House by house, shell by shell.
What Copper knew, T sells.
T takes it all.
T and his crew work fast, under cover of night.
In through a cellar window, case the joint.
T goes in. Always T.
T cases his own shells.
T through the window, in and out, rally the boys and clean it out, fast.
Tally, score.
The amateurs start with the laundry room and boiler, maybe the radiators if they can get them out.
T has it down to a science.
Tools, not by hand.
Professionals.
Out with the plumbing and gas fixtures - hot-water cylinder, the copper pipes, the spouting, the pumps.
Cut the gas line when needed; whatever.
One house blew and burned on Orvis Street; not T’s worry.
That is the amateurs.
T never blows a house.
Might be more to take.
Easy yield of three to five hundred or more per property on copper alone.
The rest is gravy.
Sweet.
House by house, street by street, block by block, up the ante.
Air-conditioner handlers and compressors.
House in good shape, T and company snag kitchen cabinets, toilets, French doors, windows.
Bathroom vanities, especially when they’re choice.
T takes it all.
There’s T.
T drives by Copper’s house.
I see T drive by Copper’s house.
T doesn’t turn to look at Copper.
Copper doesn’t look at T.
Copper is sitting.
I am sitting on Copper’s porch step.
‘Have you thought about it?’
Copper spits.
‘I appreciate the offer, kid.’
Copper looks at me.
‘I don’t need anybody, kid.’
I look at Copper.
‘I’ve got mine, and I don’t need anybody.’
I look at Copper.
‘Besides, I’m home, always home.’
I look at Copper.
‘Nobody’s going to be breaking into my place.’
Copper looks away.
‘Appreciate the offer, though.’
I look away.
‘You’re OK, kid. I remember you.’
I don’t remember.
‘But I don’t know your buddies, and I don’t want them around here.’
I sit on Copper’s porch steps.
I look over at the shell across the street.
There’s T.
T drives by Copper’s house.
I see T drive by Copper’s house.
T doesn’t turn to look at Copper.
Copper doesn’t look at T.
T turns to look at me.
T waves at me.
I lift my hand and wave back.
I watch T drive away.
Copper spits.
‘For that matter, I reckon I don’t want you coming around for a while.’
I look away.
I get up.
I walk.
I walk.
Fetus and I walk.
Nobody notices.
Nobody cares.
Fetus and I walk two days, two nights.
Fetus and I find new shells.
Fetus and I hunker down.
Fetus and I feed in the shells.
Fetus and I meet Croak and Shimmy.
Croak was with the Tenth Mountain Division, ended up in Afghan istan with the Eighty-second Airborne. Shimmy was in Uruzgan Province. Talk talk talk.
We talk shit.
Croak and Shimmy show us new shells. They call one their FOB.
Croak and Shimmy invite us in.
Shimmy shows off two assault rifles he’s stashed in the FOB, and his walking armory.
Wears an assault vest, jammed with four loaded AK-47 magazines, thirty rounds in each mag. I ask what he needs it for.
Shimmy laughs.
Croak and Shimmy and Fetus and me cherry-pick a strip gang in the FOB.
Croak and Shimmy and Fetus and me dig in.
Croak and Shimmy and Fetus and me have a fine time.
Croak and Fetus are shouting.
Fetus grabs Croak’s left ear. Comes right off.
Shimmy breaks it up.
Fetus licks his fingers clean, right there in front of Croak.
Croak is shouting again.
Shimmy slams the door.
We are so out of the FOB.
Fetus and I are walking.
Fetus and me walk.
We walk.
We walk.
Fetus and me walk more.
Fetus and me hook up with Snake.
Snake tells me Stout is looking for me.
Snake tells me Stout has news.
Roger that.
Word is there are ambulances outside of Copper’s house.
Word is Copper had a heart attack.
Word is Copper managed to dial 911.
Word is the medics showed up two days before the cops did.
Word is Copper is in the hospital for two days.
Word is Copper is released two days later.
Fetus and me walk.
Fetus and me walk for two days, two nights.
Nobody notices.
Nobody stops to pick us up.
Nobody honks their horns.
Nobody cares.
Fetus and me walk.
Word is Stout is still looking for me.
I see Stout up ahead.
Stout meets us.
Stout tells Fetus and me about Copper.
Word is Copper is released after two days in the hospital.
Word is Copper finds his house stripped.
Out with the plumbing and gas fixtures - hot-water cylinder, the copper pipes, the spouting, the pumps.
T doesn’t cut gas lines.
T took the lines and the tanks.
T never blows a house.
Word is T left the upstairs wiring alone.
Word is T and his gang demolished the basement and main floor.
Word is Copper is up shit’s creek without a paddle.
I walk.
I walk.
I walk.
Copper sits in his rocker on his porch.
I walk to Copper’s porch.
‘Mind if I join you?’
‘Suit yourself, kid.’
Copper’s right hand is wrapped around his left wrist.
Copper’s right arm crosses over his buttoned-up shirt.
I see white gauze between the buttons, where Copper’s shirt is open a wee bit.
Copper is pale, his eyes filmy and pained.
‘Word is you’ve been away.’
‘Two days.’
Copper sits.
I sit on the porch steps.
Copper sits.
I sit.
‘Word is you—’
‘I should have listened to you, kid.’
We sit on Copper’s porch.
‘I’ve got to replace everything. Plumbing, wiring, hot-water heater - all of it.’
Copper looks away.
‘I haven’t seen you in a while, kid.’
‘Went away.’
‘Been gone a while.’
‘Went with Fetus.’
‘You guys, you served together?’
‘Roger that.’
Copper sits.
‘I could use another pair of eyes, kid.’
Copper looks at me.
‘Yes, sir.’
Copper slowly releases his left wrist. I can see the white impressions of his fingers.
Copper holds out his right hand.
I reach up and take Copper’s hand.
He shakes my hand.
Copper places his right hand back on his left wrist.
Copper looks at me.
‘You OK, kid?’
Copper looks at me, odd-like.
‘And I thought my hands were cold.’
I look at Copper.
I hear a car coming.
There’s T.
T drives by Copper’s house.
I see T drive by Copper’s house.
T doesn’t turn to look at Copper.
Copper doesn’t look at T.
Copper sits.
‘You stay here on the porch, kid, while I go get some groceries?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Copper groans.
Copper gets up.
It takes a few minutes.
‘Wait for me here, will you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Copper goes into his house.
I hear him walk, old man steps, into the house.
I sit.
I sit.
I hear Copper’s garage door open.
I hear Copper’s car start up.
I see Copper’s car pulling out of the driveway.
I see Copper looking at me.