The Red Phoenix

It was closing time. The gang and I came out laughing as a result of a funny conversation. It was then I saw my dad getting down from his car smiling. I was pretty sure he was coming from the workshop. My dads workshop is called The Garage. I work there too.

”Hey Leo, its your dad! ” James exclaimed. I walked up to him together with my friends

”Hey kids. Hows school? ” my dad greeted

”It was great. ” I replied. Mason and James were chatting behind me while Tracy was beside me holding my hand. It felt cool.

”Thats good. You mind if I drop you guys off? ” he asked the others.

”That would be great. ” Tracy said, speaking for the others.

”Good. Now hop in. ” he said as he entered the car and closed the door behind him. We also did the same. Tracy bid her friends farewell and off we went. James and Mason were checking their phones while Tracy was just looking around. The three of them sat at the back while. Was at the passenger front seat.

”So, ” my dad said, trying to break the silence. ”What did you do in school today? ” now I thought he already asked this question before but I realised he was looking for more details.

”Well, today was as stressful as usual but nothing interesting. Except for the fact that Ive got a physics project to finish up by next week. ” I replied. ”What about you Tracy? ” my dad asked.

”Well, my day wasn so bad. Did some cheerleading today, blew something up in the chemistry lab– ” Tracy explained before being cut short.

”Wait, ” James interrupted. ”Has there ever been a day you never blow something up in that lab? ”

”Hey it was a mistake, and besides I was just testing for the type of gas it was. Only that I left the gas tap on for a bit of a long time before lighting the fire. ” Tracy replied with an innocent voice.

”Youll start getting detention for that. ” I expressed.

”Well, ” Mason added. ”She should be getting detention but the Mr. Harrison pardons her all the time and claiming its an accident. ”

”Something that occurs almost every time is no longer an accident. Its called carelessness. ” James concluded.

”Okay, thats enough guys, ” I said trying not to let the conversation offend Tracy in any way. ”Lets leave Tracy alone. Anyone can make mistakes. ” After saying this, James went back to his phone, Tracy was already slightly annoyed and Mason was watching a YouTube video. My dad got to the Wilsons house and Tracy and James got down and said their goodbyes.

We got home around three pm. Masons house is just two blocks from mine so we alighted at my house. ”Okay Leo, see you tomorrow. ” Mason said as he headed to his house.

”Good bye. ” I replied. My dad and I went in the house. I went straight for my room. My room is a bit spacious with my own reading table with my laptop, books and some other stuffs on it. I went straight for the bathroom to take a hot shower. When I was done by the time I got out and wanted to go to the parlour, I looked at my table and I saw one of my notes with and I remembered I had an assignment there. After staring at it for a while I just thought Nah, Ill do it later. Besides I still have till Wednesday to submit it so Ill leave it for now.

I just stepped outside my room and went downstairs to watch TV. ”Hey kid ” my dad called from the stairs. ” I just received an emergency call from a customer, said his pick-up truck broke down three blocks from that old peoples home across the street. Mind if you come? Might learn a thing or two. ”

”Sure, why not. Not much to do at home anyways. ” I replied.

”Great. Lets be on our way then. You wanna grab a couple things? ” he asked as he grabbed his keys from the shelf in the dinning room.

”Just a snack and thats all. ” I said as I went to the fridge and grabbed a chocolate bar. My dad and I entered the car when he thought about asking me about my skateboard.

”What progress have you made with your skateboard anyway. ” He asked.

”Well, ” I muttered. It wasn like Ive made a lot of progress, ”I still need to weld some materials, some scrap metal to attach as a pair of fins to it. ”

”But wouldn you make the fins foldable, you wouldn like to hit side obstacles on land ” my dad said as we drove off.

”Hmm… I didn really think about that. Thanks dad. ” I said with a thougthful tone as I placed my hands on my chin and pondered. I wanted to make my skateboard able to fly… or at least, perform controlled diving as they called it in the movie Independence day. It was a project I wanted to do myself but I needed a lot of work and I must admit that being the sun of a mechanic has its advantages.

”But I would still need the welding materials. ” I said. ”One things for sure, when Im done with the board, its gonna be heavier than normal. ”

”And thats why you have to consider the kind of metal you use, ” My dad advised. ” I would advise you use duralumin since thats what they use to build planes. ”

”I don suppose you happen to know where to get it, ” I said, then I saw my dad smile and I got curious, ”Do you? ” I asked looking at my dad with a little bit of confusion. My dad just gave me a smile which I knew meant Don think too lowly of your dad. Ive got it under control

My dad and I got to the place where the client said his truck got faulty and saw the client. His name was Mr. Monroe, hes a neighbor and he happens to live five blocks from our house. His son, Nick is a friend of mine. We don talk much though. He said he had a faulty Toyota Tacoma and we had to tow it to the my dads Workshop–which is called Jake and Sons Workshop. He changed the name to that when I was born.

My dad and Mr. Monroe drove away while I stayed with the truck. My dad was going to drop Mr. Monroe off and then go bring the tow truck. I waited behind for no reason. Maybe I did wait for a reason… Shortly after, my phone rang, It was Tracy.

”Hello. ” I uttered.

”Hey Babe. Whats up? ” She asked in a smooth and calming voice.

”Well… Not much, my dad and I are about to head to the Garage, do some modifications. ” I replied.

”What modifications? You talking about your skateboard right? ” she asked.

”Yeah. ” I replied.

”Wait, did you guys head home first or did you head to your dads workshop? ” she asked in confusion

”Actually we came home but my dad received a distress call from a neighbour and I thought that if I followed him I could use the opportunity to upgrade my skateboard. ” I explained.

”Sounds like fun, looks like youve been busy, right? ”

”Nah. I only started two weeks ago and I haven made much progress yet. All my dad and I have been doing is just theory and getting stuffs for the upgrade. We haven really started the main deal. ” I explained again.

”So whatve you been doing, homework, house chores, candy crush– ”

”All excluding candy crush. ” She said. Tracy loved candy crush and shes been playing that game for almost two years. She deleted the game mistakenly, almost left her depressed that she would have to go through the same effort all over again.

I laughed when she said she hadn played candy crush yet. Probably out of surprise or just because it was a bit funny to me that Tracy Wilson of all people who loved candy crush hadn done one round yet. (Yeah. Thats how serious it is).

”Huh. I refuse to believe the fact that you haven played candy crush today! ” I exclaimed

”What? Ive just been busy thats all. ” She replied. ”I don trust you. ” I snickered.

”Believe it or not. I haven played candy crush today. ” She said, a bit annoyed.

”Okay, I beliieeeve you. ” I uttered with finality in my voice. It was then my dad returned with the tow truck. That was fast I thought. Its been like ten minutes since he went to drop Mr. Monroe off.

”Well, ” I said to Tracy on the phone. ” looks like this is my queue. Ive gotta go. My dads back. Duty calls. ”

”Okay, Ill see you tomorrow at school then. ” She said.

”Yeah. Be seeing you. Bye. ”

”Bye. ” She said as she hung up. When it comes to Tracy and I on the phone, I don want to stop talking and it seems she likes it that way.

”Okay son. You ready? ” my dad said as he finished attaching the hook in the tow truck to the car.

”Ready when you are dad. ” I said enthusiastically. He entered the tow truck while I entered the pickup to steer it as my dad pulled it through the tow truck. I forgot to explain that my dad had a hotline which customers who were in an emergency with their vehicles used to call my dad. If hes not available, I should be. If none of us are my mum would just pick it up and tell the person on the phone we are not available. But shell make sure she gets to us as soon as possible.

My dad and I got to the workshop. The workshop is a bit of a big place…. Okay, maybe not that big. It has a huge parking space and a garage which can take up to four cars. Its in the garage we put cars that are currently being repaired. Once we are done we park in in a section in the parking space meant for repaired vehicles. Theres also a bungalow which is the office. The place has two desks which both have computers on them and a telephone for receiving calls. The place is nice and what I love most is that have level 9 access to the place. What I mean is that its almost like I own the place too since I work here with my dad which I have been doing since the age six.

We parked the car in the garage which I call The ward since we
e going to be repairing the car immediately. I got down from the pickup and went into the office to grab a bottle of water. I was dead thirsty. I went outside to give my dad a bottle since I suspected that he was thirsty too.

”Thanks kid. ” He replied as I handed him a chilled bottle of water.

”So, have you heard from mom? ” I asked. ”Nope, not yet, ” He said. ”The last time I texted her she was about to go do the interview. ”

”Well she should be done now. I wonder why she hasn called yet. ” I said with slight curiosity.

”Shes probably tired after that interview. ” My dad said.

”Or maybe she was asked to start the work immediately so shes probably busy right now. ” I added. ”Maybe! ” my dad exclaimed. It was then he got under the truck and started to work on the truck and I assisted him.