Mike's Pinball Life - 1. Chapter 1

“Twelve dead in freak chain reaction this morning. The fog was thicker than expected when the semi slammed on its brakes on Highway 14 this morning causing the twenty-two car accident. It took the police and rescue workers ….”

“Turn off the TV, Mike. I don’t want to keep hearing about that awful disaster.”

Mike turned off the television as his mother rushed by for the third time, sliding a bobby pin into her hair as she raced past on the way to her pocketbook and the front door.

“I’ll be home late. Remember, there is a TV dinner in the freezer or money for a pizza by the phone. Eat something.” She slipped on her coat before giving Mike a peck on the cheek. “Try to call your friends, would you? I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but things can only get better.”

Mike nodded as his mother rushed to the door, grabbing her pocketbook as she rushed out into the cloudy day.

Mike sat for a moment and all he could think was that his life was pretty much like that accident on television. Once things had started they just kept going til his whole life was a mess. A week ago the world was his and now ….

Brrrrrrinng. Brrrrrrrrinng. Brrrrrrrinng.

Mike looked at his cell phone. His buddies joked about the fact he used the old fashioned ringer for his cell phone. The rest of them used songs, or parts of their favorite televisions shows, or hell comedy routines they had downloaded to his phone.

Brrrrrrrinng.

Looking at the caller id he realized it was Maggie, again. He sighed and finally answered.

“Mike? Hello Mike?” Maggie took a pause. “God damn it, you idiot! Answer me.”

“You mean you are letting me get a word in?” Mike commented before he realized he had even spoken.

“You bastard. You have had me worried. Why haven’t you answered my calls?”

“I didn’t want to.”

“Fuck.” Maggie sighed into the phone. “I’m coming over. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“No, Maggie. I really ….” Mike looked at his phone as it registered the minute long call. She’d hung up on him.

Mike looked at his clothes and sighed. He walked down to his room and changed. He’d been wearing the same thing for five days, but he knew Maggie wouldn’t allow him to stay that way. His mother had sort of given up on him ever since she heard part of his week and how each try seemed to get worse.

Mike had just slipped on fresh sweats when there was a knock on the kitchen door and the sound of someone entering.

“Mike, get your ass out here. I am in no mood after the week you’ve given me!”

“Mags, just calm down. I’m in no mood.”

Maggie stood there, her mouth open and finger ready to wag when she caught sight of Mike. Instead of the lecture he was expecting, Maggie came over and hugged him.

“Alright, sit down and then tell me about it.”

Mike sat down and watched as Maggie hung her coat on the back of the chair, reached into her pocket and pulled out a hair tie. Then she pulled her dark raven tresses back off her face and sat down. She spread her hands before her and took a deep breath. “I’m sure I’m not going to like this, but go on and tell me.”

Mike curled up in a chair across from her. He sat with his legs before him and hugged them tight like he did when he was a little child. Who knew you go back to those times when everything hit the fan?

“It’s all wrong,” Mike whispered, barely looking over his knees.

“What’s all wrong?”

“Everything. This week, everything, well everything just went wrong.”

“Mike, just start at the beginning and tell me. Maybe I can help.”

“Maggie, really it started off so well.”

* * *

“Mike, hurry up. I can drop you on my way into work if you are ready now!”

“Coming, Mom.” Mike raced down the hall still tying his new tie as he prepared for the job interview at Barrington and Waverly Education Services.

Mike raced out the door just in time to catch his mother as she put her pocketbook into the back seat of her car.

“Hope this goes well for you, Mike.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m sure it will.”

Mike was in awe as his mother swerved in and out of traffic, seeming to find every short cut and dropping him off a block from his interview with fifteen minutes to spare.

“Best of luck, honey. I’ll see you at home tonight. Remember, you have the education and the drive. Just relax during the interview, and I’m sure it will be yours.”

Mike waved as his mother darted back into the mess of city traffic. He checked his appearance one more time in the window of one of the stores and then began to head toward his appointment.

“Stop. Thief! Someone stop that kid!”

Mike turned when he heard the woman screaming, only to have a kid slam into him and knock him off his feet. The kid and Mike went down in a tangle of arms and legs. Moments later, he was surrounded by people and then police officers. He was told he needed to give a statement, and before he knew it, his morning was over. When the police had finally finished with his statement, Mike got a chance to look himself over. His new jacket was torn, the shirt was dirty, and there was a foot print on his light blue tie.

“Christ, I look like a bum.” Mike shook his head in disbelief. He glanced at his watch and nearly cried. He half-walked and half-hobbled down to the building where he his appointment was supposed to be. Mike went in hoping to clean up a bit and still get to his appointment for the job even if he was late.

“May I help you?” A very petite woman sat in a pure white dress behind the desk. Her desk sat just inside the door. She looked Mike over and frowned.

Mike cringed. He had hoped to get to the bathroom and attempt to clean up first. Instead he sighed and approached the desk. “Yes, I’m Mike D’Angelo. I have an appointment with Mrs. Winters.”

“I’m sorry. Your appointment was an hour ago.” She straightened her glasses before she looked at him again. “We don’t stand for lateness here. If there was a problem, you should have called.”

Mike blushed as he looked at the secretary. “Is there any way I can reschedule the interview?”

The secretary sighed. She handed him a paper.

“If you wish to fill this out, the next round of interviews will be,” she paused and checked something on her computer, “in six months when they go to fill the summer positions.”

Mike wanted to cry.

“Is there anything else? I sort of had a bit of a problem on my way….”

“The interviews are actually over for today. Mrs. Winters left a few moments ago. I can’t even say I can slip you in for a later appointment. She had only three people that interested her and those were the only appointments scheduled. Unfortunately, you didn’t call when you ran into problems.”

Mike nodded and took the papers as he headed back outside. He had just enough money to take the bus to the train and the train home. He would have to walk from the station home and then begin putting in new applications again.

***

“Why didn’t you tell her what had happened?” Maggie sat with her mouth hanging open.

“Because she wouldn’t have cared.” Mike hugged his legs tighter. “Besides that was just the start of everything.”

“The start of everything? What else happened?”

“I hadn’t even gotten on the train yet.” Mike got up and got a bottle of water out of the fridge. “It rained Monday, and I had to stand out in it waiting for the train so I could get home. That is when Danny called.” Mike handed a second bottle to Maggie before he sat back down.

“What did Danny want?”

***

Brrrrrinng.

Mike tore the phone out of his pocket hoping to see the number for the Barrington and Waverly, but it Danny’s name on the screen.

“Hi Danny. Thank god. It has already been a fucking disaster of a day.”

“Jesus, Mike.” There was a moment of silence, and then the sound of someone talking in the background could be heard through the phone. “Yeah. Anyway, Mike, damn this is a shitty way of doing this.”

“Doing what?” Mike tried to get under part of the roof line at the station. “What is happening, Dan?”

“Look, there is no easy way to do this. We are over, Mike. I can’t keep waiting to see if you are going to get a job or something. I need someone who can go out with me, treat me well, and face it, you are not that man. It was fun while it lasted.”

“Dan? You can’t … I mean, not over the phone.”

“Look, I’ll drop my key off later with your stuff.” Dan was clearly not listening to Mike.

Mike was silent, and he could swear he heard someone talking to Dan in the background.

“Look, I’ll drop it tonight on my way by. I have … well, things happening now in my life. Good luck, Mike.”

***

“He dumped you over the phone?” Maggie sat shaking her head. “That selfish son-of-a-bitch.”

“He didn’t even talk to me. He literally left my stuff in a box on the back stoop. I came out in the morning after waiting all night and found it.”

“God damn. He really was a cold-hearted …” Maggie stopped as she watched Mike curl up again. She got out of her seat and walked over and hugged Mike tightly.

“And then there was the disaster at the mall,” Mike sniffed and tried to stop crying. It took him a few moments before he tried to tell Maggie the rest. “I figured I better get a job. I had seen the one advertising for a manager at the mall. Sure as hell not what I wanted, but I need to start making some sort of money. My loans have to be paid back starting next month.”

“Yeah, I know what it is like to live in fear of the college loans.” Maggie smiled at Mike as she patted his hand.

“Hell, the attempt for that even that went wrong. It seems every time I have an interview something goes wrong and I swear I don’t know what it is with me and kids lately. They show up and I’m doomed.”

“Uh oh. What happened now?”

“I managed to set up an interview on Wednesday. I should have stayed home.”

* **

Mike had arrived early at the mall. This time there was no suit and tie, but he’d worn a dress shirt and black pants. He had some time to waste, so he figured he would walk around the mall and see what new places were there. He had just turned the corner and come to Old Navy. As he began to walk by, he spotted a little girl crying full out. There were no adults around. Concerned, Mike walked over to her.

“Hey there. Is something wrong?” Mike asked the girl trying to keep his voice calm while looking for a store employee he could pass her off to.

“I can’t find my mom.” She looked up, her big green eyes full of tears. Her face was splotchy from crying and her long brown hair hung around her shoulders.

“What’s your mom’s name?” Mike tried to keep her calm.

“Mom.” The little girl looked like she was ready to begin to bawl again.

“Okay. Don’t worry.” Mike kneeled down and tried to keep her attention. “What’s your name?”

“Janet.”

“Hi Janet. I’m Mike.” Mike reached out and shook Janet’s hand. “How old are you?”

“I’m going to be five.” Janet smiled widely and giggled.

“Wow. Five years old. What a big girl!” Mike took Janet’s hand and smiled at her. “Let’s see if we can go find your mom.”

Mike led Janet into the store and over to the service desk.

“Hi. Can I help you with something?” The girl behind the counter smiled and cocked her head at Mike.

“Well, I just met Janet here.” Mike lifted the little girl onto the counter. “She seems to have lost her mom.”

“Oh.” She nodded and grabbed her headset and walked off a few feet.

“Does she know where my mom is?” Janet looked up at Mike and then at the girl behind the counter.

“She is trying to find her for you.”

Janet nodded. “Will you stay with me ‘til they find her?”

Mike looked at his watch. He might very well miss his appointment again, but he couldn’t leave Janet sitting here alone. “Sure. As long as it takes.”

Janet smiled and looked around from where she was sitting.

The girl behind the counter kept an eye of on both of them and another store employee showed up shortly afterwards. It was about ten minutes later that an upset woman arrived in the store with a mall security guard.

“Mom!” Janet tried to leap off the counter, but Mike helped to lower her back to the floor.

“Janet? Oh my god, I’ve been looking all over for you.” The woman bent down and hugged Janet tightly. “Where have you been?”

“Been with Mike. He found me.” Janet pointed at Mike as he stood by the counter.

“He didn’t hurt you did he?” The woman‘s eyes narrowed as she looked at Mike. “He didn’t touch you did he, baby?”

“No. What’s wrong, Mom?” Janet’s eyes filled with tears, and Mike could see she was getting upset.

“You, do your job and keep men like … like him away from my daughter.” The woman pointed at the mall guard and then at Mike.

Mike stood there frozen in shock. What did she think he did? He’d just helped Janet until her mother could be found.

“Ma’am, the gentleman just stayed with your daughter. He brought her here and waited with us ‘til you were found.” The counter girl informed the distraught woman.

“Men like him shouldn’t be around children.” The mother lifted Janet into her arms and nearly ran from the shop.

***

“What did she mean men like you?” Maggie sounded angry as she looked at Mike.

“I’m guessing gay. I was wearing my rainbow ring. Face it; I don’t exactly hide who I am.” Mike curled back up in the chair feeling worse and worse by the second.

“Well, she sure is an idiot. You found and took care of her daughter. Hell, you are the one with the education degree. I wish you had found something.” Maggie sat biting on her thumb nail. “Wait, what happened with your interview for that second job?”

“I called and explained what happened.”

Maggie leaned across the table. “And?”

“I have the interview today. I don’t think I will bother though. I mean nothing has gone right and I … well, I give up.”

“Bullshit.” Maggie stood up and marched over to Mike’s side. “Get your ass up and go get a shower. I’ll drive you. If another child emergency shows up, I will personally handle it so you can get to your interview.”

“Maggie, I really…”

Maggie placed her hand over Mike’s mouth. “Shut up and get going.” She crossed her arms and looked down at him. “If you don’t, I will drag your ass into the shower.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Mike looked aghast at Maggie.

Maggie narrowed her eyes and pushed up her sleeves.

“Alright.” Mike stood up. “In case I haven’t told you lately, you really are a pain in the ass.”

Maggie smiled. “I’m not a pain in the ass, dear. I’m a bitch, and you know it. Now go shower.”

***

Mike had showered and changed. Maggie drove them to the mall and walked with him to his appointment. It was a half hour later that Mike found where Maggie sat drinking a latte and flipping through a magazine waiting.

“Hey there.” Mike stood with a blush on his cheeks.

“Hmm. I’d say the interview went well.”

“Oh, it was an interesting interview.” Mike slipped his hands into his Dockers and tried not to show how nervous he was.

“Okay, sit down and tell me everything.” Maggie tossed the magazine into her tote bag and made room for Mike to sit beside her.

“Well, I guess my final surprise came in that interview.” Mike smiled and looked up at Maggie to finish his story.

***

“Mr. Christopher will see you now.” The pretty secretary let Mike know. “Just go down the hall. His office is right after the Christmas tree on the left.”

“Thank you.” Mike swallowed hard.

There were four offices and then this huge tree with lights and tinsel with a Christmas skirt around the bottom and giant menorah along side of it. A golden nameplate read Thomas Christopher. Mike walked up to the door and knocked.

“Come in. The door’s open,” came a deep voice from inside.

Mike walked in and paused when he spotted the man behind the desk. Mr. Christopher was a massive mountain of muscles topped off with short brown hair and deep green eyes. Mike took a second and closed the door behind him before heading off to one of the two seats before the desk.

“Oh no. Please, take a seat on the couch. We should be more comfortable there.” Mr. Christopher pointed to a couch and table that hadn’t been immediately apparent from the doorway.

Mike wandered over and sat down. It was then he noticed the picture of the young girl sitting on the table. “Janet?”

“You know my daughter?”

Mike swallowed. Suddenly, he felt really stupid for coming here. Mrs. Christopher had hated him on sight, so he felt his chances slip away.

“Um, yeah we met the other day.” Mike’s hands began sweating, and his voice got softer. “I sort of found her in the mall.”

“You’re that Mike?” Mr. Christopher leaned over and took Mike’s hand. “Thank you for helping my daughter. My ex-wife hasn’t been exactly happy lately and was distracted by who found our daughter. Janet, on the other hand, said you were very nice and stayed with her until her mother could be found.”

“It really wasn’t anything. I mean, she was crying and looking all over. I couldn’t leave a child upset by themselves. I simply took her right into the store behind her and had the service girl send out an alert looking for her mother. I’m trained as a teacher, so I figured the mall would go into lock down and her mother would be found.”

“Yeah, they found Cindy and brought her right to Janet.” Mr. Christopher shook his head. “Look call me, Tom.”

“I get the feeling I somehow made a wrong impression on her. I am sorry, Tom.”

Mike found Tom looking him over and staring at his right hand.

“I think I know what set off Cindy.” Tom shook his head and laughed. “She spotted your ring, Mike.”

“Oh. So it is because I’m gay.”

“Actually, no that is not really the reason. I'll explain it all to you later.” Tom put his hand up. “I want to grab Tricia for this interview. She would be the one who has final say on you for the position anyway. When you are done talking with her, whether it goes good or bad, would you please come back to talk to me?”

“Um, okay.”

Tom got up and left the office. A moment later, he walked in with a well-dressed woman who had to be in her late fifties.

“Nice to meet you, Mike. I’m Tricia Walters, head of district management. If hired, you would report to me about any issues in your store. If you end up with anything that is a problem with Human Resources, you would call in Tom. Let me start by saying, we are an equal opportunity company. We have done a basic check on you, talking to your former bosses, and the list you gave for character references. Mind if I sit down with you and finish this interview off?”

“Of course.” Mike watched as Tom ducked out of his own office, and Tricia sat across from him with an open file.

***

“Alright, so cut to the chase already.” Maggie slapped Mike’s arm. “Did you get the job?”

“Yes, but I think I got whole lot more than just that.” Mike blushed again.

“What do you mean?” Maggie watched Mike as he bit his bottom lip and played with his shirt.

“I was telling you that Tom wanted to see me again.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Well, things sort of took a turn when I went back in there.”

***

“Have a seat, Mike.” Tom stood in the doorway of a small room down the hall from his office. “I wanted to both thank you and explain why my ex sort of went a bit nuts.”

“Really, you don’t have to.” Mike sat down feeling a combination of nerves and giddiness from just having been hired.

“I feel you really should be offered an explanation.” Tom sat back and rolled up his sleeves. “Most people who work here know this all already. I was hired out of college and within a year had made management. The problem was that I was married to the job. I knew if I wanted to go any higher in the company, I would need to be more rounded.”

Mike watched Tom as he spoke. Tom gestured slightly and was holding himself really stiff. “Look, I appreciate it, but this seems to be making you uncomfortable. I don’t need to know all the details.”

Tom shook his head and chuckled. “Sorry. I just am not used to having to relive this anymore. I made a serious mistake. I got married to Cindy. The only good thing to come out of my marriage was Janet. Cindy and I lasted nearly a year. Janet was three months old when I finally filed for divorce. It confirmed something I already knew.” Tom stopped and looked at Mike. “Janet, however, means everything to me. She likes you and has talked about you a lot, which has only upset her mother further.”

“I figured Mrs. Christopher didn’t like me. I really did just try to help your daughter though.”

“Oh, I know Mike.” Tom put his hand on top of Mike’s. “You see living with and trying to make Cindy happy was something I couldn’t do.”

“I’m sorry.” Mike sat there feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

“Don’t be. I married the wrong person, Mike. Cindy and I couldn’t make it work because she wasn’t right for me. I finally came to terms with who I really was and wanted the chance to be happy. I thought she deserved that chance too. I’m gay, Mike. Cindy uses that as a weapon against me. She tried to do that in court to get sole custody, but the judge threw her case out. But now,she sees anyone who is gay as a reminder of her ex-husband and someone who might come between her and Janet.”

“She does realize who you are has nothing to do with who she is?”

Tom laughed. “We talked, but some part of her thinks I used her or that she turned me gay. I’ve gone for therapy, taken Janet to appointments, but Cindy won’t go. She thinks I am out to brainwash our daughter. Meanwhile, Janet just seems to see everybody as good or bad. She doesn’t let her mother tell her who she can be friends with.”

Mike smiled. “I think your daughter is adorable.”

“So do I. She would like to see you again. Would you like to have dinner with us on Friday?”

“With both of you?” Mike felt a bit off kilter as he looked into Tom’s dark green eyes.

“Well, I would say just me, but Janet would be really upset if she didn’t get to see her Mike again.”

***

“Tell me you said yes! You did say yes, didn’t you?” Maggie sat almost nose-to-nose with Mike.

“Um, yes.”

“Good boy.” Maggie sat back and smiled, as Mike blushed a deep shade of scarlet. “Oh stop. Sounds like he isn’t much older than you, and he wants to go out with you. Wait, is he your boss?”

“No, Tom is the management of Human Resources. I report to Trisha.”

“Great. Let’s go get you an outfit and something for that sweet little girl.” Maggie stood up and looked around the mall.

“You realize I don’t have the date until Friday?”

“I know, but with the luck you have had this week, I want to make sure you are all set. Let’s go look for something respectable for you to wear. I think I saw a toy store on the first floor. I can’t remember the last time I went shopping for a little girl.”

Mike laughed. “You aren’t that old. What do you mean a little girl?”

“Oh hush. My cousin’s children are the only little ones. Her daughter is now fifteen years old, and you can trust me you on this - you can’t buy for teenagers, especially girls. We all have our minds made up on exactly what we like and don’t like. Better to just get them gift cards.”

“Well, Janet is five, so I guess we can have fun looking at things.”

“Yeah and then I get to play dress up with you.” Maggie shot Mike a wink.

“I am not a dress-up doll!” Mike stopped walking.

“No, but you are a doll. Now move along, Mike. We have some shopping to do. I want you to look really nice when you meet Janet and Tom again.”

“It’s going to be a long day.” Mike shook his head as Maggie grabbed his hand.

Maggie laughed as she pulled Mike toward the escalator, looking at the tall Christmas tree in the center of the mall.