West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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Oakie clomped down the stairs. He carried a big plaid suitcase in his hand. His face was shiny: his hair looked as if it had been cut using a pair of scissors and a bowl. He still had that cowlick. He wore a red and green plaid shirt and a pair of baggy, navy blue trousers. He had on a pair of bright green .socks and a brand-new pair of black penny-loafers with a shiny nickle tucked into each slit. I ' m ready. Paw, he moaned, staring at the floor. He was afraid to look up because he didn ' t want his father to .see the tears he felt welling up in his eyes. ' Well, you look fine, boy, real fine! We ' d better go! Walter shouted. Walter picked up his son ' s suitcase and started for the truck. Oakie got into the truck after taking a long, sorrowful look at the house. They drove down to the bus station. It was 8:45. Soon the bus with the sign reading WAVERTON pulled into the station. Well, boy, I guess it ' s goodbye for now. Don ' t worry, I ' ll be over to see ya next week and see how yer doin. Walter Alvin helped his son lift the suitcase out of the back of the truck. They walked toward the bus; Walter Alvin coughed (he always coughed when he was nervous). Well, son, be good . . . You study hard now, hear? I will, Paw, Oakie said as he shook hands with his father and tried to keep the tears back. You won ' t grow no long hair? Walter Alvin asked. No, Paw, Oakie assured him. An ' you ain ' t gonna burn no draft cards? Walter put his arm around his son ' s shoulder. No, Paw. Oakie answered firmly. You ' ll see, Paw: Til make you proud. Oakie mounted the steps of the bus and the door closed behind him. Walter Alvin stood watching his .son waving from the window as the bus pulled away. Walter sighed, They boy o mine, he ' s gonna have a good future. Yea sir! 16

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I ' d send Oakie, ifin ' he wanted to go. said Waller Alvin. But he don ' t need college . . . he wants to lam to he a good mechanic. Ain ' t thet right, Oakie? Sure, Paw. chirped Oakie. Then Walter Alvin began, Yea, now thet scientific farmin might be a good thing, but ya know I can ' t trust them scientific people much. You know they ' re shootin them rockets at the moon. Thet ' s just lookin fi ' r trouble. You member what happened to them people in the Bible — tnin to build thet tower to the sky, tryin to reach God. You know God ain ' t gonna let ' em land on the moon! The men all nodded in agreement. The poker game lasted until one-thirty a.m. and then the men got their jackets ami stood around the door saying goodbye to the McCoys. See ya in Chinch! shouted Paul and he slammed the door of his car. Walter Alvin and Oakie waved from the porch. As the men drove off, Walter Alvin and Oakie went back into the house. Oakie, pull up a chair. Walter said to his son as he bolted the kitchen door. Oakie was tired but he sat down, put his elbows on the table, and propped his head up with his hands. Oakie, what do ya think of Frankie goin ' to college? I mean, what do ya really think? asked Walter. It ' s O.K. I gue.ss. .said Oakie in the middle of a yawn. Well Oakie, I ' ve been thinkin ' . . . Walter spoke pensively and wrinkled his forehead. Oakie tried desperately to keep his eyes open and strained to listen to his father. Oakie, if ya really want to go to college like yer cousin, I don ' t wanna hold you back. I don ' t want ya to think thet I don ' t want you to have a edjucation. But, but ... stammered Oakie. Now, Son, you know I only want what ' s best fer ya. Us McCoys wants what ' s best fer our boys. So Fve decided to let you go to college! Walter sat back and grinned from ear to ear. We ' ll talk about it in the mornin. Let ' s hit the hay! Walter Alvin slapped his boy on the back and they walked upstairs together. Tomorrow, Son, we ' ll talk about yer future! Night. Walter turned into his room. Oakie was too tired to reply. He was tired and not as concerned as his father about his future. He would have been happy just going to the trade school and becoming a mechanic; but, if his father wanted him to go to college, he was willing to give it a try. After church the next morning, Walter Alvin announced to his brother, Paul, that Oakie had decided to go to college in the jail. He told Paul that they were making the arrangements that week and that they would see about getting Oakie accepted to the state college in Waverton. The summer months flew by. Walter Alvin and Oakie had just returned from the fields. They had been out all day harvesting hay. Waller and Oakie sunk down into two chairs on the porch. Well, Oakie, tomorrow ' s the big day! Yer goin ' off to college. Walter Alvin grinned and looked at his .son. Yup, I ' m gonna miss ya. Paw, said Oakie sorrowfully as he looked into his father ' s big gray eyes. Well, it ' s fer the best, Oakie. I want ya to have a good future. Walter slapped his thighs and got up to wash his hands for supper. Fit make you proud, Oakie said as he followed his father through the door. In the morning Oakie nervously dressed for his trip to Waverton State College. He was full of anxiety. What would he find there? Hurry up, boy! shouted Walter Alvin from the foot of the stairs. Yer bus leaves at nine! 15

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' t ■ WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY presents THE NINETEEN SIXTY-NINE MONTICOLA MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA KAREN SUE MACEYAK EDITOR J. AUSTIN TEAGUE BUSINESS MANAGER 17