For Our Future #ONC2020

03. Other Issues

Joel hung up his apron and clocked out, he had worked over fifteen minutes and was eager to get out of his uniform. Then it hit him as he grabbed his phone and wallet from the break room he wasn't going to get a shower after he saw Laura, he smelled like burnt noodles.  He was going to head to the community center to sign the two of them up for the contest a chance to win five million even if they didn't win if they made it into the top five they would get a prize. Given it was an unknown prize but it was a prize nonetheless. Joel walked the four blocks to the community center knowing for the next two hours Laura would be fueling her coffee addiction while serving coffee to hipsters.

He was bundled up in a coat as he fought against the snowstorm that was brewing in the skies. The sidewalks slippery from the hail last night. Joel was thankful for rock salt.

Joel saw the bright blue and purple outline of the Community Center where he and Laura had been taking art classes every Wednesday sense they were seventeen. Joel entered and was greeted with a breeze of warm air. He quickly discarded his jackets and scarf in his locker and walked up to the desk.

The woman who sat there was in her early forties  and did not look happy to see anyone at this hour, "How may I help you?" She had dull brown hair and she looked bitter to be sitting in a chair on a Thursday evening.

"Hi, I'm here to sign up for the contest."

"The contest?" The woman stretched out the word making con and test sound like two different words.

Joel nodded his head resting his cold hands on the desk, "With the five million dollar prize." Joel gestured to the bulletin board where just a day earlier he and Laura took a stub from the poster with cursive handwriting.

"You actually want to do something that ridiculous?" The woman who probably should  of been wearing a name tag said as she cocked her head to look at the twenty year old, "Its crazy but I guess you gotta be crazy sometimes," The woman reached into her filing cabinet and pulled out a packet of paper work. "I can give you these to fill out you and who ever your competing with will need to send them to the address on the back."

Joel nods his head as he takes the packet, "Thanks." He awkwardly turns to walk away.

"Hey." Joel turns to look at the woman, "Good luck kid." He nods his head and continues to walk away.

As Joel sits down on a bench in the locker room to begin to look though the packet he decides to call Laura. He listens to her phone buzz for a few moments then he hears her sweet voice,  "Hi ya."

"Hey, I just picked the packets thought id let you know." The truth is he didn't need to call her he just wanted to hear her voice.

He could hear the smile on her face as impossible as it sounds he could, "Read it to me."

"What about work?"

"I'm on my thirty." Joel knew where she was, she was sitting in the kitchen because the diner didn't have an official break room like the restaurant he worked at did all they had was a broom closet. She was sitting crisscross and she was holing the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she did dishes. Even though she was on break she wanted to be of help.

Joel sighed as looked at the packet, "Okay, page one, The checklist the first thing you need to pick the era you want to live like for a year. . . " They went on like that for the entirety of Laura's break. They said their goodbyes and hung up. They had made it to page five of the twelve page packet. Joel finished putting on his coat and walked out the brisk air meeting him. The snowfall was heavier than it was earlier. He squinted up at the sky and only saw white, not a good sign.

Laura was back to waiting tables and serving customers. She had a lime green apron tied around her waist that matched perfectly with the lime green coffee cup she had as her name tag on her solid black  shirt.

The days here were fun if she got paired wither her favorite co-workers. Laura loved working here she brought smiles to peoples faces and they brought smiles to hers. She believed tiny cafes like this one she worked in brought life to unknown stories. She believed that the teen with their music slightly too loud and type far too fast at their laptops would be publicists, authors and, musicians. She prayed that working here would get her creative juices flowing and it did most nights. Those nights it did are her favorite because after work most nights she gets to preform as a local talent at a little restaurant down the street from where she lives.

She finished work at six, hung up her apron and ran home in the snow her adrenaline keeping her warm.  She found a patch of ice and slid on it almost falling on her face but catching herself at the last minute. She jogged the last block slowing down as she saw their apartment in the distance.

She skipped out on using the elevator and ran up the stairs she slid a little from the mix of snow, ice and, mud on the bottom of her shoes. She found their apartment 4 C and walked in taking of her shes upon re entry. "Honey I'm home." She spoke as she walked into the kitchen to find Joel counting the money in her guitar that she made this morning in the park. "How much?"

Joel continued to count they money, "Almost thirty." He took the change and placed it in a jar that was resting on the counter. The jar was clear and written in Lara's handwriting on the side in sharpie read, For Our Future it was of their savings that they didn't use for rent or taxes.

"I was thinking we could read the packet tonight." Laura said as she kissed Joel on the cheek.

Joel placed his hands on her hips, "What about-"

"They are snowed in and told me not to come." Lara said with the information regarding the performance that was supposed to occur tonight.

"Okay then." Joel said as he kissed on the top of her head.

The two showed and put of their pajamas and curled into bed with the most important packet of their future. Joel was reading it as Lara kept sneaking in side comments. But they were together and that was possibility the best thing about this night.