It was after 9 pm when I open the mail. On top is a stained off white envelope, with no return address; thought it was junk mail, the same as everything else appeared to be. I tear it open and a tattered piece of notebook paper, folded in three sections, drops out. I am stunned when I find a one hundred-dollar bill enclosed. On the crumpled paper Steve had written a note.
His handwriting looked more like scribbling, which along with the wrinkled, grubby paper made his words difficult to read. From what I could make sense of the hundred dollars went towards what he owed me, and oh yeah he needed a place to stay, now that he had been ruled off the racetrack for stealing. Makes me wonder where the cash came from.
I try to figure out what else he is saying and the only words I can make out at first are park and 10pm. After several more attempts I think I finally understand. He lives in the town park and if I can give him a place to stay I am to meet him there any evening at 10pm.
The faded old green wall phone rings, I never answer it this late, once, twice, three times, four times, and then five, before the answering machine picks up. “You have reached 765-9035, please leave a message,” my voice says. The machine beeps and a static laden voice of Elvis Presley starts to sing Love Me Tender. That’s the only thing on the message, just the beginning of the song where Elvis sings love me tender.
Looking at the clock hanging on the wall over the kitchen door, it reads, 9:45. Steve. This is the type of thing he does. It’s fifteen minutes before he hopes I will pick him up. I can see him standing in a phone booth, with that boyish grin on his face, tape recorder in one hand, holding it up to the receiver so I can hear his message. He'll quickly hang up if he hears me answer.
Shooting pain in my heart.
I think about another song, “The Spider and The Fly” and know I can’t be lured by the spider’s tempting swagger. I let him stay where he is.
The kitchen clock reads 10pm. Turn off the lights, and walk down the hall in the dark to my bedroom, get undressed and into bed.
The phone rings, the answering machine, my message and Elvis. I fall asleep.
