The only way I was ever getting out from under Freddy Malone's greasy fingers was the interview at Stanford State. I had been working at Freddy's Fast and Tasty Chicken for three years, ever since ma burned her hand ironing Mrs. Krinkle's delicates at 4 in the morning so she would have time for the two other jobs she was working. That's when I decided she needed me more than I needed school.
Last year she got really sick and about six months ago she left for good. I tried to quit the Tasty Chicken the very next day but Malone insisted my good for nothin Pa owed him a hell of a debt and Ma had barely made a dent in it. She never said anything about it to me but she wasn't the type to really share and as hard as I tried to get her to lighten her burden she would just smile pat my cheek and say "the troubles of the old are not for the young". I looked at the clock for the eighth time in the last thirty seconds, two and a half hours until my shift is over. Two and a half hours until I go home, shower and take the A-train downtown. I look at the clock again I am staring it down. A standoff between me and this clock is happening in the middle of a hot sweaty kitchen. My cluck-cluck hat gets shoved into my eyes and I turn around flustered.
"Alright Andrews, Cathy called in sick so I'm gonna need you to stay til close tonight ya hear." Malone breaths into my face the stench of cigar and mint overwhelming my senses. It takes me a minute to gather my thoughts.
"No Mr. Malone you need to find someone else. I'm off tonight, I can't stay."
Mr. Malone sucks his teeth stops at the kitchens exit and slowly turns around. A shit eating grin spreads across his face. "Got a dame you gotta see? Well call her up tell her you are gonna be a little late. Be a good boy and close up shop for me and I'll knock double what you make off that large debt you owe me."
"No sir. Can't do it. I have an important meeting that I can't miss. That I won't miss."
The grin drops from his face and a mean glint flashes in his eye. "I was trying to be nice. But you will close the shop tonight. End of discussion. I own you boy, I will collect my debt one way or another." With that he slammed through the kitchen doors.
My feet collapsed from under me, I started having trouble breathing thoughts of what Malone could have done to me racing through my head. All the mob classics made an appearance. But then my mother's face flashed through my mind. Her smile, her smell, the way her strength seemed to settle around her. I knew I couldn't miss this meeting, it was too important to me and I knew she would be upset if i had. I got to my feet. A fire burned inside my belly. A white hot rage overran all of my good sense. I picked up my abandoned dish towel and let the burner set it aflame. I calmly walked into the back and tossed it onto the mountains of cooking oil haphazardly stacked in the corner and calmly walk out of the building. Down second street to my apartment to take a shower and get ready for my interview.
