The District Manager Read Online Free

and I sit silent. We listen instead to the Drive-By-Truckers, a favorite of his. When he doesn’t respond I throw on Son Volt. Still nothing. I roll the volume down after we pass Sealy.
    “I got that Butterscotch Strat out of hock several years ago. It’s been sitting in my closet for quite a while. I bet you’d like to sink your fingers into that fretboard, huh?”
    “Yeah, maybe. My hands burn all the time now. Nerves.” Not only do I not know what to say but I feel guilty for even bringing it up. Luckily, Keith continues. “I remember you telling me about that. I really appreciate it, Mason. I really do. You’re the only real friend I have. You really are…” Keith starts to tear up and now we both start feeling really uncomfortable.
    I stop at a liquor store and buy the sad bastard a cheap bottle of vodka. We continue to my place in silence.
    Getting into my apartment is our next challenge, as I’m on the second floor. There is a ramp, but it’s difficult to negotiate. The doorways of my apartment are not cut to accommodate the handicapped.
    Keith sits up all night listening to music and quietly weeping. I have to get up for work in the morning so I go to sleep. But before I close my eyes… I worry about how I’m going to tell him about Ann. He thinks she’s away on business. He’s really looking forward to seeing her.

C HAPTER T HREE
AM EETING W ITH THE B OSS
     
     
    It was hard sleeping without Ann. It still felt unnatural even though I was now crashing on a fresh, smaller mattress. The fact that I knew where she was sleeping every night made it that much harder.
    I’d been having some pretty gruesome dreams, of late. But on this night, it was over the top terrible. It was like one of those campy horror movies—only it wasn’t campy.
    I awake like I’ve woken from a bad dream. The bad dream I awake from… I don’t remember. Upon waking I turn and find Ann’s softly curved naked body. Her hip is warm and she starts to moan as I caress its crescent. I nestle up against her and we lie in the spooning position. Her bare bottom is pressed against my groin and I’m getting hard. She releases herself from my right arm, which is pulling her tightly into my erection.
    She turns around and looks me in the eyes, studying me. After some silence, she speaks in a strange repetitive tone, “Don’t worry, Mason…you’ll get your revenge. I promise, baby, you’ll get your revenge. I promise you, baby, you’ll…” But before she can finish she starts to profusely vomit chunks of blood.
    Horrified, I wake. I sit up. This…this was a bad one.
    I feel like I’m steeping in something…a hot dampness, not like sweat but more like…!
    I fall out of bed and hit the flea infested carpet face-first. I can feel the little fuckers tugging on my legs.
     

     
    The light through the blinds has faded into a paler shade of purple. I look at the clock: 6:15 a.m. It’ll be light soon. I realize that Keith is in the den. I can hear music faintly playing. He’s passed out with the stereo on.
     

     
    “Mason…” Keith asks. He’s sipping a cup of coffee as I hurry about, getting ready for work, “Do you know anywhere I can get some weed?”
    “What?” I ask, flabbergasted. I emerge from the tiny bathroom with a mouth full of toothpaste.
    “Some weed?”
    “Jesus Christ, Keith, you know I can’t do that. If I got nailed, not only would I lose my job but I would damage my boss big time!”
    “Yeah, I suppose.” He sounds dejected.
    “What do you need marijuana for anyway?”
    “It helps with the pain.”
    “What pain?”
    “Why do you think I have those prescriptions, Mason? I live with chronic pain. It’s a medical condition.”
    “So weed is supposed to help with that?”
    “Yes. It helps more than anything; and, it doesn’t constipate me.”
    “I knew you did drugs before prison…but how do you know it works on this pain?” I swish water in my mouth.
    “Because I smoked in