Chapter Twenty-Five
Phone Calls
Song: Telephone Line—ElectricLight Orchestra
July 5th, 1975
I knew I had messed up with Darren when I pushed him away.Darren had been there for me invariably.I should have called or written to him when I got home from Moose Creek.I was troubled that it would be too late to make amends as friends or whatever else we were, but I had to try.
I dialed his number by putting my finger into the circular rotary of the green phone next to my bed.My mom was gone cutting a client’s hair, so I didn’t have to worry about her getting on the other line to listen in.When I was younger, I liked to listen to my sister’s conversations on the phone with her friends.Sometimes, she would hear my breathing and yell, “Penny!Get off the phone and stop being such a creep.”Now, I understand the desire for privacy.I would hate if someone were listening in on me.If anyone were on the other end of my call, they would hear me beg for forgiveness.Pride was hard to swallow, but I would do it over and over again if it meant that Darren would still accept me.
I pulled the dial-back number by number while I held my breath.Darren could blow me off, and I wouldn’t blame him.When I finished all the numbers, I had the phone in my hand and twirled the cord around my fingers, restless for him to pick up.The phone rang four times before I heard someone on the other end.Ring.Ring.Ring.Ring.“Hello...”I said, unsure of how to start the conversation.
Fast, jittery breathing went in and out before a little girl’s voice replied, “Hi!!”Kids were conversing in the background.
“This is Penny.Who am I talking to?Is Darren there?”I said, attempting to talk over Darren’s sibling’s loud noise level.
“Oh!Hi, Penny.We miss you.This is Doreen!Did you watch the fireworks last night?They were so cool.”Doreen was innocent and cute.I missed her simplicity.
“Yeah, I watched them for a while.”I talked to Doreen about their Fourth of July and how they didn’t get to use sparklers.They walked downtown by the local bar and watched the show the town put on every year.Due to its lack of funding, the show was short and uneventful.Darren’s siblings had to stay close to Susan’s side because she was worried about the drunken people around them.It wasn’t wise to have the event so close to the tavern.Moose Creek did things to please out-of-towners, not locals with children.They had to make money somehow.I wished I could have been there to entertain them.She told me how Darren was being quiet and that their dad said he shouldn’t talk to me.“How was your Fourth of July, though, Penny?”
“Oh, it was okay.Fawn got scared of all the loud explosions.I bought a pack of sparklers, which I wish I could have shared with you.I know your dad said he shouldn’t talk to me, but is there any way you could put Darren on the phone?”I beseeched.
“Uh...Yeah...Darren, phone!”Doreen wailed.
“Hello.Who is this?”Darren’s deep voice asked.
“I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have pushed you away.You were right, and I miss you,” I professed.
“It’s okay, Copper,” he said with a smile.I knew he was smiling because his voice trailed up when he did.The conversation was going better than I thought.I could have continued asking him for forgiveness, but I knew he would tell me it was okay and to stop apologizing.As an alternative, I decided to tell him about “Pitiful Peaches.”
“It’s not okay.It wasn’t right...Have you heard it?Your song is on the radio.Jesse Young and the Matches recorded it.”
“What are you talking about?They recorded it?I haven’t heard.Ever since the night we stayed out with the band, my dad has put me on lockdown.I can’t go anywhere, listen to any music, and have to help him with church services.I couldn’t even go watch the fireworks.Did they really record it?That’s amazing!My song is on the radio!”
I fell onto my bed and swung my legs into the air as I talked.“Although the song was more than incredible, it’s wrong.They didn’t even mention you.You deserve some sort of recognition.”
“I’m sure they mentioned me somehow.Crap.I have to go.My dad and mom are back from the store.You can’t call here again.I promise I will figure out some way to talk to you.Don’t worry, I forgive you.Bye!”Darren spoke in a rushed manner.
I wanted to talk to him for hours.He didn’t even know about my job or daily life.I always kept Darren a close distance away because I thought if he didn’t want to see or talk to me anymore it wouldn’t hurt as bad.I wanted to tell him how much I messed up, and how I wanted to curl up into his arms.Or about how when I couldn’t sleep at night and woke up drenched in sweat from nightmares about the night James died, I would picture Darren’s face and count all the moles I could remember until I would be calm enough to go back into my dreams.
I hung up the phone and dialed a different number that time because I couldn’t let Jesse rip Darren off.Darren was the most forgiving and caring person I knew.I had to do something.I pulled the paper Mason gave me at the funeral out of my desk drawer and furiously dialed the scrawled-down integers.
Ring.Ring.Ring.Ring.Ring.Ring.Ring...Nothing.
“The number you have dialed is not available currently.If you want to leave a message, repeat it after the tone.”This simple message was followed by a loud beep.
“Tonya, Mason, Keith, or whoever this is, this is Penny.I am calling because I heard the song on the radio yesterday, and I think it is great, but you know that Darren deserves some credit.Can you talk to Jesse about adding Darren’s name to the song?Or at least saying that he helped write it?Please get back to me ASAP.If you need to contact Darren, you can call him yourself; I’m unable to reach him right now.”
I called The Matches’ number daily.My fingers memorized the calling pattern, and eventually, it became muscle memory.That number was burned into my head like a cow branding.I left over twenty messages, each one getting more resentful.I refused to give up for Darren’s sake.
