Tommy was six when his father started playing The Doors albums on an old turntable, the speakers sitting on a table on either side, the sound turned up loud. His father would fix dinner for himself and Tommy, then pour some brown liquid called ‘whiskey’ into a tumbler and turn on The Doors. Tommy would dance around with his father, their limbs all askew, whirling in circles around the living room. At least, at first he would. Later, he just watched from the couch. And later still… well, that was when things got weird.
Tommy had started first grade that year, and after school he stayed with Mrs. Mabel, the elderly lady that lived in the house next door. Mrs. Mabel was very nice and helped him with his homework and gave him milk and snacks. Tommy felt safe with Mrs. Mabel, and enjoyed his time at her home. His father came in at about 6:30 every evening during the week and picked him up, after he got off work at the garage. His father was a whiz with cars, he could fix anything. He told Tommy he was a rider on the storm, so he would always need wheels.
One night, Tommy’s dad came to Mrs. Mabel’s house and he had a woman with him. The woman had long hair with braids in front, lots of blue jewelry on, and she smelled funny. His father and the woman took him home and sat Tommy down in front of a TV dinner that wasn’t even hot. Tommy picked at his food and watched the adults. They were laughing and playing records and a song came on called “Break on Through (to the other side).” Tommy watched his dad and the woman sing along to the song loudly and then talk seriously while they laid on the living room floor and shared a cigarette. Then he saw the woman take something out of her pocket and put it in his father’s mouth. His father told him to go to bed, so he did, but he could hear music and talking long into the night. When he woke up the next morning, his father and the woman were still sitting in the living room, but they looked weird, like they were asleep but they were awake. It gave Tommy a chill, so he got ready for school, hugged his father goodbye and caught the school bus just in time.
After school, he went to Mrs. Mabel’s house, but Mrs. Mabel said she thought Tommy’s father was already home. She brought Tommy in and gave him milk and a slice of cake and told him when he finished the food he should go home. Tommy ate slowly, and when he finished he gave Mrs. Mabel a hug. She looked surprised, but hugged him back.
Tommy found his father in the kitchen, cooking when he came in. His father was very happy, and talked almost non-stop about a gate he was looking for, saying it was deep and wide and would take him to the other side. Tommy asked his father what that meant.
“Well, you met Darlene, the woman I brought home. When I found Darlene, I found a country in her arms, a new country, and we are like chained together. I have to get to her. I looked for her, but she’s already on the other side. She did it! Now I have to break through to be with her, to get to the other country,” he saw the worry in Tommy’s eyes and added, “Of course, I’ll take you with me.” He bent down to put his face in front of Tommy’s. “If it doesn’t work, though, if I can”t take you, then you stay with Mrs. Mabel until I come get you, you hear?” Tommy nodded. His father kissed him on top of the head and went back to cooking, humming a Door’s song.
Tommy tried to focus on the things he needed to do every day, school, homework, bathing, sleeping. He didn’t think his dad went to work anymore because he was there when Tommy got off the bus. His father acted strange, and Tommy found some tiny squares of paper with cartoon pictures on them on the counter. He was going to inspect them, but his father grabbed them and tore one square off, pushing the rest into the pocket of his jeans. He put the paper in his mouth, and smiled at Tommy. Then his father did what he did every night, played music and danced like he was dancing to stay alive, as if his life depended on it.
Saturday was a night Tommy would never forget. He saw his father eat a tiny square of the paper, and then just sit in his favorite chair, perfectly still. Tommy went to his room and played with his toys. He had on his pajamas, but he was hungry and thought about going to Mrs. Mabel’s house. His father turned the music up loud and then came into Tommy’s room.
“It’s happening, Tommy!” he said, “Take my hand! Close your eyes and dance with me! We’re gonna break through to the other side!” His father grabbed his hand and with closed eyes, they danced. Tommy was afraid, so when he could, he slipped his hand out of his father’s and crawled under his bed. He could still see his father, and he rubbed his eyes, because it looked like his father was dancing, but his feet weren’t touching the ground. For the briefest second, his father looked like a lizard, and then, in a flash of golden light, he disappeared completely.
Tommy scampered out from under the bed, turning every direction, looking for his father. Maybe he was still there or would come back. Tommy started crying, saying “Daddy? Daddy?!” Suddenly Mrs. Mabel was there, taking his hand and leading him into the living room. She turned off the music. She gave him tissues for his running eyes and nose.
“I heard the music and then I heard you calling out, so I came. Tommy, where is your father?” Tommy just buried his head into her and wailed.
Mrs. Mabel kept the boy for a couple of days, but when his father never returned, she had to call the authorities. She helped him pack a bag when his aunt came to collect him.
No one ever saw Tommy’s father again. His aunt raised him, but she had her own children, so Tommy was never really happy in her home. He felt like an outcast, a burden, and developed an affinity for The Doors, especially the songs “People are Strange” and “Break on Through.”
This story was written in response to Thursday Inspiration
Respond to this challenge by either using the prompt word hide, or going with the above picture, or by means of the song ‘Break On Through’, or by going with another song by The Doors, or any other song about breaking away or overthrowing the established order of something, or you can go with anything else you think fits.
A Little Bit of Everything, With Love 