The Wallet

“Excuse me sir, did you drop this?” I asked, not looking the older gent in the eye, holding out his brown wallet.

“Why, yes, yes it is! Thanks boy! I was looking for that! It’d be mighty hard to pay for my drinks without that wouldn’t it?” He laughed and then pulled me in close, “You think they would ID me boyo?” He pulled back laughing joyously.

“I dunno. Maybe?” My emotionless voice sounded almost zombielike.

“It was a joke boyo! Lighten up!” He laughed slapping me on the back.

“Sorry sir. I should be going.” I turned to walk away.

“No, no, no, boyo! And cut the sir crap, that was for my father! Names Mark Jenkins! You need to sit. Have a drink with me boyo!” The old man laughed again.

“Uh, I’m Jarret. Jarret Wilkes.” I moved to the empty stool next to Jenkins.

“Well Jarret, my boy, what’s troubling you?”

“It’s complicated.” I shrugged.

“Ah but what is complicated for one may be very simple for another! Speak up boyo!” Mark smiled widely.

“My girlfriend left me.” I sighed.

“That isn’t complicated for anyone.” Jenkins looked a bit confused.

“Well, it was the circumstances that she left me.” I sighed again.

“How long were you dating?” Jenkins looked a bit intrigued.

“A little over two years. She was everything.”

“Ah, and she didn’t feel the same way, so she high tailed it out of there?”

“No that’s just it. I was everything to her as well. At least I thought I was,” I sighed even deeper. “Thinking back I remember nearly every time we said it.”

 

And as I started thinking, I remembered oh so well how the first time went.

“I love you.” She whispered in my ear one dark night.

The fire crackled, as the only other sound in the room.

“Oh really?” I elbowed her, smiling.

Then it hit me. This wasn’t like the other times. In the seven months we had been dating, we had joked about the real thing. But now as I looked her in the eyes I saw she was more than serious.

“I love you too, Michelle.”

She glanced down at the blanket. “Do you mean it?”

“More than I have ever meant anything in my life.”

“Then why didn’t you say it?” She asked. “Why did you joke before you answered?”

“It’s really simple actually.” I smiled at the confused look on her face.

“Oh?” She looked skeptical, and rightly so.

“Yeah, I was terrified,” I moved pulled her closer to me on the couch, “If I said it before you were ready, you may have run, and I cannot bear to lose you. I love you more than you can imagine, and have for longer than you really think.”

“Oh? Since when?”

“Michelle, I have loved you since the very day I met you. Since that day you have held my heart prisoner, and honestly I don’t want it back.”

“That was…” She paused, biting her bottom lip, “The corniest thing I have ever heard.”

“Ouch.” I laughed, about to defend my manhood

“Don’t.” She put a finger to my lips. “That wasn’t an insult. It’s why I love you. You are so different than everybody else.” She moved to kiss me, and I met her half way.

 

I sat at the counter staring at the drink in front of him. He shook his head, and took a small sip.

“No I’m sure I meant something to her.” I shook my head again.

“Well boyo then she did. Does she still?” Was the next words out of the older man’s mouth.

“Yes.” I was sure of the word I spoke, but something inside me stirred, knowing well that the past two years there had been pit falls, there had been issues, but I was sure that through it all she loved me still, and I was more than certain I loved her.

I began to wander back into my head when I was jostled out by a slap on the back.

“Well my boy, there are always other fish. How long ago was this break?”

“A month ago.” I replied solemnly.

Jenkins whistled, “Like I said, other fish boyo.”

“NO!” I slammed my fist into the counter. “No. There are other fish I get that, but she isn’t a fish! We were meant for each other Mark!” I broke down, my face falling to the counter. Distantly I heard Jenkins’ voice, but I was back in the little diner, exactly two years previous.

 

“Well aren’t you a tall glass of beautiful!” Nicolas smiled at our waitress, “Knowing what I want before I order is a true service!”

I looked up to see her. She was tall, with beautiful hazel eyes, and pale skin. Most noticeable however was the fiery waterfall that flowed down her back. She was blushing furiously, obviously not quite used to that kind of treatment.

“Oh,” she smiled, “Can I take your orders?” She glanced around the table, and our eyes met for the first time. I felt sparks, and by the blush on her face I knew she felt the same thing

“Well, I would like your pork chops, and a pie, Nicky here would obviously like you, and by the look on my other pals face he would like in on that action as well.” Matthew, my “best friend” smiled at her.

“Um what would you two like to eat?”

“Oh you should already know that” Matthew laughed at his own innuendo.

“I mean food. You?” She pointed at Nicolas. “What do you want?”

“Well, that’s rude, well let’s see, I would like your chicken platter.” He sighed.

“And you?” She glared at me.

“I’m fine with just a slice of pie.” I looked at the menu.

“He also wants your number” Matthew added, laughing even harder

“Fine, your orders will be here in just a moment. Have a nice day.” She started walking off, but Matthew reached out and grabbed her butt, laughing as she squealed.

A few minutes later an older lady, probably in her late forties appeared holding very undercooked meat.

“Well here is your food boys, now which of you as***les was the culprit?”

“Excuse me?” Matthew looked flabbergasted at this accusation.

“Well poor Michelle over there,” the old waitress poked a finger back toward the kitchen where I could clearly see her, tears in her eyes, “came back in tears because the three of you sexually harassed her. First with words then one of you grabbed her butt.”

“She is a young attractive waitress she should feel complimented by that.” Matthew defended himself, “she needs to lighten up.”

The woman brought back her hand to slap Matthew, however, unfortunately for him; my fist reached his face first.

“That’s to far Matt. Apologize now.” I growled at my friend. Unfortunately that wasn’t going to happen, because I had accidentally knocked him unconscious.

“Ma’am, if I could please have a to go box and my check, that would be wonderful.” I smiled at her, and she nodded, then I shot one last glare to Nicolas and strode to the counter.

“Son, that was impressive. Thanks for helping out. I would have been canned.” She smiled as she brought me my box.

“It’s nothing, and if you need a witness as to why he would complain about you chewing him out, look to me. And tell Michelle I am sorry.”

“She knows.” The older lady winked and pushed the box to me before turning and leaving.

Confused I opened the box, finding a pie, and a message

“Thanks for standing up for me, let me know if I got your order right later today at 5.

555-6547

-Michelle

I looked around for the teary eyed girl, but didn’t see her.

Lifting my head from the bar was not easy. Michelle and I had met that day, and had been months until Matthew had forgiven me.

 

“Boyo.” Jenkins slapped my back. “Tell me about her. She must be pretty fantastic.”

“She is. More than you know.” So I spent the next hour telling him about Michelle, all the laughing, the crying, the hardships and the easy times. He smiled at me, “that ain’t the half of it is it boyo?”

“No Mark, it really isn’t. Michelle is my life. She means everything to me, and I’ll be damned if I am gonna just let her slip away.”

“Well my boy, its funny how many times I have lost this wallet. Sometimes it comes back lighter, sometimes the same, once it was even heavier.” He smiled at the last one, “Sometimes it takes hour’s day’s even weeks, but it always comes back.” He looked at his brown wallet, and smiled. “You know boyo; I think this wallet really signifies something.”

I smiled at him, not fully understanding.

“My wife gave me this wallet, it was after we met. This thing is probably older than you!” He laughed, “She was definitely the one for me boyo, I knew it. The moment we met sparks flew. She was and still is the love of my life. Yeah we get in arguments and one of us is bound to walk off, but no matter what, just like this here wallet, whoever left is bound to come back.”

“Wow… I get it.” I smiled at him. “But it’s been a month…” I looked back at my drink.

“Yeah? And I left my wife waiting for fifteen years now. But I plan on getting back to her soon enough” Jenkins smiled, but I saw a tear in his eye. “This wallet left me for three months, and it came back. A month is nothing boyo. Always remember that, time is just a number, in the end eternity is so much longer. Trust me, I ain’t no religious fellow, but marriage… it lasts longer than the dirt.” The tear rolled down his cheek.

“But what if there is something they hate about you? That something prevents marriage?”

“And what might that something be?” I saw a twinkle in his eye, and I knew he wanted the story. So I gave it to him, and as I did, my own memory went wild.

 

“God Jarret! How can you just “forgive” me? She cried, tears streaking her beautiful face again, “I slept with your best friend!”

“Yeah I got that part.” I sighed, tired of this already, “you don’t have to keep repeating it.”

“But how can you just forgive me!”

“Because Michelle, I love you okay? I have for a long time, and this isn’t going to ruin it.” I sighed,

Shaking my head.

“Then why are you so friggen upset, I can hear it in your voice. Jarret this is what I hate about you!” She stamped her foot angrily, “I fell in love with a man, a passionate caring man who would stick up for a girl he didn’t even know. But now you lack any fight what so ever! You just seem… dead every time we get into it!”

“I don’t understand what you mean?”

“When you do you’re so called arguing? All I hear is a defeated, scared little boy. You have no spirit, like you don’t even want to win, you don’t want an opinion. What is going on?” She poked her finger at my nose.

Shrugging it off, I tried to keep a level head. “You are right. I am sorry.”

“DONT BE FRIGGEN SORRY! GOD! SHOW SOME BACKBONE YOU COWARD!” she slapped me across my face, a red mark left behind where she hit. “In all the time you and I have been dating, you have lost all your passion. You have never even raised your voice!”

Shaking now, not from fear, but from my own rising emotion my voice cracked, “Shut up.” I was all I said.

“Or what?” She challenged me.

“SHUT UP!” I roared at her. “Michelle you don’t get it! The only thing I ever wanted from you was your honesty. That is all I ever wanted! And you couldn’t even give me that! I have to yell and scream at you for it! Yeah I am not okay with you sleeping with matt. But at the same time guess what? I am just happy you decided to be honest about something for once!”

“I…” she stammered through it, my outburst catching her completely off guard, “I am sorry. Jarret I really Am.” she broke down into tears.

I shifted, moving her next to me, knowing the guilt of everything had just piled on her at once, and I held her. “I will love you no matter what Michelle, no matter what happens you will always be mine” I whispered the next words in her ear. “Forever and always”

“I see, you aren’t a fighter, but you know how to.” Jenkins smiled at me, his eyes glowing with admiration.

 

“Yeah, I guess, but that isn’t enough for her,” I shrugged, “I am not, I heard she is dating the other guy now. He always did like her. And she slept with him. He is probably more of a man than I will ever be.”

“Now boyo, don’t think like that! It isn’t what’s on the outside but the inside that make the man. Moving back to my wallet,” he set it on the table, and I looked at its tattered and worn exterior. “It doesn’t look like much does it?”

“No not really.” I shrugged.

He opened it up, revealing a wad of hundred dollar bills inside. “Now it does right?”

I nodded, looking at the man in surprise.

“You are wrong boyo. It isn’t the green that makes the wallet great.” He removed the money and handed it to me. “Now what do you see?”

I looked at the rest of the contents. There was his license, a few credit cards, and then I saw it, A picture of a beautiful woman, black and white, behind that picture was a few of children and grandchildren. I nodded again. “It’s you. Your identity, your family, your loved ones.”

“I am glad you saw past the plastic in there boyo, it means you got your head on straight.” Jenkins smiled, folding up the wallet and putting it away.

“You forgot your money Mark.” I held out the wad of bills.

“Meh, I don’t need the green anymore boyo, keep it.” He smiled at me pushing it back, “And no arguing. in exchange come with me on a little road trip.”

“Um.. Okay?

He led me to his car, and we drove in complete silence for several minutes, me not daring to break that silence. I knew Jenkins would tell me where we were going if he wanted to. I looked out the window, recognizing the area immediately. It was the same path I took every day to go back to mine Matthew and Nicolas’s apartment. Jenkins couldn’t know that, nor could he know that Michelle had moved in with them in my place. My mind began racing, thinking of what else was down this path when we stopped very suddenly.

“You comin’ boyo?” Jenkins looked at me, tears filling his eyes already. I looked out the window to see the cemetery that was just down the street from my old apartment.

Nodding to Jenkins I followed the man through rows of headstones, until finally he knelt on the pathway. Nodding forward, he indicated a particular headstone. Striding forward I looked at what it said.

 

Grace Jenkins, 1949-1997

Loving wife, mother, and daughter.

May we never underestimate the contents within.

 

I glanced back at Jenkins, and that sight, the sight of the man who had been laughing, joking, giving me advice all day, the most joyous man I had ever met, knelt on the road sobbing. He knew what I was going through more than I could have ever imagined. And somewhere inside me, a spark ignited

“Mark,” I put my hand on his shoulder. “I want to get my girl back.”

“That’s the spirit boyo!” The man looked up at me with tear soaked eyes. “What’s the plan?”

“Storm the castle and rescue the princess.” I replied smiling.

“It may not be that easy boyo.” Jenkins looked at me

“Never underestimate the contents within Mark.”

He simply smiled, nodded, and stood.

“Do you mind if I…” He asked.

“The apartment is just down the street Mark. Go see her.” I smiled at the man. “Mark… Thank you so much. For everything.”

“I don’t think you are talking about the green?” He smiled back.

As I strode down the street, memories flooded back to me, memories of the good and bad times of Michelle and I. As I approached the door to the apartment, I stopped. It hit me. She wasn’t right. This… this wasn’t me. The spark was still there, but Michelle was not the one for me. I thought back to Jenkins and his theories of the wallet.

The door opened, and standing there was Michelle. Her pale skin was magnificent; her flaming hair was shining in the sunlight.

“Jarret! Um hi!” She stumbled over her words not fully knowing how to react.

“Hey what’s up” I smiled at her happily. Suddenly seeing her again, it reawakened something in me. But not what I thought it would. It reawakened happiness. Not love.

“I could ask you the same thing!” She laughed nervously.

“Just coming by to see some old friends.” I smiled at her, “I mean I used to live with these guys and I haven’t seen them in a month.”

“Oh, um… are you okay? I uh… I heard you weren’t doing well…”

“I wasn’t for a while. But I’m doin’ good now. Are you…”

“Oh yeah… Matty and I are really happy actually. He sorta… proposed last night.” She held up her hand, a large diamond on it.

“Oh… wow. That was fast wasn’t it? But hey you two were practically dating when you and I were so, maybe it wasn’t” I laughed at my own joke.

“You’re… alright with it?”

“More than alright. I am happy for you Michelle. You deserve a man like Matt. He knows his way around an argument. Can I see him?”

“Come on in, sorry we should have started with that.”

Stepping inside, I looked around my old stomping ground. Nothing had changed since Michelle had moved in. I saw him out of the corner of my eye. Turning to face him I nodded in his direction.

“Sup bro.”

“Not much. What do you want?” His voice had an aggressive tone to it.

“Don’t worry, I’m over it.” I smiled at him, “Congrats.”

He relaxed a little. “J, I was gonna talk to you about it… but you didn’t seem…”

“Oh trust me, if I had found out five minutes earlier… I wouldn’t have taken it so well. But shit happens, so… we’re cool?” I held my hand out.

Matthew slapped my hand away and pulled me into a hug. “More than cool bro. You’re my best friend. Um, I dunno if this is awkward to ask or not, but I sorta need a best man?”

“Absolutely.” I smiled at my friend, and then my ex. I started laughing, “We are a little… complex aren’t we.”

“Well I just asked my best friend to be my best man at mine and his ex’s wedding, so yes I would say we are.”

 

A few hours later I found myself back at the bar, a complete one-eighty from where I was that morning. I heard the door clink open, and Jenkins walked through. He was smiling brightly.

“So how’d it go boyo?”

“She is getting married!” I said happily.

“Congrats. Beers on me!” He exclaimed in delight.

“Being the best man at a wedding usually doesn’t get the beer.” I smiled.

Jenkins smile fell. “What?”

I took a deep breath and explained everything. Jenkins slapped me on the back. “Boyo, that takes real cojones, it takes bein’ a real man, to do what you just did. A lot more than my accomplishment.” He smiled and pulled out a new wallet.

“But the one your wife…”

“I was sittin’ in that damn graveyard, and it fell out, so I picked it up, and it just kinda… fell apart. Then I realized something. It’s not the wallet that was special. It was the contents. So…” he flipped it open and I saw two things. First was a small piece of leather. The second was that black and white picture.

“The memory of her, it’ll never fade. But, sometimes upgrades are necessary. And boyo, that young thing at seven o’clock is eyeing you. Just make sure the contents are right this time.” Jenkins winked at me.

I smiled back at the old man. Grabbing a second beer, I stood and walked over to the seven o’clock young thing and smiled. “Hey, my friend said you looked thirsty.”

__END__