It was the best day of my life. After twelve years in the army, I was out. First order of business was a train ticket to Connecticut to move in with my Louise. In the last six weeks, all we did was talk on the phone, and that was six weeks too long. We\u2019d discussed moving into her place until something larger came along. Believe me, being close to Louise would not be a problem. It was 11 a.m. as we rolled out of the station with an arrival time of 4:54 p.m. in Hartford.<\/p>\n
Louise and I met in North Carolina just before she moved to New England. We hit it off right away. To help her get started, I bought her luggage and a bauble or two. And so, she went on ahead to take a job working for a startup. Hartford seemed a strange choice, but when she told me it was chosen because it\u2019s between New York and Boston it made sense. Anyway, I was off to Hartford to move in with Louise.<\/p>\n
As the train rolled north, I phoned her, but got voice mail. Her voice sounded good. \u201cLouise, it\u2019s Red. I\u2019m on the train arriving Hartford at 4:54. Just in time for dinner. Talk to you soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
My phone needed charging, but it was lunch time. So, I stuck the cord in my pocket and went off to find the dining car.<\/p>\n
After lunch, I plugged the phone in and called again. Wouldn\u2019t you know it? Voice mail. \u201cLouise, it\u2019s Red. I\u2019m on the train arriving at 4:54. Looking forward to having dinner with you.
\nCall me.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, I could read, take a nap, or look out the window. I opted for the window because I didn\u2019t bring a book and I wasn\u2019t tired.<\/p>\n
I changed trains in New Haven and arrived at 4:54 on the dot. Out on the platform, and no Louise. So, I walked downstairs and out to the street. Not there either. She answered on the second ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouise, it\u2019s Red, just got in. Can you pick me up? I\u2019m at the train station.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed?\u201d she said, like she didn\u2019t know who I was.<\/p>\n
\u201cRed Decker. Your boyfriend? The guy you\u2019re going to live with. That Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed. I … I never thought …. Thought I\u2019d hear from you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you I\u2019d call. We agreed to move into together. How could you forget something like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed. My situation changed. I can\u2019t see you. I\u2019m sorry. Please don\u2019t call me again. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m sorry, Red. Don\u2019t call me again. I\u2019ve got to go. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Louise, wait,\u201d I said to empty air. She was gone. Tears ran down my face as my world turned black. I came here to be with her. And now? She was just gone. I had no Louise, was alone in a strange city where I knew no one. I\u2019d been alone before, but never like this. How could this happen?<\/p>\n
Now what am I going to do? It had been a long ride and I was tired, hungry, feeling sorry for myself, and more than a little angry. Tears ran down my face when I saw a young woman carrying two grocery bags while struggling to help a little girl walk.<\/p>\n
Then I heard drill instructor\u2019s voice. If he was standing next to me it could not have been clearer, \u201cHelp those civilians, soldier. We don\u2019t leave anyone behind.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, yes sir,\u201d I said out loud.<\/p>\n
My misery would have to wait. They needed help now and my heart went out to them as I walked in their direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood evening, ma\u2019am, may I offer you some assistance? I\u2019d be pleased to carry your bags, so you can help your daughter,\u201d I said. Assuming the child was her daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you. We\u2019re fine,\u201d she said, keeping her distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cMa\u2019am, with respect, you\u2019re not fine. Let me help.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, but you\u2019ve got that heavy bag,\u201d she said, dismissing me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMa\u2019am, this bag\u2019s nothing. Nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then, seeing I was six foot eight and three hundred pounds, she smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve nothing to fear from me, ma\u2019am. Let me carry the bags and you can carry your daughter,\u201d I said with a smile.<\/p>\n
Looking at how far the parking lot was, the bags, and how her little girl was struggling, she nodded. \u201cOkay, thank you. My car\u2019s in the lot over there and I\u2019m late. Got to get Maria to the sitter and then to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another job? I couldn\u2019t believe my ears. She looked beat. I slung my bag and took the groceries, \u201cYou lead, ma\u2019am. I\u2019ll follow.\u201d I said shaking hands, \u201cRed Decker, ma\u2019am, just got in town. First day out of the army.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNice to meet you, Mr. Red Decker. Jennifer \u2026 Jen \u2026 Peterson. My daughter, Maria,\u201d she said nodding at the little girl in her arms. \u201cThank you for helping us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019d you get all those muscles?\u201d She asked, as I carried the groceries and my luggage with little effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cCame with the package, ma\u2019am,\u201d I said, seeing Louise in my minds eye and forcing my self to not think about her. \u201cThat and power lifting. It\u2019s my hobby.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWere you a physical fitness instructor?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, ma\u2019am, what was that?\u201d I said, pushing Louise from my mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you do in the army?\u201d She said, making conversation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNuclear weapon\u2019s specialist.\u201d<\/p>\n
That got her attention, \u201cReally? Sounds ominous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people think so,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmart and muscles, too,\u201d she said, making a little joke, but I could tell her mind was elsewhere. \u201cTell me, Mr. Decker, do you glow in the dark?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHaven\u2019t heard that one in a while,\u201d I said, as we laughed. Even Maria was laughing. Which car\u2019s yours?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBeat up blue one, over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was beat up all right. A twenty year old rust bucket.<\/p>\n
As we walked over, I said, \u201cMaria\u2019s gorgeous, ma\u2019am. She\u2019ll be a heart breaker. How old is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFive in November,\u201d Jen said sadly.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t ask why Maria couldn\u2019t walk because it was none of my business and Jen looked
\nworn out, like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. I guess, she did.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere we are,\u201d she said, buckling Maria into her child seat while I held the bags. \u201cI\u2019ll take those.\u201d<\/p>\n
I handed her the groceries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Red. We appreciate your kindness,\u201d she said, while twisting her ring. I
\nnoticed that she didn\u2019t wear a wedding band, no wonder she was tired. Alone with a sick child
\nand working two jobs was a tough road.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re most welcome, ma\u2019am. Happy to help,\u201d I said, turning to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait. I\u2019ll give you a ride back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, ma\u2019am, not necessary,\u201d I said. Knowing she was just being polite. And
\nbesides the car was too small for me. \u201cIf I get in there you\u2019ll need a can opener to get me out,\u201d I
\njoked. \u201cReally, ma\u2019am, I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks again, Red. Stop by the coffee shop under the train station. Coffee\u2019s on me,\u201d she said, meaning it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, ma\u2019am. I just might take you up on that. Bye Maria.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBye, Mr. Red,\u201d Maria said in her little girl voice, waving a tiny hand.<\/p>\n
As I walked away I heard the engine turn over as it tried to start. I was about to go back when it caught belching blue smoke. Alone with a sick child. Low skill jobs. And here I was
\nfeeling sorry for myself? Get with it Decker, there\u2019s them far worse off than you.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u201d I said, to the first guy I met, \u201cWhere can a guy get a drink around here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo streets down, take a left, Andy\u2019s on your right. Middle of the block.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks,\u201d I mumbled, as I heard Louise\u2019s voice telling me she never wanted to see me
\nagain.<\/p>\n
Pretty soon, I saw it. \u2018Andy\u2019s Bar\u2019 in red neon was a clue.<\/p>\n
Walking in, I said to the bartender, \u201cYou must be Andy.\u201d As I climbed up on a
\ncomfortable bar stool. Dropped my bag on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe same,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cLooks like you just got in town. What\u2019ll it be?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRye and ginger,\u201d I said, thinking of Louise, her long hair, great figure, and that I
\nwouldn\u2019t be sharing \u2026 my life with her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got it,\u201d Andy said. Then looking at my haircut and jacket, \u201cJust out of the service?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFort Bragg. Came to Hartford to be with my girl, but she\u2019s got other plans \u2026 that don\u2019t include me,\u201d I said, through pain and loneliness mixed with anger and whisky.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for your service. First one\u2019s on the house. Sorry to hear that. She just told you? After coming all this way?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, just like that,\u201d I said, taking a long drink.<\/p>\n
He must have seen the look on my face and didn\u2019t want a guy my size getting emotional
\nbecause he knew I could clean the place out. Like any a good bartender, he changed the subject.
\n\u201cSo, you\u2019re Army. Fort Bragg, I mean, army base.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight again. You\u2019re batting a thousand. You know, Andy? My rate won\u2019t do me a lick
\nof good in the civilian world. I mean nothing, zero, zip.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not? What\u2019d you do for Uncle Sam?\u201d<\/p>\n
I finished the drink. \u201cAgain,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
He built me another.<\/p>\n
\u201cNuclear weapons specialist, thermonuclear warheads. Hydrogen bombs. Know anybody
\nneeds an H-bomb tuned up?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, not off hand,\u201d Andy said, with a straight face. \u201cBad for business I hear,\u201d he
\nquipped. \u201cNot a lot of \u2018em in town. Sorta glad of that. So, what\u2019ll you do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell \u2026 got some money saved. Enough to go into business, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind of business?\u201d Andy asked, sincerely interested.<\/p>\n
\u201cWeight loss clinic. It\u2019s the only thing I\u2019m any good at. Other than working on bombs,\u201d I said looking at my empty glass.<\/p>\n
This time he didn\u2019t ask.<\/p>\n
\u201cWeight loss? From bomb tech to weight loss guru?\u201d Andy said, shaking his head at the
\nincongruity of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I know how it sounds, but I\u2019m really good at it. Helped a couple hundred people
\nlose weight. Officers, enlisted, civilians, men, women. Even children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I\u2019ll be. Going to settle here in Hartford? I\u2019ll be your first customer,\u201d he said, slapping his belly. \u201cLot more like me. Most of my regulars for a start. Red, I\u2019ve tried to lose
\nweight so many times I\u2019ve lost count. Gets disheartening.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, being heavy can be hard. Some of the people I helped were at their wit\u2019s end.
\nBut I was able to help \u2018em. Every last one,\u201d I said, swirling the amber liquid, then finished the
\ndrink. \u201cGot another one of these?\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded, made the drink and put it in front of me, \u201cRed.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t find any answers in there,\u201d he said quietly, meaning the drink. \u201cBelieve me, I\u2019ve looked once or twice. Lots of other people have, too. Nothing good ever come of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I got the message.<\/p>\n
Andy kept talking, not skipping a beat, \u201cYou\u2019re going to need a place for your meetings.
\nGot just the thing. Wheelchair access, small office, high speed Internet, free parking, holds 40
\npeople, tables and chairs. Even got a smart TV you can project to. You get this weight off me,
\nI\u2019ll give you a six months free rent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAndy, you\u2019re on. Let\u2019s see the room,\u201d I said, liking this man who cared that a stranger didn\u2019t drink himself to death. Good man this Andy.<\/p>\n
Turning around, he raised his voice, \u201cElla, would you watch the bar for a few minutes,
\nplease?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCost you a quarter,\u201d came a voice from the back.<\/p>\n
Looking sheepish, Andy shrugged. \u201cAlways says that. C\u2019mon, it\u2019s this way,\u201d he said,
\nleading me behind the bar, down a hall, and through a door into a fantastic conference room.<\/p>\n
As I looked the place over Andy kept up a stream of conversation \u201cWhen I bought the
\nbar, this was empty space. Well, storage, really. Anyway, I figured it would make a dandy
\nconference room. You know? For passive income. Redecorating, furniture, TV. All first rate.
\nBeen home to couple business networking groups, some writers, webmasters, but just now, it\u2019s
\nfree. So, you won\u2019t have to share.\u201d Shrugging his shoulders, \u201cOh, yeah, lights, heat, cooling all
\nincluded. The offer of six months free rent is legit, you get the weight off me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAndy, you\u2019re on. Get ready to lose some weight.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a few more drinks, Andy gave me a key to the my new office and directions to a
\nhotel on Main Street. Then he said, \u201cI\u2019ve got another key, I\u2019ll find it and get it to you in a day or
\nso.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting to my feet, Andy saw I was a little woozy, \u201cLet me call you a cab.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walking into the hotel and up to the desk, \u201cGood evening, ma\u2019am. I\u2019d like a room,
\nplease.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t think you come for a tan. Rooms by the day, week, month. Cash, credit,
\nor debit. No checks,\u201d she said, looking down her nose at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cA month, please,\u201d I said, handing her my credit card.<\/p>\n
\u201cA month? Pricey. Well look at that,\u201d she said, when the card cleared. \u201cWill wonders never cease? You got yourself a room.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, ma\u2019am. Appreciate your kindness,\u201d I said, ignoring her attitude and resisting the temptation to mention my weight loss clinic. \u201cWould you be kind enough to tell me where I
\ncan get something to eat, please?\u201d<\/p>\n
She was getting up another remark, when a man walked behind the desk. Thinking better
\nof it, \u201cRight out the door, two blocks, take a left. Eatery\u2019s on your right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust get out of the service?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. How\u2019d you guess?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cManners. Haircut. Bag,\u201d she said. \u201cEatery\u2019s open till midnight. Plenty of time to grab dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, ma\u2019am, appreciate it,\u201d I said, meaning it. \u201cRed Decker, ma\u2019am\u201d I said,
\nextending my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Gustafson,\u201d she said, with a limp hand shake. \u201cGood to know you\u2019re not using a
\nstolen card.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when I knew she was just plain nasty.<\/p>\n
I put my bag in the room and left for the Eatery where I had an excellent dinner. Little did I know that it was one of the best restaurants in town.<\/p>\n
The next morning I was out at 7:00 AM. I needed to buy a laptop, business software, and a medical scale like the one I used at Bragg delivered to Andy\u2019s Bar. As my Captain always said,
\n\u201cNo time like the present.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walking out, I stopped to speak with the guy at the front desk, \u201cMorning, my man, would you be kind enough to tell me what time the coffee shop opens in the train station?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSix a.m. Through the main door, under the arch, turn right. Delicious bear claws,\u201d he
\nsaid, patting his belly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, you\u2019ve answered that before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFew times,\u201d he said, smiling as he turned to help another lodger.<\/p>\n
As I walked towards the station, I noticed that the skies were threatening and was glad to see taxis waiting. Walking under the arch, there was the coffee shop. They had every kind of
\ncoffee you could imagine and fantastic looking pastry.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood morning, Jen. We meet again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed, hi, I\u2019m so happy to see you,\u201d she said, giving me a dazzling smile. \u201cWhat\u2019ll it be?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLarge black coffee and a bear claw, please. I hear they\u2019re terrific.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got it, soldier\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like I\u2019m staying in Hartford. Opening a business, so today I\u2019m off shopping. Oh, I\u2019ll take a newspaper, too, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the house,\u201d she said, handing my order over the counter. \u201cThanks for stopping by.
\nJust pick up a paper.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will, thanks.\u201d As I handed her a five dollar tip, \u201cFor you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t need to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo what,\u201d I said innocently, no way would I stick her with my bill.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Red, come see us again,\u201d she said, holding my order just a second longer
\nthan necessary and making serious eye contact. \u201cMaria and I are glad you\u2019re staying.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were others waiting, so we couldn\u2019t talk, \u201cStop again. I\u2019m here from six to noon.\u201d<\/p>\n
I read the paper, sipped my coffee, and definitely intended seeing Jen again. Leaving the paper for the next guy, I got a cab and arrived at the stationery store just as they opened. They had everything I needed, except for the medical scale, of course. I taxied back to Andy\u2019s and dropped everything off at my office.<\/p>\n
Walking into the bar, \u201cAndy, my man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed, how\u2019s it going?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNever better. Been shopping. Oh, hey, I need to have a medical scale delivered. Once I buy one, I mean, what\u2019s my address?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s easy,\u201d he said, handing me a slip of paper and the second key.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks Andy, forgot about the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d of remembered. Get everything you need?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything but a medical scale. Any idea where I can find one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me make a call. One of my regulars sells medical equipment. He\u2019ll know. Want a
\ncoffee while you wait? Fresh pot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few minutes later he was back. \u201cHere you go,\u201d he said, handing me a piece of paper. It had the address of Medical Supply on it. \u201cAnd they deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks Andy. Appreciate it. I\u2019ll head over there directly. Oh, who does your ads and
\nwebsite?\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy chuckled, \u201cOn the back. And you\u2019re welcome. You\u2019ll want to be an LLC, I think,
\nso I added my lawyer, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cthank you, I appreciate all your help.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAin\u2019t nothing, I mean?\u201d He said, embarrassed at the compliment. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome.
\nGlad to help,\u201d<\/p>\n
A week later, I was in business. Andy was my best customer and we were both doing
\nwell. I faced the same problem everyone is this business does: motivation. Despite my success in the army, I struggled with some of my clients. As with many things in life, the answer came wrapped in a problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello? Anybody home?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJen, hey. Come in,\u201d I answered. \u201cWhat a pleasant surprise. Sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed, Andy tells me you run the weight loss clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI clean Andy\u2019s place and I\u2019ll clean your\u2019s, too. Want a price?\u201d She said, twisting her ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cSure, can you send me a written estimate?\u201d As I said that, she handed it to e.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwice a month should do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking at it, \u201cYou\u2019re hired.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Red. I need the work, and it\u2019s a good contract for both of us. I mean? I\u2019m here anyway, so \u2026.\u201d The tired look on her face told me why.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s make it once a week,\u201d I said. \u201cIf I\u2019m prying, I apologize. Is Maria why you work
\nso much, forgive me if it\u2019s none of my business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nodding, \u201cIt\u2019s okay, it\u2019s no secret that she\u2019s not well. As to what you didn\u2019t ask? Eighty
\nthousand dollars the doctors tell me.\u201d Then looking at the floor, \u201cI work all the time. Coffee
\nshop, clean offices, homes, cars.\u201d As she said this, she twisted her ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s a check.\u201d I said, handing it to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Red. Appreciate your business,\u201d she said. Looking at it, she blurted \u201cBut, it\u2019s
\ntoo much. Six months, once a week? You don\u2019t need to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Actually I did, but this wasn\u2019t the time to go into it. \u201cI\u2019m going to be getting busy and a
\nweight loss clinic has got to be clean. Like you said, it\u2019s a good contract for both os us.\u201d What I
\ndidn\u2019t tell her was that I bought meals for them that was hungry. Paid for a young family\u2019s
\ngroceries more than once. Helped wherever I could. Thinking our business was done. Jen was a
\nlovely woman, raven black hair, blue eyes, and a great figure. But today? Talking to her
\nreminded me of Louise. So, I got back to work ans she had to get back to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at these nails,\u201d Louise said to herself, as she lifted Ken\u2019s credit card. \u201cThe Spa then lunch. And I\u2019ll take his car. I look good driving it,\u201d she said, picking up the keys. Then glanced at her diamond Rolex\u2122 with a frown thinking, who bought that? Oh, I know that big army guy. Putting it out of her mind, she bubbled, \u201cI\u2019ve time for a latte.\u201d<\/p>\n
The latte was delicious. The spa divine. Then pampered and perfect she left for the
\nEatery.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s see, where to park? Not there, no one will see me. Not there either. Ah,\u201d she said, parking the red sports car. Unfolding herself from its plush interior, she strutted into the Eatery, giving everyone a show of her expensive shoes, hair, nails, and tight outfit. While making sure that her sunglasses dangled just so.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouise, welcome, you look lovely,\u201d the owner gushed, as he showed her to a seat by the window. \u201cMay I get you a coffee while you peruse the menu?\u201d He didn\u2019t treat everyone like this, only those who tipped lavishly. And why not? It wasn\u2019t her money.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat would be lovely, Bobby,\u201d moving aside the paper someone left in the booth to
\nmake room for her designer bag.<\/p>\n
Soon, he was back with coffee. Black and hot, just the way she liked it. \u201cHave you
\ndecided?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fish, steamed vegetables, rolls and butter. I\u2019ll decide on desert later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent choice,\u201d he said, nodding and went off to place her order.<\/p>\n
While she waited, her attention was drawn to a quarter page ad.<\/p>\n
\u201cRed Decker Weight Loss? Are you my Red Decker?\u201d She mumbled, as she typed the
\nweb address into her phone. \u201cYou are my Red Decker. Just in time, too\u201d she said. She\u2019d taken Ken for about all she could get. And nothing\u2019s easier than picking up an old boyfriend. Like I always say, do the stupid ones twice.<\/p>\n
Lunch was delicious. She was about to tear out Red\u2019s, but added the information to her
\nphone. I\u2019m not done with Ken just yet. Speaking of which, ear rings that match this watch would be nice. That\u2019s who bought it. Great big muscle bound Red in the base commissary.<\/p>\n
As she walked out, Andy\u2019s eyes followed her every move. What a fox, car\u2019s not bad
\neither. I wonder if she\u2019d go for a fat old barkeep? He said to no one, \u201cNot likely at all,\u201d laughing, eyes sparkling with mirth.<\/p>\n
It was late afternoon and Jen was cleaning Red\u2019s office while he sat on the floor playing with Maria.<\/p>\n
\u201cJen, how about I take Maria for a walk to the hotel. I need to pick up a thumb drive.
\nThat okay, with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, yes, mommy. Yes, please. Please mommy,\u201d Maria quickly added, clapping her
\nhands.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sure you can handle her? She can be a handful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo worries. If there\u2019s any trouble we\u2019ll wrestle it out,\u201d Red said, tickling Maria\u2019s chin. She giggled.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaria, you be good girl. Uncle Red\u2019s being nice to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wow, \u2018Uncle Red,\u2019 coming up in the world, Decker. That kind of comment is reserved
\nfor special friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will. I will,\u201d Maria squealed, holding up her arms for me to lift her. \u201cBye mommy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t be long Jen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside, I lifted Maria up on my shoulders as we made our way to the hotel.<\/p>\n
Walking in, whose on the desk? Mrs. Gustafson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019d you get the brat?\u201d She sneered.<\/p>\n
Maria turned to face Mrs. G, a look of dismay on her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a mean old lady,\u201d she said, right to Mrs. G\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, she is,\u201d I agreed. \u201cWell said, Sweetie. Well said.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. G turned white. She could dish it out, but not take it.<\/p>\n
As we were leaving, I said, \u201cNice seeing you again, Mrs. G,\u201d laughing in her face. Maria glared at her under black knitted eyebrows.<\/p>\n
Mrs. G didn\u2019t say a word. Not a word.<\/p>\n
Back at the office, who do you think was there? Louise. And looking good she was. I
\nmean really good. Not realizing that it was no accident that she looked hot.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouise tells me you\u2019re old friends,\u201d Jen said. \u201cWe\u2019ll get going and let you two catch up. C\u2019mon, Maria. Say goodbye to Uncle Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBye, Uncle Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJen, you don\u2019t need to leave ….\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks Red, but I\u2019m done and it\u2019s maria\u2019s dinner time. Nice to meet you Louise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLouise, what are you doing here? I mean, it\u2019s good to see you, but you said you never
\nwanted to see me again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI said no such thing,\u201d she lied. \u201cWhat I did was wrong. It was a rotten thing to do to you and I\u2019m sorry. I was leaving to take a job on the West Coast wanted to end things quickly and as
\npainlessly as possible. Let me buy you dinner. It\u2019s small recompense, I know, but at least we can
\npart friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, let\u2019s go to the Eatery. The food\u2019s great and we can chat on the walk over. Can
\nyou make it that far in those heels?\u201d I asked, happier than I\u2019d been in a long time. Louise, my
\nLouise, was back.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I can make it that far in heels,\u201d she said playfully mocking me as she took my arm.<\/p>\n
As we walked in, I saw Andy and Ella. Andy waved at me, pointed to his salad and
\nsmiled. I gave him a friendly nod. Ella looked hard at Louise, said something to Andy. He shrugged. Then Bobby showed us to the best table in the house and I forgot about Ella.<\/p>\n
Seated, we got lost in each other\u2019s eyes as hopes of a rekindled relationship swirled
\nthrough my head.<\/p>\n
I ordered rye and ginger and a vodka tonic.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou remembered? How nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nodding, \u201cTell me about this West Coast job you almost had.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeattle actually. Gaming company. Was going to be a model for a character.\u201d Shaking
\nher head, \u201cA warrior queen. Can you believe it? Lots of digital photography. Wearing these metallic things that track your movements. Heard about it online. Sent some photos. You know? Girlie shots. Accepted me, paid for the photographs and travel. By then my car was gone, utilities cancelled, lucky to keep my place. Lost my cell phone. Packed somewhere maybe. Took me a while to recover from it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I\u2019m sorry you lost the job, but sure glad you\u2019re still here. Why didn\u2019t you call me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed, my sweet Red, do you think I could have left if I\u2019d seen you again,\u201d she lied, not answering the question. \u201cI thought what I was doing was best for both of us. And when things fell through. I \u2026 I just couldn\u2019t face you. Took me a while to work up the courage to visit today.\u201d<\/p>\n
After dinner and coffee it was time to go. True to her word, Louise picked up the check. All I could think of was a long night. All too short.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, my dear, I\u2019d drive you home, but I don\u2019t have a car,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe either, help me find a cab?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou bet. Who knows, you might not get away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I will. I\u2019ll use my feminine wiles,\u201d she said with a blue eyes smile under all that
\nblond hair.<\/p>\n
We\u2019d played this game before. I hailed a cab, \u201cI\u2019ll ride with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Red, not tonight. Let\u2019s do this slowly,\u201d her eyes pleading. Oh sure bring you home
\nto meet Ken? Don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay. How do I reach you with your phone gone?\u201d<\/p>\n
Shrugging her shoulders, \u201cI\u2019ll get back to you in a day or two,\u201d ready for the obvious
\nquestion.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere Lou, let me give you my number,\u201d I said, writing it down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks Red,\u201d tucking it into her purse. Then she kissed me her signature kiss.<\/p>\n
I watched the cab drive away. The night hadn\u2019t ended as I hoped, so I headed back to the
\nhotel.<\/p>\n
The next day I was in Andy\u2019s Bar to discuss marketing when he said, \u201cHear about
\nMaria?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, what happened. She okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, fell last night and Jen had to hospitalize her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll recover from the fall, but her condition\u2019s worse. What caused her to fall. She
\ncan\u2019t walk anymore. If there was only a way \u2026 some way \u2026 any way \u2026 to raise the money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. I\u2019m glad she wasn\u2019t hurt worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all are. On a happier note, who was that beauty I saw you with last night?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy old girlfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one dumped you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeen her at the Eatery before. Looked great. So did her car. Whatever she does pays
\ngood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re sure? She had a car?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAm I ever,\u201d Andy said. \u201cConvertible, whatever she does pays good.\u201d<\/p>\n
But I wasn\u2019t listening. I was replaying our conversation. I was sure Lou said she sold her car.<\/p>\n
As I was leaving, Ella stepped in front of me, blocking my way. I wasn\u2019t paying much
\nattention and almost ran into her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to talk,\u201d she said in a no nonsense tone of voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d this surprised me, as she hadn\u2019t said two words to me. \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat girlfriend of yours is a gold digger looking for a sugar daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you talking about? No, she\u2019s not,\u201d I shot back.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe lives with a guy. His car is what Andy saw. She\u2019s got nothing and will always have nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know the life. It almost killed me. Now, I work in a bar and have friends and it\u2019s a better life than what I had. What your girlfriend is living now. Well, I told you, not that it will do any good, but my conscience is clear.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pausing, she started to turn away, then said, \u201cYou\u2019re a good man, Red, but you best be
\ncareful she\u2019ll take you for everything you\u2019ve got.\u201d Then, spinning on her heel, was gone, leaving me with my mouth open.<\/p>\n
I was upset for the rest of the day thinking what Ella said. I wasn\u2019t thinking about Jen and Maria or about how to motivate my clients to lose weight.<\/p>\n
Then, at three in the morning, I awoke from a dead sleep, shouting, \u201cThat\u2019s it! That\u2019s it!\u201d My motivation problem was solved. I had to talk to Jen.<\/p>\n
At 6:00 a.m., I was waiting when Jen opened the coffee shop. \u201cCan we talk?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m rather busy,\u201d she said. \u201cCan it wait?\u201d She was not overjoyed to see me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt about Maria and funding her medical care, but first how is she. I heard she fell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFunding her care? What? She\u2019s back home. I\u2019m off at noon,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSee you then. I\u2019m glad she\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
At 12 sharp, I was back and we took a table to talk over coffee. \u201cI think I\u2019ve got a way to pay Maria\u2019s medical bills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here eyebrows shot up. She was speechless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like this, I charge my clients a monthly fee, you know? to attend my clinic. In
\naddition, they pay twenty dollars for every pound they lose. I\u2019ll donate the twenty dollar fee to a
\nget-well fund for Maria. Well, I say get-well find, it\u2019s technically a charity fund. That\u2019s what
\nthey called it at the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would you do this? Maria is not your responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a moment, I said, \u201cJen, I was in trouble once and a man saved me from a … a life of gang banging. I was just a kid. Ran with some bad people. Very bad people. They liked cause I was big and could \u2026 well, because I was big. I did things I\u2019ll always regret. My next door neighbor saw me going the wrong way.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked away remembering.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne day these guys came looking for me. My neighbor met them with a baseball bat.
\nTold them to get lost. Not come back. They left. Never saw \u2018em again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I asked him why he did it, he told me someone helped him once. And told him to
\npass it on. To do good things for others. And he did that every chance he got. So, you see, for me \u2026 it\u2019s passing on what was given to me when I needed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it\u2019s time this to move on,\u201d I said, opening my wallet and taking out a piece of
\nwell worn paper. \u201cYour\u2019s now,\u201d I said, handing it to her.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
LIFE GETS TOUGH<\/b><\/p>\n
know it\u2019s so because life\u2019s lessons<\/p>\n
taught me so<\/p>\n
And yet, this I also know<\/p>\n
To fear not the darkness.<\/p>\n
When dawn lights the way,<\/p>\n
know that forever, my friend,<\/p>\n
..<\/p>\n
and you\u2019ll be okay<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s lovely, Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
With tears behind my eyes, I took a breath. Steadied myself, \u201cFor me, it\u2019s about giving back. Whenever I\u2019ve needed a hand, there\u2019s been someone there for me. I can\u2019t repay everyone that helped me, but there\u2019s something I can do for you \u2026 and for Maria.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked with the bank manager. He recommended setting up a charity with a dual
\nsignature checking account. That way I can\u2019t take money out without your permission, but I can make deposits. This will help me and you and Maria. It helps me by keeping my clients motivated. That\u2019s a big deal. Believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the end, she agreed to it all. So, over the next few days I opened the checking account and got a lawyer on board to do the paperwork.<\/p>\n
That night, Louise called and I was so excited that I told her about my plan to pay for Maria\u2019s medical care.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Red, that\u2019s such a lovely thing to do, but how much money can you raise. I mean,
\nher care will be terribly expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout eighty thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWow,\u201d she said. \u201cWhere will you keep it? Not at your business surely,\u201d she asked,
\nprobing for information.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the bank. I opened a dual signature checking account and have a nonprofit charity set
\nup. We get started this Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExciting? It certainly is. What a wonderful idea, but then you\u2019re a wonderful man,\u201d she
\nsaid, while thinking, I\u2019m just two forged signatures away from an eighty-thousand dollar pay
\nday. \u201cBut, my love, how will you raise so much money?\u201d<\/p>\n
She called me \u2018my love.\u2019<\/p>\n
After a deep breath or two, \u201cI\u2019ll donate the twenty dollars per pound lost my client\u2019s pay.
\nI can raise the money in six months.\u201d<\/p>\n
After that conversation, our relationship took off.<\/p>\n
Some days later, I saw Ella and Jen talking at Andy\u2019s. Smiling as always, Andy walked
\nover to join them, but an evil look from Ella sent him back behind the bar. They were friends and I heard Ella say, \u201cMen are all alike. I\u2019m only glad the money\u2019s in the bank where she can\u2019t get at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seeing me, Ella looked disgusted and turned her back on me, saying, \u201cI told him she\u2019s a gold digger. For all the good it did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s with them?\u201d I asked Andy.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeats me. You need something or just passing through?\u201d Andy said, not liking being
\nslighted in his own place. I couldn\u2019t blame him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe extra key you gave me has gone lost. Can I get another one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it\u2019s marked – Do Not Duplicate – so don\u2019t worry about it being copied. Gimme a
\ncouple days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSend me the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
He only nodded.<\/p>\n
On Saturday our charity began, I called Jen to remind her to arrive a little arrive before the two o\u2019clock class.<\/p>\n
Standing in front of the group, I said to them, \u201cYou know I\u2019m always here for you. Now, it\u2019s time for us, myself included, to be here for someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were confused, wondering what I was talking about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI charge twenty dollars December 14, 2020for every pound you lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now they were really confused.<\/p>\n
Jen walked out carrying Maria.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Sweetie,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, Mister Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Maria, and her mom. Maria needs medical care, so, here\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do. At twenty dollars per pound, four thousand pounds will pay for her care. From now on, your
\ntwenty dollar fee goes to charity to help this beautiful little girl walk again.\u201d<\/p>\n
No one saw Louise slip into my office. She was dressed in drab loose-fitting clothing,
\nwore a dark wig, cheap sunglasses, and gloves. She knew where the checkbook was, found it, and photographed a cancelled check. She now had our signatures, the account number, and the routing number. Then she saw it. How could Red be so stupid, as she photographed the login ID and password. Saves me the trouble of wheedling it out of him.<\/p>\n
She did all this in less than three minutes closing and locking the door soundlessly behind her with the missing key. Then she nonchalantly walked away, caught a cab to the airport where she would catch another cab to where her rented car was parked. After she scored, the cops would look into anyone associated with the charity. As the cab drove away, she figured Red would take the blame.<\/p>\n
It became evident to Red that motivating his clients was no longer a problem by the way they were losing weight. For the first time, he saw Jen worry-free. She looked lovely, and a pang of guilt tugged at his heart. If Louise hadn\u2019t shown up again …?<\/p>\n
Over the next weeks Red continued making regular deposits to Maria\u2019s charity fund,
\nwhich was well on its way to paying her bills. Jen and Red logged on every Friday night, from his office, to see the current balance.<\/p>\n
Louise planned to transfer the money to an off shore account. Then she\u2019d transfer it again and again until it was untraceable. All she needed do then was lay low. She\u2019d stay in town, because to leave too soon would draw attention to her. And she couldn\u2019t have that.<\/p>\n
Tonight, she would empty the charity account.<\/p>\n
It was ten p.m. when Louise logged into the bank using Ken\u2019s laptop and WiFi.<\/p>\n
Big mistake number one.<\/p>\n
Next she logged into the charity account using its bona fide ID and password. What she
\ndidn\u2019t know was that the bank\u2019s computer checked the IP (Internet Protocol) address and MAC
\n(Media Access Control) Address of machines logging in and compared them to an authorized
\nlist.<\/p>\n
Big mistake number two: Her IP address and MAC Address didn\u2019t match the machine
\nauthorized for the charity account.<\/p>\n
The bank\u2019s computer immediately sent an alarm to the security company and locked the
\naccount. It did not send Louise a message, her computer continued to look – to her – like the transfer was pending. This was to keep her in place until the cops got there.<\/p>\n
The security alarm included her physical address, data on her computer, and WiFi
\nsystem. Ten minutes later, three police cars arrived.<\/p>\n
Through the dining room window, the cops saw Louise bent over a laptop. They pounded
\non the door, \u201cPolice, open up!\u201d Then pounded again, \u201cPolice, open the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
Louise checked her makeup in the hall mirror thinking, just some men to manipulate.
\nThen it\u2019s back to the computer.<\/p>\n
The cops burst in when she unlocked the door. Two of them kept her away from the
\ncomputer while the third checked it. Yes, it was accessing the bank. Louise was arrested. While two cops ran her in, the third waited for the forensic computer tech who would take charge of the laptop in such a way that its value as evidence was preserved. The tech would also interrogate the WiFi router, as its make, model, and configuration were also evidence. The computer and router were bagged and tagged. Ken would be questioned later.<\/p>\n
It was past midnight when the phone rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cHartford police calling for Red Decker,\u201d a voice said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeaking. What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Decker, we\u2019ve arrested a woman for attempting to steal funds from your charity.\u201d<\/p>\n
I left for the police station and found \u2026 Louise.<\/p>\n
\u201cLouise, you were going to steal that little girl\u2019s charity money? How could you? Who
\nare you, Louise?\u201d<\/p>\n
She could see that I knew the truth about her, saying, \u201cI want to speak to my lawyer.\u201d
\nThat she had her lawyer\u2019s number on speed dial was telling. And I got the message.<\/p>\n
Leaving, I thanked the police, understanding now what Ella tried to tell me. When I got back to the hotel, there was an email from the bank\u2019s security company. The charity\u2019s account was locked and would remain so until approved for activity by the bank\u2019s security personnel. Until then, no money would be released or transferred and no checks would be paid.<\/p>\n
The next day, I asked Jen to meet me at Andy\u2019s after she got off work. Before Jen arrived I went in back looking for Ella.<\/p>\n
\u201cElla, would you be kind enough to give me a few minutes of your time?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
She looked at me, \u201cSure, why not,\u201d as she wiped her hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were right about Louise. I\u2019m sorry. You can\u2019t imagine how sorry I am that I didn\u2019t believe you. Did you hear she tried to steal Maria\u2019s charity money?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, she was not successful and has been arrested. She\u2019s in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, she\u2019s not,\u201d Ella said. \u201cGuess you didn\u2019t hear that, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no I didn\u2019t. How\u2019d she get out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMade bail. All you got to do is track her down and move in together. Just like old
\ntimes,\u201d Ella said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, lovely idea. Thank you so much. When I came in here I hoped we be friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRed. We are. We are friends. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d Then she smiled, \u201cI hear that Jen wants to be friends, too. Just thought I\u2019d mention it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBest news I\u2019ve had all day,\u201d I said. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome. Speak of the devil. She just walked in,\u201d Ella said, looking into the bar. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go say, \u2018Hello?\u2019 Let\u2019s see if you can fix anything other than bombs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giving Ella a wry smile, I walked out to sit with Jen.<\/p>\n
Although I couldn\u2019t see it, Ella was smiling as I left.<\/p>\n
\u201cJen, I want you to know how sorry I am that I allowed Louise to play me like that. I\u2019m embarrassed and ashamed that I didn\u2019t see it coming. All she cares about is money. Had she been
\nsuccessful ….\u201d The thought of Maria\u2019s funds being stolen made me shiver.<\/p>\n
Jen said, \u201cI saw her running for the New Haven train before I opened the coffee shop.
\nDon\u2019t think she\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s okay with me,\u201d I said, to a smiling Jen. \u201cDon\u2019t forget on Saturday we meet with my clients at the clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, I was talking with my clients when Andy raised his hand to get my
\nattention.<\/p>\n
\u201cRed,\u201d he said. \u201cI just want to say how happy I am with you and this fantastic clinic. I\u2019ve lost twenty-five pounds and couldn\u2019t be happier. Thank you, I mean it. Thanks, Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Andy. You folks lost more than four-thousand pounds and funded Maria\u2019s
\nmedical care. Come on out,\u201d I said to Jen and Maria, who was now walking and running.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of you \u2026 all of you \u2026 this beautiful little girl can walk. I\u2019m proud of each and every one of you. And I can see that you\u2019re proud of yourselves. As well you should be. You
\nworked hard in a hard place and won through. For Maria \u2026 and for yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I was saying that, a little boy in a wheel chair was pushed toward me by his mom and dad. Maria scampered over to him and held his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Brian,\u201d I said, \u201cHe needs an operation\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
About the Author<\/b><\/p>\n
Wayne A. English has published four books and has numerous publications in magazines, newspapers, and online. Wayne is a locally, nationally, and internationally published. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was the best day of my life. After twelve years in the army, I was out. First order of business was a train ticket to Connecticut to move in with my…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,80,104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book","category-short-story","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4679\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wayneaenglish.com\/WordPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSee his work at WayneAEnglish.com<\/a><\/p>\n