Tuned Out by Keith A Pearson

Author:Keith A Pearson [Pearson, Keith A]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: CrestaPress Publishing
Published: 2019-05-18T06:00:00+00:00

23.

Oh, crap.

I’m not a vain man but I do have standards. Not only do I smell like a teenager’s laundry basket but my hands and face are filthy. I dread to think what state my hair is in.

“Toby,” she calls out again.

I can’t ignore her and I’m not sure why I would. What does it matter if she thinks I look like crap?

Coming to a stop, I look across the road towards Jan on the opposite pavement. I manage a wave and she takes it as a signal to cross over.

Trotting up, she flashes a smile.

“You looked miles away.”

“Miles, and many decades.”

“Sorry?”

“Ignore me. How are you?”

“I’m good, thank you. How did your first day go?”

“Hard, dirty, and sweaty. Excuse my dishevelled appearance.”

“Don’t be silly. You look like a man who’s done an honest day’s work.”

“Thanks, but don’t stand downwind of me.”

“I appreciate the warning,” she chuckles.

Judging by her attire I’d guess Jan is on her way home from work. The plain white blouse, grey skirt, and flat shoes are a contrast to the flouncy dress she wore yesterday. She looks more grown-up.

“I take it Dad didn’t fire you then?”

“Not yet but it’s early days.”

“You’ve already lasted longer than two of the last three chaps he employed.”

“Good to know, although I’m not sure we’ll be entering a partnership anytime soon.”

She responds with another snort of laughter; followed by an uncomfortable silence as I scrabble for something to say.

“Do you … um … usually finish work at this time?”

“No, I finish at five but one of my colleagues caught me on the way out. I had to listen to her troubles for fifteen minutes.”

“Oh dear. Nothing too serious I hope.”

“She’s just broken up with her fiancé. Poor Sheila thought he was the one.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“They were due to marry in September, too.”

“What happened?”

“The sod cheated on her with some floozy he met at The Palais. One of Sheila’s friends caught them on the fire escape.”

“Ouch.”

“Of course, he blamed his indiscretion on drink but I blame the pill.”

“The pill?”

“Some women think it gives them a licence to sleep around, and some men are happy to oblige.”

“A bit like Tinder.”

“What’s Tinder?”

“It’s, um, a dating service of sorts. And by dating service, I mean it allows people to hook up for … actually, forget it. On the upside, his indiscretion has saved you a few quid.”

“Has it?”

“You won’t have to buy a wedding gift.”

She tries to bite back a grin.

“I probably won’t share that silver lining with Sheila.”

“I wouldn’t.”

Her smile morphs to a more thoughtful expression.

"It’s just so awful though, don’t you think? You have your entire future mapped: the fairy-tale wedding, a house, children, growing old together, and then in one sordid moment all those plans go up in smoke."

“Yeah, I know that feeling.”

“Oh, do you?”

“Long story but my girlfriend cheated on me.”

“I’m so sorry. Did it happen recently?”

Jan’s question provokes a bizarre thought: as I stand here now, Gemma hasn’t cheated on me yet. Granted, neither she nor her fuck-buddy have been born yet, but it’s still strangely comforting.

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