[i]☼ ○ ▬
I’m been given a tutoring job to two kids at a private
school. My students are the two lovebirds from The Wonder Years, Kevin
Arnold and Winnie Cooper, a show I used to watch all the time when I was a kid.
I’m walking alongside them behind a muddy hill. “I’m Batman, of course!” I yell
out. A small group of strange hostile men are trailing us. I’m supposed to help
them escape now. We make a run for it but Kevin Arnold gets left behind somehow
(it’s understood he will catch up later). So Winnie Cooper and I run and run as
fast as we can up this dirt path. We make it to the main road. I reach out and
hug her in celebration. “We made it! Now I guess we can hitch hike.” A
motorcycle gang approaches. I put out the hitchhiker’s thumb and they pull over.
Winnie hops on back of one and I hop on back of another. I wrap my arms around
the woman driver and hold on tight. She’s kind of heavy set and my hands are
barely on her boobs but nothing seems awkward about it. Another person is
standing on the backside of the bike. None of it makes sense. Everything feels
so vivid, the ride on the road, the sound of the motorcycle, the touch of the
woman’s back. At some point we’re inside a moving RV. They won’t let me get off
the bike yet. My feet feel sore from their position on the metal rods sticking
out the side. I’m holding a booklet of animated panda stickers. They open the
side doors and we jet out back onto the road only to stop at a public restroom.
I’m told by the woman driver that I can get off now and fix my bleeding wounds.
I didn’t have any bleeding wounds but I guess she was referring to my sore
feet.
▬ ○ ☼
Waking up around 2 p.m.
Instant Blueberry Oatmeal. Orange Juice.
Skype chat with Aysena. It’s a decrescendo that starts off
happy and drops to solemn. It’s just too hard for her...things are too hard for
her...the beginnings of becoming an independent fresh-out-of-college
adult...and I make things hard for her she says, being so far away. It’s a dark
place sometimes with her. I mean I know I can be very dark as well when I want
to be but there’s a gloomy aura around her that’s hard to ignore. I miss her
but I foresee this fading somewhat. I don’t like that idea but it almost seems
inevitable.
Kevin barges into my room fully costumed as Batman.
Kevin: “You can’t ignore Batman, Robert!”
Double Egg Sandwich with Mayonnaise and Tomato. Salt n Vinegar
Chips. Honey Green Tea.
Halloween costume preparations. Darren’s going as a Twister
mat where he’s strategically constructed the spinner to land on the yellow 90%
of the time. And guess where the yellow dot is located. That’s right. His groin
area. Oh the immature cleverness. I’m going as a party pooper, which can easily
be done by carrying a bag of candy that looks like poop (i.e. Raisinets and
Whoppers) and distributing them at the party.
I pile all the kids into the wagon and we head to Norfolk
for Hallow’s Eve. First stop is Josiah’s new girlfriend, Bianca’s, apartment.
She’s cooked up a delicious Shrimp meal for everyone and the wine is a plenty.
Kevin (Batman) destroys my costume by dropping all of my poop-imitating
Whoppers and Raisinets on the floor.
Afterwards, we assimilate at Lola’s down by where The Boot
used to be to attend a Halloween ball. Everything is a hazy chaotic dance trip.
I’m alive and without hesitation to be loud and socially obnoxious – I can
hardly contain myself – shuffling feet across the dance floor – snapping photos
of the odd lively party moments. An African beauty costumed as a unicorn that
goes by the name of Octavia strikes my attention. Of course she’s friends of
friends of friends – anyone you know around here you can assume is
inter-connected in the local circle. I don’t know what it is about this
semi-cosmic attraction, probably nothing but a passing blossom. But she
actually approaches me and asks my name and there are quite a few moments where
we catch each other’s stare and smile – and it’s in those moments I feel giddy
and boyish.
This part of the evening recedes. Onward back to Virginia
Beach. At Rick’s Café with Elliott, James, and Leslie. Eating a Short Stack of
Pancakes and laughing about various things.
Back in my room. Calming down. Sleep shortly after 4 a.m.
[i] All photos
by me.
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