Mandi Mac was carrying a big sack of to-go orders as she was walking back towards Washington Heights. One box was her BLT for later, and the other was a medium-rare burger for her dad. She was walking with a quick pace towards the building to try to get out of the misty rain, when she accedently bumped into and startled a woman.
"Oh sorry!" Mandi appologized.
"No problem. Taking the elevator?" She said putting her hand on the door.
"Eh, no, the stairs actually. Thanks though." Mandi replied back.
Mandi walked up the seven flights, down the gloomy hall, and into the wrecked room. "Huh," she let out as she opened the door to smashed chips on the ground next to a few beer cans, all in front of the TV on a channel that was fuzzy with white noise. At least he isn't home, she thought to herself. She walked over, turned of the TV, and settled down at the kitchen counter to eat her BLT, one of her all time diner favorites! Mandi crammed down the first half and then put the other half in the refrigerator for dinner. She settled into her room, locked her bedroom door, closed the shades, and snuggled up in the cold, dark room for a long afternoon nap.
"Come with me."
"But, I can't..."
"Mac, please come with me! We would have so much fun, it would be like the old days! I'll take you shopping and we can go out to lunch..."
"Mom you don't under-"
"Honey, please, I'm begging you we both-"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Mandi shot straight up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Now what'd I do? She asked herself.
"Why the hell is the livin' room lookin' like such a shit hole? What have you been doin' all afternoon, huh? I give you a place to sleep and there is nothin' in it for me obviously..."
Mandi stayed quite and chose not to respond.
"Plus... plus... my burgers not done right damnit. Is it that hard to do stuff right around here?" He continued to bang on the door and yell at it, as if with every word he said it was getting closer and closer to falling down.
"Damnit! I know you're in there girl! Don't think I'm some stupid fool!"
Mandi used her hands to push herself back against the wall. She sat there bundeled up with her arms around her folded up knees, just listening to what he was saying.
"Open the damn door!" He continued to slur.
How pathetic Mandi thought. It's only 5 and he's wasted.
"Did you hear me? What the hell are you doing?" He jiggled the door handle. Mandi squeezed her eyes tighter with every band on the door, waiting for the door to bust open at any second, and for her fathers sweaty hands to grab a hold of her neck, and for the spit from his screamed curse words to fall on her cheeks.
"Ahhughhh!!" He screamed throwing something into a wall, breaking it.
Five minutes later the front door to the aparment slammed shut, and Mandi could finally breath. She stayed in her ball squeezing herself as tight as possible, rocking back and forth. Only 13 more days she thought to herself. Only 13 more. She was ready to stop being scared to death every time she stepped a foot into the Washington Heights building. Mandi rocked her self to sleep in her dark cold room.
"Come on hun, grab my hand, I promise it will be ok."
"I'm comin' mama, I'm comin'."
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Night Shift
"Hey there, welcome to Mr. Wong, I'll be with ya in a hot second," Charlie Slicks said as he heard the bell on the door cling as a customer entered the little restaraunt.
"Charlie what are you doing back there? You're always so sketchy!" Mandi giggled.
"Well hey Mac. How's it goin? Long time no see," Charlie said coming out of the back, putting back on his plastic chef hat that had Mr. Wong written in red letters accross the top.
"Fine. You know. Just trying to get by. Before we know it I'll have enough money and be able to get outta this place. I'm getting close you know, if I just--"
"Mac what happened to your cheek?" He asked, still staring at it.
"Oh nothin, just triped the other day..." she made up.
"Looks to me like its in the perfect spot to believe that somebody hit you, is that what happened?" he questioned.
"No, trust me," she looked down at ther watch, "Anyways I gotta hurry back to work before it starts snowin again..."
"Ya it sure has been a chilly day," Charlie smiled back. "What do ya have? The usual?"
"That'll do it."
"Alright well take care," Charlie said opening the door for Mandi. He watched her wrap her arms around herself for warmth and head out into the snow flurries. "Hey Mac?" She stoped and turned around. "If that bruise really is there from someone else, lemme know if you ever need anything, kay?" Mandi nodded and continued to scurry off down the street, back to the diner for the all night shift.
"Well darlin, would a hamburger not do for tonight?" Mable said in the back kitchen of the diner, as Mandi sat there spinning her noodles onto a fork.
"Ha, nah. Tonight was my lucky night to treat myself, plus I don't think I'd make it all night without all this food, I am totally out of energy."
"Whelp, only 10 more hours," Mable giggled looking up at the clock. 9:39. "You'll get through it dear," Mable said confidently; she was used to the long night shifts at the diner, they were actually her favorite because they were less quite than the day shift.
"Gee, thanks for the encouragement," Mandi joked back as she took a bite of sesame chicken.
Mandi and Mable were sitting across the counter from one another sipping on coffee when the door squeeked open.
"Whoo!! Sure is chilly out there," the man said shaking his head to get the snow off.
"Well come on in and lets get ya warmed up," Mable welcomed. "How bout a hot cup of coffee?"
"That'd be perfect m'am."
"Anything else goin on out there other than it being freezing?" Mandi asked from her seat at the counter.
"Well not really. It's pretty quite out there."
"Ya, I guess so," Mandi said glancing up at the clock. 2:19.
"I mean other than the normal few wandering hobos, you know how it is... huh!" He chuckled. "But you know, now that I think about it, I have seen this out of place black car driving around all night, I mean it's a nice car and all but it just seems funny to me. Unmarked and everything, drivin slow. Uggh!" He said shaking himself a little as if he had the chills. "Maybe I'm just being crazy, it has been a long day."
"Hm... well that's strange. You don't seem like you're from around here anyways, what are you doin here?" Mable questioned.
The three continued talking for another 40 minutes or so. At about three the man checked his watch and headed out, Mabel walked him to the door and as she opened it a huge gust of cold air came in, as she peered out the blinds, watching him walk down the street, an unmarked black car slowly drove by, not even stopping for the red light the car continued at an easy pace through the intersection.
"After all these years this place still gives me the creeps," Mabel said removing her fingers from holding open the blinds.
A policed siren softly wailed in the distance.
"Charlie what are you doing back there? You're always so sketchy!" Mandi giggled.
"Well hey Mac. How's it goin? Long time no see," Charlie said coming out of the back, putting back on his plastic chef hat that had Mr. Wong written in red letters accross the top.
"Fine. You know. Just trying to get by. Before we know it I'll have enough money and be able to get outta this place. I'm getting close you know, if I just--"
"Mac what happened to your cheek?" He asked, still staring at it.
"Oh nothin, just triped the other day..." she made up.
"Looks to me like its in the perfect spot to believe that somebody hit you, is that what happened?" he questioned.
"No, trust me," she looked down at ther watch, "Anyways I gotta hurry back to work before it starts snowin again..."
"Ya it sure has been a chilly day," Charlie smiled back. "What do ya have? The usual?"
"That'll do it."
"Alright well take care," Charlie said opening the door for Mandi. He watched her wrap her arms around herself for warmth and head out into the snow flurries. "Hey Mac?" She stoped and turned around. "If that bruise really is there from someone else, lemme know if you ever need anything, kay?" Mandi nodded and continued to scurry off down the street, back to the diner for the all night shift.
"Well darlin, would a hamburger not do for tonight?" Mable said in the back kitchen of the diner, as Mandi sat there spinning her noodles onto a fork.
"Ha, nah. Tonight was my lucky night to treat myself, plus I don't think I'd make it all night without all this food, I am totally out of energy."
"Whelp, only 10 more hours," Mable giggled looking up at the clock. 9:39. "You'll get through it dear," Mable said confidently; she was used to the long night shifts at the diner, they were actually her favorite because they were less quite than the day shift.
"Gee, thanks for the encouragement," Mandi joked back as she took a bite of sesame chicken.
Mandi and Mable were sitting across the counter from one another sipping on coffee when the door squeeked open.
"Whoo!! Sure is chilly out there," the man said shaking his head to get the snow off.
"Well come on in and lets get ya warmed up," Mable welcomed. "How bout a hot cup of coffee?"
"That'd be perfect m'am."
"Anything else goin on out there other than it being freezing?" Mandi asked from her seat at the counter.
"Well not really. It's pretty quite out there."
"Ya, I guess so," Mandi said glancing up at the clock. 2:19.
"I mean other than the normal few wandering hobos, you know how it is... huh!" He chuckled. "But you know, now that I think about it, I have seen this out of place black car driving around all night, I mean it's a nice car and all but it just seems funny to me. Unmarked and everything, drivin slow. Uggh!" He said shaking himself a little as if he had the chills. "Maybe I'm just being crazy, it has been a long day."
"Hm... well that's strange. You don't seem like you're from around here anyways, what are you doin here?" Mable questioned.
The three continued talking for another 40 minutes or so. At about three the man checked his watch and headed out, Mabel walked him to the door and as she opened it a huge gust of cold air came in, as she peered out the blinds, watching him walk down the street, an unmarked black car slowly drove by, not even stopping for the red light the car continued at an easy pace through the intersection.
"After all these years this place still gives me the creeps," Mabel said removing her fingers from holding open the blinds.
A policed siren softly wailed in the distance.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Boots
Clunk. Mandi dropped her white bag with the red "thank you" letters on it as she went to chase her hat that was flying accross the street. The wind was crazy that day and that was the third time she had lost her hat to the wind.
"Are you serious?" Mandi uttered as she walked back towards the box of take home food for her dad. The box was completely smooshed in the center, and about six yards past the box was a woman walking quickly in her big boots. "Well, gee, thanks boot lady," Mandi sarcasticly mumbled. She picked up the crunched box, turned the corner and entered Washington Heights. She knew that there was no time to go back to pick her dad another sandwhich up before she started her next shift.
"Now you better remember to bring me some food tonight. I ain't waitin around all damn night starvin cause you forget it or somethin. Since you've obviously been too lazy to make it to the grocery store," Mandi's dad told her earlier that morning.
Mandi didn't want to bring her father food at all, in fact she considered spitting on it somewhere for every time she thought about how much she hated him that day, or she would have liked for him just to not have a dinner at all. Mandi knew what her consequences would be if she didn't do as he asked... and unfortunately she knew what was going to happen for bringing home a squished sandwhich box; almost worst than no sandwhich at all.
Mandi rattled her keys in the door and walked in to her father passed out, as usual, on the recliner. He was awakened by her enterance. His eyes were immediately gleaming at the squished box Mandi was holding.
"Damnit girl. You can't even bring your own father a decent dinner? You have to go and let someone smoosh all on it. Huh. Like that was an accident. You probably did that yourself you little wintch," he said as he rose from the chair walking towards her. "You know after all I do for you... huh. Can't even bring be a decent SANDWHICH," he screamed as he slapped the box out her hands. The red katchup container cracked open and splattered on the walls. "Now look what you made me do," he said grabbing her wrist with one hand, shaking her back in forth with the other.
"Well why don't you just go ahead and hit me for it, save you the trouble, save me the time, and let me..."
"You are more like her every day. Just can't shut your trap, now can ya? And she wondered why I abused her. Huh! Its not that hard to see woman!"
Mandi wiggled loose and went to pick up the trash. As she was bending down to grab the white bag, he pushed her with his foot, making her lose balance and splat right into some of the spilled katchup. "Quit it!" She screamed up at him. "Look what you've made me do!"
"Me? Me? Look what I have made you do? Huh! If it weren't for you trying to screw up my super, if you could just do one damn thing right then none of this would have happened." He slowly bent over, grabbed her shirt on each corner and pulled her off the ground. His hand reached back and swung full throtle at her left cheek; knocking her back to the red sauce. "Now maybe next time I ask you to do somethin, you'll think twice about screwin it up."
Mandi stabalized herself and stood up, then walked out the door. "Stupid peace of shit," she heard through the muffling of the door. No time for make up to cover what had happened.
She walked in the enterance of the back of the dinner and began to put on her uniform peaces.
"Darlin, what is that on your face. Has your father..."
"I'm fine, thanks Mable," Mandi replied, avoiding making eye contact.
"Now Mac, come here darlin, you look like you need a hug," Mable said walking over towards Mandi. Mandi turned and embrased the welcoming arms. "Shh... it's alright dear," Mable said, trying to calm Mandi's crying. "Darlin, there are just some days when the sky is gray for a reason."
"Are you serious?" Mandi uttered as she walked back towards the box of take home food for her dad. The box was completely smooshed in the center, and about six yards past the box was a woman walking quickly in her big boots. "Well, gee, thanks boot lady," Mandi sarcasticly mumbled. She picked up the crunched box, turned the corner and entered Washington Heights. She knew that there was no time to go back to pick her dad another sandwhich up before she started her next shift.
"Now you better remember to bring me some food tonight. I ain't waitin around all damn night starvin cause you forget it or somethin. Since you've obviously been too lazy to make it to the grocery store," Mandi's dad told her earlier that morning.
Mandi didn't want to bring her father food at all, in fact she considered spitting on it somewhere for every time she thought about how much she hated him that day, or she would have liked for him just to not have a dinner at all. Mandi knew what her consequences would be if she didn't do as he asked... and unfortunately she knew what was going to happen for bringing home a squished sandwhich box; almost worst than no sandwhich at all.
Mandi rattled her keys in the door and walked in to her father passed out, as usual, on the recliner. He was awakened by her enterance. His eyes were immediately gleaming at the squished box Mandi was holding.
"Damnit girl. You can't even bring your own father a decent dinner? You have to go and let someone smoosh all on it. Huh. Like that was an accident. You probably did that yourself you little wintch," he said as he rose from the chair walking towards her. "You know after all I do for you... huh. Can't even bring be a decent SANDWHICH," he screamed as he slapped the box out her hands. The red katchup container cracked open and splattered on the walls. "Now look what you made me do," he said grabbing her wrist with one hand, shaking her back in forth with the other.
"Well why don't you just go ahead and hit me for it, save you the trouble, save me the time, and let me..."
"You are more like her every day. Just can't shut your trap, now can ya? And she wondered why I abused her. Huh! Its not that hard to see woman!"
Mandi wiggled loose and went to pick up the trash. As she was bending down to grab the white bag, he pushed her with his foot, making her lose balance and splat right into some of the spilled katchup. "Quit it!" She screamed up at him. "Look what you've made me do!"
"Me? Me? Look what I have made you do? Huh! If it weren't for you trying to screw up my super, if you could just do one damn thing right then none of this would have happened." He slowly bent over, grabbed her shirt on each corner and pulled her off the ground. His hand reached back and swung full throtle at her left cheek; knocking her back to the red sauce. "Now maybe next time I ask you to do somethin, you'll think twice about screwin it up."
Mandi stabalized herself and stood up, then walked out the door. "Stupid peace of shit," she heard through the muffling of the door. No time for make up to cover what had happened.
She walked in the enterance of the back of the dinner and began to put on her uniform peaces.
"Darlin, what is that on your face. Has your father..."
"I'm fine, thanks Mable," Mandi replied, avoiding making eye contact.
"Now Mac, come here darlin, you look like you need a hug," Mable said walking over towards Mandi. Mandi turned and embrased the welcoming arms. "Shh... it's alright dear," Mable said, trying to calm Mandi's crying. "Darlin, there are just some days when the sky is gray for a reason."
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Sweet Dreams
"Mom! This is so beatiful! I LOVE it!"
"Well sweetie you deserve nothing less. Goodness, I can't believe you are sixteen! It was just yesterday when you were running around the house naked, singing barney songs." She began to tear up. "Before I know it you'll be walking down the aisle, getting married."
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Mandi rolled over in her twin bed, eyes closed, gliding her hand accross the bedside table to put the beeping off for another 10 minutes. She tried so hard to return to her dream, but couldn't.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! This time Mandi slowly sat up and quited the beeping for good. She fumbled in the dark to find her red button-up diner shirt and black pants. The lack of lighting in the appartment was really getting old for Mandi. "Ugh," she exlaimed as she tilted over, one leg stuck in those stiff pants. Mandi then walked over to the mirror leaning against the wall, sqautted down, and checked her face for bruises; making sure there wasn't any need to pile on extra make up to hide her dad's marks. But today the mark was barely present, nothing big enough for her to worry about. She glanced back at her alarm clock as she left her room. 8:09. Just enough time to run to the grocery store before work. Today was a late work day, she didn't hav to be there until nine.
Mandi pulled her hood up over her head as the exited Washington Heights. It was only drizzling, but she preffered not to spend the rest of her work day soggy. She walked quickly down Baker Street.
"Hey Maggy," she said as she walked past the little food stand.
"Hey there darlin'," she winked back.
Mandi continued on to Manny's and hurried in to grab enough food for two more days; a box of cereal, a half gallon of milk, 2 frozen fish falet dinners (for her dad), a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter.
"Alrighty, that'll be nineteen-oh-seven." The cashier said.
Mandi handid him nineteen ones from her tip money, "Hold on I have seven pennies," she told him.
After Mandi put the nineteen dollars worth of groceries up, she poured herself a bowl of cereal to eat before she headed off for work. Crunch. Crunch. She stood over the counter, shovelling the cheerios into her mouth with a glance at her watch. 8:47. The uneven footsteps from the other room startled her. Thump. Thump thump. She threw her dished in the sink, grabbed her bag and headed out the door. Every time she could avoid her dad it was worth it.
31 hamburgers, 56 wet customers, 9 screaming children, 1 wrong order, and fourteen hours later, Mandi walked the 30 second stretch back down Bucher Drive to Washington Heights. As she turned the corner she collided with a lady and dropped her grilled ham and cheese sandwhich to-go box.
"Oh, sorry Elizabeth! My bad. How are you?" Mandi said as she knelt down to pick up her box.
"Oh... um... no worries." Elizabeth responded abnormally as continued walking quickly, looking around as if she was being chased.
'Hm... that was odd,' Mandi thought as she continued up to her appartment.
She opened the door to room 704. Nothing new. Her dad was lounged out on the recliner, a spilt beer on the floor, TV flickering. As she walked by she grabbed the remote from the side of the recliner to turn off the TV, and as she did so, notice three yellow feathers hanging on his black shirt. Mandi tucked herself in for the night, hoping to return to sweet dreams of her and her mother.
"Well sweetie you deserve nothing less. Goodness, I can't believe you are sixteen! It was just yesterday when you were running around the house naked, singing barney songs." She began to tear up. "Before I know it you'll be walking down the aisle, getting married."
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Mandi rolled over in her twin bed, eyes closed, gliding her hand accross the bedside table to put the beeping off for another 10 minutes. She tried so hard to return to her dream, but couldn't.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! This time Mandi slowly sat up and quited the beeping for good. She fumbled in the dark to find her red button-up diner shirt and black pants. The lack of lighting in the appartment was really getting old for Mandi. "Ugh," she exlaimed as she tilted over, one leg stuck in those stiff pants. Mandi then walked over to the mirror leaning against the wall, sqautted down, and checked her face for bruises; making sure there wasn't any need to pile on extra make up to hide her dad's marks. But today the mark was barely present, nothing big enough for her to worry about. She glanced back at her alarm clock as she left her room. 8:09. Just enough time to run to the grocery store before work. Today was a late work day, she didn't hav to be there until nine.
Mandi pulled her hood up over her head as the exited Washington Heights. It was only drizzling, but she preffered not to spend the rest of her work day soggy. She walked quickly down Baker Street.
"Hey Maggy," she said as she walked past the little food stand.
"Hey there darlin'," she winked back.
Mandi continued on to Manny's and hurried in to grab enough food for two more days; a box of cereal, a half gallon of milk, 2 frozen fish falet dinners (for her dad), a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter.
"Alrighty, that'll be nineteen-oh-seven." The cashier said.
Mandi handid him nineteen ones from her tip money, "Hold on I have seven pennies," she told him.
After Mandi put the nineteen dollars worth of groceries up, she poured herself a bowl of cereal to eat before she headed off for work. Crunch. Crunch. She stood over the counter, shovelling the cheerios into her mouth with a glance at her watch. 8:47. The uneven footsteps from the other room startled her. Thump. Thump thump. She threw her dished in the sink, grabbed her bag and headed out the door. Every time she could avoid her dad it was worth it.
31 hamburgers, 56 wet customers, 9 screaming children, 1 wrong order, and fourteen hours later, Mandi walked the 30 second stretch back down Bucher Drive to Washington Heights. As she turned the corner she collided with a lady and dropped her grilled ham and cheese sandwhich to-go box.
"Oh, sorry Elizabeth! My bad. How are you?" Mandi said as she knelt down to pick up her box.
"Oh... um... no worries." Elizabeth responded abnormally as continued walking quickly, looking around as if she was being chased.
'Hm... that was odd,' Mandi thought as she continued up to her appartment.
She opened the door to room 704. Nothing new. Her dad was lounged out on the recliner, a spilt beer on the floor, TV flickering. As she walked by she grabbed the remote from the side of the recliner to turn off the TV, and as she did so, notice three yellow feathers hanging on his black shirt. Mandi tucked herself in for the night, hoping to return to sweet dreams of her and her mother.
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