We come in to see the bright ocean blue eyes of Mother Mavis Shepherd as it spins around slowly. There is a glint of joy in her eyes while we circle and pan out ever so slowly. Light piano music plays, leading into “Mad World” by Gary Jules. Mavis is lying out on a white bedspread, clearly unmade. She is wearing a matching robe that opens ever so slightly to see a lacy bra underneath. Her pupils are dilated wide as the morning sun peaks in through the window. A glass of bourbon is half empty on the nightstand next to a prescription bottle than is nearly empty. Mavis lowers a cigarette to her lips and takes a long, poignant draw from it. She effortlessly inhales and exhales it a la Jessica Lange in literally anything she plays in. The scenario is drowned out in quiet other than the music until-
Esther: Mom! MOM!
A young Esther and David Shepherd come crashing into the door in a race to tell their mother something that seems rather urgent. She lowers her cigarette to her lips again and draws in.
David: You fucking tattle tail! Learn to shut your damn mouth.
Esther: But mom! I just caught David in his room with a marijuana cigarette!
Mavis blows out a cloud of smoke to the side of her lips before bringing her free hand up to shield her eyes from the morning sun like she just now sees it.
Mavis: Esther, honey, mommy is trying to relax. Can you do me a favor?
Esther comes to the edge of the bed, then scoots up next to Mavis. David folds his arms over his chest and watches, contempt in his eyes.
Esther: Yes mom. What?
Mavis turns over slowly like it was the most inconvenient thing.
Mavis: Can you keep your mouth shut until mommy’s ready to deal with it? It’s still early.
Esther: But David was-
Mavis groans and struggles to sit up in bed. She looks over to David who makes no attempt to hidef. She then looks over to Esther.
Mavis: Look, honey, I’m just gonna be honest with you. I’d much rather whoop your ass for disturbing my rest than have to police your brother who is just bound and determined to become like your deadbeat father. So do me a favor and go into David’s room, pick up that “marijuana cigarette” and put it to your lips. Find a lighter and light it up so that you can chill the fuck out, little girl.
David laughs loudly.
David: Hell yeah!
Esther: But I’m only 12!
Mavis: And so was your redneck father when he was doing much worse than that. Don’t make me paddle you. Do as mommy says. And David, would you help your sister with that?
Esther gets out of bed, receiving a pop on her backside anyway. She cries out and holds onto her backside and goes to join David in the hallway. As the kids disappear, Mavis’s phone begins ringing. She picks up a bottle of Motrin and a bottle of Alieve and she mixes them up in a certain way, with the bourbon before picking up her phone.
Mavis: Are you fucking kidding me?
Mavis growls and she answers the phone with much more animosity than she had before..
Mavis: What the hell do you want, Gerald? It’s bad enough you leave me with these two fucking impossible children who have zero respect, but you call at ten in the morning?
Gerald: It’s a school day, Mavis. Why aren’t the kids at school right now? You’re not back on the bean, are you?
Mavis: No! I went to the doctor and got a script to handle that. You know I got back pains something fierce. I just couldn’t deal with waking their asses up this morning.
There is a silence from Gerald as Mavis puts on pants. She drops the robe to the ground and pulls a blouse out of her closet to slide over herself. She walks over to her vanity and she brushes out her long blonde hair without moving the phone.
Gerald: You’re the one who wanted full custody of the children, pumpkin. I offered to help but you told me-
Together: You’re a piece of shit, and the sooner our children get away from you, the better.
Mavis laughs while remembering that. But it is not the kind of laugh that makes Gerald’s case any better. She shakes her head partly to get a knot out of her hair and partly as a response to her husband.
Mavis: And I fucking meant it, Gerald. You’re a raging alcoholic with a hot head. You talk about PTSD from Afghanistan but I think you’re just a pansy who is trying to make excuses for being a jackass. You’re rubbing off on the children, you know. Esther just told me that David was smoking crack cocaine, or herron, or something. That’s got Daddy Shepherd written all over it.
Gerald: Oh, and let me guess. You told her to leave you alone and go light up the pipe so she can chill the fuck out, right? Because not dealing with literally anything is definitely the Mommy Dearest Shepherd way of life.
Mavis thinks about it for a second with a guilty expression crossing over her face. She holds her brush still in full extension with the knot in her brush. After a few blinks she gives a sigh to Gerald.
Mavis: No. Of course not! Now if you just called to talk about what a bad momma I been, then you can just can it like momma’s famous boysenberry preserves, Gerald Shepherd. I ain’t got no time for your nonsense. I got an interview at the Maxi Mart down the street with benefits and everything. They don’t offer family but if I become a shift manager then it’s on the table. I don’t need your negativity ruinin’ my life any further than it already has.
Gerald: That’s the first good thing you’ve done as a mother aside from birthing them into this cruel fucking world. Congratulations.
Mavis: Tell Ginny to come sit on your face, you know, the way I found you two before I moved out, because I ain’t got time for your mouth. Goodbye.
And with that, Mavis hangs up the phone and finishes getting her hair brushed out. She sits down and puts on her makeup when “Spirit In the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum plays on the radio. It strikes her as funny because she had always had rather negative opinions of the song but it always seemed to find her at the most ironic of times. It was always a warning, or a sign that something good was coming her way. Definitely not from a God who had clearly forsaken her a long, long time ago. She smiles despite it all and begins whistling along as she walks out of the door.
An hour later
Mavis sits down in a corner of a small town convenience market store. She rests on a wooden bench with her purse in her lap. She looks entirely different from how she looked earlier like it had taken her hours to prepare herself this way rather than just minutes. She watches as an elderly lady walks by with a few bananas and a handful of grapes that she is picking at slowly. Meanwhile in the larger part of her cart is full of soup cans. Mavis smiles from her cheeks.
Mavis: Stocking up on sale items is the smart way to go about it, hun.
The woman looks down at her cart and then back to Mavis with confusion on her face. She stares down and starts to walk away while talking under her breath but loud enough for Mavis to hear.
Woman: These ain’t on sale. I just really like soup you judgmental bitch.
Mavis is about to say something when the door to the manager’s office opens up. Her hand over her chest, she stands up to greet him. It is a man in his late thirties or early forties in a light blue shirt and darker blue tie. His slacks are the same color as his tie and his shoes are shiny. His rolled up sleeves give Mavis a glance at his not-too-toned-but-not-a-whimpy-guy physique. His five o’clock shadow and radiant green eyes seem to melt Mavis when she takes a step forward.
Man: Mavis Shepherd? Pleasure to meet ya.
He extends his hand toward Mavis, and she gently takes it. She gives him a wry smile and they begin walking. He pulls out the seat for Mavis, and she can’t help but think that this might be the kindest a man has been to her in ages. He takes the seat across from her and he notices his nameplate says Neal Richards.
Mavis: Thank you kindly for seeing me, Mr. Richards.
Neal: Please. Everyone ‘round here calls me Neal. Don’t see why we can’t keep it going?
Mavis: Thank you, Neal. I appreciate the opportunity.
Neal smiles and those teeth are unnaturally white and almost angelic. Mavis puts her lips together to stop from smiling. He brushes his chestnut hair out of his face. She notices no wedding ring and no family pictures except the picture of a chocolate labrador. While he reads over Mavis’s application, she continues to study his handsome features. He nods his head. She notices the dark blue circles around the emerald green irises now.
Neal: I see a very lengthy gap in your employment history. Almost fifteen years?
Mavis: Yes. My husband. Ex-husband was deployed over Afghanistan for a while. He came back all kinds of banged up on the inside and out. I had to take care of my son, and the military compensated enough where I could focus on him, and later, my daughter. And you know the story. Once a woman heals an injured man, he walks out for younger.
Neal reaches across the desk and places his hand thoughtfully on Mavis’s hand. She gives the top of his hand a rub with her thumb.
Neal: Awfully sorry to hear that. Good news is you seem to have a lot of experience with a cash register. My memory’s like an elephant. I remember those days, right here in this very market, when you had to use your noggin to make change. If a bill is 37.66 and a customer gives ya fifty, what’s the change?
Mavis: If I mark that bill to make sure it ain’t counterfeit and it passes, I’ll hold that sucker up to the light and check for the face. If all’s right with it, then the change is $12.34.
Mavis winks and takes pride in her quick thinking. Neal goes as far as to reach across the desk to give Mavis a high five and she accepts.
Neal: Bang up job, Mavis. See I got a soft spot for single mom’s raisin’ their kids on their lonesome. And with them mathematics, I’m inclined to offer you a cashier position. But I can see ya quickly becoming my right hand. No bull neither.
Mavis gasps. She didn’t expect it to be that easy. “That silly Norman Greenbaum song must’ve been right yet again!” She shakes hands with Neal, who pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Mavis.
Neal: Just gotta get you familiar with the store first. Go over some policies. But first, we gotta make sure ya drop clean for insurance purposes.
Mavis looks down at the piece of paper requesting charges for all labs be sent directly to Maxi Mart LLC. A drug test. The one thing that Mavis was not prepared for given the last time she worked such a job was over twenty years ago. She forces a smile on her face and stands up from the desk. She shakes Neal’s eager hand, but everything else is a blur until she gets to the front line. It’s like everyone stops and looks at her and only her. She walks to the door and as soon as it opens, she raises her hand to her eye and wipes away the tears that start coming. She tosses the paper right into the garbage and hides her cries from the freeway traffic zooming by. She gets into her car and fully breaks down.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There is nothing but darkness. Well, at first anyway. Then, there is the sound of guttural retching that seems to echo off of the walls. It’s almost demonic really. After a few of these, a door opens and a blinding white light washes over Mavis, who is tied down to a bed. Her makeup has ran so much that it looks like her face is melting away. She looks up only as long as her stomach can hold out. She buries her face back into a large bucket next to the bed. Her surroundings are that of a creaky wooden floor, worn down and torn wallpaper, boarded up windows that are covered in dust so much that you can’t even tell that it’s high noon. Mavis lifts her head back up and she all but hisses at Gerald.
Mavis: You sadistic sonuvabitch! You untie me right now, Gerald!
Gerald walks into the room. His light blue suit jacket and white shirt are much more akin to what we know of him today. However his hair is less gray and more shaggy than we are used to. He walks over to the bedside, his loafers shining in the little bit of light coming from the door. That clack against the creaky floorboards until he comes to a stop and leans down next to her. He takes her hand in his, but she is quick to rip it away from him.
Mavis: Don’t!
Gerald: My love, my love. This is the only way to make amends for everything I done to you in the past.
Mavis: You cruel bastard! I should be in a goddamn hospital! Not tied to a bed inside of an abandoned hillside church in the middle uh nowhere-
Mavis stops and wretches again into the bucket. Gerald reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cool bottle of water. Mavis stops her protesting and she opens her mouth, her dry and cracked lips expand as much as they can without cracking any further. Gerald pours the water into her mouth.
Gerald: We must be strong, darlin’. For our love is honored by Him. For all our faults, we were united under Him and His blessing. Thank Him for our parents insisting we do right by the Lord. For that is the only way we can be saved.
Mavis: What the hell are you talkin’ about, Gerald? I’m dyin’ here.
Gerald: He won’t let you. I won’t let you. I done withdrawled enough to know how to handle this. Plenty of fluids. Once your stomach settles some, lots of sugar, nutrients, healthy fats. You’ll be good as He intended you to be in no time flat.
Mavis: Who? Who is He?
Gerald chuckles under his breath. He then rubs Mavis’s forehead and moves her hair out of her face. He looks down into her desperately pleading eyes and then kisses her forehead.
Gerald: Why, the one and only true Almighty God Himself, my angel. If not for him, I’d be dead in a motel with a needle stickin’ outta my arm for a week before someone would find me. He led me to you once. And then He led me back to you. He deserves our devotion.
Mavis: What are you talking about? You’re doin’ this just because you found God? How long is this gonna last? As long as your first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh run at sobriety? Then you’re back to slappin’ me around until I can help you cough up enough for your next fix? Then you can slap me around until I break my sobriety that you’re nearly killin’ me to get, so that I’ll sit down and use with you? You need a doctor, Gerald! We both do right now!
Mavis whines before burying her head and retching up a lot of the water she’d just consumed. Gerald picks up a cloth and dabs at her mouth and chin to give her at least some dignity. He sets the rag down and then reaches into his other jacket pocket. He pulls out a brown leather bound book with a cattle brand style imprint that reads “The Good Book”. He opens it up and thumbs through a few pages.
Gerald: I spoke with a young author and motivational speaker a few weeks back and we come up with some mighty fine cliff notes for the Divine Word. Figured some of it might help you get through this dark time. I know writing it helped me to find what truly mattered in life. And it helped me put things into perspective. Plus, David and Ginny seem to be hitting things off pretty darn good.
Mavis: That whore fucked my husband and now she’s going after my son???
Mavis asks this loud and with a shriek to her voice. Gerald pinches the bridge of his nose to help tune out her demons being exorcised from her body. Gerald chooses to be understanding and not to speak further on this.
Gerald: I noticed many places within the Holy Bible where it mentions that women are to remain humble. They are not to speak unless spoken to. They are to cover their heads when in the presence of God, for they are not strong enough to handle His awesome glory. The husband reigns supreme. Now, that seems kinda harsh, but I see the point to it all.
Mavis: Yeah, I’m sure you do, you fragile ego havin’ dickhead!
Gerald: My point exactly, darlin’. Women are fueled by emotions and hormones. It ain’t your fault. It’s the way you was designed and it is the curse that Eve put upon you. Don’t make me love you no less, but facts is facts, sweetheart. Men think more rationally. We’re able to make decisions without getting all butthurt over stuff. It comes with havin’ a penis I reckon. Women are great mothers, teachers, caregivers, chefs, dry cleaners, secretaries. Things that call for estrogen. I mean, Eve did bring Adam the apple, did she not?
Mavis groans in pure agony, wanting nothing more than to reach across the beg and slap the ever lovin’ piss out of Gerald. But she’s fifty shades of tied up at the moment so she can’t. And she’s forced to endure this speech. The more she fights it, the longer it’s going to take so she nods her head.
Gerald: Right. So it stands to reason that since the original sin was woman’s fault that they should serve the one who was created in His image to begin with. I know this seems cruel and mean and I’m sure you’re gonna hate me for a while, but I know what’s best for you. What’s best for this family. Tough love is what it’s gonna take to save us. And that’s gonna be hardest on me. But if we learn this book backwards and frontwards, I guarantee that we will come out stronger and happier than ever. A family that prays together, stays together.
Mavis nods her head and Gerald can’t see it but she’s really not even listening right now. Her misery is consuming her and she wants nothing more than to just roll over and die. She rolls over as far as the binding ropes will allow her to. Just then, Virginia Mae Putnam enters the room with a sick grin on her face. She saunters over to Mavis and sits down on the bed.
Virginia: Don’t worry, hun. We’re gonna get through this. Together.
Mavis retches into the bucket as Gerald gives a nod and pats Ginny on the shoulder.
Gerald: Amen.
Gerald moves to the door where he soon takes his leave and the feed fades out.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Friday March 6th, 2020
245 Sauchiehall St: Glasgow, Scotland
Taco Bell
It is a cool, crisp day in Glasgow this afternoon as the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. This seems to cast a ray of light upon the first ever Taco Bell in Scotland that gives it a radiant light. We can see a black SUV pull up to the front door and turn on it’s hazard lights. An irate blonde woman in sunglasses and her Sunday finest steps out of the driver’s seat on the left side, carrying a Taco Bell bag in her hand. She marches right up to the door and opens it up. She steps to the front of the line despite much protest.
Mavis: I demand to speak to a manager about one of your employees.
Worker: I’m sorry, but there is a line.
Mavis sets the bag down upon the counter and lowers her sunglasses.
Mavis: I’m sorry, but I don’t care. Now, I do not know how health code violations work in the United Kingdom, but I’m sure our birthing nation has some kind of rules against what is in this bag.
The worker pauses and looks at Mavis who doesn’t change her tone one bit. The worker nods her head at Mavis.
Worker: Just one moment, please.
She speaks into a headset softly, but it is understood that she is calling for a man by the name of Gareth. Within a few moments, a man with frosted blonde hair and glasses that help to define his emerald green eyes and his soft nose steps out from the back. Mavis scoffs and picks up the bag as they move down to the empty end of the counter.
Gareth: I would first like to apologize for anything that might give you pause about our establishment. What are your concerns, miss-
Mavis: Shepherd. Mavis Shepherd. I wanted to speak to you about this-
Mavis reaches into the bag and pulls out a normal appearing soft taco supreme and she unwraps it to set it on the counter. She then taps her foot impatiently as Gareth looks at it for a second.
Gareth: I don’t see anything out of the ordinary here.
Mavis: Well that’s just great. I wasn’t aware that an employee’s hair was a Scottish delicacy. Right next to haggis in a can? Or cold, flavorless porridge? I entered this establishment hoping for a taste of home while I’m in this God forsaken land of fairies and elf lore.
Gareth: Ma’am I do apologize. I didn’t see the hair that you’re speaking of.
Mavis: Oh, no? You might want to get your glasses updated, Garrett.
He goes to correct Mavis, but she doesn’t give him the chance. She pulls out a long brunette hair and holds it up to the light. A couple of the customers in line see this and groan before exiting the restaurant, disgusted. Gareth looks at the hair and quickly tries to keep the matter hush hush.
Gareth: I do greatly apologize for this and I assure you that we will do everything in our power to make this right. We’ll give you free menu items and remake your taco.
Mavis: I want her fired!
Gareth gives pause as he looks around to see the reaction Mavis is getting from the customers. She folds her arms over her chest and continues to tap her foot.
Gareth: Do you happen to remember what this employee looks like?
Mavis: Oh, I can do you one better, Ganache! Her name is Sierra Williams!
Gareth sighs as he goes through the motions of what his options are until something strikes him funny.
Gareth: There is no one employed here by that name.
Mavis: Ohhhhh, don’t you treat me like I’m a dumb customer! I am an American, and I demand respect, as one of God’s most holy soldiers. I might be a woman, but I know how to read. It’s the 21st century! She spoke of seeking employment at Taco Bell because her career is going down the drain!
Gareth: With all due respect, that doesn’t mean that she’s employed at this location.
Mavis shakes her head now.
Mavis: And now you’re calling me a liar. I will have the queen order your head right off! Watching Sierra lately has become sad. She’s always been an angry, bitter woman with very little self respect, but having to sling tacos just to pay the bills? It’s an all-time low for her and she’s lashing out.
Gareth is about to interrupt her but Mavis simply won’t allow it.
Mavis: My family prays for her. We really do. With a few years of proper training inside of the ring, she could possibly hold a real championship like the Heavenly Tag Team Championships, or the Bombshell Roulette Championship. But for her to lash out at me personally is just unacceptable. I hate to mess with someone’s livelihood like this, but I’m just left with no choice. Something needs to be done about this woman.
Gareth takes a deep breath and prepares to correct Mavis once again, but once again she won’t let him.
Mavis: God tells us that we reap what we sow. And as unfortunate as that might be, I have to uphold His Holy Law wherever I go. And Sierra will not learn until she’s been held accountable for her actions, such as the hair in my food, along with the spit, and the dust bunnies.
Mavis opens up the taco and reveals all of these things to be present. The rest of the customers in line leave, and a few people who are already eating or have just finished begin retching. One man even goes to the nearby trashcan and vomits. Mavis closes the taco gently and then continues on.
Mavis: It’s childish. We were supposed to have a match this Sunday in Hamilton as part of the Blast From the Past tournament in SCW. I thought it was just business, but she’s gone and made it personal with her childish acts. I tell you, I will not tolerate it. It has now become personal, and I will defeat her in the ring, and I will write a review on Yelp about her and this establishment that protects her.
Gareth: Ma’am, that will not be necessary. I will make sure that she never works in this establishment.
Mavis is too far gone now to even hear him. She goes as far as to laugh out loud.
Mavis: And if she thinks that G.R.I.M.E. hooligan is going to be of any help to her, then she is sorely mistaken. I might not be able to put my hands on him, but I will relish each and every second of pain that Aron Baltasarsson puts Hitamashii through! Mark my words. If he thinks that him and his little posse of wannabe gangsters can just walk right over my family by taking our precious Esther away from us, then he and Sierra have got another thing coming. I assure you that the frustration of not being able to slap that smug look off of Hitamashii’s face is going to fire me up even more than I already am about Sierra and her disrespect toward me. The disrespect for my family and I ends now!
Mavis turns on her heels and walks toward the door of the restaurant, leaving the manager and cashier in a state of awe and disbelief. They stare around the now empty establishment and wonder what to do next.
