As you may remember from next week, I finished In Pieces and am now ready to start another tale! The new story is called Super Trooper. I'll leave you to it. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Sometimes being a nice
guy doesn’t pay.
Chandrahas released a soft sigh, audible only to himself,
and managed a small smile for his elderly neighbor. She was a nice lady, and
helping her was not an imposition. Normally. But today it might mean the
difference between being on time and being late for work. And that was
something Chandrahas Basu could not afford to be. Late, that is.
“I appreciate this so much,” Mrs. Feinstein was saying, as
she trailed him to the dumpster which sat at the back of their apartments.
“Sometimes it gets hard for me, you know. Trying to get down the back steps
without falling, holding on to a heavy plastic bag. My daughter’s always
telling me I should wait for her to take out the trash, but I hate to impose…”
Chandrahas nodded, barely listening, but inwardly he was
counting the seconds without trying to be rude. Not to mention this was the
same story the elderly lady had told him the last time he helped her. Lifting
the lid, he hefted her in her bag then turned back to her. He patiently waited
until she paused for breath, then took the opportunity to tell her her she was
completely welcome and he wished her a blessed day but he had to leave now as
he headed toward his car in its numbered space.
“You too!” she called after him cheerily.
He knew he would have to hurry if he was going to make the twenty
minute drive to Tucker Falls with any hope of punctuality. Chandrahas took his
position as assistant manager of the Tucker Falls Savings & Loan very
seriously. He didn’t wish to set a bad example for his employees by showing up
late. Luckily, his drive was mostly highway. And though he hated to do it, he
knew what he had to do.
Time to put the pedal
to the metal.
The morning commute had thinned out by the time he reached
the highway and merged into what little traffic there was. With a little
maneuvering, and pushing the speed a little, he should be at work with a few
minutes to spare.
About that time, his
phone began to ring. Now, seriously?
He knew only one person who would call him this early. His
mother. She lived in Tucker Falls, along with her second husband and their
three adorable children, and he saw them all on a regular basis. What could she
be calling about? He knew better than to answer his phone while driving. The
laws in Texas were strict about that sort of behavior. But it was his mother,
what was a guy to do?
Be quick about it, what else?
Chandrahas cautiously raised his phone to his ear, darting a
nervous glance into his mirrors. Not a state trooper in sight. Good. “Is something wrong, maa?”
“Must something be wrong for a mother to call her son?” came
the familiar voice. “Do you only wish to hear from me in case of emergency?
Perhaps I should hang up and wait for calamity to befall and then call you
back?”
He tried to keep the impatience from his voice. If he had
the time, and was in a better position to do so, he would have traded banter
with her. But this was neither the time nor the place. “Of course not,” he
attempted to placate her. “I’m on my way to work. Can I call you later? On my
lunch hour, perhaps?”
“No, no, I understand, Chan,” she replied, assuming her
pseudo-martyr voice. He hated when she
did that. Normally his mother was the most understanding and rational of women,
but there were times when she turned into a melodramatic heroine straight out
of one of the Bollywood films she loved. Her only saving grace at such times
was that she never broke into either song or dance. “I just wanted to remind
you about the cake for the party. You said you would pick it up after work. But
if this is a bad time…”
Damn, so she had a legitimate reason for calling, one which
had temporarily slipped his mind. His half-brother, Kamal, was turning seven,
and he had promised to celebrate with them tonight. And yes, he’d said he would
pick up the cake from the bakery near where he worked on his way.
He stepped on the gas a little more, casting quick glances
at the dashboard clock. He really had to hurry. “I haven’t forgotten,” he
assured her, which was semi-true. He would have remembered before it was too
late. He was not one to forget important dates or errands. “I will be there, I
promise. Love to all, see you tonight.” He quickly clicked off and set his
phone onto the passenger seat rather than wrestle it back into his pocket. Not
long now and he would be able to leave the highway and…
What’s that? He
glanced in the rearview mirror in dismay. Red flashing lights on a marked Crown
Victoria gave it away. Shit. State
Trooper.
Being a very obedient and law-abiding citizen, Chandrahas
could do nothing other than pull over into the breakdown lane and wait. What
was he supposed to do? License and registration, right? With any luck, the
trooper would give him a warning and send him on his way. Or, if he felt the
need to write a ticket, hopefully he’d do it very quickly. Maybe he’d be just a
little late. Maybe.
Chandrahas’ heart sank when the vehicle pulled off the
highway directly in front of him, slanting across his path. Perhaps in
anticipation that he might run, which was absurd. He would never do such a
thing. As the trooper approached, Chan’s nerves broke, a combination of stress
and lack of his usual morning tea. Without thinking, he rolled down his window
as the tall man in the familiar brown uniform approached.
to be continued
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