A Day In The Life Of Men Folk Work

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He purchased a three dollar scratch-off ticket at the Circle K with his tall generic coffee loaded with sugar and cream. The black late 30 something cashier had dollars on her chest to signify it was her birthday. He gave her a dollar after he asked her to drop it like it's hot. We walked to the van and jumped in.

As we waited for the team lead, he began scratching with a brown smooth rock he found while scavenging at the previous worksite. His head was leaned into the card and his focus was intent as if he were six years old in an art class trying to color as hard as he could between the lines. He asked me if I played the lotto. I told him I didn't. I added that gambling was one of my addictions I let go of thirty years ago. He continued scratching. I looked about the parking lot for the lead driver. He was on his way back with several bags and two scratch-offs.

The gas tank was filling very slowly. The driver opens the door and announces that he found something better than good... Bravarian Pretzels. I asked the driver if he were a bread baby. He excitedly said yes he was and began the tear off pieces of the pretzel and happily began to munch away. He placed the lotto tickets, 10 dollars each, next to his seat near his bag filled with other goodies. He opens a bag of roast pumpkin seeds and scoops out a handful. He said to himself ummm pumpkin seeds.

The other guy says he won five dollars. In my mind he won three dollars. He paid five for the ticket. But, he claimed he won five dollars. The gas pump suddenly clicks and the driver hops out to complete the transaction and collect the receipt for submission of paperwork later. He hops in and twists open a 5 hour energy drink. The other crew member asks us to listen to the saddest song I had ever heard for it to be so early in the morning driving off to a construction site with two middle aged white guys but younger than me. He pulled it up on youtube and ran it through the aux speaker. I teared up for all hard knock life white guys 43-45.

I cracked open my water and ate some fruit snacks. Off we went to repair silt fence and sweep streets and clean out traps that blocked the gutters.


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