She sat on the window sill with her foot propped up on the radiator. She exhaled, and the smoke came billowing out of her pursed lips. There was no style or grace to it; she couldn’t be bothered with little things like that.

“I’m going to quit.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“And I’ll say it again, so get off my back.”

I didn’t care about her. Not enough to make her stop. She was just some girl I slept with from time to time. She exhaled again.

“Baby steps, ya know?”
“I know…baby steps.”

"Germans," he muttered. "Engineering geniuses my ass."

Another tenth of a turn.

"Why are the bolts so long?"

His hand cramped, sweat poured into his eyes. Pain radiated up his neck; it felt like the back of his brain was on fire.

"DAMN!!"

Movement, maybe a twelfth of a turn. Each millimeter of progress required ridiculous effort.

He placed the wrench again and began to turn. Slip, torque released, hand slams onto metal.

"GAAAAH! BASTARD CAR! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME!?!"

Blood poured from grease-caked skin. He knew it was time to cool his temper over a beer.

It was a beautiful July afternoon. The boys were playing ball in the park. A car slams on its brakes three bangers jumped out and started yelling and cussin'. They were after the youngest, skinniest, white boy ever seen in Gary. Johnie stepped up. He tried to stop them. The bangers cursed Johnie for bringin in a whitie. Then it happened with a flash there was blood everywhere.

I went home that night soaked in blood. Johnie died in my arms that day.