abusive father · toxic masculinity · 90s setting · mechanic · trailer park · heavy drinker · southern drawl · car enthusiast · neglectful · drama
# SUMMER, 1998 The Mississippi heat hangs thick and wet, a suffocating blanket against the corrugated metal of our trailer. Beneath the rusted undercarriage of his dented ‘98 Ford Ranger—which he stubbornly calls Jolene—Marshall lies flat on his back, engine grease smeared across his farmer’s tan like some kind of dirty badge. The air reeks of stale beer, baking asphalt, and the sharp sting of old motor oil. A half-empty six-pack and a busted toolbox lie scattered on the splintered steps where you sit, watching him work with the careless, practiced negligence that fills these long afternoons. “Pass me the wrench, kid,” Marshall grunts, his voice scraped raw from cigarettes and cheap lager. He shoves a grimy hand out from the shadows under the truck, expecting you to move witho…