I was new to this place. It’s not a city, it’s not a town. It’s a place. A Census-Designated Place. A place with no mayor, with no cops to call it‘s own. A place that has twice in a single generation changed it’s name to stop the awful after taste that came with saying it. Still it’s residents were proud. It never ceases to amaze how strongly rats hold onto what little garbage they have. What pride they take in a broken, jobless, and crime flooded community. This is my new home. I liked it more before I started living here, but I can’t argue with my rent.
The sink was full of dirty dishes, I didn’t feel like cooking anyway. I go out to my truck and there’s a note stuck to my windshield, a full paragraph from my roommate asking me to pick up almond butter from the store if I’m going there. I’ve barely met the bitch once. Note was crumpled up in the trash as I pulled out from the carport.
This place wasn’t very big, just down the main road and I found my $5 dollar pizza. The shop isn’t much bigger then a roach motel, and I can feel the grease already starting to stick to my forehead. The girl who took my order said it’ll be 10 minutes so I step outside, the smog in the air is slightly easier to chew then the grease death trap.
Outside I use my cell phone to look at what I’ve managed to hold onto this month. With a long hesitation and a heavy sigh I transfer what I can from my pitiful savings account into the ashes of my checking account. I laugh to myself and simply think if I can make it until payday without eating or using gas I wont have anything to worry about. My personal joke is interrupted.
“Hey guy how’s it going?” I tuck my cell phone in my pocket. A woman appeared in front of me in a cheap grey outfit and gold heels. It looked like a suit but it wasn’t. I’m not one for fashion.
“Do you uhm have any extra few dollars or anything? I’m just trying to get something to feed my kids.” She wasn’t homeless. I know homeless. I’d been homeless. She probably picked up her check from social services and whichever client filled both her and her wallet the previous night. I didn’t have much, but I had enough to share. I offered to buy a pizza.
“Thank you but could you mm do one more thing? I need some uhm diapers for my baby, not much I promise and it’s just at the gas station there.” I thought about it, not knowing the cost of diapers, and as if she read my mind.
“They’re only three ninety-nine.” I felt like I was getting scammed, but I couldn’t stomach the thought of being wrong and having naked whore babies running around hungry. I’d gamble 10 bucks just to satisfy my conscious. I hadn’t given to anyone this month yet anyway and my pizza wasn’t ready. We walk across four lanes of open road made for commuters. The street people don’t have cars and it’s the off hours. Only a few people around getting gas.
Inside the gas station I watch her walking up and down the 10 foot long aisles as if she were actually looking when she knew where it was. I looked over my shoulder and two men outside the glass doors quickly looked away. I had company.
“They don’t have my babies size.. And they’re seven ninety-nine.”
“What?” I turned back to the whore and remembered why I was there. “What size is she?” I looked down, and laughed to myself when she did too to see for herself. Naturally they carried as low as size three, and both a beggar and a chooser, she insisted she needed size two. Ever so hardworking and respectful of what was a simple gift to save another in desperate times she offers to run to the store a few blocks east if I’d just give her the cash. I look to the cashier, a big sign saying no cash back. The diapers just happen to be next to the ATM. The ATM is a twenty buck minimum. I laughed and just shook my head.
She looked like she won the lottery playing me tonight. Her pimp was outside with extra muscle waiting. Too far from my truck. I decided to pay the twenty for tonight’s lesson. I knew I’d get it back. Even with me blocking the screen and outright telling her to take a step back she wouldn’t let up and made sure to get my pin. If they got my wallet too they wouldn’t get much, but it’d be a pain in the ass to replace. I had to play it nice and dumb. Hoping if I played along they’d settle for the twenty.
We left and I walked quickly back to the 4 empty lanes. She kept up. I asked her name.
“Debbie but the boy’s call me Ping.” I misheard her and asked her to repeat it hoping I’ve avoided a stolen wallet. “Ping. Like in golf.” I made a note to brush up on my game, I didn’t get the connection. I checked for oncoming traffic and made it back to the grease filled closet of a pizzeria.
I was about to collect my dinner and finally looked back. Ping was headed right back into the store. I’d been concerned and amused all through my dealings with her but it wasn’t until now that I got angry. I held the door open and just shook my head. On my way out I looked back again. She was walking North.
I walked back to my truck, and I just couldn’t shake it. I still don’t know why I couldn’t let it go. Maybe because up until that point, that single point, until that moment I didn’t have proof of her lying. Maybe I just see the best in people. I’m a nice guy. That must be it.
Pizza started to warm the back seat as my truck fired up. I really did live North. It wasn’t my fault. She should be going the other way. She saw me in my truck cab and waved. It’d of been rude to ignore her. I smiled and pulled over. Her pimp wasn’t around. She opened the passenger door and got in. Despite the rest of the night I was still surprised she didn’t ask first.
“Would you take me up the road a ways?” I just smiled all the more and agreed. She didn’t buckle her seat belt. That’s not very safe. You should always buckle your seat belt. A long straight road, most sped along it anyway. She didn’t care or notice when I floored it. She did pay attention when I started laughing. I was laughing a lot. I couldn’t help it. I tried stopping it at first but I couldn’t.
“What’s so damn funny?” My guest demanded an answer. I’ve obliged her so much this far why stop now. It took me a bit to stop my laughing enough to answer.
“Speed bump.”
She went up. She came down. Eyes stayed shut.
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