Fresh air after being in that stale greasy place for 8 hours is always welcome, the sun was above the horizon with a bold blue sky and the seagulls squawking around the Biggie Bites parking lot. I took a deep breath "Well it's time" I said out loud as I walked towards my White 2013 Volkswagen GTI hatchback. I had a spare tire on the right passenger side that I have used for 4 months, way longer than I should have.
Suddenly a nasty smell emerged through the cool breeze. The wind was blowing from the right of me, coming from the coast. I may have guessed it was roadkill, Opossums get run over all the time near this intersection, but this was pungent and nasty and had a hint of onion, not the smell of death. "Hey ma'am!" I heard a male voice call out to me, It sounded somewhat raspy yet still pronounced. "Ma'am…Ma'am!" the voice called again, this time with more persistence and volume than the last. I never bother with solicitation, and this day wasn't any different. In fact, I didn't want to deal with anybody today. I have my freaking dog's life to save.
The odor got stronger, I heard footsteps approaching me also from the Right, it started coming together in my head, this is body odor. My heart was beating just a bit faster than usual, but I wasn't worried must have been a natural automatic response to being followed. Who the hell is going to be bothering me this time of day, just after i got out of work and only 10 meters from my car. For the last time "Hey Ma'am excuse me!" this time the voice sounded right beside me. Based on all this, the odor and the calls out, it sounded like it was some homeless guy wanting some money for Drugs or Alcohol. All I cared about right now was my Family, my Milo and myself. I didn't give a damn about anybody else. I can bite my tongue when it makes sense to but this person was pushing my limits with his persistence so I turned to see who this sorry guy was. "What the Hell do you want!" I yelled out before even seeing him.
He stood almost 6 feet tall, just barely taller than me. Mexican, dark skin with a yellow hue, slim build with sharp cheekbones that sank in a bit, he must have been in his early to mid Thirties. Oily spiked hair that was taller on the top of his head, his sideburns were grown out and fell over his ears, squinted eyes with brown pupils, I noticed that his sclera was yellowed like his skin. This pitiful guy has some health problems, no doubt. He had this shit eating grin, the same one a Buy Here Pay Here car salesman gives a Single mom of three after she signs on a 25% APR loan. His teeth looked like hell, and the smell of Alcohol mixed with his body odor. He was wearing an Olive Green T-shirt with a faded logo that had a hole near his chest and one right below his navel area. He wore Puma joggers, the cotton ones that were grey along with those some black sneakers, some Airwalks and they were in bad shape, looked like the sole was separating near the front, they had no laces, just slip on.
"Hey is everything alright?" he happily asked with that stupid expression still on his face. I don't have time for any small talk, this guy is wasting my time. Before I could even answer he immediately asked just what I was expecting him to, "Miss is now a bad time for you? I need some help to catch a bus ride but I'm short of money" It's always needing to catch a bus ride with these homeless people, but this guy was about to catch my fist if he didn't screw off. I knew psychological tricks and surprisingly this guy did too. Asking "Is Now a Bad Time?" triggers our emotional response to say "No" because for most people it takes more energy to say "Yes" to commit to something, it's much easier to just leisurely say "No, not at all." I already knew this little game he was playing so i maintained my cool all while trying to hold my breath and told him directly, "Yes this is a bad time, i have somewhere to be, i do apologize" Though i wasn't sorry at all, this guy can go kick rocks and play in traffic for all i care.
"Well miss, if you could help me with one dollar, just a dollar that can get me on the bus" He said using a persuasive tone while walking towards me, I can now smell his breath and held mine even more, I may suffocate before i can even get away from this bastard. "I get it, you need a dollar, but i actually don't have one" i reached into my pocket and pulled out my old leather wallet my grandpa gave me 8 years ago. I opened it wide to the middle and noticed I had a quarter in it. I moved my hand to him and actually showed him the inside. "Well you do have a Quarter, that can really help me out."He assured me. Whatever, just to get him off my back I gave it to him, I don't believe in Karma but I guess he could buy a water cup from Biggie Bites if he needed it, maybe a Gumball. I don't know and really don't care, I just have to get going to Tools N Timber to see about making money.
"Thank you miss I'll see you around" His body odor fading with his voice as I approach my Car. I better not be seeing him around, and he better not be thinking we are friends or even acquaintances. He's just a sorry man wasting my time. I unlock my car door with the remote key fob, reach to the handle and pull it, the door swings open and I'm greeted with the smell of my air freshener, the Black Ice Little Tree hanging on my rear view mirror. It was so pleasant after being around that stinky bum. I take a seat on the Plaid driver seat with the smallest hole on the back of it. Some Red Bull energy drink cans on the floor and my second Vape in the cup holder, this one was Banana Ice, tasted like those old Laffy Taffy candies with a hint of menthol.
I sat down and buckled my seatbelt, a bit of a stiff clicking noise. I breathed a sigh getting ready to take off, I pulled out my phone and noticed the 15% Battery life, It is old after all. I unlocked it then opened the YouTube Music app and put on NEFFEX the music Artist I've always listened to when wanting to feel better or get hyped. The song Bite Me was playing on shuffle and I yelled the first lyrics after the loud Trap Rock intro "Ain't No Motherfucker in the World Can Do it Like Me!", shit if that was only the truth. I released the E-Brake in front of the center console, shifted into Drive and pulled out of the parking lot.
The traffic was light and I easily merged onto the main road. In front of me I saw a Dodge Challenger SRT, looked to be from 2016 or so and the brightest Lime Green Color you have ever seen making it look stunning in this sunlight. It was a short stretch to make my way to Tools N' Timber just on the access road passing a few Fast food restaurants, one of the twenty or so Taquerias in Corpus and a McDonalds. I used to be cautious with this Spare tire, I shouldn't have been driving over 50 mph on it, but using it to drive on the freeway without exceeding that is not possible in this city. Its been working well for over 500 miles on the Odometer, but maybe after this week of work I can afford a used one.
I was closing in on the parking lot of the Tools N' Timber store, early in the day so most of these people were Contractors needing material for their projects, some poor saps who woke up to a broken appliance, the employees and of course shoplifters. Best time of the day to get in and get out. To keep everything discreet since i wasn't some low life bum with nothing to lose i parked my car at the Academy Sports and Outdoors parking lot, far from any surveillance Tools n Timber may have had. I had no mask in my car so I stepped inside the Academy store and picked out a blue Neck Gaiter the ones that fishermen like to use to help with sunburn, this one had a small USA flag on the corner but was made in Vietnam. I removed it from the cardboard holder minding my position so no employee noticed me.
This was my first five finger discount, and when I say petty theft, this was petty just $8.99 but it got my toes wet. As it came off of the cardboard sleeve I stuck it into my jacket's front pocket. It's the one I've had for years a Black Nike Hoodie with a zipper in the middle, had it since High School its always been my favorite. The Blue Gaiter fit perfectly, the light UV proof material allowed it to scrunch up like panty hose and be tucked away out of sight and without creating any visible bump on the front my stomach.
I quickly just walked by the jeans section pretending to look for a specific size and just put the cardboard into the inseam of a size 20W boot cut jean, plenty of space to hide it discreetly.
On my way out I purchased a pouch of Beef Jerky and another Monster Energy, this one Being the Ultra White. With absolute confidence I smiled at the Cashier, he had freckles rectangle shaped glasses with some curly hair. His Blue Polo shirt was too small at the waist so his love handles were so obvious that his torso looked like a Smurf Colored Muffin. Michael was his name, maybe he aspires to get out of his job too, to be free and live a life he is proud of. I wish I would be proud about what I'm about to do, but with Credit as shot as mine there's a snowballs chance in hell that I could get a Loan for Milo's medical bills, and based on what the vet told me he can die within a Week. I could donate plasma but it would be a drop in the bucket. My car, well I'm upside down on that. I've suffered too much loss in my life to give up on my Boy. No way I will stand idly by waiting around as he lies in agony until death takes him, I've had him for 9 years at this point. I wont let anybody stop me from saving him.