Fastback Beach Read Online Free PDF

the association. But this will be our project. You with me?”
    â€œHow fast will it do a quarter mile?” I ask.
    â€œIt’d probably do something around thirteen seconds,” Ned explains, “although this is a street machine, not a racer.”
    â€œI’d love to own a rod,” I say, “but I don’t have the money.”
    â€œIt doesn’t take much money to get started, but it takes some scrounging,” Ned says. “I could help you scout around for a car. Do it like in the old days, build it while you drive it. You could even leave it stock, just lower it a bit and give it some cool paint. Later build an engine as a school shop project.You could do some of the work here.”
    I see a vision of me starring in an update of
American Graffiti
.
    â€œLet’s pull those heads!” I say.
    I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy, except for the time I spend with Kenny.
    When I get home I’m going to replace the fridge bulb and fix our toaster.

Chapter Ten
    Sunday brunch. Mom and Jeff still haven’t got around to telling me their big news.
    We eat mainly in silence. After dessert I slide back my chair. “Excuse me.”
    â€œWhere are you going?” Mom asks.
    â€œOut.” I head towards the door.
    I hear Jeff’s footsteps so I hurry down the front steps. “Miles, for your mother’s sake …” He stands, hands on hips.
    Mom comes to stand beside him at the door.
    â€œHey, Mom, I don’t need a new dad.”
    Then I’m down the driveway, running. I don’t stop until I’m at the Dairy Queen three blocks away. I phone Larry, still panting.
    â€œWhat’s up?”
    â€œHey, bro. Where ya been?”
    â€œCan you come and get me?”
    â€œYeah, sure. Where are you?”
    I tell him and go inside to order a Blizzard.
    The Lark pulls into the parking lot. I hear his tires chirp on the pavement as he brakes in front. The waitresses and customers all stare as Larry flings open the door of the restaurant and enters, grinning. He nods to the customers as if he’s a visiting rock star or something and slides into my booth. “Hey, you look down, man! You lose your job or something? That old dude fire you?”
    â€œNaw, I’m just sick from watching Mom with her new boyfriend.”
    â€œWanna scare him? We could do a little number on his car.”
    â€œNo! Aw, he’s okay I guess. I just don’t like to see some guy making Mom happy.” That sounds dumb. “Let’s get out of here,” I say. We spin out of the parking lot, laying rubber.
    It’s a great day so we drive out to Fastback Beach. The place is named for the high sand ridges covered with clumps of dry grass that ripple from the hills down towards the beach. All our friends come here, while families go to Main Beach to pad around and build their sand castles. But today Fastback doesn’t have much appeal. Too many bad memories of my last trip here.
    â€œNothing doing here today,” Larry says in a downer voice. “No one around.”
    It’s been like that a lot lately. I don’t know what’s happening. Fewer parties, fewer kids hanging out. Most have after-school jobs and are saving money for college.
    â€œWhat’re you doing this summer?” Larry asks.
    â€œI guess I’ll do some work for Ned.”
    â€œAren’t your hundred hours almost up?”
    â€œYeah, but he’s asked me to do some stuff on his car. He’ll pay me.”
    â€œWhat kinda car?”
    And suddenly I’m telling Larry about the coupe. I’m partway through describing it before I remember I wasn’t going to say a word about the rod to anyone. Larry looks real interested, though, so I go on to describe all the cool engine parts. “Ned wants to re-do the heads and get the rod ready for the Show and Shine,” I say.
    I finally wind down. Larry throws his cigarette out the