Fields of Iris

Fighting The Power

"I swear! He just gave his number to me with his wife right there. He said they were into that kind of thing," Raymond spoke as I let out a laugh while we pulled out our fishing poles from the trunk.

"Oh my Lord, that is some crazy weird stuff," I remarked looking over to see a mischievous look on Ray's face. "You're not telling me you'd actually go for it!"

He let out a loud laugh closing the doors as we held all the supplies for our morning out on the lake. "Who knows, it could be fun! I mean I've never been into a woman a day in my life, but if the man is cute enough I might take the bait," he harped as I shook my head at my Insane best friend. As uncomfortable as I was discussing my own personal intimate life, I was glad to laugh about the crazy things Raymond likes to talk about.

"You are crazier than Josephine Anne on revival Sundays!" I remarked as he shook his head.

"Says the girl who's only been out of The Brooks three times in her life and is going to an actual club tonight!" He remarked as I skipped a bit in excitement. "God if only I didn't have to work bussing tables. This is gonna be a sight I don't want to miss."

"Oh Ray, imma be just fine. I got Chase there, anyway," I spoke, my face heating at the idea of driving with him once more in my head.

"Yeah I'll admit, it is awfully nice of him to go out of his way," he said. And once again, just as if my thoughts were appearing in person, Chase exited Gally's shop, looking up at us as we appeared.

"Chase! What are you doing here?" I asked, my eyes wide in confusion.

"I came to see if you were still coming tonight," he said as my heart jumped instantly.

"Really?"

"Really?"

Raymond and I both said in unison, except in different tones as I hit his shoulder, signaling for him to not ruin the moment.

"Yeah I mean, I used to come out to the docks too back in the day. I thought I'd relive it for a moment," he spoke while I smiled at the idea of him finding his old self being back home.

"Well I'd invite you along but the boat only fits two. You know it's only one of the tiny tugboats with the old rugged engine," I rambled nervously wishing we had a bigger boat.

"Yea well unfortunately I got some other things to take care of but don't forget tonight. Be ready by 6, got it," he sighed, winking at me before walking off.

"That was weird," Raymond said as I narrowed my eyes on him.

"What?" I snapped. I didn't know if I was upset that he thought it was weird that Chase came all the way up to the docks or that it was weird he came to see me in the process.

"Just seeing him up here is weird. I remember his friends coming up when we would be working and leaving empty beer cans everywhere, but that's about it. Nothing very sentimental," he remarked as I noted his words in the back of my head as we continued to head out to the boat.

As we walked past the shop I looked over to try and see Gally, but he was nowhere in sight, the teenage employee left to stock inside. "Well, we don't know what exactly is sentimental to him, now do we?" I asked as we made it to the docks.

"I guess. Let's just get out to the lake. I'm ready to relax and drink before sobering up for my shift," he said. We made quick work in getting the boat untied and out onto the water. As we steered our ah to the middle of the empty lake, we relaxed and fell into a silence as our poles dangled in the water.

"Are you going to the service on Friday?" Raymod suddenly asked me as I sighed a bit, bothering to peek up.

"If by service, you mean the devil women and her three spawns deciding to spread that man's ashes in their precious junkyard, then no, I don't plan on it," I spoke, remembering the news I had gotten recently about Tony Hayward's passing.