Flight 764-Chapter 1

“Give me the money, piggy.”

“Sure, take it.” Gerald said with ease. He reached into his Columbia jacket, and pulled out the two hundred fifty, along with the three dollars and twenty cents he had left over from his ten he had used to pay for his pack of smokes. The dimes fell loosely through his fingers and onto the pavement.

“Please, sir, don’t hurt me. I have a daughter. I love my daughter.” This was true.

“Thank you so kindly” Clyde said and put his size 10 ½ boot squarely on the seat of Gerald’s ass, and Gerald went sailing into a dumpster that belonged to one of the towns many pubs. This one happened to be the Rosy Pub, which favored the Latino race. He felt something in his coat pocket smash against the dumpster, and realized it was the pack of cigarettes he had just bought. By the time Gerald got turned around, Clyde was gone.

Gerald picked up the two dimes he had dropped and gathered up what pride he had left, and went on his way. He had things to do and would not let this little incident set him back. He glanced down at his watch, and noticed that it was 2:45 P.M. His daughter, Justine, would be home within the hour. Gerald reached into the right pocket of his coat, and found what he was looking for. He pulled out a smashed pack of Marlboro Reds, and wrinkled his face in disgust. He opened the fresh pack and pulled out several broken cigarettes, and finally found one that was worthy of smoking.

“Asshole” he muttered to himself.

He pressed it to his lips, realizing it looked like a banana, and then reached into his other pocket for his lighter. He found it, lit the cigarette, and inhaled a deep drag. Pure bliss, he thought.

He was trying to figure out a way of telling his daughter what he had gotten her for her graduation present, without ruining too much of the surprise. It’s all in the art of the surprise, as Gerald’s father used to tell him. For Gerald’s sixteenth birthday, his father had gotten him a car, and taken him to a dealership and told him, “now one of these here cars is yours. I’m not gonna tell ya which one it is, you will have to figger that out for yourself. Your car will be the only one that is unlocked.” It took Gerald at least an hour to stumble upon the little blue Chevette that was his, and the one he least liked in the whole lot. Justine had made it very clear to her mother that she did not want her present at her graduation ceremony. So instead, her mother sent her a card in the mail with a fifty dollar Hollister gift card inside. Justine threw it away. She didn’t favor her mother too well. You will find out why soon enough.

She was due to graduate high school two days from today, which would be Wednesday. Gerald had the surprise of a lifetime for his daughter, which he knew she could not throw away.