Member 13231

Member 13231 -- Jack Greene

I shouldn't have even looked at her, once I looked, I couldn't stop looking. The price I paid for staring at her was getting caught, and instead of a scowl, I got a smile.

I shook the smile off, that smile wasn't for me. I was a thirty-five year old man with a failed career and way too much emotional baggage.

She was a twenty-something (if that) young hard body wearing my favorite color in clothes that seemed a size or two too small for her.

"See something you like?"

I had been caught daydreaming. "I think every man here sees something that he likes about you."

"Julie Simmons," she offered her hand to me.

I thought of wiping my hand off, but saw hers was covered in grease as well. "Jack Greene."

"Well, Jack," she smiled again as our hands slipped apart. "What part do you like best?"

"Purple," I blurted out.

"Purple," she whipped her head around to acknowledge the four o'clock whistle. "See you tomorrow, Jack Greene."

"I sure hope so," I muttered under my breath. I didn't know how long she would last here, this place had a very high turnover rate.

Like every day before today, I worked until everybody had pretty much taken off. The reason being, I liked to raid the trash bins for aluminum cans. This was a constant picking point of my girlfriend, Megan, who waved a piece of paper in my face when I got home. "It's fifty-three cents a pound, you need to get that shit out of my basement."

"My basement, Megan," I snapped. "My name on the lease, remember?"

"Who's been paying the rent for you?"

She had a point there. I had fallen behind on the rent, and she had not-so-graciously helped me by kicking in some money from her pocket. "The yards closed at five, Megan."

"Well, don't go digging through the trash tomorrow so you can get home early," Megan slapped the paper against my chest and went back to her computer.

I took today's load of cans down to the basement and fed them into the hand-operated crusher I had made. When I was almost done, Megan poked her head through the door. "Dinner's almost ready, you need to get a shower."

Grumbling as I complied, I shucked my clothes into the washing machine and added some from the previous day, then started the washer.

I would pay for that when I got upstairs, in the form of lower water pressure and lack of hot water.

Meagan was pulling some ready-made lasagna out of the oven when I walked back into the kitchen. She dug out a slab and slapped it on a plate. "Get the drinks."

I pulled an almost-empty two-liter out of the refrigerator and split it into two glasses, then added the ice. We sat at the table, Megan

wincing at the flat soda. We ate dinner in silence, and I wondered what had happened to our dinner conversation these last few months.

Megan went back to her computer after dinner, and I cleaned up the table and did the dishes. I went back down to the basement to throw

my laundry in the dryer and finish crushing my cans. When I got back upstairs, Meagan had already showered and was almost asleep in our bed.

I started to run my hand over her nearly-naked form, but she slapped it. "Not tonight, I'm on the rag."

The tone of her voice told me that she wouldn't even entertain the thought of giving me a blow-job, so I turned over and went to sleep.

(Break)

The next morning, Meagan was already gone to her part-time job as a waitress. I slipped out of bed and got ready for work, loading a few bags of cans into the trunk of my car. I might get all of them to the yard before they closed, if I could make the two trips in time.

I had never been paranoid, but I could have sworn that I was followed to work by an ominous-looking black Chevy Suburban. I pulled into my regular parking spot, almost getting run over by Julie's red Pontiac G6 as I got out of the car. "Morning Jack," she waved.

"Morning Julie," I gave a half-wave back.I couldn't help but try and walk behind her as we entered the plant. She was in all purple today, it was a good thing that she worked in a different section, or I wouldn't get any work done.

After I clocked in, I took my lunch box to my bench and started to make the mental notes I needed to get my day done as efficiently as possible. I didn't need to retrieve any steel bars to start work with today, there was a neat pile of them beside my bench already. I started counting them, getting a rough estimate of how long I could work before I needed to get some more.

Julie was leaning over my bench when I got back to my feet. "How many?"

"Eight hundred seventy-four. What are you doing over here?"

"You act like you're not happy to see me," Julie pouted. "How long will that last you?"

"Six hours."

"To answer your question, I'm here to help you. The boss doesn't want you straining your back today."

"My back is fine," my hand instinctively went to the back brace I was wearing under my shirt. I had pulled a muscle two days ago doing

what was supposed to be a two-person job by myself.

"Sure it is. Why don't you get started, and I'll get you another two hours' worth of bars." Julie strutted off like she wouldn't entertain any further discussion.

I started pulling bars from beside the bench and laying them out in the template. I was getting ready to start welding them together when I saw a forklift approaching with another load of bars. The operator set the bundle beside the other bars and drove off.

It took me ten minutes to weld the bars together. I examined the welds and pronounced them good, then moved the grid onto my finished pile and started over again. Julie showed up just as I was getting ready to begin welding the second set together. "You better grab a mask if you're going to stay over here," I warned.

Julie leaned down and pulled a purple-colored welder's mask from a bag. "This good enough?"

"What's the rating?"

"Minus seven," She put the mask on her head.

"Good enough." I flipped my mask into place, and she did the same. I was technically blind until I started the welder up, but I could see Julie following my work. She helped me move the grid, and set up for the next piece. "You want to try?"

"I'm good," She flipped her helmet down.

We continued this until the lunch buzzer sounded, Julie setting her mask beside mine on the bench. "Why didn't you take a break at ten?"

"Quotas. I have to finish a certain amount of these in a day, or I might not get to work another day."

"How many do you usually have finished by noon?" Julie asked.

"Twenty. I am four above where I normally am this time of day, thanks to you." I could be both grateful and apprehensive at the same time. Was Julie to be my replacement?

"I guess that means I can take you out to lunch," Julie said.

That remark really confused me. For one thing, it would be polite for me to buy her lunch, as if I had the money to do that. Second, I was probably twice her age and if she were making and advance at me, why would she be making an advance? "I thank you for your offer, but I am going to decline, Julie."

"Suit yourself," Julie shrugged and walked away. I couldn't resist watching her walk, if I would have been fifteen years younger...

The fire alarm chose that moment to go off. Ten seconds later, the sprinklers started showering water over the equipment in the bay. I immediately hit the emergency power cutoff on my welder, grabbed my lunch box and went for the door. Julie was outside leaning against the fence talking to some other women, smoking a cigarette. She waved for me to come join her, but I shook my head and went to the parking lot.

I had gotten my door open when she came trotting up to me. "You're very rude."

"It would have been rude to interrupt your conversation," I replied.

"Let's go to lunch, they aren't going to get the breakers reset for hours."

"I've got to stop at home and get changed," I hedged.

"All right, I'll ride with you," she went around to the passenger side of my car.

I followed her around the car, the passenger door could only be unlocked with a key. I pulled the door open, and she got inside. "Sorry about the mess," I indicated the trash on the floor. "I usually don't have passengers."

"It smells like beer in here," Julie wrinkled her nose.

I went back to the drivers side and got into the car. Sure enough, it smelled like beer. "Probably my cans in the trunk. I was going to take them to the scrap yard today."

"How noble, a recycler," Julie smiled at me.

"I'd hate to burst your bubble," I put my key into the ignition and started the car. "It has nothing to do with nobility, is has to do with

greed. I'm in it for the money I can make off of the aluminum, not some noble cause like saving the world."

"Why not?"

"Because a decision like that has to be made consciously by the people in charge," I put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking spot.

Evidently I was the only one to have the idea about leaving, because I didn't have to wait to get out of the main gate. "Heads of corporations, and our political leaders. As long as the people in charge can manipulate or be manipulated, I don't see much hope."

"Spoken like a true greenie," Julie slapped her leg with her hand.

We debated about what needed changing in the plant all the way to my house. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed a car there, a car I

didn't recognize. I could see Megan's car in the garage, which meant I had some explaining to do. "Jules, do me a favor and stay in the car."

"Jules?"

"Sorry, Julie."

"It's all right, I'd like a intimate name from you."

"No, it's not all right. That car in the garage, it belongs to my girlfriend."

"Hmm. Go get changed. I'm still buying, girlfriend or not."

"Your choice." I got out of the car and went inside the house. I could hear muffled sounds coming from the bedroom. I raced in there,

and couldn't believe what I saw.

Megan was straddling a man, riding him like there was no tomorrow. "Oh Tony, hold on just a little longer."

I leaned against the doorframe and waited for both of them to finish. "Who's that?" Tony asked when he finally noticed me.

Megan shot off of Tony faster than I could blink, pulling a sheet with her. "Jack? What are you doing here so early?"

"Guess it must be your next customer," Tony slipped out of the bed, and got dressed. He pulled out his wallet and tossed a hundred dollar bill on the bed. "Don't let her ride you too long, I think I got cock burn." He clapped me on the back as he left the room.

"This isn't what it looks like," Meagan said.

"It is exactly what it looks like Megan. I guess you got off the rag pretty quick, didn't you?"

"Jack, we're still two hundred behind on the rent for this month," Megan said.

"Behind on the rent or not, I don't want a whore living in my house, sleeping in my bed. Get your shit together and get out, Megan."

"Jack."

"Get it together, or I'm going to start bagging it up and throwing it out."

Megan dropped the sheet and got dressed. When she had finished, she started pulling her clothes out of the dresser and throwing them on the bed. Next came the clothes in the closet. "Where do you expect me to go?"

"Why don't you go stay with Tony?" I retorted.

"Tony is married," Megan pulled a bag out of the closet and started stuffing her clothing into it.

"Don't forget your money, Megan," I pointed to the hundred-dollar bill.

Megan grabbed the bill and stuffed it into her pocket. "You'll miss me when I'm gone, Jack."

"I've been missing you for a while now, Megan. Don't forget your computer on the way out."

Megan stormed out of the room, dragging the duffel bag behind her. I didn't realize it until now, just how little Megan had here. I went

through the dressers and the closet, knowing that she used to have more clothes here. I went outside, just in time to see Megan peeling out of the driveway, throwing rocks at my car as she did.

Julie wasn't in the car, she was behind me. "A little bit of drama in an otherwise boring day."

"Tell me she didn't see you."

"I tried to introduce myself, but she didn't want to be polite. She said something about 'See if he can satisfy you with that five-inch pecker of his.'"

"Typical Meagan," I grumbled.

"You going to get ready?" Julie indicated me still in my work clothes.

"No offense, Jules, but I really don't feel like going out right now."

"You did it again," Julie smiled. "You called me Jules."

"Let's go inside," I pointed to the house. Julie went in before me, and I closed the door behind us. We went into the living room, and I sat on the sofa, patting the spot beside me. "Please, have a seat."

Julie sat down, snagging my hand. "Now what?"

"I can't have a relationship with you Julie. As much as I would like to, boy would I like to. You're half my age, for goodness' sake."

"Not exactly half. I'm twenty-six, and you're what, thirty-six?"

"Thirty-six, that's still ten years, Julie."

"I liked it better when you called me Jules," Julie pouted. "And ten years or not, that's my choice ."

"You're a young, beautiful, smart, sexy young woman, Julie. I know I would be depriving you, and..."

"And someday when you're forty-six and I'm thirty-six, you think I might pull a Meagan on you, I won't."

"If we even get as far as ten years, Jules. Ten days, ten weeks, I know that I can't keep up with you," I sighed. "I could barely keep up with Meagan."

"So let me see it," Julie nodded toward my crotch. "Let me decide."

"As much as I would like to have sex with you, I can't, not now. It would be analogous to revenge sex, and I wouldn't want to start off a

relationship with you like that."

"You're very sweet," Julie reached over and pinched my cheek. "I'll take your refusal for now, because you're right. But once you have forgotten about her, I want you all to myself."

"Jules," I pleaded.

"No buts. I know of common points between us, that much was evident on the ride here. I want to know more, and when we are done learning about each other, then we'll decide if we want to take it to the next level."

"I can't."

"You can," Julie said. "Go on, I promise I'll be waiting for you when you come out, Jack. Take a nice hot shower to begin with, get the plant smell off of you."

"What about you? I can guarantee after four hours you don't smell like roses either," I teased.

"You want to shower together?" Julie perked up.

"I was kidding."

"I wasn't."

"There has to be some middle ground," I sighed.

Julie thought for a moment. "How about if you get ready here, then we go to my place and I get ready there?"

"Deal," I nodded.

"Wait a minute," Julie walked out the front door, then came back with what looked like a box of soap. "Use this, it will help with your back."

"I can't even reach that spot."

"It's aromatherapy, just keep the water hot and lather up real good. It will help with the negative energy you have surrounding you."

"A bar of soap to cleanse my aura?" I teased.

"Something like that."

I took the soap and went into the bathroom. I stripped off my clothing and threw it into the hamper, pausing to take a piss in the toilet before I turned the shower on. I ripped the box open and extracted the soap, setting it on the soap dish. I got into the shower, briefly flinching at the hot water, then I let it work its way into my aching muscles.

Julie's soap didn't smell like a woman's soap, it smelled like a man's soap. It lathered really thick onto my skin, and was equally hard to

rinse off. The bubbles I washed off of my body were starting to gather in the bottom of the tub, and it looked like they were starting to multiply.

I didn't care about the bubbles for some reason, even though they were now at knee height. I was still enjoying the smell of the soap when the bubbles engulfed me.

(Break)

I opened my eyes, and the bubbles were gone. My hot water heater had lost the battle between my demand and what it could supply, and the cold water snapped me out of my daydream. I reached out and shut the water off, pulling the curtain aside, startled by Julie standing there with a towel. She had her eyes closed, and kept them closed while I dried off and wrapped the towel around me. "You can open them now."

Julie opened her eyes, running them over my body much like I would run my eyes over hers if I saw her in a towel. "I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right," I admitted with a blush. "You going to tell me where we are going?"

"That's a surprise, but we'll get there faster if you get ready."

"All right," I agreed. Julie left the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her.

I waited for the mirror to clear, then started my grooming. My razor took care of the stubble building up on my face. As an afterthought, I shaved my mustache off, it was more gray than brown anyway. I slipped into my bedroom to get dressed. Since I didn't know where we were going, I dressed the best that I could with the clothes that I had.

Julie was putting away her cell-phone when I entered the front room. She gave me a whistle to show her appreciation. "I hope you don't mind, but I had one of my friends drop off my car here," she pulled open the front door.

"I wouldn't want to ride in a car that smells like stale beer either," I said. We walked out to her Pontiac G6, both going to the passenger door. Normally, in a car that I don't own, I expect to be the passenger, but evidently Julie wanted to be the passenger. I pulled open the door for her, she loaded her bag into the back, then she sat down in the passenger seat.

When I got into the drivers seat, I took a quick survey of the car. The mirrors were already set for my height, as well as the seat and the power pedals. It was a manual transmission, but I knew how to work those. I turned the key, and the car purred into life. It had been a long time since I had a car that purred. "Something wrong?" Julie asked.

"Just listening to the engine," I admitted as I manipulated the gearshift into reverse.

Julie looked like she was straining to hear the engine sound. "You can hear that?"

"My hearing is better than most people my age." I instantly had a pang of something in my gut. Here I was, driving the car of a woman I barely knew, a woman ten years younger than me. I couldn't help but wonder if one day I would come home to find another man fucking her in my bed.

"Something wrong?" Julie asked. We had reached the end of the driveway, but I had not yet backed into the street.

"Just a feeling I had." I slipped the gearshift into neutral and pulled on the parking brake.

"It's called hunger," Julie looked down at my hands.

"No, it is called regret, Julie." I fumbled for the power door latch, unlocking the doors.

Before I could get the door open, Julie had re-engaged the locks. "Where are you going?"

"Back inside, Julie. I'm sorry, I can't do this with you." I looked her in the eyes, they were almost the same color as the sash she had wrapped around her head.

"Yes you can. All you have to do is drive, damn it," Julie's voice cracked.

"Good-bye, Julie," I disengaged the locks and pulled on the door handle. I got out of the car, standing beside the door to make my point.

Julie pulled open the passenger door and got out, closing the door behind her. She went around the front of the car, so that she came up behind me. "Do I at least get a kiss good-bye?"

I turned around and gave her a peck on the cheek, resisting her attempt to wrap her arms around me. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Julie caressed my face with the back of her hand. "I'll see you later." She got into the car and I pushed the door shut. I started walking toward the house, and she gave a brief tap on her horn before she backed out of the driveway and pulled away.

(Break)