The Adventures of Frankie – 15 – Just Enough Rope

“Wow Ronnie, what happen to your eye?” Mr. Dwyer asked as he swung open the screen door to let him in.

“Nice shiner dude,” Frankie commented as he walked in from the kitchen.

“Hey, since you’re both here, come down in the basement and help me move a few things.”

The boys followed Dad down the stairs as Scrawny Ronnie recounted his run-in with Brad the Bully. “Me and the new kid were taking turns swinging on that rope at the river.” Trying not to interrupt, Dad pointed at a table then motioned for the boys to move it against the wall. They had to duck to miss a few things hanging low. Ronnie’s head got tangled in a thick rope draped over a nail.

“Don’t hang yourself kid.” Dad chuckled, “That tow rope is mighty strong.”

With arms a flailing Scrawny asked, “What do you use this thing for?” Mr. Dwyer lifted the heavy braided rope from around his neck.

“I’ve never used it. Frankie’s grandfather had it to pull stumps out of the ground.”

Back to his story, Ronnie continued, “Brad ran out of nowhere yelling that it’s his rope then punched me in the face. The new kid didn’t even help. He just stayed in the water till that jerk ran off.”

Frankie’s Dad broke in, “You boys need to stay away from that kid. He’s bad news. That whole family’s messed up.”

Frankie stood up tall, nearly bumping his head on a low hanging shelf, “Rita’s nice!” Realizing he’d raised his voice to his father, he slunk down a little. “She helps me out in class all the time.”

“Well, just keep clear of Brad. Find another place on the river to play. Maybe you should put up your own rope.”  His eyes widened at the sound of what he just said. “Never mind, forget I said that. Your mom would kill me.”

That’s when Frankie saw the mischievous grin grow on Scrawny Ronnie’s face.

* * *

With Grandpa’s tow rope over his shoulder, Frankie and Ronnie headed down the path to the river.

Frankie asked, “So how we gonna get this up in the tree?” Before Ronnie could answer he complained, “My Dad’s gonna be pissed. We should have asked to use this rope.”

Scrawny smirked, “aw, he’ll never miss it. He said so himself that he never uses it.”

At first Scrawny sent Frankie up the tree. When that didn’t work he tried climbing it unsuccessfully himself. Next they tied a stick to the end of the big fat rope, then whirled it around and around before letting it go. It actually made it halfway up before coming right back down. After the second time hitting them in the heads, Scrawny had another brilliant idea.

“Hey go get your little brother’s bow and arrow!”

Frankie looked at Ronnie like he was nuts. “That’ll never work. It’s just a toy with a suction cup on the end. That won’t stick in the tree.”

“Yo stupid, we’ll shoot the arrow over that big branch with the rope tied to the end.” He smacked a palm on his forehead. “Now go get it!”

After tying the thick rope around the skinny arrow the boys realized that this was never gonna work. The rope was just too heavy. That’s when Frankie had an idea; fishing line. Scrawny ordered Frankie to run home and get his fishing pole, but Frankie held his ground, insisting that it was Ronnie’s turn to do the running.

With fishing line tied to the arrow and Scrawny’s finger on the button of the reel, Frankie was ready to pull back on the bow and let it go. Third try was a charm and the boys were high fiving. Now they just had to untie the arrow, connect the line to the big fat rope, make a slipknot and reel it in!

* * *

The boy’s rope swing had become quite a hit. Half the kids in the neighborhood were hanging out in the clearing near the fire pit waiting their turn to swing out over the river then splash into the cool water on that hot summer afternoon. Rita the Red Head was there wearing one of Paulette’s old swimming suits. The new kid was there, too. A few of the older kids had already acknowledged how cool it was. Frankie and Ronnie were feeling proud. One of the older kids tied a few knots in the rope to give the young ones easy places to hold. It seemed like everyone was there. Everybody but Brad the Bully and his hoodlum buddies.

When it was Frankie’s turn again he took a big running start that swung him way out over the water. Everyone looked up when they heard a loud snap then a big splash. By the time Frankie’s head came back out of the water, everyone was pointing downstream and laughing. Brad’s rope had snapped!

* * *

The boys headed home late that afternoon feeling like kings. Every kid in the neighborhood thought they were the coolest and Brad’s rope swing was no more. No way they were gonna let jerk and his minions use theirs!

Feeling cool. Feeling tough. Feeling proud. Then they rounded the corner by Frankie’s house. His dad was standing out front next to the old dead bush with a shovel in hand. He had stopped to take a drink of water when he saw the boys.

“FRANCIS, WHERE’S MY TOW ROPE?!”

“Gotta go!” Scrawny said as he turned to head home, the long way.