‹ Prequel: Best Thing In Town
Another Sentimental Argument
One
I am slumped over a pile of records in a dusty corner shop. My lips are chapped from too much alcohol and not enough speaking. My hair is dry because I ran out of conditioner and hadn't bother to buy a new bottle. My skin is pale because the sunshine hardly appeals to me. Today is a rainy day.
"Do you have a copy of Kerplunk!?" I hear a small voice ask. Absently, I glance over at the checkout counter where a girl no more than fourteen is leaning casually against the counter, looking hopefully up at the man behind it.
As I continue watching, I notice he looks taken aback, but happy about her request. I furrow my eyebrows as their interaction with one another becomes the sole purpose of my existence in those small moments.
The older man walks out from behind the counter, brushing his hands on his khakis as if he is about to move heavy boxes—or beat someone up. He looks too cheery to beat anyone up. The girl trots behind him, her short brown hair sort of frizzy from the weather outside. She looks happy.
"Excuse me," the man says to me. I feel suddenly exposed and bow my head to the ground as I shuffle away from them. I peek through my bangs in continuing to be a silent audience. The man, whose name tag reads "Dan", is slumping over the records to peer at the cassettes that are placed just above them. He is straining slightly as I watch him rise on his tiptoes. After a few seconds that seem like hours in my eyes, he pulls out a green cassette tape and places it gingerly in the girl's waiting hand. She immediately clasps it with both of her eager hands and grins wildly. I am jealous of how big she can smile.
I sigh when they walk back to the counter because I realize I had caught my breath in my throat for quite some time while he found the strange tape for her. I slowly make my way to where I was standing to look at the records, although I really wasn't seeing them.
"Green Day's just my favorite!" She gushed to the man as he rang her purchase up.
My stomach falls and everything around me becomes too clear. I can't take my eyes away from them.
"I'm glad they have such lovely fans as you," he smiles fondly back to the girl as his hand reaches halfway across the counter with the tape. Before she grabs it, I see the cover—a smirking girl holding a gun. She has a funny looking flower on her shirt. And then the girl is bouncing her way out from the shop and I feel as though I should leave too.
The cashier calls to me to have a nice day, but my eyes are already watery and if I were to look back at his happy face, I would lose what little I had.
I make it to a park bench by a bus stop until I start crying. I hold my head in my hands and just cry because it is raining out and there's not going to be anyone waiting for the bus in the rain.
"Do you have a copy of Kerplunk!?" I hear a small voice ask. Absently, I glance over at the checkout counter where a girl no more than fourteen is leaning casually against the counter, looking hopefully up at the man behind it.
As I continue watching, I notice he looks taken aback, but happy about her request. I furrow my eyebrows as their interaction with one another becomes the sole purpose of my existence in those small moments.
The older man walks out from behind the counter, brushing his hands on his khakis as if he is about to move heavy boxes—or beat someone up. He looks too cheery to beat anyone up. The girl trots behind him, her short brown hair sort of frizzy from the weather outside. She looks happy.
"Excuse me," the man says to me. I feel suddenly exposed and bow my head to the ground as I shuffle away from them. I peek through my bangs in continuing to be a silent audience. The man, whose name tag reads "Dan", is slumping over the records to peer at the cassettes that are placed just above them. He is straining slightly as I watch him rise on his tiptoes. After a few seconds that seem like hours in my eyes, he pulls out a green cassette tape and places it gingerly in the girl's waiting hand. She immediately clasps it with both of her eager hands and grins wildly. I am jealous of how big she can smile.
I sigh when they walk back to the counter because I realize I had caught my breath in my throat for quite some time while he found the strange tape for her. I slowly make my way to where I was standing to look at the records, although I really wasn't seeing them.
"Green Day's just my favorite!" She gushed to the man as he rang her purchase up.
My stomach falls and everything around me becomes too clear. I can't take my eyes away from them.
"I'm glad they have such lovely fans as you," he smiles fondly back to the girl as his hand reaches halfway across the counter with the tape. Before she grabs it, I see the cover—a smirking girl holding a gun. She has a funny looking flower on her shirt. And then the girl is bouncing her way out from the shop and I feel as though I should leave too.
The cashier calls to me to have a nice day, but my eyes are already watery and if I were to look back at his happy face, I would lose what little I had.
I make it to a park bench by a bus stop until I start crying. I hold my head in my hands and just cry because it is raining out and there's not going to be anyone waiting for the bus in the rain.