Chapter 10: | the envelope-1

Six Months Ago Saturday (The Day Before Graduation) I pull up in front of Club Lotus. It looks strange during daylight hours with the unlit marquee, the absence of bouncers standing guard, and an empty sidewalk with no line of people winding down it. I knock on the black glass door. "It's open," a voice echoes from inside. I let myself in and marvel at all the open space. Nick works nonstop to fill that space every night. And he's damn good at it. Entertainment runs through his veins. He's amazing with people. Knows everyone. It doesn't matter if your pockets are fat or empty and lined with lent, he treats everyone like they matter. Which is why everyone, celebrity or not, loves him and finds their way to the Lotus. He's one of the best managers I have ever had. He hired me on the spot, the day I wandered in looking for work. I had never waited on tables before, let alone worked in a club but he trusted me. Gave me a VIP section. I've been making real money ever since. Working only two days a week, Fridays and Saturdays, I pay all my bills and have a little left over to save. Nick's behind the bar taking stock of the liquor. "Hey! There's my girl!" His face is red from carrying a heavy case of liquor from the back. "I'm telling you. You won't believe it." He opens the register and pulls an envelope from the bottom of the drawer. "You know how you were telling me about that situation last night?" "Huh?" I ask puzzled. "You know, the situation with the guy that you said called you a you-know-what?" he prompts me. "Oh. Yeah. That guy," my tone falls flat. "What about that asshole?" "Well, I called him, talked to him this morning. I told him what he did and let him know he can't treat my girls that way. He was drunk out of his mind yesterday. Would you believe, he had no recollection of calling you out your name? He went on and on about how great you were, how you made him and his guys feel like kings. How you had excellent customer service. Ya da ya da ya. You know, the whole nine." Nick leans over the glass-top bar as if he's about to tell me a secret and whispers, "So, he stops by with this envelope to ya know, apologize and express his gratitude." This feels like a Godfather moment. A huge smile spreads over Nick's face as he slides the envelope across the bar. "Here you go, kid. You must have made some impression on him." Not knowing why, I smile too as I discreetly cuff the envelope. "Thanks for having my back, Nick." "Hey, no problem and congratulations on your graduation. When is it?" "Tomorrow, actually." "You don't sound very happy about it. You ready for it?" "I'm trying to be, considering all that's happened recently. Once I graduate, it's off to the real world, right?" "Don't be afraid. The real world ain't so bad. Life takes care of itself." "What do you mean by that?" "Exactly what I said. Life takes care of itself." "Oh, it does, now?" "Yeah, take flowers for example." "Flowers, Nick?" "Don't give me that look. Hear me out." I throw my hands up. "OK. Alright!" "Flowers found in nature. Who planted 'em? You didn't. I didn't. So, who's responsible?" I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know." "Bees!" "Really? Bees?" "Just listen." He waves me down. "Bees do all the dirty work. They're responsible for something like a third of all crops planted. Go figure! How do they do it?" He holds up his pudgy finger. "They're relentless. They spend most of their life aggressively collecting nectar and pollen. The pollen gets caught on the hairs of their fat little bodies and falls from one flower to another as they go. Boom!" He lightly punches his hand. "You got pollination." I laugh. "You're pretty passionate about this, aren't you?" He smiles then he squints at me. "Now how do bees do this consistently on such a large scale? How are they navigating?" He raises his eyebrows. "It's pretty remarkable. Bees can tell what's going on with a flower by its electric field. No lie! There's an aura of electricity that surrounds a flower." Shaking my head. "I don't believe that!" "It's true! Bees can tell if a flower is full of nectar and pollen or empty just by getting near it. The fuller the flower, the stronger the electric charge, the more magnetic the attraction. The bee follows its instinct. It goes where the nectar is. There's a sort of...electric impulse type thing going on between the two." "Electric impulse, Nick? Really?" I ask, ready to walk away. "Yeah, ya know. The bee senses the strong electric aura of a flower, and its impulse is to pursue it. Fits like a key and a keyhole. Two things paired to work perfectly together. As I said before, life takes care of itself." "Huh! I think I see what you mean. Life takes care of itself." "See?" He nods his head, smiling. "So, don't worry 'bout nothing. You got me in your corner. Good luck, kid. That's some accomplishment." He grabs a towel and wipes down a martini glass. "See you next weekend." "See you, Nick." Somehow, something inside me has lifted and I'm a little lighter in my step. I feel optimistic, despite what I just went through with that bastard, Sebastian. I turn back before walking out the door. "Hey, Nick!" "Yes, doll." "How do you know all that? That stuff about the bees and flowers?" "My grandparents owned a farm in Hudson Valley. As a kid, I'd spend all summer up there. They kept beehives out back." "You? A farm boy? I thought you were all city." He laughs. "You'd be surprised, some of the stories I could tell ya." "I bet." I get back to my car just in time to catch the parking meter checker. He's ticketing the car behind me. I've got seconds to get out of here. Planting my right foot on the back door, I yank the handle of the driver's door, trying to get the rusty thing to give way. Two powerful soccer kicks later, the door does an open sesame. Narrowly escaping, I jump in and drive off just as his tiny vehicle pulls up to ticket me. I'm off to the lakefront. ____________________ The part boat, part bird, part moving work of art attached to the Milwaukee Art Museum is my welcoming sign. It's a landmark so huge and so distinct, it's known as one of the wonders of the Midwest. I breathe a sigh of relief, grab my handbag and safely exit my trap. Once I'm by the sand, all bets are off, I immediately remove my shoes. The day has changed. The sunless, overcast sky is a perfect reflection of me, right now. And the aquatic smell of lake water along with the sound of waves crashing against the shore, calm my exhausted nerves. What a weekend! And it's not even over yet. I find a spot in the sand with not so many pebbles and have a seat, sinking my toes deep into the damp coolness. The envelope is about half an inch thick. It feels heavy. I thump it against my palm wondering what's inside. I set the envelope down next to me in the sand. I can't believe all that's happened between that incident with Phoenix and Sebastian breaking it off. Closing my eyes, I try unsuccessfully to forget the last forty-eight hours. Why is everyone coming for me? It's like it's full-on hunting season. Game hunters in Wisconsin don't play. I'm not sure why they call it game hunting, because it's serious as hell. It's not a game! Everyone's out for blood. My blood! These men have lost their goddamn minds! Without warning, the sadness returns. It hits me heavy, knocking the wind out of me. Did Sebastian really just dump me like that? Like I was nothing to him? The stinging, burning sensation returns and tears follow. I have an urge to write. There's something I need to get out. Now.