This is my 5th year in work at DJ’S PLACE in Shelton, Washington. An automotive shop where we fix cars. I’m at the top of my game. With many 20 to 30 cars a month. Amazing right? I can find the problem with anything to the car. From the engine to the tires. Anything wrong I can fix.
So one day I am at the shop and my boss comes up watching me exchange a 70 year tranny for a brand new one. He exams me closely watching my every move as I connect the last wire into place. He says
“You have been doing a great job. By my count that job took you only sixty minutes. Almost about the time I did when I was your age.” He studies me again. “I’m a good friend to a fine mechanic down in San Diego Cal. He has top end gear, all brand new tools, just the works. He is looking for a new face with the skills.” I stand there my heart going ninety to nothing. “From my understanding you went to trade school in Vermont.” I shook my head up and down. “Well my boy I want to offer you the opportunity to go work for him.”
I stand there completely still feeling like my heart is going to go out. I wanted to yell YES! YES! YES! A million times YES! But I couldn’t seem to find my voice. Instead it came out with something I regretted since I said it, “I will have to think about it.” I almost slapped myself. He stood there just puzzled. Crap I just lost the job. He speaks, “Well you can take your time and by the end of the week tell me your answer.” He walks away.
I stood there still frozen. All I could hear was the sound of my heart in my ears. How could I be so stupid? Why didn’t just say yes? What was wrong with me? I leave work early and drive home still asking myself why. Why didn’t you just say yes you retard? I walk through my door of my middle class home in the middle of no where will nothing but the sound of the clock tic toking in my ear with each second that went by. Sitting in my 50’s chair made of leather with cheep beer in my hand. My wife Linda walks in with my kids Timmy and Kendra. Kendra’s 5 Timmy is 16. I get a kiss on the top of my head by Linda as she walks in the kitchen tired with work yelling at the kids to go do their homework. I get up telling Linda I’ll fix dinner tonight you go take a nap and kiss her softly sending her to our room. I look at my kitchen with its unpolished countertops and fade yellow paint and think to myself. You could have a better job with bigger pay and provide my family with the things they deserve. Nicer house with a no worries about making the next bill. My wife could stay home and not have to work all night just to keep food on the table. My kids could get those new shoes they wanted at Fred Mayer instead of ones from Pay Less. Could be proud to invite their friends over for a night and not have to be ashamed of our left over food from the food bank and our dirty furnisher from the Used Store. I could get that Barbie that Kendra wanted. The soccer ball that Timmy wants. I started dinner thinking about all the good things that would come to us if I take this job. My family sits down for dinner with smiles as they see that it was roast beef and mashed potatoes and not TV dinners. My wife looks at me and says, “Honey that was our week’s food money. How could you do that?” She looks like she was about to cry.
“Don’t cry honey cause I got some good news.” They looked confused and in shock. “DJ offered me a job down in San Diego Cal. In a top of the line shop with better pay and work. You could quit your job at the dinner. Kids you can have your own rooms. We can have that dream kitchen you always wanted and all the stuff in your wildest dreams.” I smiled big as my family looked at me with their own thoughts in their heads. My wife is the first to speak.
“Honey…I don’t know what to say. Cal is so far away from here.” She looks at our kids Timmy says, “What about our friends and family? My girlfriend memories? I don’t want to move. Why now? I just started soccer and Jenny and I just went on our 7th month of dating. I don’t want to loose her. You guys can go I’m not leaving!” He pushes away from the table and runs upstairs slamming his door.
“I want to go daddy. I can make new friends and everything. Do I get more Barbies?!” She screams. I answer smiling, “Yes everything.” I look at Linda. “We can have a new life a better one with new stuff.” I look at her.
“Timmy is right this is our home with all the memories and family. I don’t want to take that way from our kids.” She looks down thinking. “It will give us a better life?” I shake my head up and down. She sighs. “Tell DJ when do we leave?” I smile and say.
“I’ll go talk to Timmy.” And I head up stairs and knock on his door he is talking to Jenny. “Timmy I know this is sudden I promise that this would be better for us.” He opens the door looking at me.
“Jenny says I should go and we can just talk over the phone and yeah. So I’m in.” He hugs me and closes his door.
I get my phone out of my pocket and I call up DJ. “I will take the job.” He hangs up saying that I should start packing and he will call the shop and say I’m coming. I go down to my family and hug them and say, “This dinner is the end of this life and our new life.” I smile as I shove a fork full of roast and watch my smiling family laughing and joking and talking about our new life.
