She paused, what kind of things, oh I said I had just moved here and I need help with the larger items, like a TV dressers desks and things like that, well she said, I know of one guy that does odd jobs around town maybe he could help you, I asked her if she knew his number so I could possibly give him a call, she chuckled then turned to a man sitting just down the counter from me and asked him if he knew what Earls number was, the man looked up then back down at his plate, a few seconds later I heard him say what do you want now Cindy, She smiled, then walked over in front of him, then pointed toward me, well Earl that gentleman right over there was wondering if you could help him move something’s into his house, the man leaned forward and looked down at me, not knowing really what to do raised my hand and waved at him, he half heartedly smiled then raised his cup of coffee then asked me what was it that I needed help moving, I told him a few things mostly the larger items like the TV and Dressers, he looked at his watch and said I guess I have a few minutes, Really, that would be great, I also told him that I would pay him for his time, he shrugged his shoulders and said he would help me as soon as he is done eating.
He was a bigger man about six foot five close to three hundred and fifty pounds, and maybe around fifty years old he looked as if he was a hard worker so it shouldn’t be too hard or take too long.
I was going to get something to eat but I had noticed that he was just about done so I figured I would just have coffee, a few minutes later he stood up and walked over toward me and said he was ready anytime, I shook my head and stood up, I placed a couple dollars on the counter and told the waitress to keep the change then headed out the door, the man followed me out to my truck, I turned to him and held my hand out so I could shake his hand, he leaned forward and grabbed onto my hand, I told him I sure appreciate the help, then introduced myself, he said his name was Earl and that it was no problem. he said that he had finished what he was doing for today anyway, I asked him if he wanted to ride with me or if he wanted to follow me, he shrugged his shoulders, then said I might as well ride with you, no use driving two rigs, I smiled and said that’s true enough.
We turned onto Willow street and headed south up to Shallow Pine Ridge, once I turned onto Shallow road, I noticed Earl sit up and lean back a little in the seat, then he asked me where I was going? I pointed up the road and said just up here a few more blocks, for the little bit I had been chatting with Earl, I had figured out that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but seemed like a nice enough guy but what he said next sealed the thought in my head for good that he was missing a few flights, after a slight pause and him looking behind the truck then right and left he said I don’t like this place, I asked him what he meant by that, after another pause and him muttering something then he yelled out
THE BOOGIE MAN LIVES UP THIS ROAD!!!!, Oh my God I had all I could do not to laugh out loud, I said what? Again he said the same thing THE BOOGIE MAN LIVES UP THIS ROAD!!. The boogie man uh laughing I said, unless I’m the boogie man there’s no one that lives up here like that. But the closer we got to the house the more restless Earl became; he looked at me and said you live in the old Crane place? I nodded and said yes then pointed to the house as we pulled in the driveway, I asked him if he was alright, and if he would still help me, because all I need is a few minutes and I would bring him right back to town, he looked over at me, his face was sweating and hands were shaking, he nodded then said he would help me but he needed to leave right afterwards, I told him that would be no problem.
It didn’t take us long and we had everything in the house, Earl didn’t waist anytime he bolted right for the truck and climbed in, as I climbed in I told him that I really appreciated the help as I was about to pull away when I remembered that I left my wallet in the kitchen, I opened my door to go get it, with a raised voice, almost shaking uncontrollable Earl asked what I was doing, Oh I told him I had to grab something quick out of the house and that I would be right back, so I went in as fast as I could it didn’t even take me a minute, when I got back out to the truck Earl was gone! What the heck! I went over to his side of the truck and looked , I didn’t know what to think next, I hollered his name but nothing, I even went around to the back of the house figuring maybe he went to check something out, I even went over to that little shed and looked for him the first thing I noticed is that the door was closed, I knew that I hadn’t closed that door yesterday, oh my God, my throat immediately swelled shut and I swear I couldn’t even swallow, my heart started racing again and every bone in my body told me not to go open that door, for some reason I turned around and looked around the yard then down the drive way, my eyes focused on something moving about two or three blocks up the road, squinting my eyes hard I could see it was someone walking I took a few steps in that direction and hollered as loud as I could but whoever it was didn’t hear me, my thought was it had to be Earl, and that he must have decided to take off walking for town, I ran over to my truck and spun off in his direction, I could see it was Earl but when I got up to him I was at a loss for words.
He was a bigger man about six foot five close to three hundred and fifty pounds, and maybe around fifty years old he looked as if he was a hard worker so it shouldn’t be too hard or take too long.
I was going to get something to eat but I had noticed that he was just about done so I figured I would just have coffee, a few minutes later he stood up and walked over toward me and said he was ready anytime, I shook my head and stood up, I placed a couple dollars on the counter and told the waitress to keep the change then headed out the door, the man followed me out to my truck, I turned to him and held my hand out so I could shake his hand, he leaned forward and grabbed onto my hand, I told him I sure appreciate the help, then introduced myself, he said his name was Earl and that it was no problem. he said that he had finished what he was doing for today anyway, I asked him if he wanted to ride with me or if he wanted to follow me, he shrugged his shoulders, then said I might as well ride with you, no use driving two rigs, I smiled and said that’s true enough.
We turned onto Willow street and headed south up to Shallow Pine Ridge, once I turned onto Shallow road, I noticed Earl sit up and lean back a little in the seat, then he asked me where I was going? I pointed up the road and said just up here a few more blocks, for the little bit I had been chatting with Earl, I had figured out that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but seemed like a nice enough guy but what he said next sealed the thought in my head for good that he was missing a few flights, after a slight pause and him looking behind the truck then right and left he said I don’t like this place, I asked him what he meant by that, after another pause and him muttering something then he yelled out
THE BOOGIE MAN LIVES UP THIS ROAD!!!!, Oh my God I had all I could do not to laugh out loud, I said what? Again he said the same thing THE BOOGIE MAN LIVES UP THIS ROAD!!. The boogie man uh laughing I said, unless I’m the boogie man there’s no one that lives up here like that. But the closer we got to the house the more restless Earl became; he looked at me and said you live in the old Crane place? I nodded and said yes then pointed to the house as we pulled in the driveway, I asked him if he was alright, and if he would still help me, because all I need is a few minutes and I would bring him right back to town, he looked over at me, his face was sweating and hands were shaking, he nodded then said he would help me but he needed to leave right afterwards, I told him that would be no problem.
It didn’t take us long and we had everything in the house, Earl didn’t waist anytime he bolted right for the truck and climbed in, as I climbed in I told him that I really appreciated the help as I was about to pull away when I remembered that I left my wallet in the kitchen, I opened my door to go get it, with a raised voice, almost shaking uncontrollable Earl asked what I was doing, Oh I told him I had to grab something quick out of the house and that I would be right back, so I went in as fast as I could it didn’t even take me a minute, when I got back out to the truck Earl was gone! What the heck! I went over to his side of the truck and looked , I didn’t know what to think next, I hollered his name but nothing, I even went around to the back of the house figuring maybe he went to check something out, I even went over to that little shed and looked for him the first thing I noticed is that the door was closed, I knew that I hadn’t closed that door yesterday, oh my God, my throat immediately swelled shut and I swear I couldn’t even swallow, my heart started racing again and every bone in my body told me not to go open that door, for some reason I turned around and looked around the yard then down the drive way, my eyes focused on something moving about two or three blocks up the road, squinting my eyes hard I could see it was someone walking I took a few steps in that direction and hollered as loud as I could but whoever it was didn’t hear me, my thought was it had to be Earl, and that he must have decided to take off walking for town, I ran over to my truck and spun off in his direction, I could see it was Earl but when I got up to him I was at a loss for words.
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