A Good man

A Good man

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Tom Palance sat on the park bench trying to not feel sorry for his self. Christ they
said that bad luck always traveled in threes but now he was starting to believe it. First
he’d walked out on his wife, he loved her but he just couldn’t take her anymore. Good god
after nearly dying to have her say so? What the fuck! To have her say that she didn’t love him,
in no way at all? That she didn’t need him? Why not leave?


Thank god the kids were all grown, here she had told him that he was going to end up
old and alone and here it looked like it was going to be her. Then while staying with his brother
a few days, had dented the front hood of his sister in law’s car, that he had been using (good
thing his brother was a mechanic) to go back and forth to work. He had been trying to help out
doing dishes, cleaning. (he didn’t like to be a burden) Hell he had even fixed his brother’s
lawn mower and cut his front yard.


Then a few days later, got scammed at work for $60 and the company (Kruger not actual
name) had just terminated him. They didn’t allow him to pay it back, he guessed they just
wanted to get rid of him. Sighing he hung his head, he had never felt so alone in his life,
his mother offered him a room at her place. His sister offered to help him get a vehicle, as
did his brother. What the fuck did god or the universe want of him?


So now that the bad 3’s were over, he had to decide what to do. Alright Tom, he
thought, time to get your ass up and get a move on. Standing he started walking out of the
park about to walk out the gate he saw something shining in the grass. Huh, he thought, maybe
this will start his good luck up again. Bending to pick it up, a frisbee whizzed where his head
had been, shocked for a second Tom picked up what appeared to be a small gold horn. Huh, he
thought, just what I need worthless jewelry, sighing he was about to throw it away when there
in front of him was a hundred dollars! Damn! he thought just what I need.


Walking back to his little room in the hotel, he paid the hundred for another week.
Now I just need food, walking out again to see if his neighbors had any, he was shocked to
find the woman in the room next door about to knock on his.
“Hello Anna, you need help?” he said looking hungrily at the food she was carrying.
“Yes, actually I do,” she said to Tom, her sweet voice flowing over him, sending waves of
pleasure that seemed to go straight to his soul, “I was making dinner for me and John and
realised that I had way too much, John said that you were such a good friend that I should
see if you wanted it. It would just go bad if I put it in the fridge.”


Tom’s mouth hung open, what the fuck was going on? again? Smiling to his self he
thought, damn sure would be nice if I had a woman like you.
Turning to go Anna stopped turning back she looked at him sweetly, ” by the way my twin
sister is coming down next week, you think uh…,” she hesitated, “you could maybe show
her around and show her the sights? I know you’re still looking for work and after what
your wife did to you, you’re gun shy around women, but please?”
Sighing he shook his head, Damnit! he was always a sucker for a pretty face.
“I don’t know,” he started, “I’m not ready… please Anna don’t play match maker.”


Looking at Tom with mock shock, she quickly got serious, “Tom it’s been a month
now, you have to get out meet new ladies, you’re going to go nuts if you keep sitting
here.”
“I’m happy ok? I don’t want another woman, I still love my wife even if she no longer wants,
needs or loves me ok? I can’t just…,” though a proud man he was not ashamed to cry in
front of Anna sitting he tried to hold the tears back but it was too much. Hiding
his face he sobbed into his hands, through the tears he told Anna, “please Anna I..I..
just don’t play match maker, ok?”
Anna backed away apologizing leaving the pot of food near him.


Drying his eyes he looked after Anna and hoped good things happemed to her and her
husband soon, they were good people and deserved it. An hour later John was shouting and
screaming that he had hit the lottery, 10 million dollars? Damn! About that time Tom
stopped short, the three or four times he had somewhat wished or desired it, it had happened.
It all seemed to start about the time he was leaving the park. Sitting back down he looked
at his clothes saying, “I want new clothes now!” His clothes shimmered and were new that
quickly. Hmmm he thought I have to be specific in what ever I want.



Alright since I can do these things, maybe I can do more maybe? Thinking of his
wife he was suddenly there. Nice! he thought, opening the front door he heard cursing.
About that time she walked out, “what are you doing here you useless fucker, I thought I
told you that unless you got a job not to come back here!” almost screaming she moved
swiftly, she advanced on him.