Confederate Gold and Silver by Peter F. Warren Read Free Book Online

by the high humidity brought on by the afternoon thunderstorm. Making the short walk to his car, he managed to avoid the large puddles of water still remaining in the parking lot. Driving home he could not help but smile at the good fortune he had encountered that afternoon. “Thank goodness for thunderstorms and flat tires.”
    What he could not possibly realize was what the events of the afternoon would soon lead him to. The phone call he would receive from Chubby would start to make it all come together.
    ******
    Donna had just gotten home from her job interview and was getting some groceries out of her car when Paul pulled into the driveway. “How on earth did your clothes get so wet?” She asked him as he got out of his car. Closing his car door, Paul was still smiling over his good fortune.
    “OK, what’s so funny? I see the smirk you’re wearing.”
    “Not a hello or a ‘Hi Honey’? Just a comment about my wet clothes, is that all you have to say?” Paul knew Donna’s question had been the obvious one for her to ask as his clothes were still wet despite sitting at the bar with Steve for a couple of hours, but he also had to tease her as well.
    “My clothes got wet when I was being interviewed for my new job.” His statement made absolutely no sense to her as she had no idea what he had gotten himself into during her absence that afternoon.
    Soon Paul told her about the events of the afternoon as he stripped out of his wet clothes inside their now closed garage. Donna listened as he started telling her about his afternoon, but before he had gone too far she made sure he was taking off all of his wet clothes. She wasn’t about to let her new carpet get stained by his dirty wet clothes. As he got deeper into the events of the afternoon, Donna realized something special had happened. She then felt foolish about making an issue over his wet clothes. “Hey, it’s no big deal. I was going to take them off anyhow.”
    She stood silently as Paul finished telling her about meeting Steve and about his generosity in thanking him for being a Good Samaritan. Standing there open mouthed, she didn’t know what to say about his new good fortune. “Honey, you can close your mouth now,” an almost naked Paul told her.
    “Oh, yeah, and by the way, tomorrow some guy named Chubby is going to call me about a pontoon boat Steve wants to get rid of.”
    “He wants to give you a boat as well? Just for fixing a flat tire?”
    “Sounds something like that. I don’t think he’s going to give it to me, but maybe there is a deal or something we can work out. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.” Deep down Paul hoped his good luck would continue.
    After hearing about the boat, and while pleased to hear what he had been up to, Donna’s shoulders slumped as he finished talking. “I thought I had a good afternoon as I got a new job which pays good money, but you won, you had a great afternoon.” Paul could not help but smile at her as he knew she was amazed at what had happened for both of them that afternoon.
    Later over dinner, and after the excitement of his day had been talked about, Donna told Paul about the interview she had gone through and of the job offer she had received. It was not nearly as exciting as the news he had brought home, but for her she knew having a new job would be a great way to help her get settled in her new life in Murrells Inlet. Her new job would keep her busy. It would also keep her from missing her boys more than she already was.
    ******
    It was late the next morning when Paul received the phone call he was expecting from Chubby. They spoke for several minutes and then agreed to meet at 2 pm at the marina. “Sounds great, I look forward to seeing you.” After hanging up the phone, Paul realized he had a new problem to deal with since moving south. He realized it as soon as he listened to Chubby talk to him on the phone. While he had understood most of what Chubby had told him over the