It Seems I'm Too Far Gone
February 24, 1990
The next day was a Sunday and the following Monday would be the first day Adrienne started at her new high school. Secretly, she prayed that it was the same one Billie Joe went to, even though it didn’t really matter WHERE he went because he was on the verge of dropping out anyway.
When Adie woke up, the first sentence her mother spoke to her put her in a fowl mood right from the beginning. It wasn’t really the best way to start her day.
“Make sure you give that Bobby Joe his jacket back today. And explain to him why your mother says you’re not allowed to see him anymore.”
“It’s BILLIE Joe, and sure thing, mother,” Adrienne rolled her eyes as she replied smartly while pouring a glass of cranberry juice.
“Whatever,” her mother said, picking small pieces off of a blueberry muffin. “Just make sure it gets done.”
Adie downed her juice and went back upstairs, wanting gladly to do anything away from her satanistic mother. She hopped in the shower for a bit, and then got dressed. She pulled on a pair of old jeans only torn in one knee- surprisingly- and a short sleeve black knit shirt. She tied the same blue chucks she wore the night before, the smell of marijuana floating heavily off of them. It made her smile as she thought of the glorious night she’d had.
The last piece of clothing she put on was, of course, Billie Joe’s jacket. She knew that she’d get around not being able to see him, but unfortunately she would in fact have to give him his jacket back.
She figured it was a substantial sacrifice.
“I’m leaving,” Adie said simply as she grabbed an apple to fill the ‘morning’ pit in her stomach.
“Be back for lunch,” she heard Missy say right before Adie shut the door behind her. On Sunday Missy made a big lunch, which would probably consist of a salad, main dish, and dessert. No one asked why she did it- no one knew. More importantly, no one knew why it was lunch and not supper. But, also, no one really cared. It was just the fact that they COULDN’T miss Sunday lunch- ever.
Adie sighed and looked around. The truth of it was, she had no idea where she was going. She hadn’t really been out much in the past month. She bit into her apple and scrunched her nose at the taste of apple and toothpaste mixing on her tongue. Then, she just walked. Turning right out of her driveway and onto the road, she carried on down the street, letting the sound of oiled down gravel underneath her sneakers calm her. Pretty soon, the bright California sun was unbearable and she pulled off the jacket with enough skill as to not drop her apple or get it covered in jacket lint, and tied it around her waste. Even for February, the sunshine was still too hot for long sleeves.
Pretty soon Adrienne had entered the city area of the town and there was a sidewalk that she could continue on. There were some gas stations, highway signs, drug stores,- both markets and small hideouts huddled with people in the back of alleys- record stores, and even a few diners. It amazed her how long she’d been here and how little she’d seen. Somehow, she came back across 924 Gilman and realized where she was then. The place looked far different in the daylight. The bricks didn’t look black, but a dark red, as they should, and the sidewalk sparkled as a reflection in the sun. The street lights were off and various people walked by or rode by on skateboards or bicycles.
It was noisier than last night, that’s for sure.
With nothing left but a core and some seeds, Adie chucked her finished apple into a dumpster right next to an old record store. There was no one in it, and for some reason Adrienne didn’t feel like being seen by anyone today, so she decided to stop in.
The bell on top of the door gave a shrill ding and the boy at the counter looked up from his magazine. He looked about just out of college- if he went- and looked like he’d rather watch grass grow.
“Hey,” he said, actually waking up from his daze long enough to greet a pretty girl. Truth was, business had been slow this morning and anyone would have caught his attention- Adrienne just happened to be the one.
He went back to his magazine, deciding that it was far too early to begin flirting. That- and he didn’t think his girlfriend would appreciate it.
Adie browsed a little bit, not really needing anything, but knowing she had a few bucks left over in her pocket that could get her a cheap CD. Eventually, she settled on a Ramones CD that she’d scratched up pretty bad and needed to replace.
She was just about to the counter when the familiar door ding made her look at the newest customer. A smile crept its way onto her face when she was met by a familiar-faced green-eyed boy of 18.
“What- you don’t have a life either?” she asked Billie Joe once he saw she was there.
“What- you actually left your house?”
Adrienne rolled her eyes.
“Haha.”
The guy at the counter was still waiting for her to give him the CD and thinking that maybe it was best he didn’t flirt with her. She seemed pretty interested in this guy.
Adie paid and she and Billie Joe walked out. She didn’t know where exactly he was headed, but she didn’t care and she followed him anyway.
“So you still wanna see my band play?” Billie asked her as they walked along the side of the road.
“Of course. I’m itching to get back to the Gilman. That was amazing, Billie, it really was.”
“What can I say, I’m a man of good taste,” he smirked.
“By the way,” Adie started and stopped to untie the jacket around her waist. “By order of my mother, I must now give you back your jacket and then explain to how I’m sixteen and you’re eighteen and it could never work out because young girls like myself shouldn’t be dating grown men- even though we both know you’re far from grown, shortie,” and Billie Joe pretended to look hurt but couldn’t help but laugh.
Reluctantly, as if to spite the moment they were having, giggling like drunken teenagers, Adie handed him his jacket.
“I figure she’ll see the jacket so I’ll give it back to you anyway.”
“So, basically, you want me to come get you at your window and take you to Gilman to see us?”
She smiled.
“Exactly. I can get down the tree there easily enough.”
And they walked on, letting the rush of the day gather around them- in the street, in the stores, in the park- and it was just the two of them, together. Out of instinct and his craving to feel her soft skin, Billie Joe took her hand in his as they walked. She didn’t object and she smiled when she felt him awkwardly readjust his grip. It wasn’t like the movies where the two of them just go on with their walk without speaking of such a great thing to happen. Adie turned to face him, and Billie Joe faced her back. As if in a written moment, recorded and planned, they both stopped walking and smiled. They mirrored each other’s faces in a look of happiness. They didn’t know why it came so natural or why it didn’t seem strange, but the two of them just searched each other’s eyes and got lost for a moment.
Billie reached for Adie’s other hand, and she already had it midair when he grasped it. Adie started to feel their hands start to sweat. Both were nervous about why they couldn’t stop staring at each other. Both didn’t understand why they’d never felt this way. Both were worried that the other was worried about the other being worried. It didn’t take them long to just stop caring.
“Take me home,” Adie finally said, sweetly, as if she were telling him “I do” at their wedding.
Billie Joe felt his heartbeat quicken, nervous that he had done something wrong. He must have looked scared because Adie started laughing.
“I have to be home for lunch,” she cleared things up.
Billie Joe turned a different direction and led her home a quicker way than going back the opposite direction she came.
“I’ll pick you up for the show, 80,” Billie told her last, the only thing he could squeeze out of his rusty vocal chords. She nodded, simply.
If you were to look down an old road in Oakland California on February 24, 1990, at about 12 o’clock in the afternoon, you would have seen two teenagers holding hands and trying to make it home before the sun was directly above them and their shadows disappeared. On the outside, both rushing a little, both looking pleased and content, and on the inside both thinking “What the hell was that?”
When Adie woke up, the first sentence her mother spoke to her put her in a fowl mood right from the beginning. It wasn’t really the best way to start her day.
“Make sure you give that Bobby Joe his jacket back today. And explain to him why your mother says you’re not allowed to see him anymore.”
“It’s BILLIE Joe, and sure thing, mother,” Adrienne rolled her eyes as she replied smartly while pouring a glass of cranberry juice.
“Whatever,” her mother said, picking small pieces off of a blueberry muffin. “Just make sure it gets done.”
Adie downed her juice and went back upstairs, wanting gladly to do anything away from her satanistic mother. She hopped in the shower for a bit, and then got dressed. She pulled on a pair of old jeans only torn in one knee- surprisingly- and a short sleeve black knit shirt. She tied the same blue chucks she wore the night before, the smell of marijuana floating heavily off of them. It made her smile as she thought of the glorious night she’d had.
The last piece of clothing she put on was, of course, Billie Joe’s jacket. She knew that she’d get around not being able to see him, but unfortunately she would in fact have to give him his jacket back.
She figured it was a substantial sacrifice.
“I’m leaving,” Adie said simply as she grabbed an apple to fill the ‘morning’ pit in her stomach.
“Be back for lunch,” she heard Missy say right before Adie shut the door behind her. On Sunday Missy made a big lunch, which would probably consist of a salad, main dish, and dessert. No one asked why she did it- no one knew. More importantly, no one knew why it was lunch and not supper. But, also, no one really cared. It was just the fact that they COULDN’T miss Sunday lunch- ever.
Adie sighed and looked around. The truth of it was, she had no idea where she was going. She hadn’t really been out much in the past month. She bit into her apple and scrunched her nose at the taste of apple and toothpaste mixing on her tongue. Then, she just walked. Turning right out of her driveway and onto the road, she carried on down the street, letting the sound of oiled down gravel underneath her sneakers calm her. Pretty soon, the bright California sun was unbearable and she pulled off the jacket with enough skill as to not drop her apple or get it covered in jacket lint, and tied it around her waste. Even for February, the sunshine was still too hot for long sleeves.
Pretty soon Adrienne had entered the city area of the town and there was a sidewalk that she could continue on. There were some gas stations, highway signs, drug stores,- both markets and small hideouts huddled with people in the back of alleys- record stores, and even a few diners. It amazed her how long she’d been here and how little she’d seen. Somehow, she came back across 924 Gilman and realized where she was then. The place looked far different in the daylight. The bricks didn’t look black, but a dark red, as they should, and the sidewalk sparkled as a reflection in the sun. The street lights were off and various people walked by or rode by on skateboards or bicycles.
It was noisier than last night, that’s for sure.
With nothing left but a core and some seeds, Adie chucked her finished apple into a dumpster right next to an old record store. There was no one in it, and for some reason Adrienne didn’t feel like being seen by anyone today, so she decided to stop in.
The bell on top of the door gave a shrill ding and the boy at the counter looked up from his magazine. He looked about just out of college- if he went- and looked like he’d rather watch grass grow.
“Hey,” he said, actually waking up from his daze long enough to greet a pretty girl. Truth was, business had been slow this morning and anyone would have caught his attention- Adrienne just happened to be the one.
He went back to his magazine, deciding that it was far too early to begin flirting. That- and he didn’t think his girlfriend would appreciate it.
Adie browsed a little bit, not really needing anything, but knowing she had a few bucks left over in her pocket that could get her a cheap CD. Eventually, she settled on a Ramones CD that she’d scratched up pretty bad and needed to replace.
She was just about to the counter when the familiar door ding made her look at the newest customer. A smile crept its way onto her face when she was met by a familiar-faced green-eyed boy of 18.
“What- you don’t have a life either?” she asked Billie Joe once he saw she was there.
“What- you actually left your house?”
Adrienne rolled her eyes.
“Haha.”
The guy at the counter was still waiting for her to give him the CD and thinking that maybe it was best he didn’t flirt with her. She seemed pretty interested in this guy.
Adie paid and she and Billie Joe walked out. She didn’t know where exactly he was headed, but she didn’t care and she followed him anyway.
“So you still wanna see my band play?” Billie asked her as they walked along the side of the road.
“Of course. I’m itching to get back to the Gilman. That was amazing, Billie, it really was.”
“What can I say, I’m a man of good taste,” he smirked.
“By the way,” Adie started and stopped to untie the jacket around her waist. “By order of my mother, I must now give you back your jacket and then explain to how I’m sixteen and you’re eighteen and it could never work out because young girls like myself shouldn’t be dating grown men- even though we both know you’re far from grown, shortie,” and Billie Joe pretended to look hurt but couldn’t help but laugh.
Reluctantly, as if to spite the moment they were having, giggling like drunken teenagers, Adie handed him his jacket.
“I figure she’ll see the jacket so I’ll give it back to you anyway.”
“So, basically, you want me to come get you at your window and take you to Gilman to see us?”
She smiled.
“Exactly. I can get down the tree there easily enough.”
And they walked on, letting the rush of the day gather around them- in the street, in the stores, in the park- and it was just the two of them, together. Out of instinct and his craving to feel her soft skin, Billie Joe took her hand in his as they walked. She didn’t object and she smiled when she felt him awkwardly readjust his grip. It wasn’t like the movies where the two of them just go on with their walk without speaking of such a great thing to happen. Adie turned to face him, and Billie Joe faced her back. As if in a written moment, recorded and planned, they both stopped walking and smiled. They mirrored each other’s faces in a look of happiness. They didn’t know why it came so natural or why it didn’t seem strange, but the two of them just searched each other’s eyes and got lost for a moment.
Billie reached for Adie’s other hand, and she already had it midair when he grasped it. Adie started to feel their hands start to sweat. Both were nervous about why they couldn’t stop staring at each other. Both didn’t understand why they’d never felt this way. Both were worried that the other was worried about the other being worried. It didn’t take them long to just stop caring.
“Take me home,” Adie finally said, sweetly, as if she were telling him “I do” at their wedding.
Billie Joe felt his heartbeat quicken, nervous that he had done something wrong. He must have looked scared because Adie started laughing.
“I have to be home for lunch,” she cleared things up.
Billie Joe turned a different direction and led her home a quicker way than going back the opposite direction she came.
“I’ll pick you up for the show, 80,” Billie told her last, the only thing he could squeeze out of his rusty vocal chords. She nodded, simply.
If you were to look down an old road in Oakland California on February 24, 1990, at about 12 o’clock in the afternoon, you would have seen two teenagers holding hands and trying to make it home before the sun was directly above them and their shadows disappeared. On the outside, both rushing a little, both looking pleased and content, and on the inside both thinking “What the hell was that?”