SKYLINE MOTEL

Chapter 2

Just because a person is homeless doesn't make them a bad person. But there are many that are territorial, crazy, dangerous, or thieves that gives decent homeless bad names. If you're homeless, you were considered the scum of the town.

Even though dumpster diving was not illegal, many business owners frowned on it and claimed that it gave their business a bad name. They have been known to ask the diver to leave the premises.

The brunette had been homeless for five years. His friends, seven. So most of the town knew them.

The brown-eyed man walks slowly toward the front door of the grocery store. His anxiety was about to get the best of him. Would he be allowed to shop or asked to leave?

In his pocket was the ten dollars that he was given to buy peanut butter and jelly, of all things. His friends took the other ten to go wash clothes at a nearby laundromat.

Taking a calming breath, he walks inside as the doors slide open. The cool air was welcomed with it being such a hot day. 'Just act normal.' The brunette keeps telling himself. 'Just find the sh*t and get out.'

~~

"Hey!" Rob says as he hurries into Adam's office causing the blonde to look up from his work. "Your homeless dude just came in."

"Really?" Adam couldn't help but smile. He stands and walks up to the window overlooking the grocery store below. He could see out but they couldn't see in. "Where is he?"

"Uhhhh, oh, there he is." Rob points at the brunette who was casually looking at a few things, trying to act normal. "He looks pretty suspicious if you ask me."

"Really, Rob?" Adam chuckles and shakes his head.

"They've been known to shoplift you know." Rob states, looking over his glasses at his friend/boss. "I mean, where did he get the money to come here to shop when just yesterday he was digging in our dumpster for food?"

As much as Adam hated to admit it, Rob had a point.

"Maybe I'll just go down there and kinda wander around a bit. Maybe ask him if I could help him find anything, you know, like what a manager would do?" Adam smirks as he leaves his office.

'Where did you go?' Adam asks quietly as he strolls the aisles, smiling and greeting some of the customers. 'Sh*t.' He whispers as he jumps back from the aisle he was just fixing to walk up. Adam had to chuckle at himself for acting like a goofball detective. But there in the bread aisle was the handsome stranger.

"How are you doing today? Can I help you find anything?" Adam asks, bravely walking up the aisle.

The brunette turns to greet the employee with a smile that quickly fades. 'Oh f*ck! It's him!' His brain screams.

"No, I'm fine." The brunette answers. But he wasn't. He had forgotten his glasses and couldn't see any of the d*mn prices.

"Well, if you need any help, just let me know." Adam says as he finds himself straightening the loaves of bread to look busy.

"Uhhh, maybe I could use a little help." The homeless man says to the manager that he was pretty sure was watching him thinking he was planning on shoplifting. "I didn't bring my glasses and I can't read any of the prices."

As the store manager walks closer to help, his soft cologne numbed the brunette's senses. As the blonde was telling him the prices, he couldn't concentrate on what the manager was saying because of how good he smelled.

"These here, you're paying more mainly for the brand name." Adam says.

"Thank you." The shopper manages to say quietly as he grabs a loaf of the cheaper bread. "Could you point me in the direction of the peanut butter and jelly?"

"Sure, it's this way." Adam smiles as he starts to walk down the aisle.

"I said point." The brunette grumbles quietly to himself as he slowly follows the cute manager who was trying to catch him shoplifting.

"Here ya go." Adam says as he points to the peanut butter and jelly selections. He figured the man didn't have much money so he thought he would try suggesting something. "This here," He says picking up a jar of Goober's Peanut Butter and Jelly mixed. "This is really good. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper than buying separately." (Yes, it does exist) Adam continues and tells him the price compared to buying a jar of each.

"Okay. Thanks for the help." The brunette nods as he takes the jar. He quickly does the math in his head and knows that he still has enough left for a small pack of bottled water. The bottles they had have seen their best days. Since there was no tax on food in the state, he still might have a dollar or two left.

"You're welcome." Adam smiles before walking away. He could tell that his presence was making the stranger uncomfortable. And he was pretty sure that the man wasn't planning on stealing anything since he was making his way over to the bottled water.

"That will be $7.50." The cashier, Olena, smiles.

The man reaches into his front pocket and fishes out a wadded ten dollar bill. Glancing over at the candy rack, he could easily read that the Snickers candy bars were on sale for fifty cents. He grabs three and lays them with his purchase. Yeah, he was splurging. Why not.

"Okay, that'll be $9.00." Olena smiles sweetly. She knew this man was homeless. She too has seen him digging around in the dumpster.

He hands her the money as the bagger asks him if he needed help getting his purchase to the car.

"No, thanks." The brunette shakes his head as he takes his dollar change and picks up the bag and the pack of water.

"That breaks my heart." Olena says as she watches him leave. Adam had walked up next to her.

They watch as he stops at the drink machine located next to the door. He slides the dollar in the machine and makes his selection. He retrieves his fifty cents change then sits down on the curb and takes out one of the candy bars and begins to eat.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Adam asks as he watches.

"Excuse me. But are you talking about the man sitting on the curb?" The next customer asks.

"Yes, sir." Adam nods.

"His name is Tim. He and his two friends have been staying at the old Skyline Motel for several years now." The man says. "I'm Darren Rust. I own the pool next to the hotel."

"Oh, okay." Adam nods. He remembered Rob telling him that the owner of the pool allowed the homeless to take showers there.

"If you're worried about him stealing anything, don't be. Tim is not a thief. He's a good guy." Darren says as he pays for the beer that he was buying. "Chance and Austin are good guys also."

"His friends?" Adam asks.

"Yeah, they actually were there first. Tim showed up about a year later." Darren says as he picks up his purchase. "Thank you." He adds as he heads for the door.

Adam and Olena watch as Darren leans down and pats the homeless man on the shoulder.

Tim looks up and smiles at the familiar face.

"Hey, Tim. Need a lift?" Darren asks with a smile.

"Sure." Tim smiles as he gathers his things and throws the empty candy bar wrapper into the trash can. He picks up the can of root beer he had been drinking and walks across the parking lot with Darren.

"Hmmm," Adam hums to himself. "Tim. I now have a name for that handsome face." He smiles as he looks around at Olena.

"You're terrible." She giggles as she shakes her head.

*******

Until next time .... ✌️