Stanley Primmer stands all day as teller in the largest bank in the District of Columbia. His reliability has earned him the coveted “first window.” For ten years, he labored with precision against a backdrop of potted palms, mahogany and prints of dead pheasants.
He leans against the gas pump of the Mobil station, eight point three miles outside of Harper’s Ferry. He is weary of standing. It has been three hours since his cohorts—his cretins—should have appeared. Where are they? He is weary of the uniformed attendant’s cheerful questions, terrified at the outside chance of being recognized inside the close garage.
He leans against the gas pump of the Mobil station, eight point three miles outside of Harper’s Ferry. He is weary of standing. It has been three hours since his cohorts—his cretins—should have appeared. Where are they? He is weary of the uniformed attendant’s cheerful questions, terrified at the outside chance of being recognized inside the close garage.
Sweat saturates what was left of his starched collar. He frantically goes over in his mind (nothing written down, remember?) that this is the gas station for the meeting. He can’t use the pay phone again, especially since no one is answering. He can’t leave. The October sun is moving dangerously fast. Leeway time is running out.
Idiots. Do they have any notion what he is risking? Do they appreciate that they are a part of a brilliant plan? Where are they?!
He is unaware of the tranquil rolling hills behind him. He does not smell the golden grass bordering the back lot; his eye doesn’t catch the first crimson on the maples. A rifle shot pierces the air in the distance. He hugs the gas pump and swallows back vomit and tears. Stanley Primmer has no idea this is the first day of hunting season. Stanley is an indoor man.
From John Dufresne's Writing Exercises: Using the prompt of Edward Hopper’s painting, “Gas,” (man standing in a rural setting by a 1930’s gas pump)
From John Dufresne's Writing Exercises: Using the prompt of Edward Hopper’s painting, “Gas,” (man standing in a rural setting by a 1930’s gas pump)
