Provider's Son (19 page)

“Thatll be a few extra dollars in me pocket.”

“Im not finished yet. She donated it to the Alberta Art Gallery for National Arts Week.”

“Longs she paid for it...although Id rather someone would be using it than staring at it in a gallery.”

There was another knock at the door, and it was Jon, winded.

“Theres nothing in here I should know about is there?” he asked quietly.

Levi frowned in confusion and Sinead laughed. “No Jon, Dad barely knows what weed looks like, let alone hide any.”

Sinead didn't know that Levi had tried it once a long time ago, before she was born, but had gotten so paranoid on it that he had an anxiety attack and threw up his supper.

“The cops and dogs are heading this way. Which is a big deal, because its usually the main camp security that come here with the dogs. Not the cops. Someone must have gotten ratted out.”

“Here?” Levi said. “Sure I got nothing only beer.”

“No, not this room. The dorm...although they will be in here probably. Just to check. If you got nothing to hide you got nothing to worry about. If you do, give it to me now. Ill get rid of it.”

Sinead was smiling.

“You told him about the chair,” Jon said.

“I couldnt help it. Its so exciting.”

Jon shook his head. “I dont know if its anything to get so excited about anyway.”

“Are you crazy?” Sinead said. “The Art Gallery of Alberta. I thought that was your dream?”

“Its only because of Arts Week. Ive got a bad feeling about it anyway.”

“A bad feeling?” Levi said.

“Yeah. Its called exploitation.”

“Here he goes with the big words,” Levi said.

“It means to use selfishly to ones own ends. Shes a politician. She has an agenda like all of them.”

“I thought she was supposed to be into all that art stuff?”

“Yes, but...the chair is good, but it isnt that good.”

“Looked good to me.”

“Looked amazing to me,” Sinead said.

“If either of you ever saw some of the work in the AGA you would understand. Some of the woodwork Ive seen in there seems almost impossible. If we keep it up our work is going to get really good, but wer not great yet. I cant do my best work in the wood you use anyway.”

“Whats she using us for then?”

“She is a politician,” Jon said. “Whos in charge of a province soaked in oil. She could be thinking about using us in a PR campaign, something to show that the Cowboys and Indians all getting along out here in the tar sands now.”

“Thats ridiculous,” Sinead said. “Come on. This is your big break. And Dad is part creator. Its a dream come true. Dont ruin this for yourself with negativity and paranoia.”

“I dont even know what hes talking about,” Levi said.

“Its obvious,” Jon said.

“Your art is political,” Sinead said.

“That doesnt mean she gets to exploit me — us, for her own gains.”

“Youre gone off your head,” Levi said. “If it gets our name out there she can use us all she wants.”

“Really?” Jon said. “Thats disappointing.”

As Sinead was about to add something they heard the dorm doors open on both sides and the panting of a happy dog, its paws clicking off the linoleum.

“Shit, I didnt think theyd get here this soon,” Jon said. “My boss is with them. This is going to look bad. Im not supposed to be in peoples rooms, chatting. Hes not that fond of me as it is.”

“Yes by?” Levi said. “Easy-going fella like you and all.”

“Do they go in every room?” Sinead said.

“No they, randomly,” Jon did air-quotes with his fingers, “pick rooms, and the dog goes in.”

“Well, weve got nothing to worry about then.”

When the dog pranced past Levi's door Jon's forehead was damp. His supervisor was talking to the policeman, and they stopped a few doors down.

A knock on a door.

“Security.”

No answer, followed by another knock.

“Security.”

Levi knew whose room it was, The Supplier. There was a jingling of keys and the door was opened.

Levi cracked his door just enough to hear.

“Why didnt you answer the door?” Jons boss said to The Supplier.

“I was asleep,” he answered. “Whats up with the dog?”

“We want to check your room,” a female officer responded.

“Theres no pot in here,” he said, but the fear in his voice was obvious.

“Its a random check.”

There was no response, and even though Levi was not the one being questioned he felt his stomach tighten.

“Dont you need a fucking warrant?”

“We have one,” a man said, obviously another policeman.

“Let me see it.”

“We dont have to show it to you,” the female officer said. “This is not your room. Its the property of Erbacor Energy.”

“My private property is in here. You cant just fucking tear my shit up with that dog.”

“We have a right to search your room sir. I already explained it to you. We wont damage anything unless we have to. Now please remove yourself from the room.”

“Step out into the hallway with me,” Jon's boss said.

“Im not going anywhere.”

“Do you want to be placed in handcuffs?”

“Im not moving buddy. You dont have the right.”

“Turn around.”

“Fuck you,” The Supplier said.

“Turn around or we will use force.”

“You know why women become cops? Because that gun is the closest youll ever get to owning a cock. Now get the fuck out of my room.”

There was a moment of shocked silence, followed by an eruption of squeaking shoes on the linoleum, and the grunts of someone being wrestled to the floor. The sharp hiss of what sounded to be an aerosol can followed, and The Supplier screamed in pain as the dog began barking incessantly.

“Fuck it,” Levi said, and went into the hallway. Jon and Sinead followed him.

A female police officer was holding the leash of a German Shepherd whose jaws were snapping at The Supplier's doughy arm. He was covering his genitals and face with his hands as he screamed to call the dog off. The male officer, shaven-headed and nearly seven feet tall, was trying to handcuff him at the same time. He kept yelling to his partner to call the dog off, but as much as she dragged on the leash and shouted commands, the dog would not listen.

Levi grabbed the leash to help and was then nailed with pepper spray from the policewoman. He fell back on the floor coughing and rubbing his eyes.

“He was just trying to help!” Sinead yelled as she helped Levi back toward his dorm. “Dont rub your eyes, Dad.”

“Jesus, it burns!” Levi cried between coughing fits. It felt as if his eyeballs were boiling under his eyelids, and the urge to rub them was so strong that he almost had to sit on his hands. He coughed so much that it was hard to breathe.

Several of the other dorm doors were open now with men gawking at the excitement. Others were standing right in the hallway cursing and shouting at the police to relax. The two officers had now switched places, with the policeman holding the dog. Out of the room they brought out two Ziploc bags of pills, and another of a yellowish white powder.

“If you cant control your dogs any better than that you shouldnt have them,” Jon said.

“You need to control your cops, too,” Sinead said.

“You would be better off going back to your room,” the female officer said. “Unless you want to be led out of here in handcuffs as well.”

“Oh, of course,” Jon said. “Why dont you arrest everybody in the dorm while youre at it?”

“Thats exactly what we'll do if we have to,” the policeman said, cautiously looking about at the other men standing outside their doors.

“On what basis?”

“Relax,” Jon's boss said to him, as more of a threat than advice.

“This conversation is over,” the policeman said. “This is a crime scene. Everybody go back in their dorm rooms or Ill start making arrests. Back to your rooms. Now!”

Most of the men went back to their dorm rooms, but some did not. Jon stayed with his supervisor.

As Levi stared in the mirror at his swollen eyes it suddenly dawned on him that he had not gotten the chance to get the rum. And it was too late to go looking for it. Most men were in bed by now. He thought of climbing up those scaffolds cold sober and it made him nauseous. There was only one thing he could think of.

Levi headed quickly down the hall. The bar would be closing any minute.

“Fuck, that door was supposed to be locked,” Caprice said when he walked in. “Last call was a half hour ago.”

“Hello to you too,” Levi said.

“Hows your eyes?”

“Jesus, word travels fast in here.”

“Congrats by the way. I heard about your rocking chair.”

“Thanks. Listen. Any chance you can do me a favour?”

“No liquor. Not a chance, Levi. I could lose my job for that.”

“Ill pay a good price.”

“Why do you want booze eleven oclock in the night? Dont you have to work tomorrow?”

“Its going to be a slack day. Figured Id have a few drinks for a laugh.”

“Well, Im sorry but I cant help you.”

“Ill give you fifty bucks if you pour off a flask for me.”

“No.”

“A hundred? That would be a nice tip for the night, wouldnt it?”

“Levi, I dont need a hundred dollars so bad to take a chance on losing my job.”

“How much then?”

“If you dont leave Im calling security. Im sorry.”

Levi left the bar. He stood in the hallway and a hard-looking young man passed by.

“Hey young fella. You wouldnt know where I could get some booze, do you?”

“Thats the hardest thing around here to get buddy. That and weed. But if you wants the good stuff I can hook you up no prob.”

“Ill pass on that.” He wasn't even sure what “the good stuff” was.

That's it, he had to accept that he would not have his flask tucked away on his person tomorrow. He could do it, he worked for the first few weeks without it. He would manage. Yet, a voice in the back of his skull kept telling him he was lying, that he was no longer capable of climbing a scaffold without a helping hand from Mr. Smirnoff.

Collaboration

Levi could see that his hands were still shaking when he placed his card on the security gate reader. He knew the booze had been helping him, but he didn't realize how much until now. Even on the awkward ride home with his general foreman, or GF, as everyone called them, and union shop steward, he felt trapped, and for a moment thought he might have to tell the guy to stop, that he would walk back to camp. But his GF would not have let him anyway, and he would have humiliated himself even more than he already had.

“Youre back early,” Jon said, meeting him at the security gate, and then looking quizzically at the two men standing next to him.

“I just got fired,” Levi said

“Shit, why?”

Levi didn't respond, but headed to his room with the other two men following him closely. They stood outside his room as he began packing his things. If not for
Fiona's Fancy
going down he would have been almost relieved, but the sinking of that boat made him realize just how dangerous working on the water could be. Now he not only had no berth on a boat, but he didn't really know if he wanted to go back to fishing in the first place.

He had his suitcase half packed when someone knocked on the door. When Levi opened it the shop steward stood there smiling.

“You want to keep your job, Levi?”

“What?”

“Do you want to keep your job? We just got a call. You can stay if you want. I dont know what changed, but, well, consider yourself lucky.”

Levi stood dumbfounded.

“I suppose by.”

“Okay,” the shop steward said. “But there is going to be a safety stand-down tomorrow morning for an hour. Because of the incident. Safety will probably have a slide show on dropped objects or something. It might be a bit embarrassing, but its better than losing your job.”

“Not much I can do about that I suppose.”

“No, there isnt.”

When the shop steward left Levi stood staring at the doorway. He shook his head and pushed his suitcase back in under his bed. Another knock on the door. It was Jon, and he wanted to know what happened.

“Seems like I still got a job.”

“Right on! So what happened anyway?”

“I tipped over a pail with a few welding rod stubs on a scaffold, and where do you think they went? Raining down on a safety reps hard hat, with his head still in it, from about ten feet up. There was only a half a dozen stubs in it, but he acted like the sky was falling.”

“Did he get hurt?”

“Not even close. How could he?”

“So they just fired you on the spot.”

“No, thats the funny thing about it. They thought they had me, see. I had to take a piss test, for the second time.”

“Second time?”

“When that scaffolder got hurt I had to take a piss test.”

“Who else had to take it?”

“No one. I didnt have me Safety Card filled out, which got me in even more shit. But because I didnt have it filled out there was no one else signed on and no one else had to take a piss test. So they thinks they got me. I takes the test. And nothing. No alcohol. Then they makes me do it twice!”

“Twice? Was your shop steward there?”

“Oh yeah. He made a little bit of noise about it, but nothing like a steward in a real union would. And I says, no by, thats alright. They can give me ten if they wants. And I takes it again, and I passes it again. So when they cant get me on a piss test they just fires me for what I did anyway. Until five minutes ago.”

“Well, you got your job back. Thats the important thing. Ive got news too. You might see it as good news. Im not so sure. Our chair is going to be on the news show,
Alberta Now
. Its getting a lot of attention.”