50

Monday, February 22, 2021, 5PM Eastern Standard Time

“Oh my gosh, hello stranger!” Mary said as she opened the screen door. “You’d better not hug me, I’m just back from my shift at Ball-Mart. You never know what’s circulating there.”

Joe made an awkward hugging motion in the air.

“How are you?” he said.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been so long,” Mary said.

“Is Jeff here?”

“He’s got an odd job he is not supposed to have. He’s on disability. He hurt his back a few years ago.”

“I heard something about that. That sucks.”

“Well come on in, have a seat. You want something to drink?”

“Tap water would be fine,” he said.

“We can do better than that. You want a Coke?”

“Sure,” Joe answered, and Mary went to the fridge, pulled out a plastic bottle of Coke, and handed it to him.

“You want a glass?”

“No, this is fine.” He unscrewed the cap and took a swig. “Thank you.”

“Well, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I happened to be in the area for my work, and it’s been so long I decided to look you up.”

“What are you doing these days? Last time we talked you were just about to go into the service.”

“Yeah, I got out about a year ago. Now I work for this security firm.”

Just tell them you work in security, Max had told him. So far, that explanation had worked for him.

“Oh, like finance?”

“No, unfortunately, I guess. No, it’s physical security for high-end clients, big shots. Beats being in combat for a lot less money, I guess.”

“Well it’s good to see you. And I’m glad you made it back in one piece.”

“It’s good to be back.”

“So how are your parents?”

“They’re fine. The same, I guess. Dad talks about retirement, but this virus thing has put that off, I guess. Mom’s doing okay. I live in Washington now, so I don’t see much of them, to be honest.”

I’m going to have to tell my dad I’m back in the U.S. and out of the service, Joe said to himself. It’s been a year already. Why can’t I tell him?

“Washington? Wow, that’s exciting. So, did you get this job through the service?”

“In a way. The company is run by a guy who used to do more or less what I did.”

“So, there’s some travel involved?”

“Yeah. A fair amount. I don’t mind it, at least not for now.”

“Good benefits?”

“I guess. I just signed up for the standard stuff. I’m glad I got the job before the virus hit. Though our business seems pretty unaffected by that.”

“Well I’m in the fresh food department, the meat section, so as you can imagine we were kind of overrun when the lockdowns started last year. For months afterward, it was pretty crazy.”

“I bet.”

“It’s calmed down a little since then, though. But there’s still a lot of mask and full-body-suit kind of work. The world has changed.”

“Yes, it has. Who could have predicted that, even a year ago. But working in a fresh food section – that’s been kind of a dependable job, huh?”

“Yes. I am so blessed. So many people without incomes, without benefits, suddenly ill.”

“Did you ever get the virus?”

“I think I had it. It seemed like a bad cold. Not too severe. And Jeff probably too. I don’t think Jane had the virus, but she had a cough and some kind of stomach bug recently.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear about that. She okay?”

“I think she’ll be all right.”

“What about Danny? Did he get it?”

Mary froze. Tears stung her eyes.

“Danny… no, he never… he never had it.”

“But he’s okay?”

Mary paused and leaned forward, with her hands on her knees.

“It’s been so long, I thought you would know,” she said.

“Know…?”

“Uh, Danny… Danny took his own life several years ago.”

It was Joe’s turn to freeze. His mouth hung open.

After several seconds, he spoke. “I am so sorry. I had no idea. No idea. Oh my god.”

“It’s been a while now,” Mary said.

“Several years ago?”

“Yes,” Mary said. “Five years now, almost.”

“Mary,” Joe said, “I had no idea.”

“Well, it was a rough time,” she said. “I guess we were going through so much, we didn’t inform everyone.”

“My father and mother never knew?”

“No, I guess not. If you didn’t know.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault,” Mary said, rocking back and forth a bit.

“I understand… I guess there’s no good time to tell people something like that,” Joe said. “How are Jane and Jeff?”

“Well, we all have good days and bad days,” Mary said.

Joe looked down and shook his head. “I am so ashamed we lost touch,” he said. “I’ll tell my dad about it. I’m sure he will be…”

“No, it’s okay.”

“…I’m sure he will be shocked. He always spoke so highly of you.”

“Did he really?”

“Yes. He thinks the world of you.”

“Wow,” Mary said. “I never knew.”

“Listen, Mary, here’s my number,” Joe said, handing over a business card. “If you guys ever need anything, and I can help, let me know. I loved visiting with you when I was younger. You were always so nice to me. If you ever hit a rough patch again, I might be able to help. I’m sure my dad would too. We’re family.”

“Well, thanks. I don’t think we need anything, but thanks.”

“Listen, one of the reasons I’m here is to tell you I might be coming back in a month or so. Maybe we can go to dinner or something.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’d love to take you three out to dinner. My treat.”

“What are you coming here for?”

“Well, I work security on some political events. The President is coming here for a rally, I think it’s March 31, and I’m helping out with the security for the event. I don’t know how you feel about him, he seems to polarize people.”

“No,” she said. “We like him okay.”

“Well, if his rallies are something you are interested in, I can get you some pretty good tickets. VIP stuff.”

“Wow,” Mary said. “Wow. That would be great. I know Jeff would be over the moon.”

“Well, great. Shall we say dinner March 30, I’ll come here and take you out, and then the rally the next evening?”

“Wow, Joe. Thank you so much.”

“I’m glad I could do it. I’ll be pretty busy during the event, but I’ll try to set you up to get the backstage experience.”

“Thanks!”

“Well, this is going to seem weird now, and I hate to do this, especially after hearing what you told me, but I actually have a plane to catch.”

He got up awkwardly, the Coke still in his hand.

“Please take care of yourselves, and hug Jeff and Jane for me. And let’s stay in better touch from now on.”

“I’d like that,” Mary said.

He moved toward the door. He turned back and pointed.

“So March 30 and 31. Mark your calendar.”

“We’ll be here, with bells on,” Mary said. She opened the door for him.

“We’ll catch up on everything then in the right way,” Joe said.

“Take care. Call me, even if you just want to say hello.”

He walked back toward his rental car in the twilight darkness, fishing in his pocket for the unfamiliar keys.

He felt himself shiver.

Still winter, he thought.