Daddy in his Work Boots by Marady O.

Clunk, clunk, clunk.

Todd Ramsay, six years old, stared at the ventilation shaft in his bedroom floor. At first he thought that his daddy was walking around the basement in his work boots. Then he remembered that his daddy was gone away overnight on business. Maybe, he thought, it had started to snow too hard and Daddy had to turn around and drive home, coming back when Todd was sleeping. Todd hoped this was the case because then his daddy would be home in the morning and they could watch cartoons. He also hoped his daddy was home because if he wasn’t in the basement, then who was?

Todd climbed out of bed and crept out of his room and down the hall and peeked into the master bedroom. He saw the shape of his mother underneath the blankets. She snored softly and Todd giggled. Then he composed himself and tried to sneak as quietly as a mouse past his sleeping mother to the big window that looked out onto the street and the front yard.

Outside, the snow had heaped up against every house and car. But Daddy’s car was not in the driveway. The driveway was empty. A massive shudder ran through Todd’s tiny body.

He considered running to his mother and crawling into bed with her. He would tell her about the sounds coming from the basement. But then he remembered that he was six now and he was expected to be a big boy. He wasn’t supposed to wake up his parents at night unless it was an emergency. He didn’t know yet if this was an emergency.

So he left the master bedroom and returned to his room, where he leapt into bed in case something underneath decided to reach out and grab his ankle if he took too long.

For a while he laid in bed, listening to nothing but the soft rustle of wind and snow outside his window. His heart had been pounding very fast when he first got into bed but was finally starting to settle down when …

Clunk, clunk, clunk.

Whatever was in the basement was now ascending the basement stairs. Every little sound in the basement seemed to bounce off the concrete walls, hit the furnace, and rattle up the vents.

Todd decided this was an emergency, and fled from his bedroom at top speed. He dashed into the master bedroom and flung himself onto the bed, awakening his mother upon impact.

“What on earth is going on, Todd?” his mother asked, sleepy and startled.

“There’s something in the basement, coming up the stairs.” His breath came out in ragged gasps.

“It’s probably the cat,” his mother said.

“It sounds big,” Todd protested, beginning to shake her by the shoulder. “It sounds like Daddy in his work boots.”

“Daddy’s gone tonight, remember?” his mother said beginning to drift off. “He’s gone on a long drive to work on a house in the country. He won’t be back until tomorrow night.”

“Maybe it’s a bad guy,” Todd told her, but his mother just hushed him and ran her fingers lazily through his hair.

“There aren’t any bad guys in this house, Todd,” she told him. “The basement windows are locked up. Now go back to sleep. I’m sure it’s just the cat.”

Todd knew that his mother was right about the basement windows being locked – but he also knew that Daddy could figure out how to open them when he got locked out of the house. If Daddy could get in, couldn’t a bad guy? But he realized it was no use - his mother couldn’t see that this was an emergency. And maybe she was right – maybe it was just the cat. Maybe his imagination made the foot steps sound louder than they actually were. So, trying to be brave once again, he went back to bed.

It wasn’t long before he heard foot steps walking through the kitchen. Clunking, like Daddy in his work boots. Todd tried to calm his imagination, to make the foot steps sound softer. But it was no use - especially when his old tabby cat came scurrying into the room and hid under the bed. The foot steps downstairs continued, and Todd became more frightened. He became so frightened, he couldn’t even move.

The footsteps ascended the staircase leading to the second floor. Clunk … clunk …

The footsteps reached the hallway and headed for Todd’s room. Clunk … clunk.

Like Daddy in his work boots.

Just when Todd thought he was going to scream or cry or throw up –

There was Daddy in his work boots, and his winter jacket and blue jeans, standing in the doorway. Todd had never felt more relieved in all his six years of life.

“Todd?” Daddy whispered. “You awake?”

Todd tried to say “yes” but his mouth was so dry he couldn’t speak. So instead he nodded yes. Daddy came in and sat down on the bed.

“There was a bad storm earlier,” Daddy said. “I thought I should come home and let you know that I’m okay.”

Daddy was running his fingers through Todd’s hair, making Todd very sleepy.

“Tell your mama I’m fine, okay kiddo? I don’t want to wake her up.”

Todd tried to nod, but he was too tired. Before long, he was fast asleep.

The next morning, Todd’s mother was crying and told Todd that Daddy had been in a car accident last night because of the snowstorm. He’d been wearing his winter jacket, his blue jeans, and his work boots. Todd’s daddy was dead.

Todd remembered last night and went to sit in his mother’s lap.

“It’s okay, Mama,” he told her. “Daddy’s okay.”

When she sent him to his bedroom so he wouldn’t see her crying anymore, he stepped in something wet. He pressed his hand to the carpet. There were little wet patches all over the floor. Foot prints. From Daddy in his work boots.