Bingham Rankins of Pratt County

1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-0983-3844-2
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 322 Seiten

'The Rankins of Pratt County' is a coming of age novel about a midwestern teenager raised by neglectful parents. Russell Rankin is forced to live temporarily out of state in rural North Carolina with his widowed paternal grandmother where he faces additional challenges and disappointments in his new surroundings. Extended family and community help stabilize the youth who excels academically and athletically despite his dysfunctional past. After college and a successful twelve-year career in professional football, Russell returns to Pratt County to raise his family and begin a new career. Unresolved issues soon develop that further test his character and loyalty. The book primarily takes place from 1982-1988 in small town, northwestern North Carolina. The final chapters conclude during 2005-2009.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bingham, Robert

Leseproben

1

February 5, 1982
Lancaster, IL

The escalating conflict between Russell Rankin and his mother’s latest live-in boyfriend gnawed at Russell throughout the school day. Last night’s argument with Dominic proved to be the most heated exchange to date. Dominic had made it clear that he was not open to compromise. As long as Dominic paid the rent, Russell was to do what he was told from a man that he had come to loathe.

To compound the situation, Dominic had boasted, in full presence of Russell’s mother, Loretta, that he knew how to handle Russell, whatever that meant.

Dominic’s taunting of Russell resumed as soon as the two made eye contact Friday morning. The previous night’s unresolved issues had spilled over to the morning as Russell readied for school and ate breakfast. At one point, Dominic sneered in Russell’s face and said, “Why don’t you leave some frosted flakes for the rest of us? Ever think of that?” Russell left for school earlier than usual in order to avoid additional badgering.

The high school day dragged from the onset. Russell was relieved that no quizzes or tests were scheduled on this wintry Friday. He was desperate and felt helpless. He was certain that additional conflict was in store upon his return home later that day. This time, he feared that conflict might turn physical.

What further jumbled his thoughts and emotions was the recent stance taken by his mother. As Dominic stoked the discord, Loretta seemed powerless, even unwilling to intervene. She chose to retreat and withdraw even though her oldest child was at risk.

Russell didn’t want to go home. No way did he want to spend additional time with Dominic. He needed to steer clear of him as much as possible. By design, Russell had stayed after school to complete his homework in the school library. But with homework completed, he ran out of reasons to avoid returning home.

When he stepped outside, he saw that three inches of additional snow had fallen since earlier in the day. He shivered from the cold. No gloves or boots in this chilly weather, just a hooded sweatshirt. Russell began the dreaded half-mile walk home.

In less than twenty minutes, Russell stomped off the caked snow from his wet Nikes in the depressing, tired foyer of the Albemarle Arms apartments. Russell had lost count. This was either the sixth or seventh apartment building he had lived in with his mother and younger sister Rachel since his parents divorced almost seven years ago.

These apartment buildings all seemed the same to him: four-story brown brick buildings that catered to low-income tenants. They were shabby and tired structures with worn stairs, flaking plaster, dim lighting, and a musty smell encouraged by poor maintenance. As a rule, apartments were small and sparsely furnished. Utilities were substandard and often inconsistent.

Russell reluctantly took the stairs to the fourth floor and quietly entered apartment 404. He was greeted by Rachel who shushed him to be quiet. She then tapped her head and pointed to Loretta’s bedroom. Russell understood instantly that Loretta was suffering from a migraine.

After Russell removed his wet sweatshirt and shoes, Dominic appeared from the kitchen and gruffly instructed, “I want no shit from you. Understand? Your mother’s got one of those bad headaches and she’s out of her pain pills.”

Russell nodded.

“Where the fuck have you been, anyway?”

“Doing homework in the school library.”

“Yea, I’ll bet. That’s A good one.”

Russell and Rachel understood the protocol. Light and noise were Loretta’s principal enemies during her migraine episodes when she required complete bed rest, a darkened bedroom, and most of all, peace and quiet.

After checking on his mother, Russell retreated to the bedroom that he shared with Rachel. For the next half-hour, brother and sister whispered their conversation so as not to cause any disturbance. Much of their talk centered upon transportation should Loretta require a trip to the emergency room at Prairie State Medical Center.

It was 4:55 p.m., and Dominic was in the kitchen preparing a spaghetti dinner. Russell stood silently at the entryway that separated the living room from the kitchen as Dominic continued to cook.

Dominic was four years older than Loretta. This most recent boyfriend stood about five feet nine inches and was of medium stature. He was physically solid due to his interest in weightlifting. Not a devotee to hygiene, Dominic was often in need of a shower and shave. His thinning black hair was slicked with Vitalis. His breath stank of unfiltered cigarettes.

Russell knew little of his background save for the fact that Dominic was born and raised in Milwaukee.

In noticing Russell’s presence, Dominic glared and barked, “Whata you lookin’ at?”

“Nothin’.”

“You need to understand something real quick … real quick, boy.” Dominic reinforced his message by pointed wooden spoon. “As long as I’m payin’ the fuckin’ bills around this place, I’m due respect. I don’t want to hear no more bullshit, that you don’t have to listen and I’m not your real dad, either.”

Hard as it was, Russell remained calm and diverted attention to Loretta. It was clear that Dominic was itching for conflict.

“When these migraines get really bad, she goes to the emergency room at Prairie State.”

Continuing his sarcastic tone, Dominic bellowed, “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Russell, I think I can handle it if she needs to go to the emergency room. You just do as you’re told. I do have a truck, you know.” Again, motioning with the wooden spoon, he snapped, “Get your sister ’cause the spaghetti’s ready.”

The sharing of the meal at the small kitchen table was awkward and tense.

Conversation was infrequent. Silence dominated the group. At Dominic’s direction, Rachel and Russell cleaned up afterward as Dominic tended to Loretta. Upon exiting the bedroom, Dominic said, “Your mother just threw up all over the bathroom. She didn’t make it in time. Russell, clean it up. Bucket’s in the kitchen closet.”

Although disgusted by the duty, Russell complied as it gave him a chance to reconnect with his mother, who had collapsed in pain on the bed. After cleaning the bathroom, Russell relayed Loretta’s request to be transported to Prairie State.

Upon hearing the news, Dominic flew into a rage.

“You just don’t stop, do you? Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do? I’m a fuckin’ grown man. Isn’t that between your mother and me about Prairie State?

Emphasizing with his fingers, “What is fuckin’ with you, anyway?”

Russell was torn. He longed to respond, but he also knew that a verbal battle with Dominic was the last thing that his mother needed as her pain was now excruciating. As if to referee, Loretta dragged herself from the bedroom to the living room. Out of fear and mounting worry, Rachel joined her mother’s side.

Loretta pleaded, “Please, Dom, he didn’t mean nothin’ by it. Please. No fightin’… no more. I’m beggin’ you. I can’t take it, the yellin’, the noise, my head’s about to come off. Please, please, no more!”

Shaken by Loretta’s directness, Dominic regained his composure, consoled Loretta, and escorted her back to the bedroom where she changed clothes. Russell and Rachel retreated to the privacy of their bedroom. In Russell’s and Rachel’s absence, Dominic phoned the Lancaster Police.

At 6:05 p.m., a knock on the door revealed that LPD officer Benjamin Skinner had been called to the apartment. Russell was sure that this had been Dominic’s doing. He grew angry and confused when the officer told him that assistance had been requested on a domestic disturbance. I’ve done nothing wrong Russell thought, but as usual with Dominic, the situation had escalated and grown threatening.

Officer Skinner inquired, “So what’s goin’ on here? Oh, sorry about the wet boots and all.”

Before Russell could respond, Dominic wrested control of the discussion.

His voice was aggressive and loud. “I’m tired of his mouth. I’m tired of his disrespectin’ me all the time. I’m the one who pays the rent, not his mom. I’m the one that puts food on the table. And all I get is his smartass attitude. Money’s missing from my wallet, too.”

Russell erupted, responding directly to Dominic, “What? Money missing? What are you talkin’ about?”

Russell turned to Officer Skinner. “It’s not like that. I don’t know what his problem is anyway. He’s always on me, always tryin’ to pick a fight.”

Due to the commotion, Rachel appeared at her bedroom door. Wide-eyed, she gnawed at her fingernails as the disagreement between Dominic and Russell mounted.

Dominic moved closer to Officer Skinner. “See, see, see? That’s what I’m talkin’ about. He thinks he’ so slick tryin’ to blame me … so typical, and if it weren’t for me, his ass would be on out the street, his sister, too.” Dominic screamed, “God damn it! I put up with his shit every day … not any more. I want that little bastard out of here! Now!”

Neither Dominic nor Russell was backing down despite Officer Skinner’s attempts to reason and deescalate. Officer Skinner resembled a boxing referee positioning himself between two combatants as he demanded that they keep their distance and lower their voices. As a safety precaution, Officer Skinner instructed Dominic to...