Chapter 5

A Chapter by soliloquy

The enormity of this situation starts to sink in for Travis.

I leave Jolleens home quietly. Jolleen was polite in explaining to me that she was interested in Kevin first,and that she had never even thought of me as a potential date since I was living with someone. She also told me that she had heard through the grapevine that Andrea had been seeing other men for quite a while now.

Most of my friends are probably already at the bars for the night. I only have a brother who I rarely see in another state. My aged mother is in an assisted living arrangement in a nearby town,and I have never been close to her. My father is dead.

So, where do I go?

I have no intention of going home to see what will happen there. I have already decided that Andrea looks very happy with her new boyfriend so I plan to stop by her place tomorrow to collect the small amount of stuff that is mine. "Hopefully she won't be home. I don't think I will be up to a fight,or lies from her. I just want to forget her and to erase her from my mind. If she has changed the locks on me I'll kick the damn door down! What a b***h!"
That brings me to the more immediate thoughts of Jolleen. "Could this have really just happened? What the F**K? Am I out of my f*****g mind? How could I have read this so wrong? I really thoght she liked me! Am I that desperate? I thought we would end up in bed together tonight,but instead she just blows me off? Holy crap! I never,ever thought that that would happen!"

I decide to go to the only person in my life who I know will not be drunk tonight. Rick Spencer,my foreman from work. I have always been an admirer of Ricks. Rick is a married family man,and one of the nicest men that I know. Rick trained me in at the plant and has always been friendly and decent to everyone at the plant.

I decide to call Rick just to see if that will make me feel a little better. I am devastated and need some reassurance that life will somehow eventually return to normal. Losing my girlfriend and thereby my residence,as well as making a fool of myself with Jolleen are weighing very heavily on me.

I reach for my cell phone so that I can make the call. Ricks number is already in my phone since that is the same number employees call in the morning when too sick to go to work.

I am relieved when Rick answers his phone right away. I somewhat excitedly tell Rick how happy I am to get a hold of him, and how bad of an evening it has been. After relating to my boss the number of tough breaks that I have endured over the previous six hours,I am a bit surprised at how quiet Rick is on the other end of the line.

After several minutes,I ask Rick if he is still on the line. My heart begins to sink even further when a subdued Rick breaks the news to me that the owners of the plant are thinking of selling out to foreign investors. These investors are planning to automate many of the jobs at the plant and layoffs are expected over the next several months.

I am numb. I start to piece together what this really might mean for me. I like my job and right now my job is the only thing I have. I can’t even imagine losing my job. I am barely making things work right now and no income,even for a short period of time would be out of the question. I responds by telling Rick that I need to go and hang up the phone.

"Oh My God!" Is all I keep saying to myself over and over again. "What do I do now? This can't be happening. This is too much right now." I hold my head in my hands.

I realize that I have nowhere to go and no one to talk to at this point. I don’t know if or when I will lose my job,and that would be too much to take. I do not have much for savings or even a great income. My heart is still aching over seeing my live-in girlfriend who I trusted,having sex with another man in my own home. And, I am still feeling embarrassment over thinking that girl from work was interested in me,only to find out she likes my best friend Kevin better!

I decide that the best thing to do is to find a quiet parking lot somewhere,crawl in the back seat of the truck,and get some needed rest. At least I have somewhere to go tomorrow. I still have a job for now.

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