the lowdown

"How did you get into this mess?" Taylor didn't mean to rake Omaha over the coals, but he couldn't do stupid stuff like this if he had a real job now.

"Its not like that." Omaha tried to explain after they dropped off Brick at his grandmother's.  "She..she ..his mom..just showed up. She needed someone to..to watch him."

"Oh, really, who is this..what's her name?" Taylor winced wanting to know the whole truth about this Tiffany.

"She works with Charlie at the grocery store." Omaha sucked in a breath, as Taylor drove toward the oldest part of town.

Taylor shook his head. This was no time for Omaha to get involved with THAT WOMAN.

"You, have to watch out, you know. Sounds like she takes you for granted." Taylor informed him.

Omaha was closed lips, as if he might never want to speak to Taylor, ever again. Just then he pointed to where to drop him off.

"You, live here?" It was an abandoned building.

Omaha nodded.

Taylor pulled up to the sidewalk and cut the engine.

"Seriously?" He looked at him. Why didn't he know?

It wasn't quite spring yet. He knew for a fact the building didn't have power. "You've been here all winter?"

Omaha shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Where do you sleep?"

"Its OK." Omaha promised.

Taylor couldn't imagine, going it alone in a sleeping bag. They went up the stairwell. It was dank and dark. Taylor thought he saw a rat scurry away.

Finally, they found Omaha's little home. There were boxes, with the clothes that Charlie had given Omaha, and of course, the sleeping bag.

"We have to get you out of here." He told him.

Omaha didn't have more than a flashlight to help him around.  Taylor picked up the boxes. Omaha rolled up his bed. No way was he leaving it behind.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Taylor winced.

"I dunno." He made it sound as if it were temporary. Taylor made sure he secured the boxes and all in the back of his truck. He had a cover, so moisture nor wind could harm it in the bed of the truck.

"You, can stay with me." Taylor told him.

"Its just..." Omaha winced. "I don't have any credit..and nobody to sign..for me.."

Taylor almost said he could probably moved in where Tiffany lived, but seriously, he didn't want Omaha having to be around her. No telling, what she might have him doing.

"It'll be fine. I have.." He was in a one bedroom now. "We'll get  it straightened out." Taylor promised.