Suddenly, I remember Victor Hodge mentioning Brandon’s name as their beer supplier last night. I also recall Justin elbowing Victor right after he said it.

“I get it. You steal beer for him, right?”

“Correction,” Brandon says. “I used to steal beer for him. That’s your job now.” He smiles. “Man, it’s amazing how things just seem to work themselves out around here.”

He pats me on the shoulder and leaves.

————

Later that night, I tell Justin about Brandon’s departure and my new position.

All he does is shake his head and say, “Well, welcome to the club.”

We shake hands.

And it feels good, shaking Justin’s hand like that.

July

Chapter_10

10

Two shift changes occur at the truck assembly plant during my eight-hour shift at Huey’s, one at five o’clock, the other at ten. These, along with the noon change that Huey handles on his own, constitute the bulk of his business.

I spend the first two hours of every shift with Huey, from three to five. He’s usually drunk when I arrive, and it’s a rare sight to see the man without a beer and a cigarette. I never see him pay for anything, either. Basically, he totally drinks and inhales his profits, and I find it amazing he’s stayed in business all these years.

My job during these two hours is to sort empties and stock the cooler and grocery shelves for the five o’clock rush. I repeat this process in the evening to get ready for the ten o’clock invasion, spending the time between rushes and after the last rush doing the occasional garbage run, floor sweeping, and stocking of whatever.

After one week I’m able to complete the pre-rush stocking in less than twenty minutes, and I learn that only one thorough floor cleaning is necessary, a damp mop ten minutes before closing. So, by the end of my second week, I’m doing physical labor for no more than two hours per shift, which allows six hours of down time to do whatever I want. Which eventually leads to a lot of smoking, drinking, and stealing.

And Brandon Watkins was right about making some good side money selling beer. I know he said I shouldn’t tell more than a few people, but I decide to go all Donald Trump and broaden the enterprise, coming up with this cool business idea that goes like this: between Tank’s wrestling buddies, my football peers, and all the other guys in the neighborhood, I’m thinking I can eventually clear at least an extra fifty to hundred bucks a week.

I even have a name for the company: The Bootleggers of Blaine.