removed her hand from my leg as she did. I instantly wished I hadn’t changed position.
“So, what’s the problem?” Before I could answer she added, “Man, the canvas is cold on my legs. I think I need to start wearing something other than the Thai shorts and a vest, until you fix all the holes in the building, anyway.” She nudged me with her elbow.
“That won’t be happening any time soon.” Some water dripped on my face. I squinted my eyes to try and find the spot in the roof it had fallen from. “Great, now I have to stand a bucket in the ring.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?”
“The roof?”
“Money.”
“Yeah, that’s a big problem. Another is how at home I feel on my back in the ring. I think I spent most of my professional career in this position.” I waited for a laugh. I didn’t get one. “That was a joke.”
“I know it was a joke. I chose not to laugh. I’ve had enough of the pity party.”
“It was just a joke.”
“I don’t care. I’m drawing a line through this way of thinking. You’re a great teacher, you’re a great guy, and things will turn around for you, if you let it.”
“If only it was that easy.”
“I’ve been talking to some of the girls at work. I convinced four of them they need your expertise. That’s what I wanted to cheer you up with.”
I turned my head to face her. “Thank you.”
“Get the holes fixed, Brad. Someone is liable to pull a muscle it’s so cold in here.” She turned to face me. “I’ll help out anyway I can, you know? I know a graphic designer that could do flyers for you, cheap too.”
“Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?” I hadn’t had any help for just about as long as it had been since a woman had touched me without trying to either intentionally, or accidently, hurt me.
“Because I’m freezing. Fix the damn holes.” She looked back at the roof and nodded at one of the problems.
“I’m afraid I have more important stuff to spend the money on.” I bit my lower lip and breathed out a slow breath.
“Like what?”
“I owe some people … the wrong kind of people.” I didn’t know if I should tell her or not, but I needed to talk to someone about it. I needed to unload.
She turned back to me, a anxious expression on her face. “Who?”
“Me!”
I bolted upright and climbed out of the ring. I could hear Sara behind me, climbing down too. “Bobby, how are you?”
Bobby was standing in the doorway to the gym. He was massive. He must have been almost double my size. He was wearing a large jacket and had his hands in his pockets. I didn’t like that. He could have had anything in them.
“I didn’t come here to share spit.” He took a step forward. “You need to keep this place warmer, Brad.” He faked a shudder. “You have a cash flow problem or something?”
“Could you come back later, Mister, I’m in the middle of my lesson.” Sara was at my side. I shut my eyes for a moment and prayed she wouldn’t say anything else.
“Aren't you a sexy one? It’s good work if you can get it, isn’t it, Brad? Having a cute, little lady like that running around in shorts. I bet you get her to do heaps of jumping exercises, to see her bounce.” He moved a few steps closer.
“Excuse me,” that was from Sara. “I don’t like you talking about me like that.” She went to walk to him. I held my arm out to my side and she stopped when she hit it. She looked at me, I could see her in the corner of my eye, but I didn’t break my stare from Bobby.
“I don’t give a fuck what you like. What I do give a fuck about is the amount of money this drunk owes me.” He spat on the floor and snorted as he took a few more steps.
“I think we all need to stay calm,” I said as I tried desperately to think of what to say or do next.
“I think you need to pay up.” Bobby stood in front of us both, sucking through his teeth.
“I will. I don’t have it here … yet. I’ll have it tomorrow.
“So, what’s the problem?” Before I could answer she added, “Man, the canvas is cold on my legs. I think I need to start wearing something other than the Thai shorts and a vest, until you fix all the holes in the building, anyway.” She nudged me with her elbow.
“That won’t be happening any time soon.” Some water dripped on my face. I squinted my eyes to try and find the spot in the roof it had fallen from. “Great, now I have to stand a bucket in the ring.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?”
“The roof?”
“Money.”
“Yeah, that’s a big problem. Another is how at home I feel on my back in the ring. I think I spent most of my professional career in this position.” I waited for a laugh. I didn’t get one. “That was a joke.”
“I know it was a joke. I chose not to laugh. I’ve had enough of the pity party.”
“It was just a joke.”
“I don’t care. I’m drawing a line through this way of thinking. You’re a great teacher, you’re a great guy, and things will turn around for you, if you let it.”
“If only it was that easy.”
“I’ve been talking to some of the girls at work. I convinced four of them they need your expertise. That’s what I wanted to cheer you up with.”
I turned my head to face her. “Thank you.”
“Get the holes fixed, Brad. Someone is liable to pull a muscle it’s so cold in here.” She turned to face me. “I’ll help out anyway I can, you know? I know a graphic designer that could do flyers for you, cheap too.”
“Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?” I hadn’t had any help for just about as long as it had been since a woman had touched me without trying to either intentionally, or accidently, hurt me.
“Because I’m freezing. Fix the damn holes.” She looked back at the roof and nodded at one of the problems.
“I’m afraid I have more important stuff to spend the money on.” I bit my lower lip and breathed out a slow breath.
“Like what?”
“I owe some people … the wrong kind of people.” I didn’t know if I should tell her or not, but I needed to talk to someone about it. I needed to unload.
She turned back to me, a anxious expression on her face. “Who?”
“Me!”
I bolted upright and climbed out of the ring. I could hear Sara behind me, climbing down too. “Bobby, how are you?”
Bobby was standing in the doorway to the gym. He was massive. He must have been almost double my size. He was wearing a large jacket and had his hands in his pockets. I didn’t like that. He could have had anything in them.
“I didn’t come here to share spit.” He took a step forward. “You need to keep this place warmer, Brad.” He faked a shudder. “You have a cash flow problem or something?”
“Could you come back later, Mister, I’m in the middle of my lesson.” Sara was at my side. I shut my eyes for a moment and prayed she wouldn’t say anything else.
“Aren't you a sexy one? It’s good work if you can get it, isn’t it, Brad? Having a cute, little lady like that running around in shorts. I bet you get her to do heaps of jumping exercises, to see her bounce.” He moved a few steps closer.
“Excuse me,” that was from Sara. “I don’t like you talking about me like that.” She went to walk to him. I held my arm out to my side and she stopped when she hit it. She looked at me, I could see her in the corner of my eye, but I didn’t break my stare from Bobby.
“I don’t give a fuck what you like. What I do give a fuck about is the amount of money this drunk owes me.” He spat on the floor and snorted as he took a few more steps.
“I think we all need to stay calm,” I said as I tried desperately to think of what to say or do next.
“I think you need to pay up.” Bobby stood in front of us both, sucking through his teeth.
“I will. I don’t have it here … yet. I’ll have it tomorrow.
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