Old Man Iverson WC: 296

Old Man Iverson
WC 296

I was bouncing my dad’s racquet ball against the block wall we shared with Old Man Iverson.

“Be careful. You know how he is,” my dad warned. “He’ll keep that ball if it lands in his yard.”

My dad, a former Army Ranger, said our neighbor had been in the Vietnam War and was a tough old bird. He always wore a fatigue jacket with military patches and pins on it.

“Why don’t you go to the park and bounce it there, Charlie?”

“I’ll be careful.”

Dad went back inside. I kept going.

The ball went flying over the block wall. I heard a crash. I pushed a chair over to the wall and peeked over. I had broken Mr. Iverson’s kitchen window.

“What’s going on?” my dad said through the patio slider. “What was that noise?”

“Nothing!” I jumped down and headed for the house.

I heard a gruff bellow from above. “Where do you think you are going, boy?”

Mr. Iverson stood atop the six-foot wall. He was holding the ball. “You owe me one!”

“One what?”

“One push-up. No, give me ten.”

Dad watched from the doorway.

I got to five and my arms were rubber.

“Come on, five more.”

I did five more!

“Now come over here with your dad.”

We walked over.

“Okay, here’s the deal, if it’s okay with your dad,” he said. “You will do odd jobs at my house for the next week to pay for the window.”

“Charlie,” my dad said, “I think it’s a good deal.”

“I guess,” I said.

Old Man Iverson threw the ball to my dad; they saluted each other.

So for the next week, I did odd jobs at Old Man Iverson’s house.

My take-away? I did ten push-ups!!