Thirteen

 

Thirteen

 

     When I woke up the next morning my head felt kind of fuzzy. I pulled on my pants and

 stumbled to the kitchen in need of food and coffee and was met with a truly horrible reality. Not

 only were the cupboards bare, but the refrigerator was practically empty as well. So much for

 my suburban food fantasy. I found a tin of tea and some bread and jam.

     Eventually my brain settled back into place inside my skull, and I felt like I could deal. I

 finished my continental breakfast, rinsed off my saucer and cup, and began snooping around. In

 the hallway was a picture of the family. I had three sisters including E and two brothers. A big

 family. I picked out Jim and saw very little resemblance between him and myself. I have no idea

 how Mr. Long Beach didn’t notice this. My guess is that things moved mentally pretty slowly

 for him because of the dope he smoked. I didn’t really feel too badly about joining in with E’s

 charade because I couldn’t see what it hurt. I liked Mr. Long Beach. My motivation wasn’t to

 make a fool of him or anything. I just wanted to be with the pretty torturesome one with the

 intense eyes.

     After I fully surveyed the downstairs, I went back to mom’s room and stretched out on the

 bed and watched a college football game. Out the window it was a sunny crisp autumn Saturday.

     It was just before the half when E knocked on the door asking if it was okay to come in. I said

 yes and she poked her pretty face just past the frame before she stepped in. She was smiling and

 I asked her where the light switch was. It was hidden behind an abstract watercolor painting and

 before I could ask her why she was crawling onto the bed. She made her way up, stopping just

 in front of my face. She informed me that her and Mr. Long Beach were going to the mall and

 did I want to come. I told her I was going to hang out at home, and she asked if there was

 anything. I told her what I wanted was some food and it would be great if she stopped at the

 store on the way home and bought some groceries. She said she would and a couple minutes

 later she and Mr. Long Beach left.

     I finished watching the football game and fell asleep sometime during the second one. I woke

 up and found E staring at me. She told me to help myself to what was in the kitchen.

     E had provided more or less what I had expected in the first place, and I poured myself a big

 glass of milk, made myself a thick ham and cheese sandwich, helped myself to some potato

 chips, and finished up with a banana and a crisp apple.

     I know this is a cliché, but as I ate the apple, I examined it and wondered if Adam felt in The

 Garden of Eden what I was feeling, totally satisfied and confused at the same time.

     I went up and said Hi to Mr. Long Beach. He was loading a bowl and asked me if I wanted

 any. I told him I was cool and sat down on the floor and joined in watching another movie

 where guns were fired a great deal, and a lot of things blew up. It was hard to get used to being

 called Jim and every time I paused before answering one of the questions Mr. Long Beach asked

 E would chime in and answer for me. Like I said, I have no idea how it was that he didn’t catch

 on to our lie.

     The movie ended and evening rolled around. I suggested we head to the city, but they both

 said they didn’t feel like it. Mr. Long Beach said he really liked that Thai restaurant we ate at the

 night before, so we ate there again. Afterwards E really wanted to go to the bar we were at the

 night before, so we went there again.