After a long day's work
After a long, hard day's work Ryan decided to take himself on an excursion to the local strip club owned by Big Rick. There he relaxed in the smoky air admiring the young and pretty hispanic woman working the pole. She was of a medium height with long, dark brown hair. For some reason that Ryan couldn't place, she didn't seem like she belonged there. Suddenly Ryan realized that the same chick he passed in the bar was there in the club. He worried that she would get the wrong impression of him in that place. But what was she doing there? Her body looked so perfectly shaped. Ryan decided that such a perfect figure should not go unacknowledged. He was still so angry he was worried it might interfere with any relationships he might try to forge. Oh well, he would try anyway.
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And Then Some...
A van. The last rays of sun hit the shiny onyx surface of the vehicle.
There's the man who she saw at the bar and at the strip club. Why had she been at the strip club? Oh right, boredom. She didn't strip, not enough balance. She had been on her way to see Molina when the van passed. She didn't know why the van was so important, she didn't know why she couldn't look away. She did know, however, that she felt better. Everything was going to fall into place, she knew it.
She knew it.
The Car That Almost Finished Him
Jefferson's string of Robin Hood-like robberies had been successful up until that night. He had amassed a small collection of riches hidden under his floorboards that he had purloined from undeserving drug lords, which he intended to distribute to the poor somehow. But he made a mistake; he had to have the car. It was a beautiful yellow Lamborghini Miura he had found in one particularly well-off drug dealer's garage. The Lambo was pristine and collecting dust, proof its owner didn't use it. Jefferson didn't know how he would return it to the community; he just knew that its current owner didn't deserve it in the least. So Jefferson stole it. The theft wasn't difficult; cars that old didn't have that much of a security system. The garage, on the other hand, did.
As soon as Jefferson started up that glorious engine, three thugs with machine guns ran out of the dealer's crib. Jefferson gunned the Miura in reverse and broke through the garage's wooden wall. He slung the car around and flew down the street. The thugs peeled out of the garage in two black Cadillacs. The Miura was much faster than the Cadillacs, but the thugs had machine guns, and he couldn't outrun a bullet. The thugs fired at him; his car was riddled with bullets, and his rear window shattered. Jefferson swerved left and narrowly missed hitting a minivan. The Cadillacs followed easily. Jefferson weaved through traffic wildly, but the thugs still kept up. Then he saw flashing red and blue lights in his rearview mirror - three police cars had not surprisingly taken notice of their activities. Two of them rammed the Cadillacs and forced them off the road. The third followed Jefferson. Jefferson floored it. The police car could barely keep up, and Jefferson almost got away. Then it began to sleet.
The sleet made a sound similar to the bullets as they hit his car. Jefferson could barely see. A truck pulled out in front of him and he swerved into the left lane, then back into the right as another car almost hit him head on. Jefferson spun out of control, but regained it and sped down an adjacent street. The police car was still hot on his tail. Jefferson slowed down; the Miura's speed was no use to him if he couldn't see. The hail grew heavier. Jefferson looked in his mirrors. More cars had joined the chase. This would have to end soon. The lights of Washington Heights stood out in the darkness. He would have to ditch the car; he knew this now. At least it wouldn't be in the hands of a drug dealer. Suddenly, a black van pulled out in front of Jefferson. He swerved right. He didn't see the small coupe until it was too late.
The coupe backed out of the garage. The Miura's headlights illuminated it suddenly. Jefferson didn't have time to think. He slammed the brakes. It was useless. The Miura slammed head on into the coupe's trunk. The trunk was obliterated. The Miura lost contact with the ground. It flipped over several times. It landed in an abandoned storefront. Everything stopped.
Jefferson came to. The hail had stopped. He was lying upside down in an upside down Miura in the front of an abandoned building. Everything hurt; something was bleeding. Cars that old didn't have much of a safety system. Jefferson laboriously pulled himself out of the wreck. He knew he didn't have much time before the police got there. He peeked out of the gaping hole in the front of the building. The coupe was sitting in the middle of the street, its rear end completely smashed in. A trail of glass and metal lay between it and the Miura. The coupe's owner was climbing out of his car. Jefferson recognized him as Ryan Ford, one of the tenants of Washington Heights. He looked shaken but mostly uninjured. Then Jefferson saw the police cars zoom around the corner; they must have been stopped by the black van. Jefferson stumbled out the back of the abandoned building and into the street.
He was able to evade the police as he limped back to his apartment. He walked behind the Chinese restaurant near Washington Heights so that he could get in through the back entrance. He saw the kid who worked there speed away on his bike. He hoped the kid didn't see him. Jefferson snuck in through rear entrance of his building and into the elevator. He pressed the button to his floor. He felt terrible. His mind raced and he couldn't think straight. He pulled a shard of yellow metal out of his bulletproof vest and dropped it on the elevator floor. The doors opened and he walked awkwardly into the hall. He stumbled to his room, opened his door, and fell straight onto his bed. He felt terrible. Sirens sounded throughout the night.
Her Lesson Pays Off!
I was back at the clinic. I was back in the swing of things and back to myself again;however, happier than ever. Spending the night with Mark was great and it gave me a whole other attitude about things. Just knowing there was a guy out there who likes me was wonderful, and knowing that he likes me for who I am was invigorating.
As I sat in my office I glanced at the plain clock on the wall. It was six o'clock and the sun had just started to set. I could hear the sleet smacking on my window. It was coming down hard.
"Ugh" I sighed in relief. It wasn't much longer till I got to go to home sweet home.
The weather made everything outside look so disgusting. Mud was splattering everywhere, and the wind blew whatever remaining leaves off the plants. The environment couldn't even help to resemble the town's bare ugliness. It didn't take long till I heard the sirens from the neighboring police department go off. That occurred at least six times during my shift each day. Violence and crime was always happening, exhausting the public service workers. Some people have been loyal to Washington Heights for twenty some odd years and little old me was struggling serving the community for only two. It was an undeniable fact that the town was taking it's toll on me. None of the doctors in the town got paid well enough to face the problems they are dealt with every single day.
"Perhaps one day I will be able to leave this hell hole and move to a nice city with blooming flowers and live in a nice suburban home...maybe even have a kid or two." I stared at my computer just imagining it.
In the midst of my day dreaming, "Dr. Evans, calling Dr. Evans. You're needed in the front lobby. Dr. Evans please report to the front lobby."
I immediately got up and made my way down the hallway towards the front lobby anticipating to discover another innocent victim of violence. I came prepared with everything I needed...
...As I walked I could hear giggling and noticed a nurse trying to hide her smile and excitement facing the opposite direction.
"This is odd. I wonder what's going on?" I said quietly as I turned the last corner.
Suddenly I spot Mark all dressed up in a suit and tie, but also holding a bouquet of red roses. All the women nurses thought he was so cute and sweet. They looked at me with the largest smiles I had seen ever since they got their raises. They were happy for me.
"I came to pick you up and I was hoping that you would let me take you out for a nice dinner?" He said.
I smiled and looked him in the eyes, "Wow you surprised me!" I hugged him tightly and gently kissed him (that was our first kiss).
"It's just about that time that I get off anyways." I said. I was really tired, but I could suck it up. I was determined to have another splendid time with my guy. "I don't see the harm in us having a good time." I said.
"Phew! Good! I was terrified that you would tell me no." Then we both laughed. I quietly directed him to follow me to my office so I could go pack up to leave, and as I left I could see all the faces just filled with joy. They were happy I finally had a guy. Ha! Ha!
Mark and I walked out of the clinic and were headed towards the car. I passed a man, Ryan I think was his name. "Peculiar guy." Anyways, he said good evening to us and we wished him a good evening as well. Anyways, me and Mark got in the car and left for our night out.
By the time I was done getting dressed it was almost eleven o'clock. We searched for any nice restaurants but couldn't even manage to find one. Not even one! So we had to succumb to the inevitable. We decided to eat our dinner at the local twenty-four hour diner. The food was good, and everything was nice. We shared good conversation and told each other some of the funniest things that ever happened to us. The only alarming thing that happened was our waitress. She was young and very nice, but for some reason she had a bruise on her face and more all over her arms. I felt like it was my responsibility to talk to her, but I was afraid I'd make her uncomfortable, so I left my business card with a message on the back of it saying...
"I'm pretty sure I know what you're going through. I've seen it all over at the clinic. I've seen people come out of the situation you're in all the time, and I wanted to let you know that you can too. Come and visit me at the address provided. We can help. You don't have to accept this."
Mark said I did the right thing, but not to be surprised if she didn't contact her or get any help. I just shrugged, and told him that at least I tried. I gave her the tools to get started and now it's up to her to act on it.
It makes me nervous
Alexander had just finished his steak from Oscar's, which at 10 oz. I thought would be big enough but I was obviously mistaking.. as he slammed down his fork and asked what else we had to eat in the house.
It was so cold and wet outside from the sleet that had been falling from the sky all day. I couldn't imagine going out in that weather. This kind of night just gave me the chills... I already knew it would be one of those nights where I would lie in bed watching tv into the wee hours.
Alexander got up from the table after eating some (all of the) chips. I was glad he ate the chips because I always found myself eating half the bag... never able to stop. That whole "once you pop you just can't stop" slogan was unfortunately true. I needed to ask Alexander's mom about what I should do to lose some weight... I just wasn't happy with myself anymore. I used to be so pretty and my voice was so beautiful. I have become what I most feared when I was a teenager; wrinkled up old Jewish lady... oy vey what was there to do.
Alexander said he was going out and that he would be home later. He took the keys to the BMW and ran out the door without saying a word. I proceeded to the window in the kitchen with looked out into the street below. There was much more activity out in this weather than I thought there would be.
I saw Alexander walk out into the street, but not in the direction of the parking deck where the BMW would be. Instead he just walked out onto the corner and boarded a weird looking black van. The windows must of had some tint to them because the windows seemed basically opaque. The only light was coming from the hub caps... which I think Alexander calls rims. I wonder what he could be doing getting into some van like that. I am sure when he came home that he would just make up some story and tell me he never got into any black van... that I was just getting old and couldn't see straight anymore. The terrible thing was... maybe he would be right, there is no way I could prove him wrong.
The sound of sirens hummed in the air as shady looking characters walked up and down the street, turning into dark alleyways. Alexander could possibly be spawned from the devil (actually I know his mother so it could be true), but I still love him. He always assured me nothing would happen to him out on the streets, he sounded exactly like his mother used to when she was his age. It drove me nervous to the point of breakdown almost every time he went out late at night, especially on nights like these. Yep, I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. If only I could fall asleep and never wake up.. I bet everybody would be pretty relieved then to not have me around anymore.
My thoughts were abruptly ended when I heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" I yelled, even though I was pretty close to the door when the words left my mouth.
"It's Ryan mam, Ryan Ford, may I come in."
"Um, who are you? I replied questioningly. I didn't just let people in, especially not after I came home to see that creep in my bed a few weeks ago. You never knew what kind of men could turn up in this neighborhood.
"I was seeing if your daughter was here. She has dark hair you know... kinda hispanic lookin'?" He said.
"There is nobody here like that... I don't live with any other women... only some strong men..." I said, lying of course but I didn't want this guy to think I was alone.
"Oh well I'm sorry mam, my mistake, night," he said, surprisingly kindly.
I just wish Oscar could deliver me some meat, or Manny's Grocery could deliver too. I just didn't want to go out there anymore. I was too old to move, too selfish to be in one of those old folks' home, and too scared to go out in that hellish neighborhood I used to love. All I wanted to do was build my nest in the penthouse. A penthouse that used to be home to my 4 kids, and my husband. I knew that Marcus wouldn't stand for Alexander's antics.
I lied down in bed, knowing I had a long night of restlessness ahead of me. It was 12:30 am and right before my eyes shut in an attempt to fall asleep, the image of the black van showed up in my head. I would surely dream about it, I could already tell.
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