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CHAPTER TEN
The morning air was crisp as Eddie descended the stairs, overnight bag and coffee mug in hand. The gourmet blend of instant coffee provided his first cup. Driving out the gate at five- thirty, Eddie was trying to think of anything he might have left out of place. The apartment was really convenient. The six and a half hours of sleep sure beat the four hours he would have been allowed had he driven home. Eddie backed his truck into the parking space, put the travel mug on the dash and pulled out his notebook. The hot coffee steamed the windshield in ever changing patterns against the slowly brightening, deep blue sky. Rodney’ s question of filling acting positions came back to him. He needed space for dressing rooms and costume storage. He was trying to think of everything they might need and finishing his coffee, when a truck carrying port-a-cans pulled into the parking lot. He wrote“ Restrooms!”
The truck with the big“ WM” on the side drove past Eddie and parked at the end of the building. The driver jumped from the cab and began to release the thick load straps that held the blue plastic out houses.“ Wait!” Eddie yelled. The driver paused.“ North side of the building. We are going to be working through the summer,” Eddie explained. The driver nodded thoughtfully.“ I wish the brilliant minds that placed the garbage dumpster on the south side of our break room had considered the prevailing winds. We can never get any fresh air except when it’ s too cold to open the windows.” he said to Eddie and tightened the straps. Eddie walked the length of the building as the truck drove to the north end of the lot.“ Great planning.” The driver, in green coveralls, said.“ Sounded like the guys that laid out your break room were the same group who planned the last place I worked,” Eddie said. The guy looked to see if Eddie was putting him on because he was mouthing off about the decisions made by some“ suit” from management.“ Still have the commercial endorsement on my license,” Eddie said, standing in his shirt and tie.“ I guess there is hope for all of us.”“ Volunteer for something.”“ Is that how you landed this gig?”“ Exactly,” Eddie said, not mentioning how Tanya had really volunteered his services.“ The order says you have twenty-five more on hold for mid September. Just dropping two today.”“ Cool,” Eddie said, signed the paperwork and observed the unloading of the toilets.
The familiar black Escalade pulled along side and the window rolled down silently.“ Need a ride back to your truck?” Rodney asked. Eddie climbed into the passenger seat. The black leather seat was warm and comfortable. The interior was spotless. Eddie reached for one of the two cups of coffee in the holders.“ I don’ t eat, drink or smoke in my vehicle,” he said without inflection in his deep voice.“ I have a perfectly good tailgate if that suits you?” Eddie said, leaving the cup in it’ s place.“ Cool.”“ I don’ t think I have ever seen you smoke,” Eddie said.“ A cigar every once in a blue moon. Although, I don’ t think I have ever seen a blue moon.”“ Actually you probably have. It’ s the term given to the second full moon that occurs within the same month.”“ Learn something new every day,” Rodney smiled. Eddie asked,“ Did you order the toilets?”“ When we were sitting in your truck I saw one of the masons head for the far side of the building. There is only one working restroom inside.” They pulled in next to Eddies truck and set up breakfast on the tailgate as the truck, with the mixer in tow, entered. The shadow of the tree line across the street moved slowly downward over the stuccoed face of the building. The sun removed the chill from the day as work commenced.“ Frank won’ t be asking you any questions at the meeting tomorrow. He wants to discuss something privately,” Rodney said.“ I need to figure out how to download the pictures and buy a laptop computer.”“ You can borrow my old Mac. I just upgraded. You won’ t fill up the hard drive in six months.”“ I don’ t know what to say,” Eddie stated.“ Say thanks. I’ ll take excellent care of it because I know you’ ll want it back,” Rodney said handing him the computer and case.“