Date: December 28, 1989.
Location: The Cooper Household, Medford, Texas.
Event: The Long Goodbye.
The problem with moving isn't the big stuff. The couch fits in the truck. The beds fit in the truck.
The problem is the "stuff." The junk drawer in the kitchen. The mysterious box in the garage that hasn't been opened since 1982. The emotional baggage attached to a broken toaster.
For the last five days, the Cooper house had turned into a battlefield of cardboard and packing tape.
***
The System (Sheldon)
I walked into the living room to find Sheldon standing guard over a stack of boxes. He was holding a clipboard and a label maker.
"You can't just throw things in," Sheldon scolded Missy. "This box is marked 'Textiles: Synthetic.' You are attempting to introduce a cotton blend. It will create chaos."
"It's socks, Sheldon," Missy groaned. "Just put them in the box."
"I have a system," Sheldon insisted. He pointed to his stack.
* Box 1: Comic Books (Marvel, Silver Age).
* Box 2: Comic Books (DC, Bronze Age).
* Box 3: Rock Collection (Igneous).
* Box 4: Rock Collection (Sedimentary).
"Sheldon," Mary sighed, walking in with an armful of towels. "We have a limited number of boxes. Can you maybe put the rocks *with* the socks? To save space?"
Sheldon gasped. "And risk abrasion? Mom, these are geological specimens. The socks are merely foot coverings."
"I'm gonna put a rock in his sock while he's sleeping," Missy whispered to me.
***
The Garage Sale (The Neighborhood)
George Sr. decided that we weren't moving "junk" to a mansion. So, we held a garage sale.
It was a disaster.
Meemaw sat in a lawn chair by the driveway, drinking a beer and handling the cash box. She was a ruthless negotiator.
"How much for this blender?" Brenda Sparks asked, holding up a blender that smoked if you turned it past 'Low.'
"Five bucks," Meemaw said.
"It smells like burning rubber," Brenda noted.
"That's the smell of power," Meemaw countered. "Five bucks or put it down."
Meanwhile, George was in a standoff with a neighbor over his old weight bench.
"I pressed 250 on that bench," George bragged. "It's got history."
"It's got rust, George," the neighbor said. "I'll give you ten dollars."
"Ten dollars?" George turned purple. "The iron alone is worth twenty! Georgie, tell him."
"It's pretty rusty, Dad," I said, betraying him.
George glared at me. "You're cut from the will."
The highlight was Billy Sparks. He wandered over to Sheldon, who was guarding a box marked **DO NOT SELL: URANIUM ORE (Sample).**
"Hey Sheldon," Billy said. "Are you moving to the moon?"
"No, Billy," Sheldon sighed. "We are moving to Dallas. It is approximately 120 miles west."
"Is that past the moon?" Billy asked.
Sheldon looked at me. "I'm going to miss feeling intellectually superior to him. It's very grounding."
"I'm gonna miss you too," Billy said, hugging Sheldon. Sheldon went stiff as a board, patting Billy awkwardly with one finger. "There, there."
***
The Church Visit (Mary)
The hardest goodbye wasn't the stuff. It was the soul.
I drove Mom to the church one last time to drop off her choir robes. Pastor Jeff was waiting in his office.
"Dallas," Pastor Jeff said, shaking his head like we were moving to Gomorrah. "It's a big city, Mary. Lots of... temptations."
"We found a Presbyterian church, Pastor," Mary said guiltily. "Highland Park Presbyterian."
Pastor Jeff's eye twitched. "Presbyterians? Well... I suppose that's better than Catholics. But barely. They sprinkle, Mary. They don't dunk."
"I'll keep my head above water," Mary promised.
"And the boy?" Pastor Jeff looked at me. "The Football Star? You ready for the big time, Georgie?"
"Yes, sir," I said.
Pastor Jeff opened his drawer and pulled out a small, plastic dashboard Jesus.
"Take this," he said. "Dallas drivers are maniacs. You'll need the Lord riding shotgun."
Mary teared up. She hugged him. "I'll miss you, Pastor."
"We'll miss you too, Mary. Who's going to organize the potlucks? Brenda Sparks tries, but her potato salad is... sinful."
***
The Fix (George)
On the last night, the house was empty. The U-Haul was packed. The echo was back.
I found Dad in the hallway. He was holding a screwdriver. He was tightening the doorknob on the bathroom door—the one that had been loose since 1982.
"Dad?" I asked. "We're leaving in the morning. Why are you fixing the knob?"
George turned the screw one last time. He jiggled the handle. It held firm.
"I promised your mother I'd fix this five years ago," George said quietly. "I didn't want to leave a liar."
He patted the door.
"We had some good times in this house, Georgie. It's small. The roof leaks. But... it was a good home."
"Yeah," I said. "It was."
"You think we're doing the right thing?" he asked, looking at me with sudden vulnerability. "Taking them to that palace? What if we don't fit in?"
"We don't fit in here anymore, Dad," I said. "We outgrew the bowl. Time to swim in the ocean."
George nodded. He put the screwdriver in his pocket. "Let's go get a pizza. I'm starving."
***
The Departure
The morning of December 29th was gray and cold.
The caravan was lined up in the driveway like a military convoy.
1. **Lead Vehicle:** The U-Haul (Driven by George, with me in the passenger seat).
2. **Support Vehicle:** The Station Wagon (Driven by Mary, with Sheldon and Missy).
3. **Rear Guard:** Meemaw's Yellow Cadillac (Driven by Meemaw, with her chair in the back and a cooler in the front).
George did a radio check on the walkie-talkies we had bought for the trip.
"Breaker one-nine, this is Big George. You copy, Mare?"
"I copy, George," Mary's voice crackled. "Missy is already complaining about the radio station."
"Breaker one-nine, this is Meemaw," Connie's voice came through. "If you drive slower than 60, I'm passing you. I have a date with a jacuzzi."
George laughed. He put the U-Haul in gear.
He looked at the house in the rearview mirror. The "For Sale" sign was already up in the yard. The house looked small, empty, and quiet.
"Goodbye, Medford," George whispered.
He hit the gas. The U-Haul groaned but rolled forward.
We drove down the street. We passed the Sparks' house (Billy was waving from the lawn). We passed the high school. We passed the water tower that said **HOME OF THE WOLVES**.
And then, we hit the highway. The sign said: **DALLAS - 120 MILES.**
George turned on the radio. Willie Nelson started singing *On the Road Again*.
I watched the town disappear in the side mirror. The High School. The Diner. The field where I threw the Hail Mary.
It got smaller and smaller until it was just a dot. Then we turned a corner, and it was gone.
I turned forward. The road ahead was wide open.
"Ready for the big leagues?" George asked.
I smiled. "Born ready."
**[Quest Complete: The Medford Arc]**
* **Inventory Updated:** Dashboard Jesus, Spanish Dictionary, Igneous Rocks.
* **Party Status:** Relocating.
* **Next Location:** Highland Park, Dallas.