Listen to the Words

March 14, 1999

He sat on his bed, and he thought. Everyone had been picked on in school, hadn't they? It was normal, wasn't it? Tony West had really tormented him in fourth grade, but, you know... it was fourth grade.

He left his room, and jogged down the stairs. The house was empty and quiet. In the living room, the curtains were pulled away from the windows, and sunbeams shone inside. He searched for the remote, and found it under the coffee table. He clicked on the TV and went to the kitchen.

The apple-shaped clock ticked on the wall, and a vase of flowers sat on the table. He opened the refrigerator, and saw nothing to eat. The cabinets were just as bereft. He looked in the freezer, and then re-opened the fridge. He settled on a cup of jello, pulled off its lid and got out a spoon.

He stood at the sink, and ate looking out the window. The sun was shining, birds were chirping... and his dad was slumped at their back yard picnic table. A plastic cup was in his hand, and below him, in the grass, lay a half-drunk bottle of whiskey.

Jason dropped his empty jello cup in the trash. He washed his spoon, and picked up the phone. He could call Jessica, or Nicole... but then they might want to come over, and it wasn't a good day for that. He set the receiver back into its cradle, went to the living room and sat on the couch.

Why wasn't there ever anything new on MTV... just the same old stupid.... A few dull and boring videos later, he gave up and switched on the Nintendo.

As Mortal Kombat's opening titles appeared, he heard a car in the driveway. A minute later, his mom came in. She took off her sunglasses and laid down her purse. His brother followed, dropping his laundry bag to the floor.

As Jason played, his mom asked David how his classes were going. What he was eating, if he was keeping his dorm clean, and if he was getting enough sleep. He answered that his classes were fine, he was eating food, and sleep was for wusses.

"Who are you playing as?"

Jason looked up. David stood behind the couch, watching the game.

"Kintaro," Jason said.

"Shao-Kahn's better."

He jumped over Scorpion, turned and attacked. "How?"

"Shao-Kahn's like, 'I have hammer. I crush.'"

Jason backed away, ran and jumped. His attempt to vault over Scorpion only resulted in being empaled on a blade. He looked at the screen and watched himself die.

"Let me see it," David said.

He handed him the controller. While David switched characters, Jason heard the back door open, and his father's staggering footsteps. He looked anxiously at his brother.

"When he comes in, just try not to fight, okay? Just stay away from him."

"Just stay away from him," David repeated, in a high-pitched voice.

"Just develop Avoidant Personality Disorder while you're here."

As Shao-Kahn charged, their mom left the room. She returned with her watering pitcher, and sang to her geraniums as she gave them a drink.

"Shit," David said, as he got killed. He dropped the controller, and went to the kitchen.

A minute later, their dad stumbled into the doorway. He leaned against the wall, raised his cup to his mouth, and took a long sip. As Jason played, his drunken gaze shifted to the TV. He said something... something like "worthless" or "pointless." Something like, "Why are you playing video games all day?" And instead of saying, "Because it's Sunday, and I already did my homework," he ignored it. His father went back to the kitchen.