But I often wondered why all us boys were destined to be held in that God forsaken place. How is it possible that life was so spontaneous that I coincidentally crossed paths with Charley, Owen, Mr. Hugo, and the other boys in this place? Anyway, after the meeting “adjourned,” the boys were put in their dormitories, two boys to each room. My room was at the end of the hallway on the third floor. I came into the room to find this kid with his feet plopped up on the wooden edge of the bed reading some book by a guy named Dickens. I couldn’t see his face at first because he held the book so close to his face. I decided to make myself comfortable before I would introduce myself.
I tossed my baseball mitt on the night table behind the bed and my luggage beneath the mattress. I was tired from the long trip, especially because of Willy’s stupidity the night before. I practically threw myself on the bed, even though it wouldn’t give one inch. I thought I broke my back into a thousand pieces. The bed was hard as a rock, even for an orphanage. I think I would have been better off just sleeping on the tile floor.
“What are you reading there?” I asked the kid. He didn’t even bother to say a word. Not one peep. I might be a pain in the ass, but I sure wouldn’t be rude during a formal introduction. I guess not every Brit can be proper and all. “My name is Jake Hudson…..?” I stuck my hand out trying to make the introduction more formal.
Would you believe it if I told you that the kid didn’t budge? Just kept reading that damn book. Boy was I peeved. I mean, talk about being rude. Here I was, making a complete ass out of myself to this kid. I felt like taking that book and chucking it right at his face. Boy, that would have made a scene. My first day here and I already was causing trouble. Wouldn’t that be something? But I was just too damn tired to start trouble. I just stared at the pale white ceiling till I dozed off.
That night sleeping, I didn’t hear a peep from my roommate. It was like he wasn’t even there. Or so I thought. I usually woke up around three in the morning, for some reason I didn’t know. Call it a habit I guess. I felt a strange sensation when I woke up. It was creepy as hell, to tell you the truth.
In the corner of the room, I saw my roommate’s face illuminated by the moon’s light, just staring at me. I jumped out of that bed like a crazy person. I nearly fell over and knocked my head on the front bed stand. I rushed to the light switch and turned on the light.
He was just sitting on his stool, with an eerie face. Like from one of them old photographs. “Did I startle you?” he asked.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m sorry if I startled you.”
“Why were you looking at me like that?”
“Like how?”
“You know damn well how. Like you were just now.”
“I like to observe my surroundings. I’ve never believed in wasting a night like this by sleeping. Just look at the moon. Isn’t it radiant?”
“Maybe you should be admiring the moon by yourself, pal. Why didn’t you say anything to me when I introduced myself before?”
“Again, my sincere apologies. When I read, I don’t like to be bothered. I like to immerse myself in whatever piece I’m reading.”
“What were you reading?”
“It’s nothing important. Nothing you will understand.”
“What does that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not an insult, I can assure you. My name is Thomas.”
“I’m Jake Hudson.”
“Ah, Jake Hudson. A pleasure to gain your acquaintance.”
I couldn’t believe my luck. I had the worst luck with roommates. First, my old pal Willy and now Thomas. Maybe there was such a thing as destiny after all. Maybe I was meant to room with jackaloons who have no social skills.
Thomas was the soft-spoken type. He had a small stack of books underneath his bed. I was never much of a reader. The occasional comic and nudie mags were all the “literature” I was
I tossed my baseball mitt on the night table behind the bed and my luggage beneath the mattress. I was tired from the long trip, especially because of Willy’s stupidity the night before. I practically threw myself on the bed, even though it wouldn’t give one inch. I thought I broke my back into a thousand pieces. The bed was hard as a rock, even for an orphanage. I think I would have been better off just sleeping on the tile floor.
“What are you reading there?” I asked the kid. He didn’t even bother to say a word. Not one peep. I might be a pain in the ass, but I sure wouldn’t be rude during a formal introduction. I guess not every Brit can be proper and all. “My name is Jake Hudson…..?” I stuck my hand out trying to make the introduction more formal.
Would you believe it if I told you that the kid didn’t budge? Just kept reading that damn book. Boy was I peeved. I mean, talk about being rude. Here I was, making a complete ass out of myself to this kid. I felt like taking that book and chucking it right at his face. Boy, that would have made a scene. My first day here and I already was causing trouble. Wouldn’t that be something? But I was just too damn tired to start trouble. I just stared at the pale white ceiling till I dozed off.
That night sleeping, I didn’t hear a peep from my roommate. It was like he wasn’t even there. Or so I thought. I usually woke up around three in the morning, for some reason I didn’t know. Call it a habit I guess. I felt a strange sensation when I woke up. It was creepy as hell, to tell you the truth.
In the corner of the room, I saw my roommate’s face illuminated by the moon’s light, just staring at me. I jumped out of that bed like a crazy person. I nearly fell over and knocked my head on the front bed stand. I rushed to the light switch and turned on the light.
He was just sitting on his stool, with an eerie face. Like from one of them old photographs. “Did I startle you?” he asked.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m sorry if I startled you.”
“Why were you looking at me like that?”
“Like how?”
“You know damn well how. Like you were just now.”
“I like to observe my surroundings. I’ve never believed in wasting a night like this by sleeping. Just look at the moon. Isn’t it radiant?”
“Maybe you should be admiring the moon by yourself, pal. Why didn’t you say anything to me when I introduced myself before?”
“Again, my sincere apologies. When I read, I don’t like to be bothered. I like to immerse myself in whatever piece I’m reading.”
“What were you reading?”
“It’s nothing important. Nothing you will understand.”
“What does that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not an insult, I can assure you. My name is Thomas.”
“I’m Jake Hudson.”
“Ah, Jake Hudson. A pleasure to gain your acquaintance.”
I couldn’t believe my luck. I had the worst luck with roommates. First, my old pal Willy and now Thomas. Maybe there was such a thing as destiny after all. Maybe I was meant to room with jackaloons who have no social skills.
Thomas was the soft-spoken type. He had a small stack of books underneath his bed. I was never much of a reader. The occasional comic and nudie mags were all the “literature” I was
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