VIII
872 Words
VIIITHE LINES WERE SLOWER forming that day. Chaz rolled up all the bedrolls and Jean did a check of the supplies, like usual. I cleaned up the van and wiped down everything, turned the grill on low to warm up. Made sure I had enough order pads and backup pencils to take orders.
Jean took off to get our deliveries for the day, and I handed Chaz the condiments through the screen window. He then came in to scrape down the grill and put some buns on to warm.
The first in line stepped forward and the day started as usual.
Well, mostly usual. The lines were quieter, less jokes and talking. And fewer people in those lines. But it wasn't a Sunday or other holiday. After a few hours, I saw someone going backwards down the line talking to people. And most of the people he talked to left the line to move away. The bulk of them walked went over to the chain-link fence on the edge of the hospice parking lot. Some went further.
Then three cars came roaring in with a lurch through the entrance, then screeching to a halt. Two in front, and one in back.
Gang bangers. I recognized the face of that one who got sick the other night. He was still a sicko pasty-white, his skinny face sticking out of his dark hoodie and leather jacket. The rest crowded out and approached our van ahead of him, but he only came forward when he saw they weren't getting sick this time.
"Chaz." I nodded outside. A fast look and then he turned all the burners off and moved everything to the cooler back where it wouldn't start a fire from over-cooking.
Then took my hand in his.
"I'd like to place an order!" That was the sicko. "I'd like to order the two of you out of there so we can deal with you. Our way. This is our turf, and what we say goes!" He looked around to the rest of his guys, and they all nodded.
Yet their fear was tangible. We could feel it where we stood.
Chaz just held my hand tighter.
I leaned down to the window and opened up the screen. "So you're feeling better since last night? Listen, we only take orders for food. And we serve the best food you can get on this side of Kansas City - maybe in the whole of KC. So get in line and we'll help you get fed today. Have your cash or Welfare card ready and we'll get started."
Some of the gang bangers actually started moving behind that leader like they would rather be getting a burger than giving grief.
Sicko just glowered at them and pushed them back. "No. We don't want your food. We want to take some payment in kind out of you and your boyfriend. You've been serving up stuff without permission. You owe us! So you can start paying now, or we can make you pay a different way."
One of his goons started for the front van door. Chaz hit a big red button and all the doors and windows locked down. The awning rolled up on it's own.
The other goons moved in and started to bang their sticks on the Plexiglas. Then they picked up the edges of the van and started rocking it.
My eyes went wide, but Chaz just narrowed his. He turned to me and took both my hands.
"Remember this, Hami - I love you. No matter what. No matter why. I love you."
I nodded, with tears in my own eyes, not of fear or grief, but of understanding. "I love you, too. Forever and always. Now, let's get some real loving happening to those boys outside."
We both closed our eyes and saw the world from within. Emotions became colors. The darkest emotions also had the darkest colors. People had these colors surrounding them. Reds and oranges for some.
Ours were bluish. And we concentrated on pushing more love into each other and outward from there. I could see Chaz' face clearly, and I'm sure he could see mine as well. We were both smiling at this. Any yellow or tint of red was pushed back out away from us and we soon saw the familiar van insides as blue and whitish-blue outlines.
The rocking stopped. Without us opening our eyes, we saw them backing away their reds were going more yellow as their own fears started replacing their pent up anger. And they kept backing away.
We didn't open our eyes or let up. Chaz and I just kept pushing that love outward as fast as we could, as strong as we could. We saw them run back to their cars, but those were dead. By then our blue sphere was beyond their cars, and they piled out of them, holding onto their stomach and mouths, struggling to get away. Running or walking or crawling – just to get some distance from us.
We just kept moving the blue sphere outwards until they had all left the front gate on foot and were across the street. Many just kept running after that.
About then a huge thunderstorm let loose overhead and the entire area was pelted in thick rain, washing everything away.
- Writer
