Gary

It's 3:15 in the digital, and then it's dark. Fingers find the slit where it was.
To fingers it's a soft rubbing. To the eyes it's a scratch. Rubbing salt crystals back and forth gathering moisture to get softer and softer till the eyes are clear.
3:16. Gary felt wide-awake. He pulled aside the covers and kicked his feet to the floor fighting for space with the clothes, shoes, and clutter for the floor. His toes turn over yesterdays blue pants as he considers the brown pants left hanging in the closet. Stumbling towards the open closet he awakes C.V.. It was a sudden and unpleasant moment he and the cat shared nearly every morning. If Sheila was gonna take the kids why didn't she take the damn cat too? Sheila had let Joey name it. Joey was 2 at the time and thought his mom had been pointing to a C.D. Sheila thought it was so funny. Gary was sure that Joey missed kitty.
He dressed for work and caught the pre-dawn train.
The wind really does moan through the guts of a construction site. The would be building apprehensively complaining about future tenants.
Every time he got married he walked away with a souvenir. Like a prizefighter carrying a scar away from a fight: won or lost.
His first wife was a brilliant singer: torch and jazz. Left him with a love for music and a complete record collection he had bought for her. The second, all business, left him two dead houseplants he had brought back to life while they had lived together and a healthy drinking habit he cultivated after she left. At night when she got home they'd listen to music and get drunk. She always drank whiskey. She would always eye the bottom of an almost finished whiskey on the rocks, down the last bit and say "Have to keep that sultry sound" holding up her glass to be refilled. Gary loved those moments and after she left he kept up the tradition getting drunker and drunker till he started getting "who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf" Drunk. It was that same low point of his life that Sheila walked in. Her name reminded him of a Morphine song and he decided to fall in love with her when they first met. She took care of him and when he was better, she got pregnant and took care of the baby. Finally security in a family. When Jill, their first, died Sheila got pregnant and they had Joey, then Sheetha and everything was fine for years. As Joey got older and Sheetha needed less and less care Sheila got C.V. Gary guessed the cat must have been too independent because she left it when she took off to star in the roll of single struggling parent. Of course he still got the occasional letter bemoaning her life and demanding the money he sent every month like clockwork, letter or no.
He quit reading them when he realized it was another part of her one-man delusional show. Still trying to keep him attached as a background character. A character he felt he played in his own life often enough and didn't need reinforcement.
He looked up as he walked into the building. 47floors up was his perch. Nothing moved without his knowledge. "Manager of Shipping and receiving": Glorified mail clerk, Pha hardly. He was entrusted daily with immeasurable responsibility. Gary stepped off the elevator. It was like a tomb this early. The building breathed slowly at this hour. Still sleeping. Resting up for the busy day. He patted the softly sighing walls and began to sort, keeping an eye out for the important envelopes. Ones containing checks. Ones urgent to a case. Ones never meant to get where they were going. He was an important player in the game. His last wife, Sheila, had objected to the importance he gave to the job, but not too loudly as it gave her another plot to her pathetic life. She could safely take the moral high ground without worrying that he might mistakenly quit his job. He'd been there for too long to quit now. What and walk away from 25 years of service? He expected a good pension. She expected a big pay off.
8am and others begin to arrive, trickling in. Gary still hadn't found all the envelopes he was looking for this morning. But there was FedEx, UPS, DHL, not to mention the messenger services. Carla walked by in a Monday mood "What you staren at"
"Always looken for number Four"
Carla laughed and the Monday morning scowl lifted from her face. Gary's track record of wives was a running joke on 47 or for anyone who knew him long enough. Some had been there since the first divorce, then thru the second and third. The humor had helped him get over it. Carla had seen him crawling around in the bottom of the bottle of the second one. There had even been a time when he thought she'd be number three. She was truly just being a friend, trying to help. There were times when a joke cut to deep on a fresh wound. She was either the defender or the deliverer of the fresh slice. Either someone had no right to say that to a man, or she beat someone to the first blow. He had to let it go. Her cuts were sweeter than anyone else’s. Carla laughed as she walked into the back "Oh, I had my chance".
Gary flipped over an envelope: no shipping info, no address, just here. Gary retraced what was on top of it. Nothing to anyone working on important cases in the stack: no mixed mail, all postal, no inter office. He tucked it in the cubby above his lap and turned to the stack left from last night. Sorting into carts foe the runs. It worked out a rhythm in his head. Thunk, Swat, slap, slip. Rumbling less noticeable like his heartbeat like the increasing background noise. The humm of conversation blending with the sucking whir of the postage machine. The cymbals brushing of his sorting with the interjection of the base from packing made his frame sway. This was his daily music. His morning bit of Zen before the rounds. Drop off's, pickups of mail and gossip. Interns and associates had all the information. It was like a trail of breadcrumbs. The sooner you got to know someone the sooner you got information. It's always a mater of time and persuasion. He'd gotten the inside scoop on that city case from Ina, and catching those "about to be" mis-sent document while Myrna was out was no masterpiece, though it did pay off handsomely. He figured he must have saved the company a lot of money or a lot of embarrassment. He just knew to check. The intern trying to handle it was inept, self-proclaimed and quality tested. Add pressure to that and you have yourself a situation. Poor Kristen. Now he was on to other news. He stepped onto the elevator. Judy had just let him on to him about the internal scandal. So he knew the funds were in question and that there may be some early retirement to cover it. Gary knew more than most. He stepped off at 44 "Well hello Evelyn and a happy day to you"
"Morning Gary"
"That it is, but maybe I been up longer so it's sort of sunk in for me by now."
Evelyn set aside her make-up mirror "You got anything foe us today?"
Gary took in her surroundings. The big desk, the huge glassed in conference room with a view behind her. "Just a few. Mostly for Erin or Terry"
"Want some coffee,” She offered as she pushed on the wall behind her and an Oval Office style door opened for her to step into where she refilled her cup.
"You know it. I know you keep the good stuff back there"
Evenly smiled "Erin huh? She told me that Terry's bringing somebody else on board today."
"What for?" Gary asked stirring in the packets of sugar Evenly handed him.
"Probably his campaign"
"Oh, that" Gary laughed "Soon that'll be the joke around here stead of my wives"
Evenly laughed hard till the elevator cut her off with a ding. Gary slipped his coffee off her counter and rolled down the hall as Evenly became instant charm "Morning Mr. Johnson"
Gary thought about what he had said and sensed some truth in it. He'd have to start paying closer attention to Terry. This internal deal wouldn't break for a while and he needed something to sop up his spare time. He moved through the other floors where it seemed nothing new was going on.
10 am and break time. Gary dropped his cart off and headed back to 47. "Hey Evenly, I got a floor plan for Terry's new hire. Where does it go?"
"He put her on the south side of his office. She's probably there now."
Gary "got a move on" as he liked to call it and strutted and ducked his way out of Evelyn’s sight causing her most silent giggle to bounce off the glass and granite room behind him.
Erin was at her desk opening the morning mail he had already dropped off. On the desk before her lay checks. He passed Terry's closed office and popped his head around the corner of Alex's office. Gary put the floor plan in her desk. Most people immediately reach for the right. Gary placed it in the middle drawer, right above the lap. The last place most people look.
Off in search of Judy. His standard break of Tea and biscuits waited. His round little English girl: dark curly hair, thick glasses, and rosy cheeks, always kept a tin of cookies at her desk. Gary suspected that she only kept the cookies there so others would stop by. Gregarious and shy. She looked up as Gary neared her mahogany fortress of a cubical. "I was just on my way for tea"
Gary smiled. She said 'tea' like Audrey Heppburn in My Fair Lady. The part before they changed her. "Me too, so I'll bring the tea" Judy's apple cheeks burst into flame like firecrackers "I'll bring the biscuits". It was a daily routine, but it never seemed to grow old on her. He returned with two teas and mentioned Alex. Judy was too uninformed to speculate. He was only a wellspring of information when she had her facts. She had heard that Alex had an impressive resume. Judy changed the subject to her dog as they finished their tea and since there was nothing else he went back down to work.
He looked through the stacks. Nothing there. He walked past his desk and eyed the blank envelope tucked under his desk. Carla was watching him. "I'm eyeing lunch already"
"So you go for a change. I got this" She waved her arms in the air as if to encompass everything.
"Alright, maybe I will"
"Well get that move ON then" Carla teased as she walked into the other room. Gary grabbed his lunch and bent the envelope around it executing the move with duck out the door. "Hey Mr. Zypher" he said automatically as his mind adjusted from the feeling of a crook getting caught just on the other side of the door. Tom Zypher looked down and then everywhere but a t Gary. "I need some boxes sent out immediately. There up in my office. See to it will you Gary?” Gary wondered if the envelope would unseal from the moisture of his palm. "Got it, right now" he tucked the envelope into his pocket as he did an about face to his desk and dropped his lunch on it. "Carla I'm up in Zypher's office. I'll be back when he's done with me." He was apprehensive about leaving the mailroom to long. But everyone left the interoffice mail to him and his cart was empty and waiting for Carl to sort into. "I'll be back for the final run" he called to Carla and followed Tom down the hall to the elevator.
"I'll want you to personally package and ship them. The address in my office" Tom nodded to Evenly who was on the phone but gracing them with one of her loveliest attentive smiles. As they neared Zypher's office it began to smell of smoke. Gary had gotten use to it. Zypher joined the firm 20 years ago and Gary still saw the puzzled look on people’s faces once in a while that was either followed by a wrinkled nose or a look of desire.
"Shit" Tom brushed past Gary into his office jumping for his desk and began stabbing a cigarette that had rolled from the ashtray onto his desk still smoldering. Gary looked at all the boxes. "Mr. Zypher, you look like you 'bout to have a fire sale"
Tom looked up from his mashing "What" he said crossly. Gary gestured from the butt in his hand to the boxes. Tom relaxed, his shoulders sinking making him look older 'I just thought I'd move out the important stuff before I set my office on fire" He giggled, a little more forced and panicky than usual, setting Gary’s nerves on edge. Tom brushed the ashes off the branded papers on his desk and handed Gary an index card with an address on it. "Mark all the boxes personal and confidential once you seal and wrap them for shipping"
Gary looked at the address. Still downtown, looked like a business address "To who’s attention?"
"Mine" Tom came around the desk and put his hand on Gary's shoulder "You'll take care of this for me won't you Gary?"
"Course, but I'll be adding this to the list of favors you already owe me for"
"Do that, and keep that address with the list." Tom Zypher seemed to become suddenly and uncomfortably aware that his hand was on Gary's shoulder and snatched it back. "I'm gonna be out the rest of the afternoon so take your time but get it done." Tom nodded to the crystal decanter by the window as he stepped away backing over boxes towards the door "I know it's not ol'grandad but I'll bet it'll do once you've finished"
Either Tom Zypher knew that he occasionally swiped a glug, or this was a big favor. "Well I'll get right on this then "He called out as he surveyed the piled and the door closed.
Most of the boxes were the kind of file boxes usually sent to storage. Some lids were pressed over the surplus of capacity. They weren't numbered or catalogued as far a Gary could tell so he looked for the less full to absorb some spill over. Since Mr. Thomas Zypher was a Senior partner no one, certainly no one in the mailroom, would question him shipping off stuff. There was no real reason for him to ask a favor of Gary so the fact that he had made it suspicious. Maybe he was the one retiring and was taking these for insurance. For the company or for himself. The files appeared to be old cases. They were chronological so he figured to work backwards from the stuffed boxes. He opened the lid: paper spilled out. He began picking up copies of checks, tracking information, ledgers. The tabs on the filed documents were financials for the company. Another set of books maybe? Gary stood up. He locked the door, went across to pour himself some whiskey in a Styrofoam cup, and dumped the ashtray into the empty garbage. Sitting down at the desk he pulled the box closer to him and lit a cigarette. As he tried to make sense of all the numbers Gary realized he couldn't take them all down at once. He didn't bring the dolly, and even if he had the probably shouldn't. It was obvious that Tom didn't want anyone noticing. Gary wrapped two to take down, finished his whiskey, emptied the ashtray was into his cup, dropped his cup in the garbage and unlocked the door. He took the boxes down on the freight elevator. It opened directly into shipping and receiving and Gary dropped them on the out palate. He'd have to make several more trips like this and he'd have to take time out to do his run. "OT" Gary smacked his forehead. He should have had Zypher sign off for some overtime before he left. Next trip down he remembered the envelope. If it was another conspirator that this month may turn out to be profitable, or at least interesting.
"Where you going" Carla called after him
He held up his bag and smacked his lips "Lunch and then back to 44"
"What's he got you doing up there"
Gary saw her rolling scenario after scenario over in her unimaginative head.
"He's redecorating or something"
"Shit. That man has more décor and brick-a-brack than that whole floor does."
"Well maybe it finally got on his nerves too" Gary touched the envelope in his pocket, anxious to return to his "office for the day" and read it. "So I gotta put something in my gut or my shaky hands will drop some of that obje'de breakable."
Carla hollered after him “You want me to do your run?"
Gary popped his head back around the corner "Naw, I'll be back"
"Take your time. Maybe you'll get some OT"
"Never know" he called back down the hall to her.
On 44 Gary stopped by the new girls office. Alex still wasn’t there but there were sign she had been. He turned down the hall to Zyphers office. The door was closed. Gary couldn’t have closed it with his arms full of boxes. He knocked cautiously on the door, there was no sound from the other side so he opened the door.
Ina jumped up from tom’s chair smashing a cigarette as she did. Gary made the umming sounds small children do when someone is in trouble “I was just thinking the same thing”
Ina attempted a rescue of her brutally smashed cigarette “I know it’s awful but sometimes I don’t want to go outside. So when I know he’s gone…” She trailed off, her apologetic whine was almost cute and made Gary think if Zypher were a woman his laugh might almost be cute too. Women were amazing; they could pull off almost anything. Ina looked at him skeptically “What are you still doing here?”
Gary did a little jig between the boxes “Over Time”. She nodded and relit her bedraggled cigarette. Gary tapped his pack and one flew from the pack to his mouth. He lit it as he crossed the office to the window where he climbed onto the ledge and adjusted the exhaust vent to its widest capacity. “Drink?” He pointed to the decanter with his toe.
”It may be after hours for you…but I think he’d notice anyway”
“Your right there. I swear he marks the decanter”
They smoked in silence for a while. Ina looked up at Gary staring down at all the tiny people. “Come down from there”. He ashed in his hand and jumped down landing like a hippo. He opened his hand and tipped it over the garbage can watching the ashes flutter down on to his cup and another with Ina’s shade of lipstick. Ina looked nervous “I’d better get back to work” as she picked her way across the office “Coming?”
“Naw. Zypher asked me to come get rid of these boxes”
Ina looked around as if noticing for the first time the boxes on the floor and chairs “I don’t know how anyone can work like this.”
Gary kicked at a box “What? With liquor on the credenza and imported cigarettes on the shelf?”
He went down with two more boxes and figured on grabbing the cart for his run so he came through the main room bumping into Erin.
“Gary, this is Alex. She works with Terry so if we get any envelopes marked U.S. Senate give them to her”. Gary moved past them with the boxes and set them down “Welcome Alex. If you need anything just let me know.”
“Well I’ve got nothing in my office”
“Nothing? Not even a floor plan?”
Alex smiled “No, your right. I found that first thing. Thank you if that was your doing.”
“Anything to help”
Erin interjected “Supplies are right around the corner” she told Alex “We’re going there next” she informed Gary as she eyed the boxes he had walked in with. Gary had to het Erin’s nosey butt out of there. “There are some empty boxes in the hall” he showed them through the door. “Lets get you one for the supplies you’ll need to take back. Better yet just give them to me and I’ll bring them up on my cart. I have one last run to do anyhow.”
“I really appreciate it”
“That’s his charm” Erin said coolly.
Gary made a face over her shoulder. Stern and tight mimicking what he thought of as Erin’s schoolmarm charm. Alex’s lip quivered and her eyes shone with moisture.
“We also copy, collate, bind, fax, messenger, etc. Anytime you need an assistant for a project you come to us.” Carla stood in the supply room doorway talking to Jeff. “Carla quit bugging bumpy and get back to work. Alex this is Jeff. We call him bumpy cause he’s always hitting his big ‘ol head on the shelves in here. Once we found him napping in the middle of the floor with a bump the size of a goose egg. Jeff claimed he was knocked out, but we all knew that it would take a computer or one of those old IBM typewriters to fall on that head before he’d lose consciousness.”
Alex and Jeff laughed. Gary handed a box to Jeff over Erin’s head “Give her everything she needs to set up house here. Ladies I’ll be in the mailroom if you need me”. He hurried back to the boxes and moved them to the palate. There we already ten there. He looked back towards the door and saw Alex in the doorway shifting a heavy box. “What’cha need hon” Carla asked. “Gary said he’d cart this up for me.”
Gary came around the corner. “Hup, yah. Give it here girley girl, I’ll be by with it in a few “
“Seems you’re on box detail today” Carla mused as she clocked out. “Two and a half hours of overtime so far today. How late you stayen?”
Gary had his run and two more boxes “Maybe I can stretch it for an other hour”
“Well I’m getting out of here too” Alex said to Carla.
“I’ll be happy to set your things in your office. That should take me an hour” he said winking at Carla.