“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about giving me a discount on the price of my car being repaired. I, literally, am having the worst week of my life. I’m not trying to give you no sob stories, but my shit is fucked up. My daughter died, my brother died, I’m missing work to plan the funerals, the insurance people on some bullshit, and my car broke down outside the funeral home. I can’t afford to fix this car, but I can work it off. Sweep up around here or something. Scrub toilets. Anything. I just really need God to send me an angel right now, because if one more thing goes wrong, I’m going to lose it. What do you say?” She had to laugh at how ridiculous it sounded, but it was all truth, no exaggeration needed. Her life was in shambles. She was in shambles, and as she stood pleading with Ethic, she laughed. She gripped her stomach in laughter, as tears came to her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, in between laughing fits. “This is just so ridiculous. How can life get this bad? I mean, I’ve been praying and praying, and I just find it funny that I’m praying to the same God that allowed this to happen in the first place. Shit’s hilarious.” Her laughter faded, as she planted her face in her hands. She turned away from him, in embarrassment. “You know what? Never mind,” she whispered. She faced him now, taking a deep breath and squaring her defeated shoulders, as she cleared her throat. “This isn’t your problem and I’ve never begged for anything in my life. I’ll come up with the money. Can you just have it done as soon as possible?” she asked.

He watched her, as she stood in front of him. Her eyes were sad, but challenge lived behind her stare, as if she were determined to survive. Her hand was cocked on one hip and her face twisted in anger and frustration. Glistens of tears danced in her eyes and she was trying so hard to be strong that her bottom lip quivered. Her vulnerability and sadness were the most exquisite thing Ethic had ever seen. Her femininity was a work of art. She was beauty, a shattered kind, that was broken and all over the place, but beautiful all the same. He would have obliged her, even if he wasn’t the one responsible for the havoc in her life.

“Fix her car,” Ethic said, as he turned to exit.

“What’s the discount?” Redneck Larry asked.