Strangers in the Rain

“And so he gave me your number and here we are talking,” I finally finished telling Frank about Gerard. I still was oblivious as to why I just recited my entire day to a stranger. Strangers seem to want my life story today. Frank wasn’t what I was expecting. He was a hyper active child stuck inside of a short mans body, covered in tattoos, piercings and with a shaven mow hawk. He didn’t look right behind a desk. He would look better performing on stage. He wore a Black Flag shirt with ripped jeans. Casual for a business owner. I suppose I was dressed appropriately.

“So you like him then?” Frank said leaning back in his chair linking his fingers together. I blinked at him wondering what he was going on about. He sighed and leaned towards me. “Gerard, you have a crush, feelings, whatever for Gerard. I can tell. By the way you described that kiss. You wuv Gerard Way.” He giggled. I rolled my eyes. This was all a hoax. There isn’t a job, this is some weird thing to set me up or something. And to me that’s just plain wrong.

“What is this? A dating service? Did Gerard like arrange all of this to get in my pants? I really got my hopes up about this place. I thought I might be able to get back on my feet and this would be the start of it. I was wrong again. I need to stop getting my hopes up about these things.” I stood up about to make my dramatic exit when Frank stopped me.

“No! Please wait. There is a serious office job that you can have. Let me explain why I made you tell me, please?” Frank said, he stood next to me, about a couple of inches shorter than me. I looked at him with suspicion and sat back down waiting for the next reason to leave. “Gerard’s never had luck in women and when I see a nice girl who isn’t stalking him, or wanting a one night stand I get excited. He needs a lady in his life who will treat him right and send him right back to where he started. With a beer in one hand and a joint in the other.” Well that’s creepy if you ask me, he only wanted to meet me to hook his friend up. “And the job starts tomorrow, here, be dressed however you like, you start at nine. Oh and Gerard will be here. He helps out some times.”

I wasn’t sure what to do with the Gerard information. But I wanted this job, I smiled accepted and left, Frank loaned me his umbrella so I could get back to my car. I walked through the offices, there were several cubicles all personally decorated, around those there were several offices with glass doors and important looking people. All the employees were working hardish. The only noise was taping on keyboards and voices on phones. There was a strong smell of caffine coming from a kitchen looking room in the corner. I left and found it was no longer raining, the ground was still damp and puddles still deep. People began to emerge from their hiding places and their cars and buses. Life began again.

I was eating a sandwich that night, reading a magazine by the light of my car, goodbye car battery. My outfit for tomorrow was laid out across the back seat along with some deodorant and toiletry stuff. I need to borrow a shower from someone if I want to hold down this job. I was almost finished with my half nine snack when my phone rang from the passenger seat, caller ID is a waist of time so I picked up without looking at the screen.

“Hello?” I said through a mouthful of sandwich. Its most likely my sister so she won’t care what I sound like.

“Lexi. It’s Gee. We met earlier today in the rain. I bought you coffee and got you the job, Frank called and congrats, you are now employed.” He was happy bless him. I wasn’t if I should tell him about Frank wanting him to meet a nice girl like me and that I clearly like him. I decided against scaring a hot stranger away.

“Thanks for hooking me up Gerard. I need it. And I hear you will also be present at skeleton crew tomorrow?” I asked, hinting that I wanted to see him again.

“I will. I help out when Frank asks, I'm an artist so work can be slow for me. I get quite a bit of free time on my hands. We we’re going to start a band a while back but it didn’t work out. We’re all still close though. Anyways did he actually tell you anything about skeleton crew or the job you’ll be doing?” I could tell he knew I would say no. He knew his friend Frank Iero well enough I guess. Just from the first meeting I could tell he would be the type to leave crutial information like that out.

“No he did not,” I took another bite from my sandwich, “my guess is you could tell he’s the type who would forget to do that.”

“You would be right. I guess you’ll find out everything you need to know tomorrow. I got to go, my brother is coming round. Have fun sleeping in your car tonight.” He chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah, with a job though I'll be in a house in no time.” I said throwing the rubbish in on the floor. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow Lexi poo,” he hung up and I was confused by my knew pet name but it made me smile. I climbed into the back so I could lie across the back seats and use my pillow and blanket easier. I was glad now that I had saved those two items when I left my old house. Without them I would be one sleep deprived girl.

It took me a while to drift off, thoughts of the new job and Gerard were in my head. I wondered whether I should take this…crush, I have on Gerard any further or if I should wait and see if anything else happens. He did kiss me, but he may just have been doing that just to try and cheer me up. Although I did like the sounds of the option where he has possible feelings for me. Eventually I drifted off with thoughts of Gerard’s kiss and the hope of another in my head.