orangetoughguy | log post II

Okay. Okay.

[No he's not gonna press beyond that. The fact that it's gonna be warmed up is enough for this tough guy.]

Know what? Surprise me. I'll have whatever you can dish out.

[That's not no metaphor. Thank you. Say thank you. Goodness what did you do without me? Sigh. Larry pats his pockets for a cigarette. You shouldn't smoke so much! That can be expensive.]

Heh.

You got it.

[That brings a little smile back to his face only because this gives Freddy Newendyke the greenlight to be creative with some of the simplest things available. A can of spaghettios, some eggs, rice it looks like, uh bread? He'll think of something. Instinct though tells him she's still adding commentary. Whether or not she's as real as Larry feels she is, his curiosity gets the better of him.]

What's she sayin'?

Smoking is expensive. [And I'm right!] No one's saying you're wrong, I make good money. So does he.

[Freddy gets an up nod. Uh oh. Now he's got a whole new talk starting about living together, common law business, the message that people get.]

....And that we're having some kind of talk about propriety. Our neighbors think we're deviants. Living in sin.

[Chesterfield can be smoked now.]

Sheesh.

Edited 2011-05-09 07:06 (UTC)

Kinda.

[Because Marlboros are a little cheaper than Chesterfields. That's just the truth. He won't make a verbal note on how certain people in this room seem to share a certain affinity for certain best things but he's definitely making note of it. It's kind of sweet. Maybe talking about it, including her presence in their conversations, helps to ease Lawrence Dimick's own conscience which could very well be an influence on her words. Who knows. But it's not as bad as the stoic wreck he saw in the bathroom. Oh look, they have cheese. The eggs are out for the mozzarella.]

The girl across the hall seems pretty on the level if you ignore that she's bulimic.

[Aw Newendyke that's not very nice now is it? Meanwhile he pops that can open to put the contents into a microwaveable tray.]

[Between the two of them though they go through more then their fair share on a normal basis.]

She's a what?

[Yeah it is news to him. That poor thing is sick. No one should ignore her!]

I didn't know that.

[Inhale. Exhale.]

Ma, that means that she's got this thing where she thinks she's fat but she's not.

[This bear's stomach is growling.]

[Sprinkling some cheese on.]

A bulimic. I've seen her take her trash out.

[There's a shake of his head. Also there's just a look and carriage to her that says she's thin because of an eating problem instead of a coke one. Larry'd recognize the latter pretty easily so because he hasn't brought it up surely it's got to be the former. Not that Freddy is one for gossip or anything, she very well could have a couple ideas of her own about them. Live and let live. In the tray goes, heating for a couple minutes.

Waiting for the microwave the kid thinks to ask the old man what his mother looks like again but he reconsiders on further thought. What if she looks and is dressed the way he remembers her at the funeral or the night before she died? What did she die of anyway? Was it violent and the old man's just not mentioning it or was it something that made her languish?]

Is she sittin' down?

[Where is she? Freddy wants to try and see what Larry's seeing, even if all he can do is imagine it.]

That the brunette or the blonde?

[There are more than a few neighbors up here. Even though the two have been discrete Larry now and then gets the feeling that somebody knows. Call it a hunch. Though everyone's pretty awkward and smiling when you're picking up your mail at odd hours. Her talk may be getting to him.

He's watching this wizard cum chef now attentively.]

Huh? [Huh is not a polite response.] Oh. Yeah. She's right here. [A paw gestures beside him on the second empty seat at their kitchen island. ...that they fucked on before. Yow. Larry rubs his neck and in spite of himself and the whole situation he says] No salami today, huh? [Brown eyes dart to the empty space beside him. Nope. That one skipped the radar. Be happy he is even trying. Eating in and fixing a meal is far more cost efficient. That's what they say in the papers. Spending every dime didn't get us out of the Depression you know.]

The brunette.

[Look they got bagels. Now that's classy. Freddy's getting those out to cut them in two. With regards to their neighbors, he doesn't doubt that either, some people got instincts. But no one talks to each other like they live across the hall or across the lawn, this isn't some suburbanite home. Larry picked them a pretty swank socially but not physically isolated place. Oh wait, Freddy picked it.]

Well I can throw in some salami... [Freddy replies even though he's not quite getting the exchange going on. Talking when only one can see and hear their guest is a little awkward. He still doesn't know if she's really there or just an extremely cruel city trick. Best to err on the side of caution, show her he can be a gentleman too.] Spaghettios with cheese bagel sandwiches.

[The kid announces with some (tentative) pride. It's the best he can do but genuinely creative in his opinion.]

I'll keep an eye out.

[The bear licks his chops at this meal. Big big points in his book for heating the canned pasta alone. The whole dish together is easy to make sure, but he made it just for Larry.]

Thanks, pal. [And for a moment he looks like he's gonna dig in until he's prompted to wash his hands. Oops. Up he goes to the sink.]

Some salami? On the counter?

[Maybe that doesn't catch either. But as long as Ma doesn't know. It's a thank you as well as reaching out to the man somehow for something private of theirs. Hands washed and dried he returns.]

Looks great.

[Does this mean that he is the woman? That's not how things are. A woman would have been able to make you a full meal. You should think of the benefits. There are so many. Even though he is a well meaning young man you both are not making a wise choice. It isn't nature's way.]

Ma. [That's a growl by the way. Larry shakes his head and looks up to Freddy.] Thank you. I know I love it.

Sure.

[Hearing this clarification the kid just looks at the old man. It's not a dumb look, it's a look of 'is that really a good idea to mention with your mom around??' because as crass as Freddy can be around women he wouldn't dare be crass in front of his own mother. At least not sexually. Bringing a dirty old frog to the table is a different story.]

Just eat it.

[See look at Freddy dig in, om nom nom nom. Oh there's sauce on his lip and cheese too. Er, a light brow lifts for the way Larry seems to talk to no one though he could very well be addressing everyone. This is too fucking weird.]

[All he's got to do is smile in response. That's about as lewd as he'll dare. Larry would love to be a dirty old frog brought to the kitchen table. It's a huge overly idealistic fantasy for a time like this.]

Gladly.

[Fork up. Wait. Getting a napkin and putting it on his lap. Okay and....]

We should say grace.

[Yeah, kid. This isn't his words at all.]

[Fork? Hah Freddy here is using his hands but there are napkins at the ready for any potential drip issues--oh. That statement gives him a reason to do a doubletake. Really? He highly doubts those are Larry's words too.]

I don't want to.

[He says this calmly and coolly. It's just not something this kid does, once he remembers how his own mother put it, that there's no point in keeping up a ritual for the sake of appearances. Honesty and humility over tradition and pride, plus no one likes a self-indulgent martyr at the dinner table.]

You know....

[Damn well that Larry doesn't want to either.]

This time?

[For the sake of his sanity. He doesn't say another word but his mouth is twitching and his head is tilting to one side as he's getting very reason as to why this should be.

Start small then since it seems that going into a church will do so much harm! The two of you! I can hardly believe it! Is it not enough for a man to lie with another man? Lawrence I didn't know that you needed a woman's touch so very much. Now I'm starting to have a headache. Dear me. I must have forgotten my handbag. My pills were in there.]

........

[Really? The kid feels like he's being forced to roll out a private matter as a public one, no one's forgotten the problem they had with his cross on the wall right? But he can't blame the old man either, he knows he wouldn't say it if she weren't there. Freddy wonders if she's part of the reason Larry has trouble with religion. If only the kid knew about the pills, then he and Ma Dimick could have a real fight over religion of biblical proportions. Nevertheless, Freddy puts his bagel sandwich down to make the sign of the cross.]

Bless us, Lord, and your gifts which we're about to receive from your bounty. We don't always have a fuckin' clue why you bring to our table the shit you do, but like Matthew wrote: have no care for tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself, take the trouble of the day as it comes. Our strength comes from God who made the fuckin' mountains and fuckin' mountains don't stumble.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

[Again the sign, he does it fluidly, practiced. Then green eyes are looking from the old man to the empty space, back again, then again. What now, woman, what now.]

[Paws aren't used to moving as fluidly and practiced as Freddy but he does it the way he best remembers. God is in heaven. I'm right here. Blue bird on my shoulder and a letter starts with 'dear'....except when you're ambidextrous shit gets confusing.

Hell of a prayer. Freddy Newendyke is an utter blessing. Larry wants to pull him across the table and feed him each bite of their feast then have him for dessert.]

Amen.

[Profanity aside I think that he did the very best that he could... I don't think that he's going to be getting any better from here on out if the two of you remain together. Larry picks up his fork and digs in.]

Nice one. Thank you very much.

[And he means it with all of his heart. The clock ticks on and finally FINALLY midnight comes.]

Edited 2011-05-09 23:55 (UTC)

Nothin' doin'.

[He says this to Larry and for Larry only. For Larry he'd do just about anything, including throwing his mother a bone even though it grates on his nerves. After saying the prayer though already he feels a little relieved. Freddy hasn't said a sincere grace in a very long time. His bagel sandwich is delicious.

When midnight finally rolls around this kid is still awake, watching something on TV but with the volume a little low. He's not really paying attention to that guy on TV claiming he can tell someone's lying just by watching their faces. He's only watching it because the English midget looks like a forecast of things to come. Oh look shows over. No credits. Huh.]

[The old bear's awake. He's been now and then stepping aside to try at reasoning with shit he doesn't like hearing. Stubborn or stupid the things said can't be taken sitting down. Sorry he didn't catch the bizarre action going on TV. Suddenly...there's quiet. Real quiet.

Sigh of fucking relief. Larry lumbers to the couch and takes a load off. That's not enough he eases on over close to the kid with his arms around him.]

She's gone.

[The proximity takes him by surprise but it's not unexpected.]

You sure?

[Even though Ma Dimick proved herself to be somewhat of a nuisance the fact that she's gone now only reminds Freddy the woman died when he was a boy.]

Uh huh.

[He nods then nuzzles this man. Don't call him clingy. It's been a whole day without all that much physical contact.]

I'm glad you stuck around.

[There are more words he should say. Right now he's too glad for the silence, the ability to touch.]

[He hooks his own arm under then over Larry as if to lock them together at the elbow. The nuzzling is a welcome form of contact, of affection.]

What else was I gonna do, man?

[There are still questions the kid wants to ask about Larry, about Larry and his ma.]

I dunno. At first I thought maybe I could leave for the day or hide...

[Which would make them both very unhappy.] Whatever you did was fucking perfect. Couldn't have made it through without you. I wasn't ready for it.

[Yeah kid. He's going there and saying these things. Lawrence Dimick fucking raw.]

I owe you big time.

You don't owe me anything, Larry.

[Freddy owes him more than he can imagine but in the end for two men who are friends, or more than friends, the idea of owing either one anything is ridiculous. They just give and receive naturally, like that's the order of things anyway, and it is. Again Freddy thinks about asking him a question, something that could make it even more raw. He wants to know and maybe it's easier for Larry to answer than it is for him to say on his own. Green eyes are lookin' up.]

Did you miss her?

Still, you kept me together.

[Give and take and give and take. Gotta keep the cycle going. Brown eyes look away at the TV not seeing the images. Freddy's question catches his attention.]

Not right now. [That wasn't his question though.] I've missed her a long time, spent the better part of my life without her...

I know.

[About the amount of time Larry's spent without her. He won't ask if the old man loved her or still loves her. It's not his place or maybe it's just out of courtesy he doesn't pry too deeply. He wonders though...]

Where's your dad?

I guess I got so used to missing her I didn't know of what to do to finally see her.

[The kid makes a hell of a human pillow.]

I dunno. Alive I guess. Maybe dead. He couldn't take care of me on his own. There was shit holding him back. He owed money? I never got the whole story. He said he'd come back for me. I just needed to wait at Uncle Buck's. I'd talk to Ma sometimes on the phone when I lived with Pop. Then she passed away.

[One part mystery though the things she was saying got him thinking...]

I think she might have had problems Freddy. Like she may have been hooked on somethin'.

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