Page 55 - The Jazzsipper Novel

54

THE JAZZ SIPPER

gotten a job through Uncle Frank’s friend, Mr. Ramous. He was a supervisor
for a company in the warehouse district downtown that sold and disturbed
office supplies, like ink pens, legal tablets, paper clips, copier cartridges. You
name it, they sold it, if it dealt with office supplies.

Vance and three other guys was what was called walking couriers. They
each were issued between ten and fifteen orders each day, along with a two
wheel cart. They worked Monday thru Fridays, the other guys were full time
and he worked part time 12 pm to 5 pm. Vance route was the downtown
business district and the French Quarters. He loved it, walking around and
feeling as he was part of the city’s vibe. Vance especially liked finishing his
route early and hanging out in the French Quarters amongst the tourist at the
city many Jazz clubs or moving through some of the city’s famous restaurants,
art galleries and powerful Law firms inside of some of the city’s tallest
buildings.

Vance felt good about moving to a school out of the district, for his last year
of high school. It had moved him out of the direct confrontations of living and
being in his neighborhood. Things were happening to fast; as soon as Vance
dealt with one neighborhood spat another one would pop up. Vance only
needed four credits to graduate that year. So, he only had to attend school for
two classes each day. School would start at eight thirty and Vance would be
out of School by ten forty-five. One morning after getting out school Vance
went downtown to look for a job, when he saw one of Uncle Frank’s friends
and track buddies, Mr. Ramous. Vance greeted him and they talked awhile,
Vance told him he was looking for a part time job that he could work when he