Chapter seven
It happened to be he was an old, jovial man approaching his seventies.
Even as unsure as my companion was, he led me through the doors of the owner's office and said in his lazy drawl of a voice. "There you have it. What now, little lad?"
The old man seated behind his desk swiveled his chair around to face us as we arrived. Firstly, he frowned at me in total confusion, then gave the tall man by my side a look that was supposed to mean, "start explaining."
The latter shrugged down at me and did as expected. "Found the urchin sneaking in. When I expected an explanation from him, he asked to see you."
The term "urchin" brought a mark of moisture to my eyes. But I wasn't in that gloomy Montana anymore, was I?
The boss, whose name tag read STEPHEN ALLENDRO, gave me an expressionless scrutiny. At this point, I wasn't exactly sure of my fate, neither did I know how I had the courage to look him straight in the eye with my sad,tired stare.
"Come," he finally gestured to one of the seats, "tell me how I can help you."
And that was the first impression he'd given that made me know he was a good man.
Shocked, I wobbled my little figure closer onward. It took me quarter a minute to get upon the high chair.
But when I did, I joined my hands and looked right into his eyes again. "Uhmnn…Sir. I need a job."
I saw him smile instantly as I heard the other less friendly man go into a feat of endless laughter.
"A job," Mr Allendro repeated with a pitch that made it obvious the idea was silly. And I totally understood.
Anyone would react that way to a tiny, seven-year old asking for a job in a gym. "Do you realise you're underaged…and incapable little boy?"
"I am underaged, yes" my confidence took over. "But I can vouge for myself that I am very capable Mr Allendro. Back in Montana, we worked on nothing less than 50 square meters in a day. Keeping a gym can't be any harder. "
He was still smiling, but now it was borne more out of admiration than silliness this time.
For a while, he gave no response, just studying me as my heart beat loudly. "I heard you say WE," he suddenly noted. "If you had a family, where are they now?"
I was hoping he wouldn't ask that.
Initially, I chose not to answer that. But on second thoughts, if I wanted this, saying one truth was the least I could do. "My father…" my gaze dropped to his name tag, "…they said died in a war when I was younger. My older brother…was murdered in a fire."
My breath caught up in my throat…but I was successful in keeping still and concluding. "And my Uncle hung himself just after he couldn't live with the guilt of killing my mother."
For a while, neither man said anything, both gawking at me with the look of pity I'd come to hate so much. I'm sure it was too much to take in.
"What's your name young man," the boss asked.
My reply came out quick and almost quiet. "Jeffery," I said, "Jeffery Thompson."
"Jeffrey Thompson," he seemed to like the sound of it in his mouth. "What do you want for your pay son?" Mr Allendro seemed to be coming in line quite fine.
In nostalgia, I leaned forward suddenly and replied. "Just feed me and let me live here. I'll work for you."
He smiled sadly with his eyes on me. Soon, he sighed, reached out to shake my hand and said. "You get the job my boy."
When I took his hand with an excited grin on my face, he tipped his head to the man behind me. "Go with him. Shower, eat and I'll show you around and all you need to do."
So there were still good people on Earth. But to find them was harder than the camel and needle eye story.
***
"Oh I was the innocent, little lad back then." Placing my arms stretched sideways, I pouted my lips nonchalantly.
Then smiled, "But on the contrary, I had lethal thoughts inside me. Very lethal. Before I left Montana, I'd gathered minor details about every drug meddler that associated with my brother, with Max topping that list."
" Well, vengeance wasn't really a word I practised. But for my brother, I became thirsty for it. However, no seven year old urchin took vengeance successfully. So even if I had to wait fifteen, long years to grow stronger, I saw it quite a fine deal."