Free Deep Winter by Samuel W. Gailey

present.”
    Phlegm rattled in her chest as she chuckled. She dropped the quarter into the slot, heard the can thump into the opening, then grabbed her ice-cold soda. “You’ve always taken a shine to that girl, ain’t that the truth?” She cracked open her RC and plopped back into her seat, her breath rasping like she’d just finished a hundred-yard dash.
    â€œDon’t know nothing about that. She’s just nice to me, is all.”
    â€œYou’re a good boy, Danny. Maybe not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer, but a nice boy like you should have a nice girl by his side.” She smiled and blew out a cloud of smoke.
    â€œMaybe so.” Danny wanted to get going. He gripped the robin figurine in his pocket and shifted his feet back and forth. It was a good long walk to Mindy’s, but the heavyset woman seemed lonely and clearly wanted some company.
    â€œYou still livin’ upstairs?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    â€œShoot. Such a small room for a big fellow like you. How long you been livin’ in that room anyways?”
    â€œEver since Uncle Brett went up to heaven.”
    She chuckled again, but there was no humor in her voice this time.
    â€œDon’t think that boy ever made it into heaven, Danny. Probably got turned right around at the Pearly Gates and sent downstairs with a one-way ticket. Mean son of a bitch. Always angry about something.” Her cigarette hung from her lips, and a few ashes fell onto her lap as she talked.
    Danny looked to the front door of the laundromat. “Yeah, well, he was just real sad most of the time and had a lot of bad things happen to him.”
    â€œHim?
Ha.
He was just born mean as a snake, is all.”
    â€œMaybe so.”
    The heavyset woman spit a piece of tobacco off her tongue and shifted in her seat. “Weren’t really your fault about what happened to your folks.”
    Danny nodded.
    â€œGod knows you suffered enough from the whole thing.” She shook her head at the thought. Slurped some more from the colacan. “Your poor mama and papa would be brokenhearted knowing how you ended up. Can’t imagine one of my young’uns turning out like you did. Mercy me.”
    Danny stared down at the linoleum floor and noticed how dirty it was. A big wad of pink gum was stuck to the floor. He wanted to remember to scrape it up with a razor in the morning. Mr. Bennett said that folks only respected places that took pride in themselves.
    â€œWhat time you locking up tonight?”
    â€œWhen I get back, I suppose.”
    â€œThat’s a long walk, and it’s colder than the dickens out there. You sure you don’t want to just go in the morning?”
    He shook his head. “Wouldn’t be her birthday then.”
    Fat rolls on her belly shook from a spasm of laughter. “You’re right about that, boy. Too sweet for your own good.” She dropped her cigarette to the floor and squashed it out with her heel.
    â€œWell, my clothes are near done. Won’t be here when you get back, I suppose.”
    Danny smiled with relief. “Okay, then. S’long.”
    He made his way toward the front door. As he slipped into the cold night air, the heavyset woman called out after him, “Thanks for the RC, Danny!”

Sokowski
    T hey drove in dead silence. The truck’s wheels occasionally drifted and veered off the road and rode hard on the berm. The Chevy shook and rattled everything inside the cab. Sokowski was in a fucked-up mood and didn’t feel like talking. He glanced at Carl out of the corner of his eye. The guy was a dumb-ass, but he knew better than to try to talk Sokowski out of anything. Carl didn’t say anything, just sat there like a big, stupid bump. Quiet as a goddamned church mouse. He had Carl trained right. Just like a dog. If they shit in your house, you’ve got to keep shoving their nose in the mess and give them a good whupping until