“What?”Salzy asked, then looked over Jamie’s shoulder.“Oh.”
The apartment had obviously been broken into, and the place was a shambles.
“It’s...”Jamie whispered.
“Damn.I’m sorry, Jamie.”
Jamie shrugged.“Well, it’ll make packing that much easier.”
“What all is missing?”Salzy asked as he pushed the cushions back onto the small sofa.“I hate to tell you, but Joesph was right.This stuff is almost as ratty as what you already have.”
“Television, stereo, microwave...”Jamie moved from room to room.“My printer.”He turned to Salzy.“Most everything but my clothes is going to the dump.Let’s take anything worth anything to the thrift store.It’s not worth taking back.Donotsay anything to Joesph.I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Salzy laughed.“Sure.Get your dresser stuff packed up, and I’ll start on the kitchen.”He got the big tape dispenser.“I’ll get some boxes made up.”
They worked in silence.Jamie cleared out the dresser and his closet, discarding things as he went, putting those in trash bags.
“Whew,” Salzy said as he wiped his face with the bottom of the T-shirt he was wearing.
“We’ll have to make two trips to get rid of all this stuff.”Jamie motioned to most of the things piled in the middle of the apartment.
“Why don’t we start with the big stuff first.We can pack smaller things around it.There are bungee cords and rope behind the seat of the truck.”
Jamie nodded and pointed to the small sofa.“That first?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
The two men worked efficiently and well together.It didn’t take long to get the first load ready to go.
“We can get lunch at The Varsity.”Jamie leaned against the side of the truck.
“What’s that?”Salzy climbed into the truck.
“Just the best onion rings you’ll ever have.The hot dogs are great!It’s a true Atlanta icon.”
“What are we waiting for?”Salzy started the truck, and they took off for the thrift store’s receiving station.
* * * * *
Good to his word, Jimfrom All Around Construction showed up with a crew at exactly twelve noon.Joesph had to move the small table from the back of the kitchen outside.The noise was deafening, and there was dust and flying debris going everywhere.
“You want something to drink?”Mike asked Joesph as he stepped outside, covered in grit and grime.
“I think I should be askingyouthat.”Joesph laughed.“You are a mess.”
Mike looked down at himself.“I guess I am.”
“Jamie’s got some bottled water in the apartment.I’ll get you one.”
“May I have two, please?”
“Of course.”Joesph went up the stairs to get the water.When he came back down, Mike was talking to another man, who was obviously Army also.
“Joesph, this is Hasha.Hasha, Joesph.”Mike took the bottles of water from Joesph, downing the first one and opening the second.
“Nice to meet you,” Hasha said, shaking Joesph’s hand.He looked at the back door of the diner.“I heard they were gonna rip the place apart.I hope they reopen soon.I do love me some country fried steak.”
“I agree,” Mike said.
