Read Online Rooster by Don Trembath - Free Book Online

could all take a break,” said Mrs. Yuler, glancing at her watch. “Five minutes? Is that enough?”
    â€œI’ll let you know,” said Rooster. He slipped past her and quickly walked out of the office and toward the front doors. Mrs. Nixon went after him. She caught up with him outside near the front courtyard, where a few of the other Common House residents were enjoying the late sun on a warm spring day.
    â€œI’m glad to see you’re not turning this into an escape attempt,” she said, coming up beside him.
    He pulled long and hard on his cigarette and closed his eyes as he held the smoke in his lungs. “I cannot go back in there,” he said, after exhaling.
    â€œYou have to,” said Mrs. Nixon.
    â€œNo I don’t.”
    â€œYes you do.”
    He gulped before speaking again. “This isn’t about blowing off the interview anymore, if that’s what you’re thinking. Those people are going to kill me in there. They’re going to freakin’ kill me.”
    â€œOh, they are not.”
    â€œOh, they are too. God almighty. Cold pizza. Calling me a moron.”
    â€œYou’ve been called worse, I’m sure.”
    He shook his head. “Don’t you think it’s weird in there? It’s like we’re on some other planet. It’s like these people have taken over Common House and now they want to expand. They want me to help them expand and take over all of Winston.”
    â€œWhat did you think they were going to be like? Were you expecting a neat little docile group of people sitting in their chairs with knitted blankets pulled over their legs, begging you to take them bowling?”
    â€œThat would have been nice.”
    â€œIt would have been easy, you mean.”
    â€œEasy to what?”
    â€œEasy to brush them off. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? No emotional connections. No memories of any kind. Just in and out, real quick.”
    â€œYou think I’m emotionally connected with those people in there?”
    â€œDo you think you’re going to forget them any time soon?”
    â€œWith the help of a large amount of alcohol, I plan on forgetting them in about twenty minutes.”
    â€œFinish your cigarette and let’s go see what they have to say.”
    He took another drag. “I’m not going in there.”
    Mrs. Nixon remained adamant. “Listen, if they say they don’t want you as their team leader, I’ll tell Mrs. Helmsley that you tried your best. It just didn’t work out. If you refuse to go back, I’ll have to tell her you quit. Which would you rather live with?”
    â€œAnd if they say yes to having me as their team leader? An offer that I’ve never actually extended, by the way.”
    Mrs. Nixon smiled encouragingly. “I think you’re up to the challenge, Rooster. I really do. I think it would be good for everyone if you took them on. You just have to spend some time getting to know them.”
    â€œSeriously?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œYou think I could actually take these guys bowling and change their lives, or whatever Helmsley wants me to do?”
    â€œI think you can, yes. I really do.”
    He smiled back at her. “Okay. Why?”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œYes. I asked you before why you thought I could do this and you never came up with anything. You were saved by Helmsley barging into your office. But since we’re alone now, I’d love to hear it. Why do you think I could do this? Because I sure as hell don’t think I could.”
    Once again, just as she had the first time this question had been raised, Mrs. Nixon had to think for a moment. For the second time, no clear reasons came springing to her mind. “Oh, Rooster.” She rubbed her forehead. “Rooster, let me be honest about this. When Mrs. Helmsley suggested your name for this project, I thought she’d gone crazy. I was totally dead