I.
Ed rolled over, shielding his eyes from the south Florida sunshine infiltrating through the vertical blinds. Sighing, he rolled himself up and yawned. In his own world, he marched into the bathroom. Old habits die hard he thought to himself as he planted himself in front of the porcelain. For twenty years the same routine, no alarm clock needed here. Ed reached up and rubbed is stubbly chin. I could shave, but I'll wait 'til tomorrow. That's what being retired is all about, right?
Walking back into the bedroom, he grabbed a pair of khaki shorts off a chair. Shaking them out, he stepped into the shorts. Reaching into a nearby dresser, he grabbed a white t-shirt out of the stack there.
Ed walked across the living room of his modest condo. On the walls, typical florida prints of the beach and the obligatory sunset. Reaching the front door, he slid on his sandals and stepped into the cool morning. Must be lower seventies, maybe even upper sixties he thought as he walked down the road. His end goal, the mom and pop store on the corner for coffee and the morning's Miami Herald.
As he walked, he started thinking about Susan. His most recent wife, he had found out, had been cheating with his buddy Pete from the post office. We had everything, he thought to himself. The big house with hardwood through out. The house full of appliances and luxuries. Hell, he had even installed a flat screen in the master bathroom so she could watch television while she bathed. They both drove new cars, and at that point it seemed like a perfect relationship.
Goddamn Pete. Some people said that you couldn't blame just the guy, but that was not the case here. Ed started walking faster, noting he was about halfway to the shop. He should have known better. I mean I worked with the guy for ten years. He moved across the street from us, renting from the Conollys after their house didn't sell. I played softball with the guy in our postal league. He should have said no. I do not care who started it, he should have finished it there.
Ed, having reached the market, violently pulled open the door. This, in turn, caused the man in the suit on the other side to loose his balance and fall toward Ed. This snapped him out of his stupor, and he caught the man as he came out of the door. The man's coffee spattering and staining Ed's shirt inn big brown splotches.
The man steadied himself, "I am so sorry buddy. I lost my footing there fore a second and, well, thanks for catching me." He looked from his spilled coffee to Ed's shirt, "Listen, I'll pay for the cleaning--"
Ed cut him off,"Don't worry pal. It was my fault, I opened the door without even looking. So don't worry about it."
The man looked at Ed for a second, then said, "Ok, but thanks again." With that he walked out into the parking lot.
Ed sighed and shrugged in unison. "That's what you get for not paying attention," he thought as he surveyed the damage to his t-shirt. He then pulled himself into the store by the door handle that had started this mess.
"Heya Ed," the man behind the counter said.
"Hey Jim. How's it goin this morning," Ed replied.
"Well, everyone is a bit upset about this unrest situation."
Ed walked over to the coffee machine, grabbed a Styrofoam cup and poured himself a cup of coffee. Turning, he was about to reply to Jim when a man ran into Ed, spilling his coffee and ruining the other half of his shirt. "Hey buddy! Why don't you watch were you're going" Ed yelled as he slung hot coffee from his arms. The man was staring at the rack, apparently intensely studying the new men's magazine on display there.
Jim came from behind the counter and stood beside Ed. He looked at Ed, "Sorry man, twice in one day." He then turned to the man, "Hey! You need to leave now pal. You didn't even apologize." The man didn't flinch. "Hey! I told you to leave, you need to get out now." The man still didn't move.
Annoyed by his second coffee shower, Ed stepped over and grabbed the man's arm. Suddenly the man roared, "NO, NO, NO, NO," and wildly thrashing his way from Ed's grip. He bounced once off the magazines, sending the men's section to the floor. This left several leading ladies to stare upwards to watch the show. The man then, still screaming, wrenched the snack cake display from its place and threw it at the counter, taking out the bubble gum rack on the way.
Jim jumped forward grabbing a wildly gyrating arm. The man was giving head buts and wild punches, which were getting the better of Jim. Ed couldn't let this go on Besides, he was already covered in coffee, why not a bit of this assholes blood to match the coffee.
Ed stepped in to join the struggle. As Ed reached for the man, he was scratched the length of his arm by the man's fingernails. One of the scratches even drew blood. Annoyed, Ed wiped his arm on his stained shirt, and threw his hip against the man. The man, caught off balance, was easily gripped by Ed, who for twenty years was accustomed to carrying overflowing mail bins.
The man howled like a cornered animal. He gnashed his teeth, and jerked his body from left to right. "Just get this guy outta here," Jim said through clenched teeth and Ed grunted his approval
The three three men did a clumsy waltz through magazines and snack cakes toward the front of the store. The man got one good head but in, during this time, causing Jim to see stars. Jim yelled, "The door! The door," and the both of them moved one hand to the man's chest. The man went into renewed hysterics as he got closer to the door, beginning to bite at his attackers. The mans back bounced off the door as Ed and Jim tried to push him out of the store. The man's head hit the window with a smack, and that is when they seized their opportunity. They both pushed in unison, Jim risking his grip and opening the push door. The man lost his footing on the door jam, stumbled, and fell back into the shell graveled parking lot. Jim immediately locked the double door from the inside.
Both Ed and Jim stood motionless watching the man. He looked at them for a moment, a look of confusion passed over his face, then he simply turned around and walked to the street. "Hey, did you notice that dog bite on his hand. Pretty nasty." Jim blurted, nearly sending Ed out of his shoes.
"No, er, No. Say, you got some Neosporin? That bastard scratched me up but good." Ed said as he walked toward the front counter.
"Anything you want buddy. Hey thanks, I just wanted that guy outta my store." Jim said as he ran over and rummaged behind the counter. He came out with the tube and tossed it at Ed. "No really man," he said,"not everyone would help in a situation like that."
"Well, I would have run,"Ed mused,"but the bastard wrecked my clean shirt." They both laughed and Ed applied ointment to his scratches. Good news, he thought, the middle one stopped bleeding. Ed walked over to the door and asked,"You gonna call the cops on that guy?"
"Nah, probably a migrant worker. I don't think he even spoke English. Is he still out there? Jim asked.
"Nope, gone. If you aren't gonna call the cops, you mind unlocking the doors."
"Sure! Hey thanks again man, like I said, I appreciate it." He said as he rounded the counter and made it to the door. Jim unlocked it with a quick twist and held it open with one battered arm and shook Ed's with the other.
Ed said,"No problem," as he walked out the door.
He looked at his shirt as he walked. Coffee in two places, blood in one. Nice morning. No coffee in me, only on me. No newspaper. Isn't that what you look to your cable news. He kept walking and whistling a song. He laughed to himself. Well at least I can still smile and make light of the day. What was I thinking about before this whole mess. Oh yeah, Susan. He sighed. Well, what the hell can you do. But, the nagging question always is what did I do. I mean, I went to work everyday. I gave her everything. He kicked a rock, spun it into the Joneses' mailbox.
Well let's think about Karen. What do you know at 20? You know there is a slot that needs to be filled, that's what you know. Trying to play house? No way, my toys and your toys and don't touch at that point. Besides, can you really call 9 months a marriage? Baby yes, he joked with himself, marriage no. He walked up to his door and patted his short pockets, just as he realized he left his keys at home this morning. He turned the door nob and stepped back into his dimly lit condo.
Walking into the dim room, Ed suddenly felt very tired. He looked at the clock through the door of his bedroom. Six forty five. He shook his head again, still the fatigue lingered. Ya old man, he thought to himself, go take a nap, you haven't got anything better to do. Such thinking seemed damn fine about that time, so peeling off his stained t-shirt, he crawled into bed.
II.
He awoke to the unforgiving Florida mid-afternoon sunshine. He looked around the room, and tried to think. There was nothing there. He couldn't remember where he was, though the room seemed familiar. "Susan!" He called with a raspy voice as he made his way into the living room. "Where is Susan?" He asked the air. Again, that blank in his... What is that called? "Susan!" He stumbled onto the couch. Hungry. "Susan! ...Food!"
His stomach started to hurt. "Ow" he said to the air. Need to get fridge, need Susan. The nothingness in his mind was growing. He stumbled to the kitchen. "OWW! SUSAN" He bellowed. The fridge lay before him and he reached for the handle and missed. Grunting to himself, he shakily reached out and grabbed the door. Pulling it open, he immediately grabbed the loaf of bread on the top shelf. Biting into it, he ripped it apart in a flurry of bread. He spit out the bread and looked into the bachelor's fridge. Dropping the loaf of bread he swung his arm into the fridge, knocking over beer, sending mustard flying. No meat. Suddenly he stopped. Susan Gone. Susan Gone. "Arrgh!' He screamed as he gripped the handle to the freezer. "Suuuaaaah" He bellowed as he ripped the door open. The force of the action sending the freezer door flying from its hinges, landing across the small kitchen on the range top.
Clutching the freezer door handle still clamped tightly in his hand, he looked around wildly. He looked out the picture window in the other room. A small group of people had gathered there from the various calls that could be heard outside. Sirens from the Monroe County Sheriff could be heard in the distance. His last two confused thoughts were, "hungry," and, "meat" as he ran through his living room. He leaped through the window, waving the handle and with his gaze fixed on the crowd