7/2/13 - Day 67 - Toasty Beans and Explosive Dreams by Robb
Photo of The Day
            Leonard Cavindish never thought he’d be homeless. If they had asked him six years ago, homeless is the last thing he would have pictured himself being. Sitting below an underpass, hearing cars zoom by above him. Staring at the river and smelling the peanut butter in the air. Cooking a can of beans while trying to comb the knots out of his hair with a makeshift comb he made out of some broken plastic.
           He sat and looked across the river at the peanut factory on the shore. You can smell the peanuts being roasted at all times of the day. The smell let him reminisce of a better time. Took him back to six years ago when he used to work at the factory. It was the day of his anniversary. Twenty five years of hard service. Nothing made him prouder than receiving his certificate of good service with the company.
           The beans started burning. You can tell by the sharp smoky smell of beans and metal. Leonard quickly pulled the beans off, tied a string around the can and dropped it into the water to cool off. A lot of people don’t know this, but even when you pull the beans off the fire, the heated metal still over cooks them. Leonard hated overcooked beans. They would taste of smoke and aluminum. No way to eat a perfectly good can of beans.
           He went back into his thoughts and traveled back to the day of his anniversary. Receiving the certificate and then calling his wife with the great news. Just as quickly as his life had shot up to its zenith, it quickly plummeted back down.
           He was called into the manager’s office. Leonard thought of what it could be. A possible vacation, compliments of the company for his hard work and dedication? A bonus? Maybe both? At this point, his day couldn’t get any better. He walks in and makes his pleasantries with Mr. McManus. Leonard sits down and excitedly awaits the news.
           Leonard pulls the can of beans out of the water and carefully taps the bottom to make sure it’s warm enough to hold. He then digs his fingers into the can and shovels the beans into his mouth. He chews and chews and relishes the protein rich snack. If flatulence wasn’t a side effect, he would consider this to be a snack brought to him from the Gods themselves.
           Diving back into his thoughts one final time, he remembers Mr. McManus and his words. Each word was a dagger being thrown at him. Unfortunately. Terminated. Attrition. The words and explanations continued to flow from McManus’ mouth but Leonard heard nothing anymore. His face went blank and he felt his blood pumping in his face and ears. He didn’t know what to do except what he felt was right. Leonard reached across the desk and grabbed McManus by the throat and started choking him with one hand and raining punches with the other. Leonard was no small man. For 56 years of age, his hands were still as tough as steel and his arms were corded with muscle from years of factory work and serving in the British Army for twelve years. Blood and teeth went flying every which way and he left McManus a bloody pulp. When he realized what he did, he fled the factory and no one had seen him since.
             Now, here he sits, eating his can of beans. Enjoying his protein filled meal with a dirty knapsack full of explosives next to him. He never wanted to hurt McManus but he reacted the only way he knew how. He is well aware that McManus was not at fault here as he was only following orders, just like a soldier would from his General. In that case, the best course of action now was hitting the General where it truly hurts and destroying the base. For Queen and Country, Leonard will destroy that which represents all his shortcomings up to this point. But first… he’s going to eat his beans… his deliciously, heavenly beans.    Â
