Chriscile Chriscile sat at her piano. She caressed an old picture of her and my father on the day of their wedding. She put the picture on the piano and played "Scenes From Childhood," a classic song by Robert Schumann. She looked very sad.
Kitchen Edwith and Sherley moved by one another without talking to each other. Sherley looked for food, and Edwith cleaned up dishes in the sink. I walked in, went to the fridge, and took a can of soda.
"Mom around?" I asked.
"Ask Edwith. She knows everything," replied Sherley while fixing herself a sandwich.
"Edwith, where's Mom?"
"She's been up in her room all day-"
"Leaving her majesty in charge," Sherley added.
I looked at her without saying a word, then left the kitchen. I met Giani on my way to the living room. He entered the room as if something really terrible had just happened to him.
"Guys, I got a question!" he said, out of breath.
"Well, I'm going to say hi to Mom," I said to him.
"Hold on, Carter! Listen. I met this girl two days ago and she already broke up with me. Do you guys have any idea why? Why can't I keep a girlfriend?"
"Wait. You met a girl two days ago, and she already dumped you?
My question is, is she from this planet?" I asked him while drinking my soda. Before answering, he looked me deep in the eyes then shook his head.
"No. I think...she's from your ass!"
"Have you slept with her?" I tapped his shoulder.
"Well, you know me," he retorted with pride.
"That's why. See you." I tapped his shoulder again and then left.
"I...I don't get it."
"I do. That means, you're so dumb. A girl will never stay with you after she finds out how stupid you are," replied Sherley. Then she left the kitchen and went to the living room.
"Not so dumb as your ugly, dumb, punk-ass boyfriend."
"But at least he acts like a real man!" Sherley yelled from the living room.
"Yeah, right! He's so ugly, some people even think he's a monkey twin." He went after Sherley.
Porch The French mailman arrived at the box. I came running to meet him.
"Bonjour!"
I didn't answer because I didn't feel like speaking French that morning.
"Any important mail?"
"Let me check. Here, that's all I have for you today," he said, handing me the mail. I anxiously grabbed the mail and ripped the envelope open. As I read the letter about the results of the contest, the mailman approached behind me to read over my shoulder. I pulled it away from him and stepped farther from him.
"Oh, sorry! See you tomorrow." I walked away.
I tore up the letter.
"Damn it! Damn it!" I screamed at myself angrily.
