Another Left Behind

The four young men waited. They had been there for a while, marking time until the fifth arrived and they could be on their way.

Joe, Steve, and Mark were getting impatient for David to get there. They tossed a baseball back and forth, acting like the young men that they were, but anxious to be gone.

Steve checked his watch again for the tenth time. "He's never late, at least I have never known him to be late. Do you guys think something happened to him?"

"Naw," Mark piped up, deftly catching the ball that Brian had careened at his head. "He's probably just stuck in traffic or something. Nothing to be worried about."

"Yeah," Brian said taking his turn with the ball, "I mean, have you ever known a time that David couldn't handle himself?"

"I suppose not, but it's still strange that he's not here yet," Steve said, glancing at his watch again.

"Oh, you worry to much. Someone would think you were his mother." Joe reached over and punched Steve on the shoulder.

Steve sighed and pulled down his shirt sleeve to cover his watch, trying not to think about the minutes passing by. Steve kept an eye out for David as the others game of catch turned into at throwing contest that devolved into a wrestling match.

Steve perked up at the sound of a roaring engine heading their way.

David pulled up to the curb in his black Camero that he drove and opened the door. Killing the engine he stepped out and faced his crew.

"Where ya been man?" Joe called from the pile of bodies on the ground.

"You okay boss?" Steve asked quietly?

Rain had begun to fall, and David did not bother to take off his sunglasses even though the sun was starting to go down.

David looked down at his men on the ground until they pulled themselves to their feet, dusting off their clothes. He looked over at Steve. "I'm fine." His voice was flat, nothing to hint at any type of emotion at all. "Get in." He ordered them.

The three men piled into the back, still shoving each other playfully.

Steve slid into the passenger and David climbed behind the wheel.

"Boss..."

"I said I'm fine." His tone was harsh. The three in the back quieted down suddenly.

David started the car with a roar and accelerated away from the curb, rounding corners and blowing through stop signs until they reached the highway.

Joe, Mark and Brian began talking quietly. David looked in the rear view mirror at the city he was leaving behind. "I'm fine he whispered to himself."

But he knew it was a lie.