Still Life in Shadows Read Online Free PDF Page A

garage, once he saw Kiki, he couldn’t.
     
    The sound of an engine hammering along the road grew louder as a long truck pulled to a stop in front of the Valley Ridge Apartments. Gideon recognized the truck, saw Bruce sitting behind the wheel. The passenger door opened, and Amos slithered out. Gideon greeted Bruce over the roar of the engine, handed him an envelope containing his delivery fee, and waited for Amos to gather his belongings.
     
    Dressed in new Levi’s and a navy T-shirt advertising Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, Amos stood before Gideon. A lit cigarette hung from his mouth. Gideon observed it all, even the watch on his wrist. Amos was already looking like a real Englishman.
     
    “How long have you been on the road?”
     
    “You mean when did I leave Lancaster?”
     
    “That’s right.”
     
    “Five days ago. At first I was just going to stay in Harrisburg, but then I decided to leave Amish country altogether.”
     
    “How old are you?” Gideon asked as Amos pulled a black duffel bag off the floor of the cab and thanked Bruce for the ride.
     
    “Seventeen. I know, I look younger.” Then he smiled and gave Gideon a spontaneous hug.
     
    Gideon recalled when he left his parents fifteen years ago. The pleasures were here, the forbidden fruits his parents did not tolerate. He had embraced them all—Jim Beam, Marlboro Menthols, and the Rusty Saddle Bar and Grille. He gave up smoking and drinking within a year. He didn’t like the taste of smoke in his mouth and nose—or the burn of whiskey in his throat. As for the local bar and grill, there had been a cute blonde pool player who frequented the establishment, but when she got engaged, he stopped heading there after work. Instead he walked home to his shows on cable. And he drank Gatorade and discovered bologna sandwiches.
     
    “Seems to me,” Gideon said as they climbed the stairs to the apartment reserved for Amos, “you made good time.”
     
    He showed Amos around the sparsely furnished one-bedroom apartment. He had no idea if the kid knew about refrigerators, dishwashers,or garbage disposals, so he explained how each appliance worked. At last he said, “I’m sure you’d like to rest.” He pointed to the double bed in the bedroom. “Linens are in the closet.” He flicked on the overhead light. “You know about electricity?” He was glad when Amos smiled.
     
    “Once you get on your feet you can furnish this place the way you’d like. Right now it’s not much, but it’s safe and dry.” He handed Amos a copy of his terms and conditions to sign. This was standard procedure for all those he helped.
     
    Amos dropped his duffel bag onto the wooden floor beside the bed, causing the room to echo. From the pocket in the front, a Snickers bar popped out.
     
    Gideon recalled how his candy bar of choice had been Twix. He never could get enough of that sweet flavor when he first left the home place. His father insisted that his children never have a taste of carbonated drinks or candy bars. They were not to fill their appetites with
English junk food.
Now the gold and red Twix packaging reminded him of long ago, another time, when he was just discovering the rest of America.
     
    Amos studied the document. He rubbed his chin as he turned over the two pages, then looked at Gideon. “I’m kinda tired. What does it say?”
     
    “It says I pay your first month’s rent of $340—and during that time, you work at the auto shop. After that you are free.”
     
    “Free?”
     
    “Free to keep staying here, paying your own rent, or free to live elsewhere. If you don’t work for me during the thirty-day period, I can terminate your contract with the apartment’s landlord, and you’ll be evicted.”
     
    Amos’s mouth opened. “Evicted?”
     
    “Thrown out.”
     
    Gideon patted the boy’s back. “Welcome to the real world, Amos. I hope you like it.” He handed Amos a pen and showed him where tosign. Then he folded the pages and fit them