It
was 9:30 when I heard my mom’s footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned to
her as her eyes began adjusting to the light. “Oh, you’re still down here,” She
said while walking over to the bed and lying down next to me. “Yup,” I said,
trying to shake off my grogginess just enough to comprehend what she was saying
but not so much that I couldn’t get back to sleep soon after. “The Misar’s are
having a BBQ around two this afternoon and Barbara has specially requested your
attendance.”
This
was weird, but not unusual for Nanc. Sometimes she got these ideas into her
head and would start to act serious and adopt a slightly formal speech pattern because
of them. At 33 years old I could tell something was amiss and that I wanted
nothing to do with it. “I have work.” I said, turning my head back into the
pillow. She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “But not until 6. You
could stop be for a little…” Then after a brief pause she said, “Is it because
Darren will be there?”
I wasn’t sure
where that came from. Darren Misar and I had run in the same circle of friends
for approximately half a year while we were seniors in high school. We had met maybe twice since then and, from
my perspective, had always been cordial to each other. We weren’t friends. It would be the equivalent to running into
someone from high school you hadn’t seen in a while on the street, catching up
for a few minutes, and then moving on with your lives without really sparing
them another thought. “No. Why would I
care about that?” I asked, confused.
“Well, you just
never seem to want to go over to their house.” She said, and she was right. I
never wanted to go over to their house, because I would be bored out of my mind
with nothing to do but make small talk. A past time I have neither enjoyed nor
perfected. Daren Misar wasn’t even a blip on my radar.
“Can’t you just
tell them I have work earlier?” I asked into the pillow. “I’m really not up for
socializing today.” I had been gone for the better part of the weekend and it
was a legitimate excuse.
“I’ll tell them
you have work at 2, but next time I really want you to make an effort to come,”
she said, getting up from the bed.
“Okay,” I
responded, knowing that was never going to happen.
“It’s almost 12,”
she called from the steps, “You should probably get up soon.”
I rolled over and
picked up my phone: 9:37. I rolled onto my back trying to understand what just
happened but quickly came to the realization that I didn’t care, there was no explanation
for it, and there was no way I could get back to sleep.
I went upstairs to
make some coffee, and passed a wall length window on my way to the kitchen. My
dad was sitting on the ground hammering a brick into an empty space in the
patio about an inch away from it. I knew I startled him when he looked up at
me, so I smiled and waved. He gave me a big goofy grin and waved back, then
went back to arranging the bricks in the hole. I snapped a picture and sent it
to my two sisters, one blood related and the other everything but. The photo
said #dadAquarium.
This initiated a
chat back and forth for a bit that finally lead to this conversation:
Kate: So I’m in the
car with my parents coming back from a wedding in VA. Some interesting
conversations are happening.
Me: I can only imagine.
Kate: Apparently you
mom thinks you still have a grudge against Darren Misar for not taking you to
prom?!
Danielle:
What?
Me: Did I ask him
to prom? This explains why she woke me up at 9:30 to tell me that Barbara
really wanted me to go to their BBQ today and that it was almost noon and I
should get up.
Me: Everything
was a lie!
Kate: a)
Did this really happen?
b)
When was the last time you thought about it?
Me: Exactly!!
Kate: Yes,
this is exactly why. Today’s BBQ.
Me:
I
politely declined. Plus I have work tonight.
Kate:
Apparently
she already told Barbara you wouldn’t go for this reason.
Me: Uh
oh, the work reason or her mentally fabricated one?
Kate: The
prom story.
I’m
dying laughing right now!!!
Me: Haha!!
Well, whatever.
Kate: Why
is she talking about prom, is there any back-story here?
Me: I
don’t know!!!
Me: Darren and I
ran in the same group for a few months, but I’m pretty sure he was dating my
friend Jamie. Also I’m gay.
Kate: Well
obviously you wanted him!
Me: Clearly.
Kate: Anyone
can tell from that story.
Danielle: OMG, what? Why
would a person who doesn’t like men hold such a grudge?
Me: Ha! Why would anyone hold this
grudge?
Kate: It’s
just something you never get over…
Me: I’m
so writing a novel about my life. This will def be in it.
Danielle: My fake boyfriend rejected me from the
prom!
Me: Not even: The
boy I secretly wanted to be my fake boyfriend rejected me from the prom!
Me: Also
that’s the book’s title.
Kate: I’d
read it.
Danielle: I guess it’s less painful then “My kids
think your kids suck.”
Kate: I want to read
you book then read the rival interpretation by Nanc.
Me: Oh
my god, yes!!
Danielle: Hahaha, I think
mom’s bored from being retired and since there’s no work drama she needs to
create her own.
Kate: Nailed
it, D.
Me: Ha!
Exactly.
The conversation
ended and tried to think back 15 years to my senior prom. I went with Jason,
and flamboyantly gay man (though less so at the time), who was probably as
closeted as I was. Well at school anyway. I laughed to myself, because this
situation was just ridiculous. My family may be crazy, but it certainly kept
life interesting.
