A full tank of gas. That was all Howard needed to be happy back then. Before he left his parents his dad would drive out with him to the only gas station in town and fill it up for him. Then he'd walk into the store and pay. He'd come out and hug his son and then Howard would be on his way back to 

East Lansing

.

A laundry hamper full of clean clothes on top of a full tank of gas made him feel ecstatic. Even the news of Johnny's death couldn't put a damper on his mood that day. He should be sad Howard was convinced. He felt guilty that he had to suppress a smile, he caught himself humming a few times and each time he had to look around to make sure nobody had heard him.

It was only at dinner time when they were eating baked beans and toast that the death was finally beginning to hit him. It was about the same time that he realized that he was more drunk that he thought. Strange, because he had only drunk two tallboys. Howard looked around the dimly lit dining table. People were sharing the same old stories again and again about Johnny. Every once in awhile someone would say an idea about what to do for a memorial service and everybody would go around saying that that was a good idea.

Howard didn't say much. There wasn't anything to say. Everybody was saying what he already thought, or at least he could come up with nothing better. After dinner he did dishes. He had already helped cook dinner so technically he didn't need to help clean, but he saw Sarah torn up over Johnny so Howard offered to take her place on cleaning duty. After the dishes he went for a smoke. The tall plants acted as black figures against the purple, night sky. Chuck already smoking a cigarette gave Howard a nod, and offered Howard a cig, which was hand waved away. When Howard put the 

cigarette

to his mouth Chuck took out his zippo lighter and lit it for Howard.

They exchanged some words but didn't say much. The thing Howard was most sad about was that this meant that the summer was over. He felt even more sad that this was saddened him most. If he were a more respecful, mature person then he shouldn't be grieving over such selfish things. He should be only upset over Johnny's accident. He looked over at Chuck to see if Chuck could tell that's how he felt. Didn't seem like it, Howard thought with relief.