He Knew All Their Secrets
Episode 4 He was a trickster and a brute
In the last episode of this series, Paul the protagonist, was in a hole, literally.
“ Taught her how to literally spin straw into gold! She promised me …” He wandered into thought before going back into his spill on the subject. “She owes me … debts … she has not paid.”
Paul seemed to be chanting as he dug deeper and wider into the ground. He heard something behind him. He turned around quickly, but could not make out what was there in the shadows. Reaching for his flashlight, he quickly stood up to aim the light in the direction of the sound. He was struck against his back. Paul stumbled into the wide shallow hole he had been digging…
From the very first day, Paul noticed the pretty woman as she walked hastily toward the closing door. He immediately started talking to her.
She was already a few minutes late for her first day of class. He held the door for her. As she entered she said thanks over her shoulder and continued into the speech communication classroom.
Paul continued talking to her. She did not stop but walked into the room and sat down. He followed close behind her and asked if she were a student in the class. A bit annoyed by his boldness she nodded and proceeded to take out a notebook and textbook from her book bag.
He stood over her grinning widely waiting for her to look up at him. She continued to ignore him as she attempted to settle into the desk. Paul cleared his throat and announced that he would be standing in for the instructor who was running late and that no one was expected to do anything except sign the attendance roster that was being passed around the classroom.
He looked back at the woman as he stood over her adjusting his shirt sleeves around the cuffs and moving his feet as if he were about to dance.
She did not look up but wished he would move on. He stood there speaking to the students in the class from where he stood there over her.
Though he was a mechanical engineering instructor at the community college he also worked as an administrator in civil engineering for the city of Phoenix. He would use his lunch hour to teach a fifty-minute class Tuesdays and Thursdays.
He presently worked as an appointed interim head administrative engineer until as of such time he was hired for the position. He took full advantage of the benefits of that role.
Paul owned *Straw N2 Au Enterprises and several other businesses.
A talkative man who bragged about everything he owned, every degree, every vehicle, every artifact, every thingamajig, every whatchamacallit, everything that he had likely acquired. He often mentioned his possession of a 2700-acre ranch that he prided himself on owning.
Though he considered himself to be friendly, most people spoke of him as a meddlesome, nosey, arrogant loudmouth. Paul did not seem to notice co-workers who knew him, often avoided him.
If he sensed it, he embarrassed and insulted those who were attempting to avoid him. His presence was constantly oppressive to those working with him. Because he felt he knew everything about all things, which made him a beneficial ally, and a menacing foe. Whenever it served his ego, he could be an eloquent gentleman or a pushy and precarious bully.
Paul was no gentleman, he was a trickster and a brute.
A devout lover of good whiskey, pretty women, and all things “solid gold”. Tenacious anger lurked inside him and could be provoked by any perceived slight. His vindictive threats were often carried out, which made him a dangerous man.
Paul wore his gray coiled hair in an unattractive braid that hung down his back — plaited with gold ribbon. Sometimes small pieces of lint and flakes of dandruff would show in his cherished braid. He wore tiny gold hoop earrings in each ear. He was not handsome. There was no light in his fierce eyes.
Under his shirt sleeves on each of his wrists, he wore gold bracelets engraved with unrecognizable creatures. Oftentimes he wore a small brim fedora with a small gold feather sewn into the band. His appearance resembled the elfins in the grim fairy tale.
His clothes were generally too small for him and showed distressed wear. Brown boots that never were polished or cleaned he wore daily. Paul wore a thick leather belt embroidered with solid gold.
Over the years, with all his acquired riches, he looked for opportunities to offer his riches to others as deals or contracts. Enterprising young persons would get involved with him and have to leave what they first believed were good investments to walk free from his demands and threats. His many kinky business dealings reaped many enemies.
More students entered the classroom later and the roster was filled to completion. Some of the students became restless as they waited for the tardy instruction.
Paul walked to the podium to get the attention of all present. He directed them to tell their names and degree intention, and anything else they would like to share. To kill time while waiting for the professor.
Each student stood, introduced themselves, and told why they were taking the speech communication class. When it came time for the woman Paul had his eye on to stand and speak, he interrupted by asking her several personal questions. After embarrassing her, he complimented her for not getting upset by the imposing questions. From the experience with the woman, Paul was hooked. Considering her prettiness, wit, and spontaneity, he considered her a captivating mark, a woman intriguing enough for him to pursue.
He turned and asked her “How do you pronounce your name again, now?” The woman spoke quietly and clearly. “Eliora, Eli-ora.”
Paul chanted the woman’s name for the remaining of the class.
He asked her to wait so that he could get more information. He would pursue her fully from that day forward.
Although annoyed with his brash behavior, she considered, then waited for him. She later discovered she was astonished at his sordid humor and abashed by his contemptible aphorisms. Finally freed from his brazen conduct and poor manners, Eliora realized regret had crept in, and although she heard his conversation, she was no longer listening.
She accepted his business card, affirmed to call him, but refused to give him her number for fear he might call. After courageously dismissing herself, she hurried on to her next class.
Over the weeks of summer classes, she kept running into him at odd times and places. She tried putting him off and rushing away, but he’d show up when unexpected. Offering her lunch in the cafeteria. Suggesting a good read in the school campus library. Spilling the goods on the next upcoming city event. He had become her shadow, creepy and foreboding.
On the last day of class, Eliora was elated to get off campus and join her son and his fiance for lunch. “Just one more time to meet the elfin man and I might scream”, she thought.
As she placed her book bag strap over her shoulder and started across the parking lot, out of nowhere he stepped in front of her. Startled and annoyed, Eliora put on a pretense smile and said, “Excuse me”, as she side-stepped around him and continued on her way.
“Just a moment, Ms. Elnora,” Paul called out. “I wanted to ask you if you will have lunch with me since today is your finals day. You must be famished.” He was walking quickly behind her.
“No, no thank you”, she replied. Never slowing or turning as she spoke. “My husband is coming to get me for lunch and we are not going to be on this side of town today.” she slowed her pace allowing him to catch up.
“But you have an enriching summer!”, she was being sarcastic. Remembering Paul never failed to mention gold, money, or riches in every conversation with her. She stopped and turned to him. “Eli-ora is my name, sir”, she stated slowly. Forcing a fake closed-mouth smile.
He stood with his thumb on his bottom lip, allowing her to walk away without another word. Having no slight remarks to add, was odd behavior for Paul.
A wide grin covered his face as he quickly climbed into his brand new jumbo truck.
Thinking she had rid herself of him for good, by lying that her husband was on his way to take her to lunch, she was sadly mistaken. Eliora put her seven-year-old gray Mercedes in reverse, making sure no cars were coming, she proceeded to back out of the campus parking lot.
Bam! the impact frightened her as she immediately placed her foot on the brake, then input the car in park gear, she wrestled with the door handle to jump out of the car. Truly shaken by the impact.
As she ran around to the side of her car that was impacted, she noticed a huge dark gold Ford F-450 Super Duty pickup truck idling before her.
Paul jumped out of the vehicle and rushed right up to Eliora and asked if she was all right. He looked her up and down and around at her vehicle. He laughed. “I'm so sorry. I guess I did not see your little old car backing out.” He spoke with such joy and jubilation, as if at a party of a parade. With both arms outstretched palms up, he kept apologizing as he stepped around both vehicles, seeming to assess the damage.
Eliora, stood watching the man as he walked back and forth talking, laughing happily as she slowly begin to fume. She thought, “ He must have planned this accident!” And she thought right.
Paul stopped, turned to Eliora, and right out of his mouth, asked her, “How does the title All Things Golden as an enterprise sound to you?”
Stay tuned. Paul, the trickster, is up to his cunning actions to get Eliora in his grasp.
✨✨✨Read the beginning development of this series here✨✨✨
*Straw Into Gold Enterprises