#35 Both Sides of the Track

"Hey, Mr. Refing what brings you in this morning?" said the Damsel Strip Club's opening bartender.

"Can it Glenn before you go and make a mundane morning into a bad morning," replied Simon Refing as he took a seat at the bar.

"Sorry, Mr. Refing, what can I get you?"

"Bloody Mary, Glenn," replied Simon. He got the drink, downed it, sighed and said, "Sorry for snapping at you Glenn. You make a good Bloody Mary, keep them coming. To answer your question from before, this is where I'll be working for the foreseeable future."

"Gotcha, Mr. Refing."

After Simon had his second Bloody Mary he caught sight of Lee Fook entering the building. Lee looked around for a second before spotting Simon. He walked over to Simon so quietly and with such poise that it looked almost as if he were floating just above the ground.

Simon faced forward as Lee approached. Lee stood next to Simon. Simon turned his head slightly but still not looking at Lee and nodded his head. Lee returned the nod and too the stool next to Simon.

"Mr. Fook."

"Mr. Refing."

"Buy you a drink?"

"Thank you, yes, bourbon please."

"Bourbon? Hell, Mr. Fook. What are you anyway, Chinese, Korean...?

"Mother from China, Father from Okinawa."

"Okay now wah?

"Island off of Japan."

"Gotcha," said Simon as he rose his drink to meet Lee's. They drank.

"No hard feelings, Mr. Refing?"

"About what?"

"My report is partly the reason you sit here now."

"What?" asked Simon, he paused and thought for a second, "Oh... No, Lee, you don't gotta worry about that. It wasn't your report it was me and my gun. But I guess that ain't a problem no more, so don't even worry about. I guess I just didn't understand how it all worked before. But I understand now."

"Good, Mr. Refing."

"Simon."

"Yes, Simon. Good to hear you are moving on."

Their conversation hit a brick wall after Lee's statement. They sipped their drinks in uncomfortable silence. Lee was more visibly uncomfortable than Simon.

Finally, after Simon drained his drink he said, "Well I ain't moved on entirely."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I know there ain't no going back from the Lessox job but I've done some awfully wrong things and maybe I aim to put some of them right again."

"Things you did as a Gun Bearer?"

"Hey!" said Simon abruptly. "Now I'm trying to talk to you like a friend and not Gillingham's fucking Angel of Death. You act like a guy who wants to be treated like a friend, so is that what this is or should I just shut the fuck up now?"

"My apologies, Simon, I do want to be your friend. Please continue."

"Something I did has been aching at me real bad. You know a lot about this Karma stuff, what's up with that?"

"I think what you're searching for is a path to redemption. You feel you have wronged people in the past and it is affecting your current course."

"Well I guess, but I mean, well, I know I'm going to Hell, Lee. I know that is where I'm headed. I just want to lessen the charges against me while I still have time. Ya know, if I have to carry a stone for every misdeed I did while I was here on Earth than ya know, I just want to... carry less stones."

"Ah, well put Mr. Refing, very well put."

"So what do you think?"

"My heart tells me to advise you to go out and redeem whatever transgressions you can."

"I thought so," said Simon lifting his head a little higher.

"However, my job as the Executioner Gun Bearer tells me that you and I will meet again at the end of your new path."

"Really?" asked Simon with wide eyes.

"Two paths travelling within one vessel is my burden."

"Well, Lotus Wolf," said Simon with another deep sigh, "it's no longer yours to bear alone."

Simon ordered another round of drinks and they toasted: "To us both walking two paths."