I Woke Up in a Car

I was having a hard time. Eric and his friends were great. Cooking meals and always inviting me to come be social with them but they were so... different than the people I was used to. Even when I lived at home, I knew only a couple of people that smoked pot, only the emo kids played guitar, and no one ever played a bongo or a banjo. They were so strange, I was so different I had a hard time connecting.

I was coming back from another interview. I was dressed in some black slacks with a patterned shirt and a black blazer. I had gotten the clothes from a service put on by a women's association that helped needy women. They weren't the best, or brand named, but they work. I'd been struggling for a month to find work but calls weren't coming and I was getting discouraged.

Ruby was the one who most certainly felt my pain. I wailed on her as much as I could, when I was busy scrambling off to interviews. I was just heading up to the bedroom when I ran into John coming out of the upstairs bath. “Sorry.”

John laughed, “You're alright.” John's ocean-blue eyes looked at me and then looked me over, “You're dressed awful nice. Interview today?” He asked.

I started into my room and left the door open for John as I continued to talk to him, despite my back being turned, “Yeah, another interview who said they'd call.” I rolled my eyes and unbuttoned my jacket, hanging it on the hanger.

John leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossing a little, “I'm sure someone will call soon. You've been interviewing your butt off. Just hang in there.”

I sighed and pushed a hand through my red locks as I sat on the bed, “What if I go another month and nothing pans out John?” I asked, looking at the much older, muscled, dread-locked man. He was so easy to talk to, far easier than Eric. With Eric he was still such a stranger, though nice.

John came over to sit next to me on the bed, an arm sliding around my shoulders, “You know, things will work out, I promise. Eric, my brother, he's a good kid and you can stay here as long as you want. If you don't want to though at any time, you can also come stay with me, I live right on a river.”

I smiled a little and leaned into John. It was different having a comforting, true friend to talk to, not just Pastor Reyes, not just Ruby, an actual human. “Thanks for the offer, who knows, maybe if I get tired here, I'll take you up on your offer.” I sighed and moved to sit upright, “I gotta get out of these clothes.” I laughed, “I feel so stuffy.” I actually felt quite goofy in these clothes in front of John, in front of everyone.

John left and I closed the door behind him, changing into a shirt and jeans. I heard the door slam close and I knew it must have been Eric coming home. He'd said he had to run errands. I told him I had an interview, not a big deal. I'd see him when I saw him. I was about to head downstairs when I heard John and Eric talking at the bottom of the stairs.

“You know, you should talk to her. See about her joining your management team as like a personal assistant.” John's voice relayed to Eric.

“I don't know, I hardly know her.” Eric said, “What would I tell them, this girl who lives with me should work for you guys but I barely know her.”

“Ask her out!” John said, “She's smart and funny. She's just having a hard time Eric. She's worried you'll ask her to leave if she doesn't find work or something.” John paused and sighed, “Look man, I'm not saying you will, I know you're not like that, but that's what she thinks man cause she doesn't know you.” John said, almost a pleading tone to his voice.

I could hear Eric sighing, “What do you want me to do John? I'm trying everything. I invite her down to eat dinner, to play guitar with me, to hang out but she doesn't want to. Or if she does, she leaves right away. I don't know what to do.”

I sighed and bit my lip, Maybe it wasn't Eric who wasn't trying hard enough, maybe it was me. I wasn't great in social situations with a lot of people. I quickly headed to my room and closed the door as Eric's footsteps started up the stairs. Maybe I was shutting Eric out because I still felt like such a stranger, so awkward around him. I mean, yeah he invites me down but he usually has company and then I see him with his friends and I don't want to be rude and interrupt.

John's the only one that ever bothers, well, makes it a point, to talk to me when he comes over, partying or not. Like he actually cares how I'm doing, how my job searching is going. It was a sort of a comfort to know that, to some degree, he cared. He cared like the older brother I never had.

I didn't know what to really think of the conversation I'd heard. I know John and Eric were good people, I mean, would a Pastor have me staying here if they weren't?