[i]☼ ○ ▬
The old man slowly bumbles around the room transferring from
one seat to another.
I comment, “You look tired.”
Suddenly I realize that I’ve insulted him. The young girl
warned me earlier not to ever tell him he looks tired. God knows why. Maybe it
reminds him of his old age? Never the less the old man turns around and demands
to know who said the retched statement. I stay quiet. We all do. Half blind he
moves his hand over the area where the voice might’ve came from and discovers
me. He angrily mouths off at me and slaps me across the face, but it doesn’t
hurt. Eventually he calms down and pops a squat in the recliner chair. He sips
on a bottle of Bud Light. I’m supposed to be sleeping in the foldout bed next
to him. My laptop and other devices lay on the mattress. He knocks over the
beer with his arm and spills it on the floor. I help clean it up.
▬ ○ ☼
Waking up at 11:13 a.m.
Figs. Orange Juice.
All day shift at China Wok.
During the down time I teach Sandy, a fairly new girl that’s
working here, how to spell the local streets and roads.
Lunch stop at the house. I find Darren examining his recent
existential crisis to Calum and Tim in the living room.
Scrambled Eggs. Five Guys French Fries with Ketchup.
Pomegranate Cherry Ade.
The deliveries continue all day and night. Darren comes in
to help with the dinner shift.
Coconut Water. Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream.
Delivering an order to a punk rock looking 40-year old dude
on Caribbean Avenue.
Me: “How’s it going?”
He quickly responds with, “Good,” but changes his answer
after a few seconds, “Actually I can’t lie to ya. Not good.”
Me: “Well don’t lie to me. Why’s that?”
Dude: “Friend died.”
Me: “Oh man. That’s not good.”
Dude: “Punk rock legends seem to die when they hit 50...”
“Wild life,” I interject.
Dude: “...Not in this town though.”
Finally off work.
Vegetable Lo Mein.
Watching Sea of Love (1989).
My friend Jes, who tends to pop in and out of Virginia Beach
at random, drops by. In the dining room setting up the house’s new dining room
table. Darren joins the conversation.
...
Discussing the education system.
Me: “It’s interesting how...”
Darren finished my thought, “How people who grew up in
America don’t have dynamic use of their native language?”
Me: “Exactly.”
...
Darren: “Everyone should not be homeschooled. A lot of
parents should not be directly involved in teaching their children.” And then
he impersonates a parent, “Alright little Timmy, what is thunder?” Timmy
would respond, “It’s the sound when God’s angry from our sins!”
...
Jes tags along with me to Harris Teeter for a few groceries.
Jes: “The lifestyle my parents wanted for me versus the lifestyle that I’m leading versus
the lifestyle that I want to lead.”
Me: “What are you leading right now? The lifestyle that you
want?”
Jes: “Uhhhhh. I feel like it can be not so dogmatic.”
...
It rains lightly.
I comment, “This rain is so annoying.”
Jes: “It has no passion. It’s just the peddling kind of
rain.”
...
Back at home. She leaves. James Graves, Darren, and Calum
are hanging out. I retreat to my room.
A bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Sleep 3:30 a.m.
[i] Grandma
Face. Source unknown.
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