THE BOLAN CHRONICLES: Reading #5

5. Approximate Minutes Reading (AMR): 9

Introduction to Characters:
Twila: Restaurant Manager at Ken's Diner
Dale Cletus Conway: Twila's Boyfriend

THE BOLAN CHRONICLES

Chapter 1

Jake and Donna

**Dale Cletus Conway**

Jake returned to the large industrial sink at the far end of the kitchen. He’d become rather the expert at his task. After filling the commercial dishwasher, he flipped the large plastic switch. The machine began its loud hum as Jake dried his hands and grabbed his cup of soda. The restaurant manager, Twila, a very hefty forty-something lady with a strong southern accent and a strong appetite for greasy food and meaningless conversation, was seated at the table just at the double-swinging doors to the kitchen. 

She popped her head through and saw Jake leaning against the sink. “How’s it going in there, Honey?”

Jake liked Twila because she seemed to like him. Even if he’d screwed up in one way or another, instead of getting upset, she’d put her chubby arm around him, rub his head, and tell him that it was okay.

“I’m doing great, Miss Twila.” She had asked Jake to address her as ‘Miss Twila’ because it somehow made her feel younger. “Just started up old Hurricane.”

Twila asked, “Hurricane?”

“Oh, yeah.” And Jake pointed to the roaring dishwasher. “Miss Twila, meet Hurricane!”

Twila laughed, “Oh my god, Sweetie, you are so funny!” 

 “Is it really busy out there?” Jake asked. It was nearly nine, and he knew the answer.

She cocked her head and replied, “Eh, not really. Most folks have left by now. Kinda slow out here. Couple of police officers are just finishin’ up, there’s one family that wants some dessert. That’s it. Did you get your break already?” 

“Yes, Ma’am. Thanks!”

“Well, heck, that’s okay, Honey. Come on out here and rest your bones. I got someone I want you ta meet.” 

Twila held one of the doors open for Jake. Next to her sat a very gaunt 50-something man.

“This here’s Dale, Jake! Dale Cletus Conway.”

Dale stood and offered his hand. Given Dale’s stature, Jake was surprised at his strong grip. He guessed him to be no taller than five-five, and no heavier than 120 pounds. He smiled at Jake, who guessed that the hick-man couldn’t have had more than ten teeth.  

“Nice ta’ meecha!”  The man announced with a voice that matched his squirrely size. It was apparent to Jake that the little man was quite proud to be with Twila.

“Likewise!” Jake replied. “Where are you from?”

“Oh, I’s raised ‘n north’n Alabama, jus’ east o’ Huntsville.” Then he smiled his nearly toothless smile and asked, “Y’evr benthr?”

Jake wasn’t exactly sure what the hic had asked. “What’s that?”

“Y’evr benthr?...Huntsville?”

“Oh, no, I’ve never been there. In fact, I’ve never been to Alabama, actually.”

As Dale sat down he continued, “Huntsville’s mostly ‘n Madison County. Got ma first radia job there.”

Jake asked, “You were in radio? A disk jockey?”

Dale Cletus Conway smiled his nearly toothless smile real big and broad and announced, “Yep!  I’z a radio announcer for WHIC 1440 AM.” Here, his southern influence even thicker, he announced, “And sumbich! I’z good!”  

Twila’s smile had been growing ever so steadily from the moment her man had started jabbering. She said, “Don’t he got himself a good radio voice, Jake?”

Jake couldn’t imagine the kind of station that would hire a voice like this, but he did his best to hide his amusement and replied, “He really does, Miss Twila!” 

Dale continued, “I didn’t have me no radio education, but I’z happy to be workin,’ so I’z pretty popler’ at the HIC!”

“The Hic?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, the HIC! W-H-I-C.” Dale continued, “That H-I-C part stood fer HIC!”

Jake laughed. Dale laughed with him, and together, the two of them looked at Twila who had, until now, simply delighted herself at listening to the conversation. Then she joined them. “Hic!” She announced. “It was a hic radio station with the same name! I’ll be god-damned!!”

Jake asked Dale what kind of music the station played. 

“Oh, back then we done played real countr’ music, like Marty Robbins and Ray Price. Ever heard of um?”

Jake thought for a moment then replied, “I think I’ve heard of Ray Price. My dad might have listened to his stuff.”

Dale said, “That sumbitch could sing, I tell ya!” And then Dale began to sing, and Twila’s smile grew even bigger when Dale turned to face her and let out a short verse through his nearly toothless grin, “Four walls ta hear me! Four walls ta see! Four walls ta near me! Closin’ in on me!”

Jake, amazed at the dramatic difference between Dale’s speaking voice and his singing voice, looked at Twila and exclaimed, “Holy shit!” Twila laughed hard. Jake exclaimed, “He’s got some chops! Holy shit!”

Twila said, “Yep! And that’s how he got my attention, fer damn sure!  We was both at Howlin’ Bobs up off o’ Danbury right there by the bowlin’ alley. I’z havin’ me a beer n’ talkin’ with this real nice waitress when I heard this voice straight from the halls o’ heaven comin’ from the corner of the bar where they got a little stage fer’ singers.”

Dale just sat there with a big grin on, listening to his woman spouting his praises, proud as he could be.

Twila continued, “I look over, and there’s Dale, singin’ an old country song…”

Dale interrupted, “It was Hank Williams, Twila.”

“I know that, Dale. It was Lovesick Blues.”  She looked at Jake and said, “And I tell ya’, Jake, that cracklin’ voice part was so sexy!” And she nearly fell from her chair when she started to laugh.

Throughout the conversation, Bill had been working in the kitchen, restocking the bread and commercial canned goods. He stepped through the swinging doors, and Twila called out, “Bill, I got someone I wancha’ ta’ meet!”

Not missing a beat, Jake stood and offered his hand, “Hi!  I’m the new manager here at Ken’s!” Bill, not sure what to say, slowly reached out. “I’m just shitin’ ya, Bill!” The three of them laughed hard, then Jake said, “Twila wanted you to meet her friend, uh…” Jake looked at Dale. He had forgotten his name.

Dale stood up and offered his hand to Bill, “I’m Dale. Dale Cletus Conway. Nice ta meecha!”

So he wouldn’t have to hear Dale’s stories all over again, Jake announced, “Well, I’ve got lot’s to do if I wanna get outa’ here before midnight.”

He could hear Dale’s distinctively high-pitched voice through the double doors, and he heard Twila’s laugh, and every few minutes he’d hear the low-pitched sound of Bill’s voice and an occasional chuckle. And when he heard Dale start to sing again, this time the Hank Williams Lovesick song, he shook his head and laughed, and just under his breath, “That is one dumb-ass hillbilly.” 

Bill returned to the kitchen shaking his head and smiling. Jake looked up and said, “Yeah, now that is what you call a good reason to avoid incest, right?  Geez!”  He threw his arms out and said, “Did you see Twila when that hillbilly started to sing? I thought she was gonna jump on the little hic right then and there and ride him ‘til she screamed!” And he laughed and shook his head then turned back to focus on his work.

Bill didn’t say a thing. He stood with his hands at his side and stared at Jake for a moment then he grabbed two cardboard boxes and headed for the dumpsters out back.  

Jake was bothered that Bill hadn’t responded, not so much as a word, so when Bill returned to the kitchen, Jake asked him what he thought of Dale and his stories.

Without facing Jake, Bill said calmly, “Well, I thought he was a nice guy. I like him. And he makes Twila happy.” He finally looked at Jake, “And if Twila’s happy, I think that’s a good thing, ‘cause she’s a good person.”

A little annoyed, Jake replied, “I never said a word about Twila. I like Twila, too, but why the hell she’d fall for something like that is something I just don’t...”

Before Jake could finish, Bill said, “And talkin’ ‘bout incest like that is awful insensitive coming from a young boy like you, so I’d be careful with that if I was you. That’s all I have to say about it.”

Jake tried to eek something out, but Bill raised his hand and said calmly, "You heard me, Jake." And he walked back through the double doors and into the dining room.

  Dale had easily slid out of the booth and was helping his big woman do the same. He had her chubby left arm in one grip and her pudgy left hand in the other. Bill hurried over and asked if he could help. He reached over the table and grabbed her other arm and the two of them pulled her up and out of the chair with relative ease.

Twila let out a long sigh. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and when she reached up to wipe them away, Dale quickly produced a handkerchief and said, "Here ya go, Honey, use this." She smiled and thanked him.

Dale offered his hand and said, "It sure was nice ta' meecha, Bill. I best be headn' out now. Got me some work ta' git to."

"It was nice meetin' you, Dale." Bill replied. "What kind o' work is it you do?"

"Oh, it ain't much. Throw lumber over there at Nick's Mill off o' 95 and Railroad. Y'ever benthr?"

"What's that?"

"Nick's Lumber Mill. Y'ever benthr?"

"Oh, yeah, I've been there a few times. Nice place."

Wide-eyed, Dale replied, "Well 'fyevr go thur agin, look me up, will ya! I can find a way ta discount the discounts." With sudden concern he continued, "It's all on the up 'n up y’understand."

Twila inserted her two-cents worth, "Dale's been workin' at Nicks near since it opened, and Mr. Farley--that's the owner's name, Nick Farley--took ta Dale right away. Even lets him give discounts."

Bill assured Dale that he would look him up the next time he visited Nick's. Dale finally left, and Twila returned to bussing tables.