Old Man Chapter 3 Fire in the Old Bones

I Just Need to Get Cleaned Up said Old Man
courtesy sutter stock




He swore he would never talk to any woman again but after thinking over all of what his Ex-room mate had said, he decided to take back that vow. 

He couldn’t bring himself to think that he might not be without some passion left buried somewhere down in his loins.  The very thought repulsed him and once again he rebuked her for her audacity. 

She had no right to try to plant such ideas in his head, ideas he now couldn’t expel from his thinking.

“If I was a drinking man I would drink until the thoughts disappeared from me for if I don’t get over her suggestions - - - she will have me chasing after every widow in town.”

He went to the nearest pharmacy and asked for something to make him sleep.  When he arrived home he took a double dose and slept till noon the next day.  When he awoke and came to himself he felt different somehow.

It was like he not only awoke from his sleep but from the doldrums that had all but disabled him.  He didn’t have much money but decided to splurge and get his hair trimmed and get rid of that hang dog look that he had become used to. 

He then went down to where they gave away used clothes and met a newly widowed woman who was on her way to the mission.  Her husband had just died and she wanted to get rid of his clothes for they reminded her of him. 

The old man found that they were not only his size but were almost new and stylish. 

He told her he would take them from her and save her having to answer a lot of questions that would only cause her pain and grief.  She had several boxes and asked him how he was going to get them to his house.  He said, “Don’t worry I’ll manage somehow.”

She said, “Nonsense get in my car and I will drop them off where you live.”

Reluctantly he got in and a few minutes later they were at his apartment. 

They unloaded the goods and she said, “Thank you for helping me get rid of these clothes.  I hope you will wear them well.”

The man who lived next to him was a big help to get his bounty into his apartment.  He spent the rest of the day hanging his suits up and putting everything in order. 

 

As he hung them up he looked in the pockets and found several dollars the widow had forgotten to take out.  He thought I can make good use of these.  There were several other things including a wallet with some phone numbers and pictures of scantily dressed women. 

He thought, “I think I see why she wanted to get rid of his clothes.”

The next morning there was a knock at his door.  He opened the door and it was the woman who gave him the clothes.  He said, “I hope you don’t want the clothes back for I have just put them in order.”

She said, “No, no, I just wondered if you found a wallet in one of the coats?”

The old man thought, “Here goes my money.”  He started to lie but when he looked at her he said, “Yes do you want it?”

She said, “Yes if you don’t mind.  I think there is some information in it I don’t want to get around for our children’s sake.  It wouldn’t do if they found out what a rounder he was.”

The old man said, “Here it is except for a few dollars which I have here.”

She took the wallet and said, “You keep the money.”   She went through the wallet and took everything out of it.  She then handed it back to the old man and said, “Here, I hope you can get some use out of it.”

She then asked him where he worked, to which he answered, “No where, I can’t seem to get a job.”

She told him to dress up in one of the suits and shoes and go to the place on the card she gave him.  She said, “Don’t go until tomorrow but be there around ten in the morning.  Ask for Sims and he will give you whatever job you are qualified for.”

The old man thought, “My life is turning around.  It had been a long time since he had gone to church but he decided he should beat it down there and thank God for his deliverance.  He spent some time down at the altar. 

He didn’t have to spend much confessing for he hadn’t done anything bad just mostly a few bad thoughts but he gave thanks for the turn a round he was experiencing. 

The next day the old man decided to go to the restaurant and get a good meal.  When he got there, coming out of the café was his former room mate prancing out with her arm around a man.  She didn’t say anything but winked as she passed him.

While he could have had many thoughts the only that went through was, “I wish her well.”

To be Continued - - -