Waist Deep

28

I walked through one of the worst parts of River City, my arms wrapped around my chest and my limp more prominent by the block.I kept my head down and trudged forward, always forward.

The hookers and dopers gave me little more than a casual glance as a customer.I saw them eye me up and down out of my peripheral vision.Once, a pair of kids, one white and one black, slipped in behind me for half a block before breaking off.I’m sure that they were thinking about mugging me.Maybe they sensed the brooding anger I was sending out in waves and changed their minds.More likely, they figured that a guy who couldn’t even afford a coat in February wasn’t likely to have more than pocket change.

Twice, police cars rolled past me, but thankfully neither slowed or gave me more than a momentary glance.None stopped me.

Slowly, those businesses with dark, recessed doorways filled with the piranhas, sharks and feeder fish gave way to more modern buildings.I walked on.A few more blocks and the same buildings were newer yet and had minimum-wage security types standing out front.

One of them stood in front of a building full of lawfirms and insurance companies.He looked to be in his late forties, though he could have been older.He had no gray hair and that throws off estimates.His bushy mustache was a holdover from the Seventies.He wore a uniform shirt that was several shades of blue lighter than the police wore, but he sported a huge metal badge on the left chest of his open coat.His large belly sloped out beneath his badge.

He followed me with his eyes as I approached, doing so in the blatant way that only someone with authority can do.My head ached from hitting the back of it onthe alley wall, but I didn’t think my face was too bad.Mullet-man at the Flyers game had pummeled my left arm and Grill and Leon had done a number on my torso, but I believed my mug was mostly untouched.Then I remembered Grill punching me in the face after Leon used me for a football.There was probably a little swelling, maybe even a small cut I wasn’t noticing because of the cold.Great.

The security guard opened his mouth to speak. I thought for sure that he was going to warn me away from the property he was entrusted to guard.

Instead, he said, “You okay, man?”

Surprised, all I could do was stare at him as I walked.That didn’t do much to convince him I was all right.

“You ain’t got a coat?” he asked me, his eyes narrowing with concern.

I slowed almost to a stop and managed to shake my head.

He motioned toward my left leg.“Hurt your leg, too, huh?”

I shook my head again and stammered, “Old injury.”It was hard to force my jaw open and speak.The words came out more like o-old-ld-d in-n-njur-re-rey.I came to a complete stop and shivered violently.

“Holy cow, mister,” the guard said.“How long you been out in this cold?”

I looked into his face. His question and his concern were honest enough, even though there was no reason he should care about me.

“I walked in from The Hole,” I said, but through my chattering teeth and short breath, I might as well have been speaking Swedish or Swahili for all the sense I made.

His eyes narrowed briefly at the mentioning of The Hole, but he shook it off.“It’s twelve degrees out here,” he said.“How much further you goin’?”

“Browne’s Addition,” I stammered.

He immediately shook his head.“Uh-uh.You’ll never make it.You’re damn near hypothermia as it is.”

I stared at him stupidly.

He removed a ring of keys from his belt.“C’mon,” was all he said, turning to the large glass front doors and unlocking one.

When I didn’t move, he glanced over his shoulder at me.“My name’s Clell.You can warm up in here.”

I stood in place, the violent shivers feeling more and more like epileptic spasms, especially now that I was no longer moving.Clell swept the door open and a gust of warm air washed out from the lobby of the office building.It was like Mexico inside there.I stood, unable to move despite the welcoming tropic air.

Clell stepped forward and took me by the arm. “Easy now,” he said, guiding me toward the door.

With his help, I limped inside.