Sweet Dreams & Flying Machines

T.J. pulled himself up onto the dock. His legs showed a slight pink tinge, especially around the knees. I'd have hell to pay tomorrow if I could feel those legs, he thought. His grandfather went up to the truck to get the wheelchair. T.J. saw another boat slide up to the marina dock. The boat was a good-sized Cat - a catamaran. On the rigging strung behind the sail sat Terry Webster, Brad Harnett, and two girls. T.J. couldn't tell who the girls were in the glare of the sinking sun. He saw Terry recognize him and start perceptibly. Terry pointed toward T.J. and said something to Brad. As Brad turned to look, Terry started to stand and almost capsized the sailboat. T.J. glanced away, surprised to feel his heart beating hard against his ribs.

J.D. returned with the wheelchair and helped T.J. back into it. He wheeled him toward the parking lot.

'T.J., I need to pay Dexter for this month. Be back in a minute.' Before T.J. could say a word, his grandfather was gone. T.J. started to roll his chair down the walk to the truck. He looked back over his shoulder to the water. The Cat wasn't in view and ---

'Where you going so fast, crip?' Terry jumped out from the side of the marina. 'Aren't you gonna stop and say hello to your friends? Or are you just gonna run out again like you did on my brother?' He gave the wheelchair a hard push knocking it over.

'Terry, I...I...it's not like that...I mean,' T.J. stammered. 'Can't talk either? You're sorry, crip?' Terry turned and tapped Brad in the chest. 'Can't walk and can't talk.' The girls slipped out from behind the boys. T.J. could see who they were now - Nancy Johnson and Kaye Potter, both cheerleaders. They watched T.J. with a mixture of disgust and fascination.

'Wha'cha looking at, crip? Get your eyes off my girl.' Terry slapped T.J. hard on the shoulder. T.J. could feel the blood rising to his face.

'Look, Terry, I'm sorry about what happened to Mike but I wasn't...' 'You weren't what, you s.o.b?' Terry interrupted again. 'Everyone knows you were drunk and killed my brother.'

'I wasn't drinking. The road had ice on...' Terry leaned over and grabbed T.J. by the shirt. He shook the crippled boy and then threw him back into the chair.

'Don't lie to me,' Terry's voice rose in pitch. 'You don't deserve to be alive!' He drew back his fist. Brad grabbed his arm.

'Whoa, man. Calm down.' Brad got in front of Terry. 'Hey, it's me now. Let's don't get crazy here.'

'Yeah, Terry,' Kaye said, 'Let's go home.'

Terry pushed Brad aside. 'No!' he shouted. 'This is the bastard that wrecked that car and left my brother to drown. He didn't even try to save him.' Spit dribbled down Terry's chin. His voice lowered as he looked squarely into T.J.'s face. He spoke slowly.

'The only thing I regret is that this ass wasn't fish food like his brother Britt.'

At the mention of his brother's name, fury flooded through T.J. He launched himself out of the chair at Terry. Without his legs, his punch was weak and he sprawled in the gravel at Terry's feet. He pulled himself along the ground, reaching for the other boy. Terry laughed and kicked T.J. in the side. The air rushed out of his lungs and T.J. balled up, gasping for breath. 'You crip!' Terry spat the words at T.J. 'I'm gonna kick your ass all the way to --'

'I don't think you want to do that, son.' The words came from a tiny lady standing beside an old blue Chevy. T.J. looked up from the ground but couldn't see her very well with the sun over her shoulder. She was stooped with age yet her voice was firm, strong. Terry turned menacingly toward her.

'Mind your own business, old woman. This don't concern you.' The old woman stared him full in the face. She seemed to be concentrating on his face. She spoke deliberately.

'I think you've made a mistake.' Terry seemed stunned. After a moment, he finally looked at T.J. 'I think we've made a mistake,' he said.

The old woman stepped toward him. 'I think you should help this young man get back into his chair,' she said. Brad moved toward Terry.

'What the hell is going on here, Ter?' he asked. The woman turned her gaze to Brad. Brad's face glazed a bit and he said, 'I think we should help T.J. get back into his chair.'

The girls stepped away almost in unison as the two boys picked T.J. up and put him into the chair. T.J., breathing hard, couldn't take his eyes off the old woman. She kept her stare on Terry.

'I think you ought to apologize to T.J.,' she said. 'I think we ought to apologize to T.J.,' Terry said to Brad. The two boys dusted off T.J.'s shirt and murmured an apology.

'I think you acted like a complete ass,' the old woman continued. T.J. choked at her language. Terry looked at Brad and then to T.J. 'I think we acted like complete asses,' he said.

The tiny woman walked over to the two teenagers and looked up to Terry.

'I think it's about time you went home and forgot all about this,' she finished. 'I think it's about time we all went home,' Terry said to Brad. The girls were already on their way to the car. Terry and Brad turned away without a word and followed them.

The old woman reached over to T.J. He recoiled a bit from her touch. She smiled and took his hand.

'Are you alright?' she asked.

'I think so,' T.J. said. He swallowed and then asked, 'How did you do that? Hypnosis or something?'

The old woman smiled again, more broadly this time. 'Don't you think we should be introduced first?' she asked. 'You must be T.J. Nichols.' She paused and raised a hand against the sun. 'I'm Mrs. Sobel.'