The Man in Squeaky Shoes

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"So what made you decide to become a prison guard of all the things you could do for work?" Mr. Stanton asked walking up to the desk, starting a conversation.

"Well, Mr. Stanton, I don't much enjoy being a piece of candy to a man's eye in most jobs that women have this day and age..." I said organizing some papers and then looking up to him leaning on the desk. It was at this time Mr. Howell came back from the cafeteria, walking through the door "and all the other jobs seem rather dull and - I don't want to say meaningless, but meaningless to me in a sense. Does that make sense?"

"Alright..." Mr. Stanton said picking up his apple off of the desk, "I think I understand"
"Oh, Dean! You finally understand how to talk to women?!" Mr. Howell smiled sitting in the chair next to me behind the desk. "I thought the day would never come!"
"Oh, very funny Brutus" Mr. Stanton mock laughed. "I'd watch out for him, that big lump of lard right next to you Miss Hartmann"

"Oh - please!" I said looking between the two of them before going back to sorting papers, "Mr. Stanton, Mr. Howell, if you could and don't mind, please call me Ruth. I'm not too fond of being called Miss Hartmann"

"Well that ain't no fair, you calling us with formality and we don't with you" Mr. Howell said next to me with a slight teasing tone in his voice, "Just call me Brutus, Ruth"

"Yeah, and just call me Dean." Mr. Stanton said, "The whole 'Mr. Stanton' thing seems too old for me yet".

"Okay old man" I smiled and ducked my head in the way anyone would when poking fun at another person. I heard Brutus next to me start chuckling which lead to full laughter. He gave a nod and pat on my shoulder in approval of me poking fun at Dean. Dean just let out a sigh and a 'why do I work with you people' side glance to the two of us.

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A bit later I ended up going into the office to try and find some papers missing from the desk out in the block. Dean and Brutus were doing their own thing in the block, while Paul was down in the cafeteria getting something to eat. I heard some commotion and someone that didn't sound familiar talking real loud. But I didn't pay no attention to anything, it's bound to get loud around here at times. If I hear anything that might warrant a fight or some instance that needs assistance from another guard I would be more quick on my feet. I did hear Dean and Brutus gripping to this other voice. It might be Percy, the two mentioned he had to take a death row inmate to the infirmary for some reason or another.

As I was looking through the files in the office desk, crouched down I heard some boots come into the office. I didn't pay or no mins until I heard someone call out, "So you're the new guy, huh?" Great. The boys must've left this guy in the dark about me being a female. And from where he's standing all he can see is the top of my hat, not my bun or my face.
I stood up looking at the young guard before me, and his face went from being in simple words grumpy, to surprised, to confused mixed with interest.

"Yep, that would be me" I said readjusting my hat "the name's Ruth Hartmann. You must be Mr. Wetmore? I've been told there was another guard this shift that I hadn't met yet" I smiled, being polite.

"Well there must be some sort of mistake here.." Percy started, leaning against the wall, crossing his one leg over the other, "I didn't know they let angels work on the big bad block" Percy smiled, giving a wink.

"Oh, shit" I said softly with a small embarrassed laugh, "That's awful kind of you to say, Mr. Wetmore. However this being my first day I wouldn't like for there to be any misunderstandings as to why I'm here and what my duties are".

"Oh no, no, no!" Percy said stabbing upright, "I understand that well! You're the new guard, same uniform, same tasks, same shifts, same duties through and through!"

"Well that's good to know Mr. Wetmore"
"Oh please, call me Percy" Percy said holding his hand out. For which I went to grab with the intentions of a handshake, but he was quick and brought my hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on it.

"O-oh, okay. Um well Percy please call me Ruth. And please, this is a place for work, not for foreplay" I said starting to walk past him to leave the office but he grabbed my arm. Stopping me so close to him. I looked down to his hand and back up to his brown eyes, with my eyebrows raised and a small "uh, yes?" escaping my mouth.

"Well what if you and I go out for dinner? After work, no worries of being unprofessional" he winked with a smile. Damn. He is kind of charming. But also a bit rude and fast for sure.

"Well," I said getting his grip off of my arm and taking another step to the door, "call me whatever you may like, but having just met you I'll have to decline on that offer. I know nothing of you and you know nothing of me. Even waiting a week would be better." I said seeing a slightly defeated look on his face. "I didn't say yes...but I also didn't say no - for now at least." His gaze met mine and I shot him a wink while making two clicking noises with my cheek.

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