Mikey’s Adventure

1/22/2021 for vocal.media

Little Black Book

“Hey Mom. How long are we going to have to stay here? It’s getting kind of boring and nobody wants to listen to my stories anymore.” Mikey sighed and looked his mom with a hopeful expression. “Well, we have to wait until we get the next deposit in the bank. We kind of ran short last month and had to play catch up this month. Can you be patient for another two weeks or so? I will figure out what we can do when we get the money and we also have two craft shows these next two weekends coming up.” “I guess I can. I will try to draw more pictures to sell. I think I have $28 dollars saved up.” Mikey was such a good kid. Sarah was twenty when she had him. His personality drew people in since he was tiny. He was still small for his age and his beautiful brown wavy hair always inspired complements.

Sarah thought how tired she was trying to get ahead and every month of the last four something came up and she had to spend money on the camper. Sometimes she just wanted to cry. She thought she was doing the right thing by taking Mikey out of school early and trying to help him see the states and go on adventures whenever they could. The bright idea hit her and she went for it. She sold her cottage and bought a camper. She also bought a motorcycle and had a side car specially modified so that Mikey could sit in his wheelchair and be carted about. It was so much fun at first! When she brought it home to show him the first day, her heart was so happy. “Holy cow, Mom! Is this real? Is this ours?” He looked at her and she could see the joy in his eyes. “Yep. All ours. Wanna go for a ride?” “Oh my gosh! Yes! Yes! Yes!!!” “Well, ok then. Let’s go!” She helped him wheel into the sidecar and showed him how to get everything strapped down. Sarah handed him his bike helmet to use for now. Off they went, around the block. “Whooo hooo,” Mike yelled at the top of his lungs! She was laughing so hard and felt so good. He was laughing when he wasn’t yelling, too.

Once they got pulled into the driveway, she told him, “we’re going to have to get you a proper helmet so you can ride on the streets with me. We are going on an adventure.” “What???? What do you mean?” looking at her full of surprise. “I sold the house. We are going to have a big sale next weekend and get rid of everything. In two weeks we are getting an RV. It’s called a toy hauler, you can look it up. It has a garage to keep the motorcycle in.” “Wait. What?” Mike looked confused now. “But where are we going to live?” “In the camper, silly….RV, whatever you want to call it,” she said. “I am going to learn how to drive it and they are building in some handicapped things to make it work for us.” “Oh wow. I can’t believe this! What about school?” She shook her head, “no more school for you dear boy. I told them I was going to home school you.” “Ha!” He exclaimed grinning. “You are not. I’m smarter than you any day.” Sarah gave him the you-got-me look and said, “well, I had to say I would so we wouldn’t get in trouble. We’d be outlaws and have to go hide in a cave and worry about the police finding us if I didn’t.” “No way, Mom. They wouldn’t do that.” Mikey looked thoughtful and said, “do you think we will make it to Disney.” Sarah got tears in her eyes and hugged him saying, “oh how I hope so. I am going to do everything I can think of to get us there.”

Here they were now at a crappy campground in the middle of February and there weren’t a lot of kids Mikey’s age. He had to settle on telling the little kids stories, and they were tired of listening. Sometimes he would give them pictures of his characters. He loved drawing and making up stories. He had a whole bunch of stories about Jelly Belly the Whale and an undersea town. Spongebob came out shortly after he had written several of them and he had drawn all the characters as well. Then there was one about two Siamese cats who were secret agents called “Mad Cats.” The kids loved them. After a while, they would say he copied the ideas from someone else. He didn’t though. It was always disappointing and he couldn’t really explain it to them. He saved his knights and villains stories for the older kids, but after a while they would always go and do their own thing and he’d be left alone. If he was doing his movie dialogue, most kids wouldn’t get the references. He was so smart and he could memorize lines like you wouldn’t believe. It was hilarious when Sarah was out with him somewhere and people would speak to her. They sometimes tried to act like they didn’t see Mikey, and he’d surprise them with a line or two. They would look shocked, look at them both and she and Mikey would laugh. The stranger wouldn’t know what hit him. They usually left in hurry, mumbling, have a good day, or take care, or see you around.

“Mikey, let’s go!” she yelled. She wanted to get to the craft show and get set up. She crafted jewelry with silver and gemstones and sold them to make money. Mikey would sit beside her and sell his drawings. He usually topped her sales with his funny and friendly personality. Sometimes he would tell his customers, “This is an autographed original. Someday, it will be worth a lot of money.” He dreamed of being a comic book king, a video game designer, a movie producer. All of his characters would be famous someday. He was sure of it. “Mom, I made $17 today,” he said looking pleased and proud. “So, that means you’re buying us dinner, right?” “What? No! I’m saving it. You can buy us dinner with yours,” he grinned at Sarah. “ Ok, we did pretty well today.” In the parking lot, on the way out, she saw something on the ground and thought it was a wallet. She picked it up. She wasn’t one to be nosy, but opened the little black book and on the inside cover was a name and number. If found, call Oren Brooks. 555-238-1739. Hmmm….she was tempted to look through it, but decided not to. She texted the number. Oren Brooks, I found your little black book. She got a reply immediately. I need it back. I will come get it. Sarah texted him that they would meet him at Skyline Restaurant at 5:30 pm that evening. He said he’d be in a Jag and she said she’d be on a motorcycle.

Sarah pulled into the lot and Mr. Brooks was already there, leaning on his car, just waiting. “Ah, Miss, uh…Sarah, I presume.” “Ah, yes, Mr. Brooks and we don’t need to be so formal, do we?” Sarah smiled. “This is Mikey, my favorite compadre and henchman.” Mikey laughed and said, “Hello Mr. Brooks. Want to have dinner with us.” Sarah shot him the what-did-you-do-that-for look. Mikey grinned and Mr. Brooks said, “Sure, and just call me Oren.” Sarah handed him the book and they went inside.

Oren said to them both, “Order anything on the menu! It’s my treat for saving my book and getting it back to me.” Sarah said, “Well, ok! You asked for it!” She ordered a ribeye and mashed potatoes, which she hadn’t had in forever. Mikey got his usual. “Cheeseburger, NO VEG on the plate at all. Just meat, cheese, bun. Fries, too, and Mom? Can I get a shake?” Sarah shook her head and Mikey added, “And one chocolate shake please.” They told him about their adventure and trying to raise money to get Mikey to Disney. When Mikey excused himself, Sarah said, “he doesn’t know it, but we don’t know how long he has left. I’m trying to give him a great adventure before he leaves for the great beyond, if you know what I mean. I can’t say it.” Oren looked at her and nodded. Mikey came back and said, “That was the best cheeseburger I ever had. Thank you so much!”

They went out and Mikey showed Oren how he hooked himself in and thanked him again. Sarah said, “Oren, thank you. This was the best blind date, I’ve had in years!” They laughed. He took out an envelope and whispered to her, “Here’s a little something to help you get that boy to Disney.” She was hesitant, and he said, “I insist. Please send me pictures. You have my number.” She nodded and shoved it in her backpack, saying, “thank you.”

Oren started getting pictures on April 1st. Mikey got to go on stage while they did the first time guest thing with him and he got his mouse ears. He is grinning from ear to ear. You can feel the joy coming out of the picture. The text Sarah sent was, He has never been so happy!!!!! There were many more over the next few days. So many with all his favorite characters. They ate what they wanted to and even stayed in a hotel a couple nights instead of the campground. There were funny pictures, like the one with Mikey and a bidet! He had never seen one before. Thank you, so much for this joy, Oren!!! There were 5 days of photos that Oren got to enjoy. He was glad he had a part in giving so much to this wonderful kid and his mom. He figured they must be on the road again.

Sarah stared at the picture. She didn’t want to send it. She knew she should though. Oren had put $20,000 in that envelope. They had gotten repairs done to the camper, got some new clothes and art supplies for Mikey. She stocked up on her beading supplies and off they went, to Disney. Sarah and Mikey had the time of their lives in Disney. The last night they were there, Mikey asked her to tuck him in. “Mom, I’m not feeling so great. Can you tuck me in and read me a story?” She read The Velveteen Rabbit. It was a favorite of theirs and he still had his “Wolfie” stuffed animal from when he was little. She tucked him in with Wolfie and read the story. “Mom, thank you for taking me on an adventure. I have had so much fun. Make sure Mr. Brooks knows, too.” She ruffed his hair and said she would tell him. She gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Tomorrow, we start off to the Grand Canyon, you know?” He smiled and said, “Yes. I know. I love you Mom.” “Love you too, Mikey. Get some sleep.”

Oren stared at the picture. It broke his heart. This is the last thing I was able to do for Mikey. Thank you. It was a picture of a beautiful urn. On it was inscribed:

Mikey Hartman

Adventurer, Artist, Comedian, Writer and Best Son Ever

13 years of Love and Fun Wasn’t Enough

-Sarah, I am so very sorry.

-It’s ok. We got his dream in. He was never so happy than he was in those five short days. Thank you, Oren. I am going to continue the adventure with him and leave a little bit of him everywhere he wanted to go. I am putting together all of his art and making a book to sell at the craft shows. I will send you one.