Maxines Divorce episode 15
- 3 years ago
- 22
- 0
Lit 6 14-20
14 pick a side
Max Stone, the sign read. It was being held by my best friend, Jennifer. Well, she used to be my best friend. She was about to have a real problem. Jennifer hugged me tight and asked, ‘How are you? Are you still mad at Marty?’
‘Who me? I’m not mad. I’m just going to sue his ass off. You are going to have to pick your side on this one.’
‘Marty has been my client since I started practicing,’ Jennifer said.
‘I have been your friend since grade school. You still have to choose.’ I was not about to let her off easy. After all, she had gotten me into it in the first place.
‘Tell me what your position is and I’ll pass it along. Maybe there won’t be any need for a court fight.’
‘I want the son of a bitch taken out and shot. That’s my bottom line position.’
‘Come on, Max, what damage do you think he did to you?’
‘He lied to me and he used me to promote his stupid bike business. Then, when I fought back, he put those pictures of me on the net.’
‘Now don’t get pissed, just listen, then if you still feel the same, I’ll deliver your comments. If you two can’t come together, I’ll recommend good lawyers for you both. I won’t represent one of you against the other.’
‘Okay, that’s fair. What is it you have to say in his defense?’ I asked.
‘For one thing, he told you he was out to demonstrate that the bike was a dependable means of transportation. Okay, he didn’t tell you he was setting up a business, but a trial judge is going to split hairs.’
‘He took pictures of me without my permission and posted them on the net.’
‘Yes, and some of those are in bad taste, but they haven’t been doctored. You were dressed or undressed just like the images show. The pornographic ones you might not have posed for, but you knew you weren’t alone with the person whose body parts are also in the pictures.’
‘Okay, so I’m complicit, but we both know he didn’t have a release for those images. You are supposed to have a release, if you use someone’s image in advertising, aren’t you?’
‘Yes and Marty has some culpability for those images used in promoting his business. But, Max, it’s going to cost you a ton to sue. Marty can stall this till hell freezes over and your lawyer is going to want to be paid. If the best you can do is ten grand, nobody is going to want to touch your case.’
‘Well, my big plan was to sue him for reckless endangerment. He sent me out on a bike that he knew was overpowered and poorly balanced. He didn’t even bother to warn me. I swerved to avoid a collision with a coyote and the bike threw me off.’
‘Yes and what are the permanent damages?’
‘A couple of scars are about all I can come up with now, but you never know what will show up next year.’
‘Max, you can do that to Marty and ruin his new business venture. That’s what you really want to do. You want to castrate him because he didn’t tell you everything. Then again his lawyer is going to ask you about the pictures. Just to be sure you aren’t doing the woman scorned thing to him. You aren’t are you?’
‘Not scorned, Jen, lied to and used.’
‘Okay, what do you think that is worth?’
‘I don’t know,’ I replied.
‘I do. See what he really did was make a half dozen commercials using your image. If he had hired a professional model to make those images, it would have cost him about 75K. He sent you out on that bike, and yes, he knew it was dangerous. It will be up for debate how much you knew, but he had another 25K worth of liability there. He did pay you for everything else, except that sex, and you really don’t want to sue for that do you?
‘Of course not.’
‘Then ask the dirty old man for 100K and walk away from it. That’s my advice.’
The conversation took place in her BMW as she drove me to Marty’s shop for my minivan. ‘I’ll give it some thought,’ I replied. We were still five minutes out, so I just shut up for the rest of the ride.
‘So, was the trip fun otherwise?’ she asked.
‘It actually was a blast, even the parts that weren’t,’ I suggested with a small smile.
‘Good, so what are your plans now?’ Jen asked.
‘I’m going to get the van and then go to the office to see what is left of my business.’
‘Well, speaking of that, Lucas has called me a dozen times in forty days. I think that is pretty damn good.’
‘Yes, if that’s all it took to keep the place going, it is damn good. Of course, if it’s because he didn’t do shit, then it isn’t so good.’
‘Good point, Max, I don’t know which it is.’ She paused a long moment, then went on. ‘Ted is going to meet us to open the door so you can get your car. I called ahead and Ted said his dad ordered him to give you the car and write you a check for the balance of the account. That isn’t going to include the 100K.’
‘Of course not, it’s just five grand.’
‘Good, then that won’t be a problem. I’ll start working on the other, but Marty probably won’t decide for a while. His case will be stronger if the trip didn’t light a fire in the public. Your case will be stronger if it did. So both of you should wait to see what the reaction of the public is.’
‘Perfectly logical advice, but I want to hang him by his balls, no matter what it is,’ I replied.
‘Guess what, Max? He wants to do the same to you since you ruined his press conference. You called his bike a death trap.’
‘Duh, yeah,’ I replied laughing.
Ted met us at the door to his dad’s shop. ‘Hello, Max,’ he said, handing me an envelope. Inside was a check for five thousand dollars. ‘That covers the balance on your contract.’ He paused a moment, then went on. ‘Yes, I know there are other issues, but that’s between the two of you. I am sorry about those pictures he put up last night. He should not have done that.’
‘Thanks, Ted, I agree about that. Well, I need to get to my office.’ I turned my attention to Jen. ‘Call me and we will do lunch,’ I suggested.
When I got to the office, Ed gave me a big hug. I barely recognized Lucas. ‘My God, Lucas, have you grown a foot or what?’
‘Nothing like that,’ he replied.
‘The kid has matured, not gotten taller, Max. He jumped right in and did a hell of a job for you,’ Max whispered to me. I don’t think he wanted the kid to know how impressed he was.
‘So anything exciting happen since I’ve been gone?’ I asked loud enough for both of them to hear, then I sat at my desk and turned on the computer. While it came to life, I listened to Ed telling me about his latest woes with the bail jumpers. ‘Before you ask, I do not want to run down your bail jumpers.’ I said just loud enough to carry across the room.
‘What about me?’ Lucas asked.
‘What about you?’ I repeated to him.
‘Now that you are back, there isn’t enough work for me even part time. I could run down bail jumpers for Ed.’
‘In spite of his whining, he doesn’t have that many,’ I replied, ‘Besides which, you don’t have any idea how to be a bounty hunter.’
‘You could teach him,’ Ed suggested. The look I gave him would have made Superman proud. Ed threw up his hands and said, ‘Just saying, you could show him the ropes.’
‘You want me to open a new can of worms, then Luke here goes back to school and I am stuck working my bony ass off,’ I said.
‘You just loved saying that, didn’t you?’ Ed said, laughing.
‘Saying what? Telling you no?’ I asked.
‘Hell no, the bony ass thing. Ever since you got here last winter you have been bitching about those few extra pounds. The blown out gullet, and the road trip were all it took for you to get skinny.’ Ed said firmly.
‘Hey, I don’t mind looking good for a change,’ I replied.
‘You always looked good, besides you have lost too much weight now, if you ask me.’
‘Don’t worry, they are still making donuts down at Krispy Kreme, it won’t take long.’
‘Good, I’m
buying the first dozen.’ Ed was proud of himself for successfully harassing me again. The man treated me as he wished he could treat his own daughter. Her he could not speak to without it turning into WW3. She was ashamed of what he did for a living. The two of them went out of their way to avoid having any real conversations.
‘Please, Ms. Stone,’ Lucas begged.
‘Lucas, surely you can see that I don’t want to work that hard. You know you are going to be a cop and I will be left with the work and no help. You really need two people to do bail pickups. If you don’t, eventually someone is going to get hurt. I haven’t always been the lucky one. Sometimes it me on the bloody end of the stick.’
‘You know I can’t promise to never leave you, but there are lots of people who need work. You could always replace me.’
‘Well, it does fit in with the process serving, in a way.’
‘I can get you work from Tryon. I know all those boys over there. I know what kind of service they get from the guy over there who runs jumpers.’
‘What’s he like?’ I asked.
‘He’s a court sanctioned thug, that’s what,’ he said firmly.
‘I wish you guys had given me a couple of days to settle back in before you dropped this on me.’
‘So, are you doing to do it?’ Ed asked.
‘Lucas, do you really want to do this?’ I asked. If he came up with some pie in the sky bullshit, my answer was going to be hell no.’
‘Ma’am, I want to work, and this job has been good for me so far. Mr. Martin says it won’t be a huge amount of work, but he thinks that I can do it. So yes, Ma’am, I want to at least try it.’
‘You do know at least one of the guys you pickup is not going to want to come along peacefully.’
‘Yes Ma’am, I know.’
‘You are prepared to bring down an ass whuppin’ on some guy whose only crime is like bank fraud?’
‘If it’s him or me, and I can make it him, yes Ma’am, I’m willing to do that.’
‘Ed next one you get that you can’t talk in, give him to me and we will try.’
‘Here you go. You shouldn’t have any problem with her, I’m sure she really wants to do the right thing.’
‘You been saving this for me. You just knew you two could talk me into it.’
‘Not at all, Max. I just hadn’t got around to calling the thug yet,’ Ed swore.
I looked at the name on the file. ‘Lori Simpson’ was handwritten in Ed’s very neat script. He told me when I asked earlier, that he had learned to print in high school drafting class. His printing was as good as any typewriter I had ever seen.
Inside were police reports and court reports. The top item in the file was a bench warrant for Lori. She didn’t appear for her DUI trial. ‘What kind of penny ante bullshit is this Ed, DUI?’
‘If you read a little more closely, I’m in for a 100K on Lori the Lush. Third offense, and she put a kid in a wheelchair.’
‘You do have all the information to find her, if she isn’t in the wind.’ I said flipping pages.
‘You know she is gonna be near mama or one of her boyfriends.’
‘How about the boyfriend, is he dangerous?’
‘Let us say you shouldn’t turn your back on him.’
‘Terrific, okay, let me call and up my liability insurance and we will give it a go. But just on Lori the Lush for now.’
‘Oh, welcome back, Max,’ I mumbled under my breath.
15 Home again
My first night back in the cabin where I lived, I found myself cleaning 40 days worth of dust and grime from the counters and dishes. Open cabinets did that. I managed that while trying to figure out how best to hunt down bail jumpers. I started with some basic assumptions. Neither Lucas, nor I were every going to intimidate the bad guys with our looks. If we intended to do this and be successful, we would have to outsmart the prey.
I remembered the story of my friend the Air Policeman who had to pick up a deserter. The man was huge and he had done two tours as a combat air controller in Iraq. After that second tour, he decided he had done his part. I tended to agree with him, but the powers that be sent one of my friends after the giant of a man. The kid they sent was young, and slight of build, but he was from West Virginia. He had grown up hard in and around the coal mines. He knew no fear it seemed, but he was also smart.
He waited till the giant went to the bathroom after having several beers in a local beer joint. Then while giant had his hands full, so to speak, my friend walked up and stuck a pistol in the back of his neck. The giant zipped up then put his hands behind his back, where my friend cuffed them. I asked my friend why he had done such a cowardly thing. He said, ‘Okay it wasn’t the John Wayne thing to do, but it kept me from getting my ass whipped, so it was the Norman Brice thing to do.’
I decided that I needed to start thinking of the Norman Brice thing to do. If I couldn’t be tough enough, then I had to be smart enough. Either that or plan on using my accident insurance often. After my adventure with the bike and the small town doctor, I decided I would give being smarter my best shot.
Since there was going to be a chill in the air that night, according to the TV. Yes, before I left, I had satellite TV installed. Mostly it was for the news and weather, since the shows were mostly crap. As I was saying, since there was going to be a chill, I fired up the oil heater which had come with the cabin. I wasn’t sure how safe it was, but I had to try it sometime.
I followed the directions on the back of the stove and sure enough it began to put out heat. Since it sat in one corner of the one room cabin, I figured I needed some kind of blower for the small heater. A quick search of the one standing cabinet revealed a small plastic box fan. Since it had a carry handle and since there was a big ass nail over the heater, I figured that was the spot. Most likely it was the place the previous tenant had used for it.
A half hour after I started the heater, I had to turn it down to its lowest possible setting. While I drank coffee from the Mister Coffee machine, I began asking myself questions, trying to decide how to outsmart the bad guys.
If you came to my door, who would you have to be for me to cooperate? Someone I didn’t fear for sure. If I was in the wind, I would really be careful who I trusted. That made trying to find a way to con the bad guys even harder. There was no way I could pretend to be a friend, since obviously the bad guys would know their friends.
If not a friend, then what kind of stranger would seem harmless? Even better, what kind of stranger would I trust and want to help? I was trying to remember who all I had known that fell into that category. At that point, I remembered the UPS delivery of my pistol from California. It would be due a couple of days down the road. If they showed up at the office with it, I would expect Ed to sign for it, or to tell them where to find me, if the driver insisted.
Since I ran a kind of delivery service already, I could use that to my advantage. What I needed to do was to set myself up as a courier service. Something like, ‘Priority Messenger, when it’s that important.’ Not a bad slogan for the outside of my van. It could also help me deliver my court papers. Not a bad idea, I thought.
I did a quick Internet search and found that it wouldn’t cost more than a hundred bucks to have signs made for the minivan. Not a bad investment if I helped me with my real business as well. Not only that, but best of all it was deductible.
I did not want Lucas running around with a gun, so what should I arm him with. Taser, of course, there was no question about it. And gas, since I couldn’t get nerve gas, pepper spray would have to do. A bean bag shotgun would probably be okay. He might get me sued with it, but maybe he wouldn’t land me in jail.
Then there was the bulletproof vest and radio equipment we would need. I know the thug, as I had come to think of the competitio
n, didn’t spend his money on toys, but we were going to be a kinder, gentler, bounty hunting agency. That pretty much gave me a starting plan for the next day. So I could now either put a pot pie in the microwave or go to the Cop Out.
‘Holy Shit, look who’s here,’ Blevins said. He hugged me with what I felt was genuine warmth.
‘Hey, Blevins, did you miss me?’ I asked, ‘Or is that a gun in your pocket?’
‘You bet, it’s been way too quiet around here, and it’s a gun, but it shoots blanks.’
‘Well, hell, put a dollar in the Juke Box and I’ll dance on the table.’
‘Would you really?’ he asked.
‘Yes, but after a couple of minutes you would tell me to get the hell off that table.’
‘Ah, but would you take your clothes off?’
‘I don’t know, Blevins, how does this crowd tip?’
‘Really awful, not that I know from experience. One of the waitresses told me.’
I nodded. ‘So, Blevins, how did that kid you sent me make out?’
‘He must have done fine, he didn’t call me for help.’
‘Do you know much about him?’
‘Not really, you planning to keep him around?’
‘Yeah, Ed seems to like him. I thought I might give him some work. You know, while he finishes out at the community college.’
‘That’s nice of you, Max, but don’t get him into too much. He is just a kid.’
‘Hell, Blevins, he told me he had a ten inch prick. Don’t sound like all that much of a kid to me.’
‘He told you that, but you haven’t seen it have you?’
‘No, why, don’t tell me you think a man would lie about that.’
‘Of course men lie about that,’ he said.
‘Damn it, Blevins, I asked you not to tell me that. Now I will have to keep the kid around and try to sneak a peek to be sure.’
‘Do you have enough work to keep him around?’
‘Ed wants me to find a couple of his skips. I figured I would use him for that.’
‘Max, I told you not to get that kid involved in anything dangerous.’
‘Come on, it’s not like we have Charlie Manson here. Most we have is a wife beater. Even I can kick those guys in the balls.’
‘You have been warned,’ Blevins said.
‘Max, when the hell did you get home?’ one of the regulars asked.
‘I got back this morning.’
‘I seen your pictures on the net, nice,’ he added.
‘I’m so glad,’
‘No, Max, I mean I really saw you,’ he was all grins.
‘Well, I hope you saved them cause there won’t be any more up there,’ I turned away to face Blevins. ‘I’m going to kill Marty when he gets back,’
‘Don’t say that, Max. Something might happen to him, and then I would come looking for you.’
‘Blevins, if something happens to him, please come looking for me. I would feel slighted if you didn’t.’
‘Okay, if you insist.’
‘Where’s Jerry,’ I asked.
‘Jerry doesn’t come around like he used to.’
‘Yeah, I guess not,’ I replied. I was thinking of Sarah and feeling guilty again. I looked around then commented. ‘There are some new faces, though.’
‘Yeah, they come and they go,’ he replied, as if it was a piece of Oriental wisdom.
‘Kind of like my love life,’ I replied.
‘Yeah, kinda like that.’ Blevins had a huge smile. We could be friends because he wasn’t one of those guys who had done that. I had exactly two beers and put off two would be lovers before I went home alone. I had forgotten how good it felt to sleep in a familiar bed.
Things usually look different after a night’s sleep. The things on my mind at that time were no different. I hate boredom, as I have said before, so the thought of chasing people on the run interested me a lot more after a good night’s sleep.
While in the shower, I decided for sure to take the minivan in for a sign declaring that it belonged to an overnight local courier service. The sign maker consultation would be about what kind of sign. Since the decision to do it was made, I began searching for a name.
Believe it or not, hot water mixed with soap rubbed into the hair, is excellent for fostering imaginative thinking. I had called my little process server business ‘At Your Service’ so that part as a slogan was a natural. I tried out and disregarded several ideas before I settled on.
LIGHTNING EXPRESS At Your Service
I felt like it had a nice ring and didn’t really say anything. In my case that’s exactly what I wanted.
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I arrived back home via airplane from DC, then airport taxi service from the airport. I was in the Downtown House about forty five seconds before I unlocked my gun safe and put the .38 shoulder rig on. I felt better with some kind of self defense capability. The fat chick had impressed on me that I was not indestructible by any means. If someone turned me into scrap there was no guarantee they could or would salvage the computer and give me new life. I would be just as dead as the flesh and...
Nobody spoke in the car on the drive back to the Diplomat Lodge. When we arrived, I went directly into the bedroom. I left the two of them to decide their sleeping positions. Then I plugged myself in and waited for any updates. Maxine the party was a huge success, the controller informed me. We are confident that the invitations will begin to roll in. We will sort through them for you, under the guise of the agent assigned to you by the network. You are entitled to an agent, now that you are...
"What do you say to a naked man?" I asked Billy. "Sounds like a country song title to me," he admitted. At the time of that exchange we were sitting on the stainless steel and leather chairs of my dinning set, while we finished the warm up coffee. "You know for a woman your age, your boobs are holding up well," Billy said. "Is that like? You don't sweat much for a fat girl?" I asked. 'I didn't mean it that way at all. I was just marveling at what the doctors can do now. You...
I felt really tired Saturday morning. It was a little bit of sleep deprivation and a little physical exertion. No not Ed, I had been to the Gym to work off some of the week's indulgences before the dinner party. It looked as though all of it together had caught up with me. Ed and his wife were the first to leave. I would have followed shortly thereafter, if it hadn't been my house. Even though I left the mess for the maid, I still had to stay awake until the last of the guests left. One...
I lay down with my plug sticking in the wall for the first hour, then I switched to free electrons for the rest of the night. By doing that I had free fun of the Downtown House. I walked around looking out the window and trying to think how I could give the kids at the community college even more help. Over the years I had hired them whenever I could. I just didn't have anything for the to do at the moment. I really had the resources to find something for them to do, but not everyone would...
MAXINE I smiled as I left Chris at her dad's door. Of course I was not about to let her stop me from seeing Gus. I drove directly from the Evergreens Tower to the hospital five blocks away. At the receptionist desk, I asked, "Could you give me the room number of Gus Gallion please?" "He has been moved from ICU to the cardiac care unit. His room is 5012, he is on restricted visitor list though. It's family only." "I know, I'm his daughter. I was told the visiting hours were...
The flight from Germany passed in a drug haze. I am one of those people who can deal with pain, as long as my mind is on other things. When it is just me and the pain, then I feel it much more intensely. So I was popping the Vicodin like M&M candies. But once I got to New York. there were enough going on to take my mind off the pain. At least enough so that it was manageable. Gwen and I got a cab to a pizza parlor in the Village area. It was fun to watch the kids walking the streets....
Thursday started with me headed off on the bike. I rode my bike to the Sit Down even though I had the ugly red Chevy in the parking space behind my Downtown House. I didn't need exercise, and I wasn't green conscious, I just enjoyed the slower pace of the bike as I carried me through downtown. Pedaling it along was not a problem, not even in the thirty degree temperature. Since Sylvia had arranged a meeting at the bank for me at nine, I ate slowly. Sylvia and Peter Gordon were both in...
The directions, which the Senator's staff provided, led us to a rough paved drive way entrance with a post and beam gate. I knew I was in the right place because there were armed guards, who looked like state police men at the gate. Fortunately there were no magnetometers for us to walk through. It would have been impossible of course, since the car I drove was metal. So was the 410 gauge stainless steel derringer inside my purse. Unfortunately, I would have to leave the pistol inside the...
My name is Greg and I have been dating my college sweetheart, Shelby, since freshman year of undergrad and now coming up on 25. We recently moved in together in a small but cozy 1 bedroom apartment close to the city. Shelby loved being in the city surrounded by people, while I enjoyed my solitude so we settled on the apartment not too far from the city but close enough to make her happy. I've been at my new job for about 4 months and have dedicated a lot of my time to my work, making our sex...
The timing was correct almost to the minute, when the knock came on Cheryl's door. My reaction couldn't have been more inappropriate. "How the fuck did she get through the security gate?' I asked Cheryl. "If you have somehow gotten Kate a key, I am gonna throw your ass out of here." "Shut up and open the door," Cheryl demanded. I looked through the spy hole in the door to see Gwen standing outside. "What the fuck are you playing at now?" I asked, just before I opened the...
After I said my goodbyes, I tried to hide out till the call came from the company's travel agent. I might have managed it, had Jen not called, "Are you really going to sell the apartments?" she demanded. "Yes I am. I didn't have nearly as much fun here as I expected." I replied. "Honey, I know Cheryl broke your heart, but trust me you will find someone, someday," Jen said reassuringly. "Yeah, but if I do, you will probably sleep with him," I said it with a laugh. "True, so you...
Jen had to be lied to just a little. She wanted to make reservations on a commercial airline, but I told her that the Admiral owed me a favor. He didn't of course, but I really did not want her to know that the farmers were our travel agents of record. We were scheduled to fly out Wednesday at noon on one of the company's planes. Since I could never walk through a metal detector or a body scanner. "So, how many airlines do you have a finger in these days," I asked the empty townhouse as...
Just like in my other life the urge to screw just anyone at all passed quickly. Without any 'romance' the animal urge passed easily. Okay that was probably bullshit in the new wrapper and maybe it had been in the old wrapper as well, but it helped me to stay sane. No woman, not even the sluttiest, wants to believe that they are beyond being able to say no to a man. I went into power saving standby mode. I just sat there like a microwave oven which was not being used at the moment. My clock...
We entered the outmost orbit of the Dover System ten hours before the deadline. Har-Hi who stood next to me sighed. “I wished it would have taken longer. This is what I am born for, to be aboard a ship and roam the stars’”. I felt the same way and agreed with him, saying. “Me too.” The doors opened and Wetmouth stepped through, taking her seat behind the small science station at the rear of the bridge. I observed Har Hi who acted as the OPS officer of our little crew dedicating sensors...
“My engorged clit needs to be licked and I want you all to watch. An extra turn on for me,” Maxine told us as she undressed for us. Donald was the first to lick her clitoris as Maxine stood with her back resting on the wall. The other three women were all watching on in awe as Donald teased her by licking just the tip of her clit. “Your huge, hairy clit is magnificent. Just a tease for you before my lady has you while you suck my cock,” Donald told her he stroked his erection. “Your huge,...
"Maxine. we need to meet." The voice on the cell phone belonged to Vlad. "I'm at the house. It's going to take me twenty minutes to meet you anywhere." I explained. "I am at your gate now." "Alright, I'll turn off the alarm. Do you need me to come unlock the gate?" "No, I can get it open," He informed me. "I thought so," I agreed. I had time to pour a cup of coffee before Vlad showed up. I put the shotgun under the bedspread before I let him in. He didn't need to see the...
I had probably experienced jet lag previously, but I honestly didn't remember. I can promise you this, I will never forget the feeling again. My head was buried so far up my ass, I could see my last meal. I took another shower, not so much to wash away the sleep sweat, as to try to clear the cobwebs. "Hey girl," Lamar's voice came from the phone. I had answered it still dressed in my panties and bra. I knew that I was on camera, but I also knew that I had nothing worth flaunting. If...
"So tell me exactly what you won at the awards show?" The man who lived in my second story apartment which was the least expensive of the group. I therefore expected no class at all from him or his wife and I wasn't disappointed. "I didn't win anything, The guy who put the show together one most dramatic reality show. It was a toss up whether it would be life and death or a foot race across the world. Mike won it thank god. If he hadn't won, he would be winning even now." I said...
"So Teneesha, I'm Maxine Stone. Jerry here tells me you are game for most anything?" I asked. "I ain't eatin' no pussy," she said defiantly. She said it in a harsh whisper, since we were sitting at a table in the Cop Out Club. "Tell me why you would even say that?" I asked. "Everybody knows you a stone lezbian," she said in a condescending voice. "I see, so if that bothers you, why did you come down here?" I asked. "Well, Jerry said I would love having a big TV star between...
After the excitement of the fake doctor died down, time passed slowly, but it did pass. I hated every lucid moment of my hospital stay. By Friday the catheter was gone, and only one bag draining into my arm. I finally was able to stay awake long enough to meet with Jerry on Friday night. "So Jerry, what's the word on Beth Ann? You told her, didn't you?" "Yeah, I told her that we knew. She was gone the next morning. I told her the night you got stabbed." "She just left us both the...
When I awoke Sunday morning in the strange bed, it took me a few minutes to remember where I was, as well as how I got there. I had a feeling as if my mouth was wearing an overcoat. I think almost every woman can tell you where that feeling comes from. While I was trying to get my mind to focus, I listened to a male voice speaking a foreign language. That's when I realized I was in Vald's bed, but he wasn't. Vald sat in the small sitting area of the hotel room talking on his cell...
For my part of the agreement with Lucas, I agreed not to speak badly of his company. I further agreed not to enter into any competitive business for that same five year period. I signed immediately after Lucas and we even shook hands. Once Lucas was gone Jen asked, "Have you ever heard of Blackswamp Security company?" "Of course, no one who ever served in Iraq or even Afghanistan could have avoided hearing of them." I replied. "So what is your opinion of them." Jen asked. "It's...
Eve and I left the the fortress, which had once been my downtown office. I no longer had any need for an office. I hadn't hadn't needed it even when I renovated the building Lucas occupied at that moment. The bike ride back to my downtown house was only five minutes. Traffic was light as it almost always was in the downtown. If for some sick reason, one wanted to ride in real traffic, she would be forced to ride to the mall area. There were a few old established neighborhoods around town...
After not getting much information from the estimator, I made a call to Jennifer's office. "Maxine, how good to hear from you," the receptionist said. It was something new for people to check the caller ID and then act as if you were a long lost friend. I found it not just disingenuous but also insulting. "Thanks, did you get me the number for the prison gangster's lawyer?" I asked. "Yes, but I'm not sure Mr. Garcia's lawyer will see you?" she said. "Oh, I bet if I offer to pay...
Besides Eve it's too late for breakfast, but we can ride the bikes to lunch, I said. That is just what we did. Lunch was a Barbecue sandwich at the barbecue pit, as the Gunny had called Keplan's. It wasn't near as far as Helen's which was a good thing since it was apparently going to start raining soon. I didn't mind riding the bike in the slight rain. If I had long hair I might have objected. Long hair requires fancy cuts and styling which go all to hell when wet. In my case the spike...
The families, of the kids involved, just wanted to hang their heads in shame. They had been given a second chance in America and their kids had almost blown it for them. It would take years for the community to change its opinion of the immigrants. Even I wasn't happy with the immigrants at that moment. It had been too hard to get the information. They had chosen to hang together, instead of becoming part of the community at large. It might be understandable, but that didn't mean I forgave...
There was one good thing about that first morning back. I got to wake Jen at 6AM, so that she could get home change and be at her office by 9AM. I made coffee for us both. My sense of taste wasn't refined enough to tell good coffee from terrible coffee, but I did remember how to make it. Like Eve had said the warm liquid was relaxing. I had the increased benefit of remembering how good coffee did taste. Memories was heightened, just because I no longer had the same feelings. Heightened to...
"You are going to need to start looking for a car. Your check has been mailed it should be in your hands by the end of the week." the insurance agent's secretary told me. "Okay well I guess I'll have to take a look around to see what's available." I suggested. "Yes, when the check is delivered we expect the rental car to be returned that same day," she said. "That certainly sounds reasonable enough," I said into the phone. When the call came in, Sylvia was sitting at the...
Sylvia loaded a dress bag and a small black half duffel bag like mine into the trunk. We were on the main road out of town, headed north, by 8pm. I engaged Sylvia in conversation as I drove the big clumsy car in a northerly direction. We spoke about nothing just to fill the air with noise. People often do that it seems. At the first stop for gas Sylvia raided the prepared food cooler which was located inside the convenience store part of the building. When I hit the road again she was...
Nothing happened for the next couple of days, except I slipped back into the second part of my split personality. I went back to being Max the ugly, middle-aged, eccentric chick. I ate at Helen's in the morning, rode my bike around town. Sometimes I went to look at things for Sylvia, and the realty business. It was Friday morning after my walk that Walter made it into town. Walter not only was head of the Green County Savings and Loan, he was also an honorary member of the Swamp Thing team....
This is a true story about the light of my life. She passed away from cancer years ago and I wrote this to remember her. She was an amazing person who left this world a better place. Enjoy. A true story This is a true story about the light of my life. She passed away from cancer years ago and I wrote this to remember her. She was an amazing person who left this world a better place. Enjoy. My wife and I were attending a car show in Newport Beach. It was at the Newporter Inn, a classically...
SwingerSunday would have been one boring day, had it not been for Gus's bike. I took the bike to the park. The park had a designated bike trail. It was not one of those walking tails, which allowed bikes. It was designated just for bikes. I checked with the Tryon Parks and Recreation department before I drove to the access parking lot. I found that Gus's bike qualified as a bike, not a motor vehicle. So I put on my thermals, then made myself a bowl of cereal. First I added about an ounce of...
I try to think out every move to minimize my risk of injury. I know it sounds like I go into things hell bent and stupid, but I actually do consider all my options almost every time. I never considered the big ugly boyfriend option, so I held ice on my cheek and eye. Those were going to be ugly, but the cuts inside my mouth were the most painful. I was pissed at my own stupidity, to mention my lack of planning to allow that jacket to bag over the stun gun holder. I tried to drink coffee by...
I awoke Monday in a strange bed. I also awoke to the smell of bacon and coffee. Eggs don't seem to have an odor, unless they have gone bad. I expected to see Mosby in the kitchen, possibly dressed as a glamorous June Cleaver but alas the kitchen was empty. Well empty of humans anyway, I found coffee in the carafe of the coffee maker. It was also still turned on. I found a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel. It was inside of a plastic container with detailed reheating...
I was on my way home, when my jacket pocket began to play that song again. "Hello," I said after I pulled over. "What did you need," Jen asked. She sounded busy. "Can you swing by the jail. I need for you to take a statement from one of the Smiley vics." I replied. "Actually, I'm across the street at the courthouse. I can drop by, before I get in my car, which I was about to do." I knew that it was an imposition, but I didn't really care. She got me into most of this shit, so it...