The Fourth Stall - Chris Rylander [58]
Vince sighed. “Mac, please just hear me out, okay? I was too embarrassed to say anything today with Fred and Joe there, but I’ve got a reason. Will you please just hear me out?”
“Fine,” I said. It’d better be good, I thought, or this is going to be a solo operation from now on.
“It’s my mom. She lost her job a few weeks ago. And, well, we’re not like your family, Mac. We don’t have a house and cars, and I don’t have a dad making any money to help out. My mom hasn’t been able to find another job, and she’s been sitting around the house in her robe all day talking to the TV. I mean, when my grandma does stuff like that it’s funny, but with Mom it’s just freaking me out,” he said. He was close to tears now, and already some guilt was starting to creep in and replace my anger.
I nodded at him to continue.
“We’re in bad shape, and my brother has been giving part of his paychecks to her, which has been making her embarrassed, but she still takes it because we’re that desperate. So I’ve been helping out where I can. I mean, I’m not giving her the cash personally, because she’d never take it from me, but I’ve been slipping twenties into her purse when she’s sleeping and stuff like that, and I think she just doesn’t question where it comes from. Once I even heard her thanking my dad one night when she found a ten that I’d put in her dresser drawer. But either way, it’s been making a difference. I mean, how could I sit back and let us lose our trailer or have our heat and water cut off when I know what kind of money we’re sitting on?”
I nodded again. “You could’ve just come to me for help. You didn’t have to steal it . . . .”
“Well, that’s easy for you to say, isn’t it? You don’t know what it’s like to have breakfast for dinner four nights a week because pancakes are cheap. Or to get Victor’s old clothes as birthday presents. I was embarrassed, Mac. It’s embarrassing.”
He was right. I didn’t really know what that’s like. My family had moved out of that trailer park years ago. I barely remember what it’s like not to get new presents for birthdays and holidays and not to get to go on vacations to Disney World and stuff like that. I sometimes forget that Vince still lives in that same old yellow-and-red trailer with brown carpet that always smells like milk for some reason. This actually explained a lot. It also explained why he’d been acting so miserly lately about hiring kids to help Fred.
“I’m sorry, Vince. You’re right. But you should know you don’t have to be embarrassed. You’re my best friend, my business partner. I’ve got your back no matter what. We could’ve worked something out.”
He nodded. “I guess. But I was also worried about the Cubs game. I couldn’t take it if we missed it because of my crazy mom. I mean, if I ruined that for us, I’d probably have to denounce my Cubs fandom forever and declare you the better fan, which we both know isn’t true. I mean, it can’t be, considering how much more Cubs trivia I know.”
I looked at him and a grin slowly spread across his face. Then I burst out laughing, which hurt my sore cheeks. “Ow,” I said, rubbing my face.
“I’m sorry, Mac. I should have come to you. That’s also why I missed our ambush today. My mom had this job interview, and she needed me to watch my little sister because Victor had to work and she can’t afford our usual babysitter anymore. Speaking of which, what happened? I mean, judging from your face . . .”
“They knew, Vince. They knew about the plan. I got beat up, and the bullies and Joe all got trapped in the Shed and baked to a crisp inside that huge tin oven. We were ambushed.”
Vince couldn’t even speak. We sat there for a while just staring at our own sections of the floor.
“Are you guys okay?” Vince finally said.
“What do you think?” I said a little harsher than I’d intended.
“Sorry, Mac, I didn’t mean . . .” Vince started.
“My face hurts, that’s all, and it’s making me edgy. The bullies are fine and I’ll live. Probably.”
I still didn’t feel all that bad for snapping at him, though. I mean, yeah his mom had lost her job