Saturday Story - Nate loses his job - Saturday October 17, 2020

Saturday Story - Nate loses his job

Nate Moore didn’t come home for supper.  He didn’t come home to tuck the kids in bed.  And, when he did arrive home at about 11:30 p.m. - it was lucky he was there and not in jail!!!

He was ‘stinking’ drunk when he arrived home.  His clothes smelled like a brewery.  It looked as if he had taken a bath in beer (or vomit)  Alisha Moore had texted and called him about fifty times in those hours after he should have arrived home and did arrive home.  WHERE WAS HE?

He staggered into the kitchen under Alisha’s watchful eyes and said “I got fired today, and I got drunk today”.  

Alisha started to ask about what happened at work, when he emptied most of what was left of his stomach on the floor of the breakfast nook.  (Fortunately, it was tile, so it was going to be easier to clean up.) He started to get up, and immediately sat down.  His legs were like rubber, plus standing made his head spin around.  He vomited again, but there wasn’t much substance - the start of ‘dry-heaves’.  

For a man, who was a great husband, a great day, and was never foul-mouthed, he was all of a sudden a different man.  “F*** Sanderson” (his boss); “F*** that weasel Diaz”; “F*** the whole lot of the bitches”; “F***, F***, F***.  (And, again, he opened his mouth for some vomit, but was was dry-heaves)

Nate generally rode the light-rail train downtown to his office with Sanderson, Johnson, Jones and Diaz. And, today was no different.

Alisha asked “Did you take the train home?”  

Nate said “yes, and no”.  I went to a bar on sixth street and started drinking about 3:00.  The bartender kicked me out - I don’t know what time it was - the sun was setting.  I got a twelve pack of beer and a liter of Jack Daniels and sat on the bench at the downtown train depot.  I think I sat through five trains until I finished the alcohol and the last train came.  I got the car at the parking lot and drove about 10 miles-an-hour home - hoping there were cops out.  

Alisha knew the train parking lot was about two miles away and that he was careful, he could avoid police.  

He looped back “Those F***ers, those Bastards, those A**holes, F*** them - all of them”.  

Alisha had seen Nate drunk only a few times in his life.  The first was at a fraternity party where it was “Wapatoolie” night - with the guys pouring in bottles on this and that mixed with fruit punch and fruit slices. It tasted so good, and the liquor seemed to soak into the fruit slices.  The second night that Nate was this drunk was at his bachelor’s party.  His roommate, Gary, had called Alisha to come get him from the party as everybody was toasting him and he didn’t control himself.  

But, since then, there were ten years of marriage, a successful career (at least until he was fired), two children, and very little alcohol.  At Christmas, he might have a cup of wine, and maybe if he was watching football with a friend, they each would have a beer.  But, Nate never drank two alcoholic beverages in the same setting!!

*****

Nate slept it off the next morning.  Eight-year-old Josh and six-year-old Talin wondered where daddy was.  Alisha tried to say that Dad was sick (which was kind of true) and wondered what she would tell the children when they came home and daddy was there.

*****

Alisha went off to her work as associate manager at Kohl’s Department Store.  

Nate got up about 11:00 a.m. and putzed around the house and yard for a couple of hours.  He mowed the lawn and even edged along the driveway and sidewalk.  He put the grass clippings in the compost.  About 12:30, Alisha called him to see how he was doing and he told her about mowing.  

After their school, Josh and Talin went to an afterschool program at KidsKorrel.  They did that on days where Alisha had to work later.  Generally, Nate stopped and picked Josh and Talin up on his way home from the train - about 6:00.  Alisha called Nate about 3:30 and left a message reminding Nate to pick up the kids.  

About 6:45, Martina from KidsKorrel called Alisha.  Nate hadn’t picked up the kids - could she come and get them so her staff could go home.  Alisha thought it was unusual for Nate not to get the kids, but maybe with his new situation, he got busy and forgot to go.  Excusing herself from Kohl’s, she called Janine, her next door neighbor and asked if she could watch Josh and Talin for a while. She also called Nate, and again she left a message to call her about the kids.  She was wondering where he was and what he was doing if he couldn’t pick up the phone.  

She picked up the kids and drove them to Janine’s house.  She noticed that Nate’s car was not in the driveway.  Again, she wondered where he might have gone.  On the drive back to Kohl’s, she met Nate’s car at the red light at 49th street and Bucknell Road.  She honked and waved at Nate.  He finally saw her.  She rolled down her window and yelled “The kids are at Janines - can you get them?” 

And, then she realized what was going on.  Nate seemed to be drunk again.  “Go home and get the kids” she yelled as she zipped through the intersection when the light turned yellow.  

Back at work, she called again - and left a message again. She was thinking “What is going on?”  

At 8:00, Janine called her.  “Hey Alisha, when is Nate going to pick up the kids?”.  

Alisha didn’t have a good answer, although she tried to cover up.  

At 9:30, after closing the store (and calling Nate four more times and leaving four more messages), she went home.  Nate’s car was in the driveway.  Hurray!!!

She parked in the driveway and went in.  The television was on - some kind of sports talk show and Nate was asleep on the sofa.  Alisha nudged him awake and asked if he had gotten the children.  That woke him up.

Nate answered “No, where are they?  Are they still at the daycare place?  

He hopped up and grabbed his keys before Alisha got in his way and with some anger boiling over inside her yelled “They are next door at Janine’s house.  You always pick them up on Tuesdays!!  What’s going on with you?” Again, she could smell alcohol on his breath. 

She rushed out and hustled to Janine’s door.  Janine answered and asked “What’s going on?  Why didn’t Nate pick up the kids?”.  

Alisha was so mad at Nate, she blurted out “He got fired yesterday and got drunk yesterday AND today.  I am so MAD at him”!!!  

Janine showed her in and Alisha gently woke up Josh and Talin.  She could carry Talin, but Josh was too heavy for her.  So, Alisha and Josh (and a very sleeping Talin) said goodbye to Janine and walked back across the grass between the houses and into their house.  She got the two of them in bed and returned to the family room where Nate was now asleep with the sports talk program almost at full volume.  

Alisha shook Nate fairly hard to get him awake. “What are you doing?” she demanded, her voice about 50% louder than normal.. “You didn’t answer my calls, you didn’t pick up the kids, you are drunk again?  What is going on!!”  

Nate, kind of in a stupor said “I got fired”.  

If anything his answer only irritated Alisha more.  “Yes, that was yesterday.  Today is another day - you always pick up the kids on Tuesday since I work late.  Why are you doing this?  What’s wrong with you?” her voice was almost a scream now.

Still in a stupor, Nate answered “I got fired”.

Alisha was really upset now.  “Listen, Nate.  In the average year many people get fired.  This year is even worse as we have the crazy pandemic and lots of people are getting laid off and fired.  You can’t take it personally.”

Again, all Nate could answer was “I got fired”, with his head down so he didn’t have to look Alisha in the eye!!!

Alisha went off to bed - but she was so angry, she couldn’t sleep!!  Nate seemed like a totally different person.

*****

Wednesday was a better day.  Alisha got the kids ready for school, and they met up with Mike and Samantha from next door and walked the six blocks to school.  Then she made a pot of strong coffee and woke up Nate, who had slept on the sofa again.

“Okay”, Alisha said, facing him at the breakfast table.  “What is going on?”

Nate gave his all-too-familiar answer “I was fired”.  

Alisha said in a harsh tone, “I know that.  Did they give you some severance pay?  Are they paying your insurance?  Were you really fired or just laid off because of the pandemic?”

Nate thought for a minute and in what seems to be almost rational, he answered.  “Yes, I guess I was laid off.  The firm hasn’t had much business with the pandemic.  They laid off Timor and Denise as well.  I think they are paying us for three months, and I think they are paying our insurance for three months.”

Alisha’s tone took a more agreeable tone.  “That’s good.”  She paused.  “And, what are you going to do about that?”

Nate looked like a deer in the headlights.  “Do about what?” he asked?

Alisha said, with some urgency, “Yes, you know.  Instead of getting drunk every day, are you going to look for another job?  Are you going to take a part-time job?  Are you going to pick up the kids on the days I work late? My check does pay for the mortgage, but not much more.  We’ll get by for three months if Sanderson, Johnson, Jones, and Diaz keep paying you.  But there is no bet about this pandemic being over soon.  Are you going to stop drinking?  Are you going to be a dad again to Josh and Talin?”

“STOP WITH THE QUESTIONS,” said Nate firmly.  “I don’t know.  I don’t know the answers, I barely know the questions. I don’t think there is much call for any kind of lawyer these days.  You can’t sue a pandemic for shutting things down!!!” 

Nate’s shouting cut deep into Alisha.  She turned and walked away and down the driveway and kept going.  She didn’t want to fight with Nate, but she needed some space and some time to think.  Alisha reached the corner and looked back.  Nate was getting into his car and backing up.  He was probably going to follow her.  She didn’t want to face him again, so soon.  She went the way she didn’t think he would follow - down the dead-end street, and got behind the shrubs and down on the ground.  She heard him coming down the street and figured he would go to the right out to the main thoroughfare in their neighborhood.  She waited another minute - then still went down the dead-end street.  There was a gap in the fence and she squeezed through and out to the alley on the neighboring street.  He wouldn’t look for her here.  She knew there was a small park a few blocks away.  Then she realized she didn’t have her purse or her cell phone.  Did she dare go home to get those items? 

*****

To be continued!!

*****

As we have been looking at mental illness this week, this looks like a natural situation.  Getting fired put Nate over the edge, and drinking heavily when you are upset can really put you into a depression spin.  If Nate didn’t stop soon he would jeopardize their marriage. 

In my normal, Pollyanna fashion, I’d suggest that Alisha start to pray and that Nate would also start to pray.  But, in this case, I’m assuming neither one is a person of faith.  

Will Nate stop, come to his senses before he wrecks their marriage?  Will Alisha be able to get Nate to consider his ‘duties’ to his family and to her?  Will alcohol come between them?  Will depression, anger, and mental issues get the best of Nate?

*****

I do say “Love wins” - but that love can’t be in a vacuum.  Forgiveness has to be a two-way street.

So, come back next Saturday for the conclusion of “Nate loses his job!!!”

Karen