Severance

Punching Out

Thursdays, when second shift at Mackenzie Manufacturing let out, their checks were in their time card slots.

The company had never changed over to swipe entry cards, and Timmy McFaull thought they probably never would.

They made diaphragm housings for spray nozzles, and the gaskets and valves that changed flow rates. They rarely had a busy season, and rarely had layoffs.

Nothing changed.

Timmy’s white envelope was in his time card slot, same as always.

But from 5 feet away he saw a little heart drawn on his.

There was a heart on Teddy Montgomery’s too. 

Sally Ripken ripped hers open right at the break table.

“Some kinda prank,” Sally said. “It ain’t funny.”

“Oh, all of us got hearts on the envelopes, Sal, it ain’t–”

“Check your envelope Timmy, see if it’s normal.”

Before Timmy could even touch his, Viktor Stravko said “this don’t be least bit funny, to me.”

Kerry Mackenzie came through the front door.

He was in a blue suit and his tie was knotted like he meant it.

He wore a tie every day, but never once had Timmy seen it tied at the neck.

Teddy Montgomery said “Holy Shit, I’m rich!”

Timmy ripped his envelope.

After taxes on a 40 hour work week, with his shift premium, he made 898.04. 

Mackenzie gave out 150 per employee every Christmas.

It was September. No one worked Labor Day or any OT.

Timmy’s check was for 11,415 dollars.

Kerry Mackenzie walked onto the shop floor.

“Sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

He was sweating, his thick neck redder than usual, maybe from the tightness of the tie.

“I called Joanna from Indianapolis as soon as I found out.”

“Found out what?” Sally asked.

Joanna was the accountant for both the business and payroll.

Timmy knew immediately that she had drawn the black hearts on the envelope.

“My dad…” Kerry Mackenzie’s voice caught. His father had been dead for years. 

“My dad…” Kerry reached his index finger between his neck and the tie and pulled it off like it was a live snake.

“My dad has been fighting this patent infringement thing since the 70’s. His lawyers, anyway. They’ve delayed, motioned, bells and whistles and smoke and everything but jump buses on a motorcycle. 

But…”

Kerry looked to the ceiling like his dad might rappel down from the lazily swirling fans.

“Looks like my dad did… um…. borrow some designs in 74. We’re done. Whatever is in your check represents your severance, weighted by years of service.”

Now Kerry Mackenzie looked at the floor.

“Of course, I’ll write any and all of you a recommendation letter and assist…assist in…”

Kerry Mackenzie started to sob.

Teddy Montgomery stepped up to him, check still in hand, and wrapped his arms around the boss.

Timmy McFaull stepped slowly to the side door and opened it. Once he was fully outside, he started to run, hopping the fence, landing smoothly, and continued to run.

His coworkers stared behind him.

“He running toward the damn train track,” Viktor said.

Sally shoved her check in her pocket and ran to the side door.

She hopped the fence right where Timmy did and when she landed she screamed for him.

No train was coming, no train came until morning.

Sally was still relieved when Timmy crossed the train tracks.

She kept running.

Her aunt ran a little shop in Terre Haute. She was certain she could get Timmy a job there. She couldn’t bear for him to hurt himself. She ran after him. She shouted Timmy! a couple times. He either didn’t hear or didn’t answer on purpose.

He cut down Wagner, into town proper.

She thought she heard him yelling now.

She was too winded to yell. She thought in her head It’s gonna be okay, Timmy, it’s gonna be okay. 

The Benton Shores Fire Department was at the corner of Wagner and Main. If Timmy did anything reckless now, help was nearby.

On Main he leaped.

Sally slowed, shocked, puzzled.

Timmy grabbed a faux gas lamp post and swung from it.

He skipped to the next one and repeated the jump and swing.

Sally could see the white envelope of the check in his hand.

Every time he swung she got closer to him.

By the fourth pole she could see his smile, and hear him shout Thank You Jesus!, as he made another revolution around the pole, and disappeared, skipping and smiling, into Fenwick’s Billiards and Pub.

***

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