Friday, April 29, 2005

A Night in the Life of Me (Ode to No One)

   I guess you could say tonight was like any-other night. It could be called a bit slow and boring, but I deal. Read on dear reader.

   I woke up to my roomate at 3pm, just before my shift started at 4pm. There is nothing unusual about this. I tend to stay up late and take care of my internet, television, or cooking needs late the night before, so I always seem to sleep in at least a few days a week. This week could turn out to have more "late" days than early ones. I didn't like that I had waken so late. Let the bitching start! I complained for about ten minutes about how four people had to get ready and only one had even started before my sleep was disturbed. The problem was simple to me: three guys, one bathroom, one hour!


   My bitching stopped after a Steph put up a little resistance. I find it normal for people to be a bit "cranky" in the morning, don't you? I resumed my frenzy for doing my hair, brushing my teeth, and the several other tasks that were at hand. My crankyness was dissolved after I received an e-mail from my aunt and uncle telling me about a job offer, that sounded extremely good! Before long, I was ready, along with the rest of my household and we were out the door. The lock was turned and the four of us piled into the '86 Olds ninety-eight.


   The drive is always boring, as nothing ever happens to make me happy while driving to work. At least on the way home you can plan what you're going to do, (usually starting with kicking off my shoes) but today's ride was a little more irritating. As soon as the key was turned in the ignition, the debate on music began. Who's cd to put in the player, was todays usual topic. After about ten seconds, Steph decided to put her cd in, being the passenger-side "dj" she was. Greene agreed none to this deal, yet being in the back-seat forced him idle until her two songs had played through. All the while, my head wishing for no music at all this very day. As I pulled out of the drive like any other day, I felt as though my mind was connected to the very frame of this vehicle today. Four people packed in this 19 year old car, which probably hasn't seen this load in 10 years, compressed the shocks and springs causing the frame to bottom out on them. Every bump in the road from home to work caused a scratching sound. As I said before, my mind was connected to the frame, so every "sccchhhhhh" sound I heard vibrated my very brain.


   It took no time at all to arrive, as the Middle Creek/Ernest junction was very forgiving today and a car let me out with no problems. On a busy day the two-laned short-cutting bastards would keep taking our road for up to fifteen mintues before a generous car would come out and wave us on to turn from our parked position. At work, I parked by the back door due to the rain. We decided that it would be a drier walk if I did. The parking lot was half-full, but only because a party was going on, which had no effect on my business in main-dining.


   I spent my first few hours wandering around underneath the bundles of trinkets and collectables the Rocky River Grill has hung in its wooden rafters for customers to glance and glare at. Stuffed animal heads, boats, tins, signs, various old tools and equipment such as skiis and oars. I occasionally walked to the back-room to smoke half a cigarette, until I got sick of the menthol flavor, then I wandered back up to the bar. Two hours passed and I had gotten maybe two tables at most. The rest of the night was similar. Nothing much to do, nothing much to say.


   Closer to the end of the night, when things were wrapping up, I had decided to let my last table, a couple who had came in 10 minutes before closing, eat. I once again, wandered back to smoke. Steph was hanging out with this boy named Brandon. Brandon seems to have a crush on her, and as she's told him she's not single, he still tries hard to hang around her. Some thought of him as "attached to her hip" tonight. I felt the same. Back to the smoke-break; Brandon was sitting next to Steph, talking about what only they know. I cared none. If he was so determined, I'd let him mess up and then I'd smash him, or let her break his silly little heart. I had this funny suspicion, but I let it ride and finished some side work of rolling silverware as those two took on their own conversations.


   I accomplished my quota of silver rolled and tabbed, and just as I was going to announce it to Steph (since she had been off for a while now), I watched her walk out the back door. Immediately I knew what was going on. Brandon had invited her outside to get "high" with him. He had been attempting to "get her high" for quite some time now. In my mind I had thought: although Steph wanted this, I did not believe she wanted anything to do with Brandon, except the free "high". He, on the otherhand, had many more plans for her, I do believe. I expected Steph to walk back in and alert me that she had gotten high. I do not condone these things, but I also cannot control what people do. I've expressed my thoughts on the matter, and I shall speak about it with her no-more. If she chooses to smoke with sex-driven little boys behind my back, she can do it forever without me around. Just as I had thought this, she walked back in, eyes glossy and a little amused. I couldn't say that I was happy, but I really was just going to ignore it. Why else should I give a shit?


   Soon I was done with all work and we packed into the car, and on that same curvy road, with the same frame and shocks grinding together to vibrate my brain. I had much more on my mind than just preparing for work this time though. I couldn't sort it with the bump-squeek gzzzzzzt going on though. Damn this car needs new shocks! Before long we were at home again. I was excited to run upstairs and read more about the job-offer my aunt had told me about, but became discouraged with the internet down at the time (stupid ass charter). I sat downstairs and thought: "why didn't Steph tell me she was high?" I grabbed my little notepad and scribbled: Are you high (in so many words) and handed it to Steph. She wrote back with "I am". I immediately told her I knew all along, and asked why she didn't tell me. The response: "I was paranoid to be around you". This comes because I told her, if she chose to get high and be stupid, I didn't want her around me. This is where my story ends. I immediately left the living room with a feeling I couldn't decipher, and scribbled my day out on my notepad. Just one of many nights in my life....



Matt

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