The sun was finally trying to break through the gloom of the day and the sidewalks were drying up. Marques decided he would walk from this point back to his apartment as he knew there were a couple diners, restaurants, and even a bookstore in this two mile stretch from Liam's apartment. In all, he made seven stops, but he ended up at his apartment with not even an application to show for it. It seemed everyone was not hiring, or even cutting workers as the summer was winding down and the traffic to their establishments would be slowing down.
Marques tossed his jacket on a hook on the wall by his door and made his way to his refrigerator. He took out the last soda he had and opened it up. Making his way to the living room, he plopped into his favorite chair, an ugly blue recliner. It was worn out and dirt looking, but it was comfortable. Marques even spent many a night sleeping in it when he was too restless to sleep in his bed. He just sat there staring out the window that overlooked the skyline of the city before him. He slowly sipped at the soda wondering how he was going to get out of this mess.
Rent was due in two weeks, he was running out of food, and he only had $35 left in his wallet after he paid to restock Liam's refrigerator with food earlier in the day. One by one his mind worked through his options and one by one they were tossed away. He had come to his last possible choice, well, the last choice other than being homeless. He would reach out to his parents to see if he could stay with them until he could get his feet under him again.
Marques loved his parents and knew they would be happy to help him out, but the fact was he was twenty-five and had nothing in his life to show for it. He had no direction, no skills that could help him find work, and no real goal or purpose in his life at this point. He reluctantly pulls the phone from his pocket and starts to put in his parent's number when the phone rings. Liam's name lights up in the phone's display. Marques smiles, happy to see his friend has awaken.
"Hey, Liam. Welcome back to the world of the living," he says as he answers. The voice on the other end comes back with,
"How short are you on rent this month?" Marques is taken off guard by this greeting and sits silent for a moment.
"Ahh, what kind of question is that to ask a guy?" Marques is a bit perplexed as to why Liam would call and ask such a thing. Perhaps a "Thanks for cleaning up," or "Thanks for the food," but where was this coming from.
Then an empty spot hits his gut. Marques springs from his chair and moves to his jacket. He reaches into his pocket..nothing, the other pocket...nothing. It is gone. The termination note is not there. It must have fallen out at Liam's apartment.
"Damn...you know." is all Marques can come back with at this point.