Gordy’s Uncle Leon was known for telling tall tales and for setting a Guinness World Record in 1964 for swallowing the most live goldfish in five minutes. Most of the adults in the family treated Uncle Leon like he was a benign imbecile. But Gordy loved him and never grew tired of hearing his stories.
It bothered Gordy that his dad showed such little respect for his own brother who was mentally challenged but not a total idiot. They were twins but somehow didn’t have anything in common other than their looks. Gordy’s dad, Alan, was a successful businessman who owned several businesses. His mom tolerated Uncle Leon and was generally nice to him. She was a timid woman who was dominated by Gordy’s dad who had a mean streak. She never questioned anything he did and put her energy into being a good housewife. She loved Gordy but seldom stood up for him.
When the twins parents both died in an automobile accident Alan and Leon inherited a large sum of money. Alan who became Leon’s conservator handled all the finances and gave him an allowance every month. Leon lived in a two-bedroom house that once belonged to their parents before they won a multi-million lottery in Arizona.
Unfortunately, they only got to enjoy their new house in Malibu, California for a year before their fatal car accident. Gordy was ten years-old when his grandparents died. During the funeral Leon was crying uncontrollably while Alan remained stoic and calm. He did not wear his feelings on his shoulder like his brother. Gordy noticed that and it bothered him. Afterward the memory clung to him like an unwanted barnacle.
Gordy was eighteen-years old when Uncle Leon had to be put in an assisted living facility. He had dementia and couldn’t take care of himself any longer. He was seldom lucid, but Gordy didn’t let that bother him when he came to visit every week. On one of those visits he was surprised to see a group of patients who were sitting around in the day room intently listening to Uncle Leon tell his story. Apparently, he had regular audiences and staff members could often be seen while on their breaks listening to Uncle Leon spinning a tale. I was amazed the first time I witnessed the scene. At other times he would sit almost comatose and stare into space with a blank look. When he was able to recognize Gordy, he would smile and tell him what a good boy he was. He would ask about his parents sometime wondering if they were going to visit him. Uncle Leon was in and out of reality and in poor physical shape. He was as thin as a reed. He had a thyroid problem and his eyes bulged out whenever he got too excited.
The last time Gordy saw his uncle alive he was shocked by his clarity. He seemed to have come out of a dream – a bad dream – and he had to tell Gordy all about it. His bulging eyes had an intensity that Gordy hadn’t seen in years. His voice cracked and he coughed before saying, “He cut the brake line…”
Gordy’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. “Who cut a brake line?”
“Your dad.“
“Why would he do that?” Gordy pleaded with tears running down his eyes.
Leon coughed again and his raspy reply froze him, “Money!”
“Why didn’t you tell the police or someone,” Gordy sobbed.
“No one would believe me…” His voice grew fainter.
Gordy left the care facility in a state of shock. His own father killed his grandparents! It was more than his mind could bear. He went back to his grandparent’s old house where he’d been living the last year since graduating from high school. His dad had kicked him out of the house and told him to get a job. He let Gordy stay in the old house but made him pay rent. When he got there the first thing he did was open a bottle of expensive tequila he’d been saving for a special occasion. His world was turned upside down and alcohol seemed like the only answer. He hated his dad. He hated the fact that he got away with murder. As he passed out a word kept trolling him…justice…justice.
A week later while on his way to the office Alan hit his brakes but his Tesla kept going right into the back of a semi-truck that had also hit its brakes on the busy freeway. It was a closed casket funeral. Gordy watched his mom mingle with other mourners and noticed she had never looked so happy.
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The Creative Chronicles of Dave Stancliff 