Across the Tracks Ch. 04

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"Ariel what's wrong with you? Your dragging ass today girl!"

"Shut up JB. I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night, I didn't go til bed til like 2."

"Well damn. Tell me about it at lunch ok? I got to get these boxes over to shipping."

"Ok see you at lunch."

Ariel watched JB drive his forklift off, singing some song about a Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde. She lost herself in her work, so when 11:30 rolled around for lunch, she was caught up. She walked into the break room, which was usually empty cause everyone wanted to smoke while they ate their lunch. She got out her lunch box and started un-wrapping her sandwich. She almost jumped out of her skin when JB flopped down next to her, talking as soon as his ass hit the seat.

"Alright now girl why did you stay up til 2am?"

Ariel swallowed her bite of sandwich and thought about her answer. "I was waiting on someone to text me but he never did."

"Ahh a new love interest. Good cause Danny needs to stay out of the picture. Or the general area of other humans, but we can't always get our wishes. Sooooooooooooooo, who's the new beau? C'mon tell me. You know I thrive on that shit. Also, when we get off here at two stop by my truck. I got new pictures of Hayden."

"You did? Awesome. I can't wait to see them. I still hope your son takes after his mother in looks cause if not, poor baby...", Ariel laughed as JB flipped her off and took a drink of water and started to tell JB about Otis, "Well, he's a mechanic over in River District, he's really tall, has a lot of tattoos, has the big holes in his ears, and he rides a motorcycle, I think it's a Triumph."

JB looked at her thoughtfully then it seemed like a realization hit him. "Otis rides a Harley. Not a Triumph. They have different tanks for starters."

Ariel looked at JB with her mouth wide open. She started stuttering, "H-h-h-h-h-ow did you know that's who I was talking about? If that was even who I was talking about?"

JB laughed. "Otis has been my best friend for 19 years and is the godfather to my son. I think I would know his description."

Right around that time, the lunch is over buzzer sounded and everyone started to go back to work. Ariel made JB promise he would go somewhere with her and tell her about Otis. She wanted the information badly.

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When Otis pulled up to his Pappaws trailer, he took comfort in the fact it hadn't changed at all since he had last been there. Same trailer, same garage, same old chickens pecking the dirt in the driveway, and same old pit bull in the back yard. Otis had grabbed some leftover steak from a couple of nights ago when he had left his apartment just for this very purpse. The dog had been one of Otis' true friends growing up, and Otis paid him for it every chance he could. Otis tossed the piece of steak out towards the dog house, and the old dog grabbed it and made short work of it. Otis walked in the back door with the Pepsis and candy bars in his arms, and let the smells of bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits and fresh coffee lead him into the kitchen were his Pappaw had just sat down. Otis set the drinks and candy down and made his plate. One of his Pappaws' rules was no talking during eating, and Otis was more than happy to obey that rule. Otis just simply sat there and enjoyed his food, and his Pappaw and him finished about the same time, a practice they had developed for 5 years of living together. They both lit cigarettes, and started on their after breakfast smokes, which Otis always knew was interrogation time.

"So. You been healthy?" Otis grunted in the affirmitive. "Paying your bills?" "Yes Pappaw." "Got a new girlfriend yet?" "Not yet. Don't worry old man, you'll have grandchildren sooner or later." "Otis boy, I ain't lying, your Pappaw ain't got much longer to wait. I'm 82 years old. My wifes been gone for ten years, your daddy's been gone for 6, and you're just about all I got left. But enough about that. When you going to break down and leave that apartment and move back here? I miss your snoring."

"I'm thinking about it Pappaw. Me? Snore? You're the one that snores old man. I don't make any noise at all. You sound like you're shaking the house down."

Pappaw gave Otis a certain look, it made him look mad, but Otis knew he was just joking. He had gotten that look enough times back in the day.

"You got anything you need me to do today for ya Pappaw?"

Otis groaned out loud as his Pappaw got a devilish grin on his face and pulled out a stack of papers three high. This was going to be a long day indeed. So much for a day of rest.

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When JB and Ariel got off work, they met up at a place called The Boonies, which was this bar surrounded by a lake. It was private, had good people, free people and a live band all day on Saturdays'. The best part was you only had to be 18 to enjoy it. JB and Ariel were both 19 so it was all good. After JB bullshitted with the regulars he knew and the bartenders, he brought him and Ariel some cokes and he had gotten a pork chop sandwich and some fries. After just sitting and letting him eat a couple bites, Ariel cleared her throat and started tappin her fingers against her coke can.

JB looked up and acted puzzled. "What's up? You look like you want me to tell you something."

The look Ariel gave him made JB laugh, but it also showed him she was serious. "So, you want to hear the story of Otis Andrei the infamous huh? Well since me and him talked about you last night, I guess it's only fair you and me talk about him today."

Some people would see JB willing to talk about all this as betraying his friend. It wasn't that. He just wanted his best friend to be happy. Not many people had went through what Otis went through and came out as good as he somehow had, and by God, he deserved his chance.

"Ok, so here is the complete and unedited history of Otis Andrei, aka Bones or Ogre depending on what place you are in."

STAY TUNED FOR CHAPTER 5.