My Saturday morning started out the same as it had been for the past two years. A three mile run down to the lake and back, grabbing the morning newspaper from Vincent's shop on my way back home, hitting the shower, grabbing what I claimed to be breakfast on my way out and lastly heading to the garage as I was currently doing now. I bit down on the other side of the apple as I drove into the yard and parked the car. We still had three cars to overhaul and fix before the week's end and the week as I checked it to be; had already ended and another was about to start tomorrow. When I said we, it actually should have been I had three cars to fix, since my partner which I was considering heavily to just call an associate, since he never seem to be able to chip in with any of the fixing lately; wasn't doing a damn thing. Well, he did everything except the mechanic part of the business.
When I walked in Brian was elbow deep in engine oil which was dreadfully unusual, worst being he was at work on a Saturday, I checked my watch 8:30am, this early. Removing the jewelry from my hand I changed my shirt and grabbed a brown suit from the hanger in the other room and went back out to see what apocalypse was about to descend that I hadn't heard about.
"What's this about?" I said walking over to take a look at what he was messing with.
He looked up wiping a soiled hand against his damp face leaving black oily smudges across his brow.
"Nothing, I couldn't sleep. Figured I'd come in and put in a few hours"
"I wish you never sleep every night then" I said grabbing a few tools and walking over to the car I had been working on late last night.
He shrugged. "what the hell are you doing here this early anyways?" he called from under the hood.
"If you'd been to work for the last couple weeks or years, you'd know I'm always here at this time" I replied. "I'd be here earlier too if Mr. Henderson's dog didn't decide we had to play fetch this morning"
The irony to that situation was that I was the one, not the dog who was playing fetch since he had somehow gotten to my shoes before I did, exiting the house and ran two houses down before he thought he had enough exercise for the morning to stop running; of course that wasn't the end of that story. The little terrier went back to his house, through his dog door and I had to ring his owner's doorbell to retrieve my own possession.
"Sounds to me like someone's found a happy friend" Brian replied laughing at my demise.
They won't have him around for much longer if he kept taking my shoes every morning.
I went back into the shop about two hours after, writing down my conclusion of the problem. A new carburetor. The last time they seemed to have cleaned it was almost next to never, that should have been a tell-tale sign, the dirt was enough to plant a tree. Initially I thought maybe the stalling was due to oil being lean and also that a few spark plugs needed changing which mean it had problems regulating the amount of air to fuel ratio of the car. Yeah, the engine was in bad shape as well. I rubbed the back of my neck dialing the parts shop, made my order and decided when I was going to pick them up.
It was nine thirty eight when we both pulled away from the cars we had been working on all day. I finished washing my hand and drying my face and went to get a shower. I had missed happy hour every night since last week and I was in desperate need of a drink. We walked into Tino's going our separate ways while I headed to the bar.
"What's it gonna be tonight Andrew?" the bartender asked surprised to see me.
"Scotch. Whisky, the whole works"
He nodded and placed down a waiter and napkin before settling the glass and pouring the liquor.
"Rough week?" he asked cleaning another glass and setting it down.
I tossed the liquor back and signaled for him to pour another.
"Rough? It's just getting started"
He shook his head, "you gotta learn to step away from the engines sometime you know"
"And do what pour drinks?" I asked, scoffing, placing the newly filled glass to my mouth.
"Well that would certainly be a change of pace. We'd seen you a lot more often like we use to"
I groaned and he laughed nodding to someone a few chairs down. True it had been months that I actually had time enough to walk into this place and say I'd spend enough hours like we use to. I won't say I missed it altogether but I had work to do and I couldn't leave it to Brian to get it done. I glanced around the crowded bar recognizing a few or rather most of the people from the town. Tino's was everyone's get away, for both single and married men alike and dreadfully enough more so the single women; like heather who was eying me from across the room. I made every effort not to make eye contact so she wouldn't take it as an invitation to come over but I knew it was futile. One she saw that I saw her; I was already in deep shit.
"Andrew" she said settling down beside me, her short dress riding up further along her long milky legs. She held her cigar aloof from me putting it out in the ash tray beside her. "It's a surprise to see you here tonight"
"I'll be gone in a few minutes" I said going back to my drink.
She chuckled softly and I pretended that I was oddly interested in this conversation that we were about to have in three, two, one.
"Stay, you shouldn't run away. There's plenty we have to talk about"
"Like what?" I asked replacing the drink to my mouth, so I wouldn't have to talk.
She trailed my shoulder blade with a manicured finger mimicking the walking of a spider. I've never felt this annoyed with a woman in all my life, yet I found my asshole of a self, biting back my insults and trying to be the person that she thought I was. A gentleman. I wasn't a gentleman. I wanted to tell her to get her ass off my thigh and take her mouth from my ear. But instead, I swallowed the remains of my gone too soon scotch and listened to her make a fool of herself.
"So what do you think of my offer?" she batted a hopeful eyelash at me and I rolled my eyes internally.
Tino chuckled in the corner watching the drama play out and shook his head. He'd seen this episode of heather and me numerous times in this very same place and he knew how it'd end. The same way it always does. I leave always on my own.
"Sorry heather while your offer is rather intriguing" I made sure to look her up and down so she'd see I had taken note of her attire. "I have prior plans".
I paid my tab and removed her arm from my shoulders and without a second look disappeared into the night.
🌟
I walked into the living quarters the next morning as the answering machine chipped in playing the voicemail left from my missed call. I walked down the flight of stairs slowly pulling the opening of my t-shirt over my head and grabbing my shoes at the door.
"Hey Andrew"
Finally a voice it didn't annoy me to hear.
"So, please don't hate me"
I paused knowing nothing good was going to come from this message.
"I won't be able to come visit next week as I promised I'm really sorry. Exams has started and it kinda took me unawares"
That didn't sound like her. Gale was normally organized and kept herself abreast of everything. What was distracting her at this time?
"But I promise to make it up to you as soon exams are over. We'll spend every waking moment together and I promise you'll be happy to send me back after"
I laughed and headed through the door.
The Nissan I had been working on for two weeks was finally completed by the afternoon. I had to replace the sparks, leak the engine oil and replace it and definitely we had to change the engine.
"Start the engine again" I called to Brian again who was seated around the steering. He started it again and I stood listening to it turning over smoothly. Great. "Yeah that's it"
I said giving him a thumbs up before bending down to grab the towel to wipe my hands.
I turned my attention to our other adventure, a white Chevrolet and took in a deep breath. Going over my initial run through of its problems in my head I opened the door taking note of the broken handle inside adding the features to my mental notations. I grabbed my gloves and started my investigation. Besides replacing the two back tires and the broken handle, the car was experiencing 16 timing belt failures and a leaking coolant. I scratched my head I'll have to get back to this after lunch.
"Andrew?"
Never mind that. I'll work through lunch today. I stayed under the hood hearing heather's voice make its way to the back of the shop over to where I was. The unfortunate fate I lived everyday was being only a few shops down from where she worked and fortunately for me, she thought of taking me lunch every day. Every single damn day. I prayed silently that Brian would divert her from my direction but at the moment he was nowhere in sight.
"Dammit" I mumbled as she neared closer.
I glanced up wearily as she settled next to the car deciding not to hide my displeasure with having her here. She didn't bat an eyelash at my demeanor because by now she was used to my frowning face and my turn down of her offer for a good time last night didn't dim her enthusiasm even a tiny bit.
"I brought you lunch"
I swallowed.
"Yeah I noticed"
Heather was a beautiful woman admittedly and the first woman I had the unfortunate fate of meeting moving here. I attempted not to be antisocial with the people here since I was going to live here likewise and open my business but after she made a few attempts at starting something and I turned her down every single time, I thought she'd at least loose heart and give up. No, the opposite happened actually. Every turn down fueled a whole new attempt to get me to finally concede. She worked too hard to get my attention and that alone made her easy in my eyes. I wasn't interested and I was never going to be.
She leaned over under the hood after placing the dish somewhere; I hadn't bothered to look since I wasn't placing a mouthful of whatever she concocted near my mouth. Her deep cut cleavage was more than generously opened to view; I noticed when I looked over to the other side of the car. I sighed. She beamed seeing that my eyes had landed exactly where she wanted, what she didn't know however was that I was annoyed, no irritated my her lack of tact or rather tact in trying to impede my work.
"So are you coming to the bar tonight?" she asked touching the gasket.
I grabbed her hand and threw it out. "no. and get out. I won't be held responsible for anything that happens to you".
"Do you really have to be so rough? You weren't like this a few days ago"
I didn't bother to comment or cast her a glance and when I heard Brian whistling I heard myself finally take a breath. His movements were slow and I could tell she watched him beaming as she usually did whenever he came over. Reason: brian always complements her, both on attire and the meal. Well he would know since he's the only reason I hadn't asked her to stop coming in the first place. Every lunch she brought on a daily basis, brian ate it happily and without complaint since the first day.
"Heather. You brought andy lunch again?"
I grimaced hearing him call me that stupid name. From the corner of my eyes I saw her beaming widely pleased with herself and She took up her prized possession placing it into his hands.
"Did I tell you how much he complemented the meal yesterday? The lasagna was great"
"No" she said looking back at me and I shook my head.
He, I corrected in my head. He should have said he spoke about how great it was yesterday. That's all I heard for the last couple hours until we closed.
"I placed a secret ingredient in it yesterday, I'm glad you found it delicious"
I rolled my eyes and walked in the opposite direction of their conversation and headed inside for a bottle of water. I'd be in Brian's debt if he kept her away from me for the rest of the time being.
"F***" I mumbled to myself checking the time and realizing I was way past dew. "There's no way I'll make it in time to pick up the package now".