When The Right Door Opens Read Free Page A

was not the way to raise a
child or a teenager. He sat down at the table, his head in his
hands. Agnes was right, he needed to turn his life into a different
direction, before he took her down with him. But he didn't know how
to change it. He had no real job, no experience in any other real
job either. He was lucky that he didn't have an addictive
personality, or else he was sure that he would have succumbed to
drugs to numb his feelings. But as it was, Jamie's biggest problem
was money, and that he felt alone and lonely. He had nobody in his
life whom he considered friend enough to burden with his
problems.
    However, his self-loathing and – pity party
didn't change the fact that he needed to start his daily routine.
He needed to make money and what was more important, he needed to
make more than on an average night. He took his keys, his phone and
went out for his daily jog. He ran miles and miles every day, to
clear his head and to stay in shape. Running was a cheap sport and
over the years, many men had come to appreciate his build. There
was not an ounce of fat on his body. Everything was lean and tight
muscle, partly from running and partly from watching his diet
closely. Jamie had always been proud of his looks, but recently, he
had started discovering gray hair in his otherwise black mop. It
made him feel old and self-conscious; most of his clients preferred
younger men and not worn out street-whores. My time is up! He
pushed the thoughts away and ran faster.
    At home, Jamie made a few calls, one to
ensure that Lauren could be in earlier to be with Agnes and another
one, to order food for them. He cleaned the house and scrubbed the
kitchen spotless and then went to the bathroom to start his daily
beauty program. His looks were what made him earn money; he always
needed to look his best, regardless of his inner wars. He needed to
look better than the other boys on the streets, well groomed, clean
and prepared for his clients.
     
    ****

    It was still fairly early to take his usual place
under the neon lit sign at the corner of the Chinese dry cleaning
shop and it wasn't completely dark yet. Jamie knew he would look
suspicious, loitering there, but he also knew that this street was
known to be the most popular pick-up place in Gabefield and
everyone would simply look away instead of conjuring up trouble
with the law. Gabefield was a small town after all. People minded
their own business and more than once, they turned a blind eye.
What I don't see doesn't exist! It had always been like this for
Jamie. Not once in the six years he had come to this place daily,
had he had encounters with the police. He was lucky. Others weren't
and he couldn't help wondering if this had to do with the fact,
that he wasn't affiliated with a pimp. Maybe, he flew under the
radar.
    It wasn't the first time Jamie stood here, at
this time of the day either. Some months were harder to make ends
meet than others, and December and January in particular. Jamie
loved to spoil his daughter for Christmas and for her birthday,
even if that meant working harder and longer hours for a few weeks
before and after these events. This time, it was one of those days
when money needed to come in and fast. There was no time to revel
in the memories of his child, he needed to switch to hustler-mode
and get into the right mindset. Jamie had no other choice, he
needed the money to pay his rent or his landlord would not hesitate
to throw him and his fourteen-year old daughter out on the street.
Jamie didn't doubt at all that the landlord would act true to his
words. His time was limited to four hours every night, to make as
much money as possible. Lauren had made it very clear that she
would not spend more time with Agnes, and lately had commented on
Agnes's age too and how she was old enough to stay home alone.
Jamie couldn't agree at all. He still saw the toddler she once was,
the child who needed assistance with the most trivial tasks; for
him Agnes was far from