m ent i one d s o me o f th e r e s t a u r a nt s ne ar u s. H e m ent i one d th e r e s t . At th e m o m en t we w e r e stu ck bet w ee n H a r d ee 's a n d th e c h ic ke n p lace th e y j u st bu il t . Ea t i n g w a s n 't th e i ntent i on , bu t i n s te ad s o r t o f a w ay t o g e t b ack t o th e way th i ng s w e r e . M a k e u s f ee l li k e w h at w as h appeni n g, w asn't r e a lly h appenin g .
We c ou ld s e e a l l t h e r e s t a u r a nt s u p a h e ad, st i l l un s u r e a bo u t w h at we w a nte d. I t w as obv i o u s, thou g h , we w e r e t al k i n g j u st t o t a l k . Ne i t h e r o f u s w e r e hung r y . We p a ss e d H a r d e e 's, the n p a ss e d th e c h ic ke n p l a c e . We kep t he adi n g ho m e , bu t s t ill t al ke d a bou t w h at we w a nte d t o e a t . Ne i th e r o f u s w a nte d it t o b e s il ent . Th at w a s u s u ally w he n she . .. w he n Mo m c a ll e d. W he n s he 'd c a l l D ad a n d say sh e w as o n h e r w ay ho m e .
Ho me l ooke d d ep r es si ng . Mo m's s i l v e r v an w a sn 't in t h e d r i ve wa y and th e po r ch li gh t w a sn 't on ; ev e r yth i n g w a s da r k . Us u a l l y , w he n D ad a n d I c ame ho me l a te , sh e c ou ld b e s ee n si t t i n g i n th e l i v i n g r oo m d o i n g so me k i n d o f w o r k , he r l a pt o p c a s t i n g a g l o w. W h at sh e did I nev e r a s ke d o r c a r e d t o kno w. M y t r u ck w as si tt i n g in i t s u s u al spo t , t o th e l e ft o f th e g a r a ge . We h ad an o p e n g a r a ge , n o d o o r s. I f y o u f a c e d th e hou se f r o m ou r s t r e et , it s at o n th e l e f t , the n c ame th e hou se ( l ar g e a n d w h i te ) , the n th e y a r d. Th e g a r a g e h ad r oo m f o r t wo veh i c l e s, Mo m's a n d D ad ' s. I p a r k e d out sid e a n d did n 't m i n d.
D ad pu ll e d i n t o h i s u s u al s pot , l e a v i n g Mo m's open . I did n 't w a n t h i m t o p a r k the r e . Th at w as Mo m's spot . I t w as h e r sp o t , no t h is. No t m i ne . S o m et im e s th e y w ou ld sp ice u p the ir m a rr ia g e b y s w a pp i n g p ar k i n g sp a c e s o r s w i t c h i n g sid e s o f t h e be d . Th at r a r e ly he ld.
A f e w y e a r s a go , ho w ev e r , the y s wa ppe d v eh i cl e s be f o r e w o r k be ca u se Mo m nee d e d a t i r e c h a nge . S h e h ad s o m eth i n g i m po r t a n t t o d o , I d on 't r e m e m b e r w h a t . The y s wa ppe d b ack in to wn a n d c a me ho m e . A pp a r ent l y , ne i the r r e a l iz e d th e y w e r e d r i v i n g diff e r en t veh icl e s. D ad p a r ke d i n Mo m's sp a c e , th e s p ace nex t t o my t r u ck a n d f ar the st f r o m th e hou s e , a n d Mo m in D ad's. It 's bee n th at way ev e r s i n c e . We c h a n g e d sub j e c t s a n d t a l k e d a bou t my c l a ss e s a s we w al ke d i n .
“W h at a ll do yo u h a v e to m o r r o w ?” h e a s ke d .
“ Noth i n g to o b i g . I h a v e an E ng l i sh p a p e r th a t 's g o tt a b e r ev i e w e d , bu t w e ' r e d o i n g th at in c l a s s. I a l r e ady d id my ho m e w o rk f o r h i s t o r y ( a l i e ) a n d ma th. ” I’d dr oppe d m a t h at t h e beg i nn i n g o f th e s e m e s t e r be c a u se I did n 't s e e a n y po i n t in i t . I kep t th e r e f u n d, go i n g t o th e P O B o x ev e r y day unt il I w a s s u re the y w o u ld n 't f i n d o u t a b o u t it.
I to o k my c ont a c t s o u t a n d g o t r e ady f o r be d. I t w a s n 't a v e r y l on g w i n d e d p r o c es s. C o nt a c t s, m e d i ci n e (f o r h i g h b l o o d p r e ss u r e ) a n d cl othe s. I a l w a y s pu t my c l ot h e s o u t f o r th e nex t d a y . I t he l p s in c ase I s l ee p i n .
“Good night, Dad.”
“ Goo d n i gh t , R ob . I l o v e yo u . ” Th at l a st p a r t c a ugh t me o ff- gu a r d. D ad a n d I w e re g oo d f r i en ds, do n 't g e t me w r on g , bu t we r a r e ly s aid “I l ov e