Suzie’s House 424 : Nice Ride, Young Man

Ethan changed his mind about imposing on the nice young man who had given him a pizza. He didn’t feel right about taking so much. He had just stepped off the concrete square at the foot of the pizzeria’s back door when the young man came into the alley driving a Lamborghini.

How could the manager of a pizzeria afford a Lamborghini?

Ah, of course. The young man must have rich parents. It amazed Ethan how many people assumed they were living independent lifestyles while in reality all the best things in their lives came from their parents. Now that he looked at it closer, the Lamborghini must be five or six years old. It was probably a hand me down.

The passenger door opened with a hiss of pistons.

“Get in,” the young man said.

Well, if the guy just wanted to share the largess as a sop to his conscience, then why not? Though it made Ethan flinch to inflict his dirty backside on those leather seats, he still sat.

“Nice ride,” Ethan said.

“I borrowed it.”

“I see.” So his parents hadn’t given it to him outright.

Well, he’d have done the same with James. He’d lend a car rather than simply give it to him. It did cross Ethan’s mind that he didn’t really know anything about this young man, but he was already sitting, and the car had already rolled down the alley and turned onto the street.

“Um… excuse me. My name is Ethan. What is yours?”

“Gabriel.” The young man said it with a straight face.

“Well, you have certainly been an angel to me.”

Gabriel’s smile was tight and his eyes never left the road ahead. His cold reaction made Ethan uncomfortable. This young man might not be as kind as he had seemed. What if he turned out to be a serial killer? Weren’t the homeless a prime target? Since the beginning of his trip, Ethan had felt vulnerable. In fact, the whole thing could be considered a tour of vulnerability and thoughtlessness.

It was too late to change his mind anyway, he told himself. Still, he had to ask.

“Why are you doing all this for me?”

“Just passing along the kindness that was shown to me when I needed it.” Gabriel’s expression remained relaxed.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. Maybe he was being uptight over nothing.

“I’ve been right where you are now.” He spared a glance and a smile.

“You don’t look old enough to have been where I am now.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“Oh, so you have a baby face.” Ethan leaned around to look closer.

“Don’t say that,” the young man growled.

“So you’re 25? Maybe 26?”

“28.” Gabriel pulled into the parking lot of a condo complex in cubist lines with lots of glass.

“28,” Ethan muttered.

By the time he had turned that age, he was married to Sophia and already working for the first insurance agency working adjustments for homeowners insurance. James had been born, but Emma was yet to come. He wouldn’t say his life was set, but it was certainly settled.

And here this young man still depended on his parents? Shame on him.

Gabriel waited until Ethan got out of the car at the sidewalk, then drove into an underground parking area. Ethan looked around. A stand of trees wrapped around the condo on two sides. Two other condos nestled in more trees stood on the other side. Some buildings rose up from a distance, but otherwise the area had the distant feel of the well heeled. So this must be where Gabriel’s mother and father lived.

Ethan wasn’t so sure he wanted to meet them. Maybe it would be better to slip off into the woods and spend the night there. Before he’d made a decision, Gabriel took his elbow and guided him up the walk to the front door.

The door opened as they arrived. One of those metro-sexual types with a trim goatee and a flowered vest stepped out.

“Gabe. Darling. You’re late.” The metro-sexual held his arms wide.

“Peter, my love.” Gabriel stepped into his arms and kissed the man with unrestrained passion.

Ethan felt woozy.

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