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looking for a new wife, because I think I can just barely afford you.” After saying that he turned and ran out the back of the house trying to balance everything in his hands.
    Jude started up the borrowed van from Shaw. Checking the gas gauge, he saw true to his word, Shaw actually was sending him off with a full tank. He was thankful now they had put in the extra hour last night and gotten all of the saws ready they would need for the coming week. He had every intention of kicking serious ass on that town, by the time he left they would all be happy the Grimes tree removal crew had come to their town.
    Jude drove through a quiet town, no one awake this early and the men from the night shift had not been released from work yet. He didn't feel bad for them; there was nothing wrong with good union pay. Although he knew strikes at the tractor factory had been discussed recently. Jude rolled to a stop going by Chuck's house. He did not have to wait long out front because regardless of how hard he hit the bottle the night before; Jude always knew he would be up and ready to work the next day regardless if he was sick hung over or on the brink of death. Chuck was already sitting on the front steps of a small house his head looking up to the stars and blowing smoke rings into the cool morning air. Jude waved and Chuck pushed up from the front step grabbing his loosely filled army duffle bag he had used during his time being enlisted with Jude.
    Chuck climbed in the passenger seat setting down his bag in the rear of the van, happy to know he wouldn't have to be sitting on the floor for a four-hour drive down to Missouri. He would hold his piss until the last minute possible if it meant not having to sit in the back with all of the gear. He knew it wasn't about comfort when it came to a company van, it was about how much you could get to somewhere and how quick you could do it and how many people you take with. Rows of seats just took up valuable space.
    Chuck said, “Morning Jude.”
    "How are you doing this morning Chuck? Did you stay in last night?"
    “No course not, if I was gone for a week and I didn't say bye to some people they might think I got killed on a job site and you just dug me a hole and buried me somewhere.”
    “So to put it more nicely are you still drunk from the night before, or did you actually manage to get some sleep last night?”
    "Are you trying to offend me? Of course, I got some sleep last night, but I got real good news for you. You know where I went before I went home last night. I stopped at the diner."
    “Don't do it asshole.”
    “Do you know what I had for dinner last night Jude?” Chuck asked.
    “Do you want to walk your dumb ass to Missouri?” Jude replied.
    "You know you need the help," Chuck said.
    "Just please don't do it, Chuck, if our friendship means anything please try to refrain."
    Chuck smiled and said, "Oh our friendship means plenty to me, you're my best friend buddy. Hell, I wouldn't share any part of this with anybody but you."
    That was when Chuck leaned to the side lifting up his left cheek and let the fart of all farts go that would have killed any lesser man.
    “Jesus Christ what the hell is wrong with you, you know that can't be healthy being able to do things like that with your ass. Good God man, crack a fucking window.”
    Jude rolled his down hanging his head out the side wondering if he was going to be able to eat any of the delicious breakfast Maria had cooked up for them.
    “You know you're a real asshole, right? You do that again I'll make you ride on the goddamn roof, and I ain't shitting you brother."
    “You know Ronnie down at the diner put those extra jalapenos and peppers in the chili for me just like I like.”
    “You didn't happen to mention to him that we were going to be going on a long car ride together did you? Tell him about a little trip down to Missouri maybe?”
    Chuck just drew on a cigarette for a second his head outside of the van and nodded