My curiosity would soon be rewarded... or punished, depending on how you looked at the situation.
A cousin of mine, Randall, from a rural county east of town called me one day to say he was stopping by. He had some errands to run in town at the city hall and the department of motor vehicles, and wanted to drop by the house. It was an hour drive from his house, so we didn't get to see each other often. Soon enough, I could hear his diesel truck coming down the street and parking in front of my house. As I started to head to the door to welcome him, I heard distinctly two truck doors open and slam shut, and as I opened the door, I saw Randall standing there with his young teen son, Bryan.
"Hi, cuz! How are you doing?" I gave Randall a hug, and his heavy hand patted my back firmly. He was a country guy, for sure, and had a lot of solid muscle and strength in his big, corn-and-beer-fed body. Before Randall responded, I glanced at Bryan. "Hey, how are you?" He nodded briefly in acknowledgement, and I smiled slightly. Randall had told me that Bryan had started getting moody like boys his age normally get, so a nod was about as good as I might get.
"Doing great, well, except for the tickets I got that I have to pay and needing to renew licenses for me and the truck. Hey, I know it's a big ask, but can you watch Bryan for me? And if it isn't much trouble, could you take him down to one of the stores and get him some new hunting boots? We're getting ready for the season and this kid's outgrown his old ones."
Randall fished out his wallet to hand me some cash and I shook my head. "No biggie! I can pick it up as long as you promise to bring me some good venison when you guys go hunting, ok?"
He laughed. "Yeah, did I tell you I got cited by the department of fish and game last year? Probably won't give me a license to hunt this year, but Bryan and I will do it anyway!" He patted his son on the back. "Ok, I'll be back in a few hours, maximum." Randall looked at his son. "I hear there's this great new store here... I think it's called Funko's? Weird name, but I hear great things about them. Maybe they'd have some good hunting boots for you?" He turned and walked off, his heavy footsteps echoing on the porch. The truck roared to life and drove off, and I went and grabbed my keys.
I tried to engage Bryan in small talk and ask him about school, but I wasn't surprised that he wasn't interested in conversation. He was a thin kid, unlike his dad, with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a zip-up hoodie sweatshirt in a dark green camo pattern with a logo from one of the hunting gear brands.
We pulled up to the new storefront and I took a breath. This was it. I was about to find out more of what was going on in this place, and how it was changing town. How my cousin from the county over knew about the place was a mystery to me, but I'm not going to protest this opportunity to learn what's happening! Bryan hopped out with more energy than I expected. I assumed he would be bored or dragging his heels, but he honestly seemed a little excited to be going in there. He did love hunting with his dad, but I was still surprised.
The store was dimly lit on the inside, and I felt a moment of disorientation going in. I expected it to be bright and cheery, but definitely not. There were aisles and aisles packed with shoeboxes, though, so I assume they spent their money on inventory first. I didn't see many customers in the store on what should have been a busy weekend day. Bryan looked around, and a middle aged guy walked up to us. "Heya, welcome to Funko's! What can I help you two find?"
The guy looked at me and just as I was about to answer, Bryan blurts out, "Need some huntin' boots." I glanced at him for a moment, surprised he would take the initiative like that. The employee nodded and waved his finger to follow, and we walked behind him.
We walked down an aisle, and I looked at the boxes. Most of them were closed and all of them were identical, but a few of them were open and I could see worn and semi-new shoes. Was this some new fashion style for young guys? I couldn't imagine it, but the changes I'd seen in town were real enough.
The guy stopped in front of a big wall and looked at the black cardboard shoe boxes. I don't know how he was able to read labels so quickly... were there even labels? As I tried to examine a box I could hear the guy clear his throat and hand a box to Bryan. "Here you go! I think these will do nicely."
I turn to watch Bryan open the box. They were nice hunting boots... worn and dirty, yes, but the camo pattern was still dark. Bryan pulled one out of the box and look at it closely, and I glanced down at Bryan's feet. These shoes were at least seven sizes too big for him! I thought. Bryan looked at them closely, even peering down inside the boot.
"Do... do you have anything... bigger? Dad says bigger than this." I look at Bryan strangely, and then at the guy who simply smiles and turns to grab another box. I take the box from Bryan and look at the size. 14! Size 14. And he wants bigger? Does he think he'll be stealthy wearing boots that are more than seven sizes too big for him?
The next box was opened and Bryan nodded. I glanced at them... these had to be like size 16... or more. Bryan took the boots back to a stool and pulled off his worn sneakers and slid his feet easily into the boots, lacing them up carefully. They looked beyond absurdly huge, and he stood up, somehow, and took a few steps. "Yeah these are it." He turned and looked at me, and I gave a shrug.
"They look so big, Bryan, but... but if that's what you want."
"Dad wanted me to get as big as they had... I guess he thinks I'll grow into them."
I shrugged again and walked to the cashier to pay, Bryan's heavy footsteps behind me. Before Bryan got up to the register where I was, however, the shopkeep who helped him find the boots gently touched his shoulder and whispered something in his ear, and Bryan smiled slightly for a very brief moment. I pulled out my credit card and paid, and we headed out the door.
Bryan made his way to the car slowly and deliberately, trying to get used to his huge boots. We got in, and Bryan tossed his old sneakers in the back seat. I could swear that Bryan's body posture had changed. He seemed more confident sitting there, and for some reason he seemed... bigger. His sweatshirt seemed to fit better, and he fidgeted in his seat as if ... as if he were growing. Bryan let out a small laugh, and his voice seemed to crack and get deeper, and for one moment I could swear it smelled musky in the tight confines of the car. "Thanks... dad's really excited about these new boots...and I am, too."