“Yeah. Ok. Maybe next time.”
“Sorry.”
“Gray, you know I love you like a brother, but if you keep making excuses, the guys are going to stop wanting to invite you. Just sayin’”
“I’m trying to get my shit together right now. I think I need a vacation.”
“You need something. A vacation, get laid, live a little, something.”
“Yeah, something.”
“Alright, man. I’ll let ya go but don’t forget in a couple of weeks is Curtis’s bachelor party. You can’t miss that.”
“I’ll see about getting someone to cover for me.”
“Cool. Talk to ya later.”
“Bye bro”
I tap my phone to end the call, knowing damn well I’m probably not going to ask about getting time off. I have to get back into Gennies good graces first.
***
WHEN FRIDAY ROLLS AROUND, I am ready to get the weekend over with. I head down to the bar a half hour early than
WHEN YOU'RE READY
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normal, hoping Gennie has something I can do to eat up the extra time.
“Hey Gennie” I say as I walk in the bar.
“Grayson. You’re early.”
“Figured I would come down and see if there was anything you needed me to do.”
“You can start on the glasses.”
I head over to the bar and slide past the swinging door that sits between the spilt in the bar.
“How was your week? Heard ya went to see your mama.”
“I did.”
“How’s she doing”
“Good. She let my dad buy a cow.”
Gennie looks at me with surprise. “What do you mean? Like, to eventually eat?”
“Yup, He named it Porkchop.” I grab a towel from the back bar and start drying the glasses from dishwasher.
Gennie rolls her eyes. “We will see how long that last.”
“She’s making him take care of it.”
“Ah, that makes sense. Your mama has a soft spot for animals. I don’t blame her for not wanting to get involved.”