Dreams of the Sleepless

Conversations

I thought about going to Duke's for breakfast, but figured that Molly knew more about me now than she'd ever wanted to know. She'd probably be glad not to see me again. Instead, I scrambled a couple of eggs and heated up some vile tasting two-day-old coffee.

The sun was still low when I locked up and walked off toward Eli's house. I continued my new routine of sweeping away all footprints and tire tracks behind me. This procedure made moving down the lane a slow process, but I had all the time in the world. This morning was particularly slow due to all of the cruiser tracks.

Arriving at Eli's, I prepared to complete the front of the house. I still had a bit of exterior white to apply and two shutters to paint. I planned to finish the painting and hang the shutters before the end of the day. I wanted to have the front finished, to have a sense of completion. Although I had promised Eli that I would finish the job, I had an uneasy feeling that I should run, but I needed money. Maybe he would pay me if the street side of the house was completed. Run? And leave Molly behind? Probably the best thing for her, but the idea gnawed at me the rest of the day.

I went straight to the shed and laid out the remaining shutters, opened the black paint, and began applying it with steady brush strokes. I heard the back screen door slam and looked up to see Eli shuffling toward me in the same pajama shorts and t-shirt I had seen before.

He stopped short and watched me for a moment. "You look like Satan lashed you to the back of a pickup truck and dragged you through a field."

I'd never heard it put quite that way before, but I caught the image. Stress and a string of sleepless nights had me looking ragged. I had seen it myself in the mirror earlier.

He followed with, "How are you doing this morning?"

"I'll make it."

He looked skeptical. "Seems to me you should be resting today, not working."

"I don't know what rest is anymore. I'd rather stay busy. It helps to keep my mind occupied."

Eli nodded as if he knew the feeling. "I'll bring you something cold to drink in a bit." He made his way back to the house, disappearing inside.

I finished up the shutters and left them to dry as I dragged the heavy extension ladder back to the front of the house along with white paint and a drop cloth. I hadn't been up on the ladder for too long before Eli appeared on the front porch, dressed in khakis and a button up shirt open at the collar. He carried two cold bottles of beer and invited me down to join him. We sat in the wicker chairs, enjoying the cold liquid in the clammy, humid air. As we sat drinking, Eli asked, "Have you paid attention to the news much over the past year?"

I laughed, "The other day, you were giving me a hard time because I wasn't sure what month it was. I can't believe you asked that question."

Eli smirked. "So, I'll take that as a 'no.'"

I nodded. I wasn't sure where he was going with this, but he didn't say any more. Once he was finished, he stood up and stepped back to admire the house.

"It's looking good. I think I'll go inside and let you finish." Then, off he shuffled.

Eli appeared again around lunchtime with sandwiches and cold iced tea and came out one more time in the afternoon as I was hanging the shutters. He brought ice-cold beer on that trip. He handed me the bottle as I stepped off the ladder and said, "Let me know when you're finished. I have something that I think will interest you."

It all seemed a bit cryptic, but Eli liked being mysterious. He was a nice guy, but he was a bit controlling. I nodded and lifted the bottle to my lips as I looked back to admire the almost complete front portion of the house.