Post by mac on Aug 8, 2020 19:53:53 GMT -5
{Baltimore Md - Char’d City - “Baby Steps Part 1”}
[Off-Camera]
It seems that I spend more time on two wheels versus four these days. It’s not a terrible thing, especially the way it makes me feel. Freedom is an amazing feeling. My children are all grown and living their own lives. Jimmy is back in Dallas, a city he loves. Jules was getting ready to start college. Aeric was off doing whatever he does, God only knows what that is since no one has heard a word from him. I make a mental note to call Jimmy later about that. Then there’s me, I think as I coast into the parking lot of Laekin’s Jewelers. I finally come to rest in a parking spot, shifting into neutral and releasing the clutch. I kick the stand down and kill the motor.
“Baby steps.”
I say, as I feel the sense of amusement mingled with excitement. I had never dreamed of this day. Being a widower it really takes a toll on your mind and your heart to begin to think of something like this. I buried my wife about two years ago, but whatever entity decides these things blessed me with the chance to be happy again. I take my helmet off, and then push my hair back into a ponytail. I grab a mask from my storage, just in case and head towards the door. I pause, thinking to myself, “Am I really ready for this?”
“God damned right I am.”
As I approach the door, there it is, “Mask Required” posted in plain site. The sign causes me to laugh, because of the mask I have in my possession.
“Okay, but they won’t like it.”
I say as I put the mask on. I check my reflection to make sure I’m wearing it properly, it wouldn’t cause an altercation with one of the local “Karen’s” in the store. The mask is black, and in white was a skeletal middle finger extended. It was worse than that though, because under that were the words “Fuck Off” in capital letters. I open the door and am greeted much in the way I saw it in my head prior to walking through the door. Looks of shock from the staff and then laughter. A young man about half my age actually clapped and laughed some more.
“Well done sir!”
He said to me, causing me to grin, even though he couldn’t see it under this fucking mask. That grin turned into a laugh when one of the ladies rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, it’s amazing how people have no appreciation for art these days, isn’t it?”
I say as I glared at the woman who was likely the sales manager. She returned my steely gaze but only momentarily as the young man stepped up to help me. This kid, his name was George according to the name tag. He stood a little over six feet, red hair, blue eyes. Reminded me of half my family really.
“How can I help you sir?”
I look at the case briefly before returning my eye contact to him.
“I’m looking for an engagement ring.”.
He studies me for a moment, probably trying to do an estimate in his head of what I can afford. He finally gives up and decides on the honest approach. I can see the hesitation and a fear of offending someone in his eyes.
“Is there a budget involved or a certain price point you’re looking at.”
I responded to him in my most kind, “Mr. Bane” voice, something I picked up from my own dad when I was a kid. He used it on people in customer service all the time. It was to put them at ease, it typically worked to make the transaction go more smoothly.
“No sir, there’s not a budget or a price point.”
You have to be careful when saying those words, it’s like sixteen vultures who all spot the same carcass at the same time. Did I know this would happen? Yes absolutely. I have a great disdain for people who judge me based on my clothing. They assume much and learn to regret it. The woman who had glared at me earlier is the first on the attack.
“George, isn’t it time for your break?”
George and I share a look just then. Both of us know what’s about to happen.
“It is but I’ll take it after this gentleman is taken care of.
With a stern look she rebuffs him.
“No, I’ll take care of him while you take your break.
Have you ever seen a man cross his arms and dig his heels in as he prepares to do battle? Not George, me. I cross my arms and glare at “Karen”, not kidding it said so on her name tag.
“Karen, I’ll wait until George gets back from his break.”
She returns my glare but mine is unwavering. She breaks eye contact and I step back from the counter and go have a seat while George is probably outside smoking half a pack of cigarettes. I do realize that Karen is likely his boss, as she continues to glare at me. Not that she can see it but I’m smirking under my mask.
“If I were you, I’d be careful, your face could stick like that. It’d be a damn shame to lose my business just because that young man is going to get a huge commission pay day and you’re not.”
Now Karen crosses her arms, she starts to speak several times but finally decides it’s not worth it. Me being me though, I’m not letting this go.
“I’m not kidding when I tell you, I’ll hire that kid away from here if you continue to fuck with him. See, one thing I cannot stand is a bully.”
George made his way back over to where I sat and I pointed at a chair nearby.
“Pull up a chair and let’s talk a minute.”
As he pulls up the chair indicated, my phone begins to ring. I’m not vain or anything but I really like my own entrance music as a ringtone. His eyes get wide with recognition. I slide the call to ignore, I’d call Jimmy back in a minute.
“George, how old are you?”
He doesn’t hesitate with his answer.
“I’ll be twenty two tomorrow.”
“Okay, how old do you suppose you need to be before you get to the point of telling people to fuck off when they try to run over you.”
He didn't respond right at first, and I knew that Karen was listening intently.
“You seem like your parents raised you to have respect for others, especially when there is a significant age gap.”
He doesn’t respond, and glances over his shoulder for the third or fourth time. He finally nods without saying anything at all.
“I’ll answer that question for you kid, there’s not a right or wrong answer. At some point you have to learn to stand your ground.”.
By the way his eyes were squinting, I could tell he was smiling and trying not to laugh. Finally he shrugs off the awkwardness of the situation I’ve just put him in.
“Mr. Bane, I need this job.”
I level my gaze at him.
“First off George, my name is Mac. Secondly, you’re thinking about it all wrong. You don’t need this job, you need a job.”
I heard Karen, when she cleared her throat.
“Excuse me...Mr. Bane was it?”
In unison, George and I both said….
“Shut up Karen.”
I look at George and we pull our masks down and I smile.
“Plenty old enough George.”
I extend my hand and he shakes hands with me. I reach into my shirt pocket.
“George, are you anchored in Baltimore?”
“No Mac, I’m not. No family or anything like that here.”
I hand him two business cards.
“The first card is my contact information, you look like you were an athlete at one time. If you decide that wrestling is something you want to try, let me know. I’ll train you myself.”
Again his eyes go wide with excitement.
“The second card is a friend of mine, if Karen here decides to fire you over this or you decide to quit and want to go to Texas. Call her and tell her I told you to call. She’s the Chief Executive Officer of Jarred. Virginia is a good person, George.”
I look over at Karen who has now gone slack jawed over the exchange and her employee’s sudden show of backbone.
“Never judge a book by it’s cover Mrs. Champaign.”.
With that I pull my mask back up and start towards the door. I could hear her calling after me but I wouldn’t be doing business with her. Onto my next stop.
Fade.
[Off-Camera]
It seems that I spend more time on two wheels versus four these days. It’s not a terrible thing, especially the way it makes me feel. Freedom is an amazing feeling. My children are all grown and living their own lives. Jimmy is back in Dallas, a city he loves. Jules was getting ready to start college. Aeric was off doing whatever he does, God only knows what that is since no one has heard a word from him. I make a mental note to call Jimmy later about that. Then there’s me, I think as I coast into the parking lot of Laekin’s Jewelers. I finally come to rest in a parking spot, shifting into neutral and releasing the clutch. I kick the stand down and kill the motor.
“Baby steps.”
I say, as I feel the sense of amusement mingled with excitement. I had never dreamed of this day. Being a widower it really takes a toll on your mind and your heart to begin to think of something like this. I buried my wife about two years ago, but whatever entity decides these things blessed me with the chance to be happy again. I take my helmet off, and then push my hair back into a ponytail. I grab a mask from my storage, just in case and head towards the door. I pause, thinking to myself, “Am I really ready for this?”
“God damned right I am.”
As I approach the door, there it is, “Mask Required” posted in plain site. The sign causes me to laugh, because of the mask I have in my possession.
“Okay, but they won’t like it.”
I say as I put the mask on. I check my reflection to make sure I’m wearing it properly, it wouldn’t cause an altercation with one of the local “Karen’s” in the store. The mask is black, and in white was a skeletal middle finger extended. It was worse than that though, because under that were the words “Fuck Off” in capital letters. I open the door and am greeted much in the way I saw it in my head prior to walking through the door. Looks of shock from the staff and then laughter. A young man about half my age actually clapped and laughed some more.
“Well done sir!”
He said to me, causing me to grin, even though he couldn’t see it under this fucking mask. That grin turned into a laugh when one of the ladies rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, it’s amazing how people have no appreciation for art these days, isn’t it?”
I say as I glared at the woman who was likely the sales manager. She returned my steely gaze but only momentarily as the young man stepped up to help me. This kid, his name was George according to the name tag. He stood a little over six feet, red hair, blue eyes. Reminded me of half my family really.
“How can I help you sir?”
I look at the case briefly before returning my eye contact to him.
“I’m looking for an engagement ring.”.
He studies me for a moment, probably trying to do an estimate in his head of what I can afford. He finally gives up and decides on the honest approach. I can see the hesitation and a fear of offending someone in his eyes.
“Is there a budget involved or a certain price point you’re looking at.”
I responded to him in my most kind, “Mr. Bane” voice, something I picked up from my own dad when I was a kid. He used it on people in customer service all the time. It was to put them at ease, it typically worked to make the transaction go more smoothly.
“No sir, there’s not a budget or a price point.”
You have to be careful when saying those words, it’s like sixteen vultures who all spot the same carcass at the same time. Did I know this would happen? Yes absolutely. I have a great disdain for people who judge me based on my clothing. They assume much and learn to regret it. The woman who had glared at me earlier is the first on the attack.
“George, isn’t it time for your break?”
George and I share a look just then. Both of us know what’s about to happen.
“It is but I’ll take it after this gentleman is taken care of.
With a stern look she rebuffs him.
“No, I’ll take care of him while you take your break.
Have you ever seen a man cross his arms and dig his heels in as he prepares to do battle? Not George, me. I cross my arms and glare at “Karen”, not kidding it said so on her name tag.
“Karen, I’ll wait until George gets back from his break.”
She returns my glare but mine is unwavering. She breaks eye contact and I step back from the counter and go have a seat while George is probably outside smoking half a pack of cigarettes. I do realize that Karen is likely his boss, as she continues to glare at me. Not that she can see it but I’m smirking under my mask.
“If I were you, I’d be careful, your face could stick like that. It’d be a damn shame to lose my business just because that young man is going to get a huge commission pay day and you’re not.”
Now Karen crosses her arms, she starts to speak several times but finally decides it’s not worth it. Me being me though, I’m not letting this go.
“I’m not kidding when I tell you, I’ll hire that kid away from here if you continue to fuck with him. See, one thing I cannot stand is a bully.”
George made his way back over to where I sat and I pointed at a chair nearby.
“Pull up a chair and let’s talk a minute.”
As he pulls up the chair indicated, my phone begins to ring. I’m not vain or anything but I really like my own entrance music as a ringtone. His eyes get wide with recognition. I slide the call to ignore, I’d call Jimmy back in a minute.
“George, how old are you?”
He doesn’t hesitate with his answer.
“I’ll be twenty two tomorrow.”
“Okay, how old do you suppose you need to be before you get to the point of telling people to fuck off when they try to run over you.”
He didn't respond right at first, and I knew that Karen was listening intently.
“You seem like your parents raised you to have respect for others, especially when there is a significant age gap.”
He doesn’t respond, and glances over his shoulder for the third or fourth time. He finally nods without saying anything at all.
“I’ll answer that question for you kid, there’s not a right or wrong answer. At some point you have to learn to stand your ground.”.
By the way his eyes were squinting, I could tell he was smiling and trying not to laugh. Finally he shrugs off the awkwardness of the situation I’ve just put him in.
“Mr. Bane, I need this job.”
I level my gaze at him.
“First off George, my name is Mac. Secondly, you’re thinking about it all wrong. You don’t need this job, you need a job.”
I heard Karen, when she cleared her throat.
“Excuse me...Mr. Bane was it?”
In unison, George and I both said….
“Shut up Karen.”
I look at George and we pull our masks down and I smile.
“Plenty old enough George.”
I extend my hand and he shakes hands with me. I reach into my shirt pocket.
“George, are you anchored in Baltimore?”
“No Mac, I’m not. No family or anything like that here.”
I hand him two business cards.
“The first card is my contact information, you look like you were an athlete at one time. If you decide that wrestling is something you want to try, let me know. I’ll train you myself.”
Again his eyes go wide with excitement.
“The second card is a friend of mine, if Karen here decides to fire you over this or you decide to quit and want to go to Texas. Call her and tell her I told you to call. She’s the Chief Executive Officer of Jarred. Virginia is a good person, George.”
I look over at Karen who has now gone slack jawed over the exchange and her employee’s sudden show of backbone.
“Never judge a book by it’s cover Mrs. Champaign.”.
With that I pull my mask back up and start towards the door. I could hear her calling after me but I wouldn’t be doing business with her. Onto my next stop.
Fade.