Free The Trouble Way by James Seloover

I always drive by the manager’s vehicle before entering the store.” The district manager revealed to him at a manager’s meeting during the cocktail hour after the general meeting. “I know by looking at the condition of his car what the condition of the store will be even before I walk in the front door. If the manager’s vehicle isn’t washed and waxed, if the inside has trash on the floor, if there are butts in the ashtray … I know exactly what the condition of the store will be … a big-ass cluster-fuck. I could write the report before I step foot inside the front door.”
    Mr. Hedd knew Brawnswine liked to use the term, “cluster-fuck,” because he’d spent time in Vietnam. It turned out he’d only been there on TDY. He’s spent thirty days temporary duty there.

Chapter 5 Candy Lane   I’ll only need a place for two weeks, definitely no more than three. Shoot me if I’m here for four. I think I’ll crank up this little beast and take it for a test-drive up the walls.
    Early 1970’s
    Candy loitered in the hallway outside the ladies ’ lounge and watched as Ann made her way across the sales floor on her way to her morning break. As Ann neared, Candy slipped into the restroom and stood in front of the mirror, glancing at the door every few seconds as she fidgeted with the barrette in her hair. Finally the door squeaked and swung open and she quickly turned away, bent her head, and began sobbing. She gasped and reached into her smock pocket and pulled out a tissue and put it to her cheek, sensing someone approaching her. When she peeked through her fingers, Ann was standing next to her.
    “ Whatever is the matter, honey?”
    “ It’s nothing,” Candy said. “Really. I’m sorry.” Her shoulders quivered. “I can be such a baby.”
    “ Are you sure?” Ann asked. “It sure doesn’t sound like nothing.”
    “ Uh-huh,” Candy said and took a deep breath. “I’m sure. I’ll be okay. Honestly.”
    Ann looked in the mirror ran a brush through her hair and did some touch-up on her lips, gave Candy a smile and turned toward the door and took a step.
    “I got evicted,” Candy said, putting the tissue to her eyes. “My roommate moved out. She didn’t pay her part of the rent and I got kicked out. I don’t have any place to stay.”
    “ I’m sorry.” Ann turned back. “Don’t you have any friends or relatives you can stay with?”
    “ I thought I had a friend but she bailed on me and left me with no rent money. My mom and dad are separated.” Candy said. “I lived with my mom and she didn’t want me to leave in the first place. She said if I left, I couldn’t come back. She said I would fail if I tried to live on my own. And she was right. I am a failure. I can’t tell her. I’m too embarrassed.”
    “ Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Ann said. “Lots of people have trouble starting out. I even had to live with a roommate for a while before I could get a place of my own. What about your dad?”
    “ He’s hopeless. He can barely take care of himself. The last we heard from him, he was living someone’s basement in California, Fresno, or Modesto or someplace, I think, who knows. He called once a while back to ask if I could send him some money, of all things. I didn’t have any to send and that is the last I’ve heard from him for months.”
    “ How about friends who might put you up for a while?”
    “ I just don’t know what I am going to do,” Candy said. “I’m mortified. Seattle is such a big city.” She started sobbing again and put her arms around Ann with her head on Ann’s shoulder.
    Ann patted her on the back of the head and stroked her hair. “I’m sure something will work out. It always does. I really have to get to up to the deli, I’ll be late.” She disengaged Candy’s arms from around herself, slowly turned from Candy, and then scurried toward the door.
    “ Thanks for letting me tell you my troubles, Ann. You are an angel, I’ll be okay,” she