“You’re for real Gene? You’re really gonna retire?” As Denver mindlessly flipped through the manila folders organized on Gene’s desk, he nodded.

“Sure am. It’s been a wonderful fifty years,” squeezing Denver’s shoulder he added, “but I can rest easy knowing my position is going to be in good hands.”

Gene’s decision to retire created for the perfect opportunity for his boss’s nephew to slip in.

Behind him, Gene watched as his partner sat peeling away the paper liner from his donut. “You’ve got big shoes to fill bud. Gene and I have roamed these streets for decades. I hope you like donut shops!”

Gene Rousett had been working as one of the top detectives for so long, that the term ‘retirement’ now felt foreign to him. He and Bobby used to joke that the only way he’d be leaving the building would be in a body bag. Times do change though. After the slip he took last winter, his doctor’s encouraged that he take it easy. With his mobility restricted, he knew it was time.

“Detective Musgrove!” Swinging his feet off his desk, Bobby raised, giving the captain a crisp salute.

Giving Bobby a quizzical look, he waved away the salute. “Bobby…not necessary.” With flushed cheeks he slunk back into his chair.

Captain Tony Richardson was a clean-shaved man with short gray hair. His body had lost much of its muscle mass, but amongst the wrinkles along his eyes, he had the memory of an elephant. Being only ten years younger than Gene, Captain Richardson’s title of the oldest Captain was well known, here on the west side of the state.

Watching Tony envelope his nephew in a crushing hug, Gene could see the striking resemblance. Especially in their nosiness. “See this Denver?” Tossing Gene’s organized Manila folders to the side, Gene suppressed the desire to snatch away the rest of his folders before he disorganized those too. “Gene here keeps all his folders organized. It’s a great quality to have in this kind of work. I’ll expect this same amount of effort from you.”

Alone in the break room, towel-drying off his plate, Gene jumped as the door behind him slammed shut.

“Bobby, Jesus, you’re going to give me a-“

Cutting him off, Bobby slammed a notebook onto the table behind him. “We need to throw Denver a welcoming party.”

Tendril's of jealously wrapped itself around Gene’s mind. He’d heard of parties celebrating someone’s departure, but a party to welcome someone in?

“Uh, yeah. I can see that. Have you mentioned this to the other guys yet?”

Bobby nodded, explaining that Neil and Dusty were completely on board with the idea.

For the next hour, Gene and Bobby became a party planning committee of two. Truth be told, it was mostly Gene making every decision - everything from the cake, to where it should be held.

As they got up to leave, Gene raised his arm out. “Bobby, what do you need from me? I could place the order for the cake or-“

His partner glanced curiously at Gene as he shoved the notebook under his arm. “You’ve done more than enough bud. Thanks a bunch.”

The following morning, shoving open his shed’s back door, Gene yanked off the dusty car cover, revealing his most prized possession. The cracks in the ceiling, created flutters of light against her turquoise fins. “Hello old girl” he said softly.

Growing up, times were rough for Gene. In order to make ends meet, he was forced to sell his 1958 Chevrolet Impala his father had gifted down to him. As a surprise for celebrating twenty five years on the force, everyone at the station pitched in to help pay for a new one.

Deciding to finally embrace the idea of retirement, Gene drove his way out to Elwood. Strumming his fingers along the wheel, some of the Northern Red Oaks were finally beginning to embrace their name. Twisting the dial on his stereo down, sounds of laughing tourists filled his ears.

Finding the only available parking space for what seemed like miles, he stepped out, tipping his fedora to the woman fiddling with her hair.

Flattening his ironed green button down, his cheeks suddenly felt flushed.

“Afternoon” he said, before making his way inside the weathered record shop.

From behind the counter, an oily-looking man popped his head up.

“Afternoon sir! How can I help you?”

Removing the folded up paper from his pocket, Gene said, “I received a notification that the order I placed is finally ready.”

Studying the numbers at the bottom of the page, he skirted back towards the stock room. As Gene waited, he flipped through the newest vinyls that had arrived. “Got it, got it, got it,” he muttered under his breath as he flipped past each one.

“Sir!” Twisting around, the young man held up Gene’s package. Thanking him, he slipped the man a few extra dollars as a tip. Gene hoped he would use it to get himself a proper haircut.

Clipping on his sunglasses over his rectangular frames, a hunch backed man strode from the bakery a few stores down. Squinting, Gene’s eyes widened in recognition. Bobby!

Making a speaker with his palms, he shouted out, “Bobby! Bobby Musgrove!” As Bobby twisted around in confusion, Gene chuckled to himself. It was always a hoot to trip up his friend every once in awhile.

Waving out to him, Bobby’s eyes grew twice as wide as normal at the sight of Gene. Giving him the cold shoulder, Bobby hobbled off down the sidewalk.

What on earth? That wasn’t like Bobby at all! Increasing his strides, Gene followed him, but it was no use. His friend had no intention of acknowledging him.

Sinking into the nearest bench, Gene wondered if in fact, fifty years of friendship truly didn’t mean as much to Bobby as Gene thought. Stroking the back of his neck, Gene shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Working in the force for as many years as he had, it was second nature to use logic to deduce any situation. Shimmying out the blue notebook he kept with him at all times, he flipped to a clean page before writing out ‘8/2/2022: Bobby left ‘Batter Spatter’. Pushing aside the gray hairs that had covered the face of his watch, he made one final mark. ‘1:18pm’.

Musty air with a hint of fish blew through his white hair. Gene laughed to himself as those who were far younger - and much more vain - pinched their noises before making a belching noise. He did empathize with them. If you weren’t born around here, the odor could be construed as ‘gross’.

Reaching for his phone, a sudden idea occurred to him.

“Gene! Buddy, is everything okay?”

Plugging his other ear, Gene held up his phone closer to his ear. “Oh yeah Neil, I’m fine. I was just thinking, maybe we could get together and go for a sail? We could grab Dusty and bring him too.”

A long silence filled the other line as he waited for any sort of response.

“Uh, jeez Gene, today? It’s uh…today doesn’t work for me.” Because of the noise coming from his end of the line, Gene could only make out parts of his sentence.

“Oh. Alright, another time then.”

“Absolutely, another time.”

Dragonflies skimmed across the water’s surface as sharp gravel pushed up underneath Gene’s beige orthopedic shoes. Removing his socks, gentle waves lapped over his knobbly toes. “It doesn’t make sense.” It was already peculiar that Bobby ignored him, but for Neil to be too busy to take his boat out, was completely unlike him.

Was Gene truly replaceable?

Across the lake, Gene gave a cold, intense stare to the marina. For years, he and Neil and Bobby, hell - even Dusty- would take Neil’s boat out onto the open water, all ‘shooting the shit’ together.

Now, it would become Neil, Dusty, Bobby and Denver shooting the shit on days like today, without him.

Back home, Gene threw his keys onto the counter as he rummaged through his fridge. Mirroring his own slumped shoulders, his Aloe Vera plant laid slumped in the windowsill. Leaning against the counter top, the blinking ‘1’ on his answering machine caught his attention.

In a roaring voice that could only belong to the Tony, he pulled the machine closer to him. ‘Gene! Tony here. I’m just callin’ to let ya know about Denver’s party tomorrow.’ Gene wrote down the address before deleting the message. Now, more than ever, Gene was regretting promising to be there.

Speed dialing his number, Gene rehearsed his words inside his mind. After seventy five years, public speaking still made his palms go clammy from time to time.

“Gene!”

“Bobby! I, I mean, Tony. Captain.” Swallowing down the knot in his throat, he said “I was just calling to confirm that I’ll be there tomorrow.” Hesitating, he asked “Captain, have you heard at all from Bobby?”

In the background, Gene could hear the screaming enthusiasm from his television. Of course, it was Saturday night football. Tony’s favorite.

Ignoring his question, he said “Alright Gene, thanks for the confirmation, we’ll see you then!”

What in the hell is going on? He’s been by these mens’ sides for the better half of their lives and now they can’t even give him basic respect and answer his questions?

The following morning threatened rain, but now the skies remained both rain and cloud free. Ten minutes to three, Gene parked his blue beauty across the lot, away from everyone else. His driving skills were impeccable, but he didn’t trust other drivers as far as he could throw them.

In bright white font, ‘THE LANES’ greeted him. The red exterior seemed far too flashy for him, if he was being honest with himself. Why had a bowling alley been decided on? As far as he knew, Denver had no interest in bowling. Gene had suggested a quiet restaurant down closer in town.

Inside, a bored attendant behind the counter was busy spraying an anti-fungal cloud into each bowling shoe.

Taking in the scent, a reminiscent smile came over his lips. For much of his forties, he’d spent his weekends rolling strike after strike, leading his team to the 1991 championship.

“Excuse me?”

Pulling out the ear buds from the attendant’s ears, he gave Gene a once over, before tapping on his phone. “Sup?”

Who on earth greets a customer saying…what was it…’Sup?’

“I’m here for a Mr. Denver Nevis. There should be a party here?”

Reaching for the clipboard hanging on the adjacent wall, the attendant - Gavin - asked for his signature.

“In case of damages.” He said

Sliding the board back to him, a sly grin spread over Gavin’s face. “Alright, Mr. Rousett, go on back. It’s the last door on your left.”

Upon entry, he hadn’t realized this entire bowling alley was aquatically themed. Murals of hand painted coral reefs lined the walls, while plastic shark heads covered the ball returns. Hanging by fish line, various plastic fishes swung lazily.

“These guys are shedding no expense for this kid.” He said.

As the door came into view, Gene froze. “Wait a minute…” Bobby was the one who asked him to plan out Denver’s party. Gene’s eyes scanned the lanes as Bobby’s words reverberated inside his mind. ‘You’ve done more than enough.’

Could it be possible…is this…?

Pushing open the door, he flicked on the light.

SURPRISE! Cheering in a circle, were all of Gene’s closest friends and co-workers.

“I…I don’t understand…” Gene sputtered out, taking in the brightly colored streamers hanging from the ceiling.

Wrapping his arm around Gene, Bobby gave him a hard pat on his back. “This is all for you bud! It’s your retirement party! You didn’t really believe we’d let you leave without celebrating you, did you?”

Surrounded by all of Gene’s favorite desserts, sat a cake with with a fondue trout rising from the blue frosting.

Wiping his face, Gene made his way around the room giving everyone a hug.

Dressed in his professional best, Captain Richardson extended his hand to Gene “Detective.” Returning his shake, Gene gave a curt nod. “Captain.”

“Congratulations Gene!” Wrapping him up, Kristine left a lipstick stained mark on his cheek.

“Mr. Rousett!” Pulling Denver into a side hug, Gene gave his shaggy hair a rub.

A few minutes later, Neil returned to the room with a full platter of beers. “Alright y’all grab yourselves a beer! We’ve got toasts to give!”

With everyone officially seated and comfortable, Neil kicked off the first speech, quickly followed by Captain Richardson. Gene’s heart grew with each speech.

Slurping down the rest of his beer, Bobby wiped his mouth before making his way to the front of tables.

“Gene. My best friend.” Trembling, Bobby’s voice caught in his throat. “Gene Rousett. I consider myself a very lucky man to know someone as wonderful as you for as long as I have.” Clearing his throat, he went on. “For those of you don’t know, Gene and I met at the station when we were basically still kids. Now, I was new to the area, but damn it if Gene didn’t take me under his wing. Buddy, you’ve been by my side through every big part of my life. You offered me a place to stay when my first marriage crumbled and you were my best man when I married that beautiful woman over there.” Off to the side, Kristine sat wiping away a stray tear.

“To Gene Rousett! To the best man I’ve ever known.”

Applauses and whistles filled the room as Gene stood up to give his best friend one final hug.

“I thought you guys were replacing me,” Gene whispered. “I even used a notebook trying to deduce what was going on.”

“I’m sorry bud. It’s just, if we let you in on anything, you’d figure it out. You’re like the Captain, with that memory of yours. But no one could replace you bud.” Chuckling, he added, “Not even Denver.”

“You’ve been a great friend to me for a lot of years, Bobby.” Raising his glass, Gene added, “here’s to many more years of friendship.”