Rock Bottom

Koby pulled his old, rusty, red pickup truck into the daycare center's parking lot. Turning off the ignition, he looked at the building in disgust.. He sat back in the seat, running hands that looked almost too delicate for a man through his long, unkempt hair. He had a hangover and felt like shit. His inveterate drinking problem was several years old now.

"Koby! Get in here...right now!" the director shouted, as Koby tried to sneak pass her office.

"Damn bitch," he muttered under his breath as he entered the office.

"Koby," the director began, "I've talked to you about your appearance before. You're working with children. You need to look presentable, not like some bum who just got off a park bench. Your hair needs to be tied back...in fact, here," she said, taking a small bottle of shampoo from a drawer and a towel from a side table, "take these and WASH your hair in the men's room, then tie it back. And while you're at it," she said, extracting a disposable razor from the same drawer, "SHAVE."

Ordering him to wash his hair and shave was out of character for her. She had even shocked herself by saying it. Usually, she maintained a professional attitude with her employees, but she was losing patience with Koby. Maybe this would get the message across to him that he had to come to work clean; if he didn't, he'd have to clean up here.

Hatred burned in Koby's eyes. He didn't know who the hell she thought she was, talking to him like that, but she was going to pay big-time for it.

"I'm trying to help you, Koby," the director went on. "You want to keep this job, don't you?

"Yeah, I need the job." He reckoned he needed long enough to get revenge anyway.

The director nodded. "I don't want you to take this personally, Koby. But you have to follow the cleanliness standards we have here. I'd say the same thing to the others if the need arose."

Like hell you would, Koby thought. He took the shampoo, razor and towel and left the office. He had a splitting headache. And I have to listen to screaming brats all day. Once in the men's room, his mind raced. He wasn't going to take much more of this shit. It was time he did something...something to show all these people, and others just like them, that enough was enough. He didn't owe any of them anything. They'd never done a damn thing for him. It was pay-back time, and pay-back was going to be a bitch.

His morning with the kids was a living hell. When they weren't yelling and running around, they were either puking or messing up their pants. And of course, who had to clean it all up? Koby. It was beneath the others to do such things, or so it seemed to Koby. He was no better than a personal slave around there.

At noon, he sat at the workers' table gobbling down his food--the only food he'd have that day--watching the little brats with narrowed eyes. Oh yeah, they're going to pay. I'm going to wipe out all these brats to teach the parents.... By mid-afternoon, Koby had disappeared.

"Where's Koby?" Skye asked. "I need him to clean up that mess."

Skye was a certified pre-school teacher who had been working at the center for the last ten years. She loved 'her kids' as she called the children and was very protective of them. At thirty-five, she looked younger than her years. Her black curly hair framed an oval face. Her eyes were a startling blue with a mischievous gleam in them.

"I haven't seen him since lunch," Patrick answered, looking over at the little girl and the spilt milk. "I'll clean it up for you."

"Thanks. I'd do it, but I have a meeting with the director ASAP. I have to get over there."

"No problem."

Before Skye left the director's office, she asked, "Did Koby request the afternoon off?"

"No, why?"

"I needn't him earlier for something, and he doesn't seem to be around. If he took the afternoon off, I wouldn't bother looking for him the rest of the day."

"Well, he hasn't. I'll try paging him."

The director sighed. She didn't really want to fire Koby, but if he kept this up, she'd have no choice. Middle-aged now, the director had managed the daycare for nearly twenty years. As time marched on, streaks of grey appeared in her hair and fine lines etched themselves on her once flawless face, but her duties were still the same. She set standards when she first came here and those standards still held true today. Koby needed to learn to follow the rules.

Koby didn't answer the page. He had left the building and gone to a hardware store. He was about to set his plan in motion. Once he had what he wanted, he headed home to his one-room, ratty apartment. He kicked garbage aside as he entered and closed and locked the door. Mice scurried away at his approach. The room stank of spoiled food, booze and nicotine. Flies buzzed overhead and roaches climbed the walls. He set his purchases on the table.

Two hours later, he was ready to head back to the daycare. He carefully placed his homemade devices inside a large duffle bag and added a couple of guns and ammunition. He cackled at the thought of everyone thinking they were going out with a bang. Placing the bag in the truck, he hopped in and headed back to work.

Five-year-old Annie noticed Koby as he crept pass the playroom door. She was glad that he didn't come in. She didn't like him. As young as she was, she sensed danger when he was around her. She shivered at the sight of him and wondered, briefly, why he was on tippy-toes.

"Isn't it strange how Koby just seemed to vanish today?" Winna said to Oriana.

Winna had applied for a job as a daycare assistant three years ago. She loved kids and had three of her own at home. Of course, they were teens now, which was another reason she liked working at the center. Being around young children made her day. She wished her own children could have stayed little longer. To the children in her care, she resembled a jolly grandma, and they loved her.

"Maybe he got sick and just left."

"Perhaps...but he should have told someone. Just leaving like that could get him fired."

"True. Skye said the director was fuming when she heard he was gone."

"Koby is here," Annie chirped in.

Winna smiled at the child. Annie had been a 'center' child since she was three years old. She would be leaving them next year to enter school.

"No, dear, Koby left after lunch," Oriana told her.

"No! He's here. I saw him."

"You did? When?"

"Just now. He went right pass the door," she said, pointing at it.

Oriana and Winna turned to look at the door, as if expecting him to still be there.

"Are you sure?" Winna asked.

Annie nodded her head and went back to dressing her doll.

"Now, doesn't that beat all. Where do you suppose he's gone to?" Oriana said.

Oriana was the youngest employee at the center. She had graduated with a nursing degree two years ago. She decided to spend a few years working with children before applying for a nursing job. She wanted to work in pediatrics, and she figured working with children in the daycare environment would give her an insight into the way children think and feel about things.

"He was carrying a BIG bag," Annie offered.

"A bag?" Winna asked.

"Uh huh...the kind with handles."

Winna looked at Oriana and raised an eyebrow. Oriana shrugged.

"You mean like this one?" Winna asked Annie, picking up a small duffel bag.

"Yeah, but a BIG one."

Oriana took Winna aside. "I'm going to go see where he went. I'll be right back."

"Ok. Be careful."

"Why?"

"I don't know...something doesn't seem right. Just be careful."

Koby was down in the boiler room. He took one of his devices out of the duffle bag and attached it to the only exit door down there. There were no windows. Picking up the bag, he left the boiler room and proceeded to the next exit door. He continued to do this until all the exits had a device attached to them.

Oriana had no luck in locating Koby. She headed back to the playroom and saw him at the front door. He seemed to be placing something on it.

"Koby! What are you doing?" she asked, as she approached him.

He spun around, gun in hand. Oriana let out a small shriek and her hand flew to her mouth. Trying to stay calm, she finally managed to say, "Koby, put the gun down. There are innocent children here. Whatever the problem is...we can work it out."

He laughed. "Oh no, not this time. This time, you're all going to pay." He ushered her at gunpoint into the playroom.

It became a scene frozen in time as they all took in the fact that Koby had a gun pointed at Oriana. The children sat wide-eyed.

"Call the director!" Koby ordered. "Tell her to get her ass in here, right now! And anyone else in the building. Tell her that no one is to leave the building. There are bomb devices on every exit. Anyone opens an exit door, and the whole place blows up. CALL HER NOW!"

The women were all shaking in terror. Patrick stepped forward and picked up the phone to place the call. "Listen carefully," he told the director.

Before leaving her office, the director had the foresight to call the police department and report the hostage situation. She told them not to enter the building, as there were supposed to be bomb devices at each door.

“What about the windows?” she was asked.

“I don't know.”

Then she left her office with the three maintenance men that were also in the building and went to join the other hostages in the playroom.

"Sit over there!" Koby yelled at the newcomers. "No one else in the building?"

"No, this is all of us," the director said, sitting at a child-size table. "Now, suppose you tell me what this is all about, Koby."

"Seems rather obvious, doesn't it? It's pay-back time."

"I don't know what you're paying us back for, but please, let the children go. They haven't done anything to you."

He laughed somewhat insanely. The sound of it sent tremors of fear through the adults in the room. One of the younger children climbed on the director's lap.

"No. The brats stay," he finally managed to say.

"C'mon, man," Patrick said. "The kids are no use to you. Let them go."

"No way. This will teach all of you. No one ever gave me any leeway, now I don't give any."

"What the hell are you talking about, man? Why are you doing this? What do you want?"

A little three-year-old girl got up from her seat and started to run to the toys. "Get that brat back in her seat!" Koby yelled. "Keep the kids sitting down! The next kid that gets up, I just might shoot!"

Skye ran over and snatched the child up in her trembling arms. She returned to her seat and held the child on her lap. "You have to sit still now, Cara," she told her.

"Momma?"

"You'll see mommy soon. Just sit still, ok?"

"I asked you a question," Patrick said to Koby.

"So you did. But that doesn't mean I'm going to answer you."

"Ok, so you did this so you could just stand here with a gun, looking at all of us for an indefinite period of time. Is that your idea of fun?"

Koby laughed again. "Not quite--although, it is amusing watching you all squirm."

There were flashing lights outside the building. A glance out the window revealed a parking area filled with police cruisers. Koby's eyes flashed as he walked over to the director. He yanked the child off her lap and onto the floor.

"You called the cops, didn't you, bitch?" He hit her across the face with the gun. Winna heard a crack on impact. The director screamed and collapsed on the floor, barely conscious, blood spreading across her face and dripping onto the carpet.

Oh, shit! Koby had meant to slap the woman. He had forgotten the gun was in his hand as his anger took over.

Patrick was up in a flash, lunging for the gunman. The children were screaming. The whole room was in chaos. Koby turned just in time to avoid Patrick's attempt to bring him down. He fired the gun, reflexively, the bullet catching Patrick in the shin. He went down on the floor beside the director.

"Anyone else moves and they're DEAD!" Koby shouted in a panic.

Koby was trying to control his own trembling. God, I never intended to hurt anyone in here. Gradually, he calmed down. He figured what's done is done, can't undo it. He'd have to make sure it didn't happen again. He needed to figure out how to get himself out of there. Things had not gone the way he planned. He had trouble thinking with his pounding headache.

"Please, Koby...let me tend to their wounds," Oriana said.

"No. They can bleed to death for all I care."

"Koby, you don't mean that. I know you don't. Let me...."

"NO!"

Why did I say that? I don't really want them to bleed to death. I can't think straight!

Silence descended on the room, except for the moans of pain coming from the director and Patrick. Outside, the police were in a frenzy, setting up equipment.

"Come out with your arms raised!" ordered a voice over a loudspeaker. "Drop your weapons! Come out with your arms raised."

Koby did not respond to the order. He merely glanced out the window, then back at the occupants of the room.

From the floor, Patrick said in a quite lucid manner, considering the pain he was in, "It's not worth it, man. Whatever your problem is, it's not worth dying for. You'll never leave here alive if you don't let these people go, and surrender to the police."

Patrick was an ex-Marine. He had fought in 'Nam and during his tour there had sustained various injuries before he finally made it home again. During that time in 'Nam, he had learned to function despite being injured. It had been a question of survival then, and it was the same now. He knew he was the only one present in the room that could possibly get Koby to end the hostage situation. His pain was secondary to the necessity of trying to save the lives of all in the room...especially the children.

"Shut up before I shoot you in the mouth next time!"

Patrick chuckled. The women looked at him in amazement.

"Koby, man, the truth hurts, doesn't it? You'll never get out of here alive. It's not too late to get yourself out of this situation. Get out now, before it's too late. You haven't killed anyone yet. Sure, you may have to serve some time for this, but that's better than life in prison or the death penalty for murder. You made a mistake...for whatever reason, man. You have the power, Koby, to set things right again."

Koby raised the gun, then hesitated. "You don't know shit!"

"I think I know where you're coming from, man. Life's treated you like shit, hasn't it? You never got a break, did you? For every step forward, you got knocked back two. You're at an all-time low and you want to get back at everyone that never gave you a chance in life."

Koby lowered the gun to his side. "Yeah...."

"This isn't the way, man. All these little kids in here...they're not the ones who never gave you a chance in life. Hell man, their lives haven't even started yet. They're only little kids."

Koby looked around at all the scared children in the room. I hate kids! Yet, as he looked at them he began to wonder if he really hated kids at all, or if it was just the fact of being at rock-bottom that caused him to have no patience around them. He looked back at Patrick.

"Oriana, get the first-aid kit and take care of their wounds," Koby said. "You help her, Skye."

"God bless you, Koby," Oriana said, getting up from the table.

God. Is there really a God? He had thought so, long ago. He had even been a regular church-goer back then. But that had been before things had gone downhill. Since then, he lost his faith in religion. Not even God helped him nowadays.

"Thank you, Koby," Patrick said. "You know, Koby, I'm thinking of starting my own construction business soon. I could use some good men like you. Would you be interested in doing construction work?"

Get him focused on something else, Patrick thought. Offer him some hope.... Let him see, things will get better. Distract him!

Koby's head jerked up. "Construction? I used to work in construction years ago."

Patrick smiled. "Then you're just the man I need in my new business. But first, we have to work this out, Koby. You have to end this situation without anyone else getting hurt, man. It's the only way. You know in your heart it is. Do the right thing, man."

Don't push him! Let him make the choice... offer a tidbit and hope he grabs it. Show him a way out of this...give him hope for the future.... Lord help me, I'm no psychologist. Am I handling this right?

"I didn't really want to hurt anyone...."

He did want to make them pay for the way they treated him. I wanted to scare them, more than anything. Give them something to think about. Put the fear of God into them. Now look what I did in a fit of anger! He again looked at the wounded on the floor. He couldn't think straight with his head pounding.

"I know that, man. You're stressed out...."

"You meant that about the job?"

"Sure did. I guarantee you that job. I'll put it in writing, if you want. It'll be there waiting for you, man, when this is all behind us and you've served your time. I know you're not really a bad man, Koby. You've hit some bad times, and you're not thinking clearly. In times of extreme stress, we sometimes do things that we'd never think of doing otherwise. You've hit rock-bottom, now there's only one way to go, and that's up. Let me help you, man. Close the door on this one, Koby, and I'll open a new door for you. That's a promise, man."

"I don't deserve this, after what I just did to you. You're a better man than I am, Patrick."

"You're going to be a better person in the near future, Koby. Believe that. It's going to happen."

Koby nodded his head and, with tears in his eyes, went towards the front door and reached for the doorknob.

"What are you doing!?" Winna screamed. "You'll blow us all up!"

He turned toward her and said, "No, Winna, these bombs are all fakes. I only meant to scare everyone. I'm real sorry for hurting them." He opened the door, threw his weapon out, then raised his arms above his head and walked out.

Thank God! Patrick thought, just before he passed out.

Sitting handcuffed in the police cruiser, Koby realized he didn't like the person he had become. How did I ever get to the point where I wanted to harm anyone? He had no answer for that. He looked out the car window and watched the ambulances, sirens wailing, speed off to the hospital with the director and Patrick. God, forgive me....

***

Koby was sentenced to three years in prison with three years probation when he was released, after much plea bargaining by the lawyer Patrick had hired for him. The fact that Koby had never been in any trouble before, the bombs had been fakes, and the testimony from other employees stating that Koby had told them he never intended to hurt anyone, just scare them, played a major role in determining his sentence.

The director had a broken jaw and was out of work for months. The temp. agency sent over a replacement for her until she was able to resume her duties at the daycare. The bullet had only grazed Patrick and he was released within two days from the hospital. It took a few weeks for the leg to heal though.

Once he was fit again, Patrick began putting his construction business together. In less than two years, he had five crews of a dozen men and almost more contracts than he could handle. Twice a month, he'd go up to the prison to visit Koby. He wanted to keep reassuring him that the job was still waiting for him.

Patrick parked the car in the visitors' lot and walked to the main entrance to the prison. Koby had been here for two years and one month. His time was getting short.


“You say you have five crews now?” Koby asked in disbelief.

“That's right, man. The business is booming, and I'm saving a foreman's spot for you when you get out. Got a guy in that position now, temporarily, until you're free. Told him when I hired him, the job was only for about a year or so. I'll move him to a crew when you get out, if he's interested.”

Koby nodded. “Well, only got a few months to go, maybe, if I get parole. You think I will?”

“Well, I think there's a good chance, Koby. You've been a model prisoner, haven't gotten into any trouble in here. They'll consider that.”

Again, Koby nodded. “I hope so.”

Koby was looking better than Patrick ever remembered seeing him look. He was clean, hair trimmed and neat, and he'd gained weight. He looked almost handsome now. Patrick couldn't believe the change in the man.

“So everything going all right in here? By the way, I put some money in your account downstairs.”

“You shouldn't be giving me your money, Patrick.”

“Nonsense. It's my money, I'll do what I want with it.” He grinned. “Buy yourself some cigarettes and junk food.”

“Thanks. And yeah, everything's going ok in here. I get fed three times a day...getting fat,” he said, patting his belly. “I got my work detail, which keeps me busy. I spend a lot of time in the library, reading up on construction.”

“Learn anything?”

“Yeah...there's some new ways of doing things since I was in construction,” he answered with a grin.

“Don't worry, I'll teach you whatever you don't know.”

“Appreciate it. How's things at the daycare?”

“Well, as you know, I don't work there anymore, but I stop in about once a week to see the kids.” Koby nodded. “They're doing ok. Annie is in school now, so she's no longer at the daycare.”

“The director back at work yet?”

“Yeah, been back nearly a year now.”

“I still can't believe I hurt you two,” Koby said, shaking his head.

“It's ok, man. I know what a person's capable of under too much stress. I saw it in 'Nam. You do things you'd never think of doing in normal conditions. You do things in desperation without thinking.”

“Yeah, it was sorta a reflex action, in your case anyway. My anger caused the director to get hit. I forgot I had the gun in my hand. I only meant to slap her.”

“Well, it's all behind you now. You've served nearly all your time. Now, think about starting a new and better life.”

“Right. If I get that job with you, I'll be all right.”

“Not if, it's yours. It's there, waiting. It's a given.”

Koby smiled.

***

Three months later, Koby went up before the parole board and was released early on probation. Patrick was there to prove he had a job for him when he was released and a place for him to live. He had rented Koby a studio apartment in the same building where he lived. Two hours later, Koby walked out of the prison with Patrick.

“Must seem strange to you, not confined behind those walls, eh?” Patrick asked on the way to the car.

“For sure. I keep expecting a guard to stop me.”

Patrick laughed and unlocked the car door.

“What's this place cost?” Koby asked at his new apartment as he looked around.

“Three hundred a month, but you'll be making five hundred a week, so no problem. You can handle it, man.”

Koby nodded, going over to the window. “Nice view.”

“Yeah, that's the Platt River out there. There's a path down to it, leads to a sorta beach area.”

“Is that right? The tenants can use it?”

“Sure! We'll have to go for a swim later.”

“Where's your apartment?”

“Down the hall, last door on the left.”

***

Patrick had informed his foreman on Friday that he was no longer need in that position, and asked if he wanted to be transferred to a work crew. The man had accepted.

On Monday, Patrick brought Koby to the construction office. He introduced him to the crew he'd be in charge of in the lounge area, then took him into a private office.

“What the hell am I suppose to do?” Koby asked, nervously.

“Easy, man, I'm going to tell you. Have a seat.”

Koby sat.

“Ok, this crew is presently working on the inside of an office building downtown. They're mainly putting up walls, doors and windows. You do that before?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok then, no problem. Mainly, you just have to make sure they're doing it right. Walk around, inspect their work. You don't have to do any of it yourself--unless you want to, that is. Think you can handle that?”

“Should be a piece of cake,” Koby said with a grin.

“Right. Easy enough. I'll stop by three or four times today to see how you're doing.”

“Good enough!”

Koby left with the crew. He was still nervous, but at least he knew what he was doing. He had done that work for years. He didn't expect any problem.

Koby did so well, that in less than six months, Patrick offered him a partnership in the business.

“Are you serious!?” Koby asked, astonished by the offer.

“Damn right I am! You're better than good. You know this business inside out. You have a knack for finding new ways to do things that cut costs and speeds up production. You're worth your weight in gold. You have to be my partner, man. How about it?”

Koby blushed at the praise. He ran his fingers through his hair. He looked at Patrick again. Then he broke out in a grin from ear-to-ear. “I accept.”

Patrick whooped, jumped out of his chair behind the desk, went over to the makshift bar, poured two drinks and handed one to Koby. “To our partnership!” he declared.

“To us!” Koby said, downing the drink.

“What do you think of changing the name to KOPA?” Patrick asked.

“KOPA?”

“Yeah man, KO for Koby, PA for Patrick.”

“KOPA Construction.” Koby burst out laughing. “I like it.”

“Then it's settled. I'll get my lawyers right on it, drawing up the partnership papers...the name change....”

Koby nodded.

“As a partner, you'll earn $75,000 a year now...probably more in the future.”

Koby nearly dropped his glass. “Whoaaaa...” was all he could manage to say.

Patrick chuckled. “Don't spend it all in one place,” he kidded Koby.

“I can't picture that much money.”

Patrick clapped him on the back. “I'll take a pic and send it to you.”

Koby laughed. “And to think, two years ago....”

“Hey man, I told you back in the daycare that day, there was only one way to go now and that was up, remember? And that a new door was going to open for you.”

Koby had tears in his eyes. “Yeah, you did. I didn't totally believe you, but I wanted to...I wanted to.” He reached out and gave Patrick a one-arm hug. “Thanks for being there for me. I don't know where the hell I'd be now, if not for you.”

***


A year later, Koby remodelled the director's office at his own expense. The director was still leery of Koby. She didn't trust him at all. But Patrick assured her that Koby was a changed man. She finally agreed to his remodelling the office, but only on the condition he worked after the kids went home. She didn't want him near the children.

After the office, Koby built a huge playground for the kids at the daycare. He installed new bathrooms, a new boiler, and replaced the roof. He had all new electrical wiring installed and central air-conditioning. The director had a new state-of-the-art computer in the office and the kids had several gameboys to play with in the playroom.

“I don't know what to say, Koby,” the director told him when he was finished. “You shouldn't have done so much. It must have cost a fortune.”

“I can afford it. It was something I had to do. Call it restitution, if you want. I owed all of you something for what I did here.”

“God bless you, Koby.”

“He has...oh, He has indeed,” Koby answered with a smile on his face, going to the door. “Now, we're all blessed.” He closed the door behind him.

When one door closes, another opens....