JUNE 13-WHEAT

“Taggert put the damn phone away boy!” Sid Griffith snapped as he stepped from the rows of tall tawny wheat zipping his fly. “You called him before we rolled out this morning and we’ve only been on the road for one day and three hours. It ain’t like he can’t take care of himself!”

A few of the other men in the group of riders chuckled as they drank from thermoses or bottles. It was no secret that Taggert already missed his father on the 600 mile week long camping trip to the motorcycle rally.

“I know but,”

“You know nothing you sad bastard!” Sid continued. “You’re only jealous because he wanted to spend the week up at Howell Lake with Gail. That’s your whole issue.”

Taggert groaned inwardly. Sid was partially right but the reality was that Tag just wanted to let Liam know they’d reached what the group of old friends had, over the years, called the Wheat Raceway. A long sinuous of gently rolling road that the group would use to run their motorcycles up to top speeds. In the eighteen years that the guys from Jorgensen’s Masonry had made the run up to Devonport they had never encountered a police officer on the stretch. It was this very sliver of road that had inspired Taggert’s design for his new bike. The smooth curves of the highway and the undulating hills were the fodder for the curves built into the big bike. The azure sky dictated the pin stripping and the engine had been specially tuned to run at its best in this very environment. Gail aside Tag had waited and worked all year to make the high speed Wheat Raceway run with Liam. So yes Sid was correct in saying the kid was a bit peeved at Gail when two weeks prior to leaving Liam had bailed out on the ride. The only part of the trip Taggert would miss more was him and Liam’s trip to see the giant sea turtles in the Devonport Aquarium. Tag had loved watching the big gentle creatures all of his life going as far as having his helmet air brushed like a turtle shell. When the men ribbed him about the odd design he just told them that the damn things lived hundreds of years so their shells must provide good protection.

“Just telling him we’re here Sid. Telling him I’m getting ready to max the bike ok? So to hell with you.”

“And to you boy! The man’s been alone long enough give him some room Taggy. Your ma was a good woman but she’s gone, long gone and he’s damn sure in love with Gail so lighten up”

Taggert glanced around at the other men most older a few with sons along, all guys he’d known for year and all of them were nodding approvingly at Sid’s remark. Out manned he snatched a strand of wheat from a stalk put between his teeth and got on his bike.

“Fine I’ll let him go a bit! But just a little bit! Now are we gonna sit here and scold poor lonesome ‘Taggy’ or are all you old farts gonna eat my dust for the next twenty miles? Mount up!”

When Tag’s bike hit 90 miles an hour he spit the wheat out and blinked back his tears. Sid was right, Liam was right it was time for him to strike out on his own.