Independence Day Read Online Free PDF Page A

to smile!”
    Dewey started laughing.
    “I wasn’t smiling at you, Uncle Bill,” said Dewey.
    “What were you smiling at, then?”
    “I was thinking about the time we went duck hunting and you shot yourself in the foot.”
    More laughter erupted.
    “That was an accident, goddammit.”
    “Sure it was,” said Dewey.
    “No hurtin’ anyone if you don’t win, Dewey!” came another voice.
    More laughter this time.
    “Now, leave the boy alone,” said Doris, holding up her hand. “Was that Dickie? I don’t see your fat ass out there, Dickie.”
    “That ain’t fat, that’s one hundred percent muscle, and stop staring at it.”
    “Richard Pye, the only muscle you got left is the one you use to keep your money hidden at the bottom of those Grand Canyon pockets of yours.”
    “I got five dollars right here for whoever wins this here race, Mayor,” said Pye, holding up a five-dollar bill for the crowd to see.
    “Look at that,” said Doris. “Abe Lincoln is squinting because he hasn’t seen the sun in so long.”
    *   *   *
    As Dewey listened to the banter, he leaned forward, off the bumper of the truck, then walked to his niece, Reagan, who was standing next to her boyfriend.
    “Can you beat her, Will?”
    Will smiled and shook his head.
    “No way,” he said. “She’s the fastest runner at Andover, boy or girl.”
    “Prettiest too, right?” added Dewey, smiling and patting Reagan’s shoulder.
    “That goes without saying,” said Will.
    Reagan scowled and looked at Dewey, then her boyfriend.
    “I know what you two jerks are trying to do, and it’s not going to work,” she said. “I’m not going to be distracted. Will, I will definitely destroy you. You’re the one I’m worried about, Uncle Dewey.”
    “What’s your best mile?” asked Dewey.
    “Four fifty-five.”
    “You’ll beat me,” said Dewey. “I won’t even get to State Street by four fifty-five.”
    “It’s not going to work. You can’t hustle me. I see through you.”
    “Then again, running in boots is a little different,” said Dewey, ignoring her. “Starts to hurt a little. It’s the skin on the back of your foot that goes first. Scrapes right off. Then comes blood. Gets a little muddy in there.”
    “Ewww,” said Reagan.
    “Yeah, it’s nasty,” continued Dewey. “Like pea soup. Only it ain’t pea soup, know what I mean?”
    Reagan glanced down unconsciously at her feet.
    “I bandaged them.”
    “Oh, then you should be fine,” said Dewey. “Bandages never fall off.”
    “You should also point out the extra weight, Dewey,” said Will, smiling as he pitched in. “These boots are heavy.”
    “Excellent point, William,” said Dewey, nodding. “That extra weight’ll make your legs get all muscly and big, like an Amazon lady. Will, what do you think, are guys into girls with big, thick tree trunk legs these days?”
    Dewey and Will were now doubled over in laughter. Reagan seethed with a mixture of anger and annoyance, though a small grin did manage to sneak through.
    “Look, I usually don’t talk like this, so please forgive me in advance,” said Reagan, “but fuck off, both of you. I hope the dust I kick up will settle down by the time your lame asses come crawling along behind me.”
    She stormed off, shaking her head.
    Just then, Doris Russell let out a loud whistle.
    “Let’s get this shindig going,” Doris said loudly. “It’s time for this race to start. I got eleven people coming for dinner and I don’t even know what the hell I’m going to make.”
    “Trust me, Doris, no one comes to your house for the food,” yelled someone from the back.
    “Good luck getting that lobster license, Lincoln,” said Doris, grabbing the police tape and preparing to yank it out of the way. “Now, on your mark…”
    The runners crowded up toward the tape, except for Dewey, who remained a few feet behind everyone else.
    “Get set…” she continued.
    “ Wait! ” came a voice from up the road. “Wait