The rain wouldn’t make up its mind and the sun had tap-danced all day. Between the two of them the rest of the elements shrugged and took the day off. The metro station was washed over with salt air and acid rain and now rays of bright white and yellow, the kind that blind you. The 71 bus pulled up and the hydraulics released. The doors opened up and the herds of students and the working class evaded in a web of directions.

Gary moved past the crowd, followed the sidewalk until it reached Pacific Ave and crossed. The change of the seasons had everybody on edge. Things were fragile and dangerous. Gary watched the cars passing and he saw the drivers were without faces. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and took a right down Birch and into the alley. He listened to the music and the cursing coming from the bar as he skimmed past the entrance. Halfway down he heard a voice.

“Hey man,”

Two guys were sitting on the concrete under a eucalyptus tree. They were both smoking cigarettes and had backpacks of their own; large, dusty hiking bags. The one on the left had a missing tooth and a black beard. The other had a baby face and wore a hat with an ironic saying tagged across the front. Blackbeard did the talking.

“Do we look like the type of guys you’d drink a forty with?”

Gary stopped walking, looked at them. “Huh?”

“My friend and I here are trying to get a forty. We want to get drunk!”

Blackbeard laughed and Babyface followed.

Gary smirked and said, “I’ll drink a forty with anyone.”

They laughed harder. Blackbeard said, “Good, man. We’ve been out here waiting for you. Let’s go get some forties!”

“You can’t buy them on your own?” Gary asked. “You guys don’t have ID’s or something?”

“Well, no,” said Blackbeard. “I’m 26, and,”

“I’m 22,” Babyface added.

“We have our ID’s. It’s just that…” He smiled at Gary. “We only have a handful of change between us!” They both laughed again. “We’re degenerates!” he proclaimed.

Gary laughed, nodded and said, “Oh, well shit. I don’t have any fucking cash on me.”

“But you got plastic, don’t you?” When he said “plastic,” Blackbeard emphasized it to make it sound more like Plaaaaaaaastick, turning the pitch up at the end.

“Sorry man,” said Gary. “Too much debt. The credit company’s got me by the dick.”

They laughed again.

“Well, shit,” said Blackbeard, “I can respect that. Me, I love beer. I drink it all the time, I smoke pot and I’ll even do drugs if they’re around. And right now, I’m smoking this cigarette here down the filter.” Blackbeard sucked on the last of his smoke and exhaled up into the eucalyptus tree “Where are you comin’ from right now?”

“Work. Just got off,” Gary shrugged. “On my way home.”

“Yeah? Where do you work?”

“Down at the depot.”

“Not bad… What do you do down there?”

Gary took a deep breath. “Paint Department.”

“Yeah? You know over at Deuce Hardware they expect you to know every paint color? I mean, all of those fuckers.”

“You work there?”

“My brother used to. I don’t work right now. I’m on probation.” Blackbeard held the smoldering filter between his fingers and let it die out. “I was up north and I tried selling a bunch of musical equipment that I stole. But I was tried in this county, so my probation is here. I mean, I don’t like stealing, but I did it. I wanted my own guitar, y’know? But, I’d love to have a job right now, man. I could get more beer if I had a paycheck.”

“You know what I heard,” Babyface chirped. “They’ll give you a free beer if you walk into any bar with a One-Year Chip and give it to the bartender.”

“No shit?”

“I heard it works at any bar. All you do is walk in there and hand it over to the bartender. He’ll give you whatever you want.”

“Like a shot of Jack?” Blackbeard chuckled.

“No, it just works for beer.”

“I’ve had a few 3-Month Chips,” said Blackbeard. “But I don’t know, man. You get that year chip and you got a lot more to lose that way… Nah, I think I’ll stick to where I’m at… And tonight, I’m going to talk this girl I met earlier into letting me eat her pussy so I can sleep in a warm bed instead of out here somewhere.”

Babyface finished his cigarette, exhaled. “That chick you told me about?”

“No, that one was different.” He looked up at Gary. “Man, this girl, she let me fuck her without a condom for the sake of stealing my DNA man! Stole my sperm! She kept hold of my seed, and I’m pretty sure she’s pregnant now…”

Gary tried to mask his jealousy. These guys have it made, he thought. No jobs, no money, just some cigarettes and some heart. Moving around, backpack full of what little possessions they had—they were free, and not in the same way Gary felt free every day after leaving work. These guys were living. Tomorrow for them really is a new.

Down the alley a beautiful Asian woman walked confidently in their direction. She had on black stiletto boots that went to her knees, black skirt and low cut black top. Her skin was unaffected by the weather and her breasts were freckled. She grew within an earshot and Blackbeard sat in a more distinguished manner. “Got any change, miss?”

In a bolt her words came out: “No, sorry.” She didn’t do so much as glance towards the trio. She kept on walking and Blackbeard said, “Have a nice day, thanks anyway.” He turned to Gary. “That’s my pickup line. Askin’ a chick if she has any change. It fuckin’ works sometimes too!”

“Is that how you got her pregnant?” Babyface asked.

“Uh, sorry man, I don’t think I’ve even seen that girl naked!” He laughed harder and leaned back, “I mean, I’d love to see her tits but I’m not that good! Ha! Ha!”

“No, the one you were telling him about, man.” He threw a thumb at Gary.

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“Is that how you got her? She gave you change, didn’t she? She bought your sperm! SHE GOT YOUR SPERM CHEAP!” Babyface boasted out a horrendous laugh, leaned back and swung at Blackbeard. His open palm hit Blackbeard on the back of his head. “You fucker, bitch!” Blackbeard sprang to his feet and leapt down onto Babyface. He got his had around Babyface’s jaw and forced him to the ground. Babyface threw a sloppy right hook and missed by a mile. Their arms locked and unlocked and they splashed in the puddles trying to the best of one another. Blackbeard dropped his elbow into Babyface’s chest, got one arm down, then the other. They were both laughing, coughing. Gary turned and began walking. “Okay, I’ll see you guys around…” He could still hear them cursing and laughing and splashing when he got to the end of the alley.

He crossed the following street and turned right onto Laurel. As he walked the rain drizzled for a moment, then kicked back on in a full downpour. The clouds moved in and blocked out the sun. Everything was grayed and made dreary. He pulled his hood over his head and zipped up his jacket. He approached an oncoming bus stop and took shelter inside. The schedule said the 19 bus would be stopping in fifteen minutes. Gary checked the time. Even if he got on the 19 he still would have some walking to do from where it lets him off. Either way the rain wins. Gary shoved his hands into his pockets and kept walking. Twenty minutes later he was at his doorstep.

Inside he changed out of his wet clothes and dried off his hair. He picked up the red plastic change cup from the top of his dresser and tipped it onto his bed. He found the quarters and dimes, counted two dollars, pocketed it, then scooped the rest of the change back into the cup.

He put on a dry jacket and walked three blocks to the liquor store. He greeted the man behind the counter and removed his hood. He made it to the cooler, found the forties, opened the door, and pulled the cheapest one he could find.

• Short Stack