Saturday and Sunday Drives
Mick was leaving Bradley Hall late Friday afternoon when he crossed paths with Abby who was headed in the opposite direction. "Hey stranger, where have you been?" she asked him. He still had not told his friend about his involvement in the play. Mick hated lying to Abigail but now was not the time as he was running a bit late for work. He told her that between softball and some study groups, he had been pretty busy lately. Before she let him rush off, Abby informed Mick that the student association was holding a Casino Night in three weeks on the final day of the school year. "Don't worry, she told him, "I already have a wristband for you."
When Mick arrived at The Dugout, he immediately clocked in and began to haul ice up from the basement for the bar. His boss Joe Gilman intercepted him in the middle of one of his runs and told Mick he needed to speak with him. After dumping his ice tote, Mick went and found Gil in the office who asked him, "How would you like to pick up a couple of easy extra hours tomorrow?" Gil informed Mick that tomorrow was the first Saturday of May, and his sister was holding her annual Kentucky Derby party and he needed to run some food and alcohol out to her. Mick was to come in at noontime and load Gil's SUV, then ride with him to the function and unload everything. "Bring some nice clothes to change into afterwards," Gil advised him, "We'll be staying for a while."
The next day, Mick reported to his boss as soon as he arrived at work. Gil told Mick that his Toyota Sequoia was parked on the side of the building. Mick was to load into the vehicle a half barrel each of Blue Moon and Coors Light, two hand pump taps, four chafing dishes, a box of Sterno, a flat of hamburger rolls and the box of liquor sitting on his office desk. "When the kitchen finishes the pulled pork and the wings, sit the trays on the backseat floor," Gil told him, "Then load ten bags of ice from the walk-in and we're leaving."
"I wanted to talk to you about your plans for the summer," said Joe as they drove the thirty minutes out to his sister's home. Gil inquired if his employee was planning on sticking around for the summer and Mick informed his boss that it was his intention to try and find an apartment and some additional gainful employment.
"I know you've expressed interest in being trained as a bartender," said Gil, "However, I don't think I can give you forty hours a week." Mick let him know that he figured as much, and his plan was to find full-time work during the day and pick up shifts at The Dugout on his off days. "I'm sure that can be worked out," Gil told him before remarking, "I might also be able to help you with getting a place."
Before the conversation ended, Mick made sure to remind Gil that he was off tomorrow, and about needing some upcoming time off due to the play and having to vacate the dormitory during the final week of the semester.
As they pulled down the driveway, Mick could see two large, rental party tents erected in the backyard. After meeting Joe's sister Gayle and her husband Charlie, Mick went about unloading the Sequoia and setting up the chafing dishes and icing down the kegs. Just as he was finishing, a beautiful young girl with sandy brown hair, light green eyes and a radiant smile appeared. Her buoyant locks and airy dress floated on the pleasant breeze, following her as she bound into the tent. "Uncle Joe!" she exclaimed excitedly as she hugged him. Mick was additionally introduced to Charlotte who was Gayle and Charlie's sixteen-year-old daughter.
"Guess what I got last week Uncle Joe?" quizzed Charlotte playfully.
"It doesn't appear to be your braces taken off," he joked, knowing where the conversation was heading.
"Haaa-haaa," she replied mockingly before informing him, "I got my driver's license."
After Gil congratulated her, Charlotte immediately asked, "So will you hire me to work at the bar this summer?"
Working for tips, obnoxious customers, the worst hours, the long drive... Joe said everything he could think of to dissuade her. "You'll probably spend almost as much in gas as you make," Joe told her before suggesting, "You're better off babysitting or finding something closer to home." Charlotte did not want to take no for an answer so Gil told her he would give it some thought, just to get her to relent for the moment.
Once all his tasks were completed, Mick went to Gil and asked, "What do you need me to do today? Bartend... clear tables?"
"Nothing," replied Gil before telling him, "Go get changed and enjoy the afternoon." Mick's boss went on to say that besides doing the grunt work for him, he brought Mick along because he wanted to discuss his plans for the summer. "Just don't get too cocked," Gil warned him, as they would be returning to The Dugout at some point, and Mick may have to be the designated driver.
Mingling with the guests was a little awkward for Mick as he was not a relation or friend of the family but Gil's employee, and besides not knowing anyone, most of the attendees were either younger or older than him by more than a few years. That changed later in the afternoon when a young woman walked down the driveway pushing a small child in a stroller. She wore a faded jean jacket with the sleeves rolled up over top of a beautiful white print sundress with roses that was knee length with soft pleats. The woman appeared rather tall from where Mick stood and her face was obscured beneath the ornate wide-brimmed hat that adorned her head.
Charlie came over and asked his brother-in-law and Mick if he would be so kind as to run down the street and retrieve a diaper bag and playard from her car. It provided Mick the perfect opportunity to meet the woman and when he returned bearing the bag and portable crib, Charlie introduced him to his niece Dana who had dark, shoulder length hair, pale blue eyes and was quite attractive. She smiled at him and said, "Thank you for doing that," to which he replied, "You are very welcome."
Mick could not help but notice that Dana was wearing supportive wrist braces on both her arms, hence the need for his assistance, but he did not see a wedding band. "Let me set this up for you," he offered.
Several of the female partygoers swarmed Dana to say hello and see her young son Bryce as Mick assembled the playpen. He was certainly interested in talking with Dana but figured it best to let her first make rounds for a while to lessen the chance of interruption when the opportunity presented itself to speak to her at length. As the afternoon wore on, both Mick and Dana stole glances at one another, smiling coyly when caught in the act by the other. There seemed to be no shortage of ladies willing to entertain Bryce and when Dana finally got a moment to sit down and relax, she noticed Mick alone at one of the tables.
"Is it okay if I join you?" asked Dana, before presumptively taking the seat next to Mick who currently seemed engrossed with his mobile phone.
"Absolutely," answered Mick as he stood to pull her chair out, as Dana's hands were full with a drink and a plate of food.
She thanked him and further inquired as she sat down, "Picking the Derby winner?"
"Actually, working on the exacta for the next turf race," he told her.
When Dana took of her hat and placed it on the seat next to herself, Mick could see that her dark hair was tinted a plum color which he thought was very sexy.
Dana stayed and chatted with Mick for some time. She heard about his military service and entrance into his degree program last fall, and how he worked for Joe who was her uncle's, wife's brother. In return, Mick learned that Dana had a master's degree in landscape architecture and was a junior partner at a local firm but was currently out on disability due to carpal tunnel in both wrists. Uncovering that she was about to become recently divorced however, took some artful prodding on Mick's part.
The gathering began to move inside and crowd around the television when the thoroughbreds were called to the post and twelve minutes and one and a quarter mile later, the Derby was over. Once the results were made official and the payouts posted on the tote board, Gil let Mick know that they would be heading out shortly. Gayle became miffed when she overheard Joe's declaration and told her brother, "Why don't you relax for a change and have another drink." It was obvious that Gil was getting antsy and wanted to return to The Dugout but his sister continued to give him the business about always working so hard. He pulled out his phone and called in, speaking briefly to Lonnie who informed his boss that everything was fine.
"See, the bar didn't implode because you're not there," needled Gayle, who then further remarked, "And if need be, Mick can drive back."