Works and Days

Odysseus

Conclusion

When Thom got to the apartment after work, he changed into shorts on impulse, and decided to jog through downtown until he was drenched in sweat. He went up Royal Street, and then came to Kirkland and, as the nighttime approached, he found himself jogging toward Chayne Kandzierski’s house.

“Thom?”

It was the first time Thom had ever seen Chayne Kandzierski look surprised, and to be honest, he wasn’t looking terribly surprised right now, just one eyebrow raised, a bandanna hanging from his hand.

“I—is Russell home—here?”

“Yeah,” Chayne remembered himself, and stepped away from the door. “Come in.”

Russell was running downstairs shouting, “Is it Diggs—?” when he stopped and looked at his father.

“Russell!” Thom attempted a smile, folded his hands, unfolded them. “I just came to see you. See if you were okay. You know?”

Russell, coming down the stairs more slowly, folded his hands and nodded.

“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Chayne said. Then, thinking that this wasn’t far enough, he said, “The library. I’ll be in the library,” and he excused himself as Russell and Thom faced each other.

“I,” Thom started, “I meant to come see you earlier. I wanted to spend some time with you. I wanted to ask you what you were doing this weekend? It... ah... looked like you were getting ready to go somewhere.”

“We’re going to Jewell’s.”

“On 103? Is that safe?”

“Dad, it’s perfectly safe.”

Thom nodded and said, “Well. I’d like to see you. Just talk to you, Russell.”

Russell did not want this, but he had manners.

“I could come over to Aunt Jackie’s apartment. Saturday?”

“I was going to pick you up, but... okay. That’s good. Saturday. I’ll see you then. Are you doing good in school?”

Russell settled on, “Yes.”

“Good,” Thom said, and smiled at his son. Then he was gone.

 * * *

“Do you mind if I take your sister out tomorrow night?” Chip asked Thom as he threw his jacket over Jackie’s shoulders and she laughed.

Thom shrugged. He didn’t really like the scruffy man his sister was dating. He forced himself to be playful.

“Well, when are you bringing her home?”

“I’ll bring the little lady home by Sunday.”

“Wow, a whole weekend getaway,” Thom said, trying to feign excitement.

“We’re going up to Windsor to disgust the Canadians,” Jackie said. “You’ll have the whole apartment to yourself.”

It wasn’t until Jackie said this that Thom began to develop some enthusiasm.

“Well are you ready?” she asked Chip.

“I was ready when I knocked on the door. I just need a cigarette.”

“We can smoke in the car,” Jackie said, heading out the door behind Chip. “Thom, are you sure you don’t want to come to choir practice?”

“Yes,” Thom said. “Besides, Patti might be there, and it would just be awkward.”

Jackie started to say something, then shrugged and headed out the door.

Thom went to the couch, and looked out of the large window until he saw Jackie and Chip get into the battered Civic and head down Royal Street before he got on the telephone.

“Hello. Liz? Good! Guess what...?”

 

“Chayne! Russell!”

The two of them turned, shocked to see Geoff Ford in the Blue Jewel, in jeans and a sweater standing at the table, his sister beside him.

“Father Ford,” said Russell.

“Geoff, what the hell are you doing here?” Chayne demanded unceremoniously.

“You all were wonderful,” he said, “Just great.”

Chayne had convinced Russell to go up on stage and sing.

“You really were,” Ann Ford echoed.

Chayne almost wished he’d just stayed off stage and kept drinking.

“I wish I could do that,” said Geoff Ford. “What you all do.”

“Well, you can turn stale bread and bad wine into the body and blood of Jesus, so you’ve already got a leg up on us!”

The air left Jewell’s throat. No one else seemed to be offended by Chayne, though.

“I was wondering, if I could talk to you later,” the priest said instead. “If we could discuss some things later. I was thinking about something. Something I was telling Ann here. I’d like to ask you if you come by the church tomorrow.”

Chayne’s only statement a raised eyebrow.

“Geoff’s trying to say he wants you to take over the choir.”

“Oh, Sis,” Geoff pouted.

“Well, he is! That’s what he said. If you could hear our ten o’clock you’d know how bad we are. We need it. Will you do it?”

“I don’t like church,” Chayne said,

Ann waved that aside.

“Well, now who does?”

Geoff Ford looked like he’d been slapped in the face.

“I’m gay,” Chayne said. “Like, really, really gay.”

“What choir director isn’t?”

“I’m not even sure of how Christian I am anymore.”

“We’ll pay you four hundred dollars every two weeks,” Geoff said.

“I’m yours.”

“Good,” said Ann. “Practice is Thursday night at eight.”

“I just wish,” Jewell began when the Fords had left, then she became quiet, laying back in her seat.

“What?” said Chayne.

“I just wish... That Ann would brush her damn hair!”

“Thursday?” Russell said. “But tonight’s Wednesday.”

“Pshaw,” Chayne waved that aside.

“Pshaw?”

“Pee-shaw. There are far more interesting things to think about than the proximinity of choir practice.”

“Like?”

“Like the proximity of that cowboy from the other night,” Chayne said.

He was coming to them, looking younger than he had the night before, and Russell hadn’t recognized him without the cowboy hat. He was in a feedcap, and a checked shirt, wearing a tech vest against the cold.

“Would it be alright,” he asked, “if I sat here?”

Chayne smiled and ducked his head, making a gesture toward the chair.

“I actually think,” he began, “it wouldn’t be alright unless you did.”