How I Live Now - 11. Day 12.

Day 12.

I got up this morning with no intention of cycling; it was dark, gloomy, and rainy. It wasn't a great start to the day, but I had to peddle to work since I am in a dire situation. I got soaked by the time I got there, and I had to change my clothes, so the wet clothes didn't soak in. An ammonia is the last thing I need right now, and to top it off, Angela made a big deal out of me traipsing with my wet shoes all over the locker room. Just I didn't let her demeaning rant get me down; I just kept my shoulders up and head tall. That woman…. I already don't like her; it feels like she is the person who would bully you for the sake of nothing. So, I had to buy some cheap clothes from the bargain bin. Let me tell you, it is difficult to find some half-decent shirt and pants to wear for the day. Most stuff looked like it came from a donation appeal. Every sweater I took out was absolutely shit, but at least it only set me back $12.

I got paired with this guy called Lee, who looks like a biker, but missed the opportunity because he got married, and his wife is a devoted bible basher. The man has a similar sense of humor and likes all the dry, cringy puns and dad jokes like I do. The two of us got along well and burned through the hours, just cracking stupid puns and jokes that kids in grade school would laugh about. I worked with Lee in the sports section, taking leftover yoga mats off the shelf, as they were now being reduced. The surplus stock was going to the clearance baskets at the front of the store, and we replaced the empty nooks with massage rollers for warming up.

During lunch, I sat with Lee in the canteen, talking about his life before the store. I didn't tell him how I got here and why. For Christ's sake, his wife is a bible basher; I'm foolish sometimes, but not stupid. I found out that Lee has a kid, he’s 26, all grown up, but now it's quiet with just the dogs. He showed me a picture of his German Shepperd called Rambo, who is soooo cute, and this boxer called Rocky. I was amused at the inside joke of the fighter… Rocky. The cafeteria food was oddly satisfying today; it was not as horrible as previous days. Maybe because it was pizza slices, and you can't really get lousy pizza… Can you?

The rest of the day just flew by, and when I exited the store, I noticed that boy I saw the other day getting out of a Ford Flex. What a horrible car. But, God… he was so unbearably hot… I liked that freakishly swagger. Though anybody who is that outlandishly cute is always dating someone.

I considered waiting, just to get another look at the beautiful boy when he returned to the car, but after a while of him not showing, and with the brooding clouds on the horizon, I took off. I didn't want to be caught up in another rain shower.

Safe to say, I nearly got hit by a car on the way home; the maniac was driving like 60 in a 35 mile per hour zone. I guarantee rain would have been the least of my worries if I got a smack from a reckless driver. The rest of the journey was a cruise to the finish, and I just got in the door when the clouds cracked open and pissed down. Doug wasn't home, so I took the time to do some exploring. From the living, there is a balcony overlooking a small park. I spent some time out there, getting some fresh air, as, after the downpour, the weather cleared up, and the sun came out. Everything was glinting, and the playground in the park below, the metal climbing rebar and slide sparkled like diamonds held to the sun.

I decided after a while, I'd make a start on supper, so I set up shop in the kitchen. I don't know how long I was chopping away at veg for or how long I was flipping mince, but I didn't hear Doug enter the apartment. The guy scared me to death when he popped his head in the door to say hello.

Afterward, I contemplated going to the bathroom to check and see if I shit myself.

No word of a lie; my heart took off like one of those heart monitors in a hospital. We got talking while I cooked; he's a janitor at the local rec center. The day had been easy on him, not much cleaning to do, and the bathrooms didn't have wads of wet toilet paper stuck to the ceiling. Doug complained about the kids vandalizing the building, but he admitted that when he was 12, it was the funniest shit he ever did. "Seeing it from the other side of the equation," his words not mine. Made him realize the amount of work he gave some poor caretaker when he was a kid. We spoke for a while, he cracked open a beer, ordered takeout, and we talked until I finished dinner.

I just had a shower, and I'm settling down for the night. I never realized how much I missed showers, but it feels fantastic to get clean. I'm going to get into bed and jerk off. It's going to be weird without my phone, but I have nothing else to do with it being so early.

Talk soon,

Kyle