This Time

I took one last look around my loft apartment before walking out and locking it. After nine years of living in that apartment and thirteen years of living in Brooklyn I was moving back to Huntington Beach and opening my own tattoo shop with my little brother Duane and my best friend Ella. If it wasn’t for the fact that starting a business out here in New York was way too expensive, let alone a tattoo shop, I would open one up here.

I headed down the stairs and knocked on my landlord’s door to hand over my key. When I had first gotten this key it had signified a new chapter in my life being written and now giving it back to my landlord it means that this chapter was over and for some reason I wasn’t ready to end it just yet. My landlord opened the door with a half smile on his face; we talked to each other for a couple of minutes before saying our final goodbyes.

“This place just won’t be the same with you and your brother gone dear” Mr. Schwartz frowned as he was pulling away from our hug.

“I know we’re really going to miss it here. But just because we are moving across the country doesn’t mean that we won’t be checking in on you to make sure that you are doing alright” I smiled at him. Since moving into this building Mr. Schwartz acted like our grandfather, he was always there when we needed him and always willing to spoil us with food whenever we walked past his door. Leaving him was like leaving my own grandfather behind to fend for himself in his old age, which was why I was going to be calling him almost every day.

“I know you will dear and I will be expecting those calls” he smiled.

I said one last goodbye to him before I walked out of the building and towards the moving van that my brother was leaning up against smoking his cigarette. Once Duane saw me he threw his cigarette down on the ground and hopped into the van starting it up. We waved to Mr. Schwartz as we drove down 9th street to pick up Ella so we could finally start our cross country move.

I laughed as I saw Ella running out towards the van both eager to move to Huntington and to dodge her nosey neighbor that would always seem to stop her to ask a million questions whenever she was trying to leave.

“Drive Duane Lee, Drive! Mrs. I-Don’t-Have-A-Life-So-I-Need-To-Know-Every-Single-Detail-About-Your’s looks like she is going to head this way and if she does she’ll start asking questions about why I’m moving and why I didn’t stop and tell her goodbye and then we will never make it Cali” Ella said quickly as she hopped into the van.

“But she looks so sad to see you leave you should say bye to her” Duane smirked.

Ella sent a glare to Duane causing the both of us to laugh. It’s not that Ella truly want to doge her neighbor because most of the time she would entertain her excessive questions because that was just how Ella was, she was just so excited to get to Cali because this will be the first time she is going to travel outside of New York let alone live in a different state. Duane put the truck in drive and drove off like Ella wanted.

“So have you guys closed on the deal for the place yet” Ella asked as Duane drove towards the Holland tunnel.

“Yea the guy was happy with our offer for the spot so all we have to do now is sign some stuff and the place is ours” I smiled at her.

Opening this tattoo shop was a dream of mine ever since high school when I started my apprenticeship at this tattoo parlor close by my home in Park Slope. I had always loved the vibe that was in a tattoo shop even on its bad days. Everyone at the shop was like family we watched out for one another, joked with one another to pass the time, we were there for one another when times were rough; and I loved that. When the shop closed once Marty the shop owner died, I thought now was a good a time as any to open up my very own shop. However I saw what Marty had to go through every month to try and keep the shop open in Park Slope, with it being such a slight upscale area and all, so I knew I’d have to look somewhere else if I wanted the shop to be semi-successful even though I had made a pretty big name for myself in this area. I just didn’t want to chance having my shop go belly up with in the first couple of months.

I looked out the window and silently wished the city that I had come to love one final goodbye as we entered the Holland tunnel driving out of New York and into New Jersey.

“Oh yay now the true road trip begins” Ella squealed and clapped her hands in excitement.

“Why do you say that El?” I asked her.

“Because I’ve never really been out of New York not even to go to Jersey, I’ve had no reason to so to me leaving the state means that this cross country road trip to my new home is officially beginning.”

“Well then it’s a good idea that we are taking the scenic route to get to Cali so you can see some sites” Duane smiled looking at her through the rear view mirror.

“Yay you’re the best” Ella smiled wrapping her arms around Duane’s neck and hugging him gently so that he wouldn’t swerve off road.

I smiled at my best friend and my little brother. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for them pushing me and telling me that I had what it takes to open my own shop no matter where I planned on opening it. They were my rocks always there when I need them no matter what it was and for them to be here with me now really means a lot since my parent’s really didn’t think I could do this. My parents hated the fact that I choose a career that didn’t have any financial stability whatsoever, they wanted me to get into some corporate business and climb the latter all the way to the top since I had gone to school for business.

“So are your parents excited that you both are moving back to Huntington?” Ella asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Yea they are beyond thrilled about that” I yawned, “but not so thrilled that the only reason we are going back is because of the shop.”

“They’ll get over it once they realize that your amazing at what you do and this place blows up” Ella smiled placing her hand on my shoulder. I knew she was right about that they will get over it with time and if they didn’t it didn’t matter because this is my dream and I’m not going to let them stop me from making it a reality.

I let out another yawn and leaned my head against the cool glass. Being in a car always made me sleepy no matter how far we were going I would always pass out. The only time I didn’t fall asleep was when I was actually the one driving the car and not just along for the ride.

“You’re just like Old Faithful Jaz, I can always count on you to fall asleep while in the passenger seat” Duane chuckled as he lowered the radio.

“Yup you got that right little brother” I giggled as my eyes closed shut and I slowly started to fall asleep.