The Rejected Boyfriend

By

Kevin Sean Kelly

(1)

The weather had been unseasonably warm the previous week. The ground was thawing. Norma Jean was only sixteen and a cheer leader at the local high school.

She always like the looks of Mike Williams, the star running back on the football

team, but he never noticed her. She told her girlfriends about her infatuation with Mike. One of them told Mike’s sister. On Monday, during lunch hour, she was surprised when Mike sat next to her in the lunch room and chatted with her. The conversation was bland but she couldn’t wait to tell all her friends, "Mike Talked To Me". He nodded now as they passed in the hall and she was just thrilled..

Friday the weather turned cold and snow started that night. She woke to find the ground covered with six inches of snow. At about noon, her mother called to her in the TV room , "There’s a guy named Mike on the phone for you". Her heart leaped, and she ran to the phone. Yes, it was the Mike she thought it was.

"Would you like to go sledding up on Elk Mountain today?", he said. Not wanting to seem to anxious she inquired , "Who all’s Going"? "Oh a bunch of us,

you know my sister don’t you?" he replied.. Not wanting to miss the opportunity she had sought for so long, she agreed and her mother drove her to Mike’s house.

Mike , being a senior and almost eighteen had a driver’s licence and was allowed to use the family car. The three of them drove to the mountain and met a large group of classmates. They spent the entire day and had a most enjoyable time.

Mike dropped her off at her home and continued on his way with his sister to his home.

Sunday, after she returned from church, another call came from Mike. "Would to you like to go to the movies tonight"? The answer was a resounding "YES, Thank You". Things were looking up for Norma, A date with the star running back. She would be the talk of the school. Mike picked her up at seven thirty and they went directly to the movie theater. During the movie Mike’s arm circled her shoulder

and she had to move his hand twice. Thinking to herself, "God, All these boys

only got one thing on their mind". He did not persist and all went well from than on. Following the show they drove to a hamburger joint and had burgers and fries and a Coke. As they left mike suggested they go for a drive, it was still early.

The drive ended up on top of Elk Mountain at an Overlook set deep in the woods.

The view was spectacular and Mike carried on a respectful conversation. He asked

her permission, and they exchanged a kiss. Mike’s demeanor changed , he became

insistent, groping, and frightened Norma Jean. She told him she wanted to go home now. He refused, and continued his advances. Norma opened the car door and

walked away into the woods. She had no idea which direction to walk to get home,

but staying there was not an option. She groped her way through the darkness

hoping to find a road. Mike waited in the car, knowing she would become frightened and return. He did not realize that he had frightened her more than the

wilderness she now walked in. She walked on and on and on. An hour passed and Mike realized she was not coming back and tried to call her. Getting no answer he drove to her home and told her mother, only that she had walked away into the woods, for some unknown reason. Her mother called the police. The police called the volunteer fire company and they called the forest service. At one AM the overlook was teaming with searcher. With flood lights they started to search for Norma Jean. They were able to follow her footprints in the snow for over two miles. The footprints led to a logging road that was all chewed up by logging trucks going about their business. Her footprints followed the road off to one side

and it was obvious to the searchers that she had turned right and was heading in the direction of town. Mind you now reader, the time was 3 Am in the morning.

To the astonishment of all, suddenly the footprints in the snow just stopped. As the trooper that called me said, "Like she had just flown off into the air". Yes, they

called at 4 Am to bring the bloodhounds to the logging camp on Elk Mountain.

I loaded Chief, the best nighttime tracker of all my bloodhounds, Buckeye the Back Dog into the van and drove to the camp. They told me that her trail was lost about one hundred yards down this logging road. I asked if they had anything to scent the dogs with. The answer was , "NO". A rush cell phone call by her mother

brought a cousin to the camp with a sock from under her bed in a plastic bag.

I harnessed Chief and headed for the place her footprints stopped. Buckeye was having a ball running loose in the woods as we made our way down the muddy rutted logging road. Yes they were right, clear footprints in the snow just stopped.

I scented Chief and switched the lead from neck to harness. Buckeye, came to the rear of both of us to a sit position. I gave Chief the "Search" order and off we went at a trot. Not down the logging road, but down a path to the right. The path led to an area that the logging trucks are parked for the night. Buckeye following behind

as he was trained to do. Chief went Right, than Left and ended up with his two front feet up on the passenger side door of one of the logging trucks. I pulled him down and opened the door.

There she was, Sound asleep, wrapped up in the thermal coveralls of the driver. She woke abruptly as Chief tried to lick her to death. I swear he had a smile on his face.