Homeless and Hopeless
02
You know that moment in your life where you just assume the worst possible thing has happened? Like maybe your best friend is dead in an alley somewhere and no one knows who she is? Well I do and I can honestly tell you it sucks.
I hadn’t heard from my best friend in awhile. About three months ago, I tried calling her cell but it had been disconnected. I knew things were rough for her after her father died. She’d lost her job and everything, but she told me she had it under control. When I’d last talked to Katey, she told me she was staying with a friend in Arizona and getting her life back together. She also told me not to worry.
As I sat in my room cursing a painting project that was due when break was over, all I could was worry about Katey. She was my best friend and I had no idea if she was okay. I’d even tried calling her mom. Her mom said she hadn’t heard from her either and that I shouldn’t worry. I don’t understand how people can toss around the phrase ‘don’t worry’ when it is one of the things that I do best. I mean, I guess if her mom wasn’t worried then I really shouldn’t be either.
“You okay?” My roommate, Zoey, asked as she stood in my doorway.
“I’m fine. I can’t get this stupid painting to come out the way it looks in my mind. The colors are all wrong.” I ranted as I looked at the offensive painting.
“It looks fine, Sara. Stop freaking out. Seriously though, another hockey painting?” Zoey sighed.
“Hey. This one is the capitals. The last one was penguins.” I explained.
“The last four were the penguins.”
“Whatever. At least I’m finally embracing my new city.” I sighed as I looked at the painting again. It felt wrong to use so much red.
“True. Well anyway, it looks fine. I’m sure if whatshisnuts saw it, he’d like it.” Zoey said as she walked away.
“It’s Mike Green.” I shouted at the back of her head.
Days like this, in addition to everything else going on, made me wonder why I picked to go to art school in DC. Pittsburgh was my home. It had an art school but no, I wanted to try another city and go at it on my own. Pittsburgh had my family, it had my friends and it had a winning hockey team. DC had a bunch of museums, impossible to navigate road ways, and the capitals.
I looked back down at the painting and then to my cell phone. “Ring dammit” I said. I wanted a distraction. I needed a distraction.
My phone began to rang and I had to laugh. Zoey had apparently heard me talking to my phone.
“Step away from the painting. We’ll go for a walk or something. You can work on that painting of whatshisnuts whenever we get back.” Zoey said.
“His name is Mike Green. I wish you could remember that.” I sighed.
“For a guy named Green, he wears a lot of red. If you painted him green, I’d remember better.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea…” I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that before.
“They’re playing tonight, aren’t they? Why don’t we go see a game and you can see his wonky eyebrows in person. I’m sure that’ll help you paint better.” Zoey laughed.
“His eyebrows aren’t wonky.” I huffed.
“I think they are. Let’s go see him and his friends. You really need to stop dwelling on everything.” Zoey said.
“You’re right. Let me get ready and I’ll meet you in the living room.” I said before hanging up.
I loved my roommate. She could’ve just as easily walked back into my bedroom but calling was much easier, I guess. She was completely right. I needed time away from class and freaking out about Katey possibly being in a freezer somewhere.
I hadn’t heard from my best friend in awhile. About three months ago, I tried calling her cell but it had been disconnected. I knew things were rough for her after her father died. She’d lost her job and everything, but she told me she had it under control. When I’d last talked to Katey, she told me she was staying with a friend in Arizona and getting her life back together. She also told me not to worry.
As I sat in my room cursing a painting project that was due when break was over, all I could was worry about Katey. She was my best friend and I had no idea if she was okay. I’d even tried calling her mom. Her mom said she hadn’t heard from her either and that I shouldn’t worry. I don’t understand how people can toss around the phrase ‘don’t worry’ when it is one of the things that I do best. I mean, I guess if her mom wasn’t worried then I really shouldn’t be either.
“You okay?” My roommate, Zoey, asked as she stood in my doorway.
“I’m fine. I can’t get this stupid painting to come out the way it looks in my mind. The colors are all wrong.” I ranted as I looked at the offensive painting.
“It looks fine, Sara. Stop freaking out. Seriously though, another hockey painting?” Zoey sighed.
“Hey. This one is the capitals. The last one was penguins.” I explained.
“The last four were the penguins.”
“Whatever. At least I’m finally embracing my new city.” I sighed as I looked at the painting again. It felt wrong to use so much red.
“True. Well anyway, it looks fine. I’m sure if whatshisnuts saw it, he’d like it.” Zoey said as she walked away.
“It’s Mike Green.” I shouted at the back of her head.
Days like this, in addition to everything else going on, made me wonder why I picked to go to art school in DC. Pittsburgh was my home. It had an art school but no, I wanted to try another city and go at it on my own. Pittsburgh had my family, it had my friends and it had a winning hockey team. DC had a bunch of museums, impossible to navigate road ways, and the capitals.
I looked back down at the painting and then to my cell phone. “Ring dammit” I said. I wanted a distraction. I needed a distraction.
My phone began to rang and I had to laugh. Zoey had apparently heard me talking to my phone.
“Step away from the painting. We’ll go for a walk or something. You can work on that painting of whatshisnuts whenever we get back.” Zoey said.
“His name is Mike Green. I wish you could remember that.” I sighed.
“For a guy named Green, he wears a lot of red. If you painted him green, I’d remember better.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea…” I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that before.
“They’re playing tonight, aren’t they? Why don’t we go see a game and you can see his wonky eyebrows in person. I’m sure that’ll help you paint better.” Zoey laughed.
“His eyebrows aren’t wonky.” I huffed.
“I think they are. Let’s go see him and his friends. You really need to stop dwelling on everything.” Zoey said.
“You’re right. Let me get ready and I’ll meet you in the living room.” I said before hanging up.
I loved my roommate. She could’ve just as easily walked back into my bedroom but calling was much easier, I guess. She was completely right. I needed time away from class and freaking out about Katey possibly being in a freezer somewhere.