"Little" Thoughts From My Head

Why Do It?

Winter is an interesting season that I loved when I was a child, and a fool. Yet, I couldn’t blame him for being himself. Now I’m a grown-ass-adult dealing with shit that even a 5-year-old could fix. Sometimes I wonder why I’m in the job I am today. I check my watch, a beautiful black watch that was given to me last christmas by my wife, Sally. It is 7:30 pm. Jackson is late. Again. Thankfully my black winter jacket is keeping warm and cozy except for my face. 

“Isaac!” 

I see Jackson making his way towards me, running like no tomorrow. Despite his big size and short stature, he’s quicker than a teenager on drugs. I met him in the 8th grade and we have been friends ever since. He has the strength of a gorilla and hands big enough to crush a skull. I just wished he wasn’t such a pansy at times. 

“What took you so long?.” I said. 

“Sorry,” He said between breaths, “Gloria was not letting me go without giving her a kiss. You know how she is.” 

My hazel eyes arch upward, “Yeah, yeah. C’mon, we got a visit to make. Let’s not waste time.” 

“I know John is late on his payment but you know the reason.” Jackson said to me, his breath turning into a cloud due to the cold. “Let’s give him an extension.” 

I shake my head. “No, Jackson. He knew the rules. He knows the consequences.” 

“But–” I cut him off.

“But nothing. He needs to pay us now or, well, you and I know what happens next.” We walked through the cold, white-filled, streets of New York City. They’re crowded as usual and the smell of marijuana intoxicated the air. Hell, it got to the point where you can go to central park and start smoking a blunt without receiving any punishment. 

Jackson and I made our way to Manhattan, the worst part of the Big Apple. Lanes of cars up and down, no room for anyone to walk on the streets, the smell of marijuana is even stronger, and crime is high as a skyscraper. The city is lit with the lights, whether small or big. There are no stars in the dark sky yet nobody complains, hardly anyone looks up at all. 

“Why are you so persistent with this? We are not losing anything with this.” Jackson said.  

“It’s not about losing anything–it is about the principal.” I said. “If anyone finds out I let this go, then they will think I’m easy–which I’m not!” 

“Ok, ok, I get that. I just think maybe we shouldn’t do this.” 

“We have done this before.” 

“That was different.” 

“We are collectors. There is no difference in what we are doing.”

The building in front of us was modest yet it needed fixing. The walls were cracked, graffiti everywhere, and filth found around the building. Some windows were lit while others weren’t. In one of those apartments John is hiding like the pussy he is. He shouldn't be surprised once he sees us at his front door. The inside was worse than the outside. The floor was discolored, stains everywhere, trash bags mounted in a pile in a corner, and an old rusty mailbox for the tenants that looked like it was going to fall any second. 

“I expected worse.” I commented.

“Well, he did say he got fired from his job a week ago.” Jackson said. 

I noticed sympathy in his voice, I wanted to shake my head but didn’t. He shouldn’t give his sympathy to John's failure. We went up the flight of stairs to the third floor, and knocked on a door that needed to be replaced. A woman opens the door. Her hair was brown but a few strands of gray up front, brown eyes with bags under them. She wore a smile yet her mouth expressed tiredness. I spotted a cheap wedding ring on her ring finger.