[i]
☼ ○ ▬
At my parent's old house in Ocean Lakes. I walk out of my room and notice the distant sound of a band playing. It could be coming from another room in the house but I check outside first. There's a small group of people scattered about the house, coming inside and out. I confront Kevin about the noise. He says it's coming from some youth center down the street. But the rumble of the music is still so present it just can't be true.
Me: "I'm gonna go check the other rooms."
Immediately he blocks me from going up the stairs. He's got a big mischievous smile on his face like he's hiding something. I get aggressive and force myself past him. I barge open the door to my parent's room and discover a band IS playing in our house. It's just a bunch of teenagers too. I march right on over to the power cords and unplug everything.
Me: "Alright. The show's over! Time for everyone to go! Sorry to do be a downer but it's almost 3:30 in the morning."
I notice without thinking about it I'm clapping my hands as I speak to emphasize the words.
Me: "And I'm doing that thing moms do where they [clap] emphasize [clap] every [clap] word [clap] with [clap] a hand [clap] clap."
▬ ○ ☼
Waking up with heavy eyes at 11 a.m.
Strawberries. White Peach. Honey Black Tea.
All day shift at China Wok.
Five Guys French Fries with Ketchup.
It's dead slow at work.
While attending to my mundane duty of snapping the snow peas Leslie pops in unannounced. She asks about the spelling of a word. On random I challenge her to spell out "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". She gets some of the letters wrong and then asks me to give it a try. I make some of the same mistakes. We get into conversation about the upcoming out of town trips she might be taking and the potential life shifts that might happen.
[ii]
The day continues into the night slowly, very slowly.
Strawberry Greek Yogurt. Dried Apricots.
Elliott drops by and tags along on the last leg of my deliveries. It's a full moon tonight. And you can feel it in the air. More people on the roads. More commotion in the street. The spirits are eager. We drive past a line of cops, ambulances, and fire trucks on Laskin Road near Birdneck. There seems to be a serious motorcycle accident but it's hard to tell what's going on. I tell Elliott how I almost hit two bicyclists earlier. There's just a general sense of chaos and crazy out there. I remind myself what stranger Donald said last night in Denny's, "There's a lot of crazy people out there."
Off work and back home. There's a party scheduled at the house and energetic guests abound.
...
Staying in my room for a while eating Egg Fried Rice with Mixed Vegetables and drinking a Stella Artois. Eventually I step out into the chaotic scene downstairs and allow myself to be disturbed. A chatty congregation is gathered just outside the front door. Hey Panda Amanda. Hey Stef. Hey Elliott. Hey JP. Hey Kevin, you're drunker than usual. Hey Anthony who's tossing beer bottles across the parking lot and riding Kevin's bike around like it's a circus. Hey cop neighbor who's reprimanding us for all the noise. Hey steam punk kid with the top hat who's known as the Candyman. Hey mattress being used as a means to slide people down the stairs.
...
It was inevitable. After some time we get called in for a noise complaint. I confront the lady officer with inebriated Kevin by my side. He's so nervous and won't shut up, saying I'm sorry over and over again. It's merely a warning and the lady cop is nice enough to leave us be at that. But that doesn't stop Kevin from inviting her in for a drink.
...
I just feel like I'm 28 years old living in a house full of juveniles and I'm getting the cops called on me. Granted it isn't everyone as a whole who is to blame. I know there are really only the rambunctious few who cause such escalations.
...
A couple volunteers offer to help pick up the trash while I clean the excess dishes. After things have calmed down there's quiet discussions about the semantics of communication on Facebook started by Kofi at the dining room table.
...
Later, in my room, Ana lies down in the bed all balled up under the covers. I listen to her talk...
"Baking and clothing. That's how women bond."
Sleep shortly after 3 a.m.
[i] Full Moon. Maria Bovor.
[ii] Doodle by Leslie.
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