Jaded

Two weeks had passed, and September was coming to a closure. John ended up caving in and gave me my job back. Don't worry I was just as surprised. Mom returned not by herself, but with another man. How's that for a trip to my Aunts? Apparently, they've been "seeing each other" for a while now. Maybe I'm just pulling the strings of not liking mom's new boyfriend, but the guy is a fucking loser. He's one of those guys that sit in the recliner all day with the can of beer balancing on their pot belly, in that white t-shirt that was washed only god knows when. I am aware of this first hand, because every time he walks by I get a whiff of a nasty smell, that I can't really even place, because the odor is so deadly. I think if I stuck all his shirts in one room of the house and called the cops they would either suspect that we were mass murders hiding the bodies of those we killed, or they would call the health department to condemn our house. He must see something in my mom, because well he's obviously not there for the money.

It was the day before I would resume attending Berkeley High School yet again. I know I'm gagging too. Oh, and that Jimmy fellow and I got kind of close. We hang out a lot, which kind of gets annoying sometimes, but none the less he is alright. A bit messed up, but alright.

A few things I neglected to say about Jimmy was that he's nineteen almost twenty, a high school drop out, has a fucked up home life, tattooed, and has a sick taste in music.

It was myself, Mike, Billie Joe, and Kristy over at Billie and Mike's place. Kristy had toned down a bit on the whole "punk" thing, but she still gave it a go every once in a while. I still speculated on what the hell she was doing with Billie Joe. I mean I don't know where the hell she went to college, but it must have been run by a bunch of demented idiots that were drunk while in the act of teaching. I think they would make Berkeley High's academics look level with Harvard's. Don't get me wrong she's a decent women, but few decks short on her boat. Although, I did get in a few laughs making fun of her. I think in her mind I'm laughing with her, when really it's for my entertainment. I guess life's just funny that way.

"Well, babe I'm off to work," she said leaning over for her and Billie Joe to engage in a passionate kiss.

"Hey, Kristy two plus two?" I asked with a smirk on my face.

"Huh?" she asked looking in her typical dumbfounded habitat.

"Thought so," She looked at me for a moment as if she was still trying to figure out the punch line when she busted out laughing "Your a slick one Sam," as she wagged her finger and left.

"I wouldn't get too close to that Jimmy guy," said Billie Joe instantly jumping into a fresh conversation. I shot him a look that said "Did we leave a conversation I was not aware of?"

"What do you mean?" I asked a little thrown off. I mean normally this was Mike's card to go into the serious concerned conversations.

"I just wouldn't get too close to him," Mike chimed in.

I still gazed at them with that familiar look of confusion.

"Let's just say he experiments with drugs," said Billie Joe reading my puzzled expression.

Now, the first thing that popped in my mind at this statement was that right now I could go in his sock drawer and find Marijuana and maybe a few other sets of soft drugs.

"Okay...?" I said in a way that I was waiting for a plausable example to fill this demonstration they brought to the table.

"Well, for one he smokes pot," said Billie Joe in that way little kids get in your face as if they know how to save a third world country from starvation by just the snap of their fingers.

"Yeah, Billie I know how strict you are on those kinds of things," I said sarcastically.

"At least I don't do heroin and coke and shit like that!" Billie Joe spat out in a way that said "now do you want me to draw you a fucking diagram?"

"He does heroin?" I said instantly turning to "let's talk serious mode". Billie Joe nodded his head. I looked over at Mike as he nodded his head in confirmation as well.

I don't know why I took this as a bit of shock, but I did. I mean I was aware of his dropping out of high school, light drug use, tempers, and criminal record, but I can't really think of a reasonable excuse as to why I was surpirsed.

"I just hear a bunch of shit he pulls, so just take it from us," Billie Joe said concluding the concerned best friend speech.

"Eh, don't worry I'm not that crazy about him. He's kind of annoying anyway,"

"How so?" asked Mike jumping back into the conversation.

"He always calls me and comes over. I mean to come over here today I told him I had therapy,"

"Did he not realize that it's fucking six thirty on a Sunday?" asked Billie Joe with laughter in his voice "And you say Kristy isn't the brightest,"

"Yeah, well I'm not dating Jimmy and I never said he was the brightest either,"

After a while of Mike making pasta and us watching TV I decided to go home. Right as I walked up the steps leading to the front door so was Jimmy. God fucking dammit.

I allowed him in and we sat on the couch watching TV.

"Want a soda?" he asked dumping his cigarette in Dan's ashtray and exhailing the last bit of smoke from his lungs through the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, sure," I responded continuing to flip through the channels.

When he returned he sat right next to me. Practically on my lap, although it took me a few moments to realize this.

"Let's watch this," he said wrapping his arm around me and pushing me closer to him.

This didn't make the big splash Jimmy was hoping for. I turned over to the right only to view the tattoos that were scattered amongst his arm.

"Jimmy, what are you doing?" I asked turning to my left.

"That wasn't the response I was hoping for," he said kind of looking a bit bummed out.

"Well Jimmy, were good friends," I said emphasizing the word friends.

"Yeah, so?" he said as if he was expecting this to end in a movie where I would say something along the lines of that I kind of got a fuzzy feeling for him too, and then we would kiss, maybe have sex on the couch, but this didn't happen.

"So, I don't think you should cop a cheap feel from a friend,"

"Alright, I'm not even near coping a cheap feel," he said sarcastically trying to mimic a women's voice still with his arm around me. You'd think by now he would get the hint and would move his arm, but then again I don't think we're dealing with the average human here.

"Fucking move it," I said not moving my lips. He did as I slid to the other side of the couch mumbling "I can't believe this,"

"Why not? I mean we could be more then friends,"

"So what? I don't want to be!" I said fidgeting with the remote.

"What's the big fucking deal all I did was put my arm around you?" he snarled.

"Yeah and what was next?"

"I don't know..." he said although the movie seen I demonstrated earlier was a conceivable answer.

"Alright, I'm sorry it just kind of took me by surprise," I said as mom and Dan walked through the door.

"Hey, Jim!" said Dan setting a twelve pack of beer on the couch offering him one. Now I kind of see Jimmy being the younger version of Dan, just maybe laced with that whole punk/Sid Vicious rip off thing.

Jimmy took one on the road, as I guess he was slightly embarrassed by my decline of his proposition of being a couple I guess.

I went up in my room to get things ready for school in the morning as Mommy's Little Monster was playing. Oh, yeah I found where mom hid my stuff, so I managed to sneak a few worthy things back to my room.

When I think about it Jimmy kind of reminded me of the guy in the song Mommy's Little Monster

"Mommy's little monster dropped out of school
Mommy's little monster broke all the rules
He loves to go out drinking with the boys
He loves to go out and make some noise
He doesn't wanna be a doctor or a lawyer get fat and rich
He's 20 years old he quit his job
Unemployment pays his rent

His brothers sisters have tasted sweet success
His parents condemn him, say his life's a mess
He's mommy's little monster, he's not afraid to admit it.
He's mommy's little monster, don't wake him in a fit"