A CRACK OF THUNDER

"Okay, Jack, do something!" said Mr. Clark. Jack was my father. Not a big man but not a small one either. Mr. Clark was egging my father to do something. Pushing his shoulder and putting his fists up. My father just looked at him. the other men around the bar hooting and hollering.

"Go one, Jack, show'em what you got. Teach the mother a lesson." said the men.

My father lifted up his pint glass and three back the last few ounces of dark brew. When he finished he put the glass down and wiped his mouth with is arm and got up. Mr. Clark took a step back. He still had his hands up but was beginning to move them like he was pedaling a bike with this hands.

"Come one you chicken shit, show me something." said mr. Clark. Mr. Clark was a tall fat man with a round red face and nose that looked like it'd been stung by a nest of bees. He was always trying to get my father fired up.

"come on faggot, do something." My father took a step towards him and looked around at the other men at the bar. Most of the men were guys he'd worked with all his life and some he even grew up with here in Mayberry.

Mr. Clark was actually farely new in town. Only been here for two years but ever since he come to town people never seen my father the right way again. When ever we go into town I here em talkking whispering to themselves about my father. Never really here what they saying but they always laugh a bit as they point at him. My father so slow at times I think he misses it all but I catch it and sometimes I just wanna get a stick and whack them people in the skull.

I watched as my father looked at Mr. Clark. Even though Mr. Clark was a bigger than my father I just wanted my father to give him a good one. To stop these men from always calling him a coward.

The men instigated the situation. "Go on Jack, show the cock sucker a thing or two. Show em what you made of if you got anything that is." The men threw back some drink and laughed as they pointed at my father making gestures like he had a little willy.

"Let's go, Johnny." My father said. I was surprised. I down my coke the way my dad has finished his beer complete with wigping my mouth on my arm.

My father gothis hat and left a ten dollar billa t thebar. The men made chicken noises at my fahter. "Jack you fjcikgin loser. You showing hta boy of yours how ot runaway. Next go teach him how to squat when he takes a piss." said Mr. Clark. The men laughed.

My fahter walked out but I turned around and gave the men a stare and gave them the finger but it do nothing but make the men laugh more.

We were both silent as we got into the car. I was sore about this and could feel the soda in my belly coming up my throat. I wanted my father to go in there and whack Mr. Clark in the skull. To make them repect him.

We rode him in silence. Niether of looking at each other still there was something being said in it. We don't talk much in our family but somehow we always know what the other is thinking. As we drove downt he highway I watched the sun god ownpast the cypress threes. I looked at my old man. He looked as if nothing had happened.

"Why you let themt alkt o you like that. We aint cowards you and I."

"I reckon it just aint my way. No need to get all heated up over nothing, JJ."

"Don't seem right not sticking up for yourself." That's where I left it. Wasn't much else tosay.

The truck slowed down and pulledover to the side of the road. My father got out and walked over to the cypress trees. I figure the man had to take a leak. I would have gone too but I just didn't feel like following his footsteps.:

I threw my head back and closed my eyes. I could see them boys at school teasing me about this. How my father was a coward and weak and how Iwas too. But Iwould show them. Just because my fahter was a coward dind't mean I was. And if Mr. Clarks boy came at me I would thump his skull.

"JJ. Look here." My father shouted. I saw him standing next to cypress tree. About twenty feet high and with a good six foot round trunk. My father let out a loud noise as if someone had him him inthe nuts and then he punched the trunk of the tree. A loud clasp of thunder echoed all the way tomy ears and the tree fellover. I dropped my jaw and pissed myself. I stared at my father as he walked back to the truck.

He got in the turck and looked at me.

"Next time you think i'm nothing, you remember than tree."