Homeless House by G. Zeinelde Jordan, Se. - HTML preview

would bother me at work, but okay, I’ll go see.”

I scanned the documents over in a cursory

“George, he has some papers for something. He

reading. Not all had digested, but I read enough to

won’t say why he’s here.”

reenter my office area.

“Ah, okay, I promise I won’t make it long. I’ll just

Dawn awaited my return. As I reentered, she

tell him I need to schedule whatever he’s needing at an

looked in my direction in wonderment. I held the packet

off time.”

in the air as I pointed to her office and walked its way.

“Maybe I should just tell him to leave a message. I

“George, what is it?” she asked in caring, even

can tell him you can’t be interrupted during business

worried fashion as she closed the door behind her.

hours for non-business related matters.”

“Divorce papers.”

“Well, thank you, Dawn, but whatever it is, I

“No, oh, no, please don’t tell me that.”

probably ought to handle it. It’s not a bill collector. I don’t

“Well, it is.”

“George,” hug added, “ I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I

there wondering what’s up. Would you tell him discreetly

know what had happened but I hoped it wouldn’t go to

what’s happened? I can’t talk, right now. Let him know

this.”

it’s okay for him to come by.”

“I expected it would,” I furthered as I failed in my

“I will, George. We love you here. We’re gonna do

attempt to keep my eyes dry, “And it did.”

what we can. At least you have your employer’s support

“George, there’s little I can say,” she replied while

through this.”

handing me her Kleenex box.

Shiny Hats or Rugged Cross? Volume Two

“I know, Dawn. I know. There’s a hell of a lot Julie

could say!”

Back to Dari-Dude. . .

“George, it’s going to be okay, somehow. It’s not

good, but you’re going to survive this. What does she

216 Pap-Pah Jordan

want?”

“Bless her heart, nothing. On paper, she wants

That’s when life begins,

nothing from me. In practice, she wants everything from

When life begins.

me.

That’s when life begins,

“Dawn, the suit claims someone other than me

When life begins.

fathered her unborn baby. She wants full custody. She

Life begins when we let children in.

doesn’t want any child support, just full custody. . .Dawn,

I’ll be danged, but,

from her last cycle to the early pregnancy test, we were

That’s when life begins.

together night and day. If she got laid elsewhere, she did

When Life Begins

it at her office on a desk or in a broom closet.”

G. Zeineldé Jordan, Se.

“George, it’s a legal tactic for custody. You need to

go home for a while.”

“Rick, you really have handled this expertly. I know

“I’ll be all right.”

Tony agrees, neither he nor I could have done it.”

“No, you shouldn’t work like this. Really, go home.

“As I said, Jordan, a childhood can’t be replaced.

You’ll have the weekend to think things over.”

Damn it, our family cheated us from the start. There’s no

“You really don’t mind, Dawn? I don’t know when

way I’d let our cousin cheat us. We may have missed out

I’ll be back, maybe never.”

on a childhood, but at least you have a chance at a

“Oh, yes, you will. Just take some time. You need

retirement, now.”

to cry a little more.”

“Yeah, I’ll handle it as responsibly as a recluse

“Thanks, Dawn, I appreciate it. I see Matt out

such as I could.”

“You’re not so much a recluse. You’ve really done

“Yeah, screw you, too,” I added, then sarcastically,

a lot for your life.”

“‘My Love.’ All we lack now, is a Shanty.”

“Well, thanks. Anyway, what started all this is the

“You can forget it. John will never give her to us.”

home movies of Ma and Tony.”

“No, he’ll give her to us.”

“Jordan,” Ma interjected, “they’re not just me and

“Why?”

Tony. There’s some of Rick, and even you as a baby. I’m

“Because he’s a flake, a con-artist, a cheat and, a

sorry there’s so little of you, but we divorced.”

loser, by your description. By what I’ve witnessed myself,

“Ma, I wanted the movies of my mother. I’m okay.

I concur. He’ll call. I regret if it upsets you, but the most, if That’s all I wanted.”

only,” I added with a lift of my brow and an accusing

“Jordan,” Rick assured, “they’re safe. They’re at

smirk, “beautiful thing you’ve brought into my life in this

the recorder’s. I’ll have them on DVD, shortly.”

union, is Dari-Dude. Earthily speaking, with Dari and a

“Good, great, anyway, Ma, give me a hug.”

beer, all I lack is a Shanty. I’m reminded of Tom T. Halls’

“Be careful. Love you.”

Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine. ”

Of course, Mammaw walked us down to the drive.

She stood waving until we disappeared from sight.

217 Dogs On A Chain

“Melinda, used wisely, we and Darius need never

have a financial worry for life.”

Dogs on a chain have killed more children than have

“Darius?”

handguns each year.

“Yeah, Darius. He’s my step-grandson. This is a

. . .A dog needs to be walked at least twenty

fine time to think of him. We can make sure he has none

minutes per day to satisfy their roaming instinct. . .

of the setbacks we’ve had. We can secure him a real

A dog on a chain is not a good idea.

education, financial security, everything neither of us

John Tesh Show

had.”

J93 Radio, Atlanta

“This ain’t about me, is it?”

September 09, 2009

Now I’m more secure, and we have Dari to

consider.”

“Yeah, Art, we’d love to. I’ll check with Melinda on

“You’re such a phony, Jordan.”

when’s a good night for it.”

“I’m a phony because I love your grandson whom I

“Great, I’ll tell Carol you two are coming.”

didn’t even want?”

“Two?”

“Never mind. I have to drive his drunk Pap-Pah

“Huh?”

home.”

“Of course, we’ll have Dari-Dude with us. I really

don’t trust having a babysitter. That is okay, isn’t it?”

invest, whatever. Anyway, how are you? What number

Laughing, “Of course, it’s okay. It’ll be nice to have are you calling from? I didn’t recognize it. You’re on the

a baby in the house during dinner. We rarely see our

road?”

grandbabies and great grandbabies. We’ll love it.”

“No, I’m at home in Ariton. It’s a new cell phone. I

“Good, good, as I say, I don’t trust a babysitter.

wanted you to have the number.”

You know how I distrust Melinda so much. . .”

“Good. I’ll lock it in. How long you going to be

Laughing again, “Yeah, yeah, we know. We don’t,

there?”

either.”

“A little while; that health issue I had has come up.

“I admit, though, she’s a far better grandmother

I need to get some medical paperwork.”

than, well, other things. He’s really in the best hands with

“Will it work out?”

her, better than his mother. I try to not think about her. . .”

“I think so.”

Interrupting, “Melinda or his mother?”

“Does that mean you’re out of work?”

Sharing his laughter, “Well, actually, both. Right

“For a bit, it seems. I have things to do here,

now, I referred to his mother. I’m often reminded of her

anyway, for Philis.”

because I see traces of her in his face.”

“Temy, I’ve never repaid you the Western Unions

“I thought they all looked alike to you?”

you sent me.”

Okay, Readers, times changed. Go figure.

“You weren’t supposed to. You’re my friend.”

“Art, ‘they,’ do. He’s not they. He’s Dari. That’s

“Look, Temy, let’s play it safe. I’m going to

different. Anyway, the other line is beeping. Let me get

Western Union now. I’m sending some money. I insist. If

it.”

you don’t need it, give it to a nonprofit organization;

“Bye, Jordan.”

hopefully, not an atheist or Christian one. I mean one we

“Hello? Jordan.”

share in, animals or something.”

“Heh, heh, I reached you.”

Chuckle, “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt, just in case.”

“I’d recognize that voice, anywhere! Temy, My

“It wouldn’t hurt, My Friend.”

Friend! How are you?”

“Thanks.”

“Well, I’m hanging in there,” he mumbled as usual.

“You’re welcome. Anyway, on another note, I’ve

How are things there? Melinda? Work? Whatever?”

been working on finding a foreclosed property in which to

“They’re well enough, Bud. Melinda’s still mean to

invest.”

me, and remains frisky. I’ve had ample work, but that

“Yeah?”

California ordeal finalized. I should be even better for a

“Yeah, it’s not as easy as some claim. Anyway,

while; ideally, for life. I’m looking into ways to utilize it; after placing bids, I snagged one downtown in LaGrange.

I’m already renovating it.”

out next to his bassinet, offered a soft kiss to his cheek

“No?”

and whispered, “I love you, Dari. Pap-Pah will be right

“Yeah, I did. My friend, Mike, is overseeing the

back. “

painting. My friend, Dennis, is overseeing the ontractors.

“Jordan, don’t wake him.”

I wish you could meet them. Are we going to be able to

“I’m not. I’m just giving him a kiss.”

get you over here for a visit?”

“Be quiet.”

“I don’t know. I hope so. I’m due back up in

“Yeah, anyway, I’m calling a cab.”

Atlanta next week for more paperwork and another heart

“Why are you gong to Western Union?”

test.”

“Temy’s going to be out of work awhile. I’d feel

“Anyway, I’m on my way to Western Union. I’ll feel

better if he had money.”

better if you have cash.”

Sarcastically, “Oh, your precious friend, Temy?”

“Okay, thank you. You know you don’t owe me?”

“Yeah, Temy, and he is a precious friend.”

“I know. I also know I owe me. I owe me knowing

“Jordan, you can’t be the world’s financial savior.”

my friend’s okay. Bye, My Bud. Love ya.”

“I don’t remember you giving him that speech all

“Love you, too, Jordan.”

those trips he made to Western Union for us.”

“Melinda?”

No comment.

“Yeah, Babe?”

As I finished preparing for my cab, I checked on

“Hey, I’m running to Western Union real quick.

Dari. He remained peacefully sleeping.

You need anything?”

Toot, toot!

“No, Babe, I don’t think so. Dari’s going to need

The cab delivered an aged man with thick

some diapers. Do you mind while you’re there?”

eyeglasses, long, scraggly beard, and balding head.

“No, but Melinda, you know I don’t know how to

“Hi, I’m Jordan. I’m going to Western Union on

buy the right ones. Come with me.”

Commerce. How you doing, tonight?”

“You’re going to drive like that?”

Mumbling through his beard and cigarette, “I’m

“Drive? You crazy? I just had two beers. Hell, no,

Larry, Number Three. I’m doing okay. Just trying to

I’m calling a cab.”

survive another day in the cab business.

“Oh.”

Commerce, you say?” he asked as he lowered the

“You coming?”

radio’s country music broadcast.

“Babe, he’s sleeping.”

“Yeah, I’m in no hurry. If you have another fare

I walked in to see. Sure enough. Head tilted,

along the way, I’ll be okay for you to snag it.”

knuckle in mouth, feet swaying. I walked over, stretched

“No, it’s a quiet night. I’m happy to have just one

fare at this hour.”

“Okay, just a minute. C’mon, Dari. Come sit with

We talked about my cab driving years up in the

Pap-Pah. If you don’t sit with Pa-Pah, you’ll make Pap-

metro and my driving time in LaGrange. I found him a

Pah c-wry. You don’t want Pap-Pah to c-wry, do you?”

quite likeable sort.

Laugh, drool.

Upon my exit, “Hey, Larry, first, here’s your fare

Wiping drool with the back of my hand onto my

and a tip. . .”

pants, then planting a kiss on his cheek, I answered for

He interrupted, “A tip?”

him, “Of course, you don’t.”

“Oh, yeah, I know. LaGrange riders don’t tip. I’m

With Dari on lap, “Okay, Melinda, I’ve got this

from the city, though.”

phone,” I announced into my desk handset. She said

With eyes wide, “Thanks.”

good-bye, then disengaged.

“You’re welcome, Bud. Anyway, here’s my return

“Yeah, John, what’s up?”

fare and another tip. I’m just getting my grandson some

After his usual superficial praises to the Lord and

diapers and sending a wire. If you want to park out front,

his other superficial BS, he got to the point.

here, to snag a flag, I’ll be fine. If you get a fare, I’ll just

“Jordan, you still think you can find Shanty a home

call the cab company and ask for. . .” looking his calling

down there?”

card over, “Larry, Number Three?”

“Shanty? A home?”

“That’s right. I’m Larry, Number Three.”

“Yeah. Can you find her a home, still?”

“Good deal.”

“Find her a home down here? She already has a

Larry became my steady cab driver from there on.

home down here, right here, 113-A Wynnwood Drive.

I arrived home to find Melinda on the telephone.

When can I get her?”

“Oh, Jordan, hey, Babe?”

“Soon, I hope. Animal Control’s been looking for

“Yeah, Melinda? Here’s his diapers. He awake?”

her. Neighbors are complaining about her roaming the

as I turned his way.

neighborhood when we let her run. Her barking out back

Smile, drool, sit up.

on the chain has neighbors complaining.”

“There’s Pap-Pah’s Dari-Dude,” I smiled out.

No kidding, Idiot. How’d that happen?

“Come sit with Pap-Pah.”

Back to my gentlemanly composure, “Yeah, John,

“Jordan, it’s my brother.”

these things happen. I don’t know exactly what’s going

“Which one?”

on at my Alford house. Anyway, I’ll let Mike and Dennis

“John.”

know I had to leave town. If I can have her, I’ll have to be

“Oh? What’s up?”

there during the rush hour. I’ll set the alarm so we can

“He wanted to talk to you.”

leave by five in the morning. You have a leash?”

“No, but there’s a rope and. . .”

“No, Jordan, that’s not right. What about those

“That’s all right, John. Don’t worry about it. Just

awful smells?”

make sure she’s safe in the garage. I’ll handle it from

“She’ll get used to me, same as you did.”

there.”

“Jordan, I really tried to. . .”

218 Hearts’ Foundations

“John, don’t concern yourself over it. This

happens, as they say. When you get home from work

“The last time I talked to my mother, she hung up

tomorrow, she’ll be gone. She’ll be safe down here. I

on me.”

knew we’d be together. She belongs with me.”

“Oh?”

We disengaged the call. With a kiss to his head

“Yeah. I called to complain about you. She told me

and tap on his chest, I informed my lap rider, “Dari,

if I had a problem with you, it was my fault.”

Shanty’s coming. This is going to be so cool, Bud. You’ll

“A mother-in-law said that?”

love her. I love you, Dari,” kiss.

“She said that you have done more for her

“Melinda?”

grandchildren in our time than their father ever even

“Yeah, Babe?”

thought about doing in their lifetimes.”

“We’re going to Acworth in the morning. We’re

“Interesting.”

picking up Shanty.”

“She’s right.”

“Shanty? Babe, we can’t have a dog. She’s an

“I know.”

outside dog.”

“She told me I should just leave her son-in-law

“Not anymore.”

alone, and hung up on me.”

“Babe, really, that’s a long ride.”

“Well, kudos to her.”

“It’s been a long ride since Bear-Dog passed

“You really are very good to them, her, too. Like

nearly a decade ago. I told Shanty we’d be together.

her prescriptions and when Brandon broke down in

Either we, or I, am getting her in the morning.”

Peachtree City. You rode all the way up there, then paid

Looking up to the ceiling, Shanty, I told you. We’re

a lot for his car to be repaired.”

to be together. Sit tight in that garage, Girl. Daddy’s

“I remember. I did not feel happy over paying

coming.

Interstate repair prices. By the way, that’s coming out of

“Jordan, Babe, really, she’s an outside dog.

your car budget.”

Where’s she going to sleep?”

She ignored that.

“She’ll sleep inside with us, of course; ideally, on

Shiny Hats or Rugged Cross? Volume Three

the bed.”

That conversation about my mother-in-law sailed me

“Do like I did.”

back to my first brother-in-law in my suppressed past:

“What’s that?”

“Move across the valley. George, I love my

74 Berlin? May I borrow Your Wall?

mother, but she will control every aspect of your life. The

family accepts it. As for me, I get to see enough of my

Even in this scorching desert

mother to love her, but, when she starts, it’s, ‘ I love you, Long before its short winter freeze,

Mom. Wish we could talk, but, well, we have to cross the

I shiver from a chilling unease.

valley.’ I get the hell away from it.”

Without even a breeze,

“Julie’s admitted that her mother is controlling.

She told me it’s wrong that the family accepts it. Julie

I still feel the freeze.

wants me to give in to it. I’m not.”

Whispering Verse

“Good luck. It’s a force greater than you, I think.”

G. Zeineldé Jordan, Se.

“I think your mom will win.”

“Ron,” I asked my newly acquired brother in-law,

Facial expression, “I don’t know. I share your

“Do you believe I love your sister?”

concern. I keep her away from my wife without my

“Yes, I do. I’m happy she has you. If I thought you

supervision.”

meant her harm, I’d kill you, myself.”

We shook hands in respectful, shared concern,

“Yeah, well, big, burly male that you are, you could

manly fashion.

do that easily. That’s not the issue. Your insight is.”

I considered, a tall, cement wall would be nice.

“What’s up?”

Shiny Hats or Rugged Cross? Volume Two

“Man to man, Ron, I think the world of your

mother. In the time I’ve known Julie, I’ve always enjoyed

As I reentered the family social, I recalled my earlier

Fran. Hell, we met together. I visited with Fran while

talk with his sister, Julie, Mrs. Jordan:

Julie danced.”

“Julie, really, I fear your mom might not be acting

“I already know where you’re going, George.

in our best interest.”

You’re right. Our mother is overbearing. Probably more,

I shifted my attention to my sweetheart’s belly.

now that you’re married.”

“Hey, you, we have an ultra-sound, real soon.

“Well, that’s not how I would have phrased it, but,

We’ll confirm you’re a dainty, pure, daddy’s girl. Julie, I

well, yeah, I suspect so.”

can hardly wait. This must be a girl.”

“Don’t suspect. She is.”

Shiny Hats or Rugged Cross? Volume Two

“Hell, Ron, ah, I don’t know what to do.”

Here is a classified ad some humorist actually placed in

Extending measuring tape up the windows,

a Phoenix newspaper shortly after my divorce:

“Personally, I like her just fine. She’s always proper with

me. I even like her. I understand your physical attraction,

Like New! Full Volume Encyclopedia Set!

and she has a sense of humor unequalled. As your

No longer needed! Must go! Just married!

friend, I say, I don’t trust her intentions with you.”

Mother-in-Law already knows everything!

“Me, either. What, exactly, is your concern?”

“You’re just sex and money to her. I know she

Well, with that, back to Chapter 218:

stuck with you through the hard times. Really, though,

“Jordan, I do my best to mind my own business,”

you remained more stable, even then, than she would’ve

Dennis commented as he measured across the Alford

on her own.”

driveway, “Hold that end of the tape, would you, Jordan,

“You’re not offending me, Dennis. I already know

please?”

this. It feels good to know someone else sees it.

“Yeah, where do you want it?”

Apparently, it’s not a groundless suspicion.”

“The inside edge of that post.”

“Has she been any different since you married?”

“Got it.”

“Yeah, a day or two.”

“On the other hand, when we talk, I don’t want to

“I didn’t even know you did it.”

lie to you.”

“Well, I didn’t make a big production of it. It served

“There’s no need to, Dennis. I respect your views,

more for the formality than anything else.”

even if I disagree. So far, I h