Pet

                                                                                     A thin stream of light crept through a crack in the thick tacky flowered pattern curtains piercing thick clouds of cigarette smoke and hovering dust across my face waking me way before my body agreed. looking around the unfamiliar settings of the cheap pay by the hour motel that would home for the next few weeks. well hopefully only a few weeks. unfamiliar surroundings at this point were, well familiar. an empty bottle of cheap whiskey lay on its side on the nightstand along with the cigarettes responsible for stale smell and faint cloud that still lingered in the room from a few hours earlier. The alarm clock read one in the afternoon, my body said five a.m. setting up I reached for a smoke and turned on the T.V.. A news channel droned on about wreaks, shootings and other happenings as I set back and enjoyed the thick cloud that entered my lungs killing me so sweetly. Greendale was the city this month, there would no doubt be more. I would stay for a while but never let myself get to comfortable. This time was a bit different.     Finishing the last of my cigarette I climbed from my bed and headed for the shower. the small bathroom was an ugly 70s or 80s olive green with mold in the shower. The vomit around and on the toilet didn’t help much for décor either. I just hoped it was mine. After cleaning up the vomit I stepped into the shower, with the water as hot as I could stand. letting the water just run over my head. I tried to prepare myself for the day ahead. if I was going to be in this town long, I was going to need money. in a small town like this a hustle was hard to come by so this time I was going to try a job. It wasn’t my cup of tea but if I wanted to eat and not be on the streets again it was necessary, and with less than a hundred bucks and no food the streets weren’t far away. Grabbing a towel, I stepped from the shower ran a comb through my long straight black hair and went for the pile of half dirty half clean clothes heaped beside the bed finding the most job interview outfit I could find, in this case it was jeans and a long sleeve black shirt with a V-neck. throwing on black slides I was out the door. Outside the motel was a little more like places I was unfortunately more accustom to. A tall guy stood at the entrance to a small covered breeze way that lead from the office to the rooms on the lower floor. He was visibly muscular under his loose baggy clothing. He had a black beanie on his head that matched the rest of his clothing from head to toe. Both of his pockets bulging slightly as he held up the side of the building with one foot. I knew he was more than likely the Greendale motel's resident drug dealer. Almost every motel I had stayed in, in the last few years had one, so he wasn’t unusual or unfamiliar, he kind of made the place feel more comfortable. He nodded as I walked by.  "What's up?”      I nodded and kept walking. his services might be useful, but not right now I was on a mission, no time to get high. Walking in my direction coming up the breeze way were two women one more weathered than the other, but she looked as if she was on her way. They both wore tall high heels. The older one had blonde hair stringy hair and long dangly earrings, she wore a mini skirt that gave very little to the imagination and a bright red halter top that exposed her freckled collar bone. The girl that walked by her side was a good bit younger but had obviously been exposed to the life for a awhile. She looked exhausted and sad. She had on jeans that I’m not sure how she could breathe in and a plain blue tank top. Big silver hoop earrings hung almost to her shoulders and short black hair cut in a bob.  They smiled as they passed me. I felt sad for her and myself I could so easily be in her place. I had seen it too many times its always the same. A young girl runs away from home to escape and it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire. nevertheless, it wasn’t my business so smiled back and continued. A few steps down the breeze way I looked back over my shoulder and as I thought they both entered the big guys room and closed the door. Turning around I walked almost directly into a tall middle-aged man. Although somewhat older than I he was handsome and well dressed. I stumbled, and he reached to catch me.  " I’ve got it. sorry." I mumbled not really wanting him to touch me. He looked somewhat out of place he was dressed very nice kind of business casual or whatever they call it. He had on slacks and a light blue button up shirt tucked in neatly with brown loafers, he was caring a large brown paper bag with the top rolled shut. He smelled of expensive cologne, his hair was swept back all neat and in place. He looked to be in his forties, the kind of man that only comes to places like this looking for girls like the ones that just entered the big guys room. He was either a cop or a client.  "Are you, all right? I didn’t mean to frighten you I wasn’t paying attention. I apologize" Oh yea, He was well spoken too, he’s looking for the girls. " I’m fine. no worries." flashing him a smile I walked around him to continue on my way.  “Wait excuse me ma'am. I hate to bother you but I’m looking for someone. Maybe they're friends of yours, do you know where Leah is, I was by her room earlier she wasn’t in?" " No, I don’t have any friends and I don’t know anyone named Leah. Sorry." I turned and walked away angry and a little hurt was life so hard on me that I looked like a hooker too? was I dressed like a hooker? He said something else as I was walking off that I couldn’t make out, but I was in no mood to talk to anyone much less someone who had managed to offend me within the first few seconds of meeting me. Even without the unintended insult I wasn’t a people person not to anyone. When you’re constantly on the move its better that way. No feelings No attachments just yourself. The only company I saw myself needing anytime soon was a bottle.         After a few hours of walking down the narrow empty streets of town, I had filled out half a dozen applications and had one unpromising interview at every bar, club, diner, and convenience store I could find. My feet were aching and stomach pleading for anything I walked up to fast food joint, the only thing I could afford on my nearly nothing budget and still have money for the bottle. The parking lot was almost completely empty except for a pretty, white sports car that was parked near the door. I hoped that didn’t speak for the food. At the moment I was too hungry to care. The lobby was just as empty as the parking lot. There was only one person sitting in a booth in the corner by himself. I could tell by his suit that he was the owner of the sports car. I wonder what he’s doing in this dump? Surly he can afford better. I shrugged and walked up to the counter. The guy at the counter was dark and handsome and greeted me with a friendly smile. " I’ll just have a burger and fries, a water." I took a seat a couple seats down from “sports car guy” and waited on my food. He glanced at me a few times over his cheap burger and grinned. I acted like I didn’t notice. When my food was ready, I went up to the counter.  “Thanks. Do you know if anyone is hiring in town? I’m new here and looking for work.” The guy whose name tag read Steve Looked at me strange. “umm. I don’t think we are hiring right now.” “What about anywhere else?” “Not that I know of.” “Thanks.” Discouraged from Steve’s lack of knowledge I walked back to my booth. I wolfed the food down so quick it almost made me sick. I was much hungrier than I realized. I tried to remember the last time I had eaten. It had to be at least a day and a couple towns up the road when the bus stopped at a terminal. I sat for a little while looking out the window before I realized that “Sports car guy" was still there and staring at me. I looked him in the eyes and threw my hands up in a “what the hell do you want” kind of way. He chuckled, before getting up and walking over to my booth. “Hi I’m Mat. May I join you?” I could tell he was giving me his friendliest smile. Still I didn’t know if I wanted to be bothered. He glanced across the street at a huge warehouse looking building that I hadn’t really noticed. It was a pale grey and plain all the way around with a tall chain-link fence that ran all the way round. There was a tiny guard shack that sat out front.  “I heard you ask if anyone was hiring. That’s Brenden. I think they may be hiring.” He smiled and turned to walk away. “Wait. I’m sorry please join me.” He turned back around with a smile and nodded, sitting down in the booth across from me. “Thank you. I’m just new here and have a lot on my mind.” I smiled apologetically, hoping I hadn’t ruined the only good lead I had on a job all day. “I’m Morgan.” “It’s fine. I understand. So, Morgan, where are you from?” “Um. A little bit of everywhere really. New York this time.” “Ahh. New York is a lot busier than this place I miss it. I spent some time in New York a couple of years back. I move pretty often myself.” “Oh yea? For work?” “Yea, mostly, but really I think I just like to see different places.” He smiled. “So, what brings you here all the way from New York?” That I didn’t have an answer for so I smiled and came up with the most convincing lie I could think of. “As great as the city is, I was just ready for a change. I had heard about this place a long time ago so I thought I would give it a try, maybe I’ll like small town life.” I smiled right back at him. “Maybe you will. I have Mr. Brenden’s number he does the hiring.” “Thank you. It’s so appreciated.” “Your welcome. I’ll let him know to expect your call.” “Oh. You know him?” “Yes. I work there. He recently hired my security company.” “Oh. Okay. Cool.” “Well I have to go, but hopefully I’ll see you around Morgan.” He handed me two cards from his wallet. One read Mike Brenden and the other said Matthew Shaw. “I know it’s hard being new in town if you need anything give me a call.” He said smiling. I nodded and he walked out of the hole-in-the-wall restaurant to his car.