Eddie Parks
If you like this story there are tons more right here:
Blessings & Joy,
Your Frankie
Eddie Parks
Rosamunda Yale’s long red hair flashed in the field lights. Her dimpled knees below her cheerleader skirt leaped before the packed stadium on homecoming night in the little town of Russetville Idaho. Her home team, The Butter Patties were facing their arch nemesis, the Willow Brook Mashers from across the river.
Rosie’s heart leaped further and higher than her knees as she finally caught sight of Todd Hardgraves up in the top row near the announcer’s section. Todd was her boyfriend. Even though he was mean to her he was hers. She leaped higher. High enough to catch Todd’s attention. There, finally he stopped talking to that cute girl and waved at him. “Hi Todd, I love you,” she mouthed the words over the drums, horns and other cheer leaders.
Eddy Parks was also in the stands. He thought Rosie was the most beautiful girl in the world. His last name was really Park, not Parks. He would remind the guys in auto shop, “It’s Park not Parks. How many of me do you see?” To which they would reply, “We see one of you and that’s more than enough Parks.” Eddie was tall and lean and handsome. He had a little boy smile and dark combed back Elvis’s hair and a charming bemused personality that endeared him to everyone he met. Almost everyone.
Eddie was smooth as can be and needed to be. For the final in Auto Shop, he had to get a small engine running. Tom Brillasour mocked him, “Hey Parks, why don’t you sweet talk the engine like you do all the girls.”
“Why not?” Said Eddie.
He laid on the charm thick and heavy. The entire class including the short pudgy instructor Eddie had nicknamed “The Chief” gathered around to watch the magic.
“Miss, I’m Edward Park. Park not Parks because there is only one of me. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such a beautiful engine before. But, how rude of me. I’ve introduced myself and not even given you a chance to tell me who you are.” He bent down and side mouthed a falsetto voice, “My name is Bertha.”
“Ah, Bertha, what a pleasure to meet you.” Eyebrows raised and snickers rolled as Parks stroked her carburetor. It got so quiet even the mouse in the corner stopped to listen. Even he was captured by Eddie’s charm and the fragile beauty of the failure about to unfold. Eddie’s reputation was on the line. The Chief, determined to see this smart Alec fail had poured superglue and sand down the carburetor. And he had also bribed Brillasour fifty bucks and a passing grade to lure Parks into a contest he could not win.
The chief, smug in his victory, baited Eddie. “Come on Parks. Turn on that famous charm. Let’s see the magic.” Eddie cooed and asked Bertha for permission to pull her cord.
In falsetto voice she replied, “On the first date? I hardly know you, Eddie. But…you seem like a nice boy. OK, just this once I suppose it’s Ok. He pulled her cord. Nada.
Cat calls, jeers and the Chief’s blubbery laugh rang out. Eddie raised his hand for silence. “What was that, Bertha? You had a tickle in your throat? Try one last time? Okay, if you think I should.”
Parks cleared his voice then Birtha replied, “Pull my cord Eddie. Pull it hard!”
The chief roared out another belly laugh. He was completely enjoying demolishing Parks. He shouted for silence. Then told the entire class, “Park’s you’ve goofed off all year long and done nothing. Your charm and good looks will not help you now. But I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you an A and everyone in here a passing grade if you can get that engine started. How do you like them apples, smart guy?”
Eddie flashed the Chief a look of astonished wonder as three men held up little tape recorders. “Got it,” they all said in unison. The Chief eyes narrowed. Someone was trying to steal his lollypop and give him a lemon.
“That’s very generous of you Chief. Now that’s it’s on tape let’s do this thing shall we?” He bent down with his face inches from Birtha and said sweetly, “Just one little chuga chuga for your sweet little Eddie Beddy? He kissed her and gave her cord a mighty pull.
