Once a month my local writing group sets a theme for a piece of writing each member will submit. This month’s topic was “The Unexpected”.
The Unexpected
At the Doc’s.
‘Good evening,’ said the Doc. ‘How have you both been?’ she asked cautiously as always.
We sat still, waiting. We’d all agreed long ago, me, Clay, and the Doc, that neither Clay nor I would talk until she addressed us by the proper name.
‘Clay, you first’ she said staring with her brown eyes into mine as she remembered our agreement.
‘Well, pretty good Doc,’ said Clay in his usual positive fashion.
She smiled softly, almost flirtatiously, and Clay smiled iridescently back at her.
‘And Hank, does ‘good’ resonate with you?’ she asked, staring deeper into my eyes again.
Anyone would have noticed her look quickly change to one much more serious when addressing me. Surprise, surprise I thought. ‘Pfft, talk about an overstatement’ I responded. ‘It’s all good for him, he does all the apologising, cleans everything up, while I just keep on Hank’ing things and stuffing everything up!’ I went silent as the day’s events ran through my mind.
That morning in the drive.
I can’t do it. I sat there in the drive breathing uncontrollably, my hand clutching the key which sat in the off position.
‘Every day is a new day!’ on call, Clay broke the silence.
Easy for him to say, goody-two-shoes.
‘Another day, another chance to prove yourself,’ he said in his usual encouraging manner.
I rolled my eyes. Another chance to cock-up more like it.
Work.
‘There you go, be sure to have a good day,’ I handed the lady her change. Well, things are going ok.
‘Oh, I’m sorry dear, but I gave you a twenty and you’ve only given me change for a ten,’ insisted the lady.
‘What are you implying?’ I quickly snapped back at the old duck. ‘I haven’t ripped you off, you’re senseless, you gave me a ten and you know it!’ She just stared back at me dazed. Damn. I squeezed my eyes shut and grasped the till drawer with both hands, pausing for a moment before taking a breath.
‘I’m sorry miss, that was very rude indeed,’ said Clay on cue. ‘If you say it was twenty then I believe you, we’ll get this sorted straight away,’ he insisted as he reached into the drawer.
‘Clay, I gave her a…’ I began to explain again as I grasped the till and breathed heavily but he quickly cut me off.
‘Nope, the customer is always right,’ he said. ‘Here is the other ten dollars,’ he smiled and handed it over.
Typical.
The manager’s office.
‘We’ve had a complaint,’ said the manager, leaning back in her chair, studying me.
She thinks I’m a looney. ‘It was an accident all right! The old duck’s crazy! Thought I short-changed her.’ I felt a weight had begun pressing down on me and darkness clouded the room.
‘Let’s just calm down,’ she insisted. ‘I wasn’t there, but what I do know is that she’s been coming here several years, and we’ve never had a problem,’ she explained. ‘If there’s ever a problem with change just call me, we’ll count back the till or check the cameras, make sure we sort it,’ she insisted. ‘But one thing, we never talk to our customers like that.’
No, here come the nauseating butterflies. I lowered my head towards my lap clenching my eyelids and breathing heavily.
‘I assure you it was an accident,’ said Clay, his eyes meeting the managers. ‘I sincerely apologise for Hank’s behaviour, and you can be sure this won’t happen again.’
I watched the manager. She looked slightly confused, but then appeared strangely satisfied. Clay the brown noser.
The drug store.
‘No one there will remember you,’ I recalled Clay’s assuring words as I walked in. What a fruit. He’d convinced me everything would be fine, but when I walked in it was a vastly different story. Like an outlaw entering a small saloon, I felt everyone’s eyes glued to me. Watching.
‘Hello,’ said the attendant with a cloying smile. ‘How can I help you?’
‘The prescription,’ I replied hastily while gesturing toward the paper I’d already placed on the desk in front of him. Like he didn’t know why I was here. ‘You don’t have to pretend; I’m not an idiot,’ I couldn’t hold the peace. He just smiled back at me kindly.
‘I know you’re not an idiot, Hank. I’ll get right on it, ok?’
He thinks I’m crazy. The way he treated me made it obvious. Overly kind, but for no apparent reason. Searching the room again I saw them all staring like I’m some kind of circus attraction. They all think I’m crazy.
‘There you are sir,’ he said, handing me a small paper bag.
Clearly, he’d done his best to get me out of there quickly. ‘I SEE YOU ALL STARING YA KNOW!’ I threw my money down and left.
That night after seeing the Doc.
I stood in the bathroom brushing my teeth. Saddened once more by my lone reflection. As usual, I began to reminisce about the Doc and our time with her just hours earlier.
‘You know, you’d get much further with her if you just talked more,’ Clay couldn’t help but ruin the tranquillity with his pragmatic opinion.
I splashed my face. Just shut up. ‘And what, be more like you Clay? Is that what you want me to do?’ I said aloud, glancing into the mirror.
‘You know Hank, if you just did what she instructed, you may be able to communicate better.’
‘Oh, and then what Clay? You idiot! You think she’d have time for us once we’re cured?’
‘You know, I’ve got a good mind to tell her, Hank.’
‘You’ve been taking the medication? As prescribed?’ I remembered the Doc’s interrogating words.
‘ARGH!’ I reached for the wiry waste bin in the corner that overflowed with unopened packets of medication. I picked it up and hurled it against the glass. ‘Well go on then Clay! Mr nice guy! Tell her! tell her everything!’ I stared deeply into the broken mirror. I know you won’t. ‘You know Clay, she loves your smile.’
Clay’s sharpened smile became visible, broken only by the web of fractured glass.
You and I both know you like seeing her just as much as I do Clay.
W. A. Greenly. 