'Which way is up on this map?' I think, turning the map around. I had thought I'd try to not look like a tourist... well, so much for that. Atleast I did find the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame. And now... I don't know where the hell I'm gonna go! Maybe go see the Indians game...
"I'm gonna jump the steps!"
I look up. That voice sounded familiar. I look over at 4 people by the steps. 3 guys and 1 girl.
"I wanna see if I can make it," the dark haired guy said. That voice...
"Without breaking anything?" the guy with the glasses said.
"And sober?" the tall guy said.
"You're gonna fall on your face," the girl said.
I just kept watching, then started wondering if I'd be questioned if he does hurt himself. So what. I get closer and realize that voice is familiar. "Oswald?!"
He stops arguing with his friends and looks over at me. Yup, it's him.
"You idiot!" I said, then started over to them. "You know you'd fall on your face."
"...Lauren?" Oswald said.
The other 3 give us weird looks.
"I'm his cousin, remember," I said.
"And still short!" Oswald said.
"Yes, thank you for pointing that out," I said, sarcastically.
"You remember everyone else, don't ya?" Oswald said. I take it he didn't wanna intro them.
"Let's see... last saw ya atleast 5 years ago..." I point at the guy with the glasses. "Drew?"
"Two outta four, not bad," Drew commented.
I looked at the girl. "Kate?"
"Three outta four, she's good," Kate said.
I looked away. "So, Lewis, gonna use me to lean on again?" I look at the tall guy. "And I betcha thought I wouldn't remember that."
"Remembered all of us, maybe ya shoulda tried ten years," Lewis said.
Now, I know why it's been 5 years since I've seen Oswald... It's always a battle between me and Lewis.
"So, why're ya here?" Oswald asked.
"Came to be a tourist, that's it," I said, then added, "ya know, I could use a place to stay..."
The guys look at Kate.
"You can stay with me," she said.
We get to Drew's house and go inside.
"Nice house, Drew," I said. "It looks exactly the same as it did five years ago."
"I don't like change," Drew said. "I'm gonna get a beer." He goes into the kitchen and brings back 4 beers; one for each of them.
I glanced at the label. "Buzz Beer?"
"The brewery's in the backyard," Oswald said.
"You make your own beer? geez, in that case, I shoulda been making raspberry Pepsi for three years now," I said.
"Jealous you can't try it?" Lewis said, then held out the bottle and waved it around.
"No, I'm no jealous... stop that!" I said.
He continued waving it around. "This is how far away one year is..." Then he chugged about half of it. "Ahhh..."
"Knock it off, heh?" I said. "So, now what?"
"You four leave cuz I gotta go to work in the morning," Drew said.
We get up and the others head for the back door, so I just follow. We go out and Lewis and Oswald pick up cue sticks. They start playing pool.
Kate and I sit and watch.
"Play pool?" Kate asked.
"No, I never learned," I answered. "You sure it's okay for me to stay with you?"
"Yeah, it's okay. Besides, you can hear Drew's snoring all over his house and Lewis and Oswald live over the Warsaw," Kate said, then added, "it's a bar." She must've seen the unknowing look on my face.
"Eight ball, corner pocket," Lewis said, then sunk it.
"Man, he beat me again," Oswald said.
"There's always tomorrow," Kate said.
"Yeah..." Oswald siad, then started to leave.
"Yup, there's always tomorrow for me to kick his ass at pool again," Lewis said, then left, following Oswald.
The next morning was interesting. The night before Kate and I had gotten along pretty well. We didn't try to kill each other, anyway. I get up to find she's already gone to work. She must either trust me or was in a huge hurry earlier. I pull a flannel bathrobe out of my bag, put it on, then there's a knock at the door. 'Who knows I'm here?' I wonder silently, now crossing the living room. Naturally, the peep hole is too high so I take my chances.
"Awe, did I wake you up?" Lewis teased.
I rolled my eyes. Yeah, like I really wanna see him first thing in the morning... well, atleast I wouldn't hafta worry about breakfast now. "Whadya want?" I paused. "Don't you hafta work?"
"I'm a janitor at DrugCo," Lewis replied, then invited himself in.
I closed the door. "Wanna come in?" I said, sarcastically.
"Believe it or not, but I was gonna ask if ya wanted to go to the Indians game. It starts at 11, but..." Lewis said.
"Since you're sober ya don't wanna be seen with me looking like this?" I commented, then gave a half grin. "I'll just go and change now... and you come anywhere near the bathroom and well... just remember that the only place I can hit is low." I went into the bathroom as he mocked cringing.
Ever been driven to a ball game in a beer truck that used to be an ice cream truck? Probably not, but I was.
"Wonderful means of transportation," I said, then rolled my eyes. Ah, sarcasm, how I love thee.
"Oh, come on, we gotta get in there before the buses come or else we'll be trampled," Lewis said.
I gave him an odd look. He saw it.
"I'm not kidding," he replied.
We practically run through the gate after seeing the first bus pull into the lot.
All in all, not a bad game. Heh, it was the Indians versus the Red Sox. Everytime Lewis went to cheer, I'd drown him out with a boo... and he did the same to me. But I think my victory dance was the topper after the Red Sox won 10-7.
We get back to the truck and he just starts laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" I asked.
"I can't believe that little dance... and you did it sober!" Lewis said, and just kept laughing.
"Hey, when it comes to Nomar hitting a grand slam to win the game, I don't care how much of a fool I come off as," I said, the realized what an idiot I must've looked like. "Oh, God, I can't believe I did that!" I covered my face with my hands in embarrassment.
"Wanna go play some pool?" Lewis asked, totally ignoring my whole idiot act.
I glared at him. "I don't know how to play."
Lewis grins. "Good."
We get to Drew's house and go to his backyard. Lewis grabs 2 cue sticks and hands me one. I eyeball the thing, then try my darndest to figure out how to hold it. The whole time, he just stands there and watches.
"I think I'd better break," Lewis said. "Now, pay attention, okay?"
"Okay," I said.
He breaks and sinks 4 balls. My jaw drops. Let's just say that I know next to nothing about pool, but I knew that was a great break!
"See how easy it is?" Lewis said. He eyes the rest of the balls on the table. "Why don'tcha try to get the 8 ball in the corner pocket?"
"Key word: try," I commented, then started to get the 8 ball in my line of fire. I hit the cue ball, which actually hits the 8 ball, which bounces against the side of the table, a few inches shy of the corner pocket.
"Well... atleast you've got somethin' to do other than sittin' around Kate's apartment all day long," Lewis said, then put the cue sticks back.
'He's got a good point there,' I thought. "yeah, that would've been pretty boring," I said. "So, now what?"
About an hour later, we're in Drew's house watching The Three Musketeers (the one with Tim Curry and one of my favorite movies).
Somewhere halfway through the movie, I fell asleep. Msut've hit the lull--one of the scenes with the prince. It had to be.
Lewis looked over at me... and just kept looking.
Later that evening, everyone's out in Drew's backyard.
"So, what'd ya do today, Lauren?" Drew asked, then made a break.
"Lewis took me to the Indians/Red Sox game," I said.
"It would've been better if the Indians had won," Lewis commented, then took a shot and dropped the 2 ball in a side pocket.
"I thought you two didn't get along?" Kate asked.
"Well..." I started. I simply couldn't come up with anything else. "I didn't have anything else to do."
"Anyone want another beer?" Lewis asked, changing the subject, then looked at me. "You're too young. None for you."
The others gave various answers and Lewis went inside.
I followed him in and closed the door behind me. "I kinda liked hanging out with ya today."
"You did?" Lewis asked. Was it just the question or did he actually sound surprised I said that.
"Well, yeah..." I said.
We leaned closer...
"Hey, Beer Boy! Get your ass out here with those beers!"
I swear our faces were about 3 inches away from each other.
"Atleast they don't still call me 'Creepy Drunk Guy'," Lewis said, grabbed the bottles and went back outside.
'What just happened here?' I thought, then shook my head. 'It's nothing.' I went back outside.