“Evening!” exclaimed the bartender as he stood behind the counter wiping vigorously. “What can I start you with?”
“Jack on the rocks,” replied Jacob as he scanned the area for Stanley.
A jukebox in the left corner of the minuscule establishment blared blues music as it fought over the roaring sound of pool balls clashing together and the men that controlled them.
“Hey, did you see a short man about yea high, loud and kinda balding in the middle come through here?” quarried Jacob before downing his first round.
“Yeah, he went downstairs, you mean Danny right?” said the bartender.
“No, his name is Stanley you must be referring to someone else.”
“Well I’m not so sure about that, the guy you speak of is a regular here, but you’ll have to wait for him to come back up to see if he’s Stanley or whatever. Downstairs is for members only,” he said furnishing Jacob with round two.
“So, what do I have to do to become a member?” Jacob asked pointing at the counter now ready for a third.
“Well you have to compete against the pool masters on Wednesday and win at least three straight bets in a row, that’s bout it,” replied the bartender.
“I guess I’ll just have to wait then,” said Jacob now with a drunken grin.
A few more shots and plenty of peanuts and conversation later Jacob began to worry as Stanley was running out of time. “Only fifteen minutes left,” he mumbled while staring at the staircase.
Just then his attention was drawn toward outside where the thunderous clatter of motorcycle engines could be heard echoing through the premises.
“Oh shit. Here we go again,” grumbled the bartender.
“I’m sorry…here what goes again?” asked Jacob.
“Damn son, you really are new around here aren’t you? Those are Roscoe’s boys getting ready to come in here and raise all holy hell. They only show up like this when someone hasn’t paid up or settled a debt. If I were to take a wild guess, they’re probably coming for Danny. Damn fool is always losing on the tables and never paying up. Last time, three of em went to jail for killing a guy after they dragged him outside and beat him to death. Matters not though…for that three, Roscoe’s got thirteen more willing to do whatever it takes to collect.”
With that the bartender nodded to three huge monstrosities as they entered. One with a series of tattoos and a leather vest said nothing and just pointed toward the staircase awaiting a response. “He’s down there but you know the rules. Bring em up and take it outside.” With a nod, the three trampled down the staircase, the last giving Jacob a hardened frown as he descended.
“Gentlemen wow what a surprise I was just about to call Roscoe and let him know when I’d have his money!” spurted Stanley as two of the men dragged him upstairs followed by the apparent tattooed leader.
“You have to be fucking kidding me!” bellowed Jacob, now standing up from his stool.
“Jake? What the hell are you doing here?” questioned Stanley now even more distraught. With a rolling thump, Stanley went face first intro the floor.
“Wait, is that really necessary?” said Jacob trying to keep his balance. The bartender looked at Jacob and shook his head before speaking.
“Son stay out of this, you don’t want to be part of that boy’s fate, trust me.” The bald leader walked slowly over to Jacob towering over him.
“Listen to the man…SON!” he grumbled.
“No maybe you should listen,” returned Jacob. The biker now displayed a sadistic grin, applauding Jacobs’s foolish but elaborate display of courage.
“I’m gonna give you one final chance to shut the fuck up before I rip off your face and shove it up your ass. Now mind your goddamn business! Danny here—”
“Stanley.” interrupted Jacob.
“What?” questioned the biker confused (and losing his demeanor momentarily).
“His name is Stanley not Danny.”
“Jesus Christ Jake what the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t tell em my real—”
“Shut up!” yelled another of the three bikers as he punched Stanley in the stomach.
“Danny, Stanley…whatever! Unless you’re about to pay his debt, I needn’t hear another peep outta you. Take him outside boys.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” demanded Jacob as he pulled the gun from his waist and pointed at the man.
“You piece of shit, you dare pull a gun on me!” roared the tattooed beast as he charged toward Jacob. Boom! Jacob released a lone shot taking out the jukebox and further silencing all who stood witness.
“Nobody takes another step, or the next one goes in your shiny bald head,” he said stopping the man in his tracks.
“What…in the...holy fuck?” murmured Stanley quietly.
“Stan, get over here behind me you lying sack. I mean really all you had to do was what you said you were going to do.”
Jacob backed toward the bar smacking his wrist on the counter while keeping the gun in the direction of the three men. With a click, his watch activated. “Not what I expected,” he said aloud looking at Stanley’s time. He did manage a reset but it would appear only a few extra weeks had been given back to Stanley instead of complete years. “They’re probably just going to come after him after I’m dead,” he mumbled.
“What does he owe?” Jacob continued, (with an idea in mind).
“Thirty grand,” said the leader.
“Th…thirty thousand dollars Stan, over pool games!” Jacob voice was slurred and displeased. Stanley looked over at Jacob just shrugging like an incompetent child. “You take checks?” he continued.
“Are you serious? Bwha hahahaha….” laughed the ogre of a man before stopping completely and wiping his expression then continuing with, “No.”
“Look, take the check and if it doesn’t clear you can come back and kill him later.”
“Yeah…wait, what?” Stanley questioned. Jacob gave Stan a sharp elbow backing him into the counter.
“Shut up and hold this,” he continued while handing the weapon over to him. Stanley nervously accepted and with an unsteady hand pointed it at the three men, two of which now no longer felt threatened and took seats at a nearby table.
The three men, patrons and even the bartender were now motionless as the only sound that could be heard ricocheting off the walls of the tiny place was Jacob scribbling frantically upon a blank check. As he ripped it from the book, thunder shook the place and rain could be seen falling through the two doors in front of them. Jacob slowly handed the man the piece of paper and as he accepted, could see Stanley’s time take another reset, this time with years in place of the weeks.
“Finally,” Jacob said half exhausted. He then took the gun from Stanley and put it on the counter behind him. “Here, you have a rough crowd in here on Friday’s I’d hate to see what tomorrows’ like,” he said sarcastically. “Keep this to protect your place, I won’t be needing it.”
The bartender said nothing and just stared at Jacob for a moment before grabbing the weapon and placing it behind the counter. The leader of the men shook his head at the bartender disgusted and then looked outside unveiling even more disappointment. “And now this shit!” he said looking at the rain. “Let’s go gentlemen…and for his sake…this had better work,” he continued while pointing at Stanley. With that the sound of the two-wheeled machines roared once again as the men sped off splashing mud into the premises.
“You really wrote them a check for thirty big ones?” asked Stanley. Jacob looked at his friend and shook his head. All of this trouble just because the only person that was closest to him just so happened to be the most irresponsible and pitiful as well.
Seeing outside clear, Jacob wrote a second check, giving it to the bartender as he pointed to the jukebox. As he walked out of the bar he gave, a final wave to the barkeep with
his last tasked finally accomplished. Acknowledging him the bartender gave a lone nod of thanks while beckoning the patrons of his establishment to carry on with their activities.
Outside, the mud conformed around Jacob’s feet and with every step he took, another thought danced across his mind. So this was it. He now had mere hours left to be on this plane and then…
“I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the money,” claimed Stanley as he trotted behind Jacob. Jacob kept walking slowly toward his car. He didn’t want to hear anything from Stanley and at this point he just wanted to be left alone. “Jake did you hear what I said? I’ll p—”
“I’ll take it out of your next several months’ salary, there problem solved,” said Jacob waving Stanley off.
“So that’s it? You’re not even gonna turn around and look me in my face?”
“You want me to turn around Stanley! Do you really want me to turn around and tell you the way I feel at this point?!” Jacob screamed.
“Hey, what’s your problem—”
“You’re my problem Stanley!” Jacob continued, pushing Stanley in the chest. “Just for once you couldn’t be honest with anything and anyone. And look at the situation…just like you…careless, careless but so fucking typical.”
“Hey, the situation was under control!” Stanley vented back, trying to raise his voice as loud as Jacob’s.
“Under control, under control? You were going to die right out here where you stand. But you’re just too ignorant to see that.”
“There you go thinking you know everything! Jacob always knows everything, that’s how it’s always been. Well you know what Jacob…I don’t need you…I can take care of myself. I didn’t ask you to come here to begin with.”
As Jacob listened to Stanley rant and rave, he said nothing. Jacob had come to terms with the fact that that was just his friend’s persona. A spokesperson for idiocy and a candidate for turmoil and trouble wherever he went.
The rain continued to batter the two men who now stood drenched. Stanley unsatisfied with the lack of response he was receiving decided to press harder, this time speaking his true feelings.
“You know what Jacob? Ignore me all you want but the truth is I’m pretty fucking sick and tired of you. I have always been in your shadow ever since we both set foot in this city. The company I wanted to advance in forever…you swept right from under my feet. I just get to stand on the sidelines and hold on to your coattail busting my ass day in and out while you just glide into success.”
Jacob paused, his demeanor different now. “Is that what this is about Stanley?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know how the old man has always favored you over me or anyone else in that place. You have everything…and for years all I got to do is hear about how great you were. Well you know what? I don’t care anymore.” Stanley now appeared emotionally exhausted. His heavy panting could be heard beyond the minuscule daggers of water than pounded the soiled and surface around them. Jacob looked at him shaking his head before slicking his soaked hair back and preparing to speak again.
“You…selfish fool. Are you really that blind Stan? How can you say I have everything? You have a house, children who love you and most of all a caring wife. It is I who envy you Stanley. I always have. But you know what kills me? Instead of embracing your gifts and being grateful, you treat them like shit and take everything for granted. You never see your kids and constantly betray the trust of the woman that loves you. If Theresa—”
“Well she’s not!” snapped Stanley interrupting. “And I’m sure I’m not the only one tired of you moping around like it’s the end of the fucking world! You…you don’t wanna do shit anymore…but wallow in misery thinking about what could have been. Well you know what Jacob? What could have been, is you could have been there to pick her up in the first fucking place and she’d—”
Before Stanley could get out another word, Jacob had reached back releasing a thunderous blow knocking Stanley to the ground. Stanley stood to his feet holding his mouth. As he looked at his hands, the rain rapidly washed away the blood that now began to stream from his mouth.
“Who’s the irresponsible one now Jacob? The truth hurts don’t it? Be ready to be judged yourself next time you want to point the finger. Consider us through…as a matter of fact I don’t even want you as a boss anymore…I fucking quit!” With that Stanley took his work I.D card out of his pocket and threw it at Jacob’s feet before walking away.
Jacob stood motionless. Everything inside of him wanted to call out and say something to Stanley but something greater wouldn’t allow it. He watched as the small plastic card became a victim as it sunk into the earthly abyss that surrounded it. Confused, heartbroken, and on the brink of death in just mere hours, Jacob slowly turned around and continued to his vehicle.
Jacobs’s door flew open as he entered outraged heading directly to his bedroom. He quickly switched his watch to his right wrist revealing three hours till his own event. “Why? Why is all of this happening! I could have been selfish…but I wasn’t. I save the lives of four different people and this is the thanks I get?” Jacob was extremely agitated. As he spewed each word tears complemented the orchestrated and chaotic event. His cries seemed to go unheard and no one could help him. He had had it. He was fed up with the shallow and desolate shell that was his life ever since Theresa was gone.
Like a wild animal, he began ravaging everything in his apartment. Nothing was safe. Dishes broken, furniture turned over and destroyed as he growled in agony like an agitated beast. “This is my destiny...this…arrrgh…” His destruction continued as he went from room to room exhausting himself in a perspiring spectacle with nothing able to stop him until….
Jacob stopped. Just as he had started, the spark that ignited his hell-bent fury was quickly extinguished when he looked upon her. Amongst the numerous scattered documents that lay on the floor there she was. Jacob picked up Theresa’s picture and shook his head ashamed. He quickly released the photograph from its now shattered frame dusting off small iridescent particles of glass before placing it on his bed. “Am I a disappointment to you?” he began. “I really wish I had done things differently. I wish even more I hadn’t let you down. But how would you or anyone else expect me to go on? You’re all I cared about. You were my world Theresa. Maybe Stan was right. How dare I lecture him about being irresponsible when my negligence cost you your very existence?”
He then reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. “I won’t allow it to end like this,” he said as he dialed Stanley’s number.
“Hi, you’ve reached Stanley, I’m not available but please leave your name, number, and bra size and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
Jacob continued trying several times over again only to receive Stanley’s voicemail just as before. Unable to change the outcome Jacob decided after the next “beep” to leave a message. “C’mon man please pick up, I…I care about you Stanley. You’re like my brother…and for what it’s worth…I’m sorry. Please call me back as soon as you get this message. I have something to tell you and very little time.”
With that Jacob hung up the phone and grabbed the whisky bottle that now too lay on the floor next to his overturned nightstand and drank until the wondrous brown fluid was no more.
Slow and emotionless Jacob stood to his feet. He locked his front door first before stepping over various debris, (formerly his belongings) turning off the lights in each room making it back to his bedroom. Next to his pillow he softly placed his late wife’s picture first and then next to it, his cell phone. He would spend his last moments with Theresa and Stanley, he decided. Not physically but this way instead. Like a sad weeping child, Jacob knotted up into a fetal position pulling the covers over his tired body, then pulling the two objects closer to him. “Maybe I’ll wake up and this will all have been some elaborate and punishing dream. If that be the case…please know that th
e lesson that was taught…I’ve learned from it.” With that Jacob reached over the side of his bed toward an overturned lamp that lay on the floor and with a simple click immersed himself in complete darkness, as he slowly drifted off.
Nearly three hours later Jacob awoke to a series of distinct and familiar beeps. With his head heavy, he sat up slowly trying to gain a visual, through the blurred mess posing as his sight. There it was on the floor…his watch, the great Parnell family heirloom and cause of much of his recent grief. Jacob hadn’t remembered taking off the device nor did he recall setting the alarm for the early 5:30 a.m. the watch now displayed. “Wait 5:30…that means…I only have about 20 minutes!” he exclaimed.
With that he shook his head trying to defy dizziness and grabbed his phone from the bed. “I know you’re upset with me Stanley but please answer this time,” he pleaded, mid dial. But the outcome would prove same as before. “What if it’s going to happen here?”
Jacob’s attention was now on his event. As he spoke, his bloodshot eyes widened. “I have to leave the house!” he continued, grabbing a jacket and his watch, then fleeing toward the door.
He stumbled down the stairs and exited his building only to be greeted by a dreary and miserable morning, element included. “Rain, what’s with all this goddamn rain?” he screeched. But this was no ordinary rain. The huge drops fell from the sky erratic and relentless…as if all part of the choreography to something greater. The streets were nearly flooded as well, and horns could be heard blaring as cars nearly missed each other for lack of visual aid. Jacob buttoned his coat trying to see better as he continued walking. He had thought for a moment about getting into his car but then surely a car accident would be the way he would pass, same as Theresa. Now how cliché would that be? But now with every minute Jacob found himself slowly slipping into the grips of paranoia. Everything startled him from the car horns to the water being splashed about the streets. His heart was pounding and his adrenaline was off the charts. Jacob found that soon, not just his sight had become an issue in the veil of water he paraded through, but his breathing was failing as well. He was beginning to have a panic attack! It was all too much, completely overwhelming. And so Jacob turned the next corner into a small alleyway falling to his knees as he gasped for air.
Borrowed Time Page 14