He Ain't a Crook Son, He's Just a Shook One

My days were spent like my nights- in town. I fucked with the tourists, I hung out with people in the park down the way, or I doped it up with my friends, but I was near constantly in town.
Today, though, I thought I would go visit an old friend and see how he was doing. It was a trip that was long overdue.

Our local public transport system is sucky at the best of times, and since all these cut backs the closest rout to where I wanted to go left me about three miles from my destination. Oh well, perhaps I was in need of a little exercise, especially after all the alcohol consumed last night, so I went ahead and paid the outrageous fee of three fifty for the bus to bring me miles short of my stop.

On a cold and rainy day, or even during one that I was simply feeling lazy, I might have hitchhiked, but only with the assured confidence that a three inch spring-loaded knife in my back pocket can bring. Today, I strolled the country road and enjoyed the changing colors of fall. Truly, when this all is my back yard- who would want to move?

Skipping down a potholed dirt road that would, eventually, lead me to my last family member to remember what month my birthday was on- though that might just be because it was his birthday as well.

As the rough hewn wood siding and large open windows of Keshava’s backwoods cabin came into view my soul smiled. Here, I was plain and simply me: pocketknife, nail polish, and drugs bundled together into my step-father’s daughter.

“Hey Keshi,” I greeted the man in nothing but ripped jeans and a bandana tied around his forehead. “how’s the crop commin’? Enough harvested to spare a J over dinner with an old friend?”

Keshi’s smile lit up the already brilliant day and we ran towards each other. Catching his waist at the same time he caught mine we spun in our embrace, laughing and hugging.

“How have you been Cam? The boys and I have missed your pretty face around here since school started. Let’s go inside and we can have some dinner!”

Stepping into the warm wooden cabin always brought a contented grin to my face, for here were all the happiest memories. Here I first learned to walk, to talk, and explored all the miracles of life and the world as a child.

“A beer?” the query from the other side of the room, the part partitioned by a long table set with a mismatch of chairs.

“Sure,” I called over my shoulder, as I was already walking to the other side the cabin “as long as it isn’t that crappy home-brew you tried to pass off as potable liquid last time I was here.

“I knew that was the reason you’ve been avoiding me!” he exclaimed while handing me an open microbrew of some kind or another that looked dark and delicious. I knew he was messing with me so I just smiled and we stood together in front of the fireplace that had warmed me to the soul for the first ten years of my life.

“How are the boys?” I asked. They were one of the things that I missed about living out here, the workers Keshi hired to help keep his plants had always given me a companionship and friendly teasing that always brightened my day.

“They are good, were all getting older and tougher, but business is still good so we’ll stick around a while longer.”

Keshi’s ‘business’ wasn’t in any government finance books, nor any of the yellowpages back down town: he grew and sold Marijuana to customers all across the country. He was one of the best in Cali, and I had been born and raised taking care of his crop with him. He was the best, and everyone knew it.

“That’s awesome Keshi,” I smiled a genuine smile.
We laughed at some shared memories of the boys before he invited me to sit and eat.

Over dinner Keshi explained that he had hired a kid from town to take over the work that I couldn’t do while school was in session.

“He’s a good boy, got a good head on his shoulders; and he graduated early, which is why he’s out here instead of in the classroom with you.” He smiled around a bite of his vegetarian lasagna.

“what’s his name?” I asked curiously “I might know him if he went to my school.”

“Jordan Dasmann, he said he went to school with ye for a while but he transferred in pretty close to his graduation.”

I thought back to last year, was there a Jordan in any of my classes? Yes, I realized there was. My eyes widened.

“Jordan is working for you?” I asked askance.

“You remember him?” he asked with a shit eating grin on his face. I reached across the table and punched Keshi in the arm. Hard.

“The hottest boy in my grade last year has been working for you for who knows how long and you fail to send me so much as a text?!” Keshi ‘s grin shattered into great heaves of laughter at my frustration. I huffed into my plate, picking at the salad with my fork until he calmed down.

Before either of us could start the conversation back up we were interrupted by someone slamming the door.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you had company Keshi. I’ll uh, just come back later.” Keshi and I both turned in our seats to look back at the intruder and I dropped my fork. Keshi, of course started laughing all over again but managed to invite Jordan to the table with us through his outrageous humor.

Tentatively Jordan Dasmann sat at the seat farthest across from us and managed to look both completely intrigued with who I was and utterly uncomfortable that he had interrupted us at dinner.

“I just came in to tell you that the fourth sprinkler is having issues again, Keshi,” Jordan spoke in a soft voice that none the less had me sitting on the edge of my seat. “I’ll get to it tomorrow if I have a chance to stop by the hardware store on my way home.” His hazel eyes whipped around the room before landing on me, zipping to the dirt under his fingernails, and flicking back to me again.

“All right,” Keshi chuckled “bring me the receipt and I’ll compensate you. Jordan you remember my daughter Cameron right? She’s in her senior year right now, I think you guys had an Art elective together last year.” With a glare that my entertained father to no end, I reached my hand towards Jordan.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been officially introduced.” I said while admiring Jordan’s strong, tan hand and how it gripped mine over the table.

“Nice to meet you.” He smiled at me then his eyes widened. “wait- daughter?” he gasped. Then blushed shook his head. “goddamn it, I mean uh, I didn’t know you had a daughter Keshi.”

“Yupp, so you better treat her right boy.” Keshi’s eyes sparkled as he watched for my reaction.

I face palmed and groaned into my hand. “Step-daughter, but more my blood than anyone else in this world.”

“Isn’t it about time you were heading home anyway Cam?” Keshi’s smile foretold of many more embarrassing moments to come. “Don’t you have school in the morning?”

I glanced at my cell phone and nodded, standing up.

“I do- but just for that last comment I’m leaving you to do that dishes by yourself.” I huffed.
“like you would have done them anyway Cam!” he rolled his eyes at me “Jordan, why don’t you give Cam a ride into town while you’re on your way to the hardware store?”

I smiled secretly but stepped on Keshi’s foot under the table, none the less.

“Sure.” Jordan smiled at me and opened the door, holding it while I made my way toward him.

“Be safe you two!” Keshi called from the kitchen “No love without a glove!”

I just managed to flip him off as the door closed behind us.