The Way It Works

The Way It Works Read Free Page A

Book: The Way It Works Read Free
Author: William Kowalski
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expression on it.
    â€œWhat’s yours say?” she asks.
    I show her: You will be a great success in business. Just what I wanted to hear.
    â€œWhat about yours?” I ask her.
    But she shakes her head primly. Then she folds up her fortune and puts it in her purse.
    â€œYou’re not gonna tell me?” I say. “Is it that bad?”
    â€œNo, not bad,” she says, smiling. “Just… personal.”
    â€œAre you ever gonna show me?”
    â€œMaybe someday,” she says. “But not today.”
    Finally, the waiters clear the last crumb off the table, and the owners start clearing their throats. I look at my watch. It’s ten o’clock. I can’t believe it. We’ve been sitting here for almost three hours.
    â€œI better get you home,” I say.
    I call for the bill. I don’t want to look at it, but I have to. I try not to wince. Eighty-nine dollars. Oh, well. I’d gladly pay ten times that for a date with this African-Chinese princess.
    We bow our way out the door, thanking the owners for everything. Then we head back to her house. It’s a beautiful night. We leave the car windows open, so we can feel the breeze.
    Soon we pull up outside her house. I leave the car running and the lights on. I don’t want her dad to think I’m getting any ideas.
    â€œWell, thanks for a great time,” Yolanda says.
    â€œMe too,” I say. “I really mean it. I had a blast.”
    We look at each other for a long moment. Then the porch light comes on. Mr. Jefferson appears in the doorway.
    â€œOh, are you home already?” he calls.
    â€œI was just doing a security check.”
    â€œDaddy and his security checks,”
    Yolanda says.
    â€œI guess this kills any chance of a goodnight kiss,” I say.
    I’m just joking around, but Yolanda looks at me, half smiling and half serious.
    â€œThere’s always next time,” she says.
    And I can tell she means it.
    I walk her to the door and say good night. I make a point of looking her dad in the eye and shaking his hand again. Then I get back in my car and take off.
    I keep driving until I’m at the city limits, near a quiet park. Here I pull over. I get my blanket and pillow out of the trunk. Then I crawl into the backseat. It’s been one of the best nights of my life. I feel like a king.
    The last thing I do before I fall asleep is touch the wad of cash in my pocket. It helps remind me that everything really is going to be all right…someday.

CHAPTER FIVE
    I wake up later than I meant to. All the excitement from last night wore me out, I guess.
    Right away, I can tell something is wrong. But I’m so sleepy I can’t tell what it is.
    Then it hits me. The world has gone sideways. And my car is moving.
    I sit up in the backseat. The front of the car is tilted up. And in front of it is a tow truck.
    I’m so sleepy, it takes me a minute to figure out what’s going on.
    I’m getting towed.
    I climb into the front seat and start leaning on the horn. After a minute, the truck slows down. Before it even stops, I’m out the door. I trip and fall on the road. Great. Now my pants have stains on the knees. I get to my feet as the driver gets out of the truck.
    â€œMan, what are you doing?” I say. I’m trying not to yell, but I’m as mad as they come.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” he says. He’s a big greasy guy with a beard. His T-shirt doesn’t even cover his belly. I guess some people get dressed without looking in a mirror.
    â€œYou’re not supposed to tow cars with people in them,” I say.
    â€œYeah, well, you’re not supposed to park in tow zones,” he says.
    â€œI didn’t know it was a tow zone. Didn’t you see me back there?”
    â€œAll I saw was a blanket. How was I supposed to know there was a person under there?”
    â€œWell, you know now. So how about you cut me loose?”
    He crosses his

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