He came in with a somber look in his face. To my little slice of gasoline heaven.
"Two packs of salem, goldbox."
He never smoked before. Never bought cigarettes before. Fuck. He never comes in this late at night.
I Simply point it out. His eyes soften.
"She took it, my car."
I had no idea who she was. He noticed.
"My wife". I nod still not quite sure, maybe my expression gave it away.
"Ex", as he lights one up right in the store. I wasn't about to say anything.
I just put my head down and shook it.
Been there.
I think he noticed the sincerity. He puts out his cig.
"Anything I can do?" I ask.
"PFA."
"So no?"
He started to walk out...
"She took everything you know. And when she left, I don't know man, I just didn't want her to."
I noticed how drunk he was now. So, I checked the clock. To see if the bars closed, maybe it was already 2. Instead it was only 11:54.
My eyes drift out the window, nothing moving out there at all. I simply turn to look out at that sky, basic human nature, I guess. Instead, the great plastic canopy blocks the stars. I let out a deep breath.
I felt like him, less so, a quiet connection. A silent empathy. I let out a deep breath.
Maybe he thought I was bored or didn't give a fuck, so he continued to try and leave.
"I'm sorry, Imma go."
I ask him to stop. He does, not sure why though.
"Dude, tomorrow is another day". I keep my words short at work. They like less.
He steps out. My eyes follow him out that window to my right. He steps out from beneath that plastic
canopy that supposed to keep us safe from the elements and just stands there...
Then he looks up and what looked like a chuckle. Relights his cig. And walks home. I check the clock.
12:00 on the dot.
My regulars aren't in. The shaved head smiley guy, damn shame I'm bad with names. Very cool guy. And the other guy. He's too quiet.
Instead is a beak-nosed guy, a full healer actually, and a very serious-looking woman, a healer as well.
I kinda greet them, and they nod and continue to the coffee.
It was a long week. Maybe 16 hours of sleep. Tops. I stopped counting, like sheep it just makes me more tired. Wasn't feeling on top of my game.
They start laughing. Telling stories to each other. These stories are old, as they laugh and finish each others sentences. Then my boys roll in. I don't even bother learning some of their names.
Little more than apathy with sticks and shields it seems. They jump right in, like they were there the entire time. Then THE story happens.
Starts out harmlessly, bagging on a shitty workmate. We all do it, and sometimes they deserve it. Ain't that right?
It starts Simply enough, wanting to play a prank, some harmless fun at someone's expense. The man at the butt-end of the joke, an older guy from whatever place, I'm the only one who doesn't already
know. He tells about a daughter of his, around my age. (He said early 20's.) Turn out she is following in Dad's footsteps, becoming a some kinda healer then some other kind. Respectable, admirable actually. She was doing a tag-along, which is like on-the-job-training, but anyone can do it, with the beaknosed gent (and I use the term, gent, lightly here). Then he gets a call, a crash. They respond "with such professional haste" he says. Not sure why he chose those words. It was a minor accident, guy was fine. Car was fucked.
They come up with the prank, seeing an opportunity. Claims this was his idea, he announces, before
continuing his little story. He calls in for backup, saying it's really bad. The closest other medic is her
father. They have maybe 7 minutes. Beaknose admits he's good at his job. Then they laugh heartily.
Still not sure what that laugh meant really. So, like any reasonable human being, they put his daughter into the body bag and zip it. Showing just her face, hiding her work clothes. He pulls up shorter than expected. Just in time to see this. He stops the story there and they all laugh. The defenders, healers and support. I couldn't eat anything that entire night. I feel like I'm wasting away. Haven't had much an appetite since I started. Don't think anyone noticed how weak I feel.
