Buck's Birthday Weekend

I was on my way to visit my hometown for my friend Buck's birthday when I pulled off the interstate deciding to take the scenic route and hopefully find a sub shop that looked good in one of the small towns I'd pass through. I was in no hurry to get there so it seemed like the perfect chance to do something like this. After all, I had several hours before meeting Buck and his wife, Sam.

I passed through three towns quickly but none with a place to eat that jumped out at me. I was only just starting to get hungry though so I said I'd give it four more towns before heading back to the interstate.

I only needed two before encountering a rustic but brightly lit sub shop across the street from a second hand store. I had already bought a record for Buck but thought it would be worth taking a look in the secondhand store anyway. After a quick pass I didn't see anything that would make a good gift, but I did spot volume three of Neil Gaiman's Sandman and since my copy was missing I grabbed it for myself.

On the way to the register I did a double take noticing a used Moleskin on a shelf. Did people sell used notebooks? I headed towards it. It was as if by fate since Buck never went anywhere without a little notebook in his back pocket and I thought about how much fun we could have reading this one over drinks tonight. The notebook was a little worn at the edges but overall in pretty great condition. I flipped through quickly but only one page in the middle had been written on.

After paying, I headed across the street to the sub shop. After getting my sandwich and some curly fries, I pulled out the little notebook again and, as I flipped through the pages, a check fell out. Looking around, I searched for the person who'd dropped it, certain it hadn't been there before. Aside from the employee behind the counter I was alone though. Odd.

I looked at the check, noticing it was dated for that day for $20,000 made out to cash. Shit, this couldn't be real, but I figured what the heck and, using the bank app on my phone, deposited it. If it didn't work, no loss. If it did work, I could buy birthday drinks all week for everyone. The rest would really help with the bookstore I was saving to open.

Excited about the notebook and possible windfall, I finished lunch and decided to skip the rest of the scenic route. Getting back on the interstate, I couldn’t wait to get back to Massena to give Buck the little notebook and tell him about the random check.

Ninety minutes later I pulled into Buck and Sam's driveway. I was heading up the porch with the Moleskin in hand when Sam came running out.

“He’s vanished,” Sam shouted and fell into my arms.

She was paler than I had ever seen her and completely out of breath. I took her inside and tried to get the full story, but all I gathered was not long ago Buck vanished all of a sudden. Just as I asked Sam to tell me one more time, the record player started playing The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights."

Sam and I looked at each other confused. There was no one near the turntable since it was just the two of us in the room. I took just one step towards the turntable. Why The Postal Service? Something about it was nagging me. Looking back at Sam it was clear she was as confused by this as I was.

“Were you two listening to records before he vanished?”

“Not today,” was her reply.

Why The Postal Service? It was bothering me. Suddenly I remembered Buck first bought a record player after listening to this album on mine.

"Buck?" I called out. The song stopped right away.

As I was looking at the turntable, the record seemingly picked itself up and flipped itself over. The needle dropped itself and side B started to play.

"Buck is that you?" I called out again.

Just then a Moon Knight figure I gave him as a birthday gift last year flew in my direction. As it hit me in the face, I dropped the Moleskin from my hand in my attempt to catch the figure. As I picked it up I noticed the one page with writing in the notebook.

Most of the page looked like someone tried to write with their off hand and their eyes closed, but there was one line I could read. In very neat, tiny text. "We were excited to celebrate our good luck, but as I turned around he was gone. I never saw him again."

On a hunch I checked my account. Sure enough the check deposited almost immediately.

"Sam, what time did he disappear?"

"Quarter to one this afternoon,” She managed to say.

Sure enough, at 1:43 p.m. the check deposited. I was the cause. This was my fault. I found this money that wasn’t mine and I got so excited to have it. But now Sam and Buck were paying for it. Was Buck a ghost? Was he invisible? Did it matter? I had ruined their lives.

I looked at Sam aghast. What could I do? I didn't want this money if it cost me Buck. If it cost Sam her husband. I had to get rid of it. I could never make it right, but maybe I could do something good.

I pulled up the website for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I may have lost one of my best friends because of this money, but maybe it could help save someone else. I did a one time donation for $20,001.50 the entirety of the check as well as the cost of the Moleskin.

As soon as I received the confirmation email on my phone Buck appeared standing in front of the turntable with a grin on his face. Sam collapsed into his arms.

"Hey Scott," He said.

"Happy Birthday!" I proclaimed as I handed him his new, old notebook.