#1 Travis
Chump Change by R.A.Lancaster April 2020-2022
Chapter # 1 Travis
Chump change; that change so scarred by time or abused by person most would be too embarrassed to give to another.
When given in change most think they’ve offended the cashier somehow.
However there are always those that see the value in it, even if it no longer has any.
Spring 2020, with the world under an odd quarantine many were struggling with more than finances, while stuck in home. Those who scraped by in life were in the most trouble, with little to no savings to count on.
To some like our Travis, their world’s still the same. How am I going to get a high today? He looks over a tiny pile of scratched up and abused coins, nestled within a crumpled up five-dollar bill in the palm of his hand. Nine, sixty five won’t buy me shit. Can’t even get a wee piece of rock because I still owe Darrel and Dwayne. Lost in thought and snickering under breath Travis recalls the other night, pinching a few rocks from Dwayne while distracted.
At the age of twelve Travis started his ways, stealing from an abusive step-father; money, alcohol and tobacco. By fifteen Travis’s mom had left that man, entering a rehabilitation program, suffering from abuse and alcoholism. Supporting his growing addictions Travis’s petty thefts became bolder break-ins. A month after turning eighteen his criminal record became a lifestyle of two years in jail and barely two years out. Fortunately for Travis, nothing he was busted for was over a thousand dollars.
Wondering if anyone is watching Travis looks about, man, barely anyone out here and I feel stared through. Stuffing the money into a front pant pocket he observes moving window blinds of nearby buildings. Ah fuck them anyway. Unsure if one or more are watching Travis focuses on the sidewalk walking towards a bar parking lot. Scanning the ground for coin or cigarette butt worth smoking. Hopefully some drunken fool lost a few bucks over here last night.
Easily seen to him nestled against a parking block a discarded butt with some length to it. Oh score, was jonesin’ for a puff of something.
Picking up the butt Travis inspects the filter. Oh and barely browned, right on. And my favorite brand, Red Apple. Out of the jacket pocket Travis pulls out a nearly empty disposable lighter, missing the metal housing.
Placing the used cigarette between lips, Travis flicks the lighter a few times to get a flame. Come on just one more time baby.
Puffing-in the cigarette a few times Travis has it smoldering again, alright, things are going work out today. Exhaling a cloud of smoke Travis carries on with the search while finishing off the butt.
Only finding a run over dime in the parking lot Travis sighs pocketing it with the other change. Almost to ten.
Across from the parking lot a row of townhouses draws his attention. Maybe Janise can let me slide a quarter on a gram of weed. If I smoke a joint with her. Yeah that’s a good angle. Maybe she’ll smoke a couple with me too. Oh and she’s single again too. I’d still fuck her. Yeah let’s go see.
Entering the townhouse complex Travis spies a young Hispanic mother assisting a toddler on a tricycle. Liking her young face and long dark hair he stares too hard in thought. Oh damn. I’d do that. Got something that momma can ride right here.
Unnerved and annoyed by the glare the mother’s disgusted by Travis’ rough appearance, “hey old man, you mind telling me what you think your staring at there?”
Not hearing the hostility in the tone Travis feels like a conversational invitation was opened. “Just your beautiful self. I couldn’t help but notice. I’m sorry for starring.”
Only thankful the attention wasn’t on the child, she doesn’t like that he’s approaching. Looking to her townhouse is wishing the over possessive and menacing spouse was home. “Yeah well, I’m happily spoken for - so you just take your old broke ass self elsewhere. Don’t come over here while I’m out with my child. And in these times we have to keep our distance.”
It slowly comes to Travis what’s still going on. In his mind this is all a ploy by the governments to keep people from taking advantage of cheap gas prices. “Oh right, sorry.” He stops, but still insists on chatting her up, “Yeah, scary times eh. So I don’t recall any mothers in this complex as beautiful as your self. Did you just move in?”
Studying the man before her the young mother senses trouble in the tone. “Actually no. I’ve been here a few years and know you don’t live here. So please go on your way and leave me be with my child. Okay.”
Realizing he’s not appreciated and this woman maybe smarter than his usual prey Travis glances down scrambling to come up with a reply, “alright, alright, sorry, jeez can’t even be social these days. Just on my way to pay my friend a visit.” Partially pointing towards Janise’s place Travis spies a quarter on the pavement.
“Friend?” She sighs, knowing it’s about drugs, “yeah whatever. Just please keep moving. Okay.”
“Yeah alright.” Annoyed with the attitude Travis steps over to the coin, “just saw a pretty face and wanted to say hello that’s all.”
“Look thanks for the compliments and all. But really, no woman wants to be hit on by some guy that looks like he just woke up in the parking lot across the street.” She points back to the bar.
“Alright, take it easy on me.” Bending over Travis picks up the quarter feeling something on its’ backside, hoping for black tar heroin. “Man, you women are getting mean these days.”
Confident in the situation she becomes louder, “well old man I don’t know what my grandmother’s generation had to put up with. But according to her, you guys will never change no matter what their age is, or the year.”
Almost regretting looking her way and not fully listening Travis utters, “look, I’m sorry if I hit on your grandma too. If she’s as fine as you, you could see it happening. If us guys didn’t at least try and approach you ladies how would you end up with such wonderful children?” Realizing the tar on the coin is only asphalt he sighs, “oh what the?” turning to scrape it off on the curbing behind.
“What?” Watching him and thrown by the thought she’s unsure how to react, “look old man, I don’t know if you’re trying to be cute with me? STILL. But maybe you’ve never been told. You want a decent woman in your life you should at least look like a decent human being, not a bum.”
Grimacing at the black tar beginning to taint fingertips Travis stands up. “Bum?” Hearing and understanding her, he knows there are some so hard up for attention they won’t be as concerned with appearance. “Bum?”
“Yeah,” she yells it back, “bum! When was the last time you washed anyway?”
Seeing out a morning visitor Janise opens her-own front door hearing the bum comments, “ah shit.” Shaking a disapproving head she steps out, “hey Travis! Get your white trash ass away from that poor young girl. She has enough problems with two youngins’ and a dangerously overprotective man. She don’t need your foolishness in her life.”
Hearing the familiar raspy voice Travis turns with a smile, “Oh hey, good morning beautiful lady I was hoping you were up and home.” Beside her Travis notices an old class mate now working dad, “Oh hey good morning Larry. How’s the family?”
“Mhmm.” Janise crosses her arms wondering what Travis is doing in the complex, looking for a high, something to steal or chasing single mothers.
“Oh hi Travis,” stepping out Larry shields red squinty eyes from the morning sun. “The family, ah well Missy’s being her usual bitchy self and the kids are irritating the hell out of me. So when I was asked to go to the store I was more than ready to go. And not come back. For awhile.”
“Well you’re not hiding out here all day.” Warning Larry first Janise speaks to the mother, “Good morning Tahlia. Don’t worry about Travis here. He’s at least not the sexual predator type. Just know if he’s talking to you, he wants either sex or drugs. Or money to get wasted. And if you’re not use to keeping an eye on a kleptomaniac, don’t let him in your house.”
Tahlia waves back, “I was figuring he was some sort of trouble.” Keeping primary attention on the tot she can’t help but wonder if Travis is one to worry about.
Happy with a full ten dollars Travis is both amused and insulted. “I am sorry Janise, it’s like I can’t help myself, sometimes.” Walking over to Janise and Larry he can almost see their teenage versions, “you know I try not to do you wrong.”
“What the fuck ever Travis.” Janise puts the old hand to hip relaying to Larry and others in earshot, “I take this mother fucker out for a nice dinner. He went on about how it was his birthday and had nobody to celebrate it with. Fucking bastard steals the silverware. It’s not even real silver you know. They keep track of that shit these days because of assholes like you. They added it to my credit card later. Fucking guy I tell you. Still pissed about my grandmothers’ salt and pepper shakers. That was what? Almost ten years ago. You better NEVER tell me you melted them down for scrap.”
In hopes that Janise will speak lower Travis slightly hastens the pace, “once again Janise I’m sorry about those. Really truly I mean scumbag thing of me to do to you. I promise I didn’t melt them down.” He sold them for five dollars to a guy who did melt them down to make silver bullets.
Annoyed at the reminder and his mere sight increases her heart-rate, the eyes intensely glare while warning with a low stern growl, “I find out that’s what happened to them I will beat you so hard people won’t know your white.”
Trying to make light of the situation Larry adds, “I’d wanna slap him until he was red too.”
“Or black and blue.” Taking in a calming breath Janise studies Travis’ approach. “Oh I see, no one else will deal with you right now, because you either owe them or stole from them. I ran into Dwayne yesterday, looking for little old you.”
“Ah, he’s an asshole anyway.” Figuring Dwayne knows what happened Travis lowers the face to hide a grin, “but you are right, I was hoping you might have a G of fine herb to sell me. I do have ten dollars.”
Correctly guessing his motive of the day Janise relaxes, “is it actual money?”
“Yeah,” Travis tries not to laugh having attempted to trade store cards, food stamps and coupons for drugs, “all right here.” He begins pulling the money from the pocket.
“Oh my God Travis really?” Janise watches the coins come out with a balled up five-dollar bill, “digging through the couch cushions again? At the thrift store?” She notes a twisted dime and the black-sided quarter, “you honestly bringing your chump-ass and chump-ass change to my door. What the hell is on that quarter anyway? Shit?”
“Oh yeah, sorry about that one. Don’t know what happened to it.” Continuing to dig out the last coins Travis thinks nothing of it.
Lightly laughing at the poor Travis situation Larry stupidly points out, “oh hey that was me. Had some tar on the bottom of my sandal. Used the coin to scrape it off. I mean I wouldn’t want to track it into your place or anything.”
They look down past Larry’s knobby knees to his feet in black socks and sandals. All notice small dark brown to black smudges on two of the three steps, then similar prints leading into the house.
Realizing what’s happened and the mess to be cleaned up Janise’s left eyebrow noticeably twitches, “ah for fuck sakes Laurence what the hell? I just cleaned the floors yesterday too. Stupid ignorant mother fucking men.”
Unsure what to do Larry wants to offer to clean it for her but when Missy’s eye brow twitches like that he knows to get out of the way, “oh my. I am so sorry Janise. I thought I got it off good on the grass. I’ll clean it up if you’d like.”
Seeing another in Janise’s glare returns the smile to Travis.
Noisily exhaling a sigh Janise just wants them both to leave, “Larry just go. Don’t say anymore. I might feel like calling Missy to let her know you sneak off to get high.”
“Oh please don’t do that.” Larry slinks past, “so sorry Janise.”
“Whatever Larry.” As he passes she focuses on Travis. Noticing the disappearance of Travis’s smile amuses her to quickly deal with him, “Travis, we’ve known each other way too long. I don’t want your grubby old chump change. I also don’t want to listen to you whine beg and plead with me for an hour. So you wait right here.”
“Okay,” softly Travis replies watching her turn to go inside figuring she’ll throw him a bone of sorts just to get rid of him. He turns to watch Larry periodically check the bottom of the sandal while walking away. Poor dumb bastard.
In middle school they actually hung out together. High school Travis slipped right in with all the other partying teens. Not into it right away Larry hid out with the audio/visual guys. They both shared high school classes with Janise. Her friends in the beginning were the other minority girls of the neighborhood. Janise got wilder before turning nineteen getting into all kinds of trouble. In her twenties made sure to get a collage degree, sadly it hasn’t helped her.
“Here Travis,” Janise returns with two joints in hand, “figure its’ easier for me just to give you these and send you on your way.”
Slowly turning Travis appreciates the offer. Two free joints and still ten bucks in hand. “Oh hey. Why thanks Janise, that’s really cool of you. I’ll make everything up to you one day. I promise.”
“Shit,” Janise laughs once, “one of your promises is worth less than that change in your hand. Just take it and leave me in peace. I was going to get in some me time but I guess I got to clean the floors first, AGAIN. Fuckin’ Larry.”
“Yeah what a bonehead move there.” Observing Janise does seem a bit worn out Travis offers, “hey I could start paying you back by cleaning the floors for you,” he pretends to scrub in a sexy manor. “Smoke one of these with you at least.”
Knowing him well enough, knows if let in, she’ll be constantly watching his hands for both theft and advancement, “Travis go, get a little buzz on. Find someone else to mess around with.” She points out his shabby appearance, “but change your clothes at least. When was the last time you had a shower anyway?”
Unable to recall Travis utters in almost a query, “Thursday?”
Janise shudders, “Its’ Wednesday fool. Go wash would ya.”
“Alright, alright,” content with the morning so far Travis smiles, “thanks again Janise.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just learn to behave yourself Travis, okay.” She finds it hard to hate Travis as one of the few males met in life that sees her as a woman not the black of her skin. If she asked him for something he’d do it or find someone that could. Unable to trust him and a male whore she knows to keep distant.
Chapter # 1 – Travis
