Adult Short Story - Second Place

The South Simcoe Arts Council has been shining a spotlight on up and coming writers of all ages, in all genres through its Creative Works Writing Contest since 2016.

We are excited to share the winners writings with you. Enjoy!

This award is sponsored by
Gary and Dian Bowers.

Big Wheel

Seven-year-old Cathy hated her older brother and her baby sister. She didn't like her mother much either, but she did like her father when he bought them things. She hated school too, but it was summer and she could do as she pleased.

"It's almost one o'clock, All My Children is going to start," said her mother. "Finish your lunch." She wiped her hands on her apron. "And check Baby Sue's diaper."

"I don't want to," said Cathy. "Why do I have to? Why can't Alan? He never does anything."

"Duh, boys don't do diapers," her brother answered. "You're so stupid."

"Am not. Pimple face."

He punched her.

"Mom!"

"You know not to call him that. Now, look, Baby Sue's spilled her milk."

The phone rang. Her mother answered, stretching the cord so she could get a dishcloth from the sink. "Again? That's twice this week. The girls are going to play Canasta tonight..." She looked out the small window above the sink. "I know. Yes. No, I'm not." She hung up and handed Cathy the cloth. "Clean up the milk." She went to the living room and turned on the TV.

Cathy knew her mother was going to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

"Yah," said Alan. "Clean up the milk, and I hope there's a giant poopy in there for you." He laughed.

"Big fat ugly pimple face," whispered Cathy.

"Want me to pound you again? And stay out of my room. I know you've been snooping."

"Enough," shouted their mother. "Alan, get outside, or I'll give you a chore to do too." "I mean it, stay out of my room."

"I mean it, stay out of my room," Cathy mimicked.

He yanked her pony tail.

Cathy put the cloth back in the sink and hoisted Baby Sue from the high chair. The pee smell was strong, but she hated touching the wet diaper and getting pricked with the safety pins. "She's dry!" She put her in the playpen.

Baby Sue screwed up her face.

"Shh, don't cry, I'll get you a cookie." She climbed on the counter and opened the cupboard above the fridge where her mother hid the liquor and the special cookies she kept for herself.

Baby Sue laughed and clapped her hands.

Cathy stuffed one in her mouth and dropped another one into the playpen. "All done," she called. "Going outside." She ran as fast as she could.

Cathy was about to go down the street to bug the dogs chained out back of the gas station when she heard old man Henderson's station wagon. He lived behind them and had told her to stay off his property. She went around back and waited till he pulled out of the driveway, then climbed over the fence. She opened the screen door on his back porch and looked around, but there was nothing interesting. Once she had found two quarters by an ashtray. She went down the side yard to see if he had left his garage door open.

The woman who lived on the other side of his street was crazy. Everyone knew it and sometimes, when she was pacing her porch, the bigger kids would call her a retard. Her head never stopped shaking.

A big wheel trike was on her front lawn. The small sign beside it read 'For Sale $8.00'.

Cathy crossed the road. The blue back rest, yellow handlebars and red seat looked brand new. The streamers on one handle were gone, but it was glorious.

"Want to try riding it?"

Cathy felt her head snap with surprise.

The crazy lady was standing in the shadows on her porch. "I bought if for my grandchildren, but they don't visit anymore."

Cathy didn't know what to do. She didn't want to get caught in a trap and boiled and eaten.

"You live behind Mr. Henderson, right?"

Cathy couldn't answer, or even move.

"I guess you're not interested." She turned to go back into her house.

Cathy desperately wanted to ride it. "Are you really crazy?" She felt like she had shouted.

"No. I'm not crazy. I just have a problem." Her head kept shaking.

"Can't you make it stop?"

"I'd give anything to able to stop it." She sighed heavily and covered her face with her hands.

She seemed so sad that Cathy felt sad. "I wish it would stop too."

"Thank you, that's very kind." The lady smiled. "Maybe your parents will buy it for you."

Cathy nodded. Maybe they would. But eight dollars was a lot of money.

"Go ahead, try it."

Cathy had never ridden a big wheel. She had a regular tricycle when she was little, but it was boring and for babies. The commercials showed boys zooming down sidewalks and skidding sideways when they locked their knees to stop the front wheel. It looked wild and fast and a little dangerous. She touched the handles. The plastic was strong and sturdy. She straddled the bike and sank down. She put her feet on the pedals, but her knees were too high.

"Adjust the back, it can go a couple more notches."

Cathy got up and shifted the back into the last setting. This time her legs were the perfect length. She pushed hard with her right foot and the large front wheel lurched. It was easy. Each push moved her forward.

"Try turning around."

Cathy turned into a driveway a few doors up. The trike did exactly what she wanted.

"Ride to the top of the street."

A man came out of the neighbouring house. Cathy worried he might think she was the crazy lady's granddaughter, but he just got in his car and drove away.

By the time she got to the top, she was sweating. Looking down, it seemed much steeper than she had realized. She held her breath, then pushed the pedal. They turned so fast she could barely keep her feet on them. She braked a couple times, but went crooked and thought she was going to crash onto the road. Then she got the hang of it. She took her feet off the pedals to go even faster, but they hit the backs of her legs when she tried to get them back on.

She loved it. She loved figuring out how to make it skid and back up, and she loved how fast she went. The noise and vibration through the plastic wheels felt like she was driving a car. She could go anywhere. She wanted to have it forever.

"I'll take down the sign and keep it on my porch," said the lady. "Tell your parents to come see me today. If not, I'll put it back out tomorrow. And since you like it so much, I'll make it five dollars, just for you."

Cathy was hopeful. Maybe her father would buy it. Maybe he would think she had been a good girl and deserved something special. "I hope he says yes."

She turned to head home and saw Alan riding by on his bike. He pointed at her with a huge grin on his face.

He would tell. He would get her in trouble and she wouldn't get the big wheel. But if she told he had a naked lady magazine under his mattress they'd be so mad they wouldn't care about the crazy lady. She ran back through Henderson's yard and up her front steps. But he would pound her for sure. She let go of the door handle.

"You're dead," said Alan. He dropped his bike on the front yard.

"Am not. I'm telling," she said.

"Telling what?"

"You know. I saw them in your room."

His face changed. "Those aren't my cigarettes, I'm keeping for them for Jake."

"The naked boobies."

"You little brat. You better not tell."

""Dad will get mad."

She half expected him to hit her, but something was different. He didn't seem so big. "If you don't tell on me, then I won't tell you were at the crazy lady's house. Deal?"

"But I want the big wheel. I want Daddy to go buy it. It's only five dollars."

"If he buys it, he'll know you were talking to her. You're so stupid."

"Am not." But he was right. She'd get in big trouble for disobeying his orders. She wouldn't get the big wheel. She wouldn't ever be able to go fast and be free again. It made her sad. Then it made her mad. "So? I'm still telling about the boobies and cigarettes."

Alan looked like he was going to throw up. "Don't," he said, quietly.

"I'm gonna. As soon as he gets home." She felt very powerful.

"Wait, I've got five bucks. In my bank. How about I buy it and then you don't tell. Okay?

You get the stupid thing and you don't tell Dad."

Cathy didn't believe him. "You're never nice." Their parents wouldn't believe it either.

Alan was quiet for a moment. "Then I'll say it was my buddy's little brother's and he got too big and they were throwing it in the garbage."

Their parents might believe that. "You better not be lying."

He shook his head. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Get the money. Before she sells it to somebody else."

"Tomorrow."

"Now, or I'll tell." She felt bold and strong. Like when she was riding the big wheel.

"I really hate you." He went in the house and came out with his wallet. "You gotta come with me. I'm not talking to someone from looney town by myself."

"She's not crazy. Her head's just weird."

Their mother yelled for Cathy to get back inside and change the baby's diaper and clean up the spilled milk, like she had been told.

"You have to go yourself. Mom will tell Dad if I don't go in."

"I'll haunt you if I'm dead."

"You won't be dead. She's nice."

"You better be telling the truth."

Her mother opened the door. "Now."

Cathy didn't protest. She didn't hate changing Baby Sue's diaper. She didn't hate listening to her mother ask her how many times she had been told to stay out of the special cupboard. She was getting the big wheel.

Cathy was happy.