The Guy (fiction)

      

 

          She wasn’t in the mood for this.  Genny wanted to go home, so she could take a bath and finish her book.  Then she’d make herself a lemon tea, curl up on her bed and invite her Pug, Arnold, to join her.  Arnold would promptly lay his head on her toes and wheeze.  That is, if he could clear the bed from the floor, which he most definitely could not.  She would have to provide the doggy elevator for him.

The stranger was leering her way, as if to say, "I know something you don’t know!" while leaning against the relic of a payphone. A cigarette dangled from his mouth, and it was anything BUT cool.  It just reminded Genny of her ex Curtis, and how she once had a boyfriend she dreaded kissing, because it would taste like tobacco asshole.  

She bounced up and down  on the balls of her feet, thinking it would warm her up from the cold, and she leaned out from the curb to see if the bus would emerge from the string of firefly headlights.

"You know what time the bus gets here," asked the disheveled James Dean.  He had his arms in a straight-jacket position, his hands running through the opposite sleeves of his sweater.  At first she thought he was really trying to be James Dean, with the ridiculous way he was squinting, but he was just reacting to the sting of constant cigarette smoke wafting into his eyes.

"I don’t know," she said, feeling the first warning drop of a possible downpour…and she hadn’t brought her umbrella- FUCK.  "Hopefully soon."

"I’m trying to get to this party," he groaned.  She bit her lip, annoyed at this pathetic hook.  I suppose he wants me to ask, "What party?" like that’s what I live for- to hang out with sleazeballs so I can get harassed all night.

"Should be pretty cool," he went on, with little conviction.  Genny leaned out again and caught site of a bus in the distance.  She thought about getting on that bus, and then sitting with a cluster of people, so maybe he’d take a hike.  He’d probably stand and try to talk to her anyway, as if this pointless exchange warranted an extra continue. 

"There’s gonna be some drinks and some music…maybe a little pot."

She sighed loud on purpose.

"Tired huh," he said.  "Well, you could have something with a little caffeine instead.  Might wake you up."

So fucking pathetic.  Why do I have to listen to this, she lamented.

"There’s not going to be a lot of people there…you wouldn’t be out of place with your parka."

She guffawed.  She finally looked at him, and he matched her with a bored expression that was the perfect companion to his voice.  This made her laugh out loud, because it was too much.

"I mean…you wouldn’t have to wear it indoors, it’ll be warm and there’s a coat rack."

She didn’t stop laughing.  Was he actually serious?  The bus screeched to a halt in front of them and Genny stepped up with her head down, still bobbing from laughter in her gut.  She heard the door swish close behind her and she dropped her change into the machine, until it gave the token, "Bloop!" which meant she paid her dues.

The bus driver nodded with a bemused expression; he wanted in on the joke, but Genny just kept shaking her head and laughing, making her way to the back of the bus.  The bus jumped forward and Genny quickly grabbed the pole in front of her, swinging towards an elderly couple that were bracing themselves for impact.  Genny tapped the old lady with her hip and muttered, "Sorry" and suddenly caught a quick flash of Mr. Party himself, still standing outside on the sidewalk with a clueless look on his face.  He raised his hand to wave but then his attempt was awkward since his arms were still connected inside the sleeves. 

Genny’s eyes went wide and she cackled like a lunatic.  The old lady braced herself again.  Genny milked it for what it was worth, hysterical and not the least bit self-conscious about how she sounded.  The solemn atmosphere on the bus just made it worse.  She couldn’t stop.  And when she tried it was like trying to hold in an itchy cough.

"Oh…oh my god….hhaha…" She wiped a tear on her arm as she leaned against the pole, catching her breath.  Genny marveled at the experience and almost felt sorry to see that guy go.

She never saw him again…, but it was the hardest she ever laughed in her life.

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-Marty-