(Mr.Coalhue in the picture)
The sun didn't beam through my window like it normally did every morning. Usually, the sun would glare into my eyes and wake me up, but if it wasn't for the rooster next door, I would have possibly been late to work. I slipped out of bed and looked out the window. It was dark and gloomy over my little farm house. The clouds looked as if they were about to burst into tears.
"So yer going to cry today, eh? Of all days. You had ta pick my birthday? Well, can't blame ya can I? S'not like it's a special day or anythin'." Eventually, I finished eating my breakfast in that empty house of mine. The only thing with a heart beat around there was the stray cat that wandered in from time to time. I named him Millard. He was a scrawny little thing with more fur than he knew what to do with. Sometimes he'd let me brush him to get the knots and matted fur out of his slick coat. His whole body was a deep black, except the white stripe down his back. It made him look like a skunk. The neighbors down the road called him Millard the skunk, a very suitable name since he smelled like one too.
I put a bowl of fresh cat food on my porch, like I do every morning, but as I stepped off my porch, a car pulled into my dirt driveway. The green, beat up, ford shoebox, slowly came to a stop and the door flung open.
"'Ey, West!" Two men stepped out of the car.
"Hello Mr.Web, Mr.Coalhue. How are ya, this lovely mornin'?" I said with a fake smile. I tipped my hat and watched them wander up to me.
"Lovely? There is a storm a comin' straight through here. Ain't nothin' lovely about that." Mr. Web snapped.
"Well, I like the rain and besides to'ay is my birthday." The two looked at each other and then back at me. They frowned a bit.
"And how ol' are ya Mr.West?" Mr.Coalhue bluntly sighed. I paused for a moment. I had forgotten so I counted on my fingers.
."I'm...Uh, twenty...Twenty-four, Mister" The two bursted out laughing.
"You may look twenty-four, but you sure have the mind of a six year ol'." Mr.Web gasped.
"Well, that, that ain't very nice Mr.Web. I may not be that smart, but I sure can work!" I said boasting a bit.
"Yeah, about that. We came to ya today to uh, well...go ahead Mr. Coalhue. Tell'em." He turned to Coalhue and gestured to me.
"Alright, it's time we stop sugar coating everything. We came to tell you that," He looked at Web "You're fired West." I stood there in shock.
"I don't understand, I"
"Of course ya don't understand, because ya'll dumber than a doornail!" Mr. Web crossed his arms.
"But, what did I do wrong? I worked hard, I get to work on time, I smile at people, all friendly like. I like working at the Inn, Mr. Web."
"I know my boy. It's just, the towns folk are sayin' you don't belong here. You can't do things on your own." He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"No! I can't lose my job. I'll lose Mama's house, the farm. You knew me when I was not even tall enough to see over the sink. I ain't never done nothin' to do someone any wrong. I ain't never done nothin'. How could I let Mama down? What do they mean I don't belong here? I don't bother nobody. I smiled, I smiled Mr. Web." Mr. Web looked at me with pity in his eyes.
"I know son, I know. The cust'mers just don't want a simpleton runnin' wild around the inn. I'm sorry West, it ain't your fault. Mother Nature just likes to play tricks on us sometimes." Mr. Web tipped his hat and started to walk to his car. I looked at Mr. Coalhue who had his nice suit on like usual. Always showing off his money and cars. He was much younger than Mr. Web and he was much nicer too. Sure, he made fun of my thinking and talking, but there was something about him that made me believe that he was just hiding the nicer side of him from Mr. Web, because he was married to Mr.Web's daughter. Since Mr. Web only had daughters, Mr. Coalhue would take over the family business.
"West, there is a an old man down the road who hurt his leg, see if he could hire you to do some work around his place while he's stuck in his sleeper. His name is name is William Haroldson, but he just goes by Billy. I'll tell him I sent you. I'm sorry West, I wish this could work out. Give Millard my regards." He looked at the black cat on my front porch. Mr. Coalhue turned away and before I knew it, the two drove off without a care in the world. Mr. Coalhue was from California, so he had a funny way of speaking. Spoke in a very soft and precise way. He pronounced every syllable correctly and in a formal manner. Californians were very strange. They didn't have that welcoming voice with that smile that had broken and missing teeth. They cared what others thought, but they were too stubborn change. They were nice, but they did their acts of kindness under their breath.
YOU ARE READING
Passenger
Short Story"She looked up and down my body as I did the same to her. She wasn't like other women who lived around me. Her red hair fell into a mess of curls and her small body was relaxed, leaning against the door frame. She wore overalls like I did that morni...
