I'm finally able to let loose and have some fun here in Burlington. It has been little more than work upon more work and stress ever since the building site was set up a few weeks ago. It was a bitch driving the trailer up here but Tag and I managed to get it on solid ground. The utilities are all hooked up and most importantly we have WiFi and running hot and cold water.
What I had not expected where all the hands of the locals demanding fees for everything from waste removal to added security at night, local P.D. and money grabbing yokels on the Burlington zoning board. I'm telling you, everyone is out to get a piece of the action, don't let these supposed country folk fool you, they seem to have the art of bullshit and pickpocketing down pat. I don't have a clue how Lee and dad worked their brand of magic with this bunch of assholes but my hats off to them for getting the project this far.
Tag has me dealing with the day to day bullshit of bills receivable and payables. It seems more goes out than is coming in but as Dad and Lee explicitly instructed us prior to accepting our new positions in their company, don't panic. Tag is showing his skills and local knowledge to the point that I barely get out of the trailer some days. There is a big disconnect between us that I had not anticipated. It's literally dealing with what ever new crisis arise, figure out how to solve it with the least amount of money spent and man power lost and just hold tight for the next one to occur.
I have been doing some of the hiring but Tag has taken control of who does what, where and when. The feeling of being a sideline cheerleader was not what I had envisioned, yet I just don't feel comfortable enough in my own skills or judgment to put my neck on the chopping block yet.
Have to hand it to Tag, he is cool under pressure, takes no guff from any of the workers while at the same time comes off as a benevolent employer. Me, I just don't get it, I'm shut up in this tin can all day long, no one to vent my frustrations to. I realize this is life, the big time, we don't get a do over or a trophy for simply coming in second to last. Second to last will get us all under water financially, my future can't start out with that sort of failure.
Friday eve of the fifth week at this site has me going stir crazy. I have to get out of this trailer, away from these effin ledgers and computer screen. I burst out of the screen door, my soul soars as I feel the loose dirt beneath my Timberland boots. How I've longed to just go over to the ice rink and do some laps, work on my C-cuts and Russian dots from the ole days, just let everything go and skate till I'm exhausted.
My duffle is in my hand, Silver is waiting for me to get her the hell out of the ruts she's sunk into having not been driven for nearly a week. I toss my gear into the back of the pick-up, closes the cap door with the high pitched squeak that always occurs when the handle is turned to the locked position.
Just as I am getting into the drivers side door, I see three of the workers we've hired over the past month in the distance. They're walking side by side, laughing, speaking in their natural tongue. I wave to them as they walk toward the exit of the site, figuring they are most likely on their way to a local pub for dinner and a few brews, a quick way to burn through the weeks salary they each had earned. I wave to them, only to my surprise they head toward me, still going on in Spanish, laughing and pushing one another toward me.
"Hey boss-man, want to come and work off some dirt and sweat with us?"
The shortest but clearly the biggest built guy asks as he steps forward, pats the rear fender of my pick-up then gives me and his friends a big smile, a nod of his head toward the bed of the truck.
I'm shit at Spanish but I know a friendly invite when I hear one. I motion them to the back tail gate and passenger door. Two of the guys introduce themselves, Juan and Miguel, the leader of this group proudly introduces himself as Carlos. He pushes his hand into mine, shakes with a very firm grip.
Juan and Miguel open up the back cap window and lower the tail gate, hop right up on the rough diamond point liner, their legs swinging back and forth a few feet above the dirt drive. Carlos opens the passenger door, hops in. I climb into the drivers side of Silver, pulls on my seat belt, looks over at my new friend who has the most dumbfounded look. He suddenly gets the hint, gives a little laugh then draws the restraint into place, clicks it in. This really hits me as stupid as I look into the rear view mirror, sees Carlos' pals dangling dangerously from the tailgate.
"So, where are you guys heading too?"
I really was not sure where they were intending to go but I figured it could not be very far from here since they had limited transportation to and from work each day.
"Where ever you want to go boss-man, it's fine with us. We have nowhere to be until work again Monday."
I'm shocked that there had been no specific place in mind of the crew members. I thought about it for a moment, choose to invite them to join me at the lakefont beach behind the local ice rink for a cool down after a long weeks work.
"Sounds good to me boss-man, sure we can all get in there no trouble? We don't need no effin trouble, hear me?"
I can hardly contain my shock and the the urge to laugh out loud.
"Of course you can, it's a public park right behind the rink. Open to anyone until sun down. The beach is deserted this time of day anyway!"
Taking my eyes off the road for a moment, I see Carlos has reservations about going to a public place like this. I get the vibe that he, well they may have not have always been welcome by locals, you know, migrant workers and all.
"Fuck that shit, you're with me and we are not doing anything wrong so let's just enjoy the beach and not having to work over the weekend."
The smile that spread across Carlo's face warmed my heart. He pulls the sliding windows between the cab and cap, yells to his co-workers something in Spanish. I easily hear their celebratory howls as the pick up hits the paved road and heads the few blocks toward the park complex that hides the wooden stairs down to the sandy lake beach.
It is only a few minutes before we pull into the lot for the rink. A small pathway leads alongside the left of the skating facility before a few well worn wood tables and benches come into view.
The three workers take off as if lightning had struck them. I barely have time to grab the keys from the ignition before I take off after them with reckless abandon.
It is funny that none of them seem to know this place but they all instinctively recognize where the pine trees end and the early evening sky open wide as the place to go to.
Down the rough wooden staircase they hurl themselves. I'm convinced one of them is going to break a leg if not worse as they speed toward the sandy shore. A stunning site no matter where you are from, the calm water spreads for miles in all directions, rolling low hillsides on the distant shore, not a living soul in sight!
Shirts, shoes, well worn workpants are stripped off and discarded by the three workers. Their dark skin reflects the suns warm glow, their youthful nakedness stirs tingles in all sorts of places I had not expected just minutes before.
One after another they run into the waters inviting comforts. Carlos waves his hand high in the air, beckons me to join them.
Why not? I've worked just as hard as anyone since I got here. To hell with being proper, I walk toward the edge of the waterfront, pulls my Polo over my head, kicks off my boots with a bit of a stumble, recovers my balance, slides my fingers into the waistband of my shorts and underwear. Can't help but pause for a moment as a rush of embarrassment floods my face. Ears burning, thoughts of what the hell am I doing splash across my mind.
The sound of the three already in the water, splashing and now making mock chicken sounds directed at me. Buck, buck, buck, drums into my head, forces me to abandon my fears. I strip down naked, runs toward the waters edge, cool breeze caressing my pale naked flesh, the freedom of my unrestrained penis and balls sends shivers of delight through my body, I dive into the shocking cool water of the lake only to emerge surrounded by my new found friends.
