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Deadheads by David Henson

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“Five in a row.” Kenny Langston sits on the front porch with his wife. “A couple were even threes.” The couple continue watching as their 10-year-old daughter, Alex, banks one in off the goal Kenny mounted to the garage.

Jenny sips her lemonade. “I think she’s as good as any boy her age.” She stares at her husband. “We’ve been talking around this for months. Don’t you think it’s time we….”

Kenny crunches a chunk of ice. “The way she insists on having her hair cut short, always wearing that ball cap backwards, and —”

“I offered to paint her nails the other day. Just as a kind of test. She stuck her tongue out and put her finger in her mouth.”

“I think it’s more than a Tom-boy phase.”

“Definitely. But we shouldn’t push it. Let nature take its course.”

#

“Maybe we need to encourage it a little.” Kenny scrapes his cheek with his razor.

Jenny turns off the blow drier. “Might be for her own good. I’m sure she’s confused. Even if she doesn’t let on.”

The couple finishes getting around and goes downstairs. As they’re sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, Alex thumps down the steps. “Riding my bike in early today,” she says. “Bye.”

Jenny grabs the child’s arm. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Alex cocks her head.

“Your hat.”

“Afraid it’ll blow off,” the girl says, pulling away from her mother.

“Be careful,” Kenny shouts as Alex hurries away. 

#

Kenny holds open a trash bag as Jenny dead-heads the rose bushes. “You know,” he says, “when it finally happens — when she realizes — we’re going to have a lot to deal with at her school.”

Jenny drops a shriveled blossom into the bag. “I’ve been thinking about that. Bathrooms, sports … I think we should be more active in the PTA. Right away. I might even be an officer.”

“One of us could eventually run for school board, city council….Who knows where it might lead?” Kenny scrunches the clippings in the sack. “Ouch!” he touches his fingertip to his mouth.

“Damn it,” Jenny says. “I snipped a good one.”

#

“Should we mingle? We Should mingle,” Jenny says. “Lots of big shots here.” She hooks her arm in her husband’s and starts to stride toward a group of people.

Kenny hesitates. “Wait. Here comes Ms. Roberts.”

A tall woman with red hair approaches the couple and holds out her hand. “Darlene Roberts. I believe this is your first time with us?”

Kenny pushes his chin to his chest. Jenny fights an urge to curtsy. “Yes, ma’am,” she says.

Ms. Roberts smiles. “Well, don’t hesitate to speak up or ask questions. Important agenda this evening. Fifth grade curriculum.”

Jenny nods. “And maybe bathrooms?”

Ms. Roberts arcs her eyebrows. “Uh … down the hall and on your left.”

#

The support group leader concludes the meeting. Kenny and Jenny hurry to their car without talking to any of the other parents. “I thought you were going to ask how we can know for sure,” Kenny says.

Jenny starts the car. “I was, but … some of those folks were so upset. Talking about their kids tormenting themselves. After that woman said she was afraid her daughter … son … was suicidal, it didn’t feel right for me to …” Jenny chokes back a sob. “Makes me realize even more just how important our plans are.”

“It takes a positive attitude to deal with something like this. We have to be proactive.”

“That reminds me — I’m going to announce my intention to run for PTA vice president tomorrow night.” When Jenny starts to pull away from the curb, the car backfires. “We need to get this thing to the shop.”

#

The couple sits on their front porch sipping lemonade. Kenny hums Truckin’ thenlifts his glass. “Congratulations, madam vice president.”

“Thank you, future mister mayor.” Jenny nods toward the rose bushes. “We probably won’t have time to give them so much attention.”

Kenny lifts his chin and grins. “Bigger things on our horizon.”

Just then Alex and a boy ride up on their bicycles. The girl dismounts, giggles, and kisses the boy on the cheek. He wipes his face with his hand and rides away.

Alex lays her bike down in the grass and skips to house. “I’m going to shoot some hoops before lunch,” she says, stepping onto the porch. “Isn’t he cute?”

Kenny and Jenny stare at each other for several seconds. Finally, Jenny stands. “I’m going to fix us a real drink.”

“Make mine a double.”

David Henson

Image: Male and Female gender signs. Black on a white background from pixabay.com

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Published by literallystories2014

29 thoughts on “Deadheads by David Henson”

  1. Happy Thanksgiving David (and to all who know nothing of it)

    I believe you have written a rare satire that entertains without concealing a sermon.

    I often wish that some people would stop just for a minute and ask themselves “How stupid will I look when I am history?” You have pointed out some of the people who should be asking themselves such a questio.

    But they never do.

    Brilliant and worth !, oh make that a total of three !!

    Leila

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  2. Happy Thanksgiving to friends across the pond.

    This is cleverly done and points a sniggering finger in just the right direction. there seems to be a class of people who see everything as fashion and fad and want to be a part of it. It’s sad and these two are shown to be silly and shallow. The read seems lightweight at first but its not – in my opinion because it looks at a serious subject. Thank you – dd

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  3. Hi David,

    Happy today to all who it means something to.

    If god is a turkey, there are a lot of people in trouble.

    If god is a bottle of Bacardi I’m in serious trouble!!!

    Before I comment I need to explain myself first – I have no knowledge of raising kids, far less trying to support them with their sexuality, whatever it may be!
    This is a story about bad judgement and I think that was the point. The parents hadn’t a clue how to handle their daughter being who she was. They were pre-guessing and planning. Not the most parental thing they could do.
    The ending wasn’t the ending, the girl could go down a few different roads before she was comfortable with who she is. And that emphasised that the parents could try and be prepared but who can prepare for life and where and whose arms it takes you into??

    This story should be required reading for new woke parents who have more opinions than brain cells!!!

    Another excellent story my fine friend.

    Hugh

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  7. David
    The holiday is a perfect day for a Henson tale! The dialogue is pitch perfect in this one all the way through – as usual. Congrats and Happy Thanksgiving!
    Dale

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  8. A timely read if ever there was one, & acutely knowing in its observations. Lightfooted but leaves a heck of an imprint. Puts me in mind of certain people I privately – or not so privately – think of as the Folk From Muesli Hill. Great stuff, David.
    Geraint

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  10. Hi again David

    For some reason this question popped into my mind few minutes ago–I believe it rose from the memory of an email dealing with this post, when accepted, but maybe I got it wrong

    Is today your birthday?

    Leila

    (If I got it wrong, well happy Thanksgiving birthday anyway!)

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  13. A very clever, well observed and light-ish take on a very serious modern issue that causes a lot of divisiveness nowadays. The dialogue is superb – absolutely spot on and make the story very real. The ending is sweet and genuinely funny – and perhaps, rather than this been a story about gender norms, etc., it’s actually simple tale that reminds us to bide our time in life.

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  14. The parents were smart – they let things blossom with Alex, as we see in the final paragraphs. No deadheading. Let the roses grow. Good 1. Dialogue lets the story unfold.

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  15. Hi David,

    I found this a lovely true to life little story with a big theme. Your dialogue is enviable, seemingly simple and uninhibited, we ride along with the parents, wonderful.  I felt part of the story and invested in these parents as they scramble though the labyrinth of parenting. 

    Thanks for this.

    my best Maria

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