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“Yeah. He says this place he’s in now smells like old lady pee. How he knows to compare it, I don’t know, but it is what it is.”
The piano was an old upright and it weighed so much, Gerald had to call two more of his friends to help. They finally got it on the moving truck and as they were heading to the club, Eli asked Sandy, “What do you think? Is it weird I got fired right when I got that other job offer?”
“I guess if you are suspicious of everything, like Rhianna is, but she has reason. She’s had to fight for shit all her life, and yeah, we have to, to an extent. Nothing like her, though, so we can’t afford to be paranoid when opportunity knocks. I mean, sure, he could have found out you worked there, but then, being as conservative as he is…would he still want you working for him?”
“I didn’t think of that. Shit, what if he had nothing to do with it, and I take the job and he finds out later? I’d be starting all over again.”
“Make it a month! Twelve grand will help. Listen, the others and me were talking. We’re gonna wait on getting someone else until you give us the green light. If you need a place to come home to, come home.”
The purr of the electric car’s engine, the cool air coming in from the open window, everything eased him, possibly too much. “I can’t ask you guys to…but thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem. You’re a sweet guy, Eli. Don’t let that fucker make you like the rest of those assholes. Don’t let him make you mean and greedy. Money is nice, but not the attitude that comes with it.”
“I’ll try. I really will.”
When he went in to pick up his last check and clear the few things he’d left in his locker, one of the other dancers came up to him, asking if he worked that night.
“Don’t work any night. Got fired.”
“Fired?” Varrik was a small guy, five foot two inches, and bronze skin that he kept moisturized until he glowed when in the lights of the stage. “How did you get fired?”
“I don’t know. Gary didn’t say. It’s cool, though. I got another gig.”
“Good, good. Well, it was nice knowing you, even if it wasn’t long.”
Gary was in his office, adding a row of numbers when Eli got to the doorway, knocking on the jamb to get his attention. He looked up and his eyes widened, as if in fear. Eli could have told him he was not someone that would kick his ass for firing him.
“Elijah, hey. I got your check here somewhere,” he rushed, then started shifting through the papers on his desk. He was acting crazy, like he was afraid or something.
“Listen, Gary, no hard feelings. If I didn’t fit in here, that’s okay.”
Gary stopped and moved slowly to look up at him. “You’re…you’re okay, Eli. Watch your back.”
“Watch my…what are you talking about?”
“Just, well, this town and everyone in it. I should move to fucking Florida and sell timeshares or something.” He found the envelope containing the check and handed it over to Eli. “Good luck, kid.”
Gary never seemed to be on drugs or anything, but that day, Eli thought he was probably high. He took the check and his small duffle of extra clothes and toiletries he’d had in his locker and got back to the car quickly.
“Gary was acting weird.”
“He runs a club where men go to drool over other men. They always are a little off, Eli. Sex clubs, and polish up the dirt all you want, that’s what they are…they do something to the people who are there for a long time. Anyway, where to now?”
“If it’s okay, I’d like to get this deposited right away so I can pay my loans tonight. That will give me a month of wiggle room if I don’t take this job with Madison.”
“Good thinking.”
Through the drive-up teller, Eli filled out the card she sent out for him to deposit his five-hundred-dollar check. After he pulled that out, however he saw in the envelope there was another check for five hundred, and the memo statedtips and severance.
“What the hell? Severance? I didn’t work there that long.”
“Don’t bitch about it, cash the thing.”
“Right,” he said, signing the back and handing both checks over to the teller.
“Severance, huh? Well, that’s good. I guess. Weird…”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “This whole thing is weird. I’m beginning to think Rhianna was onto something. What if this is all…I don’t know, connected? Do you think?”
