Woooooossssshh!!!! Bam!!
Bailey scrambled from the foot of the bed; she dashed to the closet where she found a hideout under a pile of clothes.
Marie bolted straight up in bed from a sound and peaceful sleep. "What the FUCK was THAT??" She screamed.
Chris laughed. "...I forgot to tell you, the shop behind us has an air compressed paint gun; sometimes they turn it on earlier than usual. My buddy, Frankie owns the shop, in case you need car bodywork done," Chris explained.
"I think your midlife crisis has lasted long enough. You’ve GOTTA get outta this goddamn place; you’ve spent enough time finding yourself," Marie insisted.
"I know...I've been looking at a couple of places but they seem too pre-fab," Chris complained. "...I like old, storybook-type neighborhoods. Where i can have a garden."
"...but, a WINDOW, or three, would be nice, don‘t ya‘ think?" Marie suggested.
"Yeah, I suppose a window would be nice, but then I’d have to clean em' " Chris groaned.
"Yeah? Well, we’re gonna find you a place today, without an attached air compressor alarm clock. The place you've been waiting on is taking way too long," Marie planted her head against Chris’ chest, delicately kissing as he gently brushed the hair from her face, softly caressing her cheek.
Both replayed the previous night in their heads. It seemed like a dream. Chris wondered how a fine line of friendship could be crossed so quickly, and without warning. He wasn’t prepared for anything this drastic, but it felt good to him. It felt as though some semblance of normalcy had finally returned to his life.
"...Do you feel weird?" Marie nervously pried, looking up at Chris.
Chris paused for a moment, appearing to be in deep thought. "...Yeah, I do," he finally replied.
"Why?? WAIT, Seriously??" Marie quickly sat up.
"...Bailey is staring at us," he pointed and laughed. "...That makes me feel pretty weird," he continued. We had sex in front of my dog, several times. She's scarred for life, now."
Marie hit Chris on the arm before returning her head to his chest.
Chris lifted Marie’s head and stared into her eyes. "...I feel well," he confidently affirmed, with a warm smile. Marie smiled back and hugged him tightly. "...Me too," she sighed, lifting herself up to give him a gentle kiss on his lips.
Before beginning the house hunting expedition, Chris skimmed through his cell phone; he scrolled through numerous saved messages and photos which were tucked away in a folder, a folder where he’d kept dozens of the files that Erin had sent, long ago. Texts from long before a bizarre chapter in his life began at the front of that gate, under the angel. A time that served as a jail-keeper. A ticking clock that never, ever seemed to stop. Loudly ticking. Unyielding.
Most of them were quite sweet. He’d held on to them to help get him through some tough times that ensued after they split. They only served to further hinder healing.
Ultimately, he held on to these documented memories because he couldn’t let go of the past. A bitter sweet prison.
With a few button punches, the prompt appeared, “Are You Sure? Delete All Permanently?” Chris smiled and hit:
With a few button punches, the prompt appeared, “Are You Sure? Delete All Permanently?” Chris smiled and hit:
“Yes”
No matter what road lay ahead for he and Marie, or for he and Erin, separately, it was time to let go of a past that couldn‘t be undone. It was time to live in the moment, one day at a time. Not second chances.
Chris looked at four houses before narrowing down his choice to one that he particularly liked. It wasn’t too big, not too small. There were beautiful hard wood floors throughout. He looked to Bailey and then back to the floors. "...Great, I’ll never get my security deposit back," Chris sighed. Bailey stared, lovingly at Chris. She panted as her eyes shifted from the side and quickly back to Chris, her tail wagged briskly.
A major asset, he resolved, was a back yard. Though tiny, it was a back yard! A commodity in New Orleans. Chris LOVES to build landscapes and yard work. It would be a place where Bailey could enjoy the outdoors without fear of her running off. It also meant that he didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to walk her to go take a shit.
Even better...a kitchen!! Chris loved to cook but he was mostly in love with the prospect of not eating from a to-go box, as he’d done for so long, since the shopfront cottage wasn’t equipped with a kitchen.
On his walk home, Chris passed house after house on his tiny little street, just as he'd done many times before. Only, this time, he no longer held bitterness that had long plagued his mind. He waved to the neighbors who sat on their porches. He noticed the children playing in a nearby yard. Finally, Chris felt that he was part of the real world again, it felt good.
He realized that there would be tests and trying times along the way, but it was time to face reality. With life, comes acceptance and tough decisions. It’s also filled with joy and happiness through an open heart and accepting eyes. There are blessings all around, if you keep your heart open wide enough and take time to notice, Chris reasoned as he strolled through the beautiful Oak and Cyprus lined street.
"...What up, C?? A voice loudly greeted from the opposite side of the street. It was Thomas.
"Hey! Whatcha’ doin?" Chris beamed, crossing the street.
"Keepin’ it straight my man…just got off work," Thomas smiled that infectious, wide smile. "...Where ya' headed?
"I’m headin’ to meet Marie at the pub, she’s about to get off work," Chris replied.
"Oh, you two talkin’ again?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Chris smiled.
Thomas studied Chris' face for a second. "...Uh oh."
"What??" Chris nervously asked.
"Don’t fuckin’ WHAT me, boy!" Thomas laughed, "I know that look."
"What, WAIT?? What look?" Chris asked.
"You and Marie?? MY MAN!"
"That’s real classy, Thomas," Chris demurred as Thomas laughed wildly.
"DAAAMN, boy! I KNEW that friends thing was a bunch a shit!!" Thomas yelled, jumping up and down.
"...Will you stop it, you’re making Bailey nervous," Chris deadpanned.
"Yes, indeed! Marie is speakin’ into Mr. Chris’ news microphone," Thomas laughed.
"Thomas!" Chris tried to keep from laughing. "...That’s not funny," Chris scolded.
"I’ll go down there witcha, if ya’ don’t mind?" Thomas offered.
"OK…just don’t embarrass me with the Marie thing…promise?" Chris begged.
"Aw, man...stop worryin' bout' shit, C. I ain’t sayin’ a word," Thomas assured. "...Besides, I owe ya’ a drink," Thomas smiled, feeling a sense of excitement for Chris.
Thomas and Chris sat at the end of the long Cyprus wood bar top as Marie walked over and positioned herself between them. "What's up? She cheerfully greeted.
"...Word on tha' street is that, apparently, Chris was up late last night...Like, really up, all night," Thomas laughed.
"THOMAS!" Chris yelled.
Marie laughed. "I’m glad you’re amused; I take it the cat’s outta the bag?" She looked to Chris.
"I’m not sure it was ever IN the bag," Chris replied, shaking his head.
"Oh, we just friends, he like a brother, he my best friend," Thomas mocked Marie in a high pitched voice."...Girl, I don’t know what kinda family you came from, but if he’s like a brother, that’s some damn mountain lovin’ hillbilly shit or somethin from the Northshore across Pontchartrain," he teased.
"Are you finished?" Chris sarcastically asked.
Chris’ cell phone interrupted the jokes. He stepped away, smiling at Thomas as he continued to harass Marie.
"Hello?" Chris answered.
Marie took her deserved jabs as she glanced over Thomas' shoulder and smiled at Chris from across the room.
"...Yeah, this is Chris."
"Uh, um, yeah, I did, a while ago." His smile slowly disappeared. Marie focused her eyes, her smile slowly faded, too. as she noticed that something seemed wrong.
"Um," Chris sighed, "...yeah, absolutely," he hesitantly continued on the phone, giving the caller the address to the pub. "...Yeah, I’ll meet you here; I’m just hangin’ out with some friends."
"OK, see you in a bit."
Chris returned to the end of the bar with Thomas and Marie.
"What’s goin’ on?" Marie probed. Chris remained silent.
"Chris??" Marie pressed, jolting Chris from his roaming thoughts.
"Oh, um, nothing, it’s okay, work shit at the station," he dismissed.
"Who’s coming to meet you?" She asked.
"Let me chill for a bit, Marie, I’d really like to get some air," Chris insisted.
"Okay, I’ll sit here, sweetie; you SURE you’re okay?" She, again, pressed.
"Yeah, I promise," he half-smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.
Chris grabbed Bailey's leash and led her outside. He quietly sat on the sidewalk, rubbing Bailey's head, staring blankly at the street corner, then back to Bailey. Bailey looked at Chris with her usual eagerness. Her tongue hanged to the side and tail wagging.
A few minutes had passed when Chris finally lifted himself from the sidewalk, Bailey rose with him and quickly jerked the leash from Chris' hand. Chris stared at Bailey as she trotted halfway down the sidewalk. A warm and thoughtful smile crossed his face as Bailey relieved herself on an oak tree.
"...You’re an annoying dog, but I DO love you," Chris affirmed.
Back inside the bar...
No matter what road lay ahead for he and Marie, or for he and Erin, separately, it was time to let go of a past that couldn‘t be undone. It was time to live in the moment, one day at a time. Not second chances.
Chris looked at four houses before narrowing down his choice to one that he particularly liked. It wasn’t too big, not too small. There were beautiful hard wood floors throughout. He looked to Bailey and then back to the floors. "...Great, I’ll never get my security deposit back," Chris sighed. Bailey stared, lovingly at Chris. She panted as her eyes shifted from the side and quickly back to Chris, her tail wagged briskly.
A major asset, he resolved, was a back yard. Though tiny, it was a back yard! A commodity in New Orleans. Chris LOVES to build landscapes and yard work. It would be a place where Bailey could enjoy the outdoors without fear of her running off. It also meant that he didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to walk her to go take a shit.
Even better...a kitchen!! Chris loved to cook but he was mostly in love with the prospect of not eating from a to-go box, as he’d done for so long, since the shopfront cottage wasn’t equipped with a kitchen.
On his walk home, Chris passed house after house on his tiny little street, just as he'd done many times before. Only, this time, he no longer held bitterness that had long plagued his mind. He waved to the neighbors who sat on their porches. He noticed the children playing in a nearby yard. Finally, Chris felt that he was part of the real world again, it felt good.
He realized that there would be tests and trying times along the way, but it was time to face reality. With life, comes acceptance and tough decisions. It’s also filled with joy and happiness through an open heart and accepting eyes. There are blessings all around, if you keep your heart open wide enough and take time to notice, Chris reasoned as he strolled through the beautiful Oak and Cyprus lined street.
"...What up, C?? A voice loudly greeted from the opposite side of the street. It was Thomas.
"Hey! Whatcha’ doin?" Chris beamed, crossing the street.
"Keepin’ it straight my man…just got off work," Thomas smiled that infectious, wide smile. "...Where ya' headed?
"I’m headin’ to meet Marie at the pub, she’s about to get off work," Chris replied.
"Oh, you two talkin’ again?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Chris smiled.
Thomas studied Chris' face for a second. "...Uh oh."
"What??" Chris nervously asked.
"Don’t fuckin’ WHAT me, boy!" Thomas laughed, "I know that look."
"What, WAIT?? What look?" Chris asked.
"You and Marie?? MY MAN!"
"That’s real classy, Thomas," Chris demurred as Thomas laughed wildly.
"DAAAMN, boy! I KNEW that friends thing was a bunch a shit!!" Thomas yelled, jumping up and down.
"...Will you stop it, you’re making Bailey nervous," Chris deadpanned.
"Yes, indeed! Marie is speakin’ into Mr. Chris’ news microphone," Thomas laughed.
"Thomas!" Chris tried to keep from laughing. "...That’s not funny," Chris scolded.
"I’ll go down there witcha, if ya’ don’t mind?" Thomas offered.
"OK…just don’t embarrass me with the Marie thing…promise?" Chris begged.
"Aw, man...stop worryin' bout' shit, C. I ain’t sayin’ a word," Thomas assured. "...Besides, I owe ya’ a drink," Thomas smiled, feeling a sense of excitement for Chris.
Thomas and Chris sat at the end of the long Cyprus wood bar top as Marie walked over and positioned herself between them. "What's up? She cheerfully greeted.
"...Word on tha' street is that, apparently, Chris was up late last night...Like, really up, all night," Thomas laughed.
"THOMAS!" Chris yelled.
Marie laughed. "I’m glad you’re amused; I take it the cat’s outta the bag?" She looked to Chris.
"I’m not sure it was ever IN the bag," Chris replied, shaking his head.
"Oh, we just friends, he like a brother, he my best friend," Thomas mocked Marie in a high pitched voice."...Girl, I don’t know what kinda family you came from, but if he’s like a brother, that’s some damn mountain lovin’ hillbilly shit or somethin from the Northshore across Pontchartrain," he teased.
"Are you finished?" Chris sarcastically asked.
Chris’ cell phone interrupted the jokes. He stepped away, smiling at Thomas as he continued to harass Marie.
"Hello?" Chris answered.
Marie took her deserved jabs as she glanced over Thomas' shoulder and smiled at Chris from across the room.
"...Yeah, this is Chris."
"Uh, um, yeah, I did, a while ago." His smile slowly disappeared. Marie focused her eyes, her smile slowly faded, too. as she noticed that something seemed wrong.
"Um," Chris sighed, "...yeah, absolutely," he hesitantly continued on the phone, giving the caller the address to the pub. "...Yeah, I’ll meet you here; I’m just hangin’ out with some friends."
"OK, see you in a bit."
Chris returned to the end of the bar with Thomas and Marie.
"What’s goin’ on?" Marie probed. Chris remained silent.
"Chris??" Marie pressed, jolting Chris from his roaming thoughts.
"Oh, um, nothing, it’s okay, work shit at the station," he dismissed.
"Who’s coming to meet you?" She asked.
"Let me chill for a bit, Marie, I’d really like to get some air," Chris insisted.
"Okay, I’ll sit here, sweetie; you SURE you’re okay?" She, again, pressed.
"Yeah, I promise," he half-smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.
Chris grabbed Bailey's leash and led her outside. He quietly sat on the sidewalk, rubbing Bailey's head, staring blankly at the street corner, then back to Bailey. Bailey looked at Chris with her usual eagerness. Her tongue hanged to the side and tail wagging.
A few minutes had passed when Chris finally lifted himself from the sidewalk, Bailey rose with him and quickly jerked the leash from Chris' hand. Chris stared at Bailey as she trotted halfway down the sidewalk. A warm and thoughtful smile crossed his face as Bailey relieved herself on an oak tree.
"...You’re an annoying dog, but I DO love you," Chris affirmed.
Back inside the bar...
"...So this motherfucker was behind the damn garage, where we keep the barrels, hittin’ a fuckin’ crack pipe, around bunch of flammable shit." Thomas laughed as he told a story about his co-worker at the garage. "...They fired his ass, right there. Put that on ya’ Got-damn application...Reason for leaving last job? Smokin’ crack in between oil changes, brah!! Ain’t that some shit Chris??" Thomas asked, cramming fries in his mouth.
Chris forced a smile. "Yeah, that’s fucked up. According to the mayor, crime and drug use is down, though; she’s doin' a good job," Chris distantly replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Marie worried. "...What’s wrong, honey?" She pried.
Before Chris could answer, the pub door opened behind them; it was a deafening sound to Chris’ ears. He turned to spot a gentleman dressed in a nice business suit walking toward them, scanning the bar.
"Chris Barrow?" The man politely asked as he approached
"Yeah, that’s me," Chris quietly replied.
Marie and Thomas seemed puzzled as the man knelt down and briskly rubbed Bailey’s head. "Callie!! Whatcha’doin girl??" The man spoke, playfully, to Bailey.
"It’s Bailey," Marie quickly corrected.
"Marie, it’s Callie," Chris affirmed with a sigh. "...This is her owner, Lewis. This is Lewis, her owner."
Lewis was all smiles as he eagerly introduced himself. He redirected his attention back to Chris. "...My neighbor walked by yesterday during the festival and noticed one of your posters; it was a bit faded, but he definitely recognized her," Lewis explained, as he looked down to Bailey. "...We thought you’d been hit by a car," he scolded the dog.
"Yeah, she's provided a lot of entertainment," Chris politely laughed.
"I’m so glad she’s okay," Lewis sighed, with relief."
"...We live a couple of miles from here, over in Jefferson Parish, in Metairie, so she definitely got her exercise," he laughed. "God, I don’t know how to repay you...Let me get your tab tonight," Lewis insisted, motioning for the bartender.
"Yeah, that’s so nice of you; thank you, Chris forced a smile. "...I’m glad she’s gonna get to be back home," he feigned relief.
Marie tried hard to hold back tears, as she studied Chris’ face. She knew him well enough to know that he was doing the same, but he held strong and never let on as to how crushed he felt inside.
Thomas sat, quietly, staring at his shoes, never looking up.
"...Well, you folks take care," Lewis wished as he grabbed the leash. Chris reached down to rub Bailey’s head one last time as she licked his hand.
"...You be good, you got more shoes to destroy now...It’s gonna be a fun and destructive night for you, baby girl," Chris assured.
"...Thank you, again, Chris," Lewis firmly gripped Chris’ shoulder before heading to the door. "C’mon Callie."
Chris watched as Lewis and Bailey/ Callie left. At the door, Bailey stopped and looked back to Chris, briefly, before disappearing through the exit.
As quickly as Bailey had entered Chris’ world, she was gone, forever. Just like that.
"Yeah, that’s so nice of you; thank you, Chris forced a smile. "...I’m glad she’s gonna get to be back home," he feigned relief.
Marie tried hard to hold back tears, as she studied Chris’ face. She knew him well enough to know that he was doing the same, but he held strong and never let on as to how crushed he felt inside.
Thomas sat, quietly, staring at his shoes, never looking up.
"...Well, you folks take care," Lewis wished as he grabbed the leash. Chris reached down to rub Bailey’s head one last time as she licked his hand.
"...You be good, you got more shoes to destroy now...It’s gonna be a fun and destructive night for you, baby girl," Chris assured.
"...Thank you, again, Chris," Lewis firmly gripped Chris’ shoulder before heading to the door. "C’mon Callie."
Chris watched as Lewis and Bailey/ Callie left. At the door, Bailey stopped and looked back to Chris, briefly, before disappearing through the exit.
As quickly as Bailey had entered Chris’ world, she was gone, forever. Just like that.
copyright, Pontchartrain Press, 2008
all rights reserved
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