The Road Less Paved

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"Hey, there's Earl!" Dave's trademark grin was plainly in evidence as he waved wildly at his brother's approaching car. "What did I tell you, Jim? He's even almost on time this year! It's a Fourth of July miracle!"

Jimmy shrugged. "If you want people to show up on time, you could try living on an actual road." He snaked a couple of beers out of the old cooler, and tossed one to Earl as the latter man exited his car and came up onto the porch. "With, you know, paving. Maybe even a streetlight if you're feeling dangerous."

"What was wrong with that last place you were livin', Davey? That split-level with the woods out back?" Earl cracked his beer and took a large swig. "That was a hell of a house."

The grin was completely gone from Dave's face now. "Yeah, it was a great house. Great little house. Plenty of room for the kids to grow up, and... But it was just time to move on, you know? This place isn't bad. It's smaller, but it's not so bad."

"Well, hell," Jimmy replied, quickly changing the subject. "Right now we've got a barbecue to get started, am I right, fellas?" He kicked at the box by his feet. "And I'll bet your kids are looking forward to setting off some of these fireworks tonight, eh Dave?" He clapped the other man on the shoulder. "This is a damn fine house you moved into, buddy. I'm sure your family's gonna be real happy here."

"Real happy," Earl echoed. "It ain't fancy things that make people happy anyway."

"Yeah." Dave smiled a little, without much humor. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Though they probably help," Earl added blithely, and Jimmy cringed.