The Big One

Chapter 1 - The Repairman

"Anderson Yang. That's you. Yeah, chief?" I asked when the front door opened.

I'd already confirmed his name when he buzzed me into the complex, but my dyslexia has been known to mix up the numbers on an address or even the street name, so I always ask again.

"That's me," the man smiled with a nervous laugh as his eyes quickly traveled up from my chest to my eyes. I guessed he wasn't expecting someone of my height. That or he was checking out the muscles filling out my shirt. He was a foot shorter than me and maybe 10 years older.

"Should I leave my shoes here? Sorry I probably stink. This is my last job of a long day," I overshared. I stepped out of my work vans and picked them up.

"However you're comfortable. You can put your shoes inside here." He stared at me for an awkward few seconds like he was waiting to see what else I'd be willing to take off.

In this city I'd learned to get used to the older gays staring a little too long. I didn't mind it. He finally stepped back from the doorway and waived for me to come inside.

"Sweet. I got the new knobs and I think I can fix those shelves with new brackets. It shouldn't take long, chief! I'll clean up after myself." I held up my work bag and gave it a jiggle as if that would confirm that I had indeed brought the right tools.

I don't mind the guys checking me out, but I was here to do a job. I knew to keep things professional and avoid problems. I'd run into issues with things when I engaged their conversations. It got particularly sticky with rich guys like this. 

"That's great! Right this way," he said.

He had a spacious condo on the top floor of a modern building. One entire wall was made of glass with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay.

"Woah! Crazy view! You can see all the way to the bridge! Alcatraz!" I stopped for a second to marvel at his view.

"When it's clear, you can see all the way up the Marin coast. It's funny how quickly you stop even looking out at it," he noted.

He moved up beside me and we stood there, head to shoulder, while he pointed out some of the sights. He got close to me while pointing. He smelled like almond soap. I should have kept things moving and gotten to his kitchen, but he seemed sweet and a little desperate for conversation. 

"And if you squint really hard that way, you can see my country, China. It's just past Hawaii. Don't get confused! China is the one without pineapples," he laughed at his joke.

For a quick second I started to squint which made him laugh harder. His soft, pink lips opened to show perfect teeth.

"Well I better get started," I said after he'd pointed his tour all the way down to the Bay Bridge and Oakland.

"Oh!" he said as if surprised I'd come for anything other than sightseeing. "Right! Thanks for coming out so late on a Friday. I hope it's not a problem. I'm sure you have parties to get to."

"No, it's perfect. We were doing a kitchen in Brisbane and my boss picked me up with your materials and dropped me here. I live in the dorms just up the street so this was on my way home. I'm getting overtime." I followed him towards the kitchen.

"You're at Pacific? I didn't know they had dorms. It's a community college, right?" He made his way to the large kitchen island where he had a half-chopped pile of vegetables and a stack of skewer sticks.

"Yes, sir. I'm a freshman. They have a few shared units by the campus. It came with my scholarship. I couldn't afford to live anywhere else in the city... Wait! These are the knobs you're replacing? They look like they're in good shape! They're barely worn," I observed.