Lots of questions and discussion ensued, thenRashad concluded the two-hour meeting with, “Stay sharp.”
Hey babe,
A card shark, huh? How are you with tells,as in have any and can you spot them? My poker games have beenfriendly. The guys I’ve played with are about the same skill level,and no one takes the game too seriously. It’s an excuse to eat junkfood and drink beer while talking shit.
Can’t say I’ve watched any tennis. Neverplayed, but know it can be competitive. I like baseball. Good wayto spend an afternoon in the sun eating hot dogs and drinking beer.See a theme here? My game of choice is football. I played in highschool and college, defensive backfield – strong safety. Was nevergood enough for the pros, didn’t even try out, but it allowed me toattend a good college on a partial scholarship, and that helped outmy folks. Win-win. Since college I’ve been in the occasional game,usually around the holidays, and never full contact.
How’s my man Boo? Any word on Ziggy?
Ross
While writing that letter I had to actuallyhold back from telling her about my day. I’ve never wanted to talkabout my day with anyone but a colleague, and those recaps weremore about work than any touchy-feely sharing. But today’s briefingmade me less happy than usual about the state of the world, and Iwould’ve liked to’ve unloaded on a sympathetic ear. Yeah, I don’thave any hard evidence she’d give a shit, but something about theway she sounds makes me think she’s really intuitive and wouldcare. I’m pretty good at reading people – job skill, and I’m awatcher – so I’m guessing she’s in the medical profession or asocial worker, or something like that.
This particular infiltration by dangerousmobsters on my patch feels more personal. I’m sure it’s becausethis shit impacts Jonas. Skip arranged for the boy to switch dorms.We don’t know what’s going to go down, but Skip wants his son farfrom it. If he were my son, I’d make him transfer colleges.
So far as we can tell, none of the Russiansare in Jonas’s classes. He’s a sophomore, and apparently is a techwiz, so his classes are more high level than a bunch of thugs couldpull off. I’ve met the kid a few times, mostly when he was littleand Skip worked out of the Portland office. Since I’ve been inBoston, I’ve seen Jonas once, and that’s when he came in to helpwork up a likeness of the older guy who’s the Russians’ dropman.
Talk about all grown up, I have to admit, Ithought the kid would stay scrawny, but he’s taller than his dad,like six-two with broad shoulders and that surfer boy hair chickslove. He’s still shy and down to earth. Good kid. I hate that thisshit touched him even for a minute.
Even if Flower were really in my life, Icouldn’t give her any details about my job, but I could come hometo her, tell her I had a crap day, and that I hate there are peoplein the world who suck big time. She’d listen, serve up a fantasticdinner, and after I’d fuck away my day in her arms.
Yeah, I’ve turned into a sap. But if I couldlive my dream with her, I wouldn’t mind one fuckin’ bit.
Ross,
Thanks for asking, Ziggy’s fine. She came upfor air after hearing her brothers were looking for her. We don’tknow where she was, but she banged on my cousin’s door at 2:30 inthe morning – seems middle of the night is Zig’s preferred time toannoy people – went in and gave my cousin a ration for siccing thebrothers on her. She says she’s terminated the pregnancy, but whoknows if she’s telling the truth. It won’t be long before we’ll beable to see if she’s lying. My guess, she’s not. Even Zig knowsbecoming a mother right now would be a disastrous mistake.
Boo is doing well. He’s settled into hisroutine and he’s become quite a character. He watches my feet. Nolie. He sits with his head down, or lies down and stares at myfeet. He checks which shoes I have on and determines where all thatfits into his world – are we going out or staying in. He knows thesounds of everything in the kitchen and how each sound pertains tohim. Some bags I open, he doesn’t budge. Others, he’s right thereknowing it’s something I’m eating he wants, or it’s something forhim. He understands sit, stay, wait, gentle, and come. However,when he decides he doesn’t want to come, usually when it’s time togo to bed – he’s crate trained – he plops his butt down and doesn’tmove. I’m not a fan of arguing for arguing’s sake, and I have noproblem with being in charge, so I get a leash, and the minute it’son, he trots ahead of me, and heads straight to bed. I’m of themind he likes the production value of putting on the leash in thehouse. For reasons only he knows, it makes him happy.
The other day I was at the garden centerlooking for some new pots. A couple of my rose plants need moreroot space. So I’m standing and staring at the pots weighing theoptions. Some of the new lightweight plastic pots look great, likestone or marble, but I wondered about their sturdiness. So I took acouple down from the shelf – don’t judge – and turned them upsidedown and sat on one, then the other. I thought the first wobbled,so I repeated the alternating sitting on each then decided maybe Ishould pull down a couple more to see if the model wobbled or if itwas just that pot. Five pots were upside down and I’m sitting oneach for at least a minute. Two green apron guys come by and watchme, then a third joins them. I’m waiting for them to ask what I’mdoing, and when no one says anything, I announce, “Allow me tointroduce myself. I’m Miss Muffet and I’m trying out new tuffets.”All three of them nod and walk away. I laughed so hard I couldn’tbreathe. I bought two and they look spectacular.
Disclaimer: I’m a mental health professional– yes, a shrink – so this might sound a bit preachy. I can’t say Idislike the game of football, but I’m not keen on the forcedaggression in children. There are long-lasting psychologicaleffects on young boys who are encouraged to be “tough.” As theplayers get older the game gets rougher, and certainly at theprofessional level, there’s a high rate of head injuries, whichconcerns me. Young men will have to live with the consequences ofthose injuries for the rest of their lives. I’m hoping you’ve neversuffered a concussion, or worse, and if you have, I’m trusting youhad proper medical care and continue to follow up with yourdoctor.
Flower
There it is. The pull. Why I have to meetthis woman in person and make her mine. She thinks she’s in charge,but her dog runs her. He likes to fuck with her, digs the leash,and she falls for it every time. She’s a complete nut at the gardencenter. Staring off into space, turning pots upside down andsitting on them, and then thinking it’s the guys who work therethat are crazy when they nod and walked away. What did she thinkthey were going to do after she told them she was checking out newtuffets? She’s lucky they didn’t call it in to have her 5150’d.
No surprise she’s a shrink. They’re all alittle off. In her case, she’s quirky, which works for me in a bigway. I don’t disagree with her about football, but there are a lotof sports that are dangerous. I’ve never understood why anyonewould willingly jump out of a perfectly good airplane, or race downa snow-packed mountain on two skinny plastic sticks. The takeawayfor me – she’s a gentle soul, and given what I do for a living,I’ll take all the gentle she wants to dish out.
Hey babe,
Didn’t judge, but I sure as fuck laughed. Isit the garden center, or do you let it all hang out all thetime?
Glad to hear Ziggy is okay. Someone needs tosend her a warehouse-size box of condoms along with one of thosepamphlets about safe sex. Yeah, I’m guessing you’re going to tellme it’d be a waste of time and money, but no harm in trying. Hateto see her fuck up her life when what she’s doing ispreventable.
Yeah, Boo’s a character. He got damn luckyyou took him home. Now he’s giving back the love, and I’m bettingyou’re the one who thinks she’s lucky.
I’ve been banged up from football, but neverin the head. The worst injury was three bruised ribs in my junioryear of college. A pileup and cleats can do damage. All healed, andno worse for the wear. Appreciate the concern, though.
When you say shrink, psychiatrist orpsychologist? Not an easy job. Impressed you took it on. Do youhave a specialty?
I’ll save you the ask. I’m in lawenforcement. Followed in my brother’s footsteps and never lookedback. Similar to your job, the work can be rewarding, but it’s noteasy. We both see the worst of human nature. The difference, youhelp bring people to a better place, and typically, I find themwhen they’ve gone too far down the road to get back to a betterplace. Not to say it’s impossible, but I’m betting you have ahigher success rate of getting them to turn the corner than thesystem I work in does.
I’m looking in my fridge and it’s a sorrything. I’m going to head around the corner to the neighborhood pubto get a cold one to go with my burger and fries. What’d you havefor dinner?
Ross
Actually, the pub has decent food. Nothingfancy, about a dozen items on the menu, but they don’t skimp onportion size and the fries are thick and crispy. Substitute comfortwhen I know there’s something better, and I want that better.
