The Year 1952, Chapter 4

Libby Collins, a pretty girl with short, reddish brown hair who just turned thirteen on the first of the month, sits near the window of her home anxiously awaiting the arrival of her cousin, Burt.  From here, they will make a 15 minute walk to their middle school, talking and laughing.  This is a practice they had been doing every school day for as long they could remember.  

Libby's father, Eddie, was Molly Larson's younger brother.  He married his high school sweetheart, Dottie, right after graduation in 1937.  Two years later, just a month after Burt, Libby was born.  A few months after Pearl Harbor, Eddie was drafted into the US Navy.  A year later, he was killed by a Japanese torpedo attack in the Pacific.

Libby and Burt both grew up without a parent of the opposite sex.  Living close together and without much of any other family, they grew close.  They are more than cousins.

When Libby finally sees Burt approaching her home, she yells out to her mother she is leaving.  She grabs her school books and runs out the door.  They meet in front of the house and head to school. 

Just as they arrive in front of the school, Carl, another kid from their class, sees them approaching.  He is one year older than the rest of his classmates, having been left behind a year some years ago.  He isn't stupid.  He just doesn't try.  Outside of school, Carl is a trouble maker, occasionally picking fights on the playground.  He approaches Libby.

"Hey, Libby, what are you doing with this loser?  You could do so much better."

"Yeah, like who?  You?  Don't make me laugh."  

"I'm willing to do you a big favor.  Not that you deserve it."

At this point, Burt has had enough of this conversation.

"Knock it off, Carl.  Leave her alone."

"Really.  And who's going to make me?  You and what girl scout troop?"

"Just me, Carl."

At that moment Burt and Carl stand face to face waiting for someone to make the first move.  A small group of other children start crowding around them waiting for something exciting to happen.

Finally, Carl, looking for some action and having waited long enough, cocks his right fist and thrusts it towards Burt's face landing just below his left eye.  At almost the same instant, Burt's right fist strikes Carl's left jaw.  Carl wobbles back a bit from the force of the blow.  He quickly recovers and is about to throw another punch, but decides against it.

"Had enough, Carl?"

"Another time, another place.  This isn't over."

The school bell rings and all enter the building.  Libby holds tight to Burt's arm as they enter together.