Frank and Kyle: Auto Body Shop Part 01

Marcus hated the fact that he had to call Frank. He knew it was one of the few days him and Kyle would actually be able to spend some quality time together. However Derrick was over in the corner sniveling while their best mechanic was currently shouting. Even if Derrick was still considered the boss of the auto body shop, it was Marcus who still ran it. 

“I’ll quit! I swear to God if that little snot isn’t gone I’ll make my retirement that much sooner.” Marcus had heard Hershel making this threat since the kid started. Sure, he was annoying but Hershel always made it a bigger deal than he had to. But if Hershal quit, there was no way he could keep the auto body shop open. It’d set all the jobs already scheduled behind a day and they’d get complaints for weeks about not being fast enough. With how bad Justin was, they would be down two mechanics not one.

Marcus tried biding his time while the phone rang. Finally Frank picked up. “Hey. I’m sorry to have to call you like this. It’s just…”

“That freaking asshat is at it again! I can’t stand him! Self-righteous little snot. Doesn’t know his place!” Hershel went shouting again.

“Hershel calm down! Frank is still you’re boss!” Marcus told him. Frank could still hear everything. “It seems as though we’ve had another incident. Justin is causing problems again and I think he needs to hear it from you instead.”

The old man grabbed the phone from Marcus’ grip. A soft “Hey!” could be heard over the line. “Listen here,” Hershel began. “If you think I’m going to keep working for someone who hires people as lazy and stupid as Justin you got another thing coming. You think I’m not going to quit. Is that it? Just cause I’ve been loyal all these fucking years then you go and hire someone who makes me do all the work. Loyalty goes both ways!” A sudden realization caused Hershal to pause, “Or you trying to make me quit! Cause I will! I’ll do it! I’ll…”

Frank cut him off. “You’re not going to quit. We both know that.” Frank’s voice was calm and controlled. Despite the obnoxious yelling he was able to keep his cool. “Don’t worry about it Hershel. I didn’t realize it was that he was doing so poorly. My dad took care of you and I plan to take good care of you too. I’m sorry that I haven’t addressed this sooner. I’ll be in… In about a half hour.”

Hershel’s mouth practically dropped. “Okay sir. I’m sorry about the yelling. If you’re going to handle it then I can’t really complain… Right… See you soon.” Hershel hung up the phone. Derrick and Marcus could still see he was angry but now he at least felt vindicated. 

“Feeling better?” Marcus asked. 

“Yeah. But if he doesn’t do anything about that kid… Ooooo… I’m so gone. I’m done being ordered around by some punk who doesn’t even know what a Phillips from a flathead.” Hershel tapped his foot impatiently.

Derrick was still busy hiding in the corner. He hated confrontation like that. He didn’t know how he got into a business with so many angry men. Now that everything had calmed down he pulled out a pen and complaint form. “Could you please write it down? We need to have a record.”

With a grunt Hershel had scared Derrick again. Marcus was tired of seeing the other man sobbing whenever one of the mechanics got angry. He interrupted before Hershel could say any choice words. “Come on man. We’re doing our best. It might make you feel better.”

“Fine,” Hershel grabbed the pen. “Where should I start… How about poorly trained? Barely knows anything about what he’s doing but still somehow the expert. Can’t interrupt him either. Cause he really knows everything there is about cars.” Hershel’s eyes rolled. 

Marcus couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. At least Hershel wasn’t as mad. Everyone in the room knew that when Frank said he was going to do something it was going to get done. They didn’t know how he was able to stay so consistent with everything but they knew it was the truth. Plus this helped pass the time before he was able to make it to the shop.

With the final word being written down Hershel was nowhere near as upset as before. He set the pen down and Frank and Kyle walked in the door. Hershel hadn’t really realized that Frank was out with Kyle today. “Sir, I’m sorry that I got in such an angry state. You don’t need to worry about it. I didn’t realize that…”

“Hershel,” Frank said in such a calm manner, “It’s alright. If he’s causing you this much trouble I can only imagine what he’s doing to the rest of the staff. Most of them don’t feel nearly as ‘comfortable voicing their opinions’ like you do.” 

The whole room’s mood lightened up. The sly smile on Hershel’s face knew how welcoming Frank had been. “Just like your father… Always gotta poke fun at me.”

“Apples don’t fall far from their trees,” Frank winked. “Kyle you can stay here. I’m going to go talk to Justin about his work ethic.”

“Sure thing dad,” Hershel hadn’t even realized that Frank’s son was there. Somehow the 6’8” muscle bound giant was just as quiet as a mouse. He just laughed at how much they acted alike. 

“Your dad’s going to have a tough time convincing that kid of anything.” Hershel smiled coyly.

All Kyle could do was laugh. “Don’t worry it’s all going to be different when he’s done talking to him.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Hershal pointed the pen angrily towards Kyle.

Hershal

For all the years that Hershal had been working for the Watson’s Auto Body shop he’d never come across someone as annoying as Justin. The punk seemed to think that just because he’d gotten out of school he knew everything about cars. But after screwing up three oil changes in a roll, that clearly wasn’t the case. It wasn’t just that he screwed up but that he had to make it a big deal as well. Any help offered by another employee was seen as overbearing and overly critical. 

“Fuckin pussy,” Hershal growled as he continued writing out his complaints.

Kyle was sitting on the couch’s armrest smiling down at his phone listening to the older man complain. “Didn’t think someone could get you so riled up,” he chuckled.

“Just dumbasses who can’t take responsibility. It ain’t my job to be watching over some punk kid,” he glared at Marcus.

Marcus threw his hands up. “Don’t act like it’s my fault. I’ve talked to him. He just doesn’t listen.”

“Uh-huh,” Hershal grunted. 

Kyle let out another laugh as he watched Hershal go back to writing. “Come on… You can’t be that mad.” Hershal just rolled his eyes. “Well I guess if he’s that bad then it’s probably a good thing we did come in… But it’s good that you’re writing all that down. It’ll make you feel better.”

Hershal couldn’t deny that writing down all his grievances down was actually a little helpful. “Yeah. Yeah,” he dismissed the matter of fact way said it. “You’ll understand when you’re older…”

“How much older?” Kyle smirked. The question caught Hershal a little off guard. Kyle usually didn’t talk back to him like this. Even as a joke.

“Much,” he said.

“Yeah but how much? 25 years doesn’t seem all that much,” Kyle said.

For a second Hershal didn’t know what he was talking about. Kyle was still 18 or 19 but there was more than 25 years between them. For some reason he was thinking it was closer to 35 or 40 years. He counted them again and realized that maybe not. Running his hand through his hair he couldn’t help but notice it felt thicker than it had just a few seconds prior. “Whatever. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“Oh?” Kyle seemed to be prodding at him now. “I don’t know why you have to act like you’re so much older than everyone else here. Just cause you like to act mature doesn’t mean you can run around like you’re better than everyone else.”

“I don’t do that!” Hershal shouted.

“You kinda do,” Marcus prodded back as well.

“Whatever,” Hershal leaned back in his chair.

“C’mon man. Don’t be like that. You’re like 30 something. Right?” Kyle said.

It took Hershal a good couple of seconds to think about what Kyle had just said. For some reason he’d thought he’d been working at the dealership for 30 something years. But that wasn’t right. His hand went through his full head of deep brown hair. Again it was such a weird sensation. He thought he was bald on top. He thought it was supposed to be white. “I mean…”

“There’s no reason not to enjoy it. I mean you work out, have a good job and doing pretty well for yourself. Why not enjoy it.”

“I mean…” Hershal was feeling weird again. The composition of his body seemed to be changing underneath his shirt. The larger gut he’d acquired over the years was fading away while his chest pushed out in front of him. The work polo strained against his shoulders. 

“Dude, don’t get yourself so worked up over someone like Justin. He’s just a bitch compared to you,” Kyle paused. “Unless you think he’s interested in you.”

“What? Fuck no.”

“I don’t know…” Kyle said. He grabbed the piece of paper from Hershal and looked over it. “Forgets to change fluids. Loses wrenches underneath toolboxes. Makes me roll under cars more often. Forces me to loosen tighter bolts.” Kyle crossed his arms against his massive chest. “Kind of sounds like he’s checking you out. Why else would he keep trying to get you to do things like that?”

“There’s no way,” Hershal growled.

“Really?” Marcus asked. “I mean he does go to you more often than anyone else…”

“Don’t give Kyle any ideas!” Hershal scolded.

Marcus just chuckled to himself. “Just sayin.”

Hershal turned back to Kyle to see the broad smile on the giants face. “See?” Kyle was happy he’d gotten confirmation. “But honestly I don’t know what guy wouldn’t want to be like you though. Just looking at the strong muscular body I’m sure you get all kinds of people checking you out at the gym. Those thick biceps and firm chest are enough to make most people at least give you a glance. Guys don’t even gotta be gay to want to give you compliments.”

“Yeah… Yeah…” Hershal turned away thinking about how much attention he normally gained just by walking into the gym. Sleeveless shirts were a must but there were sometimes he wished that he could cover up a little more.

“You’re not that bashful,” Kyle laughed. “C’mon man. Show off a little more. Let Justin enjoy it some. See what you can get him to do.”

“What do you mean..?” Hershal leaned in. He’d taken the bait.

“I mean, see if you can make him cum during work,” Kyle whispered to not alert Marcus. 

“You’ve gotta be joking! I can’t do that!”

“Really?” Kyle smiled. “With a body like that I’m surprised he hasn’t yet. Just by being in the same room as him I’m sure you make him rock hard. A 20 something year old bodybuilder who likes to show off. It’s gotta be his dream man.”

“Fuck you. I ain’t about to fill those fantasies of his.”

“Why not? It’d be fun,” Kyle prodded again.