Damaged Goods

"Um, yeah, hi. Uh, I was given your number from an acquaintance. I heard that you need an electrician?"

"Yeah, what's your price and availability?"

"Well I work Monday thru Friday until about six. If it's a small job I could do it at night. If not small then Saturday and Sunday. By the day is cheaper than by the hour" and then hoped she wouldn't hang up as I quoted hourly and daily rates.

We exchanged names. Hers was Deb, and I got an address. Saturday morning I'd drop by and take a look.

When Saturday arrived I was surprised to find it in a gated community. After confirming I was expected I wound through the subdivision to her address. Only one car in the garage so the mister must be golfing or something.

Deb was about my mother's age and not wearing any rings. Things weren't adding up. She needed the ground fault outlet in the master bath replaced and wanted to turn some light switches into the motion detecting type.

There were pictures of young adults on her wall but none of the pictures had a father like figure. There was only one pillow on her bed. I was beginning to think there wasn't a mister.

I gave Deb a figure and she paid me upfront to go get the materials. After a quick trip to Lowes I was finished well before lunch. Deb brought me a soda and tray of cookies while I was working.

"So which of my friends told you I needed an electrician?"

I froze. What am I supposed to say? Oh, a hooker at the sleazy motel I'm living at learned I was an electrician.

"Don't know her name. She overheard me talking about being an electrician and we chatted for a few minutes. Strawberry blonde around five-five."

"Oh, okay. I've got some friends that might want your services. Mind if I pass your name along?"

"That would be awesome. I'm way short of money right now."

"What other talents do you have?" was spoken with a twinkle in her eye.

Now I was confused. She's friends with a hooker or actually a lesbian and I swear she's flirting with me. My turn to blush.

My response got a chuckle from Deb as I attempted to flirt back "I'm young and not afraid to work up a sweat."

"I'll let them know" as Deb smiled.

My imagination wanted more but I stuffed her cash into my jeans and drove away. It wasn't ten minutes later when I got a call from an unknown number.

"This is Vince."

"Hey, glad I caught you. Deb just gave me your number. I live two doors down from her. Can you stop by?" from a female.

"Yeah, I'm just grabbing a bite to eat. What's your address?"

After memorizing her address I finished my sandwich and headed over. It took a little while to get past the security checkpoint as I didn't know her name, just an address. Eventually I was let in.

There were two cars in the garage with both garage doors open. I parked on the street. My clunker was easily the junkiest vehicle in this neighborhood, without a doubt. With a timid knock on her door I was greeted by a very cute, but young, lady.

"Um, you called about an odd job?"

She rolled her eyes "MOM! It's for you!"

She turned tail, a nice tail I might add, and left me standing there. When the lady arrived I could tell the similarity.

"You must be Vince. Is replacing ceiling fans something that you do? How about motion detecting light switches? Oh yeah, I need more outlets in the garage."

"Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Did I answer all?"

With a wide smile "Come this way then."

After jotting down all that she wanted done I posed the question "Have you bought what you want installed? By the way, should I just call you 'mom of rolling eyes daughter'?"

That made her chuckle "Nancy. That's Jolene, she's waiting for her boyfriend and getting very annoyed. Sorry about that. No, I haven't bought a thing. We can go down to the Lowe's and shop if you'd like. Wait, what's it going to cost to install these things?"

I jotted down my rough estimates and handed her the piece of paper.

"Well let's go. Do you want to drive?"

"Sure."

Well that lasted until she saw my junker.

"Oh! I'll drive. We can fit things in my trunk and back seat."

"Well if you insist. Haven't ridden in wheels as nice as yours in a long time, if ever."

It took me until the sun went down to finish her projects. Jolene kept an eye on me as she fumed about being stood up by her boyfriend. Between the two jobs I'd made close to a thousand after the tips added to my quotes.

If you've never lived on the cash in your pocket, day in and day out, you can't begin to understand the fear of being robbed when you come into a little cash. I didn't sleep worth a crap suspecting that everyone could tell, just by looking at me, that I had a grand in my pockets. First stop Monday was going to be to open a checking account and get a debit card.

+ + + +

With money in the bank I ventured out on Monday night.

As much as the thought of paying the escort for sex revved my engines, I just couldn't take the plunge. Instead I went to the local watering hole and pulled up a stool at the bar. I wasn't looking but there were some ladies there that were.

"You gonna stare at your beer all night? Some of us ladies dressed to impress and you're not even looking our way" as I looked up to see a nice looking lady.

I made a production of looking her up and down "Yeah, you do look mighty fine."

She must have been expecting more out of me. After a bit of a pause "That's it? Not going to ask me to dance? Not going to buy me a drink?"

"Nah, you're on the prowl. I thought I'd let you take the lead."

With a roll of her eyes she turned away and went back to her friends. I suspect I was vilified as she explained what an ass I'd been. I just came in to have a drink and feel sorry for myself. Can't a guy do that without being hit on?

Well it was about thirty minutes later when the only one not dancing strolled over and sat down next to me.

"You ain't looking the guys over so I'm guessing you got women problems."

"Nope, not anymore."

"So what's your kick?"

"It's taking time for me to learn how to live again."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. I'm enjoying my beer and the view. What's your kick?"

"Me and my friends like to come in to drink and dance. You guys all think you're gonna get lucky but that's not why we're here. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of gals who come in looking for some excitement. Married ones too if you like a little risk in the equation."

"Who'd thunk in a little town like this that such activities went on at night?"

"We don't consider ourselves a little town so you must be one of them big city slickers."

"Yeah, I guess so. Never got into the nightclub scene."

"Why's that? You ain't half bad to look at."

"Got married early. Money was tight so nights out were to parties at friend's houses or to a movie."

"Didn't work out I take it because I don't see no ring halo."

"Bingo."

"Well I came here to dance and if you're not going to ask me I'll catch up with you later. Ashley's my name."

"I'm Vince. Nice chatting with you Ashley."

I'm getting really good at making women roll their eyes and shake their heads in disbelief.

As I lay in bed that night I realized it wasn't sex that I desired, it was companionship. Simply talking with Ashley had lifted my spirits.

I became somewhat of a regular at the watering hole eating dinner, if you can call it that, almost every evening. Not looking to hook up but simply talk. The next time Ashley and crew came in I asked her to dance. Although invited to sit at their table, I declined. Conflicting emotions had me wondering which way was up.

I received another referral call from the work I'd done for Deb. This lady's address was in a different part of town. My Saturday morning was now booked.

+ + + +

The following Friday night I was sitting in my bar stool eating a pickle, hardboiled egg, and pretzel mix when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Looking up into the mirror I saw her standing there.

"Hey Ashley, where's your posse?"

"Watering the horses. Grab your dinner and join me at a table" as she turned and walked away.

That sounded more like an order than a request so I followed orders.

"Can I buy you a drink?" as I sat down.

"No thanks. I know money is tight for you so I'll buy my own."

"And how do you know about my money situation?"

"Well, let's see. How you dress, what you drive, what you eat, should I go on?"

"Busted. I live a simple life, now."

"Let's get to know each other. I'm college educated and have a job at the warehouse distribution center where I'm hardly getting to use my education. My choice was to move away or make do here until something or someone came along. I'm not married. Never been. No steady boyfriend. Your turn."

"I knocked up my high-school sweetheart and never got to go to college. We married quickly and then she miscarried. Caught her going into a motel and drove my truck into same motel room. Spent some time in prison as the guy is now a paraplegic. Got divorced while serving time."

"For real?"

I fiddled on my phone searching for the story on the internet and then handed the phone over for her to read. It took a minute before she handed the phone back.

"So, still want to get to know each other?" I asked as she studied my face.

"Must have been a shock to your system."

"Ya think? Believe it or not I never intended to hurt them. In the eyes of the law that meant nothing. My heart became ice cold sitting in that prison cell. Been out for about a month now."

"Looks can be deceiving. Anything else I should know about you?"

"I do electrical work for a guy that pays me cash. Recently I started doing electrical odd jobs on the weekend for some extra cash."

"Never been in trouble with the law, I mean other than putting tire tracks on the ex?"

"Nope, not even a traffic ticket. I snapped that day and paid a heavy price."

"How much are you planning on spending here tonight?"

"About twenty, why?"

"Let's go to the thrift store and buy you some decent clothes."

The devil and angel on my shoulders were fighting fiercely. Woman. Trouble. Woman. Trouble. I accepted her offer. She drove.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you won't do it for yourself. You're much too young, your life's just begun, and it's time to move on."

"And what's in it for you?"

"If I still think you're a nice guy I might ask you to take me out."

Well I spent thirty that night but got several shirts and a couple of pairs of pants. Ashley drove me back to my car.

As I got out "Thank you Ashley. Can I take you out sometime?"

"Thought you'd never ask. Wear one of your new outfits and meet me at the movie theatre in the mall tomorrow night at six."

It was a toss and turn kind of night.

As it was becoming my norm, I did an odd job Saturday morning. I had almost sixteen hundred in the bank but kept fifty out to pay for this evening.

I was ready to go at 4 Pm but realized I looked dorky wearing the only pair of shoes I owned. They didn't go well with my upgrade in jeans. So, back to the thrift store I went and found a decent pair for under ten bucks.

What I thought was a date turned out to be a double date. Ashley met me with her friend and date. When you're a convicted felon I guess you shouldn't be surprised when people want to protect themselves. Still, the movie and drinks afterwards were nice. I found myself excluded from most of the conversations as they had their college memories and I couldn't relate or add to the discussion. Ashley never picked up on my uneasiness.

Although I enjoyed the peck on the lips, I relished the hug. That's what I'd been missing the most. I handed Ashley a slip of paper with a short note and my phone number on it.

'You have my number. I don't have yours. Call me if I haven't scared you away.'

She whispered 'I will' as she tucked the paper into her cleavage.

I was pretty pleased with how things were going but it didn't last. On Tuesday night I was filling my truck with gas when I saw Ashley arm in arm with a guy heading into the restaurant nearby. We had only been together platonically and I couldn't handle it, emotionally. Everything came rushing back. The rage, the heartache, and the helpless hurt feelings. Just when I had convinced myself that Ginny couldn't hurt me anymore, her memory stabbed me again.

My fight or flight instincts kicked in and I decided that the grass had to be greener elsewhere. I wasn't ready for any kind of relationship. It wasn't Ashley's fault.

Since my motel room was paid up through Friday I had a few days to decide which direction to point my steering wheel. My decision was made easy when the guy I was working for said he knew somebody who needed an electrician. By Friday morning I was on the road with five hundred miles to go.

Without thinking I answered my cell as I was driving.

"Hey Vince, where ya been?"

"I took a job in a different city. You never called so I couldn't let you know I was leaving. Thanks for helping me out of my rut."

"When are you coming back?"

"I don't think I am, but I'll put you in my contacts list just in case our paths cross again."

Her voice sounded sad, maybe hurt "Guess I should have called sooner."

"No biggie. I enjoyed our brief time together."

A few more minutes of reminiscing and my time with Ashley was over.

+ + + +

Although my parents wanted me to visit on the holidays, they understood why that wasn't the best thing for me to do for the next few years. Sooner or later another star basketball player would appear and all thoughts of Nolan would fade into the footnotes of history.

I dated a few ladies and even went to a swap party with one of them. I loved the variety of sex but it killed any thoughts of spending more time with that one. When you've been relegated to somebody's ticket to the party it tends to demoralize you.

Cold fish. That's what one date told me. My heart was safely tucked away. The best way to keep your horse undefeated is to leave it in the barn. Same held true for my heart. You can't hurt it if it never sees the light of day.

It was three years before I returned home to visit with my parents. Things were going so well that I could afford to fly. The basketball team had made the playoffs so it was a lot safer for me. Nobody mentioned Ginny which I appreciated. The return flight was uneventful. I even chatted with a lady about my age on the airplane. No names or phone numbers exchanged.

+ + + +

My name is Heather. I work in the cafeteria in a large office building downtown just off of Broadway. I'm single as Mr. Right hasn't crossed paths with me yet. I'm intrigued by a loner who eats here every day. He always puts a piece of cherry pie on his tray. His name tag says Vince. He works for the investment bank but he doesn't dress like a banker. There's just something about him that has me intrigued.

Since Vince wasn't wearing rings I thought I'd take a chance. One day, as he was putting his tray up, I told my boss that I needed to use the restroom. Instead I waited for Vince and when he approached I simply handed him a note which read 'Call me sometime. Heather' and my phone number. I smiled. He smiled and just nodded yes.

We met for dinner a few nights later. Nothing fancy, just a Cafe near where I lived. It was an eye-opener. Vince opened up about how he worked as an electrician and handyman for the investment firm. The shocker was that he was a convicted felon. He pulled up the article about it on his phone.

"Vince, this happened four years ago. Do you miss her?"

"No. Not at all really."

"So how is it that a good looking guy like you doesn't even have a girlfriend?"

"Risk versus reward. If I put my heart out there and it all goes wrong again will I snap?"

"So it's a trust thing?"

"I guess so. If my trust in a girl is misplaced do I trust myself to handle it gracefully? Last time I ventured out, even though we'd never even kissed, I saw her with another guy and all the pain came rushing back."

"When was that?"

"Three years ago. I've kept my distance from relationships ever since."

"Okay. I think I get it. We'll take it slowly, but only if you promise to ask before acting. I don't want things to blow up because one of us assumed something that just wasn't true."

"What if I still don't want a relationship?"

"Then we won't meet here tomorrow for dinner and then a movie down the street afterwards."

I could see the 'want to' in his eyes. He slid his hand across the table and I put mine over his.

Vince looked at me for a few minutes then softly "See you tomorrow."

Butterflies banged around inside me as Vince silently left the Cafe. He might be Mr. Right.

+ + + +

Epilogue:

Was it easy? Far from it. I'm outgoing and Vince needed reassurance that I was his and only his. He loves cuddling about as much as sex. I can read a book sitting in his lap while he watches sports.

Once we became intimate Vince became extremely possessive. It was tough sledding but we survived. Knowing why he's the way he is made it easier for me to accept it.

We've been married for ten years now. I've turned down all requests to dance from everyone except his father at our wedding. I don't do any girl's nights out and make sure to invite Vince to join me when I go shopping with my friends.

We have a six year old daughter and a three year old son. In between those two I miscarried and we needed counseling. The counselor and I convinced Vince to take extra sessions. He's damaged goods, but he's mine. I don't think I could ever find a man as loving as Vince. I know why he's damaged and every day I look in the mirror and remind myself to never give him a reason to doubt my love.

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Oh yeah, that word that we all utter after a car crash: 'SHIT'