68 (12)

“Warner?”

“Yeah, Warner.  I know where we are, and where we’re going.”  Phil walked away from the door, while Bob stood for a moment at the door, not sure whether or not to close the door.  He walked to the crates where Phil was now sitting.  Phil’s face was expressionless, which told Bob something was on his mind.

“So, where in Dakota is Warner?”

“Warner is a town south of Aberdeen.”

“Aberdeen?  Sweet.  I wonder if the Zoo is still open.  I remember going up there a few times.  Well, barely.  I didn’t know you’d been up this way.”

“I’ve been there once or twice for baseball.  I’ve pitched there once or twice.”

Uh oh. “So, you don’t seem excited to be going to Aberdeen.  You must have gotten knocked around or something.”

Phil looked out the door.  The utility poles were flying by as the train was speeding up slightly.  “Actually, I pitched some pretty good games here, including one of my no-hitters.”

Dammit. “Maybe we could find the old park, or at the very least a few of the guys you struck out.  I have some memories of a decent strip club here.  At least, decent for a town like Aberdeen.”

“Yeah, maybe.  Why not.”  Phil wasn’t really there anymore, and Bob could tell.

“So, why aren’t you excited to be going to Aberdeen?  Do you think they’ll trace the train here?”

“Maybe.  Trains run all over the place.”

No way. “You know, we could just stay on the train.  There’s no reason to get off here.  Sure, we’re hungry, tired and could use a shower, but other than that there’s no reason to disembark here.”

“Well, as long as we’re here, we should take a break.  We can probably get another train.  Heck old man B made it look easy.”

“Phil” Bob said, as he was deciding how far to go, “is there another reason you don’t seem keen on Aberdeen?

Phil took a deep breath.  “I was bored at work a month or so ago.  I did a person search on Yahoo, and it said there was a Michelle Whiteman living in Aberdeen.”

Bob looked out of the door as well.  His mind was racing back to a month ago, when he was home early and checked the mail.  The letter was from Aberdeen, and it was in Michelle’s handwriting.  He didn’t know what it said, but he didn’t care.  He had taped it under the garbage can, not knowing if Phil should ever see it.  He had seen how happy Michelle made Phil, but he also saw Phil in the dark post Michelle days.  The days where Phil had ceased showering and shaving, was unemployed and on the verge of being evicted.  She might have been asking about being friends or getting back together or how his family was doing or who knows what.  All Bob knew is that Phil was stable and happy without her, and he thought he was doing him a favor keeping the letter away.  Bob was now wondering if their run from the law was the least of his worries.  What if they saw Michelle?  What if she asked about the letter?  How hung up was Phil if he was looking for her on the internet?  What if…

“Bob!”  Bob’s mind snapped back to the present.  His head whipped around and looked at Phil, who was still talking.  “Have you heard a word I’ve said?  Are you alright?”

So much for my poker face Bob thought to himself, wondering what to say next.