said yesterday, I’m not a quitter,” Mike said proudly.
“I bet you’re sore though,” John said.
“Yeah… It hurts like a bitch. I feel like I’ve been frogging a bunch of fat hookers last night. You know what I mean? My back is killing me,” Mike grumbled.
John laughed.
“Hey man, what you do in your free time isn’t any of my business,” John said.
“Really? They all knew you by name and kept asking for you. What was that about?” Mike asked.
John shrugged.
“I guess you couldn’t perform so they wanted a real man,” John said with a smirk as he slapped Make on the back. “Don’t worry, son, one day you’ll get to my league.”
John and Mike both started laughing.
“I can’t mess with you, man,” Mike said, shaking his head. “You’re crazy as hell.”
“After working in the sun for as long as I have, my mind is fried,” John said with a sigh. “I’m afraid my condition is chronic.”
Mike chuckled.
“No cure, eh?” Mike asked.
“Well… a cold beer and a cigarette tend to work miracles my friend,” John said as he reached for his crushed pack. “Since it’s too early for a beer…”
The pack was empty.
John groaned and closed his eyes.
He forgot all about going to the store.
It looked like Rebecca got her wish after all.
He looked at the empty pack with disappointment.
“Well… this isn’t a great way to start my day,” John mumbled as he tossed the empty pack on the floorboard.
“Maybe you should try coffee,” Mike suggested.
John stared out the window.
“I outgrew coffee ten years ago,” John said. “What wakes you up?”
The van snaked its way through the congested main thoroughfare. Semi-trucks and vans clogged the road. Traffic moved at a snail’s pace.
“Well, I have to drive from San Antonio just to meet the vanpool… By the time I get to Love’s, I’m already wired from the drive and the insane drivers on I-37,” Mike said.
John whistled. He felt sorry for the kid. The company hired quite a few people from San Antonio, but most of them didn’t stay very long simple because of the drive and odd hours.
“Wow… how long does that take, about an hour and a half?” John asked.
“Two,” Mike corrected. “I live towards the northern side…”
“Sorry to hear,” John said. “Why didn’t you just get a place down here?”
Mike shrugged.
“I tried… I had no idea hotels would be so expensive and rental prices are outrageous for what you end up getting,” Mike said.
John waved his hand in the air.
“Don’t flatter them by calling them hotels… They’re rancid little shitholes,” John said with a disgusted look. “We used to have two or three before the boom, and you could get a clean room for twenty a night. Now you have to spend over one-hundred a night for a bed with dirty sheets.”
Mike shook his head.
“I don’t see how they can all stay in business,” Mike said.
The van pulled off of the main street and turned onto the bumpy dirt road that led towards the jobsite.
“Well people who work these fields have money and they’re stupid enough to pay it,” John said. “You know what they say about a fool and his money… You know, I’m selling my homestead in about a year, if you’re interested.”
“Thanks, but I’d rather not plant any real roots down here,” Mike said. “Once I save up a bit, I’m out of here.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like me,” John said. “If only I had that attitude years ago... I sure as hell wouldn’t be sitting next to you and talking about fat hookers and cigarettes.”
“What made you stay?” Mike asked, curious.
John thought about it for a moment before answering.
“I guess it’s like you said… My roots run deep,” John said. “I’m a tough old tree through, so I thought that I’d be able to weather the storm. I thought that this oil stuff would all pass, or at least get better.”
“Did it?” Mike asked.
John sighed and didn’t respond.
The
“I bet you’re sore though,” John said.
“Yeah… It hurts like a bitch. I feel like I’ve been frogging a bunch of fat hookers last night. You know what I mean? My back is killing me,” Mike grumbled.
John laughed.
“Hey man, what you do in your free time isn’t any of my business,” John said.
“Really? They all knew you by name and kept asking for you. What was that about?” Mike asked.
John shrugged.
“I guess you couldn’t perform so they wanted a real man,” John said with a smirk as he slapped Make on the back. “Don’t worry, son, one day you’ll get to my league.”
John and Mike both started laughing.
“I can’t mess with you, man,” Mike said, shaking his head. “You’re crazy as hell.”
“After working in the sun for as long as I have, my mind is fried,” John said with a sigh. “I’m afraid my condition is chronic.”
Mike chuckled.
“No cure, eh?” Mike asked.
“Well… a cold beer and a cigarette tend to work miracles my friend,” John said as he reached for his crushed pack. “Since it’s too early for a beer…”
The pack was empty.
John groaned and closed his eyes.
He forgot all about going to the store.
It looked like Rebecca got her wish after all.
He looked at the empty pack with disappointment.
“Well… this isn’t a great way to start my day,” John mumbled as he tossed the empty pack on the floorboard.
“Maybe you should try coffee,” Mike suggested.
John stared out the window.
“I outgrew coffee ten years ago,” John said. “What wakes you up?”
The van snaked its way through the congested main thoroughfare. Semi-trucks and vans clogged the road. Traffic moved at a snail’s pace.
“Well, I have to drive from San Antonio just to meet the vanpool… By the time I get to Love’s, I’m already wired from the drive and the insane drivers on I-37,” Mike said.
John whistled. He felt sorry for the kid. The company hired quite a few people from San Antonio, but most of them didn’t stay very long simple because of the drive and odd hours.
“Wow… how long does that take, about an hour and a half?” John asked.
“Two,” Mike corrected. “I live towards the northern side…”
“Sorry to hear,” John said. “Why didn’t you just get a place down here?”
Mike shrugged.
“I tried… I had no idea hotels would be so expensive and rental prices are outrageous for what you end up getting,” Mike said.
John waved his hand in the air.
“Don’t flatter them by calling them hotels… They’re rancid little shitholes,” John said with a disgusted look. “We used to have two or three before the boom, and you could get a clean room for twenty a night. Now you have to spend over one-hundred a night for a bed with dirty sheets.”
Mike shook his head.
“I don’t see how they can all stay in business,” Mike said.
The van pulled off of the main street and turned onto the bumpy dirt road that led towards the jobsite.
“Well people who work these fields have money and they’re stupid enough to pay it,” John said. “You know what they say about a fool and his money… You know, I’m selling my homestead in about a year, if you’re interested.”
“Thanks, but I’d rather not plant any real roots down here,” Mike said. “Once I save up a bit, I’m out of here.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like me,” John said. “If only I had that attitude years ago... I sure as hell wouldn’t be sitting next to you and talking about fat hookers and cigarettes.”
“What made you stay?” Mike asked, curious.
John thought about it for a moment before answering.
“I guess it’s like you said… My roots run deep,” John said. “I’m a tough old tree through, so I thought that I’d be able to weather the storm. I thought that this oil stuff would all pass, or at least get better.”
“Did it?” Mike asked.
John sighed and didn’t respond.
The
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