Parker

Chapter 59

Rodger returned to the desk after sitting down with a salesperson and her clients who were purchasing a used 2019 Toyota Highlander for their sixteen year old son.  Parker looked up from the Elfquest comic and looked at the sixteen year old boy who was sitting at his parents and said "I know him."

"From school?"

"No."  Parker said.  "He is a barista at the Starbucks in the mall."  The boy nodded at him as Chris let him and his parents into the finance office.  Parker then noticed Lily relax happy to have one more sale under her belt.  Parker could not imagine the pressure that sales people were constantly under to make a sale.  Even with Justin gone.  He wouldn't be surprised if they all went home at night, cracked upon a bottle of Jack Daniels and drank the entire bottle to calm their frayed nerves.  

Addiction among car dealers must be skyrocketing he mused.

"He's a nice guy."  Parker said.

"He seems like a very nice boy." Rodger said.  "And his parents."  He then eyed the Elfqest comic.  "Enjoying Elfquest."

"Yeah." Parker said. "It great.  I'm shocked that I never heard about it before."  He then flipped a page.  "Have they ever made it into a movie or television show."

"No."  Rodger replied.  "Which is a crime against humanity."

Parker then chortled.

Parker looked at Todd's desk the salesman that Justin had treated horribly.  He could not feel help but feel sorry for him with as he thought of all the pain and humiliation that Justin had put him through.  He did not deserve to be treated like that by him.  

"Did Todd get fired too?"  Parker asked.

"No."  Rodger shook his head.   "He is just off today."

"Is he going to be fired."

"More than likely."  Rodger said then looked at the white board behind them that was tracking sales for the months.  Seven names were written on the board in blue marker.  Six of them were at eight or more cars sold.  Todd was at a measely one and it did not look like a second slash would be added anytime soon. "I'm going to hate him to let him go but unfortunately this job is not for everyone."  Rodger kind hoped that he would quit before he had to do it but doubted he will.

"I feel bad for him."

"Same here."

"Are you upset that Spencer never went into car sales?"  Parker asked.

"I'm more upset that your brother sits around playing video games all day while his wife goes to work and he has his mother in law watch them during the day instead of doing it himself."  Rodger said.  He thought it would be one thing if he did Youtube or Tiktok videos where he reviewed games or gave advice to people how to play games but he does not even do that.  He just sits around playing video games for hours on end contributing nothing to his family.

Maybe I should try to talk to him about taking a job at the store he thought.  Not as a sales associate but maybe on the lot or in the parts department. 

His phone then rang and Rodger saw Spencer's name across the screen. "Speak of the devil."  He hit accept wondering what he wanted.  "Hey Spencer what's up."  Parker returned to the comic disinterested in why his brother was calling.  "Yeah he is here."  His father said to his surprise. "Would like to talk to him?"  

Rodger handed him the phone.  "Your brother would like to speak to you."

Parker gave his father a look which said you serious.

"Do you want to talk to him."

"I guess."  Parker said warily.  He took the phone from his father's hand resisting the impulse to hang up on him. "Hi Spencer."

"Hi Parker how are you doing?"

Since when do you care he thought.  "I'm fine."  A few more customers then entered the show room and his father got up to greet them.  Parker decided to take a walk outside. 

"What's up?"

"I'm calling you about Sunday."

"You mean when you keep confined a bedroom so you would not have to deal with me."  Hate was in his voice as he spoke.

"Yes."  Spencer said.  "After having several loud conversations about it with Paula the last couple of days."  Paula being his wife who was not happy about how Parker was treated.  "As well my mother in law telling him how much of an awful brother and human being I am and mom jumping all over me for what I did I come to realize that how I treated you was wrong and I wanted to apologize to you."

"Are you apologizing to me because you bad about or to get your wife, your mother in law, and mom off your back."  Parker said. 

"I am apologizing because I saw the error of my ways." Spencer said.

Sure you have Parker thought. Like you are capable of taking responsibility for your actions and apologizing.

"And Paula has hid my X-box until I make amends with you."

"I knew I like her for some reason."  Parker said.

"So I am sorry."  Spencer said.  "Do you accept my apology."

"No because you don't mean it." Parker said with hurt in his voice.  "You are not apologizing to me because you care about me, because you feel bad about how you treated me."  Parker saw Kenny who was taking one of the cars off the lot and waved to him.  "You are only apologizing because Paula is blackmailing you or because mom and your mother in law made you feel bad but not because you give a crap about me."  Parker's face turned bright red as he spoke.  Years of pain came to the surface as he said "You and our sisters have never given a damn about me.  All I have been to you was a mistake mom and dad brought home from the hospital.  You've never been a brother to me even though I so desperately wanted you to be."

"Parker..."

"Shut up I am talking here."  Parker yelled.  "You are jerk Spencer.  A selfish jerk who only cares about himself.  You have ignored me, looked down on me, treated me like I was a inconvenience and now you have the audacity to come to me for help!"  He yelled.  "Well forget you Spencer."  He wanted to say something else but knew that would be ten swats with the belt and three minutes with the soap.

It would almost be worth it he thought.

"I hope she does not give you your dumb Xbox back and deletes your game files."  Parker then let out a cry of pain and threw the phone which collided into the door of red Miata.  He let out a cry of shock as he watched the phone hit the ground.  "Oh crap."  He exclaimed as he ran to the phone and picked it up.  His filled with horror as he saw the cracked screen and then the tiny mark on the door.  He weakly said "Crap."