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project #1
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When Angry Shadows Are Heard
On the way home Charlene tried to
convince herself that Marvin was a fool and that Derek had been right
about him all along. But she knew better. She had never known a man like
Marvin. He was good to the core, honest and hard-working. But he was gone
and that was that. She unscrewed the cap on her bottle of gin and took
swig. Never had she needed a drink more than she needed one now.
She found a parking space up close. At her door was an old skinny black
man. Charlene watched him watching her, waiting as he puffed a cigarette.
She didn’t budge from her car as she thought. Derek’s promise came to
mind. He said she didn’t have to turn tricks anymore. She wanted to
believe that. Today she needed to believe. But she couldn’t calm her
suspicions about the visitor standing at her door waiting for her.
Finally, she stepped out, fumbling through her purse for her key to the
apartment.
The man’s grin grew wider with each step she took toward him. Then he
took one last drag from his cigarette before thumping the butt into nearby
shrubbery. “Are you Charlene?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m Charlene.”
He looked her up and then down. Then up and down again. “You’re as pretty
as I’ve heard,” he said with a toothless grandpa grin.
“Thank you. Where did you hear that?”
He paused, taking a second to wipe the sweat off his bald head with a rag
from his hip pocket. “A friend of yours told a friend of mine.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, indifferently. Derek had sent over another john,
she told herself. He lied again.
“My name is Olsen.”
“Hello.”
“Well, I suppose you know about me,” he said, chuckling. “I suppose you
know why I’m here.”
Charlene stared. The guy looked like Popeye the sailor man. “No. I don’t
know,” she said.
“I’m told you’re a hooker and I’m ready to go all night,” he said with
that goofy perverted grandpa smile.
“I didn’t know you were coming by,” Charlene said. “Ya see, I’m uhh, on my
period.” She turned quickly, poked her key in the lock, and opened the
door fast. “So come back another time. Bye.”
Popeye stared confused, looking as though someone had scribbled the word
“FOOL” across his forehead in bold black letters. Then he turned angry.
“Now, wait a minute, don’t just turn your back on me! I drove from all th’
way ‘cross town to see you!” he said, grabbing her wrist before she could
step inside.”
“Let go of me,” she said, trying to tame the anger in her voice.
“I didn’t come all the way over here for nothing! Do you know how long I
waited in this hot sun for you? You better suck it or something!”
Popeye had a tight hold. He was much stronger than she ever imagined for
such a little man. “Jerk me off, then. Give me a hand job or something!”
Suddenly, Charlene’s hand drew back. She lost control and slapped him with
everything she had.
Popeye let go and stumbled backwards. He rubbed his sagging jaw, looking
lost at first and then he gave a look like he wanted to kill her. “You
goddamn ho’!” he shouted.
She ran in quickly, closed the door and locked it. It wasn’t long before
he stormed off, mumbling curse words as he marched to the parking lot.
Derek was going to be pissed, she thought. Popeye was quick and easy
money. But she didn’t care. Marvin was weighing heavily on her brain and
she had enough to deal with since he had locked her out of his life. And
what Derek was going to think after he’d already said she didn’t have to
whore didn’t seem to matter anymore.
She went to her bedroom and looked out a window that gave a view of the
parking lot. Popeye was getting into his truck and driving away. He was
still rubbing his jaw, still mumbling to himself. She thought about what
she’d done and then her thoughts turned to his toothless perverted grin.
She collapsed on her bed, laughing hysterically.
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