Throwaway People

Wind of Fate

Greenacres, Camp: November 30

Patty woke Key up at six in the morning.

"You look like hell." Keyote said indelicately. "Go back to sleep. We'll go to the Lost Tea Shop tomorrow."

"No way, kiddo. I've spent to much time away as it is." Patty told her. "Stacey was expecting me yesterday. I might not have a job if I don't show up."

"So don't, I can go myself." Key said. "You should just go back to sleep."

"We are both going. You can't go by yourself, what if one of Jose's people show up." Patty shook her head. "You don't even know where you are going."

"You sound bad. You can't sing." Key said.

"I won't, you will. I'll play."

"Patty, no offense, but you suck at the guitar." Key said.

"I'm a lot better than I used to be." Patty replied.

"Kinda suck then."

"Thanks, honey. You know how to make me feel so much better."

Green Acres, Camp: 7:40 AM

It was still warm, despite the fact that December was coming. Jim had one of the shopping carts they had used for the laundry a couple days ago. He put two cases of bottled water on the bottom, he had a large cooler on top. Filled with more bottled water.

"You are getting industrious." Patty said. "Do you really think you can sell that much."

"I decided to avoid Forest Hill, I don't make that much anyway. I'm going to work between Military Trail and Jog on Lake Worth Road." Jim said. "I'm still walking with you to Fresco. I'll go back to Lake Worth from there."

"That is a long walk, Jim." Bobbi told him. "Why not go on down 10th, and turn towards Lake Worth Road from there."

"I'll just feel better if I see Patty and Key get on the bus." Jim said.

"Alright, but I'll walk on down to Lake Worth Road with you." Bobbi said. "It will eat up some time. I don't really do any work until later in the morning."

"I'm suprised you do any work at all before Noon." Patty said.

"Some guys like morning sex." Bobbi said. "Go figure."

Bobbi and Jim waited as Key and Patty got on the bus. This obligation done the two of them walked on down Military Trail towards Lake Worth. Bobbi got halfway between 10th and Lake Worth Road when a car stopped in a nearby plaza to pick her up. She waved goodbye to Jim who waved back. He continued his trek to Lake Worth Road. Selling two waters on the way.

Lake Worth, Downtown: 8:10 AM

Key didn't remember getting on a bus before. Patty paid the fare for Key and then used her bus pass. Patty explained that she could get free monthly bus passes by calling a number. Key asked if she could get one, but Patty explained that Key didn't have a photo ID.

They sat in the back of the bus with their guitars. Key had inherited the old guitar that Patty had found in the garbage. Key loved the broken down old guitar. It was crap and Key knew it. Only it had been rescued from the garbage like Patty had rescued Key. Key couldn't stand the thought of throwing it back on the garbage heap.

They got off the bus in front of a CVS store. Crossing the busy street they walked down one of Lake Worth's swanky shopping areas and arrived at the end of the road at the Lost Tea Shop. Beyond that was a park overlooking the International Waterway. Key longed to look out over that expanse of water, but she knew Patty needed to introduce Key to Stacey.

Key looked over at Patty. Key could see that Patty was clearly exhausted. As they arrived at the Lost Tea Shop Key insisted that Patty sit down and drink some water. Pulling out a bottle of water she had Patty sit in the shade of the awning.

Patty drank a little water to appease Key. She insisted that she was okay and got up. She went in the door of the Lost Tea Shop. It was a small cozy little cafe. Stacey looked up and smiled. The voluptuous woman came around the counter and embraced Patty.

"You look terrible. Have you been sick?" Stacey asked. Before Patty could answer Stacey looked over at Key. "Oh, you must be Keyote, Patty told me you're pretty good."

Keyote shook Stacy's hand. Stacy had a firm, yet gentle grip.

"You should go home, Patty. You are too sick to sing or sit outside." Stacey said.

"No, Key and I need the money." Patty coughed as she spoke.

"Well, let Key do all of the work. You just sit there and look pretty." Stacey told her. "In fact, if you want, why don't you crash on the couch and Key can play by herself."

"I can do that Patty. I play and they put tips in the jar. I can handle that by myself." Key said.

"Well use my guitar, it sounds better." Patty said. "Don't wander off, and if trouble comes, you get inside quick or take the back alley back to the bus stop if you need to."

"Expecting trouble." Stacey asked.

"I was just thinking about the Sheriff the last time." Patty said. "That old bastard that seems to have a hard-on for me."

Key took Patty's guitar and stationed herself in Patty's usual spot outside. Stacey insisted that Patty at least sit on the couch in the back of the store. She placed a glass of 'hydrating' tea on the coffee table in front of Patty. The blueberry iced tea did taste good to Patty.

"Drugs?" Stacey asked.

"I slipped, I was stupid. I wouldn't blame you if you told me to never come back." Patty said.

"How long were you clean?"

"Six months. A lousy six months and I do something this stupid." Patty went on to tell the whole story. "Six months clean and I blow it because someone threw a soda on me. You know what the real pisser is, I just touched the drugs. I had thrown them away. Wasn't going to use them, I still came to camp high. I front of Key too."

"Stop kicking yourself. Get on with your life." Stacey said. "Tell me about the 'old bastard'."

Patty couldn't tell Stacy much, only that she had only seen him once before he showed up at the shop.

"So, you make a rude gesture at him and he stalks you." Stacey said. "Could he have been a client or something?"

Patty looked over at Stacey, surprised. Patty had said nothing about her past.

"You knew I was a prostitute and you asked me to play here anyway?" Patty was shocked.

"Why not, you aren't the first prostitute who wanted to get off the streets." Stacey said. "I've helped a few before you."

"Why?"

"But for the wind of fate, you could be me." Stacey paraphrased an old folk song. "There were times in my life that things could have gone bad."