"Get in the car." Frank shouted as Rob looked at him. "Hey your the one that's late" Rob said in a friendly tone. "Just get in the car," Frank said, "I am in no mood to argue after the day of work we just had." "Wait for me," a voice cried. The two men turned to look as they saw Althea running to the car with a panicked look on her face. "I was afraid you were going to leave me here," she said. "Althea would we ever do that?" Rob asked. "Yes," Frank replied, "now get in the damn car I want to go home." Although I had not been working with them I also needed a ride so I quickly jumped in the car. Nobody said a word to me so I guess Frank or the rest of the passengers didn't mind.
"You know this job is going to kill me." Rob said. Frank lighted a cigarette he had pulled from his coat pocket. "You and me both buddy," Frank said as he took a long drag off his cigarette. "No those things are going to kill you," Rob said "your lucky they have let you live this long." "Now boys there is no need for fighting." Althea said in a motherly tone. "Sorry Mom." Frank said as Rob began laughing.
Frank had always been a joke teller. The people he worked with quickly began to like him because of his good sense of humor. No matter what kind of mood you were in Frank would be there to cheer you up. Frank smoked a lot of cigarettes a habit no one seemed to mind because they knew the hard life that Frank had lived. Frank had been struggling to pay off his daughter's college tuition and had to work overtime everyday. Some days he had to work 16 hour shifts. It was all worth it though when his daughter would come home and thank him during the time she came home. Frank was fine with living this way, although some days he wished it was a little easier.
"Hey where am I dropping you two off anyway?" Frank said as he threw his smoked cigarette out the window and lighted up a new one. "My house," Althea said "like always." "Just drop me off at Althea's," Rob said. "Why? What you going to do try and get in her pants. You know how she feels about that." Frank replied as they all began to laugh. "No Frank," Rob said trying to stop laughing "my sister lives down the block and I am going to there to do work on her house." "Out of money already Rob?" Althea said as she turned back to look at Rob. "Yeah," Rob said "I would be doing it anyway though."
Rob was always broke. He did not live a rich lifestyle nor did he have any children in college, but Rob became addicted to drugs. Everyone at work knew about his trouble and they tried to help him out as much as they can, but the more money you gave Rob the more drugs he would buy. It was a vicious cycle that would never seem to end. Every pay day though you could always find Rob running out of work to get more drugs.
I began to tell Frank where I was headed, but I was quickly interrupted by Althea sneezing. "Bless you," Frank said "you need a tissue?" "No I am fine" Althea said as she rubbed her nose. "You think you caught what's been going around?" Rob said. "Rob if she caught it would it really be going around?" Frank said. A huge amount of laughter ensued. When the laughter fizzled away Althea said "I hope not. I don't want to get the kids sick."
Althea lived on her own after her husband had died. He left her with three boys and a little inheritance. Althea didn't mind though because the job she had paid enough so she could keep the boys healthy, clothed, and most importantly, happy. Althea was not poor, but she was far from being rich. Althea had become sick as of late though from worrying about her kids so much. The eldest was now getting in trouble with the law now and Althea was trying hard to correct him, but she found the task impossible with being at work so much.
Frank finished another cigarette and began to smoke another one. I watched as he enjoyed his cigarette. I looked at the people in the car and began to hate the line of work I did. I knew what I had to do now.
I leaned over and touched Frank on the shoulder as I uttered the word "I'm sorry." He lost control of the car as soon as I touched his shoulder. The car sped into a building. The wreck was horrible. I sat there looked around and got up. My job was now over.
Life never makes sense. To look for reason in life is to look for truth in a lie.