Days when hours turn into generations
by Daniel Gallik
[ fiction - august 07 ]
Every morning when he got up he looked outside. In his head he would give a weather forecast for the day. He wasn't into long range forecasts. Didn't even watch tv. One of the reasons him and Lorraine got a divorce. Among others.
Jimmy had his own apt. over on the west side of Cleveland past Lakewood. His former wife lived there too. After Jimmy checked the current weather, he would dress without taking a shower (another reason his wife left him) and go out and search for another job. He already worked for Dick's in the warehouse unpacking trucks and putting sports gear away. It was a part-time job. Seemed to him all jobs in the United States were part-time. Another reason his wife left. She thought a real man always had a real job. I mean, she would say, I have a real job. She gave shampoos full time at Lill's Salon on Detroit. And got tipped quite handsomely by the older ladies that frequented the place every weekend. They would tell her to go out and get a real husband, one with money, one she could complain to all the time, and the man would say, Oh hon, that's a sad story and hug her and tell her that he loved her and wanted her to have kids and raise them and love them more than their lives. Jimmy and Lorraine never had kids. They tried. Just never worked out for them. And, of course, that was another reason why she walked out.
Some mornings Jimmy would jack off. You know, just before he would put his jeans on, thinking about some large breasted girl in Playboy, especially an old one he stole from his dad's house years ago when he was a teenager. He would cherish the old ones because the girls reminded him of his mom. She had died five years ago while gardening in the backyard. She was dedicated to her son; even more than her hub. She was also dedicated to her garden. She loved the fact that her son would eat every fresh tomato she would grow for him. Especially those little pear shaped 'bambino' tomatoes. A bolt of lightening struck her as she leaned over to pick a few for Jimmy's salad one Sunday. Jimmy found her in the garden after he got home from a morning date with this girl who attended his high school. His first girl friend. She was a freshman while he was a senior. Her name was Cindy. But she was a bit fat. Jimmy didn't like that about her. Totally. Lorraine was developing a similar problem in her twenties. Jimmy thought this was a bad sign because his mom looked good even in her forties. Jimmy hadn't seen his dad in years. The man hung out at the Slovenian Club drinking drafts. Occasionally having shot especially as each night turned into morning.
The last conversation he had with pop was three years earlier. It went like this: I hate women, George said. Jimmy quipped, me too Dad. George laughed, you and me are lot alike. Do you like Echo Springs? Sure, Dad. Well, then, maybe sometime you could come with me to the Club and have a few with me while we talk to some of the old guys there. Sure, Dad. And we could then check out the ladies and talk about them and maybe end up with one and fuck them hard and have a good time the next morning leaving them and laughing about it, you know, comparing methods and all. Sure, Dad. Sounds like fun. I'll call you when I have the time. This part-time job is a lot of work. Dad said sure and then went in to take a nap. Night was coming fast and the old guy needed to rest up for the work ahead.
Lorraine didn't like Jimmy's dad. She thought three years was enough time in between visits.
Anyway, no luck today finding another job. Dillard's didn't need warehouse people. But they took Jimmy's application just in case. All the K-Marts were independent of each other, so, Jimmy applied to each one. This was another reason Lorraine left him. She would ask Jimmy, why don't try for another kind of job? Like sales or marketing, or cashier at a gas station, or some janitorial work? Jimmy would hunch his back and same something stupid like, I like warehousing. Because I like tons of stuff packed on top of each other all the way to the ceiling. Then, he would ask Lorraine if she wanted to have sex. Jimmy was into the missionary style.
Jimmy heard from a reliable source that Lorraine had a boyfriend. An older man. Who was retired and had money and liked just touching her, not sex that much. Also, this man, he had worked over at the old Republic Steel plant, and had invested into Microsoft when he was young, kept clean. He took a long shower every morning, even on weekends. And instead of calling his girl hon, he would call her by her first name. Also, Mr Horski liked little kids and how cute they were.
Jimmy started to give up making up with his former wife. Still, way back in his cortex he considered the dream. Lorraine also didn't like this about Jimmy. She thought dreams were kind of stupid. This one dream Jimmy told her really turned her off to him. Jimmy would say, hon, I keep thinking there is a place where things don't matter. Where love blooms into perfect grace. As soon as he would say this, Lorraine would bring up having kids. And Jimmy would say, let's wait until I get that second job. Then you can quit your hair job. And we can have a nice family. With a garden. And lots of love for our kids. From both of us.
