Page 35 of Rough

“He was called in for a surprise visit,” Bubba mentioned, pointing at the fire marshal and giving him a gruff look.

Garret appeared genuinely startled. “Can you do that during my hours of operation? Is that even legal?” His eyes darted skeptically between Bubba and the fire marshal.

The fire marshal had a smug expression on his face. He wore glasses and had straight posture. He also held a tablet in his hand.

“Surprise visits are warranted at any time during the course of business hours,” he explained curtly.

Garret sighed with frustration. “All right.” He began to leave the room. “Let’s get this over with then, I have a club to run.”

“Sorry boss, I tried to tell him to leave,” the shirtless Bubba explained briskly and apologetically so that the fire marshal wouldn’t overhear.

“It’s… fine,” Garret said, but judging by the look on his face, it was most certainly not fine.

I followed Garret, Bubba, and the fire marshal as he began going through a checklist of things around the building that were apparently not up to code.

“You see this?” the marshal pointed upward, gesturing to an exit sign. “It’s not lit up.”

“So?” Garret seemed exasperated. He stared at the man.

“It needs to be lit at all times so that people will know where the exit is in case of an emergency,” the marshal explained.

“There’s another one on the other side.” Garret pointed over his shoulder.

The marshal wasn’t having it. He gave Garret a grim stare. “It needs to be taken care of right away sir.”

“And it will be,” Garret barked back.

“There are also too many people in here,” the marshal declared.

“I always make sure we aren’t at capacity,” Bubba cut in. He looked personally offended. He shot Garret a sheepish look. “I always stay on top of the limit.”

Garret gave him a meager smile in response. “It’s not your fault. I know you do your job.”

Bubba seemed relieved at Garret’s confirmation. His shoulders slightly relaxed.

“Well, at any rate, there needs to be at least a thirty-six-inch gap that leads to every exit door, and it’s too crowded on this side,” the marshal contested.

“I’ll disperse the area,” Garret said. He had a response for everything.

“I don’t see any fire extinguishers,” the marshal said. “In a building of this size, there should be at least three.”

“Fine, I’ll buy some.” Garret threw his arms up in the air with exasperation.

The fire marshal punched something into his tablet and inhaled a deep, grave breath. “Sir, I’m afraid that until these things are fixed, we are going to have to shut down the club.”

“You can’t do that.” Garret was on the brink of collapse. His eyes were wide and wild.

“I have a permit to shut it down, right here.”

The fire marshal pulled a pink paper out of his pocket. It was notarized and officially sealed from the city. It was signed by the mayor.

“I can’t believe this.” Garret’s cheeks were red and fuming from anger.

“We can sort this out,” I tried to whisper to him to pacify him, but it was too late. Garret was livid.

Garret began pacing back and forth with frustrated energy. “I can’t believe this,” he said with an aggressive scowl aimed at the fire marshal.

“I’m sorry sir, there’s nothing I can do about it.” The marshal gave him a grave stare.

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