted something different for themselves. He thought about the possibility of joining them. Could he fit in here with these people? He smiled as he felt a certain comfortableness in this place. He realized that he was not too different from these men. “Yes”, he thought. “Maybe I will stick around for a few days”. Truth be told, he had nowhere else he had to be. Nobody was expecting him or would miss him when he didn't show up. He dozed off in the chair, looking out into the peaceful night.

At 2 AM he woke suddenly screaming in horror at the top of his lungs. Instinctively, he reached for the rifle that had become part of him during the past few years. It wasn't there. Then it hit him. He wasn't in Viet Nam any more. As he started to calm, he paced back and forth in the loft.

Several short minutes passed and he heard the barn door swing open below him. Buddy and Tiny came bounding up the stairs. Two other club members following close behind. They burst through the loft doorway. Each man was carrying an m-16 rifle. Buddy said, “Whats wrong”, as he looked around the loft. Roger explained what had happened. “Dreams”, he said. “They come sometimes. I'm sorry if I woke you guys”. Tiny smirked. “You didn't wake us Brother, we haven't even gone to bed yet. It's early and we don't have school tomorrow”, he jested. Buddy put his hand on Tiny's shoulder, as if to say “enough”. He told him that it looked like everything was OK and that the three of them should go back downstairs, After they left Buddy asked Roger if he wanted company for a while or if he was going to go back to sleep. Roger said, “No way I can fall back asleep. For a while at least. I have been getting these dreams pretty regularly. They can be real bad sometimes. Anyway, I'm sorry I alarmed you guys. I'll be fine in a bit”. “You got nothing to apologize for Brother”, said Buddy. “Since I've been back, I've lost a few nights sleep myself. It'll take some adjustment. Just give yourself some time”. Roger just nodded. The two men sat in the loft together for a couple hours. Looking out over the field and talking.

The more time they spent together, the more comfortable Roger felt there. He felt that it was OK for him to be himself there. Even in his broken emotional state he felt it was somehow OK. That these men, specifically Buddy Tanner understood. He knew what Roger was going through. At least he had some idea of it. The more they talked the more Roger felt like he was home.

At 9 o'clock in the morning Roger was awakened by the roar of motorcycle engines. He looked out the window in time to see the big man pulling out onto the road. One other club member close behind. Roger threw on a tee shirt and his boots and walked down into the bar. Butch slid a cup of hot coffee along the bar in his direction. Buddy looked over. “Hungry”, he asked. Before Roger could answer , he looked over at Butch who nodded back at him. “Sit down Roger. Butch will fix you a couple eggs and some ham. Nothing starts a day better than hot coffee and cured pig meats, eh Brother”? He chuckled. Roger smiled, “Sounds good”. He took the coffee and joined Buddy at his table. “I saw Tiny pull out. I'm surprised to see you all up so early”, Roger said. Buddy answered, “Yeah we all are pretty early risers usually. One part of the corp that kind of stuck with me. Tiny and Hammer went out to run a club errand. They'll be back before long. How were the accommodations? You need anything else up there ? “No”, Roger said. “I have everything I need. It's fine up there. Real peaceful. I think I'll take you up on your offer to stay a few days, if it still stands after last night”. Buddy smiled and looked at Roger. “We'd love to have you Bro. Why wouldn't the offer still stand”? Then he paused a moment before telling Roger. “Look Bro, we all have stuff, you know? Stuff in our past. We all have issues. I guess that's one of the reasons we all get along so good. We all don't really fit anywhere. But at the same time we fit together pretty well. It's hard to explain. Just know that the offer does still stand, and I'm real glad you are going to stick around a few days”. Just then Butch walked over and placed the breakfast on the table in front of Roger. Roger reached in his pocket for his wallet and Buddy stopped him. “Put it away Bro. You are my guest here. Your money is no good here “. he looked up at Butch, who simply nodded as he walked away. Roger said to Buddy. “Thanks”. Buddy smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. “ Enjoy Brother”, he said. As Roger sat eating his breakfast, he felt comfortable. He was relaxed. Again Roger had couldn't help but feel something he hadn't in a long time. He felt at home.

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