The Last Seat(pg.8)

     School graduation came with a flurry and I was ready for a change, 12 years in this system was far too long; we had field parties back then on private lands, and we all met up there after our graduation ceremony, it was far from town and we all drove in separate cars, we all drank from several spouts of kegs, we tipped our hats and our red cups and promised each other we'd make this world a better place than we found it, I even popped off a stolen quote from Dan Fogelberg the songwriter and artist as I raised my cup among a circle of true friends, "we drank a toast to innocence, we drank a toast of time, reliving in our eloquence, another Auld Lang Sine," and that was the final chapter of high school. 
     I searched endlessly for a decent and better paying job than the miserable two I had, and let me tell you these were trying times, no jobs in the early '80s, but one day I met a brick mason who said he needed help, and the pay was better so I joined up with this backbreaking job. I still lived at home and that helped, but out of the blue Rusty called and said he got a decent paying job on the docks of the Ohio River as a ship welder and told me too he bought a brand new car. Rusty had a beautiful girlfriend who loved him back, and it seemed Rusty was living the good life at an early age and everything he touched was turning into gold, while I was poor as dump yard rat. 
     Time moved on, but on a strange Sunday night in February, Rusty called me and wanted to know if I would like to go clubbing in Louisville, I made no self-counseling with a quick reply, "no, I have to work tomorrow, I carry brick and hod and I don't have the money either." 
     "Ok brother, I'm off tomorrow, just thought you liked to get out of that house, love you brother," he said making me feel guilty. 
     "I love you too Rusty." I immediately replied back. 
     I hung the phone up thinking damn, I bet they have fun, but I can't show up at work hung over, so off to sleep I went. I awoke the following morning already hating my new job, but it paid the bills but I was almost out the door when the phone rang, so I answered, "hello?"
     "Hello, is Tim there?" the person on the other end said.
The voice sounded very familiar as I said, "this is he," still apprehensive going any further with more questions.
     "This is Tony!" he said, in relief.
     "Hey, Tony, how ya doing?" I said,  waiting for the real news.
     "Have you heard the news this morning?" Tony said very sadly.
     "News? It's 7:45 in the morning!" I screamed out. 
     "Rusty was killed last night in a car accident coming back from a club in Louisville," he said in solemn sadness. 
                                                                            8 

The Last Seat(pg.7)

     Summer came and we both were becoming men where children put away childish things, but Rusty clung to that mysterious book, he thought it gave him power beyond our helpless mortal ware. I thought too, I should've never ventured into that God-forsaken woods and cave that cold day and none of this shit would've happened. Life spins away from us so quickly, this earth has witnessed so much destruction, slaughter, and death. 
     When we were classmates back at St. Thomas school, Rusty and I swore to an oath to each other what was found in that cave was kept in secrecy between ourselves forever, that's a man's membership I held forever, but maybe a promise I should've withdrawn upon.
     I still lucidly recall Rusty sitting in that stone chair anointing himself a king, and I thought the king of what? He sure did change over the years, we both have, but he'll always be my best friend until the day I die. He recited in Latin that very day too, "Qua caro separatur ab animi et lucem tenebras expellit." I know Latin which translated " in which the flesh is separated from the soul, and that expels the darkness of the light," but why did Rusty recite this very quote? Why? 
     Now, time and six degrees of separation between us, we graduated from middle school, onward bound we went to high school, we swore we'd always stay in touch no matter what the sacrifice or consequence have laid before us. But, girls were the new quarry for both of us, and betwixt random school hallway scrambles, I rarely saw my buddy. Our school schedules just didn't match up with each other, I had new stuff that piqued my interest as well, and Rusty played football and basketball. My life as a basketball player was over, I had two jobs after school and never had time, plus I now had a car,  insurance and gas weren't free. I was constantly besieged by the thought that the sun had more plasma than I days left on this earth.
     I would never give up my education, it was my ticket to salvation, I couldn't squander that no matter what laid ahead. I grew up poor compared to Rusty's family, he had the time to play ball and mingle, I did not, where most kids took their summer recess off on vacations and stuff, I worked all summer long. I had two cars before graduating from high school, where most other graduates received their gifts like cars for free I worked and earned mine, I received nothing but a hug from my parents. But, I never complained, because I was forever loved. 

                                                                                        7

The Last Seat(pg.6)

     I've known Rusty forever it seemed, but his odd behavior disturbed me, he didn't have that carefree nonchalant demeanor of lately, so I came to him, "man, are you okay?"  
     In an attempt to brush me aside Rusty retaliated, " I'm fine dude!"
     In a reassuring voice, I reiterated, " are you sure, you've been acting aloof and strange of lately?" 
     Rusty then walked away, he was agitated and quite mad, so I let him be, my dad was going to pick me up later that day but I didn't want to leave on a sour note so I noticed Rusty went to the house and soon as I walked in I heard the Eagles' Hotel California playing very loud, his parents were both working, even though Rusty claimed to hate that song, had it blaring to high heavens, I walked in the room and turned down the volume, and said laughing, "I thought you hated that song?" 
     "Oh, I enjoy the guitar riffs," Rusty said smiling back at me. 
     "My dad's coming to pick me up at 2:00, so I guess I'll see you later, love you brother," I said looking for a handout of compassion. 
     "We're cool blood," he said smiling. 
     I was so glad he wasn't upset but managed to say, "I guess I'll see you at the prison camp, school."
     "Hahaaa," he chuckled back. 
     My dad picked me up that afternoon and I was still worried about ole Rusty, but life must go on, my life anyway. But, that phrase I heard all night from Rusty in his sleep, " nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit," really puzzled me. I realized it was from Seneca, and meant, "There has not been any great talent without an element of madness." But, what the hell did it mean? 
     Back at school on Monday, Rusty showed up and reciting more crazy quotes, and I had no clue what any of it meant. I pulled him aside, and said, "dude, what's going on with these absurd quotes?" 
     "I'm reciting these magical quotes in that book we found in that cave," Rusty said with a faraway look on his face.  
    Now, ice ran through my veins, I was scared shitless, it was all clear to me now, Rusty is under this book's spell. I now knew had to get him in some cunning way to return this book back to that hellish cave, but how? He's loving this, those spells may just be to ward me off, who knows? I am in too deep, should I tell his parents and risk our friendship forever? The recess bell rang and to the classroom, I went bewildered and worried. 

                                                                       6

The Last Seat(pg.5)

     We ate together at Bradley's table and it was always customary for the guest to say grace or a few warm words, and Mr. Bradley asked me, "Tim, care to say grace before we eat?" 
     "I'd be delighted, sir," and remembered a text from the Bible, Lamentations 4:5, and spouted these words, "Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets; those reared in purple embrace ash pits...and God bless this food."  And why I thought best to say that quote still never registered with me. But, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley out of kindness said in unison, "Thank you, Tim!' 
     Now, I thought it was odd, but the Bradleys never said one word at the table while eating, not one word, so I ate and got up from the table sated as a king and retired to the couch slowly nodding off. Later, Mrs. Bradley told me to go upstairs and sleep in the boy's bedroom. So I stumbled and languidly trotted up the steps and flopped on the first bed I saw, no sooner as I was sleeping here comes Rusty in the room loud as a roaring lion I watched him out of the corner of my eye though as he hid that book under some other books in the closet. He never knew I saw him place it there too. 
     The next morning we arose, headed downstairs and tended to the farm animals, I loved it there, for my family had no cattle or any animal other than a dog and cat, so the experience of feeding animals was something to behold. Rusty looked at me when we were alone in the barn, as he was feeding a young calf and said, " whatever you do, never mention our trip to that cave or my book I stole to my parents, okay?" 
     "Why would I?" I blurted out.
     "Promise me!" Rusty said with authority. 
     " Okay, okay I won't!" I  said again. 
     "We're cool, but my dad would beat me senseless if he knew I brought something as evil as that old book filled with ancient words and odd inscriptions back home." 
     "Man, I understand, my parents would kill me too." 
     Months passed and spring came in slowly-springtime in Kentucky moves like an old maid- for winter's breath still hasn't healed and many times in late April nature would dump a foot of snow out of nowhere. 
     I slowly saw Rusty changing, he always recited ridiculous stuff now, I could not follow a word of it, and my Latin was strong too, for we had to say the entire mass in Latin as altar boys, but what on earth was he saying? This gibberish he was saying was unheard of from my perspective, so my curiosity got the best of me one day, and I wanted to know what's going on with my best friend. I cornered him one day outside alone, and said, "hey, Rusty, let's take a walk." 
                                                                                  5 

The Last Seat(pg.4)

     Rusty looked puzzled as soon as we got out of that cave he was searching through his pants and shirt for something, and I inquired, "you lose something?"

     "Yes, my dad's keys to the garage and tractor!" He said distressfully! 

     "He's gonna kill me. I got to go back in that cave and find them." 

I thought to myself, well I'll wait outside because that lighter has to be running low and I hate caves, I'm a bit claustrophobic and uttered in a low voice, "I'll wait out here then!" 

     "Hell no, you're going to help me find them, four eyes are better than two!" Rusty bleated out.

     So I gathered in what composure I had left and found the reserved courage to head back into this God-fearing awful place, and the lighter was now hot as a firestick, so we dashed in looking at every piece of ground that was filled with bat and other critter droppings. We made it back to the center cavern and there it was again that stone devil's chair. Rusty walked up near where he picked up the book behind the limestone chair, and there it was his dad's keys, and he was so elated hollered out, "found them!" His dad's keys must've fallen out when he placed that ancient book in his pants, and I thought we're already cursed. 

     "Good, now let's get the hell out of here!" I screamed out.

     But, what Rusty did next, still terrifies me today, he sat in that Satan's chair and spewed, "bow to me, you servant!" I did not find this amusing, and I had one wish, to get out of this cave quickly, as my legs now trembled and buckled, I said in return volley, "I'm gone, screw this, I can follow the dim light outside!" 

     I headed out in the darkness following the dim-lit passage out of there and was scared out of my mind, then I felt someone touching me on the shoulder and I looked back and it was Rusty.

     "You think this shit is funny don't ya?" I said in a very serious tone.

     "Oh come on man, just kidding you, lighten up!" Rusty said laughing uncontrollably. 

     We walked together for the next two miles without uttering one word at each other. I was exhausted, scratched-up, and mentally fatigued, then up one more hill there it was, Rusty's home. I said to myself, 'thank God.'

     I walked inside their house and caught a whiff of his mother's delectable cooking and there was no doubt she was a masterful cook. She then softly says, "you boys hungry?" 

    "Yes Mam, I'm starving," I said smiling like the cat who found three blind mice.  

                             

                                                                          4 

     

The Last Seat(pg.3)

     Rusty moved through the naked woods like a marathoner, and I was freezing to death, I almost started back but trudged on and finally caught up to him at the steep cliff, and looked down below, I was nearly exhausted and almost frostbitten, and I screamed, "man, I'm headed back, I'm freezing!" Rusty then out of pity, handed me his warm coat and I put it on and felt immediate relief. We then slid down this jagged cliff, Kentucky's an endless cavern of limestone and rock, North American Indians have longed utilized these caves as shelter, but with careful placing of feet and hands we managed to climb down this incline of hellish torture, my hands were cut and cold, the ice sliced through like a knife, we reached the bottom, and I sat down to catch my breath.
     Rusty said, "I want to show you something."
     I thought what now, but managed to say, " Alright, but let's make it quick." 
There behind two huge boulders hidden so well was an entrance, and Rusty had his stolen lighter, lit the way through this dark, dank, and dangerous cave. 
     "Where in the hell are we?" I said scared shitless. 
Rusty then came to a circular room in the cave, where a stone monument of what looked like a throne or chair, and then complete darkness hit us, "damn, what's going on?" I screamed. 
     "Man, my hands got hot, the lighter is bright red." Rusty fired back. 
Rusty then sat on that huge throne, and on it looked like some inscription that I had no idea what it read or meant, whatever it read was ancient and buried under years of cave dust and mold. 
     "Hey, let's head back before your lighter goes completely out!" I screamed out in fear.
Rusty then nodded, but first looked behind the stone throne and there was some old book
that had an inch of cave dust on it, so Rusty picked it up and tucked it in his shirt and pants, and out of that cave we went.  
Finally, we made it outside, and I asked Rusty, "How did you ever find this place?"
    "We lost a bull last spring, and my dad made us go out and find him, and I never came down here before so I was curious, and noticed this strange entrance by accident," Rusty said serving up my query. 
                                                                                3

The Last Seat(pg.2)

     My days were filled as any child that age under strict control and guidance of parents and Catholic nuns with scrutiny at all times, children of the Catholic faith are born guilty, I had no reprieve even on weekends, church service held me in chains 52 times a year. 

     I had to be an altar boy like every boy who entered the doorway of St. Thomas School and church, and that meant corporal punishment, we were forced to serve God with all our hearts, and any child play was strictly prohibited. I'd managed to keep my nose out of trouble most of the time. 

     Seven grueling years I spent in that Catholic penitentiary, molded in the perfect form for their obedient alms. Rusty decided to join up to play basketball, and he asked me to join as well, so I did, I was green as others were too, we only managed three wins that season. 

    Rusty was a mischievous sort, quite great at it too. His smile helped him to meet any resistance as well, his charm was plugged into all outlets, Elvis had nothing on ole Rusty.

     In my fifth year at St. Thomas life became tiresome, I grew tired of this regime of prayer and devotion, rituals became banal as putting on those uniforms, my grades seem to fall into the abyss, I ran out of lies to tell my parents. The only enjoyment I truly embraced was on the weekends when I got to stay overnight and many times over the weekend with Rusty at his parents' home. They were lovely and caring parents, had very few flaws, and let me and Rusty be kids. I and Rusty would spend hours outside on their modest farm, we always veered far away from the boundaries of safety, once I went outside without a coat with the temperature at 15 degrees, we shot basketball for an hour, then, Rusty, all of sudden headed into the forest, I hollered at him, "wait, I got no coat on!" He yelled back, "come on chicken." So, I caught up with him, and in a matter of minutes we were several miles away and I'm freezing with no coat on. 

     "Hey, man I'm cold, you have a coat on and I don't," I said with the hope of him caving in and wanting to head back to warm up back at their house. I was literally freezing to death, I was turning blue. 

     Then Rusty looked back at me and said, "I want to show you something incredible!" 

                                                                            2