Bucky had several things about him that didn't make sense. He never got tired or broke a sweat. He never got sick or worried about anything.
One time we were playing tag in a grocery store parking lot. It had rained the night before so we all kept slipping and falling, smacking ourselves on the pavement and running into parked cars like idiots. I was "it" and I caught up to Bucky and slapped him on the back, "TAG! You're it!" Bucky stopped in his tracks, turned to run after me when he noticed his shoe lace was loose.
He croutched down and took his time tying it back up. Out of no nowhere, a green Chevy truck came around the corner, barrelling down on Bucky. Bucky didn't move, he wasn't done fixing his damn shoe lace.
Luckily, the driver saw Bucky and slammed on the brakes. The tires locked up and squealed against the wet ground. Some of us covered our ears, a few covered our eyes. The truck skidded and swerved a good bit before coming to a halt, the bumper maybe 5, 6 inches at best from Bucky's head.
Out the cab he came with fire in his eyes, his face all red. The driver slammed the door so hard it caused a small crack in the windsheild. Boots caked with mud, hard worn Levis and an untucked flannel shirt with a Caterpillar baseball cap on top. This man was a mountain.
"What the fuck is wrong with you boy? Do you hear me? I could have killed you!"
Bucky still had his head down. His mama always told him it was best to tie his shoe laces in a double knot so they would stay on good and tight. Bucky loved his mama with all his heart and heeded every word she said to him. He wasn't so good at complicated things like tying shoe laces so he was still working on the second knot when King Kong started to ask a bunch of questions he was probably too mad to really give a shit about.
"Oh, I get it. You're a retard! Yeah, you're goddamn retard! That's why you didn't move, ya fuckin' moron!"
Bucky was done with his shoe and slowly got up. Ignoring the nemesis he didn't realize he had at the time, he turned towards us, "look out guys, I'm it and I'm a'comin'!"
"Are you kidding me boy?! I expect an apology from you and I want it now!"
By now a couple of us had run home, the rest including myself were frozen with fear. Bucky was slow in the head, unfortunately it made him come across as a smart ass sometimes. It was only a matter of time before he got pounded.
Bucky stood his ground. Ten years old and barely a third this guy's size, he stared him hard in the eyes. I had never seen anything like it before nor have I since. That look could have stopped time. My Dad had once told me my mother, when she got made at him, could give him this look that felt like it could burn a hole in the back of his head. Seeing Bucky that way, I not only believed it possible, I stood there half waiting for the driver of the truck's head to explode.
The driver seemed to lose his concentration hypnotized by Bucky's glare. It was somethin' I tell you. Mr. Chevy truck could have probably decimated his entire being with one punch, but instead was transfixed by this little boy staring at him like former heavyweight boxing champ intending to bring upon him a world of hurt to get his title back.
Just then, Mr. Baxter came out of the store to break things up. "Okay, no harm's been done, let's be on our way now. You boys run along and Ted, get on back in your truck and go home."
Ted stared at Bucky for a little while longer, he actually looked relieved that Mr. Baxter had shown up. He opened the truck door, keeping his eye on Bucky almost like he wanted to make sure Bucky didn't pull any surprise moves on him.
Jonah, Will, and I quickly ran up to Bucky and yanked at his arms until he stopped looking at Ted and began to walk towards home with us. We were creeped out. I knew Bucky was different, but this really showed me I had no clue just how much or in trully what way.
Bucky stopped walking and pulled away from our grasp. He watched Ted drive his truck out of the parking lot and head in the opposite direction. To this day, I can't help thinking that Bucky had hoped that truck would turn around so he could finish their one-sided conversation his way...
One time we were playing tag in a grocery store parking lot. It had rained the night before so we all kept slipping and falling, smacking ourselves on the pavement and running into parked cars like idiots. I was "it" and I caught up to Bucky and slapped him on the back, "TAG! You're it!" Bucky stopped in his tracks, turned to run after me when he noticed his shoe lace was loose.
He croutched down and took his time tying it back up. Out of no nowhere, a green Chevy truck came around the corner, barrelling down on Bucky. Bucky didn't move, he wasn't done fixing his damn shoe lace.
Luckily, the driver saw Bucky and slammed on the brakes. The tires locked up and squealed against the wet ground. Some of us covered our ears, a few covered our eyes. The truck skidded and swerved a good bit before coming to a halt, the bumper maybe 5, 6 inches at best from Bucky's head.
Out the cab he came with fire in his eyes, his face all red. The driver slammed the door so hard it caused a small crack in the windsheild. Boots caked with mud, hard worn Levis and an untucked flannel shirt with a Caterpillar baseball cap on top. This man was a mountain.
"What the fuck is wrong with you boy? Do you hear me? I could have killed you!"
Bucky still had his head down. His mama always told him it was best to tie his shoe laces in a double knot so they would stay on good and tight. Bucky loved his mama with all his heart and heeded every word she said to him. He wasn't so good at complicated things like tying shoe laces so he was still working on the second knot when King Kong started to ask a bunch of questions he was probably too mad to really give a shit about.
"Oh, I get it. You're a retard! Yeah, you're goddamn retard! That's why you didn't move, ya fuckin' moron!"
Bucky was done with his shoe and slowly got up. Ignoring the nemesis he didn't realize he had at the time, he turned towards us, "look out guys, I'm it and I'm a'comin'!"
"Are you kidding me boy?! I expect an apology from you and I want it now!"
By now a couple of us had run home, the rest including myself were frozen with fear. Bucky was slow in the head, unfortunately it made him come across as a smart ass sometimes. It was only a matter of time before he got pounded.
Bucky stood his ground. Ten years old and barely a third this guy's size, he stared him hard in the eyes. I had never seen anything like it before nor have I since. That look could have stopped time. My Dad had once told me my mother, when she got made at him, could give him this look that felt like it could burn a hole in the back of his head. Seeing Bucky that way, I not only believed it possible, I stood there half waiting for the driver of the truck's head to explode.
The driver seemed to lose his concentration hypnotized by Bucky's glare. It was somethin' I tell you. Mr. Chevy truck could have probably decimated his entire being with one punch, but instead was transfixed by this little boy staring at him like former heavyweight boxing champ intending to bring upon him a world of hurt to get his title back.
Just then, Mr. Baxter came out of the store to break things up. "Okay, no harm's been done, let's be on our way now. You boys run along and Ted, get on back in your truck and go home."
Ted stared at Bucky for a little while longer, he actually looked relieved that Mr. Baxter had shown up. He opened the truck door, keeping his eye on Bucky almost like he wanted to make sure Bucky didn't pull any surprise moves on him.
Jonah, Will, and I quickly ran up to Bucky and yanked at his arms until he stopped looking at Ted and began to walk towards home with us. We were creeped out. I knew Bucky was different, but this really showed me I had no clue just how much or in trully what way.
Bucky stopped walking and pulled away from our grasp. He watched Ted drive his truck out of the parking lot and head in the opposite direction. To this day, I can't help thinking that Bucky had hoped that truck would turn around so he could finish their one-sided conversation his way...
marigold:
bucky is the king of the fucking mountain.