It's Billy's Favorite

Chapter XII

She came home in ripped jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Her hair was clean and curly but I could smell the booze off her, she was hungover.
"I was thinking baby, we go to the mall and pick out new clothes for new year in school." She said to me. "School is still in session. I'm not going into a new year for 4 more months." "Yeah but to prepare." "I have enough clothes." "What year are you gonna be again?" "I'm going to be a sophomore." "Oh isn't that nice my baby is growing up so fast." "I guess so." "What about Jane?" "Uh 4th grade." "Is she here?" "No she went to the store an hour ago." "Alright, well I think it's time for you to get an actual job. Not the neighborhood giving you money anymore, an actual job." "Like what?" "I picked up a few applications from places hiring. You could start there."
She handed me ten applications: A bakery, pizza place, waiter, projectionist job, newspaper, country club, arcade, bowling alley, daycare, and a shelter job. All of them looked like they would suck but I still picked one I wouldn't hate; projectionist. My mom watched me fill out the application and smiled when I finished. She went to the fridge and took a few food items from the fridge and sat down on the table.
  "I guess you're wondering why I want you to get a job?" "Not really." "Well it's because I need some help around here. I can't pay all the bills with my job at the bar I need contribution. That means occasionally you will have to pay some bills, and when Jane is old enough she can get a job so we won't have to worry about money. I was also thinking that if you do good with saving money. You can get your own car by the time you're 15. Sound fair?" "Yes." "Good. Now make me a martini dry." "I-." "For god sake did I teach you nothing?!" "You never taught me drinks." "Fine. I'll make it since I have to do everything around here. Why don't you go take the bus and send in that application. I want you to have a job by Thursday." "That's literally tomorrow." "I know. It's not my fault you didn't get a job earlier."
  I didn't say anything to her, I was honestly too fucking tired to be around her. I grabbed the application and took a almost full hour bus ride to the city. The city was dead during April. I walked to the movie theaters and was welcomed by a man who was tall and strong. He was slightly asleep but brought his head up when I walked in.
"How ya doing kid? Need a ticket?" "Uh no I was actually applying for the projectionist job."
He looked at me with shock.
"Do you even know how to work that old thing?" "I'm a fast learner. Besides my mom says I need the job." "How old are you?" "I'm 14." "Wow. I started working here around your age. Well we aren't busy so I can take you up and show you the ropes see if you up to it."
  He took me up two flights of stairs where the door to the projectionist room was dark and looked like it was falling apart. He opened the room and it was huge. There was a single bed with a desk, and a mini fridge. There was a small window to look out from the theater, and about forty tapes all labeled different movies.
  "Alright all these films here are to go in that projector over there you make sure the pictures get placed evenly. The bed is here in case your working long days which if you were to work here you most definitely will and while a movie is being shown you can take a nap or work on homework. If you take a nap set a timer based on how long the movie is I'll make sure to print a schedule on when movies are to be shown. Now the projector: You place whatever film is being shown in this little compartment, then you adjust it make sure everything is even, dim the lights in the theaters which are those over there, then you press these three buttons and you let it go. Any questions?" "Do I have to clean the theater when the movie is over?" "No. When the movie you show is done, you take the film out put in the next one and do the same thing over and over again. At the end of your shift you bring down all the films you used and I will reset them back to their original state. Some nights if you want you could spend the whole night it happens I don't care just if you take food from downstairs make sure you pay and leave the money under the register. If you also stay the night make sure the closing crew did everything right and that's it. So you gonna run away yet?" "I already filled out the application." "Huh."
  He took the application and looked at it.
"Alright you're hired. Come back tomorrow do you go to school?" "I do." "What time do you get out?" "3." "Alright. Well I expect you here by 4, and if your Friday was good. I'll have you work a full day from 12-11:30. The wage is five dollars an hour. Pay day is every Friday make sure you clock in once you get here and clock out when you leave. Still clock out even if you're staying the night. Understand?" "Yes sir." "Alright name is Anton, here is the key to the projection room. I'll see you tomorrow." "Thank you." "Yeah no problem."
   I took the bus back home and mom was there watching politics while eating a sandwich.
  "Good your back. Did you get the job?" "Yes." "Great. How much you making?" "I make around 3 bucks an hour." "Hmm. Alright every week I need half of what you make." "Why?" "Don't question me I just need it." "Fine whatever."
   Yeah I lied to her that day, and I still don't regret it. I knew she wanted to take my money just so she could buy more alcohol. I was also going to lie to her about how many hours I worked. So my long days I would just say I'm sleeping over at someone's house. That way she thinks she gets a good amount of my paycheck when she barely gets any. I can't let that woman take money from me just so she could fuel her addiction. I still don't regret my decision, and I never will.