The Turning of the Year: (Part II of a Novella)

FICTION The Turning of the Year (Part II of a Novella) Gurney Norman 10. Howard wasn't nearly as rested on Monday morning as he wanted to be but he was still glad to be back at work even though problem number one was in his face before the first bell had rung. Wade always arrived with his busload ofElkhorn kids by 7:35 on a school day, but today 7:50 had come, and then 7:55, and Wade's bus was still nowhere to be seen. "I've called there," Howard said into the phone, speaking in his flattest, most authoritarian tone. "Get Mrs. Duncan to take her bus out Wade's route and collect any kids she finds. I'm going out that way myself. Tell her to flag me down if she sees me." To the school secretary Howard said, "Ruby, I'm going out to Elkhorn to check on Wade. He might be sick or something. He doesn't answer his phone. Tell Mrs. Jennings she's in charge here till I get back." "She'll know that," said Ruby, daring to make a joke in the midst of the unknown crisis. In spite of himself Howard grinned at Ruby, who had been at the front desk the entire fourteen years Howard had been principal. "I know," he said. "Tell her anyway." 11. Seventeen miles out old Route 28 leading to Elkhorn, Howard stopped at a country store and asked the old gentleman behind the counter if he could use the phone. First he called back to the office to see if Wade had shown up yet. Before he could make another call, the old man asked Howard if he was looking for Wade Bailey. Gurney Norman is a fiction writer from Hazard, Kentucky. 23 "Yeah," said Howard. "He missed his bus run this morning. We're worried about him." And Howard introduced himself as principal of Harriman Central High. "Oh, I know who you are, Howard," said the old man. "I'm Eugene Loggins. Don't you recognize you?" Howard studied the man's face. "Mr. Loggins?" he finally said. "Coach Loggins?" The older man was grinning as he came from behind the counter to shake Howard's hand. Behind his gray bushy eyebrows and the deep wrinkles of his tanned face Howard saw now that it was indeed Mr. Loggins, who had coached and taught at Elkhorn High School in the old days, when Howard and Wade both had gone to school there. Wade had been in high school a few years ahead of Howard and in his time had been one ofthe coach's hotshot basketball players. Mr. Loggins had retired from coaching and gone back to teaching history by the time Howard had played his high school basketball. Howard had thought Mr. Loggins was old even in those long-ago days, but here he was, still kicking, mysteriously minding a roadside store in the Elkhorn neighborhood. "I didn't know you had this store," said Howard. "I don't," said Mr. Loggins. "I'm just here for a few weeks, helping out. One of my uncles died here a while back. This place was his. I've lived in Florida twelve years." "Well, it's real good to see you, Mr. Loggins. I don't get out this way much. I'm the principal at Harriman Central now. I live over in Harriman." "I know that," said Mr. Loggins. "I see your name in the paper every now and then. We take the paper down in Florida—try to keep up with the homefolks a little. Wade comes by pretty often; he mentions you." "Do you-all talk about your old ballgames, in the old days?" Howard laughed. "Oh, not much. Wade looks like he could still play, though." "Wade's a good man," said Howard. "He was in service for twentysome years, you know." "Yeah, I've kept up with Wade. I've seen a few of the old-timers since I've been back." "Wade was supposed to bring his busload of kids in to school this morning and he didn't show up. We're worried about him...