Danny
Danny had put another coat of orange on the robin’s breast and now carefully painted tiny white specks on the bird’s wings and head. It was shaping up real nice. Looked like a robin Danny saw in the springtime. He felt pleased with himself. Thought it might be the best figurine he had ever made. Of course, he paid special attention to this gift—he wanted it to be perfect.
Danny set the robin on his dresser and blew on it gently. It should be dry pretty quick, so he would be able to deliver it soon. He wasn’t sure what time it was. Could never figure out how to tell time. Always got the big hand and little hand mixed up. The moon had been out for a while, and he felt hungry, so he thought it must be seven or eight o’clock. He opened a can of pork and beans and ate them cold because he didn’t have anything to heat them up on. After he cleaned out the can of beans, he ate a tin of sardines and then an apple. Doc Pete said that an apple a day kept the doctor away. Doc Pete was nice enough. Was always real good to him and didn’t charge him nothing for his checkups. But Danny didn’t like the cold touch of the stethoscope on his skin, and it felt kinda funny to get all naked in front of someone. Doc Pete said that he saw everybody in Wyalusing naked. Called their nude bodies birthday suits. Danny would smile and nod, but he didn’t understand that one bit. If he was in the naked, how could he be wearing a suit?
The wind whipped up pretty good outside, rattling all the windowpanes and sending cold air sneaking in under the wood, so Danny put on his jacket and the red wool cap that Mrs. Bennett had made special for him. The cap was made out of wool and felt kinda scratchy, but it covered his ears so he wouldn’t catch a cold.
Danny had found the Sunday funny pages someone had thrown away in a trash can down in the laundromat and thought it would make nice wrapping paper. But before he gift-wrapped the robin, he looked at all the drawings of cartoon animals. Those were his favorite. He liked Snoopy the best because Snoopy was smart and didn’t ever say nothing. And Snoopy’s doghouse reminded Danny of his own room. Small and safe, and nobody ever went inside it except for himself.
He touched the robin to make sure it was dry. No paint got on his fingers, so Danny put the figurine on the funny pages and wrapped it up tight. He didn’t have any tape, so he just crumpled the edges together and shoved it deep inside his jacket pocket.
Down in the laundromat, the thump of wet clothes spinning in a dryer filled the quiet space. A woman with a big gut, thick thighs, and loose fat hanging from under her arms sat in front of one of the machines. Greasy, thin hair was plastered to her skull, and her thick ankles were discolored purple with large, bulging veins. She smoked a Salem 100 and sucked on an RC Cola while she stared at her clothes tumbling around and around in the dryer, like she was watching a television set.
She jerked in her chair as Danny stepped into the laundromat from the back stairs. “Hell. You scared the bejesus out of me, Danny.”
“Didn’t mean to.”
She flicked some ash onto the floor. “I know you didn’t. Just jumpy, is all. Getting close to closing time? You ain’t gonna kick me out yet, are you, Danny?”
“Naw.”
She turned back to the dryer to watch her clothes spin some more.
Danny looked at the other washers and dryers to see if anyone else would be coming back. They were all empty—she was the only one left.
“You got an extra quarter, Danny? Wanna get me another RC.”
Danny dug in his pocket and took out three quarters. It was all the money he had until Mr. Bennett paid him for the week. He stared at his quarters for a second before he handed her one.
“You’re okay, Danny. You’re A-okay.”
She struggled to her feet, let out a few hoarse grunts, then waddled over to the soda machine.
“Where you goin’ anyways? It’s late, ain’t it?”
“I suppose. Just wanted to give Mindy a birthday present.”
Phlegm rattled in her chest as she chuckled. She dropped the quarter into the slot, heard the can thump into the opening, then grabbed her ice-cold soda. “You’ve always taken a shine to that girl, ain’t that the truth?” She cracked open her RC and plopped back into her seat, her breath rasping like she’d just finished a hundred-yard dash.
“Don’t know nothing about that. She’s just nice to me, is all.”
“You’re a good boy, Danny. Maybe not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer, but a nice boy like you should have a nice girl by his side.” She smiled and blew out a cloud of smoke.
“Maybe so.” Danny wanted to get going. He gripped the robin figurine in his pocket and shifted his feet back and forth. It was a good long walk to Mindy’s, but the heavyset woman seemed lonely and clearly wanted some company.
“You still livin’ upstairs?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Shoot. Such a small room for a big fellow like you. How long you been livin’ in that room anyways?”
“Ever since Uncle Brett went up to heaven.”
She chuckled again, but there was no humor in her voice this time.
“Don’t think that boy ever made it into heaven, Danny. Probably got turned right around at the Pearly Gates and sent downstairs with a one-way ticket. Mean son of a bitch. Always angry about something.” Her cigarette hung from her lips, and a few ashes fell onto her lap as she talked.
Danny looked to the front door of the laundromat. “Yeah, well, he was just real sad most of the time and had a lot of bad things happen to him.”
“Him? Ha. He was just born mean as a snake, is all.”
“Maybe so.”
The heavyset woman spit a piece of tobacco off her tongue and shifted in her seat. “Weren’t really your fault about what happened to your folks.”
Danny nodded.
“God knows you suffered enough from the whole thing.” She shook her head at the thought. Slurped some more from the cola can. “Your poor mama and papa would be brokenhearted knowing how you ended up. Can’t imagine one of my young’uns turning out like you did. Mercy me.”
Danny stared down at the linoleum floor and noticed how dirty it was. A big wad of pink gum was stuck to the floor. He wanted to remember to scrape it up with a razor in the morning. Mr. Bennett said that folks only respected places that took pride in themselves.
“What time you locking up tonight?”
“When I get back, I suppose.”
“That’s a long walk, and it’s colder than the dickens out there. You sure you don’t want to just go in the morning?”
He shook his head. “Wouldn’t be her birthday then.”
Fat rolls on her belly shook from a spasm of laughter. “You’re right about that, boy. Too sweet for your own good.” She dropped her cigarette to the floor and squashed it out with her heel.
“Well, my clothes are near done. Won’t be here when you get back, I suppose.”
Danny smiled with relief. “Okay, then. S’long.”
He made his way toward the front door. As he slipped into the cold night air, the heavyset woman called out after him, “Thanks for the RC, Danny!”
