Writings

“Nerd Nose, get out here!”

Addison poked his head into the garage.

“You calling me?”

“What other nerd nose lives here?” Cade pulled Addison to a tumbled heap of bikes and tangled ropes.

“Stop messing with my bike! Why’d you tie it up?”

“I was practicing some new knots.”

“You’re such a lame brain.” Cade righted his bike, pulling off the last tangled rope.

“No, see …. There’s hundreds of different knots. A couple bowlines around the handle bars and under the seat should have held our bikes together tight.”

Cade shook his head. “Quit trying to be the world’s biggest nerd. Last week you were a magician and the week before that a comedian.”

“Magicians do tricks with ropes. And here’s my new joke for the week.” Addison stood up smiling. “What’s black and white and red all over?”

“Duh!” Cade climbed on his bike. “A newspaper.”

“No!” Addison beamed. “An embarrassed zebra!”

“Hooohah!” laughed Gramps from the kitchen door. His round belly jiggled over his brown belt. “Good one. Nearly as funny as lipstick on a chicken.” Addison and Gramps clucked and flapped, but not Cade.

“I’m heading to Josh’s.” Cade pedaled down the driveway.

“Be back in time for supper,” Gramps called. “And your mom said no riding at that construction site.”

Addison didn’t think Cade heard—or wanted to hear.

*****

An hour later Addison sat at the kitchen table. A pile of ropes and an open book lay before him. His face was nearly as knotted as the ropes. Gramps stepped up behind him.

“Looks like you’re getting it.”

“See. This one’s a sheet bend. It joins two ropes together. I think it could hold just about anything.”

Gramps tugged hard on Addison’s knot, winking as he handed it back. “Strong enough to hold up …”

Addison giggled. “50 pounds of marshmallows in a 30 pound bucket.”

“You got my gift for humor, boy. Wish your brother had my gift for prudence. He doesn’t think things through before he leaps into the fire.”

“Cade’s okay,” said Addison. “Not a nerd like me.”

“You’re not a nerd.” Gramps banged a pot on the countertop. “You’re YOU.”

“Sometimes I wish I fit in easier.”

Gramps plopped the heavy pot on the stove. With a knife in one hand, he paused before a large purplish-red onion on his chopping block. “Doing what’s right is sometimes like dealing with an onion…”

“I know, Gramps. There’s bound to be a few tears.” Addison tossed his arm around Gramps’ pudgy middle.

“I’ll go find Cade before Mom gets home—if you don’t need any help.”

Gramps winked. “I need help like a giraffe needs a ladder.”

Addison’s coiled ropes swayed from the bike's handlebars as he sped into the street. He spun around the corner and skidded to a stop on Josh’s driveway. Josh paused polishing his bike.

“Do you know where Cade’s at?”

“Thought he’d be home by now. I left him at the jump site.”

“Jump site?” Addison’s stomach swayed.

“We made this cool jump ramp.” Josh used his hand to show how high. “At the new development across King Drive.”

Addison tightened his grip on the handlebars and turned into the street. What had Gramps said about Cade jumping into the fire?

Pedaling down the hill Addison could see the flattened construction site. Giant earthmovers, trench diggers, and dump trucks dotted the site.

Braking to a stop, Addison saw Cade’s toppled bike--upended near the edge of a steep drop-off. Addison moved closer. The newly dug foundation was more than 15 feet deep. He stepped carefully to the crumbly edge.

“CADE!”

Cade’s bent body lay still.

“CADE!”

Slowly Cade moved his head. “Hey,” he said weakly.

“You okay?”

“Just twisted my ankle some.” Cade tapped his head. “Good thing I had my helmet on.”

“Yeah. Real smart.” Gramps’ words echoed in Addison’s head. Don’t follow a blind dream or you’ll get knots on your head.

Knots. His ropes!

“I’ve got a plan.”

“I’ve got a better plan. Get Josh, Nerd Nose.”

Ignoring Cade’s words, Addison grabbed his ropes. First, he tied a sheet bend. Around, through, tuck under, pull. Then he took one end and walked to a bulldozer close by. He wrapped an overhand loop around a handle. Back down, behind, up and pull. A perfect bowline--he hoped.

“Here,” Addison called tossing the rope over. “Grab hold and climb.”

“No way. I saw how well your knot-tying skills worked earlier.”

Addison felt like he’d peeled one of Gramps’ onions. He blinked his eyes hard as he said, “Trust me. Okay?”

Cade looked up. Their eyes locked.

“Okay.”

Addison heard a creak as Cade grasped the rope. Would his knots hold? If Cade fell, he could be hurt worse.

Cade crept up. Slowly. Slowly. With each rope creak Addison held his breath. Addison flattened himself on the ground. Stretching, he clutched Cade’s wrist and pulled him over the edge.

Addison eased the rope out of Cade’s hands. Stiffly, Cade sat up.

“Thanks, Knothead ... uh, I mean, King of Knots.”

Pulling Cade to his feet, Addison smiled. “Needing to do any more jumps?”

Cade grinned as he leaned on Addison. “I need that like a fish needs swimming lessons.”

“Hoohah!” giggled Addison.

THE END