The Lonesome Buffalo (part 1)

December didn’t go well. There’s something about the grays and browns of winter that make cold loneliness come out in full color. Christmas was bought with illegal means and the gifts had no more value than the torn paper that had covered them. I never liked Christmas holidays anyway. It was just a time to drink and dream about how good things would be next spring.

Mid January found me looking through the newspaper for a job. The listing asked for eight men and eight women willing to travel, in an exciting and dynamic career opportunity. I filled out my application at the Holiday Inn. The Interview took place in room 116, around the corner on the back side. A beautiful young woman in her early twenties greeted me at the door. She asked me to have a seat. She told me her name, but it didn’t stick. She asked questions that were easily answered with a yes or no.

The smell of the room caught my attention. It had a warm inviting aroma, sort of like sitting in a peach orchard on a summer afternoon. Then there was this fairy tale princess sitting across from me. The black heels on her feet were made of smooth, supple leather, simple but elegant. The silk stockings that covered her legs were like transparent curtains, draping perfection. I was trapped, cornered and had no desire to escape. She asked, “Are you free to travel?’

We drove into Longview, Texas a couple of hours before sunset. The motel we stayed at was right off the interstate, in an industrial part of town. From the second floor, overlooking the parking lot, you could see the LoneStar Brewery. I shared a room with Gerard Lopez, Skip and a guy everyone referred to as Buster.

The previous week had been spent training with Gerard. Gerard was a top notch salesman. While out canvassing prospects, Gerard would wear his arm in a sling and walk with a limp. Gerard would explain that he had been hurt in a football accident and had to take a break from college. He was working to pay his next years tuition since he wouldn’t be on scholarship. Every morning he read the sports section in the newspaper. He knew everything there was to know about Texas football and would engage potential customers on the subject often. He had never really attended any college unless you count reform school. The scheme worked. Gerard could sell E-Z CLEAN concentrated non-ionic biodegradable cleaner to people that didn’t even have anything to clean, much less the $20 it cost. During the lean times, he’d use his arm sling to shoplift.

I didn’t have an affliction worked out , but I was starting to get hungry. We received $7.00a day plus a commission on our sales. It cost $1.50 to do your laundry, $2.00 for a pack of smokes, and that left $3.50 for breakfast. To survive, you had to sell, steal, or starve. My first day out solo, I sold one bottle of E-Z CLEAN. I made a $3.00 commission, but that went against the previous weeks draw. That night, I made a pledge that I would sell $200 worth of product the next day.

You Might Also Like:

• The Lonesome Buffalo (part 3)