Ben Connell's Long Walk Home

Ben was a man of few words. In fact, he really hardly spoke at all. The world was an enigma to the 24 year old, who was pretty much floating lifelessly through his days. At this moment he sits in a chair in his lonely studio apartment, watching television on a TV he rigged to get free cable. He had never finished high school, but he was always really good with his hands.

During the day Ben worked construction, any odd job on the site for whatever money he could. It was a non-union job, so he made very little. He only made enough to get by.

He flipped the channels on the television in a monotonous motion. Finding nothing on to suit him, Ben flipped off the television and reached for his red flannel jacket. It was time to go to the tavern and play pool.

Ben stepped out into the night air, making his way over to the tavern. He had a car, if you could call it that considering it’s pathetic condition, but the tavern was only a few blocks away and he didn’t mind the walk. He put his hands in his pocket. It was April, but it the cold air still lingered.

Pool was Ben’s favorite activity. He went down to the tavern almost every night to play. He never bothered to play with anyone, but he knew he was good at it.

He entered the bar and made his way over to the pool table, picking out his favorite cue. He noted the surroundings as he did night after night. The same band played in the corner, the same girl sang. The same people sat at the bar. This was a typical night at the tavern. He started playing, becoming engrossed in what he was doing as he always did, his tall frame hunching over the table as he played.

“Hey, buddy,” a man said. “Wanna game?”

Ben looked up, narrowing his ice-blue eyes. “No, thanks,” he said quietly. Ben was a giant of a man; six foot four inches tall, with broad shoulders and a strong build from all his construction work.

“You sure?” the man asked.

Ben nodded his head. “I said no, didn’t I?”

The man wanted to respond to Ben’s cutting comment, but turned away in disgust. Ben had a way with words. His voice was so quiet and calm, but he could always get his point across. It wasn’t so much his voice than it was the fierce look in his eyes.

Ben shrugged, turning back to his game. Occasionally, deep in thought, he’d stop to run his hand through his sandy blonde hair. He kept his hair cut very short, but it still got that messy look about it that he just couldn’t nor cared to help. It was a haircut that suited his attractive features.

The night had just begun for Ben as he finished his first round of pool. The nights he played pool were always long, late nights. This was nothing new.


***

A few weeks had floated on and Ben’s routine stayed the same, as it always did. He liked it that way. Work all day, pool at night. Nothing could be better. It kept his mind free and clear.

He often thought about having more as he tinkered with his car. Ben liked to think about what it would have been like if things were different with him. Maybe if his family life was different, maybe if he had friends. What if he had finished high school? Gone to college?

At one time Ben would have liked to do those things. But now they were forgotten ideas, pushed into the back of his mind. They were worthless.

Maybe it was time to try something different. Maybe it was time to do something else with his life. Ben thought about this sometimes, wondering if he could find something more for his life by trying something he’d never usually do.

As has been the case for his entire life, Ben had no friends when he was in school. For some reason, his personality just didn’t click with the other kids. Eventually, Ben turned away from all his classmates and became very reclusive and private.

The day dragged on, and he went about working on his car, even though he knew he didn’t plan on driving it anytime soon. Just the idea of working on something pleased him. It was one of his only joys in life.

The clouds rolled in overhead as Ben made his way back to his apartment. It was going to rain. His flannel jacket flapped around him as the wind picked up. Ben smiled to himself; rain was his favorite kind of weather.

He thought carefully for a moment as he made his way into the building, deciding that he would, as he did every other night, go play pool at the tavern. So much for something different. He turned around and began to make his way toward the tavern, ignoring the chilly wind and the mist of rain blowing on him.

Without flinching, he kept up his quick pace, walking the distance to the tavern. It was still early in the evening, maybe seven at night. As he walked into the tavern, he noticed the same sights and sounds he did every other night, the same people, the same band, the same conversations. He grabbed his favorite pool cue and made his way over to the table.


***

It was almost one in the morning before he had finished pool. Ben had started to make his way home in the pouring rain when he saw some trouble in the parking lot.

Across the lot he could see a girl standing desperately over the hood of her car. She looked as if she needed help, and he had been known to fix a few cars in his days.

He called out to her and she looked up, confused. Ben made his way over to her, and the first thing he noticed was how he towered over her.

Once he got up to her he realized she was the girl who sang in the band every night. He had a hard time recognizing her because she was soaking wet and shivering.

Ben offered to try and fix the problem while she waited in the car. His coat was wet but he figured it was better than nothing, and he gave it to her to try and help her out. Ben wasn’t sure why he was being so complaisant, as it was not his nature, but for some reason it felt right.

The rain washed over him as he hunched over her car, but he barely noticed. He didn’t mind rain at all. He dug around under the hood trying to see what was wrong. The car was in horrible shape.

Ben worked with the car as best he could and actually got it to run. He went over to her window.

“I’m not sure how long it’s gonna last,” he said. “The car’s pretty messed up. The important thing is that it should get you home.”

The girl smiled at him. “Thank you so much,” she said. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come by!”

Ben froze, unable to take his eyes off of her. She sure was something different. “It wasn’t any trouble,” he said finally.

“Can I give you a ride home?” she asked. “I don’t see any other cars here in the lot, so--”

“No, but thanks. I don’t mind the rain.”

“Come on,” she said. “It’s the least I can do. Please?”

Ben stood still, thinking for a minute. He hated to admit it, but part of him—most of him—wanted to go with her. The “please” she offered him was too much to resist.

This was the twist of fate that would change Ben’s life forever, only he didn’t know it yet. The girl smiled, hoping he would take her up on her offer. She looked so welcoming, so different from anyone he’d ever met. The question was, would he get into the car with her or would he lose his chance forever?

He looked around in the rain, water dripping off of him. The water gave him a clean feeling, and helped steer his decision. Rain was his favorite weather, it always made him smile.

“Are you coming?” she asked, laughing.

Ben smiled. At that very moment, he felt his life begin to change. The great Ben Connell was about to try something different.