The Extinct Read Online Free PDF Page B

fountain drink and the clerk didn’t think it odd that two men had roamed the store for ten minutes and bought only one drink.
    The bus approached; its engine thundering down the street until coming to a stop a little past Eric. He climbed on and nodded to the driver before taking the first seat. An old black woman sat at the back of the bus staring out the window. It didn’t look like she was focused on anything in particular. A wrinkled and worn face, lit by the passing lights of street lamps before dimming with darkness once more.
    “Been on the bus damn near an hour,” the driver said.
    Eric turned to him. “What?”
    “That woman, she been on the bus almost an hour but she don’t talk. I asked her what stop she wanted and she just kept lookin’ out the wind’a.” The driver swore under his breath as another car didn’t let him merge and then glanced back to Eric. “They should take doze people and round ‘em up and send ‘em off.”
    “Those people?”
    “Yeah, you know, niggers.”
    Eric stared at the man. His belly hung over his belt, concealing it from view, and though he was probably in his late fifties or early sixties he still wore a large, red high school graduation ring. Eric glanced back to the little woman looking out her little window and wondered what devils the driver must see to be afraid of that. “Let me off here,” Eric said, standing up.
    “See ya,” the driver said as Eric stepped off the bus.
    Eric didn’t look back at him and didn’t say anything, he just started walking. He was awhile from where he wanted to go but didn’t feel like being on the bus anymore. Besides, New Hampshire had extremely long, harsh winters so you had to soak up the summer months as much as you could.
    The university campus wasn’t more than a mile away but Eric decided to stop by a local pizzeria where he thought Jason might be. The place was dimly lit and had red brick interior walls, posters of John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan spaced every few feet. A large jukebox was in the corner playing a Police song. The black and red checkered tables were packed with college students, nibbling on pizza and guzzling beer. The conversations were loud and every once in a while a group would erupt with laughter.
    Eric took a table in the corner and ordered a large Heineken. It came back quickly, the suds overflowing from the icy glass. The beer stung as it went down his throat. He drank it like it was water and ordered another. He didn’t drink often and he didn’t even feel like it now. It just seemed appropriate somehow.
    “Jesus do you look pathetic,” a voice said. “Sitting here drinking all by your lonesome.”
    Eric looked up to see Jason’s smiling countenance. He was dressed in his Sunday best of shorts, a t-shirt and a Red Sox baseball cap. He sat down next to him and put his arm around Eric’s shoulders.
“I thought you’d be out with Wendy right now?” Jason said.
“My father’s dead Jason,” Eric said flatly, not in the mood for small talk.
Jason’s smiling face went solemn. “You’re fuckin’ kiddin’ me? Jimmy?”
“He died in India. They’re bringing back his body for burial.”
“Jesus Christ. Fuck me. We were just talking about him yesterday.”
Eric sipped his beer. Jason looked out over the crowd. He never enjoyed reflection, but felt that it was required right now.
    “Shit I loved him too,” Jason said. “You remember the first night at the dorms? He took us out to a bar and ended up going home with our waitress?” Jason said with a laugh. “Fucking classic your dad.” Jason squeezed Eric’s shoulder and stood up. “You gonna be all right?”
    “I’ll be all right.”
    The smile and glint of mischief returned to Jason’s eyes. “Look, nothin’ makes a man forget his worries like pussy.” He grabbed Eric’s beer and gulped down the rest, leaving only suds. “Not even booze.”
    “I’m not in the mood tonight.”
    “Come over to our table,” he