sat at the table while Manny rummaged through the refrigerator, his pants creeping down as he bent over. He yelled, “Meat!” and tossed a packet of ham over his shoulder. It slid across the table and Russell prevented it from slipping off. “Lettuce!” came the next cry, and half a head landed on the table. With a shout of “Tomato!” Manny turned around and fast-pitched one right at Russell, who ducked. It splattered on the counter.
“Dude,” Manny berated him, “What did you have to go and do that for?”
“What? You threw it.”
“You were supposed to catch it.”
“You hurl the thing at me and I’m supposed to let it explode on me? No thanks.”
Manny picked a chunk of tomato off the floor and examined it. “Nah,” he muttered, “I don’t even like tomatoes.” He ran a dishrag over the mess, then turned and began to assemble his sandwich.
“Help yourself,” he offered the food to Russell. “There’s soda in the fridge, and some filtered water, too. The shit out of the tap’s nasty—don’t drink it.”
“Tasted all right to me,” Russell said, spreading mustard on a slice of bread.
“Loaded with a hundred years of factory waste,” Manny responded. “Drink enough of it and it’ll kill you dead, and that’s no joke.” He crunched a pickle, then ran his tongue along the trimmed mustache he’d taken to wearing. His hairline was definitely receding, a fact he accentuated by wearing his hair longer in the back.
“Got everything there OK?” Manny nodded toward Russell’s plate. “Want some chips?” He pushed a bag toward him. Russell took a handful.
“Let’s go eat on the porch,” Manny suggested. “It’s stuffy in here. One of these days I’m going to install central air, when I get the time and the money.”
They sat together on the porch and ate from the plates on their laps.
“So, where are you working now?” Russell asked. “You past being a journeyman or whatever it was last I knew?”
Manny finished chewing before replying. “Oh, you bet. IBEW, certified commercial and residential electrician. Working for Charlie Jenner. You know, the big contractor?”
Russell didn’t know.
“Well, he pulls in all the big contracts around here. We built these condos on Long Lake, part of the big marina renovation down there. I’ll take you by it.”
After a bite of sandwich, Russell told him, “I’ve already seen it.”
“Oh yeah?” Manny replied. “What were you doing down there?”
“Hanging out. I got in early, didn’t want to wake you.”
“Don’t have to worry about that now. I’ve got to be on site at dawn.”
“What site is that?” Russell wanted to know, finishing the last of his sandwich.
“Big, big site. Warehouse store outside of town. City wouldn’t let them put it in town, so it’s just over the line. Pretty funny. We’ve got an election coming up this fall. I hope we vote in some realists who aren’t afraid of progress.”
Russell crunched a chip and raised an eyebrow. “Warehouse store?”
“Yeah, ‘Mega Cart’ it’s called. There’s one in South Bend. It’s wild. They, like, rent forklifts to people so they can buy full pallets of deodorant and toilet paper and stuff.”
“Oh, that’s horrible,” Russell said.
“What do you mean?” Manny asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Those places kill local businesses,” Russell opined.
Manny belched. “How can you say that? It’s local business building it. A lot of good work for me. Pays the bills and then some.”
“Well, sure, it’s good for you building it,” Russell conceded. “But places like that put small downtown shops out of business.”
Manny dismissed this with a snort and shook his head. “You been downtown lately? Most everything moved into the new mall. What’s left is antique shops, craft stores, places like that. Stuff they don’t sell at the Mega Cart.”
Russell considered this point while polishing off the last of his lunch.
“Is Ajax Novelties still there? I bet the Mega Cart doesn’t sell whoopee cushions.”
“They might be able to get you a gross of them,” Manny answered, putting his empty plate aside. “But Ajax, yeah, I was by there not too long ago. Thought about buying a joy buzzer, but didn’t. Should have.”
“We all have our regrets,” Russell rejoined.
They sat for a moment, quietly enjoying a faint breeze.
“So, what are you doing?” Manny asked.
“Sitting here.”
“And, what are you going to do next?”
Russell shrugged.
“You got everything in your kit?”
“Yep,” Russell affirmed, his eyes cast across the lake.
“Got everything you need? Camping gear? Tent, stove, all like that?”
“I got everything, man. I’m handy, you know.”
Manny scratched his chin, then fished a box of cigarettes from a pocket. He took one and held the box out to Russell, who declined. Manny lit his, got up and sat on the porch railing, leaning back against a post by the stairs.
“How long you sticking around?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Until I feel like leaving. Or until you kick me out.”
Manny smiled through the cloud of his exhalation. “I just couldn’t do that, man, pick up and take off like that. I mean, it’s cool that you can—but I’m just not wired that way, you know?” He looked around. “I’m digging my roots deeper here.”
Russell nodded in agreement. “It’s a great house, and you guys are looking good. It suits you.” He stretched out on the swing. “So what’s next? Kids?”
Like a spouting whale, Manny tilted his head back and directed a stream of smoke into the sky. He cleared his throat and spat over the side of the porch.
“Ah, yeah, maybe. I don’t know how much Carmela’s talked to you about it.”
“She’s mentioned wanting kids, that’s about all.”
“OK. Well, about a year ago we decided we were ready, right? I mean, she was ready a long time ago, but I wasn’t until we had it more together. Then I decided I was as ready
