THE BOLAN CHRONICLES: Reading #27

27. Approximate Minutes Reading (AMR): 12

Introduction to Characters

THE BOLAN CHRONICLES

Chapter 3

A House

**A First Birthday and Kindling**

March 30th, 1980. Donna was astounded that an entire year had passed since Dean’s birth. And though a bit discouraged that she hadn’t made many friends over the course of a year, she was happy that Dean was healthy, that she and Jake had made a home out of a once rather drab house, and that the future looked bright.

She had spent considerable time preparing for Dean’s first birthday. An array of colored balloons hung from the ceiling of their living room. She had baked a cake and had purchased a set of wooden blocks from a garage sale just up the street. Her mother had been with her, and she had purchased a gift for Dean. Donna offered to wrap it for her and to keep it at their place. 

Missy, Donna’s neighbor, had volunteered to help with the decorations. She’d also baked cupcakes, much to Donna’s surprise, and far too many. The only anticipated guests included Missy, Donna’s mom, Twila, and Twila’s friend, Dale. In all, six would attend the party. Missy had baked two-dozen cupcakes. 

It was a Sunday, and Jake had managed to get the day off. By now, Ken had become a fan of little Dean Bolan, and when Jake told him about the birthday party, he’d barely asked before Ken had insisted that Jake spend the day at home with his family. 

It was a considerably cold day, and Jake had built a fire and had asked Donna to make hot chocolate for the occasion. 

At two-o’clock, Twila and Dale arrived. Donna hugged Twila and thanked her for coming. When she offered her hand to Dale and introduced herself, Twila screeched, “Oh my goodness, me! You two haven’t met!”  And she bragged unashamedly over Donna. Dale smiled his ten-tooth smile, and Donna liked him immediately. Missy, sitting at the far end of the couch, stood and introduced herself to Twila and Dale. They all sat down, and when Twila saw the large bowl filled with hot chocolate, she smiled and said, “Oh my goodness, Donna! You outdone yourself!”

“Oh, it’s nothing really,” Donna replied. “And there are cupcakes on the coffee table. Missy baked them.”

Twila took one look at the plate of cupcakes and then at Missy. She covered her mouth and said, “Oh, my. Dare I?”

“Please do!” Missy replied.

“I been keepin’ such a close eye on this girlish figure.” And she laughed, “Oh, if you insist on twistin’ my chubby arm!” And she picked one of the cupcakes up and sniffed it. She closed her eyes and said, “Just ain’t nothin’ like chocolate,” And she slowly and carefully dropped the entire cupcake into her mouth. Missy watched in amazement as Twila grabbed another and devoured it just as quickly but with greater passion. “Missy,” She finally said, “That there is the most heavenly delicious cakes I have ever had. Thank you so much.”

Twila made small talk with Missy. When she learned that Missy had a husband and asked if he might be coming to the party, Missy replied, “Oh, Stanley is a bit shy around people he doesn’t know, that’s all.”

“Well, I understand about that shy stuff,” Twila said, “I have the hardest time getting’ to know folks,” Then she looked at Dale, and the two of them laughed. 

Dean had been in his Peace Room when the guests had arrived. Donna called him up. He walked through the door and into the living room. When he saw Twila and Dale he announced, “Oh my God! Look what the cat dragged in!” 

Twila immediately replied, “Looks to me like it dragged in a pile o’ Jake Bolan from the basement!” And she laughed loudly and pulled herself from the couch. Jake hugged her and said, “Thanks for coming, Miss Twila.”

“I wouldn’t miss little Dean’s first birthday for the world. You know that!” She opened her arms and exclaimed, “And jes look at what you two done with this place! So home-like!”

“Slowly but surely,” Donna said, and she laughed, “You should have seen it just a few months ago!”

Dale stood and reached out. “Good ta see ya’ Jake!” 

“You too, my man!” Jake replied. Then he called out, “Hey Donna! Have you met Dale yet?”

Donna held a dishtowel as she walked from the kitchen, “I just did!” 

“Isn’t he everything I said he was?”

Jake had barely mentioned Dale’s name since the day he’d met him, but she smiled and replied, “I think he’s great!”

Dale grinned and said, “Sounds like I got me another fan!”

“Indeed!” Donna replied, and she smiled and walked back to the kitchen. 

Dale shrugged and said to Jake, “Golly-geez Jake, she’s a purty one!”

Jake replied, “As you might say, my man, ‘She done met her match!’”

Standing in the kitchen, Donna looked at the clock and thought about her mom, who was rarely late. She picked up the phone and dialed. When she returned from the kitchen, she announced that her mom wouldn’t be able to make it due to uncontrollable circumstances.

Missy, sitting at the far end of the couch, sat up straight and said, “Oh, my! Is everything alright?”

The solemn look on Donna’s face gave away her disappointment, and when she attempted a smile, it was clear that in fact, everything wasn’t all right. “Oh, yes. She just had some unfortunate circumstances arise. She said to tell everyone how sorry she is.”

Missy said, “Oh Honey, I’m so sorry to hear that,” Then she added, “I’ll bet she’ll wanna come by in the next day or two. She’ll probably give little Dean another party all by herself!”

Jake was about to say something, but he looked at Donna and changed his mind. Then he directed his gaze at Missy and raised his glass, “To little Dean’s little party!”

Missy didn’t have a glass, so she mimicked a toast and looked at Jake, then at Donna, then at Twila and Dale and said, “To little Dean’s little party!”

Donna had the television tuned to a children’s program, mostly for noise, and the adults sat watching little Dean as he moved to the nursery rhymes put to music. They laughed as he suddenly fell on his bottom and looked over at his mommy. 

“Dang good thing the little guy’s got hisself some diapers on!” Dale announced. 

Everyone laughed. Twila commented on how alert Dean was; that he seemed almost to understand what was going on. She looked at Jake and said, “Honey, he definitely takes after his daddy, that’s fer sure! Can’t get a thing passed you!”

Missy added, “And he is so cute! Just look at his perfect little face!”

Jake drew in a deep, dramatic breath and said, “Yeah. He gets that from his daddy, too!”

Dale chimed, “Looks more like his momma than his daddy, to me.”

Donna blushed. She looked at Jake then at Dean then back at Jake and said, “No. He really does look a lot like his daddy.”

Jake smiled and looked out at the small birthday crowd. “It’s confirmed—like father, like son!” He grabbed Dean and held him straight out. Dean stared at his father. “Okay, little guy, you ready to be a lady killer?”

Missy eeked, “Oh, my!”

Still holding Dean in front of him, Jake looked down at Missy and said, “It’s a tough gig, this lady killer thing. Always brushin’ ‘em away,” Then he looked at Donna and said, “They just can’t seem to get enough!” And he laughed. 

Donna said, “Oh Jake! You are so funny!”

“Yep!” Jake replied, then he placed Dean back on the carpeted floor, “I’m a funny one. The funny lady killer, that’s me.”

Dale laughed his hic laugh and said, “That’s the funniest fib I done heard in a long time!”

Donna replied, “Yeah. Jake’s good at that funny fib stuff.”

Suddenly, Dale announced, “Idn’ it time ta git them gifts out fer the little birthday boy?”

Everyone agreed, so Donna sat on the floor with Dean and guided his little hands over the gifts as she gently peeled the wrapping from each. Dale had purchased a Fisher Price toy pocket radio for Dean, and he laughed hard when Dean’s eyes widened after hearing “Are You Sleeping” coming from the toy. “Look at him,” Dale screeched, “Like it’s some kinda alien from another planet!”

“Almost everything is new to Dean,” Donna replied. “It’s fun just to see the look on his face when he sees almost anything.”

Twila’s gift was an Etch A Sketch. Donna placed it on the floor in front of Dean, and he sat motionless, staring at the screen. Everyone waited for him to do something. Without a peep, Dean continued to stare at the screen. He finally looked at his mom and grunted. Donna said, “What is it, Sweetie?’ Dean looked back at the screen then quickly at his mother. 

Jake said, “Oh my god!”

“What is it?” Donna replied.

“Oh my god!” And Jake broke out in a laugh, “He thinks it’s a television!”

Everyone laughed, and Dean smiled and reached out to Donna. She picked him up and he laid his head on her shoulder. 

“That’s a kick in the butt!” Dale blurted, “Little guy thinks it’s a TV! Probly waitn fer Big Bird to show up!”

Dean smiled at the Mr. Potato Head that Twila brought for him. She’d found it at a flea market—nearly brand new—fifty cents. 

And the blocks that Donna had purchased at a garage sale were a hit with Dean, but more so with Dale. He spent more time playing with them than did Dean, who mostly sat and watched in anticipation. Dale would stack the blocks until they would begin to sway, then he’d look at Dean and say, “Uh-Oh!” And Dean would smile. When the blocks would fall to the floor, Dean would laugh and everyone would laugh with him.

Like she’d left a cake in the oven, Donna blurted, “Oh my goodness! My mom’s gift!” And she hurried to the bedroom and came out with a shoebox wrapped in newsprint. She looked at Missy and said, “I ran out of paper.”

“Reminds me of when I was a child,” Missy replied. “My daddy used to do all the wrapping, and newspaper is all he ever used. Said it did the job just as well and a whole lot cheaper!”

Donna placed the box in front of Dean. He looked at it blankly. She tore the paper off and lifted the lid to reveal a Raggedy Andy doll. Dean stared then attempted to pick it up, but before his little hand reached the doll, Jake had grabbed it. He stared at it and said, “What the hell is this?” 

Surprised, Donna exclaimed, “Jake!”

Dale said, “Looks like some kinda doll to me.”

Irritated, Jake replied, “That’s exactly what it is,” He looked at Donna, “Leave it to your mom to get my son a doll.”

Calmly, Donna said, “Jake, please.”

“Well, hell, Donna! You want our little boy playing with dolls?” Then he turned his attention to Dale. “Dale. What do you think about little pansy doll-playing boys?”

“Not sure, Jake,” He replied. “Purty clear what you think, though!” And he giggled nervously.

Dean sat quietly, staring at the doll in his daddy’s hand.

Almost mocking Dale’s accent, Jake said, “Well I gots me a new name fer this here dolly,” And he turned the doll so that it faced Dale, “Dale, meet little kindling.” Then he threw the doll into the roaring fire.

The entire party sat, stunned. After a few seconds, Dale finally chimed, “Got me a ten-spot says that little doll gonna hop right on out o’ that fire!” Then he laughed nervously. 

“Got me a twenty-spot,” Jake replied, “Says if it does it’ll find a poker up its ass in a heartbeat!”

Donna covered her mouth and quickly walked out of the room and into the bathroom. She stood motionless in front of the mirror. Then she thought about Dean and rushed back out to the living room. Little Dean sat staring at the fire. She picked him up and looked out at the guests, “I’m sorry. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”  She threw Jake a look of disdain.

After a short cry, Donna rejoined the party. Things resumed reasonably smoothly, considering the doll disruption. Dean crawled from one gift to the other. He seemed to enjoy the toy radio more than the rest. Dale spent most of his time on the floor with Dean, turning the little nob and watching, as a slight grin would make its way across his face. Dean would rock his little arms in an up and down motion, and when the song would end, he’d look at Dale and grunt. The entire party would laugh, and Dale would start the process all over again.

After everyone left, Jake descended to his office while Donna cleaned up. When she finished, she put Dean to bed, turned on the television and sat on the couch, waiting for Jake. Hours later, she awoke to the National Anthem and a waving flag sign-off, then white noise. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, then she checked on Dean. He was sleeping soundly. She walked into their room and found the bed empty. She opened the basement door and descended the steps. Jake was on his lounge chair with his eyes closed. Donna noticed an open magazine on Jake’s desk. She stood behind his chair and read the title, Girly Boys. It was accompanied by an illustration of a small boy sitting on the floor and holding a Ken doll.

“Maybe we should make your mom read that.” 

Startled, Donna turned. “Oh!, You scared me.”

Jake stood and stretched. “Let’s get to bed.” 

Donna paused, then she said, “Jake, can we talk about the gift?”

Jake froze. “What gift?”

“You know, the gift that you didn’t like.”

Then he turned and said, “I thought I made it pretty clear what I think about that. And no, we don’t need to talk more about it.”

Then he turned and began the short ascent to their room, Donna closely following.