c. 2024 Rod Ice
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(7-24)
Hagreb Tonta had learned to become invisible at an early age. With an ancestry mixed from distant nations around the globe, none of which spoke English naturally, he grew up as an outcast in the new world. His family frightened neighbors after moving into their crowded apartment in urban Cleveland. They were used to shouting at each other like vendors in an open-air market. Communicating through alien words and gestures that had been used for centuries in their culture. He was like a mongrel dog, left to fend for himself on the streets. One of seven children. Dark skinned, with black hair and poor eyesight that caused him to wear eyeglasses that were heavy, with thick lenses. He was skinny and gangly and fared poorly in social situations. But as an overnight stocker with Rini-Rego Stop-n-Shop, he found the one place where others valued his presence.
He could work faster and more efficiently than anyone on the crew.
When the chain was acquired by Pittsburgh’s Giant Eagle company, he found himself faced with a perplexing dilemma. Corporate supervisors offered him a promotion to team leader, if he was willing to transfer. The move would take him to Geauga County, a place in Ohio that he had never been. His duties on third shift would continue, but be expanded. Besides processing grocery orders, he would be in charge of the workforce from eleven o’clock, until seven in the morning.
The drive from downtown, near Lake Erie, to this rural outpost would have been challenging to pull off with his ratty, Geo Metro sedan. So, a when friend in the office mentioned that she had cousins who lived in Thompson Township, he perked up immediately with interest.
“How far away is that from my new home store? Could I walk, maybe, if I lived out there?”
Head Cashier Tina Renaldo laughed at his question, while counting bills for a bank deposit by her window.
“I don’t think you’d want to cover that distance on foot. But it’s only a few miles from the trailer park where I’ve got relatives. They have a singlewide at Evergreen Estates, it has plenty of room, really! A washer and dryer, a long driveway, not too bad for a couple, and certainly roomy enough for someone like you!”
Hagreb scratched his head. His kinky hair spilled in all directions.
“Trailer? What the heck is that? Like a camper or something?”
Tina giggled and paused in the middle of her task. She pondered for a minute, while rolling her eyes. It made her look oddly attractive, despite being dressed in a uniform polo shirt with the store logo on her chest.
“Well, I don’t exactly know how to describe a trailer if you’ve never seen one. It’s like a railroad car, sort of... I’d guess that you must have seen trains somewhere, right?”
The young immigrant nodded and smiled, while fiddling with his spectacles.
“Yeah, we used to ride one going to see my grandma in India. I was just a little kid!”
The office clerk whistled and clapped her hands.
“Okay then, it’s something like that. Long and boxy and situated on a concrete slab. There’s no attic or basement, it’s not like a house...”
He snorted and grimaced.
“I LIVE WITH NINE PEOPLE IN AN APARTMENT! ANYTHING WOULD BE BETTER THAN THAT! MY MOTHER HAS TO COOK OUR MEALS ON A HOTPLATE!”
Tina shivered just a bit. Yet tried not to appear judgmental.
“You can Google the location, it might be worth taking a look. I know there are homes available, they’ve been moving in new ones around the park. The current owners are trying to get their development to full capacity. It’s been half-empty for years! So many vacant lots that they actually rent them out so some people can have extra space!”
Hagreb stood with his hands gripping a ledge beneath the office portal.
“I’ll check it out, Tee! Thank you! Thanks so much!”
When he mentioned the potential promotion at home, after finishing his chores in the wee hours, a fistfight nearly broke out between members of his family. Mother sobbed openly when considering that her eldest son might no longer be at home. Father reacted differently, beating his chest with pride. Colorful language echoed down the corridor in their rental unit.
A neighbor began to beat on their side of the wall, in protest to this cacophony.
“SHUT UP OVER THERE, GYPSY FREAKS! GAWDAMM! IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU’VE GOT A FREAKING CIRCUS GOING ON, IN THAT LITTLE APARTMENT!”
The foreign exile was grateful to have some hope of escaping their cramped and uncomfortable living conditions. But he didn’t know anyone in this eastern county. The idea of a long drive to poke around made him nervous. Still, he figured that the trip could be accomplished for no more than a few dollars, thanks to the thriftiness of his tiny sedan.
When a day off finally arrived, he took a nap in the morning, then woke up around noon and embarked on his journey. Instead of risking the heavy traffic flow of I-90, he decided to putter along on Route 322. This let the sputtering Geo motor loaf lazily, while he basked in the sunshine. Something he rarely got to appreciate. Going deeper and deeper into the country, he saw more green fields and split-rail fences. There were pickup trucks everywhere! And horses, cows, and dogs running playfully along the roadside.
Once he had turned north toward his destination, it was as if he had left civilization altogether. There were no more gas stations or convenience stores, or video kiosks. Finally, he saw an oversized American flag rippling in the breeze. And a hand-painted sign nearly hidden in a scraggly ring of shrubs.
“EVERGREEN ESTATES – A nice place to get started, or retire!”
He had written down the address, just in case. But the park was easy to find with nothing else around. After roaming the streets with curiosity, he pulled in at the maintenance garage, up front. Tina, his contact at the supermarket, had said that the property manager worked out of that building. Her name was Dana Alvarez.
He had started to sweat in the summer heat. And his stomach felt queasy. Yet the moment made him excited and even giddy. He knocked on the narrow door before entering. Then announced himself dramatically, like an actor taking his place on stage in a theater production.
“Hello, Miss Alvarez! My name is Hagreb, and I’m here to ask about purchasing one of your trailers!”
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