Loose Nails
Chris drove his burgundy Pontiac 6000 into the site. He hardly had the energy to get out of the driver’s seat.
Ted, mostly nude as usual was carrying a couple of three by six boards over his shoulder. He stopped and waved hi to Chris.
On the roof, Chris noticed a new person, probably about ten years younger then him. To Chris, he looked like he just graduated grade school.
Will was hammering away on the roof. He pounded his last nail, paused for a quick thought and turned around to spot Chris’s car riding in. He spun his hammer like a cowboy would with a six-shooter. It dropped neatly in its leather loop. He stepped down the ladder and slightly jumped off the last rung and planted both feet firmly in the dirt. He wore his usual Oakley shades as he approached Chris.
In some ways it felt like a showdown in an old western to Chris as they stopped and stared each other down for few seconds.
Will’s stare turned to a smile, “I’m glad you made it brotha, glad you survived.”
“I can’t believe you did.” Said Chris.
“God pounds his nails.” Will replied with a grin.
“…I’m quiting.” Said Chris with hands on his hips.
“For the day? You just got here.”
It was hard for Chris to say the words. He had learned so much at the job. The emotional baggage of throwing away everything he’d learned and still had to learn weighed on him greatly. He struggled to say the words and let go. “No, I mean the job, I’m quitting this job.” He shrugged his shoulders and managed to grin.
“Well phoey, I guess you beat me to the punch. I was gonna fire ya anyway.” Said Will. Chris got the feeling that he was mostly kidding. Or was he? He thought. “Got a new guy now, Shelby.” He pointed to the roof as the sixteen year old pounded a nail into the sheet of plywood. “He gets in there and juss does it.”
Chris shook his head and looked back at the plump little Shelby hammering away on the roof. “Is he uh, old enough to work?”
“Think so, I mean I’m not worried, he’s a good worker. We’ll catch him if he falls.” There was a brief moment of silence. “Look, remember when I said I expected five things from you?”
“How can I forget?”
“Down in the basement you surpassed all of em’. You saved my daughters life and that took unbelievable courage…I never knew that uh, you were having lady problems too.” Said Will.
“You never asked.”
Will walked pass Chris and sat down on a pile of 2x4’s. “Well now I’m askin. I’m all ears.”
I told Will all about Lucia this time. It was still a little hard to muster the emotions in it since. I killed her, at least the image of her. I killed the love and any sense of it. I told him about asking to draw her picture and her turning me down. Asking her out only for her to change her mind and go back out with her ex-boyfriend.
Will stood still occasionally nodded and shook his head.
I told him about the talk outside with her at The Sweet Potato. I told him she shed a tear. I told him about my fist pounding the ceiling of the car and about the night the last remaining hope of love died in my heart. I told him everything, except this time I didn’t shed a tear.
Will stood there for several moments taking it all in. His arms were crossed over his barrel-like chest.
“I used to be young like you, carefree…in fact I did a little bit of drugs back then…okay, I did a lot of drugs then…and beer. I was a young heathen before The Lord. I drag raced up and down Gratiot Avenue, got in fights and yeah, I had a few girlfriends here and there. Passed out from drinking, few blackouts but it was only when I hit rock bottom that I met someone that my life changed. Boy did it change brotha. One night after waking up from the street I met my mentor. He brought me to God.”
“Who was that?”
“Well, that’s a silly little story that shall be told another time. Let’s focus on the issue at hand though. The point is, I was at my lowest and somebody took mercy and helped me out. I had a mentor that set me on a new path with The Lord. Now I know I haven’t been a mentor to you but I’ve, I’ve been a meanie. It was because I knew you were capable of so much more and you proved by saving our tails down there. You were in pain, too blinded to see that Satan stole your joy a long time ago. He was gonna take a lot more with him on his descent back down to hell but you put him there. Didn’t know you were in that kind a’ pain and I was juss’ lookin’ at the bottom line. I’m sorry.”
“I never told you I should’ve told you I was…depressed.” Chris replied.
“I should’ve noticed it. I’m sorry brotha.”
Chris held out his hand. Will smacked it away and hugged Chris. Chris was taken a bit off guard.
They broke apart and he whacked Chris on the back with his left hand. “If I ever need you again Gunga-Din…”
"I'll come back to you again, if God wills. Acts eighteen, twenty-one.” Smiled Chris
Will’s jaw dropped, then he grinned, “V-Very good! Maybe there’s hope for you yet. If you ever need a favor juss pray and maybe The Lord will send me.”
“Thanks for the opportunity.” Said Chris. They shook hands once more then Chris walked away towards his car.
My life would never be the same after that summer. I was a changed man, I loved and lost. I still don’t believe in love but I certainly believe in heartbreak. I had no choice but to kill Lucia, the vampire would’ve killed everyone but I was still damned and I never worked that hard since.
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