Johnny Gets His Wings

Chapter 23

I quickly explained my fucked-up family situation to Benoit in detail. I told him that my dad got fired for being a lousy basketball coach and that he was desperately searching for a new gig. And I said that my mother was useless bitch who had never held a job in her life. And I finished my sad tale by requesting as many hours as he could give me because I had just been kicked out of school.

He said, "You got kicked out of school?"

I nodded. "Yup. But maybe it's for the best. I'll sign up for a GED program."

"Well, a GED isn't a bad deal. That's what Juliette has."

"Only a GED? And they let her run Walmart?"

"Not exactly. She eventually went to LSU and got her bachelor's in business administration. You're a smart kid. I'm sure that you could do the same thing."

"She started her career by cleaning toilets and collecting shopping carts?"

"No, she was a cashier. But trust me. That's a rough way to make a living. Cleaning the smelly shithouse is actually much easier."

"That gives me hope." I paused for a moment. "So do you think that my father can have a job?"

"Of course. Walmart is all about family. Just tell him to fill out the online application. Then I can interview him tomorrow at three p.m. But don't worry. It's merely a formality. I'll start him off at fifteen bucks an hour just like you."

I left his office with a huge grin on my face. Life was getting better. When you combined our paychecks, it was far from being chump change. We certainly weren't as rich as the Rockefellers, yet the cash would be enough to keep us out of the poorhouse. In those days, I always found being an optimist the best way to live if I wanted to maintain my sanity.

I walked outside to collect the shopping carts from the parking lot and ran into Sammy along the way.

She said, "So what did dat flying monkey Benoit tell you? You still got youself a job?"

"I'm not fired."

"Hallelujah! I'd miss dat pretty face. Use da most handsome keed I ever saw. God blessed you with dem movie-star looks, boy."

"I certainly don't feel handsome. But maybe my luck is about to change."

The shopping carts were probably the hardest thing about my job. The work never ended. And you had to be diligent, or the cars might get damaged. Walmart had a motorized machine to help with the labor, but I always did it by hand. Lugging those carts back to the front of the store helped me acquire and retain my physical strength. Plus it was cheaper than joining a gym.

Suddenly, a Mercedes pulled up next to me and Ted Addleman stuck his head out the driver's-side window.

He said, "Hey, kid, do you remember me from this morning?"

"How could I forget. I'm all over social media because of you. Now the entire world thinks I murdered Colonel Bradley."

"Yeah, that's rough. But I have good news."

I shot him the stink eye. "And what would that be?"

"I talked with Officer Ken, and he told me the whole story. So you're completely off the hook."

"Is there any chance that you might run a retraction?"

He laughed out loud. "I wouldn't hold your breath."

"Why? I'm completely innocent. And a retraction would be the decent thing to do."

"Decency doesn't pay my bills. And don't bullshit a bullshitter. You're not completely innocent. You punched a war hero in the head with so much force that his fake leg popped right off."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. You want my advice?"

"Sure. It probably wouldn't kill me."

"It's time to put on your big-boy pants, junior. So stop being such a pathetic little punk who constantly pisses in his pink pretty panties. Life's fucking tough, and you're just going to have to get used to it. You fucktard."

Then he sped away.