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Buck's Bucket List
By all standards and measures, Davis Halwell is as normal as they come. Of average height, he doesn’t smoke or spit when he talks, he rarely discusses politics and doesn’t drive a flashy car. He isn’t particularly good looking or athletic or exceptional in any discernable way. He’s the type of guy you wouldn’t notice sitting next to you on the bus or in a checkout line, and even a passing conversation, while pleasant, would be almost guaranteed to not leave a lasting impact. Later, as you told your wife or an acquaintance about your day, you might recall his habit of pushing wire-framed glasses high on his nose or the awkward way he stands, but nothing more about the man. The entirety of Davis’ unremarkable life has been spent in the Twin Cities; in fact, the most interesting thing about Davis would have to be that, at 28, he has yet to ride in an airplane.
As a systems administrator for a large insurance company – their fancy way of saying IT guy – Davis is paid well, although analogous to his personality, not too well. He neither enjoys the work nor dreads his alarm clock, passing the days resetting passwords and ensuring printers have the correct toner levels. The highlight of his day is, without fail, going home each evening to his hound mix Buck, who spends his time protecting their small but adequate home from squirrels, children on bikes and the occasional delivery man. Much of his morning revolves around preparations for the arrival of his main adversary, the mail man, who promptly slides various magazines, bills and junk mail through the slot each noontime.
At the end of each weekday, Buck waits proudly at the front door for Davis, each half of the friendship satisfied with a hard day’s work. They generally spend the remainder of the evening – weather permitting – on a good walk or jog, sometimes playing fetch in the backyard, then a little dinner and television before turning in. There are occasions when Davis has a date or other social obligation, leading Buck to relax his security protocols, usually to be found nuzzled under a pillow on the couch when Davis returns.
The two have been inseparable for the better part of five years, since Buck was a yipping puppy and Davis a recent college grad, which makes it all the more heartbreaking for both when a trip to the vet for stiff front legs ends up revealing inoperable tumors: Buck has lymphoma. A week later, Davis’ annual checkup has its own red flags; after further tests, he is told with shockingly little fanfare that it’s leukemia.
This is the story of two best friends who have not spent nearly enough time on this earth, and unfairly or not, may not get much more. Who decide that it’s not how much time you have, but what you do with that time. Join Davis and Buck on their quest to pack a lifetime of memories into six months in “Buck’s Bucket List.”
As a systems administrator for a large insurance company – their fancy way of saying IT guy – Davis is paid well, although analogous to his personality, not too well. He neither enjoys the work nor dreads his alarm clock, passing the days resetting passwords and ensuring printers have the correct toner levels. The highlight of his day is, without fail, going home each evening to his hound mix Buck, who spends his time protecting their small but adequate home from squirrels, children on bikes and the occasional delivery man. Much of his morning revolves around preparations for the arrival of his main adversary, the mail man, who promptly slides various magazines, bills and junk mail through the slot each noontime.
At the end of each weekday, Buck waits proudly at the front door for Davis, each half of the friendship satisfied with a hard day’s work. They generally spend the remainder of the evening – weather permitting – on a good walk or jog, sometimes playing fetch in the backyard, then a little dinner and television before turning in. There are occasions when Davis has a date or other social obligation, leading Buck to relax his security protocols, usually to be found nuzzled under a pillow on the couch when Davis returns.
The two have been inseparable for the better part of five years, since Buck was a yipping puppy and Davis a recent college grad, which makes it all the more heartbreaking for both when a trip to the vet for stiff front legs ends up revealing inoperable tumors: Buck has lymphoma. A week later, Davis’ annual checkup has its own red flags; after further tests, he is told with shockingly little fanfare that it’s leukemia.
This is the story of two best friends who have not spent nearly enough time on this earth, and unfairly or not, may not get much more. Who decide that it’s not how much time you have, but what you do with that time. Join Davis and Buck on their quest to pack a lifetime of memories into six months in “Buck’s Bucket List.”
Unknown Binding
Published March 1, 2017
2 people want to read
About the author
Andy Symonds
9 books4 followersMr. Symonds is an award-winning journalist who published his first novel in the summer of 2015. "My Father's Son" is the story of a young man whose father, a decorated Navy SEAL, is killed in combat in Afghanistan.
His second novel, "Enemy in the Wire," features some of the same characters from "My Father's Son," but is more of a SpecOps thriller. Former Navy SEAL Christopher Mark McKinley worked with Mr. Symonds extensively on the book. It is due out in spring, 2017.
His second novel, "Enemy in the Wire," features some of the same characters from "My Father's Son," but is more of a SpecOps thriller. Former Navy SEAL Christopher Mark McKinley worked with Mr. Symonds extensively on the book. It is due out in spring, 2017.
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