Suzie’s House 353 : Impassioned Speech in the Park

This takes place at the same time as the previous episodes.

“I don’t know, Bruce, He looks like a pervert.” Gene hadn’t really wanted to come with Bruce in the first place. Now that he saw the guy they were supposed to buy the stuff from, he was even more sure he didn’t want it.

“What? Because his hair’s all oily?”

“No. Because of the way he keeps looking around all nervous like.” Gene caught himself looking around the park just as nervous like. Luckily, there were only a few kids and a couple of mothers around. The mothers were so busy talking that they hadn’t really noticed the bum sitting at a picnic table on the other end of the park. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Bruce gave him an annoyed look before taking off across all that green grass.

“I don’t know why you need me along,” Gene said to the guy’s back. “I don’t have any money.”

“Yeah. You never do.” Bruce made it sound like it was Gene’s fault.

Gene didn’t say anything. He’d been thinking lately maybe he should try to get a job. It wasn’t like he could ask Mrs. H for money, and his old man sure wasn’t going to give him any.

The transaction took place so fast that Gene hadn’t even caught up yet when the bum hopped off the table. The guy shoved Bruce’s money into the pocket of his flannel shirt as he walked away. Bruce scooped up a little plastic baggie that had been left on the table, and sat down.

“Wait. You aren’t planning on doing that here, are you?”

“Yeah.” Bruce took rolling papers out of his back pocket. “It’s not like I can do it at home.”

“But… anyone could see you here.”

“They won’t care.” Bruce shrugged, already opening the baggie

Gene had half a mind to take off. But Bruce had said he had something to say about the band. Besides, Gene wasn’t a coward. And it wasn’t like he was some up-tight citizen. He joined Bruce on top of the table.

“What about those moms over there? I bet they’d have a cow if they saw you light up close to their kids.”

“Pft! I don’t think so.” He flicked a stem out of the pile in his paper.

“Seriously, Dude. If they didn’t have their backs to us, they’d probably already be talking about us.”

“What is it with you and mothers?” He rolled the joint like an expert. “You always act like there are perfect or something.”

“No I don’t,” Gene muttered.

“Yeah you do. Even though you said your own mother left you. I don’t get why you aren’t more bitter about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your mother must not have loved you all that much or she wouldn’t have left you behind. Right?” Bruce brought out a lighter and took a deep drag on the joint. “I mean, from what you’ve said, your father was beating on you your whole life. She must have known what was going on. When she left, she knew he would do that to you, and she didn’t try to do anything to stop it. Right?”

“You’re really getting into this, aren’t you,” Gene said. He had to fight the urge to lash out.

“It just kills you to think your saintly mother might not have loved you.”

“Shut up! I already know that. All right? So just drop it.” Gene gripped the edge of the table hard. Not so he wouldn’t punch Bruce, but because he didn’t want his shaking to show.

Bruce didn’t even notice. He sucked on the doobie for a long time, then sat there making smoke rings like none of this was any big deal.

“Huh. What if she actually really did love you? What if she didn’t leave you at all? I mean, all you’ve got to go by is what your father said. Right? What if he killed her and dumped her body somewhere, then told you she went away so you wouldn’t rat him out? Hah, hah. Wouldn’t that be funny.”

Bruce’s whole body turned cold. For a whole minute he felt about as animate as a statue. He probably looked about as healthy, too, because Bruce actually looked at him with something like concern.

“Hey. You all right?”

No, he wasn’t all right. Because what Bruce just said made way too much since. All his life Gene had felt like something to do with his mother was seriously wrong. No matter what his father said or did, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his mother would never have left him behind. Not if she had any say in the matter. And it wasn’t like his father wouldn’t have beat her just like she beat Gene.

“Seriously, Dude.” Bruce reached over and gave his shoulder a little shove. “You all right? Try this. It’ll make you feel better.”

“Nah.” Gene shook his head. He’d tried pot before. But that was before Mrs. H took him in. Now it just didn’t feel right. “You said you wanted to talk to me about the band.”

“Oh. Right. About my uncle. You remember him from that one gig we did, right? He says he’s got another one for us.”

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