He shook his head. “Sorry girl, it’s not up to me. You’re already two months in arrears and I can’t—I tried but…you know.”
I knew he was telling the truth. It was Mrs. Harvey who called the shots…Ida, the shrew faced battle axe. I wondered how Frank, who really seemed like a sweet man, could be married to the Wicked Witch of west Fourth Street as I secretly called her. What a tough nut to crack too. Try as I might, I never could seem to penetrate that steely-bitch exterior of hers. I’d often wondered if Mrs. Harvey was actually Ms. Cold Receptionist’s sister or something. They both acted like human glaciers. I hope I never act like that when I get older. “Well, I’ll start packing then.” I turned away. “Time to go to the back of Walmart and find just the right box,” I muttered to myself. Box Land is what I was heading to.
I wouldn’t go back to Mom. There was no way. I’d had it with hearing what a failure I was. I still held hope that I would make it someday. No matter what bad luck haunted me. No matter what man conned me. I would make it. No…I just couldn’t face my mom while homeless again.
“I really am sorry,” he called out to my back.
“Yeah, me too.” I sighed as I went out through the lobby of my apartment building. I really felt too anxious to go home just yet. Home? I was gonna lose another one, just like the job. Glancing up the alley, I spotted crazy-Sally, rummaging through the dumpster. This was the future Miss Macy Gump, a basket case with no home, no sanity left.
“Ooh!” I straightened my spine in frustration, knowing I needed to do something. I needed to come up with a solution. I needed some cash, some job that would get me some quick. “Fat chance of that…” I muttered and peered down at the red eviction notice.
“Oof!”
Surprised, I looked up, realizing I’d bumped into someone and almost ran him over. “Oh! I am so sorry!”
“You really need to pay attention young woman,” the man huffed out as he straightened his pinstriped tie.
My eyes grew wide as I recognized him. “You? You were in the lobby at the agency.”
He nodded and pushed his horned rimmed glasses up along his rather pointy nose. “Yes, I followed you.”
I took a step back. This felt too weird. He followed me from work? “Well, now that’s just—just creepy.”
His eyes grew larger behind his spectacles. “Oh, no, no. I want to hire you!”
I looked him up and down. 5 foot tall, if that and he appeared to be 45 or so, with beady eyes. “Even more creepy.”
He peered at me through his thick glasses. “No! I’m not interested in you!”
I almost laughed in his sweaty little face. What a relief that is. “Then, what do you want?”
Looking nervous, he cleared his throat and turned his head to look all around. “It’s a delicate matter…”
I was reminded of some cartoon hoot owl as I watched at him. Though, his behavior still seemed suspicious and I felt I needed to take yet another step back. So I did. It would just be the cherry on top to have some nutcase coming onto me.
“I need to hire you to deliver a message.”
I shook my head while feeling puzzled. “What? Like Western Union or something? You do know there’s the internet now, don’t you? Like you could even Instagram a message.
“No, no. Hand delivered.” He smiled for the first time. “It has to be hand delivered.”
I almost laughed again at this funny little man. His smiling made him look even more cartoonish. “I don’t understand.” Like the Cheshire cat on a diet…I covered my smile, so he wouldn’t see how amused I was.
He squared his narrow shoulders. “It’s complicated and really not your concern. It’s supposed to happen out a ways and it’s time sensitive.”
I nodded slowly. “I still don’t—”
“500 to deliver and another five when it’s done.”
My mouth popped open as my jaw went slack.
The man’s grin grew wider. “It’s just an envelope, see?” He raised up a green colored envelope.
I stared at it. Green! Blinking my eyes rapidly, I tilted my head back and stared up at the sky in sudden reverence. Was a guardian angel listening to me just now? A green notice? I rubbed the goose bumps on my arms.
The little man looked spooked as he leaned his head back and followed my reverent sky gazing, probably wondering what I saw. He then dropped his head to peer at me again. “I saw and heard everything. You getting fired and all…” he continued, “I really needed this in a hurry and the agency couldn’t have it done when I needed.”
“And when is that?”
“Tonight, by 7 pm.”