Running Barefoot

Nathaniel

“Zuni, just get your ass inside.” The dog sits there on the sidewalk staring at me. After the fool I made of myself in front of the new woman in town, I wasn’t especially in a great mood. I’d been back for less than a week and already was listening to the old women of this town. ‘Rich bitch,’ my ass, that woman seemed like the least bitchy person around.

Okay, that was a lie. She wasn’t exactly polite. But why would she be? It’s not like anyone around here has been throwing a welcoming party. “Zuni, you” I point at him, “inside.” I say, pointing at the house. I shake my head in frustration. Why did Wallace have to get such a big dog? It’s not like I could just simply pick the guy up and toss him through the door. Suddenly the roar of an engine gets the dog up and jumping. Just like him, I recognized the sound. It meant his damn owner was home.

“Zuni, buddy!” Wallace shouts as he steps out of his truck. The dog instantly runs to Wally as if we hadn’t just been having a stare off moments ago. The two approach me on the stairs, the dog obviously on his best behavior now. “How are you holding up Nathaniel?” he asks, taking a seat on the steps beside me.

“Your dog is a pain.”

“He just doesn’t like you. Don’t take it personally.”

“You just said—” I cut off and shake my head. “Trade go well?”

“As well as it could. We’re all holding onto every penny in this town though.”

I groan. That was quite the understatement. The only reason I was back in this shithole of a place was to turn business around for my parents, or really the whole town. Turns out my years of business and law were not meant to get me out of this here.

“So I hear quite a bit has happened around here this week.”

“Explain ‘quite a bit’ because in my world, it’s just as slow as ever.”

“Well, I got a new neighbor, that’s something. Though no one knows who she is.” I smile at that. This town was not good with new comers. If your family hadn’t settled here you don’t belong here. That’s the way it has always been. “Oh, and you moved home.”

“Why don’t you go introduce yourself?” I offer, wondering if he would actually do it. Though knowing Wallace that would never happen. He was too traditional, always stuck to the rules around here.

“And get people boycotting my farm? No thank you. I’m going to steer clear of them. I just wish my property didn’t run up against the Bagwell house. It would be easier that way.” I nod in agreement though inside I was furious. How could people be so judgmental of someone they hadn’t met?

I stand up and dust off my jeans, “Well I’ve got a couple businesses to save.” Wally laughs and stands with me, “See you this tomorrow, right?”

“Dude, let’s go out tomorrow. Come on, you haven’t left that house of yours since you got here except to walk Zuni and go to work. There is a perfectly good bar in town, you know that. And hey, I’ll even point out which younger women are still single.”

Sighing, I nod in agreement. Wallace was never one to enjoy spending time at home. He grew up in a larger family and at home he barely got any attention. So he was always out and about, trying to do something besides working the farm. “Alright. Tomorrow night then. I’ll call up Cooper and see if he can make it.”

“Sweet, the original three. It’ll be a great night.”

I look at him doubtfully. Whenever the three of us were together something was bound to happen. And usually that something wasn’t good.

I get to the shop just in time to open. With my dad’s health worsening and my mother on a worry-streak, it was left to me to get it up and running. Hardware wasn’t a common purchase in this town. Back when it was a trade stop and people actually came through, it was booming. But now, fifty plus years later, and one customer a day was the goal. The issue with a small town was the lack of residents. If all the houses here were in tip-top condition we would have absolutely zero business. And even with a few run down homes, most of the owners traveled out to the city to get the supplies cheaper. Which is probably what that ‘rich bitch,’ is going to be doing. If she decides to actually fix up that dump she bought.

The phone rings, making me jump. Honestly, I didn’t actually know that phone still worked. “Baillie’s Hardware, how may I help you?”

“I forgot to tell you where the record book was.” My mom starts. When she gets nervous she’ll ramble on and on about a mistake she has made. Something I didn’t have time to listen to.

“Ma, I’ve got the record book.”

“But I didn’t tell you where it was.”

“I found it all on my own. Now if you don’t mind I need to get back to the front. I think I hear a customer.”

“Fine. Fine. Just make sure you have that book.”

“Yes, I know. I have it. Love you ma.” I tell her before hanging up. When I open the office door I definitely knew there was someone in the store. The loud sound of clattering and a soft ‘shit,’ made it obvious. Rounding the corner I freeze mid-step. Standing in front of me decked out in a plaid button up and torn jeans was the woman from this morning. She was holding a tool belt against her trying to find one that would fit but having no such luck.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but I don’t believe we have your size.” I tell her, taking a few steps closer.

“Nathaniel Herring, you’re not stalking me now are you? First my house, now the shops?”

I groan. Of course this looked creepy after this morning. “I thought you were staying at the ranch.”

“And I still have no clue what you’re talking about. Anyways, you said my size isn’t here?”

“Of course it’s not. I’m sure it hasn’t taken you long to figure out that not many women do much around here.”

“I haven’t paid attention to be honest.”

Just as well. If she paid attention she’d be seeing all the stares and hearing all the gossip. “Do you want me to order one in your size?”

“Oh, no thank you. I can fix this one up to fit me just fine.”

“Okay, I’ll just be at the check-out, let me know if you need anything more.” She nods and I walk to the front, setting the record book on the counter. That was one thing I needed to get started on: getting money from those who owed us money. It was hard in this town to ask for money from someone you knew wasn’t doing too well. But instead of basically holding out my hand and demanding money, I was going to use a few more skills of mine. I would help them with their budgets and create a payment plan that will work for them. It’s not going to make our problems go away, but it will get something done.

The woman approaches, carrying a basket and pushing a cart, both full of tools and supplies. “Will that be all for you today?” I ask, while having many other questions I would rather bring up. But this is the one I needed to be asking in the moment.

“For now, yes. I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now, but I will be remodeling my home. It seems like you’ve got a lot in stock right now of thing I’ll need…but to be honest I don’t even know how much of everything yet. You probably have a better idea of that. I uh, I guess I just want to make sure you’ll have enough for me. Or should I like pre order or something?”

“I can give you directions to a cheaper box store if you’d like. Otherwise I will make sure to have enough of the basics for you. If there are any special requests make sure to pre-order.”

She smiles a genuine smile, “you’re the first person in this town to talk to me, so I don’t believe I’ll be taking business elsewhere. Thank you though.”

I nod and finish scanning her items giving her the total that’s just over a thousand. She quickly writes a check and heads for the entrance. When I think she’s gone I turn to grab the record book and start making phone calls. Then she turns back and looks at me again. “You wouldn’t happen to have the rights to work the check stand at the grocer, do you?”

“Um, yeah, but—”

“Great! I just, she wouldn’t help me and then I just put money down and went to leave and she accused me of stealing. My fridge is looking kind of sad.”

I shake my head, obviously hearing her wrong. Connie Humphrey was never one to act so rudely. “Wait, what?”

She mumbles a few curse words, “never mind, it’s stupid. I’ll just go out of town.”

“No, no, it’s not stupid. I mean it is. Connie shouldn’t be treating any customer that way. But your request isn’t. I’ll go ring you up.”

“Thank you. I don’t want to cause any problems though so—”

“It’s not a problem.” She looks down at her shoes, obviously embarrassed about the situation, “Now this doesn’t come free you know.”

My last statement makes her look up with a jolt. “Whatever the cost, just add it to my next bill.”

I smile and shake my head, “It’s not money ma’am.”

“Oh. Well, I don’t want to jump to assumptions but I don’t believe—” her cheeks turn a shade of red and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. The woman right here in front of me did not seem like the same one I ran into this morning.

“It’s not sex either; goodness what kind of business do you think we run in this town?” She just shrugs and glances out the door probably considering making a run for it. “Your name. I’ll go ring up your groceries if you tell me your name.”

She looks back at me, her eyes wide and face drained of color. I never knew asking for someone’s name could get that kind of reaction. It almost made me retract my request. But then she takes a breath, finally giving me an answer. “Georgina Cain.”