mictlan

A. knocks on my gate late Friday evening, looking distracted.

"Hey. Come on in."

"No, no.. I gotta go. Got a cab waiting. Have to catch the last bus home."

"Home? You mean D.'s place?"

"No, home."

That means he's heading up into the mountains to see his folks; a few hours ride.

"You look... what's wrong?"

It never rains, but it pours. His father had a heart attack and is in intensive care; his girlfriend, D. picked a fight with him when he said he'd rather go alone. A disproportionately big fight. This isn't entirey unexpected to either of us, but only because we've gotten used to the pattern. Everything's on the rocks again, and he came by my place on the way to the place where he can take the intercity bus, because... and why is he still standing outside my gate?

"For Pete's sake, get in here and sit down."

The cab driver coughs. "We stopping here?"

"No, just... just give me a few minutes. You smoke? Here, have a couple on me. Thanks."

A. has so much unconscious natural charm, I don't think he even knows the effect he has on people in general. Right now, the cab driver is mollified and at peace with the world. Hang around A. for another few hours and he'd be eating out of his hand. Hang around for a few days and you would die for him. Or at least sustain serious bodily harm without complaint.

We sit there for a little while. He drinks tea and chain-smokes while he talks. He asks if I would mind if he stayed over at my place, maybe, when he gets back into town Sunday. I say, yes, of course.

When he leaves, I find myself staring at the phone for a minute. Once upon a time, not so long ago, it would have been me that D. called right about now, tearful and angry and upset. Not so very long ago at all.

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, I would have called her right about now, at least to see if she was okay. Before the lines were drawn in the sand, and before we realized that we were from different planets after all.

Not so very long ago at all.

posted by: mictlantecuhtli at 15:01 | link | comments (9) |

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