Jamie sat waiting. She’d got her dose from Barbara. Now she waited for her counseling session. She would be late if she didn’t leave soon. A date was going to be waiting for her and Jamie couldn’t lose another trick. The money was too good and she was using too many times lately. Jamie would rake in a thousand in an afternoon but lately Sandy had messed with her head and got her back on the habit. Sandy didn’t like Jamie being pretty and popular and coming to the clinic all dolled up ready to work. That really killed Sandy.
Jamie heard George at the top of the stairs and sat up straight. She looked really good and she loved George with all her heart. He was handsome and straight and listened to her with intensity and sincerity. George was her therapist at the clinic. She had been straight for about a week almost and thought maybe she could stop using and save a little money this time. She wouldn’t of course but she thought she could anyway. Jamie couldn’t get straight and mostly it was because of Sandy’s jealousy and evil nature. George came into the clinic waiting room and greeted her like he always did. He would scan her all over and clap his hands gently together in greeting. Hi, Jamie! How’s it going? Hi, George…o.k. I guess. Are you ready? Sure; c’mon up if you’re all set. And up the stairs they’d go, close together and gabbing along the way to his office on the second floor all the way down the other end of the hallway.
Jamie was telling George a lot about her week even before the got into his office. She was running late and hoped she could get out the preliminaries before they sat down so the session wouldn’t go too long. She really had to be at the Four Seasons in about forty-five minutes. Parking along Boylston would be a bitch, she thought. The session went faster than she thought. George must have known where she was going and took it easy on her. She left about five minutes earlier than expected. She told George thank you as she got up to leave and gave him a quick hug as usual. He was such a nice guy. He wasn’t street smart but he was cool and caught on pretty good and was generous enough. She could drive within the speed limits and make it on time down town easily. Jamie’s high heels made noise as she descended the stairs. She reached the clinic lobby and sang goodbye to Barbara as she left the clinic.
Jamie reached the parking lot and began walking toward her car that John, her boyfriend, kept in good shape for her. Jamie felt a creepy feeling slide up her frame. She saw Sandy standing between two cars along the route Jamie was taking. Sandy pretended it was a chance meeting. Hey, Jamie! What’s up, are you going to work? Jamie slowed and stopped. Sandy was examining her arm just below the crook. Jamie knew exactly what Sandy was up to. Jamie couldn’t walk past. Her mouth began to salivate. Sandy made a couple of slaps on her inner arm on the veins. Slap, slap! Sandy looked up at Jamie and gave a little giggle as she took a small glassine bag from her purse. Jamie turned and walked over to Sandy between the cars in the parking lot.
Jamie didn’t make it to the Four Seasons. She spent the rest of the afternoon with Sandy and got home later in the day. She’d done it again. She told herself it didn’t matter.
G. M. Goodwin
January 28, 2021
Playing Fair and Being Kind 