Lessons on the Shoulder

A teen surprises his father using his knowledge from books.

Declan slouched in the back seat, earbuds jammed in, eyes fixed on the trees racing past. His dad’s voice cut through the hum of the highway.

“You can’t just read your life away, Declan. You need real plans. A job. Something solid.”

Declan pulled an earbud out, irritation flashing across his face. “Books are solid to me, Dad. At least they don’t lecture me every five minutes.”

His mother sighed softly from the passenger seat, but the silence didn’t last long. The car gave a violent shudder, coughed, and rolled to a stop on the shoulder.

“Perfect,” his dad muttered, popping the hood.

Declan followed, more curious than helpful. His dad poked around, frowning. “Alternator’s shot, maybe? Or worse. We’ll need a tow.”

Declan leaned in, spotting a frayed belt dangling loose. “No, it’s not that. The serpentine belt slipped off the pulley.”

His dad shot him a look. “And you suddenly know cars now?”

Declan shrugged. “I read it in a book.”

That earned him a skeptical grunt, but Declan was already digging into the emergency kit. With a little improvisation, some patience, a pry bar, and his mother holding a flashlight; he managed to guide the belt back into place. The engine coughed, then roared back to life.

His dad stared, half in disbelief, half in pride. “You really...fixed it.”

Declan wiped grease on his jeans. “Guess all that reading isn’t useless after all.”

For the first time in months, his dad cracked a smile. “Maybe I should stop talking and start listening.”

Declan grinned faintly, slipping his earbuds back in. “Now you’re onto something.”

The car rolled back onto the road, quieter than before.

Word Count: 277
Prompt: Write a story that includes the line: “I read it in a book.”
Written for: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"