FALL 1988
Ennis and Jack have just broken a frozen lock on one of the buildings on their ranch they have own since late 1984. Inside is a large object covered in canvas.Jack pulls it back first revealing headlights, radiator, fenders of a very old vehicle. “Ennis look at this”
Ennis remains outside. “ Jack, it just a old wreck.”
Jack continues pull back on the canvas, folding it over in sections. “No Ennis look, this aint a wreck.” he opens the drivers door and steps in. “Ennis.” Tilts his head motioning Ennis to follow.
“I can see from here”
“C’me here, I want to show you something” Jack looking back at Ennis.
Ah'll just stay out here."
"Get in here! What’a you afraid of?”
“Spiders.” Ennis answers quickly
“Oh yeah…since when?”
‘Since we been ah poking around buildings nobody’s been in fer 40 years!”
“Just get you ass in here.” Jack opens the passenger door from the inside handle.
Ennis walks over to the passenger side and sits down with his feet on the running board.
Jack looks at him, his hands in the steering wheel. “Now get those long legs of yours in here stick ‘m on the floor.” Ennis has to negotiate his boots around the tight space between the seat and door sill. “Now pull the door shut.” as he closes the door there is a solid click. Jack then turns toward Ennis, as he does the brim of his hat is caught by Ennis’s so that it remains pointing straight, their noses nearly touching.
“Now what’a you think?”
Ennis notices that he is shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, knee to knee against Jack on the narrow seat, his right shoulder against the door. Ennis gives Jack a pensive grin. “Well…um”
“Not a bad way to travel…eh?”
“Travel?…This thing hasn’t moved in maybe 30, 40 years, don’t think it’s going nowhere.”
Jack reaches down picks up an old piece of paper on the floor, pushing against Ennis as he does so.
“look like its been more than fifty” Hands the paper to Ennis.
In fountain penned handwriting Ennis reads:
December 5, 1937
1.crankcase filled
2.radiator drained
3.gas tank drained
4.differental filled
5.transmission filled
6.battery removed, for use in Fordson tractor.
7.emergency brake not engaged.
“Ennis someone parked it here for the winter back in 1937 when our daddy‘s were hardly grown, never used it again.” Jack is excited.
Ennis finds the window crank, rolls the window down, rests his arm in the sill, sticks his head out looks down. “Guess that’s why them tires are flat.”
“Ennis, we could do some fine travelin’ in this, boy.”
“Thing ‘ill never run, been sit‘n too long.”
“What is this anyways? Sure aint no Ford!” Jack is remembering what is left of an old Ford Model A, nothing but a shell left, on the homestead at Lightning Flat. They both get out to inspect the exterior. Jack open one of the rear doors, hinged at the rear of the car. Inside are several card board boxes “Lookie that! Nice big back seat, look at that upholstery , heavy like fur, should try it out sometime.” Gleam in is eye
“Sure enough, once make ya sure there’s no spiders.” Jack closes the door, they both walk around to the front, look at the enamel badge on the radiator.
“What the hell is a WK?”
“Dun no, never heard of it Jack” They stand back a bit to gaze. They see a spare tire mounted on each front fender, with a black rubberized canvas cover that has the same, ‘WK’ insignia , dark maroon almost brown paint, only slightly faded, black on the upper body, bright red pinstripe to match the wire wheels.
“It’s all here Ennis, nothing missing, headlights, door handles, even the hubcaps and look they have the same WK on ‘em. Wouldn‘t take no time to maker her run”
“I don’t know Jack” Ennis says without much enthusiasm.
Jack open the drivers door, pulls out something from a pocket in the driver’s door. “Ennis….look.”
Operating Instructions
1930 Willys-Knight
Model 87
Willys-Overland, INC.,
Toledo, Ohio
October, 1929
“I heard ‘da the Willys Jeep, bit this ain’t no Jeep.” Ennis looks blankly at Jack.
“Looks like maybe this was what they made before Jeeps, sure ain’t no Ford Model A.”
A few hours later after a supper of half bound burgers grilled on the barbeque, with cheese, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, the rest of the mashed potatoes Ennis and Jack are on the porch enjoying the sunset. Jack is stretched out on the wooden bench with cushions leaning against Ennis absorbing the information in the manual.
“Says here she’s got 55 horsepower at 3000 RPM, seven bearing crankshaft….” Jack rattles on.
“Don’t sound like much, huh?” Ennis rests his arm on Jack’s chest.
“Top speed 65 miles an hour, crusing speed 45-50 miles an hour….”
“Ya think you’d like that? Yer used to goin’ eighty or more across the plains.”
“Only reason was goin’ so fast was to meet up with you. Don’t seem much point now that I be ride’n with you. Be able to slow down, enjoy the ride.”
Ennis tightens his hold, has doubts that it 'she' will ever run again.
“It’ll be great Ennis, stick our camping gear in the back and head off.” Jack continues his banter. “So tomorrow c’n we get a new battery ‘n all get this show on the road, gotta go into town for supplies anyways?”
Ennis runs his fingers through Jack’s hair. “Sure enough bud. Just dun’ no if it’ll ever run again.”
Jack butts head against Ennis’s chest a bit.
Excerpt from 'ENNIS AND JACK IN THE KNIGHT'
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