Letting Go

“Roy? Are you still awake?” John Gage softly called out to his partner as he sat in the dark. He was met with silence and cursed under his breath.

“ROY,” he said much louder this time and was rewarded for his effort.

“I hear you, Johnny and yes, I’m awake,” Roy replied evenly.

Johnny rolled his eyes. “Well, you should’ve answered me then. Don’t scare me like that,” he scolded.

Roy immediately felt guilty for his actions. “Sorry, Johnny,” he apologized. “I was just thinking about things.”

Johnny was never one to stay angry for long and this was no exception. “What things?”

Roy didn’t want to admit to his friend what he was thinking about. He didn’t want to think about it much less talk about it but he knew Johnny wouldn’t let it go unless he told him.

“Joanne and the kids,” he admitted finally.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Roy,” Johnny pleaded into the darkness.

“Well, then what would you like me to think about?” he said angrily. He was angry at the situation and it didn’t appear that it would be changing anytime soon. And well he was a little mad at his partner but he was angrier with himself

“Uh, I don’t know. Um, try focusing,” Johnny started but was quickly cut off.

“Would you two shut up?” an irate voice hollered.

“Jeez,” Gage muttered quietly but it didn’t stop him from talking again. “It’ll be okay Roy. I don’t think Joanne will be too upset.”

Roy snorted at his friend’s comment. Johnny didn’t know the half of it. Joanne was going to be furious!

“Think again, Junior,” he replied. “She’ll probably leave me for sure after this.”

“Ah, come on, Roy, you can’t be serious. Jo’s a sensible woman.”

“That’s right,’ Roy cut in, “she is sensible and that is precisely why she will take exception to this very insensible situation.”

“Well, she knew you were doing it,” Johnny countered defensively.

“True,” Roy admitted. “But I told her it would only be 1 day and 1 night. At least that’s what some friend told me. We’ve already missed one shift.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know that anyone could last this long?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t think it would be this long either,” Roy said honestly. Roy grew silent while he pondered his situation. Johnny mad at him versus Joanne mad at him. It didn’t take him long to decide.

“Johnny,” he whispered, “I’m letting go. I can’t do this anymore.”

“No!”

“I’m sorry, Johnny. I have too,” Roy said as he glanced at his partner. He didn’t want to do it but he felt he had no other choice. He just couldn’t go on like this anymore. It had been almost 4 days and there was no relief in sight.

Roy looked away. He couldn’t bear to see Johnny’s eyes pleading with him.

“I’m sorry, Johnny. Don’t hate me,” Roy pleaded as he let go. Johnny scowled at his partner’s back.

A voice called out in the darkness; “We have a winner!”

Roy stood and stretched his long legs. He walked over to Johnny and extended his hand. Johnny just stared at him for a minute and then finally let a sigh and grabbed his friend’s hand. Roy pulled Johnny to his feet.

“Let’s go home, Junior,” Roy said to his friend. Johnny nodded.

“We could have won, Roy,” he stated.

Roy nodded his agreement. “Yes, but at what cost. We have to be at work tomorrow. We don’t show up and we could lose our jobs. We already took last shift off and I would like to see my family before I have to go to work again.”

Johnny cast one last glance over his shoulder. It was dark but he could still see the shiny new Mustang on the far side of the parking lot. Man, he thought, I would’ve loved to have that car. He saw the husband pick up the wife and spin her around. Two people crazier than me, he thought. He hadn’t thought the woman had it in her. And he really couldn’t blame Roy. He knew Roy had given it his best shot but the man did have a family to think about. And truth be told, Johnny was getting pretty tired of keeping one hand on that car at all times. It was a great way of gaining publicity for the car dealership and someone got to take home a brand new Mustang. Johnny was just sorry that it wasn’t him. He shrugged his shoulders and fell back in step with Roy. The Rover is still in great shape, he thought with a smile.

“Hey Roy, you think Joanne would make us some breakfast, I’m starved,” Johnny questioned.

Roy smiled. “I think you’d be pushing your luck on that one, Junior,” he replied. He was relieved to know that Johnny wasn’t mad at him and had already gotten over the idea of losing the car. But he knew he’d be hearing about it for quite some time. Now, he just hoped that Joanne would be forgiving as well.

Stories by Terribv Guest Dispatchers