Let's Go.

Words 955

“Hey! May! Are you home?”

The small, pale face of a child peered out of the open window. Looking left and right before she saw her best friend, Mickey, on the sidewalk below her apartment, May’s solemn expression changed to joy and she waved.

“What y, doin’, May?” Mickey asked innocently, as if he hadn’t thrown a stone at her window or called out her name.

“Nothin’,” she replied.

“Want to go for a drive?”

May grinned. Her freckles stood out on her pale face like chocolate sprinkles on white frosting.

“Where to? The city?”

Mickey loved how his friend always followed his lead in their games. “I was thinking we could go to the ocean. How does that sound?”

“It’s a little cold for swimming.” May shivered in her thin, red cotton dress. “Wait there, I’m coming down.”

The eleven-year-old ran down to the entrance to her building and stood on the top of the steps leading down to where Mickey, who was one year older, waited on the street.

“Come down here,” he said.

May hesitated, but knowing she was not to leave the apartment, she called down to him, “Ma’s not home. I’m babysitting my baby brothers.”

“You look cold, May. Do you want my jacket?” Mickey undid his puffer jacket and began to climb the steps.

“No. I can’t stop and talk. I’ve got to go. Ma’s working.” The little girl was disappointed. She would have dearly loved to spend time with her friend, but knew she didn’t dare leave her siblings alone for too long. But almost instantly she brightened up and said, “We could go for a drive on Saturday afternoon when Ma’s not working, if you still want to.”

“Okay, great. I’ve a surprise for you. You’ll love it. See you then.”

***

May skipped down the ten steps on to the sidewalk where Mickey had been waiting for over an hour.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to help with the little ones. Ma says I need to be home in two hours. What’s the surprise?” She’d been thinking about it all week.

“You’ll soon see,” Mickey grabbed her hand, and they ran down the busy street, causing shoppers and mothers with prams to step aside to avoid being bowled over by the two excited children.

Mickey led them down busy thoroughfares, across streets, weaving through lines of cars waiting at red traffic lights and past a busy farmer’s market where stalls selling produce lined both sides of the narrow lane.

At last, they slowed their pace and walked towards the river, which flowed sluggishly and brown. Oil had spilled into the slow-moving body of water and a rainbow-coloured film covered the entire surface. The water quality was poor from all the dredging and pollution and the air was filled with a stench of dead fish and decay.

They’d almost reached the port where ships were loading and discharging goods and passengers.

“Where are we going, Mickey? May asked, her voice held a bit of a whine, “Ma’s going to whoop my backside when she sees these shoes.” She’d stopped to examine the mud on her white sneakers.

“Nearly there, May. Come on. Just watch out for snakes.”

The little girl froze on the spot. “Snakes? I’m going home!”

“I’m joking, it’s too cold for snakes, they’re all asleep this weather.” Mickey laughed at his friend’s worried face. “Come on, please,” he pleaded, “we’re nearly there.”

The children walked a little further in the long grass until they reached the destination Micky was heading for. Suddenly there it was.

May gasped when she saw the rusty, pink Cadillac and couldn’t wipe the grin from her face.

“Your ride awaits.” Mickey opened the passenger door. It creaked and groaned, but eventually he prised it open wide.

May slid along the cracked black leather and grabbed the steering wheel.

The kids grinned at each other. May thought that Mickey’s crooked teeth made him even more appealing,

“How on earth did you find this car?” May asked as she investigated the contents of the glove box. “What were you doing coming down to the port anyway? It’s not safe.”

“I came across it last week when I was looking for somewhere to sleep.”

May stopped searching the car and looked at her friend with concern.

“Your Dad?” was all she asked.

“I needed to get out of his sight for a while, just till he calmed down.”

“You slept here?”

“Only for one night.” He didn’t want her to feel sorry for him and hurriedly changed the subject, “I knew you’d love this. You do, don’t you?”

May, even though she was so young, knew that both she and Mickey came from underprivileged homes that neither of them wanted to talk about.

“It’s the nicest car I’ve ever seen. Thank you for bringing me here.”

Mickey smiled with satisfaction before asking, “Where to, m’lady?”

“Driver, take me to the beach. I want the wind to blow in my hair.”

“Your wish is my command.” Mickey climbed into the driver’s seat and pretended the world was his for the taking. They were grown up and were free to go wherever they wished. There was no abusive father, no work-worn, tired mother, just the two of them off on an adventure.

May undid her long plaits and shook her head until her bright red hair loosened and picked up the rays of the sun. She laughed and Mickey joined in. It was as if their lives were perfect, for just a little while, before it was time to return to their reality.
He gave her a shy kiss on the cheek and they both shouted out, “Let’s go!”

Written for

SURVEY

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