Drunk Dial(4)
His tone was urgent. “Don’t hang up.”
“I’m pretty sure you need to go back to Valeria.”
“No, I don’t. She went back to the room, anyway. She’s not out here anymore.”
“Well, you don’t want to make her wait.”
“She can wait.”
“I’d better go.”
“Rana, don’t hang up yet. Will you drunk dial me again? I feel like I’m not done with your crazy.”
“Goodnight, Landon.” I hung up.
My heart was pounding. The whole thing seemed surreal. Did that actually just happen?
How awkward that he was with a woman and carrying on a conversation with me.
I couldn’t sleep that night. All I could think about was this image of Landon smoking by the beach in California. I fantasized about the ocean air as I wondered about what he actually looked like now.
When the insomnia wouldn’t let up, I pulled myself out of bed and walked over to my closet before taking out the backpack of notes and randomly selecting one to unfold.
Rana Banana,
Why do your clothes always smell like weird spices? It makes me want to go to Taco Bell.
Landon
P.S. You think your dad could drive us to Taco Bell some time?
SHOW ME YOU
The next afternoon, I passed my roommate on the way out.
“Have a nice day, Lenny.”
He simply grunted as he took his lunch to his room. I didn’t care whether he acknowledged me or not, as long as he didn’t bother me or suffocate me in my sleep.
Dodging puddles, I rushed to the bus stop as my cell phone vibrated.
I picked up without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”
His voice was unexpected. “I feel like we ended on a weird note last night.”
“I’m pretty sure the whole thing was weird, Landon. Not just the ending.”
“Well, I prefer happy endings.”
“I bet you do.”
He laughed. “Hey, I meant to ask you before you hung up on me…did you ever figure out the Rubik’s Cube?”
What an odd question. Then, I remembered that at one time, mastering the cube by matching all of the colors was an important life goal.
“No. No, I didn’t.”
“Neither, did I. It wasn’t from lack of trying. But I figured maybe you never did, either.”
“How were you so sure I never figured it out?”
“Well, you left your cube behind in the old apartment, for one. You couldn’t have been that dedicated. I still have it.”
That really surprised me. “You do?”
“Yeah.”
“You took it with you to California?”
“I did.”
“What made you call me right now?”
“The same reason you called me last night…curiosity? Except admittedly, I’m not drunk.”
The embarrassment for my behavior last night hadn’t waned. “Well, I’m kind of in a rush right now, so…”
“Where are you going?”
“I visit a ten-year-old girl once a week as part of the Detroit Big Sister program. Her name is Lilith. I meet her at her house and take her out.”
“So, you’re like a mentor…”
“Yes.”
“That’s really cool of you to do that.”
“Yeah, well, I sort of feel like she’s the big sister sometimes. She’s very mature for her age, and many days, I’m the one in need of the company.”
“I think that’s the balls. How long are you with her?”
“A couple of hours. I have to go straight to work after I drop her back home.”
“Oh, that’s right. The belly dancing.”
“Yes. It’s at a Greek restaurant. It’s only temporary. It pays the bills for now. I don’t plan to do it forever.”
“I think it’s amazing, nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not...ashamed.”
“I just wish I could witness it.”
“Yeah, that won’t be happening.” Changing the subject, I asked, “What do you do…for work?”
“I’m sort of a jack-of-all-trades. At the moment, I’m an aspiring chef, although not exactly Wolfgang Puck or anything.”
“Very nice. Well, I’d better go. The bus is going to be coming.”
“You take the bus?”
“Yes. I don’t have a car right now.”
“Can’t afford it?”
Unsure of whether to admit it, I sighed. “I don’t drive, actually.”
“Really? Like never learned?”
“That’s correct.”
“Why didn’t you learn?”
“No one ever taught me.”
“Shit. I wouldn’t be able to survive out here if I couldn’t drive.”