Drinks with Darin
“The chimney
needs repointing.” She said it as if it were obvious to everyone. He looked up
at the chimney, hoping something there would explain the term.
“Um, you
think?”
She let out
a laugh; really, an exhale of breathe with meaning, the translation of which
was still unclear. His smile seemed the
best response. He actually liked how ignorant this woman made him feel. She
made him notice things, made him look and see and think about the things in
front of him. Had he even truly known there was
a chimney on the house? Maybe, as some architectural detail, like molding
around the front door, but that it would ever need attention from him hadn’t
occurred to him. He looked up at the chimney again. There were some gaps
between the bricks where the cement had fallen away; that must be it.
Repointing. He was going to save that word, use it when he called . . . who
does one call for repointing a chimney?
“I can do
that for you next week. I have some time.”
She loved
the way he raised his eyebrows instinctively when she said these things. It was
his “tell” that proved he had no idea what she was talking about.
“No, you’re
right, you’d better call a mason. I know a guy who does good work cheap. I’ll
call him and see if he’s clean this month.”
“Clean?”
“Yeah, he’s
an addict. You know construction workers. But he’s a good guy, solid work. “
No, he
didn’t know construction workers. But she did and he found himself remarkably
unconcerned that she was going to call this drug addict friend of hers to work
on his house. Erin looked over at him and he just smiled and shrugged. That had
become his signature move since meeting Jamie, a smile and a shrug. But Erin
couldn’t leave it there. Drink just in front of her lips, she had to ask.
“So, Jamie,
should we add masonry to your list of talents.”
“Oh, no. I
can do basic work in a pinch, but if you can get a guy who knows his shit, then
get him. Bob knows what he’s doing; comes from a whole family of bricklayers.”
“And how did
you and Bob meet?” Damn Erin, this was not her small talk tone. Would Jamie
notice?
“You meet
guys on the job. Bob’s one of those guys who works when you need him. You can
count on him.”
“You can
count on an addict?”
“Well, I
wouldn’t trust him with my stash, if that’s what you’re after, but he’ll do
good work.” Her smile did nothing to help clarify if she was joking about the stash
or not. Darin didn’t care; he loved the way she delivered this line as casually
as Erin held her drink. She could hold her own, this one. “Who needs a drink?”
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