Excerpt from Who's Minding the Store?
Chapter 3
Monday
5:30 AM.
Derrick reached over and turned off the
alarm.
Yes! I’m awake.
Usually he stayed in bed a few minutes listening to KPBS
news, or he’d lean over and smell his wife’s hair and fondle her until she
elbowed him in the ribs to stop. Today was different. It was his first day at
store 1254 in Encinitas and he wasn’t going to be late.
He leaned over and kissed his wife, Jennifer, on the cheek
before climbing out of bed. Then he removed his clothes to take a shower,
slowly closing the bathroom door because Jennifer was a light sleeper. After
eight years of marriage he learned to move quietly in the morning.
“I may be a housewife,” she declared on more than one
occasion, “but I still need my eight hours.”
Derrick argued how he had a lot to deal with at work and
didn’t have time to concern himself with her petty peeves. Big mistake!
She challenged him. “If you think being a stay-at-home mom
is easy you’re more than welcome to try it for a week. If you can cut the
mustard you can make all the noise you want every morning.”
And so he requested a week’s vacation and played the role
of Mr. Mom.
Another mistake!
Derrick learned quickly that maintaining a home and raising
a six year old boy took more patience and unimaginable skill than he could ever
manage. It was due to this eye-opening experience he made as little noise in
the morning as humanly possible, as if that was possible at all for a clumsy,
self-centered husband.
He brushed his teeth, shaved, put on deodorant, and dabbed
his receding scalp with a touch of Rogaine, making sure to thoroughly wash
hands after use like the directions stated. He came to accept hair loss, but
still clung to the illusion he would get it back after subscribing to GQ
magazine. As he ironed his shirt a smile pursed his lips.
Jennifer would be proud, he told himself.
“Don’t go to work looking like a slob,” she would say.
“It’s a reflection on me.”
Thank God I learned to listen to her, albeit after eight
years of marriage, but better late than never.
He crept out of the bedroom and headed straight for the
garage where the dog slept. It was his chore to let him out each morning to do
his thing. Waffle was not the name they would have chosen for a dog, but
someone very lonely and lacking imagination did. The little Schipperke was
three years old when they adopted him from the shelter and it took months for
him to respond to his new name.
“Come on Gnarly,” Derrick said. The dog jumped up and down
excitedly as he was let outside.
Next he went to the kitchen and poured coffee in a mug.
Then he packed the lunch prepared the night before, grabbed his briefcase and
headed for the door, only to be stopped short as Gnarly started barking.
Derrick let him back inside so he wouldn’t wake up the whole neighborhood, and
then headed for the door again.
“Aren’t you going to kiss me goodbye?” Jennifer was
standing on the bottom of the stairs in her nightgown.
“I didn’t want to wake you up, and I kissed you before
getting out of bed.”
“Well I’m up now.”
“Yes, you are.” He walked up to her and kissed her goodbye.
“You didn’t wake up Etienne, did you?” She stared as though
he was guilty. Etienne was their son and a light sleeper like her. “If you woke
him up it’ll be you explaining to his teacher why he’s falling asleep in
class.”
“No, I didn’t kiss him goodbye so he could sleep a while
longer.”
“Have a nice day,” she said, standing at the door.
A strange feeling came over him as he walked to his car.
Why do I feel like Ward Cleaver, he asked himself?
Author's Note: I wouldn't be surprised if many of you wake up the same way as Derrick does in this scene. We've all been there and done that, so to speak. The little Schipperke in this scene was inspired by my own dog, Zion, a stubborn little ball of fur that brings sunshine to our days at home. The mentioning of Ward Cleaver was my tribute to the classic series Leave it to Beaver. I also mention KPBS because I love listening to this station in the morning and am a proud member for a number of years. If you haven't picked up your copy of Who's Minding the Store you will have your chance at the Paradise Hills Public Library on Saturday September 21 where I will be attending an author event with a group of twelve other authors. Hope to see you there. However, if you're the kind who likes the kindle version copies are available direct from amazon, and in paperback.
Keep on reading, and I'll keep on writing!
David
