Green's Thumb (Men of Retail)

  GREEN’S THUMB

  ..................

  Alexander Elliott

  4TH AVE PRESS

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Dedication

  CHAPTER ONE - Mitch

  CHAPTER TWO – Karl

  CHAPTER THREE – Mitch

  CHAPTER FOUR – Karl

  CHAPTER FIVE – Mitch

  CHAPTER SIX – Karl

  CHAPTER SEVEN – Mitch

  CHAPTER EIGHT – Karl

  CHAPTER NINE – Mitch

  CHAPTER TEN – Karl

  EPILOGUE – Mitch

  About the Author

  Other Titles by Alexander Elliott

  Green’s Thumb

  First Edition

  Copyright © 2016 by Alexander Elliott

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Notice: Recommended for readers 18+. This book contains adult themes and sexuality, including M/M romance, and is suitable for mature readers only!

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A great deal of time, creativity and effort has been invested into crafting an enjoyable reading experience. Please respect the author’s right to earn a living from his work.

  All rights reserved. Purchase of this e-book allows one legal copy for your own personal computer, reader, or device. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author. This includes any means whether electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system. UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS COPYRIGHTED WORK IS ILLEGAL AND SUBJECT TO PUNISHMENT BY LAW.

  Reviewers or bloggers may quote brief passages of 200 words or less without permission. For permissions and other inquiries, contact Alexander Elliott at aelliottbooks@gmail.com

  Cover Design by Marianne Nowicki, www.premadeebookcovershop.com

  DEDICATION

  ..................

  To all of those still waiting for love. Live your life, be happy, and hold on to hope.

  CHAPTER ONE - MITCH

  ..................

  “SERIOUSLY, DAD, YOU HAVE GOT to get out of the house once in a while. You’re never going to meet anybody just going to work and sitting at home.” Lisa was right, as usual, and I appreciated her concern, but with a very limited budget and even less time, it was difficult coming up with ideas. We had just finished our usual Wednesday night dinner at my apartment, and Lisa was freely dishing out the advice before she headed home to her family. I saw her to the door, where I got my usual rib-cracking hug, and sent her on her way with some leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Her husband, Robb, was brave enough to watch their four year old twins by himself so she and I could continue our well-established weekly dinners. Without a scheduled time, a whole month might pass without contact, and neither of us wanted that to happen.

  Her older brother, Grant, often joined me for a run at the nature preserve near his home, so we connected on a regular basis too. When he and Katie needed a date night, I usually watched Alyssa for them, who was now six. She would dig out all the ingredients for hot fudge sundaes, and afterwards we would watch a movie. She rarely lasted through the entire thing, usually falling asleep with her head in my lap. I always kept a book nearby and would read until her parents came to pick her up.

  I was fortunate my children lived in town, and we were so close. There was a time, when I came out to them after the divorce, I was afraid of losing them both. My ex-wife created a toxic environment in our home, and it was all I could do to counter her influence and hold things together. I loved my children dearly, and made sure they knew it, but I feared their rejection when I told them I was gay. Though they were surprised, they both accepted me without reservation, as did their future spouses, saying they just wanted me to be happy. I dated a little bit over the last decade, but never managed to find anyone with staying power. I had pretty much resigned myself to being single, and tried not to dwell on it too much.

  My life revolved around work, home, and running errands - hence the free relationship advice from my daughter. My job at Green’s Thumb didn’t pay very much, which left me with few options for a social life. Everything I was interested in doing had a cost attached which I could not afford, even if it was just the extra gas driving back and forth. Hoping to meet someone at work was not going to happen either. The store owner, Roger Green, had as much use for a homosexual as he did a third arm. If he even suspected I was gay, I would find myself unemployed so fast it would set a speed record. That only left internet dating, which after a very brief and discouraging attempt on my part, was carefully placed in the trash can of bad ideas. At 53, I was no longer a young man, though I was still in good shape. My looks were nothing special, and I was shorter than average, with plain brown hair and eyes. The truth is, no one was lined up at my door to ask me out, and I was just going to have to take my chances Mr. Right, if he existed at all, would stumble across my path some other way. Meanwhile, I had life to live.

  After Lisa left, I grabbed my grocery list and headed for the store. It was only two miles from the apartment complex, and the most direct route took me down a narrow two-lane road which passed one of the local parks. As I got closer, I could see traffic was backed up a little at the park entrance. As I waited, I noticed the sign had been altered to include a new bark park for dogs. I remembered reading about it being approved several months ago, though I hadn’t paid much attention. I loved dogs, but my apartments didn’t allow them, and I couldn’t have afforded a pet anyway.

  On my way home from the store, I approached the park entrance again and decided to pull in and check out the changes they made. The groceries would keep for a few extra minutes, and I had nothing pressing to do at home. The new pet area was located near the center of the main park, in a formerly unused space which was home to numerous large trees. I locked the car and walked over to the chain link fence to get a closer look. Since it was close to sundown, there were very few pet owners using the facility.

  It was divided into two distinct areas, one for smaller dogs only, and the other for larger breeds. Each entry point included a double gate system to prevent animals from running loose in the main park. There were comfortable looking benches strategically placed in the shade, and a watering station off to one side. The dogs enjoyed plenty of green space to run, and there were numerous covered cans for waste. It looked like a great addition to the neighborhood, and a place I would have used if I had a dog of my own.

  I did a little bit of thinking on the way back home, and by the time I shut off the car I decided to take Lisa’s advice and visit the bark park when it was busier. I could get my dog fix and maybe meet some nice folks while I was at it. It was certainly worth a try, and even better, it was free and close to home. I usually got off work about 3:30, so I decided to eat an early dinner tomorrow and then check it out. There was nothing to lose, and at the very least it would get me out of the apartment and into the fresh air for a while.

  The next day at work was fairly typical; in at 7 a.m. to place orders and prep the sales floor before we opened at 8:00. My main responsibility was to advise customers on the best types of plants for their yard or garden, as well as upsell all the related equipment and tools which went along with their purchases. I enjoyed the relationships I built over the years with our regular customers, and found pleasure in seeing things grow. When I was a homeowner it was a real showplace, and I loved spending time making it beautiful and productive. Shortly after she moved out, my soon-to-be ex, Bonnie
, returned to the house in the middle of the night and sprayed the entire yard with industrial strength vegetation killer. She did it, I’m sure, just to hurt me. She succeeded.

  Though Green’s Thumb did not pay well, it provided some peace of mind for my post-divorce life. My choices were very limited at the time, thanks to Bonnie, so I ended up living a simple, quiet existence which suited me, though there were obvious downsides to living hand-to-mouth. Lately, I had been thinking more seriously of finding something different with better pay. So far, there were no enlightening ideas, but you could say I was open to new possibilities.

  Since it was early Spring, the store was flooded with eager guests, looking for something special for their yard or garden. The other part time clerks would always bring me customers with the more complicated questions, and we worked well together as a team. By mid-morning, one of my favorite regulars stopped in to chat and look over the new inventory. Suzanne Bennet was president of the East Side Garden Club, and we had known each other for years. Her flower garden was absolutely stunning, and I was proud to have had a large part in helping her create it.

  As we conversed, I noticed my boss finally emerged from his office. Roger Green had recently taken over Green’s Thumb when his father retired. The man knew absolutely nothing about running a successful business, and even less about managing people. I knew more about the store than anyone, but in his mind I was just an employee who simply needed to do what I was told and not ask questions. As was his usual custom, he was listening in on our conversation while attempting to “hide” behind a stack of plastic flower pots. Fortunately, Suzanne was facing the other direction and did not know he was there.

  “So the April meeting is going to be on the 17th at my home, and we are all looking forward to having you as guest speaker. As soon as people found out, we were flooded with reservations. We had such a good time last year, and I can’t wait to see what you have cooked up for us this time around!” It was good to hear the club enjoyed my last presentation, and I was looking forward to interacting with other passionate gardeners. “Well, I can’t wait to be there, Suzanne, but you are not going to weasel any details out of me, so you can quit trying.” We laughed together, just as Roger moved from his hiding spot and approached us with a scowl on his face. “I’m sure there is plenty for you to do this morning, Mitch. Your personal life can be attended to outside of work hours.” With a nasty glare, he walked away to torture some other poor soul, and I flushed with embarrassment and anger.

  When Suzanne demanded to know who that rude man was, I explained he was the new store owner. “Don’t you worry, Mitch, I’m going to set him straight right now. I’ll see you on the 17th if not before.” She turned on her heel and went in search of my boss. I found out later from Grace, one of our part time clerks, she cornered him over by the fertilizer and raked him over the coals. He was told in no uncertain terms he was rude, lacked any sort of social skills, and was in danger of losing a large group of customers if this was the way he was going to run his store and treat his employees. She demanded an apology, and went on to tell him he did not deserve an upstanding employee such as myself. After promising to keep her eye on him in the future, she walked out of the door with her head held high. Roger, red faced and sweating like a racehorse, stormed into his office, slammed the door, and had not been seen since. While Grace and I both appreciated Suzanne’s attempt to correct his behavior, we both feared things were only going to get worse. Fortunately, the rest of the day proceeded without incident, and my mind was occupied with thoughts of visiting the bark park after work. The weather was perfect, and I was eager to enjoy some canine company for a change.

  CHAPTER TWO – KARL

  ..................

  THURSDAY STARTED OFF THE USUAL way, feeding the dogs and then taking them for a walk around the block, poopy bags in hand. They got more excited as we neared the house, with Nike, my chocolate lab, trying to pull me along faster than I wanted to go. He was impatient to get inside for his post-walk treat, and no amount of correction on my part was going to slow him down. I made the attempt anyway with a sharp “No!”, which only caused poor Blaze, my timid greyhound, to cower at the end of her leash. She was a rescue dog, and didn’t react well to angry voices, thunder, or crowds of people. I gave her a reassuring pat on the head and continued up the sidewalk towards home. Once inside, I gave them each a small treat from the jar by the door and let them out into the back yard.

  I made myself an omelet for breakfast and slipped into the shower to get cleaned up. As I trimmed up my Van Dyke, I noticed a bit more gray in my curly black hair. I worked hard to eat properly and take care of my body, but unless I was willing to color my hair I would have to accept the evidence of my 56 years. The freckles and blue eyes remained the same, and overall I was comfortable with my face and body. At the present time, there was no one paying it much attention, but it was still important to me not to let myself go.

  Working from home meant I could dress comfortably, and I slipped on my favorite pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt. I let the dogs in and they joined me in the office, as was their routine, curling up on the big cushions under the window. There were three bedrooms in the house, but I converted the smallest one into a functional office. It was nice to be able to keep my personal living area separate from my work space, and it helped me to remain focused on the tasks for the day. As the computer booted up I glanced at the framed photo on the edge of my desk. Doug and I were huddled close together in our heavy parkas, smiling for the camera on our first and only cruise to Alaska. After we returned home, Doug was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died in my arms less than a year later, and I spent the last eight alone, and often lonely. The hope was always there I would meet someone new, but the chances seemed slim.

  My career in nursing had taken many turns over the years, but after Doug’s death I decided to change it up and try something else. I still worked one day a week in the ER at Community Hospital to keep my skills up to date and my options open, but nowadays I was primarily employed by Affinity Medical Coding. They snapped me up when I applied, and I was now one of their most experienced and long term employees. With my nursing background, I was often given the more difficult cases and frequently took on special projects. If things went as planned, I would be able to finish up an audit review I had been working on for the last three weeks.

  My inbox contained no new assignments, but there was a message from Mindy, my boss. I groaned as I read about a company seminar coming up in about two weeks. It would require a three hour drive and an overnight stay, but it was compulsory if I wanted to keep my job. The only bright point was Mindy would also be there, and I hadn’t seen her for almost two years. We kept in touch via phone, email and skype, but rarely in person. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and I loved working for her. I acknowledged the message and asked her to send me the details.

  The morning passed quickly, and I was able to finish up the special project I had been working on and forward it to Mindy for approval. She promised to send me something new tomorrow, and encouraged me to take the rest of the day off. I let the dogs out, and then threw together a batch of chicken vegetable soup for lunch. Once the kitchen was cleaned up, I got the dogs settled and went for a run. It was a clear Spring day, and I enjoyed the fresh cool air as I took my usual circuit through the neighborhood. So many of the homes I passed featured beautiful flowers and manicured lawns which put my place to shame. I was lucky to get the grass to grow, since I never met a plant I couldn’t kill. My neighbors politely attempted to give me some advice, but anything green was simply out of my league, and they gave up trying to change me.

  Before I could jump in the shower, I got a call from the nursing home. They assured me my mother was doing just fine, but could I bring her another robe and some underclothes the next time I came to visit. I told them I would be there on Saturday and would provide whatever she needed. I shook my head in frustration, since so many of her things mysteriously disappea
red, only to show up on someone else a week later. Some of the residents, so I was told, liked to help themselves to whatever they could get ahold of, while the laundry personnel were apparently quite careless when they sorted clothes. Either way, I was stuck with the repeated expense and hassle of shopping for the same items many times over. I would have to have another talk with the Director, who I suspected, had more important things to think about.

  By the time I got cleaned up, it was time to take the dogs to the park. Not only was it fun for them, but it got me out of the house for a little social interaction. There were always new people, but I often ran into the same folks who kept a regular schedule, and we got caught up while the dogs played. Though Blaze didn’t enjoy her first few trips, she was much better now at socializing with the other dogs and owners. She still shied away from strangers, but no longer stayed glued to my side. I slipped on their harnesses and got them hooked into the belts in the backseat before starting the car. Blaze sat still, looking calmly out the window, while Nike made repeated attempts to wiggle free and into the front seat. In the end he settled for putting fresh nose prints on the glass.

  The park wasn’t far from my home, and the new bark park was a welcome addition. I got their leashes attached, locked up the car, and led the dogs to the double entrance gates. Once we were inside the second gate, I unclipped their leashes and went to find a place to sit down. As usual, Blaze led Nike on a full out run around the enclosure. She was amazingly fast, and it wasn’t uncommon for several of the other dogs to join in the mindless race to nowhere. Once she got it out of her system, Blaze would usually come sit next to me for a few minutes until she cooled down. Meanwhile, Nike was meandering all over the place, taking in the new scents and generally being a nuisance. He produced more energy than a nuclear power plant, and wasn’t afraid to use it.