Jeff walked up behind Linda and gave her a hug.
"Bill talked to me about a job today."”¨”¨"What," Linda turned and pushed Jeff away. "You haven’t been out of jail a week and you are already planning another job?"
"But..."
"Don’t give me ”˜but’, mister." Her waving hands sloshed hot coffee on Jeff’s pants. "I waited three years to get out after the last job you pulled. Don’t think I’m going wait for you this time."”¨”¨"Please just listen,"
"No, I won’t listen," she screamed and threw the coffee cup at him. Jeff tried to dodge flying coffee and hug his girlfriend, but she slapped him across the face and was out the door before he could recover. His heart aching he cleaned up the mess in the kitchen then waited up for her. When she didn’t show up by midnight he went to bed.
In the morning he dressed in his best pants and only dress shirt and tie and took the bus to the dealership where Bill worked. The manager made him wait all morning while he talked truck options with a man in a three piece suit. Finally the suit climbed into his oversized truck and roared off.
"You’re Bill’s friend," the manager said, "I don’t usually hire your kind, but I owe Bill a favour. Don’t screw up." He walked away leaving Jeff with his hand still stuck out.
Bill came out of the back and looked at Jeff.
”¨"I see you met our friendly manager. Don’t let him get to you." He led Jeff through to the back and handed him a set of coveralls. They said ”˜Bob’ on the pocket. "Don’t let him bother you. Do your work well and he’ll come around. We’ll order some coveralls with your own name on them sooner or later.
Jeff worked all day detailing cars. There was always one of the mechanics or their helpers standing around watching. Usually ”˜You missed a spot.’ was the limit of their conversation.
At the end of the day he was given some forms to fill out and bring the next morning.
At home he discovered that Linda had cleaned out their apartment. She left him the mouldy spare bed mattress and a few chipped cups and plates. He put a can of beans on a burner to heat up, then slept on the floor. It wasn’t much harder than his prison bed.
Over the next few weeks Jeff bought a chair and some proper pots. He didn’t bother with a TV, preferring to read in the evening.
The guys at work began to relax and just let him do his job. Jeff was careful to never remove anything from the cars he cleaned. He put all the garbage in a bag for the customer to look through if they wanted. A couple of customers gave him an odd look, but most just tossed the bag away without a second glance.
The suit who had talked with the manager all morning the first day Jeff showed up came in one day with his big truck.
"Make it look good, Bob," he said tossing Jeff the keys.
ӬJeff just nodded made sure the truck shone inside and out. When the man came back to pick up the truck he nodded at Jeff before driving away.
"We have to get you coveralls with your own name on them," Bill said and slapped Jeff on the back.
"Why confuse everyone now?" Jeff asked. Bill laughed and slapped him on the back again.
"That is the richest and pickiest customer we have. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him leave without some complaint. You did good."”¨”¨The next day the man in the suit was back with a fat brown envelope.
"He always pays cash for his trucks," Bill whispered to Jeff. "Seventy thousand dollars for a truck he’ll only drive to the golf course. Must be nice to be rich."
"I wouldn’t know," Jeff said, "I’m just happy not to be locked up." He went into the back and started cleaning the huge truck that the suit was paying seventy grand to drive.
He thought about what Bill had said, but he couldn’t imagine what he would do with that much cash. Trying to imagine that was what had landed him in prison the first time. He wasn’t making that mistake again.
When he was done he pulled the truck up in front of the sales office, then gave it a last polish while the manager and the customer exchanged final tall tales. The pair finally came out and walked around the truck. Jeff could tell the man in the suit was trying to find something wrong with the truck, but he finally grinned and slapped Jeff on the back.
"Nice work, Bob," he said, "I’ve never seen a cleaner truck. It seems almost a pity to get it dirty." He made no move to climb into the cab so Jeff said thanks and went back to work on the next vehicle.
An hour later a police car pulled up in front of the dealership.
"There he is," the manager pointed at Jeff. "He’s the thief."
The officer wasn’t one that Jeff knew, but he could see that the he knew all he wanted to about Jeff.
"So, Bob," he said, "There’s some money missing. Do you know anything about it?"
"My name is Jeff," Jeff said, "They can’t be bothered giving me my own name."
"Jeff then," the officer said, "about the money..."
"I don’t know anything about money. I have nothing to do with money back here."”¨”¨"There was seventy thousand dollars in an envelope on the manager’s desk. It’s missing."
"I wouldn’t know anything about that."
"Do you mind if I have a look?"
"Knock yourself out."
He patted Jeff down, then went through his lunch box even opening the thermos to look at his coffee. When he was done and hadn’t come up with any more money than the seventy-five cents in Jeff’s pockets he went back to confer with the manager. Jeff repaired his lunch as best he could.
When he looked up he saw that the police officer had left. The manager came over and glowered at Jeff.
"You’re done here," he said, "I don’t want to see you around here again."
”¨"I didn’t take any money," Jeff said, though he knew it was a waste of breath.
"We didn’t have any problems before you came." The manager turned and left as if firing Jeff was going to return the money. Jeff peeled off the coveralls and carefully folded them.
As he was picking up his lunch kit, one of the guys came over.
Ӭ
"Hey man," he said, "I know you didn’t take it. You’re good people." He shrugged his shoulders. "This sucks."
ӬӬ"Yes," Jeff said, "It does."
At home his landlord met him in the hall.
"Rent’s due."
Jeff felt the three quarters in his pocket and looked down. Ӭ
Everything he owned fit in a shopping bag. He walked out past the landlord who was already changing the locks.
It started raining as the door closed behind him.