‘Hendrick, thanks for coming, I know it’s short notice, you’ve just pulled a two week stint, but I wanted us to get some one-to-one time.. You eat meat right?’
‘I eat meat, sure’
‘Waiter’ raising his hand, clearly this is a place he frequents. ‘Bring us two of those special burger. You’ve got to try this burger. You’ve gotta. It’s to die for.’
‘I really don’t know why you want too see me boss. I’m no one, Just one of the guys, Y’know.’
‘Now don’t play yourself down like that, you know how I love your work. I’m always saying “That Hendrick, he know’s his stuff, he’s a professional, a safe pair of hands”. I tell anyone who asks. I really do’
‘Gee thanks boss, I really appreciate that’
‘I do, I’m always telling them, the clients I mean, “you choose Hendrick, you're in safe hands”, that’s what I tell them ..and you deliver for me every time... but a man like you must have other interests? You got hobbies? Family? You wanta to spend more time with family right? You got a sister out West and her family. Sure you do. You went out Christmas two years ago. Right? Family’s the best? Right? Nothing like it. It’s important to have balance in life. Family is a big part of that. A man of your age.. you need to slow down and enjoy life. Let the young kids run around. You cherry pick the jobs you do.’
‘Err I love my work boss. Sure i ain’t as fit as I used to be but I sure got experience.’
‘In our line of work, H. Do you mind if I call you H? I know the guys do. Reactions, Speed they keep you alive. Cunning and planning they have their place but where the rubber meets the road it’ll be reaction and speed which carry the day. I don’t want to see you get hurt is all. You’ve done your time and you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Right?’
‘Well I have put a little aside..’
‘There you go. You’ve always been a thinker H. I knew it from when I first met you. “A thinker” I said. “That guys a thinker“ and you know what I was right. So damn right. That Ethiopia thing, we couldn’t have done it without you. You’re an asset. A valuable asset. A credit to the team.’
‘But boss I could still be useful. I could still help with... this and that’.
‘Sure you can.. sure you can. We’ll call you first, we have anything that you can help us with. You’re my first call. I’ll say “H, this is a job for H! Get H on the phone Dorris, get that crazy Swede on the phone”. For now take a little time to chill out, enjoy the summer, enjoy a few beers with friends. I know Tommy’s not with us no more but Stevie’s still around. I heard Mexico. Take my advice find a bar, one of those pretty Mexican senoritas, two maybe and a few cold beers, a view of the sea and enjoy yourself.’
‘But what about the guys, they need me Boss.’
‘Sure, Sure the guys will miss you. There’s going to be a hole. No one fills the Mad Swede’s shoes in a hurry. You’ve got a unique skill set. What you don’t know about blowing things up hasn’t been written yet. But they know. They know. They know you need to step it down a gear. They love you man. They don’t want you getting hurt or nothing. ...Now ...there’ll be a party. There has to be a party, Right? We’ll have it down the Bluebell like normal. It always gets me that ‘Danny boy’ stuff. Everyone’s an Irishman that day. We’ll invite all the old crowd, few of the girls and obviously the current team. They’ll all want to say…
[H slowly pulls a 9mm pistol from his holster swallows the barrel...fade to black. Gun Shot]
