Suzie’s House 427 : In His Shoes

If there was one thing Ethan wanted to prove to the world, it was that he had the exact right amount of tolerance. Certainly a great deal more than his co-workers at American Family Insurance Group. But not so much tolerance that he would allow bad things to happen.

To quote some editor or another, “I like to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out.”

It gave him an extra touch of joy to become outraged on Gabriel’s behalf. Although he had clearly been in the wrong for engaging in immoral acts with his cousin, thirteen was simply too young of an age to be kicked out.

And then there was Pete, whose parents saw nothing wrong with his lifestyle. Well, of course they didn’t. There wasn’t anything wrong with it. Still, to casually provide $20,000 so he could play on the stock market – that was no makeshift support.

Ethan opened his mouth to ask about how they came to be in the same public toilet when Ethan had clearly reached the end of his rope, then closed it again. No doubt they would merely make a jab at his ignorance. They didn’t need to belabor the point.

Likewise, he wanted to ask how Gabriel survived before they met, but didn’t dare.

“Now. It’s your turn. How did someone who clearly belongs in the middle class end up digging through my dumpster for pizza?” Gabriel leaned forward with a slight smile and bright eyes.

“Really? He was actually in the dumpster?” Peter grinned at him

“I was only on the edge.”

“You almost fell in when I swatted your butt.” Gabriel grinned.

“Hey!” Peter glared at Gabriel

“It’s okay. I wasn’t flirting. You should have seen his expression.”

Peter’s eyes narrowed and his chin came up, but he kept his silence.

“So? How’d you end up there?”

“It was my son. I guess he was always mistreating his little sister, but for a long time I was in denial. Finally, Emma threatened to run away from home. She’s thirteen.”

Gabriel winced. Peter shook his head sadly.

“I was going to talk to James, my son.” Ethan glanced at his audience. He felt very uncomfortable about admitting this. “But Both Emma and Sophie, my wife… They were both going to leave. And then James came home drunk. Something had to be done. Something serious. So I left James in a motel room in Des Moines.”

Gabriel whistled.

“Harsh,” Peter said.

“Something had to be done. Nothing we said or did made a difference. At least I could still save my daughter.”

“But then, why didn’t you go right back home to her?” Peter’s eyes pierced painfully.

“I was still hoping I could do something for James. I went home to see my father and ask him what he did when my brother turned into an alcoholic.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing.” Ethan shrugged. He fought to keep his lower lip steady. “He had died. Years ago. No one bothered to tell me.” He swallowed hard, still feeling the bite of grief as fresh as when he’d stood over the old man’s grave.

“How’d he die?”

“Ran his car head first into another car. Jumped the median on the interstate to do it. The newspaper said something about a suicide note, but the woman who bought the house had to clean out his effects and said there was nothing like it.”

“No one else in your family took care of it?”

“There’s no one else left.” Ethan shrugged again. He had never felt more alone in his life. “When I left home at 18, I didn’t think I’d ever want to see any of them again. I blamed my father for the way people treated me. He should have moved my brother and I back North after my mother died. Instead, he wanted to be near her grave. Every year he brought her flowers. Well, never mind about that.”

“But how’d you end up on the street? Didn’t you have any money?” Peter eyed him disapprovingly.

“My wife cancelled my credit cards. At least I think so. They just stopped working. I called home, but she wouldn’t lend me money. I think she did it because she thought I had gone back there to see my first love. I couldn’t convince her otherwise. I guess she heard something in my voice.”

“Because you did see your first love?”

“Her grave was a few feet from my father’s.”

“How awful.” Peter shook his head in commiseration.

“I’ve been trying to get home ever since.”

“I knew he would have an interesting story.’ Gabriel leaned back, crossed his arms, and smiled smugly.

“Of course. You don’t see too many homeless men wandering around in such nice shoes.”

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