Walking a Fine Line: Day 11

Word Count: 66,039

Summary of Events:

Joseph told his family that his missing button and other damage to himself and his clothes from his fall was because he'd been running from an aggressive stray dog after taking evasive action to avoid a neighbour they all found annoying. Theresa was sceptical of the story, but Joseph refused to tell her what he'd really done before pondering how he might be able to get into Mr. Varley's apartment for a longer time. He figured it would require him getting a day off work on false pretences, but he also needed false pretences to get him into Mr. Varley's apartment, which he was finding more difficulty coming up with…

Excerpt of the Day:

Once his plate was filled, Joseph ate everything on it, starting with the foods he liked the least and ending with the ones he liked the best, just like he did at home. Like usual, he mostly ate in silence while the Żbikowskis spoke in Polish all around him, thus he knew little of what they were saying outside of the various little words or phrases he’d learned over the years.

As a result, he thought on his plan, but he came up with no ideas before he finished eating and was dismissed from the table to go wipe down the counter while Mr. Żbikowski and Andrew started counting the money, Paul swept the shop floor, and Mrs. Żbikowski and Frances prepared the dessert.

Joseph focused most of his attention on making sure the counter was good and clean for the second half of the day before he looked up out the windows at the traffic outside in the drizzle, which was still sparse as most people were at lunch.

A truck came into view directly out the windows in front of Joseph, slowing as it approached the intersection. The cab was painted vibrant red, with the fenders gleaming black, and careful working had put white letters on the side spelling E. Burke & Sons Construction.

The truck stopped at the intersection, waited for a car to drive through the other way before carrying on. Joseph watched it until it was gone. Da had worked for Mr. Burke right until the day he’d collapsed. Mr. Burke’s youngest son had been the one who’d come to their door and told Ma gravely that Da had collapsed at work and was being taken to hospital, from whence he’d not departed… not alive, anyways.

Joseph was struck by a sudden thought. Even though Mr. Burke had owned and operated the company, Da had, over the years, acquired his own hand tools and had even built himself a toolbox to carry them all to and from work in. That toolbox was still up in the spare room, and Joseph himself had used the tools from it to do repairs around the house.

That would be perfect! He could dress in some of Da’s old work clothes — and hope no one noticed how loosely they fit him — take Da’s toolbox, and go to the apartment claiming he was a repairman Mr. Varley had hired to fix something. Then he’d be able to get in unquestioned and make all the ruckus he wanted, as a repairman would be expected to make something of a racket. Now all he needed to do was get a day off work.

Pronunciations:

Żbikowskis: zhbeekohvskeez

Żbikowski: zhbeekohvskee