A Drunken Dream

The cold crisp snow flakes turned in to a wet sleet mixture even though the temperature continued to drop. I helped Orville Sinclair out from the back of the white and black Impala.

"Watch yourself on the ice, Orvill. I would rather not spend the night taking you to the emergency room, because your drunk ass falls and splits his head open."

"Thanks for your concern officer. I'm sorry for all the trouble I have caused on this night of all nights."

"Orville, I just don't need you fallin'. I would have rather been out drinking a few beers myself on New Years Eve. Instead I'm locking you up because you can't handle your liquor without causing a disturbance."

"I wasn't tryin' to cause any disturbance. I was just telling everyone about my premonition. Like I told you and everyone else that would care to listen, that bus will crash. Just like that, all those poor innocent kids dead. Just gone! You could stop it, and you know you could."

"Orville, shut your mouth. Just watch your step." I led him in to the precinct.

"What do we have here, Wayne?"

"Hey John. You remember the one and only Orville Sinclair, don't you?"

"Let me guess, drunk and disorderly again? Was he pissing on the wall outside The Shamrock? Or was he warning everyone about the bubonic plague making a resurgence?"

"It's those premonitions he says he gets when he drinks too much. He wouldn't stop talking about it all the way here. This time he says a bunch of school kids are going to die in some awful accident on Mason Rd. He says it will happen on Devil's Curve, because of all this sleet and freezing rain."

"Wow, that's quite a story to come out of the mouth of an old drunk fool. Maybe you should put the bottle down and write for Hallmark, Orville. Go ahead and put him in cell 8, Wayne. That way we don't have to listen to this garbage on New Years Eve. Plus, he smells like cheap whiskey. I 'm already getting a headache."

"Come on Orville, lets go."

"You evil bastards, think about the little kids. They'll die, all of them! You could stop it."

"Now Orville, go! And keep your mouth shut, I'm sick of your stories."

I walked Orville down the old grey empty cell block. I could see that Orville was quietly crying to himself. It was not uncommon at all to see men cry in jail, but I've arrested Orville at least five other times, and he has never cried before. "Are you alright Orville?"

"Leave me be!"

"Ok Orville, you know the drill. When I shut the cell door, back up to the tray slot so I can remove the handcuffs."

Orville complied with the order, then he stared at me for a moment before shaking his head and setting down on his bunk.

"I will be back when I do the next rounds to check on you. Right now, I just want to wrap my cold hands around a hot cup of coffee."

I headed back down the block to do just that. I found John sitting at his desk. "What do you think, John? You ever wonder how such a vivid story oozes from that drunks skull?"

"I try not to worry about the mindless garbling of mad men, Wayne. Have a cup of coffee and forget about it."

I filled a styrofoam cup with hot steaming coffee that was entirely too strong. I stared out the window perplexed at all that I had heard. Before too long it was 10:30p.m. and I was due for a round. I walked back down the cold cell block. I looked in on Orville, who was no longer crying, but to my surprise he was still awake.

"So Orville, why would a school bus full of kids be out at 10:30 on a Friday night when football season has been over for three weeks?"

"There was a Science Fair in Auburn Hills, about a three hour drive from North Star Junior High. It ended at 8pm, and with the bad roads I'm sure they still have a ways to go."

"How would you know about a middle school field trip to a Science Fair just outside of Detroit?"

"My son, Tom, he went to North Star about eight years ago. They take that trip every year, he went twice.That, and what I saw in my premonition."

"If you had mentioned this to me earlier, I would have at least checked it out. If for no other reason than the bad roads. I would think they would have cancelled the field trip anyway."

"They didn't cancel it, or we would not be speaking right now."

I walked quickly down the cell block. I set my coffee down on the old maple desk. I picked up the phone and dialed Ted Jones, principle at the school. I had his number for school closings, Amber Alerts, and other emergencies that rarely affect such a small town.

"Wayne, what are you doing?" inquired John.

"Hold on, I'm on the phone."

After several rings, someone picked up, "Hello?"

"Hi Ted. It's officer Wayne Simpson. I'm sorry to bother you at home. I'm at the precinct and I heard that there might be a field trip bus still on the road? Is that true?"

"Yes, Wayne. I was getting a little concerned about the weather myself. The bus driver, Todd Brandmior, called me just before they left Auburn Hills. He said it wasn't too bad down there yet, but that he would take it slow, and call me when he gets close to town."

"What time did he call you, Ted?"

"About 8:15p.m. Is this just a call about the weather? Or is something else wrong, Wayne?"

"No, just the weather. Hey, give me a call when they get in, Ok?"

"Thanks Wayne. I will call you, take care."

"There is a field trip, John.They are still on the road."

"Ok Wayne, lets not confuse a few facts with a crazy mans rants."

"I'm not saying I believe him, but the roads are getting really bad."

"Your right about the roads. I'll call Officer Stevens. Eric's off tonight, but he lives on Bagley Rd., just a half a mile away from Devils Curve. I'll ask him to check it out. We need to stay here, just in case another drunk prophet comes staggering out of the bar."

"Thanks John, I'm going to check on Orville."

Just as I left the room, John was picking up the phone to call Eric. I continued to the back, and down the cell block. I felt as though I could not focus, the entire scenario was dream like. Should I have listened sooner to this old man, or was I a damn fool for almost starting to believe a drunken buffoon. The silence engulfed me. I could only hear my soft sole Rockports after each cushioned step I took on the old cracked concrete floor. I could see Orville's blank stare, well before I reached cell 8.

Hey Orville, just thought I would check and see if you needed a cup of coffee.

That's not why your hear, Officer.

No, really that's exactly why I'm here. It's my job to make rounds every hour, and check and make sure your alive and well.

You look different Officer Simpson. Gone is your don't bother me, I'm tired and don't even want to be here. In this dark hole of my life, a pathetic excuse for a career, spending precious hours of my life baby sitting the scourge of society. Now......... Now you show energy, your on edge, high alert so to speak. You look as though you care about your job, that minutes ago was merely a burden to carry.

I'm glad you have me all figured out Orville, It makes my New years Eve complete.

That's not it Officer Simpson, either you believe my premonition a little bit, or some other tragedy has struck.

I will take that as a no on the coffee then Orville. You seem as though you are already sobering up anyway.

Yes if my premonition was good for anything tonight. It was very sobering.

I walked back down the cell block, it still seemed exaggeratedly quiet.

What did Eric say, John?

He said it's real bad out his way, he has seen two cars pulled out of ditches near the expressway. He said he will drive over to Mason Rd and check on the curve. Eric made a good point though, with the Crowley bridge out of service on Elm Street we can not close down Mason Rd. If we do there is no way for people to get back to their homes from the expressway.

So now what, just sit here and wait for Eric's call?

That sounds about right to me Wayne. Relax, turn on the TV in the waiting room, check the weather report, hell watch the New Years Ball drop for all I care. Just stop Listening to Orville and all his prophet garbage. The bus will be fine.

I ignored John, and headed outside. I began scraping the ice off the windows of the cruiser, just in case we got a call we needed to respond to. The frozen mixture continued to fall on the windshield.

I shook the snow off my gloves and put the ice scrapper back in the trunk. As I turned and headed back inside, John was running out the door.

We've got an accident on Mason Rd, It's a bus, the ambulance and state police are in route. You have to stay here since Orville is locked up. I will call you when I have information, until then listen to the radio traffic.

"I'll go John!"

"No I'm the senior officer, you know the routine."

I walked back inside, the blaring static from the radio squeaked in to a conversation. Eric was talking to the Ambulance.

"There is a lot of severely injured victims. We need all the help we can get."

The only radio traffic after that was from between the ambulance and dispatch. I waited what seemed an eternity. Finally I got a call from John.

I have never seen anything like this before Wayne, there are no survivors. 18 kids and a bus driver. That drunk was right we should have........ I should have done something. I'm sorry Wayne, I know you wanted to do something to prevent it. I just could not believe some half crazed old vagrant.

Don't John, I didn't really believe him myself. We both should have done more. We didn't and that's it. Nothing to do or say about it now. Be careful driving back.

I headed down the Cell block to check on Orville. Orville had tears in his eyes.

"It happened officer, didn't it? Did any of them live?"

"No. There all dead, just like you said."

"So whats next Orville? What happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm asking does anything else happen? who is in danger now?"

"I don't know officer, what does it matter anyway?"

"Does anyone else get in an accident?"

"I'm not sure".

"Does anyone die?"

"Leave me alone officer. I'm just a stupid old drunk, remember?"

"You son of a bitch! Does anyone else die?"

"Yes."

"Who is it? can it be stopped?"

"No, no I doubt there is any stopping it."

"Who is it Orville?"

"I will tell you, but you can't stop it. You probably wouldn't want to."

"Just tell me Orville."

"It's you Wayne. You will die today."

 

 

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