The Feud: Chapter IV

The Graduates

Gus cleared his throat a couple of times and then started telling his story. “My parents were rather intelligent but not highly educated people. They both came from families that worked and toiled their whole lives just to barely make ends meet. My parents never had the opportunity to rise above their families’ meager social class and when the Great Depression hit, our family was hit hard. So, education was a luxury neither family could invest in. It was a proud moment for both of my parents when I was able to stay in school and graduate.” He paused a moment, seemingly lost in reflection. “To celebrate, my parents threw a party in our small coal camp town. The likes of which had not been seen in that area. Everyone was invited. Even him,” he narrowed his eyes down the hall in the direction of Marty’s room. “And his family. It was the polite thing to do, my mom said.”

Calvin nodded. Graduation day? This had to be the cause of the great Marty and Gus rift. Then he tried to picture the two 90-year-olds as teenagers and failed. His mind kept reverting their faces to the worn and wrinkled faces he knew. Later on, he would let himself giggle about the images his mind kept conjuring up.

“I tried to talk my dad out of throwing the party but, what can I say? He was a proud papa.” Gus’s face relaxed to a near smile. “My parents were well liked and everyone showed up. Of course, he came with his girlfriend’s family. Oh boy, that girlfriend of his.” He drifted off in thought for a moment. “Her dad was a mining official so a bit higher paygrade than the rest of the miners in town. He never acted like it though. His wife, however, never fit in with the other miners’ wives. A bit uppity. Which meant their daughter, Marty’s girlfriend, was a real piece of work.”

Graduation day and a girl? That mix could definitely cause lifelong issues.

“No one in town ever knew what she saw in him. But most of us figured she just used him. Like a gullible moron, he allowed himself to be used.”

One thing was certain, Calvin never realized how much hate could be poured into one syllable until listening to this story between the two men.

“The party had been in full swing for just over an hour when someone noticed he,” again with the pure hatred filling the one word, “had gone missing.”

Calvin raised an eyebrow. “Missing?”

“Apparently, he had swiped some of my dad’s whiskey and had wandered off with his girlfriend. When her folks couldn’t find her or him, her mom became worried. A girl disappearing with a guy back then? Was not overlooked like it is today. It was unseemly and gossip had already started to spread at the party. It drove her mom crazy. She asked the men at the party to go searching for them.”

This story was taking a dark turn. The old man Calvin knew in room 1212 didn’t seem capable of hurting anyone but he couldn’t vouch for what 18-year-old Marty was like. “What happened?” Calvin asked.

Gus snorted which led to a small coughing spell. When he could speak again, he continued without missing a beat. “The idiot took his dad’s car and nearly drove the two of them off a cliff. The only thing that saved them was he passed out and drove the car up an embankment which caused the car to stall and get stuck. That’s where they were found hours later.”

“Hours later?” Calvin asked. “So, that’s how he ruined your party? Everyone left and went looking for Marty?”

Gus nodded. “By the time they were found, no one felt much like partying anymore.”

“And the two of you have been enemies ever since?” Calvin asked.

Gus looked at him. “Enemies? That’s a strong word. No, I simply can’t stand the guy.”

“Trust me,” a voice said to the side of them down the hall. “The feeling is mutual.” Marty was shuffling his way toward them with the aid of a walker. “As usual, you left out quite a few details.”

Did Marty have Gus bugged? How could he hear what Gus was even saying from down the hall? Calvin thought that might be the next thing he was going to have to sort out.

“Says you,” Gus drawled without even looking at Marty.

“Says the facts!” Marty said and leaned on a chair tucked under a table to catch his breath. “Says everyone that knows what actually happened and doesn’t make up his own version.”

This had to be the story Calvin had waited for. But as he waited for Marty to get closer, he couldn’t help but wonder if there had ever been a physical fight in a nursing home before. Because he just might be on the verge of seeing one now.

“You ruined my parents’ party,” Gus said without looking at him.

“I didn’t ruin anything,” Marty said continuing his shuffle toward them.

“You took off during the party,” Gus didn’t back down.

“My girlfriend tookoff during the party. She’s the one that took your dad’s whiskey. She’s the one that suggested we take the car. When I wouldn’t, she took her dad’s keys and left without me. I had to jump into a moving car to stay with her. I simply went with her because I was worried about her safety.”

Gus scowled. “I remember her mom asking about you. She said you took her.”

“Of course she said that! She had to keep up appearances. Better to have me play the villain than her daughter.”

There was truth to what he said. Calvin noticed Gus shrug and knew that Gus recognized it also. He just wasn’t willing to admit it.

Marty finally was near enough he could sit in a chair and talk without having to raise his voice. Which he promptly took advantage of. “She asked about me because she knew I was with her. Her parents knew exactly what she was about but would never admit it publicly.” He took advantage of Gus’s silence to add, “Moron.”

Gus folded his arms. “Still,” he wasn’t giving up. “The party was ruined.”

“The party lasted until eleven o’clock! No one came searching for us until then, until after the party. How long did you want people to celebrate you? Meanwhile, I could have died.”

“You were passed out,” Gus grumbled.

“I was knocked out when my girlfriend drove the car up the embankment. She was the one driving and she was the one that passed out. I was hurt.”

Gus shrugged his shoulders like it was a trivial detail

Calvin felt a little disappointment. This didn’t seem to be the origin story after all. They were apparently already in the midst of their feud when this happened. To make matters worse, the two men were now close enough to each other and in such a mood that he might actually get to see his first nursing home fight if he wasn’t careful.

“Guys,” he said trying to diffuse the situation. “It sounds like Marty’s girlfriend is at fault for this one.” Better to give them a common villain than to have them keep pointing at each other.

They both looked at him.

“It was a rather boring party!” Marty said at the same time as Gus responded, “Oh, sure, take his side!”