My Seoul Man

Chapter 22

I peeked around the corner from behind my portable at work to make sure no one was walking around out there—they'll sneak out for a smoke sometimes, the ones still addicted that way.

And once in a while I'll walk up on some woman wiping tears, too. Or someone having a fight on the phone that they don't want any co-workers to hear.

But the coast was clear so I ducked back behind the building and said, "Ronnie's made some kind of little fountains for art installations that sound a lot like what we're looking for. Knows all about the hydraulics or...whatever—you remember Ronnie Bird, right? From the gathering?"

AJ came back all happy with, "He'd do that for us?"

The "us" in that question made me pretty happy, too. Made me want to put on that ring I'd been keeping on a long chain around my neck at work or about to be around relatives. No way I was going to flaunt it on a finger just yet. But I had it with me all the time...

"He sculpts these really realistic looking rocks out of that insulation foam stuff you squirt out of a can—I'll send pictures. They're light as air. Perfect for what we want to do."

"So, how much do you think he'll charge?"

"I think he'll be insulted if I ask."

"But you will ask, okay?"

I heard footsteps on the chunky gravel that surrounded all the buildings so I said, "We'll talk later—you're not up futzing around the kitchen, are you?"

"I made something that'll really sell. It's this--"

"AJ, will you please stay still for a few—shoot, I gotta go."

I poked the phone icon right quick just as Clary got almost within earshot.

I had to come around that corner with a very determined look on my face.

Seemed to work because she paused, frowned a little and said, "Oh, God what now?"

I did have some work news to offer up. "They didn't get enough qualified applicants for cafeteria jobs. So my girls all got re-hired. They'll start in July, too. Extra month's pay."

Clary did this hand clappy thing like a little kid and said, "I think I may get hired, too!"

"Really?!"

She ran up and grabbed both my biceps. "Not here! At that big new Lutheran school over in Riley near all the subdivisions. I have an interview!"

I let her do her little happy dance and then asked, "And you know somebody who knows somebody, right?"

She winked and said, "My sister's husband is the pastor's right-hand man, so..."

I pinched her cheek playfully. "You were supposed to follow me, though."

She frowned and said, "I don't like those corporate people. They have dead eyes. Even when they smile at you."

That was so Old Whitman of her, to see and be wary of that. We said what we meant and let our faces say the same thing. But these newcomers' eyes contradicted their mouths a lot.

It's why many of us still shopped and ate and hung out at the older places that had survived the influx. Where they'd call out our names and ask us how the kids were doing and really mean it.

My fam had tried the new farmers' markets and a few newbie garage sales and come back empty-handed both because they didn't know anything about most of the things being sold there and also because the people selling it seemed so uneasy serving them.