Shaft

The photocopier whirs into action. I lean against the counterspace within the shipping office.

"Look at that big dumb moron Bruce," says Todd tearing off a roll of product labels, "he's been fucked so many times by rock hard shaft it's turned him stupid."

I look out into the warehouse. The shipping dock is alive with activity. Both shippers move about, loading and unloading supplies and store orders. Bruce stops one of the shippers and begins speaking to him instructively. The shipper nods his head in affirmation. Bruce finishes what he's saying and begins walking toward the shipping office. Todd sees him coming, walks toward the office door, and steps out into the warehouse. Bruce lowers his glasses and looks Todd over as he leaves.

"Todd?" he asks inquisitively as Todd walks past.

"Bruce!" Todd replies.

Bruce steps into the office. Todd turns and makes a ridiculous face, and then makes his way into the factory. I laugh a little to myself and then remove the copies from the photocopier.

"What's so funny?" Bruce asks sitting down at the shipping office computer.

"Todd was talking about something before you came in here," I respond.

"I don't know about that guy," Bruce says shaking his head, "what was he talking about?"

"He was talking about the movie Shaft."

Bruce chuckles to himself.

"Oh Nelson," he says though his laughter.

"What?" I ask.

"That wasn't a movie; It was a TV show, but that was a little before your time."

Bruce taps at the computer's keyboard. He gazes intently at the screen, his mouth open a little.

"That was a TV show?" I ask.

"Yes Nelson it was," he replies with an air of supercilious wisdom.

"I thought it was a movie."

"Well they did make a movie a few years ago, but it was a based on the old TV series."

"Oh. Well, the movie I'm thinking of was made around 1971."

Bruce looks up from his computer.

"1971?" he asks with a puzzled look, "there was a movie called Shaft made in 1971?"

"Yeah, with Richard Roundtree as the lead character," I reply.

"Oh. Well Richard Roundtree was in the TV series, but that was probably around 1973. I know they made a movie a couple years back, but there was one made in 1971?"

"Yep."

"Well Nelson, I guess you learn something new everyday."

I walk to the shipping office door. Bruce begins scrolling through his email acount.

"Yes indeed," he says quietly and sagaciously, "you learn something knew everyday."

I turn and leave the shipping office, and step out into the noise of the warehouse floor.