The wind howled against the car, screaming, screeching. It had wrecked havoc on the parking lot throwing papers and objects all around and it showed no signs of slowing down. It was the only sound in the car they heard as the radio in Wades car had died long ago. The heater had gone long before that so they sat, silent, in a cold car as the wind roared outside. 'Where the fuck is this guy?' Wade asked. 'You said he would meet us here at 9:00, and it's almost ten. I'm not waiting here all fucking night.' 'It's ok, he'll be here. You know he has a different conception of time than most people.'Alex replied. What the fuck does that mean? Wade thought as he sat in the cold car. It was around 20 degrees outside, with the windchill making it feel into the negative numbers. I don't have all fucking night, Wade thought. Certainly not for bullshit like this. 'Well can you call him at least, figure out whats going on?' 'Nah, I would, but thing is the guy doesn't have a phone. He's totally off the grid like that.' 'So how do you get in touch with him?' 'I just call this guy, who knows him.' Yeah, because that makes perfect sense. Wade thought.
Apparently, this 'Nails', could be trusted because he had been a friend of Alex's father. Alex's father had died when Alex was in high school. They had known each other for most of their lives, and Wade had mainly remembered Alex's father, Ray, for being drunk all the time, and possibly abusive. Alex hadn't had a good word to say about the time before his untimely demise, but after he couldn't stop praising him. How he had taught him to be tough, and had gotten him through so many hard times. So he had asked another relative of his to arrange the meeting. It wasn't entirely Alex's fault that he was so irritated now, Wade knew. He had felt that way all day, from the moment he woken up to go to work, to the moment he left the jobsite. Normally he had a couple bowls in the morning to get going, but they had cleaned him out. He had a small amount of his head stash left, but after that it was only resin. So he had gone without, and the day hadn't gone well. He had snapped at everyone on his crew, for minor things. And fired a new guy from being 10 minutes late. it had happened with him a couple times before, but in retrospect he might have overreacted.
The truth was, even though they had been cleaned out Wade still had a considerable amount saved. He had been saving for 15 years, since he had started dealing. Just a little bit each week, but over time it had added up. He knew if Alex somehow found out about it, he would try to talk him into 'Investing in something, grow lights, or some large amount of pot, and he would double his money. In days. But some complication would arise, something weird would happen and he wouldn't get all he put in back. Alex was great a moving bud but sometimes too trusting, so eager for more customers that he forgot discretion. I'm not sitting here much longer, he thought. Then he remembered, the joint he had in his pocket. He had rolled it in the morning, from what he had left and put it in a cigarette case in the recesses of his pocket. 'Fuck it.' He thought to himself and pulled out the case he had stored it in, he pulled out he joint and lit it up. The first few hits allowing him to feel ok for the first time all day. The tension cut in half in a few moments, and more a little bit.
Wade passed the joint to Alex, who seemed just as pleased. 'Don't worry, dudes gonna be here soon..' Alex trailed off. The wind started to pick up again as if on cue, but at least the tension had eased. 'Any chance yo guys got a hit left for an old man?' A voice said from the darkness. Wade turned around, and there he stood a wizened figure with a short gray beard and a leather jacket. 'Who the hell are you?' Alex asked. 'I'm your uncle Nails you bastard!' The old man shot forward and shook Alex's hand enthusiastically. 'Oh shit, we were wondering where you were.' Wade handed the joint over to Nails, who quickly took a couple of large pulls. 'What, you thought I wasn't going to show?' He asked Alex icily. 'No.' Alex replied. 'It's just we were waiting a little bit longer than you said so.. his voice trailed off. 'So you don't think I'm a man of my word? you think I just blow people off and not tell them why?' 'No it's just we thought you know we were wondering where you were.' Nails passed the joint back to Wade and stared at them in silence. 'Don't worry about it, I'm just fucking with you.' He said finally. 'Come on, step into my office I heard we have some business to discuss.'
They got out and Nails led them to his door, which was on the ground level. As they came in the first thing that struck wade was how surprisingly clean everything was. There were a few beer bottles on the nightstand and one of the pillows on the bed was slightly askew but otherwise everything was neat, well organized. There was a large T.V. in the middle of the room, as well as a small table next to the bed. Nails walked into the kitchen to the fridge, 'Either of you guys want a beer?' 'Sure.' He replied. Nails came out of the kitchen and handed him the cold bottle. Extra cold, he noticed. 'So Alex, how's your mother these days?' 'Pretty good.' Alex replied. They hadn't spoken in months in reality. 'So from what I understand you guys have been having some local trouble? Got ripped off by some people, and obviously being in the business you are in can't go to the police?' They both nodded. 'Obviously I can offer my services, however my services are not free, now out of respect for Alex's father I can offer something of a discount for you. 600 up front plus a quarter pound of your finest weed when it comes out.'
Wade said nothing but the look on his face betrayed his feelings. 'Look, it's no skin off my back if you do this deal or not, if anything if you don't its less work for me. Nails walked to kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge, 'It's just, that if certain, people on the street know that that can just roll up to you and take what theyy want without any repercussion, that could set a dangerous precedent.' 'No, its fine, I'd just want to be sure, you wouldn't stiff us.' Alex gave him a look of horror. 'Certainly not. I may live outside the law but I still consider myself an honorable man. A man of my word.' Wade took a long swig of his beer, this isn't going to end well, he thought. 'As soon as I get the cash my associates and I will get started.' 'I can meet you tomorrow morning.' 'Good.' This isn't going to end well, Wade thought.
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