SHORT STORY: Track 14 – I Did My Best

Track 14 – I Did My Best

James Frank, or Jimmy the Tank as his coworkers dubbed him, clenched the phone in his hand and cared not if it shattered to pieces in his hand. Actually, he let the notion sink in, if one of the glass shards were to infiltrate his vein it would solve his one major problem of the night. He looked down at the phone that was on the verge of giving way and muttered to himself.

“You alright Tank?” Jasmine asked and ran a caressing hand across his chest.

“Trouble with the ex,” Jimmy grinded his teeth.

“There are reasons they become ex’s,” she whispered into his ear. “Want me to take your mind off of her?”

“Sorry, I need to figure this out,” Jimmy stood and tossed Jasmine a wad full of bills before passing by the other scantily clad women and exiting the dressing room; Tim’s Tata Emporium was a frequent stop for Jimmy the Tank.

“Hey that’s for the talent only,” a bouncer reprimanded as Jimmy pushed through the door.

“It’s only me,” Jimmy held up his hands as if he were being apprehended.

“Sorry,” Carlos, a mountain of a man, grinned and patted his friend on the back. “Hope you had a good time and sorry about the tightened security, we have had some troubles this past week.”

“I have some troubles of my own,” Jimmy kept walking and did not entertain Carlos for the conversation he was trying to rope him in on.

Jimmy left his home away from home and sank into his pickup truck with an exhalation of defeat. He could not let her dictate his life, not when something so important is on the line; if he disobeys he runs the risk of losing much more than leverage. Jimmy started up is truck and pulled out into the dusk.

Driving around, what he figured was aimlessly, Jimmy passed by the same church that he had passed by dozens of time before in any given week without even a second thought. Today was different; he could use some spiritual guidance even if he was not a religious man.

The early evening was unusually quiet and the crunching gravel drive of the church parking lot sounded as loud as thunder in Jimmy’s addled mind. The truck came to a stop and the driver sat there for a moment taking it all in; could he just walk in and everything would make sense? What exactly was he expecting; Jimmy had no idea what he was doing.

Large, beautifully carved doors opened and the spliced smell of musty pews and incense infiltrated his olfactory system. Jimmy wanted to sneeze, but he fought the urge, although on second thought he figured he should have taken the opportunity to be legitimately blessed. Quiet, Jimmy thought and feared that it was so silent that his thoughts could be overheard; he was just being superstitious about the teachings on an omnipotent and all seeing God that were driven into his brain as a child.

“Hello?” Jimmy called out when no one came running to greet him and throw themselves at his mercy; again he did not know what to expect.

“Come to escape the bite of the wind?” A robed and aged man almost appeared out of nowhere and took a few strides towards Jimmy before stopping so that his smile could be fully appreciated.

“I am…um,” Jimmy fumbled. “I was hoping for like confession, or advice or something.”

“Would you like a private or public forum?” The priest questioned with a delicate nod.

Jimmy looked around at the empty church but for some reason he still felt it would be proper if they talked in the confessional. “Would you mind if we made it private?”

“Not at all,” the priest smiled and took his position behind the door of his booth.

Jimmy the Tank cautiously opened the door, as if to make sure he would not be smote for any quick movements, and he knelt down to make it official. “Father, I am in need of some counseling. I do not really have anything to confess, other than being a lousy husband and an alright father, but I did my best. Now it is my boy’s birthday and my ex-wife is throwing him a surprise birthday party that she was trying to keep from me so that I would not show up. But I found out about the party, and I called her up and tricked he into letting it slip, I guess I lied a little, so I guess I can confess to that and I apologize. She tried so hard to keep it from me and when I confronted her about it she threatened me with a restraining order if I try to come. Now I am all sorts of messed up in the mind, and I want to show up just out of spite, but I do not want to jeopardize how much time I can spend with Jamie.”

“First off, two Hail Mary’s for fibbing to you ex-wife,” the priest smiled through the mesh window. “I can tell by the conviction in your voice that you have nothing but love for your son, as it should be, and I can tell by our brief time together that you are indeed doing your best, but that is in no way an admittance of inadequacy. A man’s best in most occurrences far exceeds expectations. It sounds as if you and your ex-wife are both suffering from bouts of stubbornness trying to fight for Jamie’s affection at this crucial time, and for what? Fighting for a child’s sake does more damage to them physiologically than good can be gained from more bonding time with you. Teach Jamie civility, teach him how to be humble. If there seems no way to attend the party, have you considered having Jamie come to you after the party? Jamie gets his party, Jamie’s mother can have the party as she intended, you can spend time with your son on his birthday, and Jamie gets two celebrations.”

“Bring Jamie to me,” Jimmy smirked with a wave of understanding; this whole religion thing really did open up one’s mind. “Thank you Father, thank you. I know what I need to do, thank you. Two Hail Mary’s coming your way, and who knows, you may even see me on Sunday.”

Jimmy jumped up and hastily made his way out of the church and to his truck. He started the engine and screeched around the block back onto the highway while unsuccessfully getting his ex-wife on the phone. She was probably screening her calls now; he needed to find a pay phone.

With mind racing about how to put his plan into action, and his vehicle racing towards a truck stop that he knew of with one of the only working pay phones in the area, Jimmy the Tank seemed to have it all together. He pulled up to the stop and quickly jumped out of his car with quarter in hand.

“Hello?”

“Claire, it’s me, don’t hang up.”

“I have a party to prepare for.”

“I know, I know. After the party is over would you mind if I take Jamie out for ice cream or something. I just want to see him on his birthday.”

“You can see him on your weekend.”

“That is not his birthday. It is not the same.”

“I am not having this conversation.”

“Hello? Hello?”

Jimmy slammed the phone down on the receiver with force; she had hung up on him. Jimmy had expected that she would not be cooperative and that he would have to resort to Plan B, and he was fully prepared for the consequences. Jimmy made his way to convenience store attached to the gas station for the proper supplies.

Two key ingredients to the plan; Jimmy was focused. First and foremost, he needed a birthday gift for Jamie. The store had a small section of stuffed animals, which Jamie had always loved when Jimmy would bring him back one went he went away on business; perfect. A plush and, masculinity aside, adorable owl was the obvious choice, so brought the toy up to the counter where he knew he would be able to find key component number two; a bag of mixed nuts.

“Just these two things,” Jimmy said to the teenage clerk who seemed to have more important things on his mind like playing with his cell phone.

“Twelve seventy eight,” the kid said while running a hand through his unkempt hair.

Jimmy took out his wallet and tossed a credit hard onto the counter.

“System’s down, no cards,” the kid mumbled.

“Check good?” Jimmy asked, reaching into his pocket.

“Nope, just cash today man.”

Jimmy looked into his wallet and saw a solitude five dollar bill, which was enough for the nuts, but not for the owl. The owl was the most important part; he needed a gift for Jamie. Jimmy’s heart started to pound and sweat started to emerge on his brow, but he needed to remain calm. Without looking suspicious, he glances around the corners of the store; no cameras. “Can I also get a pack of smokes? Marlboro.”

The kid nodded with a glazed over look and turned around to open up the cigarette case. Jimmy grabbed the owl and nuts off of the counter and ran out of the store, into his truck, and spun back onto the highway. It was for the right reason, Jimmy told himself; perhaps a few more Hail Mary’s could be thrown in for good measures.

Jimmy the Tank pulled into a strategically placed bar, tucked the owl into his back pocket and entered. “Whatever’s on tap,” Jimmy muttered as he sunk onto a bar stool and took out his protein packed mixed nuts.

“Here ya go,” the bartender produced a home brew that look to be a wheat beer. “Wanna start a tab?”

“Sure thing,” Jimmy smiled, thinking to himself that another Hail Mary may be in order after what he had planned. Jimmy then took the perspiring glass and took a swig along with a mouthful of nuts. Chewing down Jimmy tried to figure out what all the fuss was about, and although tasty, they seemed a little too salty for his liking. Any minute now, he waited, knowing the reaction was on its way to link his plan together. Jimmy coughed and a rush went to his head that caused him to topple forward. Is this it, Jimmy thought to himself, did he go too far? Was this a stupid idea? Was he now circling the sink of life, never to see Jamie again? Why did he think this would work? Jimmy’s world faded to black.



“Dad?”

“Ughre.”

“Dad, are you awake?”

“Jam, raagh.”

“Jimmy your son is trying to talk to you, are you awake or not?”

Jimmy sprung up in the hospital bed, he knew that voice, he knew both of the voices; Jamie and the ex. “I’m awake.”

“You scared me dad, but luckily the restaurant you were at was right next to the hospital,” the boy smiled at the sight of his superman overcoming another challenge in the form of an anaphylactic attack.

“I thought you knew you were allergic,” she hissed and walked out of the room.

“Happy birthday Jamie,” Jimmy leaned onto an elbow. “Go over to my pants and check in the back pocket, I got something for you. Jamie, I did my best for you.”