The porch light above my apartment flickered weakly against the cold autumn air, casting a thin yellow glow over the wooden steps. I had just finished a double shift at the hardware store and came home smelling like sawdust, sweat, and motor oil.

The porch light above my apartment flickered weakly against the cold autumn air, casting a thin yellow glow over the wooden steps. I had just finished a double shift at the hardware store and came home smelling like sawdust, sweat, and motor oil.