The warm night air enters the window as the light rain collects on the windowsill. I sit staring at the activity down below. A lady standing under a streetlight approaches an oncoming car, chatters, and eventually enters and the car is a quickly a distant memory.
The ever present sirens are overwhelmed by dad’s snoring. I stare at the bed as he seems to choke, but he collects himself and rolls over.
The mice stop in their tracks as I approach the kitchen, but resume their activity after realizing it is only me. They navigate the pipes along the wall like a tightrope. I stand motionless rethinking my hunger and quickly return to my window seat.
I pass the bathroom, but the mouse on the bathtub rim convinces me I can hold it. I plant myself on the frazzled, previously discarded, vinyl kitchen chair in front of the window.
I notice the lady has returned to the streetlight, but I can’t find the car. The men collected in front of the adjacent liquor store greet her but she doesn’t seem to respond.
I notice the time on my watch and realize that the Tonight Show is on. I repeat earlier efforts to resuscitate the television. I am greeted with nothing but snow, so I turn it off and sit on the couch.
The smell surrounds me and I choke. It is a combination of rotten eggs, tuna fish, and cheddar cheese. Dad’s theory is a mouse must’ve crawled inside the sofa and died. Any movement releases more smell, so I return to my chair.
My bladder is now aching but I can’t convince myself to enter the bathroom. I grab an old coffee mug from beside the television and slowly lower my shorts. I steal a glance at dad every few minutes to make sure he doesn’t see. I am both surprised and relieved at how quickly the mug is filled.
I lean forward and slowly pour the warm liquid down the side of the building outside the window. I identify several objects on the roof below: coffee can, Jack Daniels bottle, Fall City beer can, and what looks like a belt. I decide to add the coffee mug to the mix. It shatters upon impact, but nobody other than me seems to hear or even notice.
My stomach reaches my throat as sirens approach. I quickly pull up my shorts and try to hide. I am sure someone reported me.
Tires screech and I hear voices and arguing. I peep from the edge of the window and see two police cars and a pale green station wagon. The station wagon driver is behind his car screaming at the police and pointing at his car. As one officer talks to him, another looks in the car.
The officer lays several objects on the top of the car. One resembles my black water gun. The driver is placed in the back of a police car as another appears. There is more talk and the policemen seem happy as they shake hands. One of the officers seems to look at me. Do they know about the cup?
I just know that my brother would want to hear about the police, but dad would get mad if I woke him up. Besides, he wouldn’t want to walk to the phone booth in the rain.
I notice another car approach the lady near the streetlight and again she speeds off. I wonder where she could be going.
There is a lot of noise as a tow truck hauls the station wagon away. I remember the time dad had his car towed away, but his was different. He hadn’t been stopped by the police and it seemed to be running fine. He told me that the guy was just borrowing it, but mom said he didn’t pay for it. He told me a car was not necessary anyway. For that reason, mom dropped me off yesterday and will pick me up tomorrow. I wish she would pick me up now.
That lady is back again. I wonder why she keeps coming back. It's like she is test driving cars.
Hey, there is dad’s friend Eddie. He gave me a Coke earlier when we were in the bar. He told me that he hoped I turned out better than my old man and everybody had laughed. That was nice of him to encourage me. Dad was smoking and Eddie told me not to start that nasty habit and end up a runt like Dad. Boy, people were really laughing.
I’m getting tired, but there is no way I am sleeping on that couch. Dad said I could sleep with him. It is so hot in the room. I hope I don’t wake him up.
I wish it was tomorrow.
