On Wednesday I was walking in the warehouse and turned a corner to see Jean opening the door to go into the office just as Brian was opening it to come out. They were both startled for a moment and then Jean tried to go around him.
Brian moved aside slightly and then I heard him say “Hi sweet tits!” and then he squeezed her left tit hard as she pushed past him.
Jean had turned slightly and she saw me. She turned beet red and frowned at me and shoved past Brian and went into the office. Brian started walking toward me with a smile on his face. I walked up to him and shoved him back hard.
“What in the hell is the matter with you!” I yelled at him.
He looked startled and then came toward me and got right in my face. “What’s your problem asshole?” he yelled. “Is she your girlfriend or something?”
Without thinking I brought my arm back, made a fist and then punched him in the balls. He fell back groaning and holding his crotch with a look of shock and puzzlement on his face. He slowly got up just as Mike walked over.
Brian looked at Mike and said “Did you see that?”
Mike smiled at him. “I sure did. I saw everything. Probably be best if you walk away while you still can. I’ll try and keep Dan from hurting you more.”
Brian stumbled off. Mike gave me a little puzzled look and smile and shook his head. Then he slapped my shoulder and walked off.
I was really under no illusions though. Brian was the son of our best customer and I knew where that put me. I figured I’d be looking for a different job next summer if I was lucky enough to finish out the week.
I thought my fears were confirmed about an hour later when I walked toward the foreman’s office and saw Larry there with Mike and Ron. I walked in to face the music. Ron was grinning. Larry looked up and saw me and began to chuckle and shake his head.
“There’s a little more to you than you let on isn’t there?” he said looking at me. “I’m going to have a little talk with Brian and let him know if anything more happens I’m going to tell his dad about how big an asshole his son is. In the meantime don’t go hurting him in the next few days. Okay?” He slapped me on the back too and walked toward the door. Just as he was leaving he turned and said “Oh. And we’re all going to be looking out for Jean too.”
The rest of the week went okay. I saw Jean a few times and actually had a few easy conversations just like we had always had before. She never mentioned Brian. On Friday they had a going away lunch for me. Fortunately Brian was out on a delivery. At the end Jean came over and gave be a kiss on my cheek. “I really hope you have a great life Dan.” And she smiled and walked away.
I got back into the swing of things at school and a couple of weeks later I got a letter with no return address. I opened it up and it was from Jean.
Hi Dan,
I just found out the other day that when you saw me and Brian at the office door that you had confronted him and actually hit him. I was flabbergasted! Mike had obviously gotten a kick out of it and was pretty impressed with the way you had handled it.