Just Another Day - March 1, 2011

Steven was walking with his mates along the almost-frozen road separating the school and their houses.  School had just ended for the day and the boys were looking forward to playing on Rob’s new NES console.  Shuffling the best that they could in the weather towards Rob’s house, the boys barely said a word as they tried to keep the cold out.

Just then, the mail boy whizzed past them in his apparently new blue bicycle.  The boys started shouting after him.

“Oit, give us a ride in those new wheels, will ya!”

“Hey, stop!”

“Come on, Gerard, let us on!”

When Gerard did not stop, the three boys’ legs were renewed with strength only envy can provide.  They chased the mail boy and occasionally flung pieces of mud mixed with snow at him.  One of these projectiles hit Gerard at the back of his head with a loud ‘splat!’.

The mail boy flew off his bicycle and the mail he kept in the basket followed suit.  Groaning, Gerard held his head as a tiny trickle of blood coursed down his neck.  That last snowball had a stone in it.  Looking at his newly scratched blue bike lying beside him, Gerard groaned again.

“Go, go!  Grab his mail!” Rob urged the other two boys.

“What?  Why?” Steven asked.

“If it’s something expensive, I’m not sharing,” Rob shot back.

Steven and Asten needed no more encouragement.  All three boys ran towards the immobilized Gerard and started scooping up the mail in their arms.

“Come back, you little pricks!” Gerard shouted after them as the three boys ran off.  The seventeen year old mailboy lay on the ground, watching helplessly as his mail ran off with the boys.

Six blocks later, the boys stopped running and Rob fumbled for the key.  Unlocking the door swiftly, the trio clambered into the house and shut the door with a slam.  Collapsing onto the floor, Rob and Asten dissolved into boyish giggles.

“Did you see his face?” Rob asked excitedly.

Holding his mouth to suppress the laughter, Asten shook uncontrollably, tears flowing from his eyes.

Steven, the only one still holding his mail, shook his head.

“Guys, he was really hurt.  Shouldn’t we do something?” Steven asked.

Rob swiped at Steven’s leg. “Stop acting so grown-up, Stevie.  You’re bumming Asten out.”

True enough, Asten had stopped laughing.  He was looking at Steven with a frown.  When he frowned, he had wrinkles and these wrinkles made Asten seem to be four times their age.  Steven always felt a little creeped out when Asten made his ‘old-man’ face.

“But Gerard was bleeding.  You know our dads are going to give it to us later, right?” he asked Rob accusingly.

“You’ll deal with that later.  My dad would never hit me,” Rob answered smugly.  Asten nodded.

“You’re free to leave anytime,” Rob added.

Steven hesitated before joining the other two boys on the floor.

“Let’s dig in!” Rob shouted gleefully towards the piles of mail.  His hands were a blur of paper tearing at mail opening after that. 

Asten joined Rob with equal, if not greater enthusiasm.

Steven looked at his own messy stack of mail.  A boy’s gotta do what a boy’s gotta do, he thought, as he went through the envelopes. 

Christmas card.

Christmas card.

Homemade Christmas card.

Christmas card.

“Asten’s got himself a baseball card!” Rob exclaimed.  The proud owner of the autographed Billy Marett card was smiling broadly, his baby teeth jutting out.
It was silly really, his baby teeth, Steven thought.  No one else he knew in their teens had their baby teeth anymore.  Someone should really knock them out, he thought peevishly.

Flushing with embarrassment, Steven picked up lingerie catalogue his grandmother ordered.  Foreign body parts stared at him from the cover.  He stuffed it back quickly into the envelope.  Snatching up some Christmas cards, Steven covered the offensive catalogue with the festive wishes.

He noticed an envelope he hadn’t opened.  Ripping the contents free, a creamy, expensive-looking paper fell out.  Steven began reading the neatly printed words.

"Charlie dearest, your last letter has made me the happiest woman on earth.  I simply cannot wait any longer.  Meet me at Lincoln station this Saturday for the last train.
Your forever, Hannah.

SWALK*"

Steven looked at the envelope.  The address was to Charlie Wilson.  Rob’s dad.  Steven had no idea if Rob’s mom’s name is Hannah.  He only ever called her Mrs Wilson. 

Looking at Rob, his mind was in deep turmoil.  Whether to tell him or not.

Noticing Steven staring at him, Rob snapped at him. “Stop staring at me, faggot.”

“Your dad’s leaving you,” Steven blurted out.

Rob’s cheeks paled.  “What?”

Caught, Steven passed the letter to Rob.  Asten made his old-man face.

After reading the few lines, Rob’s complexion paled even further.  His eyes darted towards the envelope, where he read his father’s name and address written on it.  He looked like a trapped rat, Steven noted.

A while later, Rob started laughing forcefully.

“My parents are such jokers!  Ha ha ha!  My mom’s name is Hannah, see.  Ha ha ha!  They like sending these sorts of things to each other.  Ha ha ha!”

Asten spoke softly,” I thought your mom’s name was Esther.”

Rob’s smile broke. 

“Get out.”

Steven needed no prompting and bolted out of the house.

Asten wrapped an arm around Rob and cooed consolingly.

“You too, get out.  Get out!”  Rob screamed.

Asten quickly joined Steven and they jogged down the road.  A familiar car pulled into the driveway behind them and a friendly hand waved hello.  The boys waved back. 

Steven and Asten would later face their angry parents, accompanied by a bloodthirsty Gerard.

*SWALK = Sealed With A Loving Kiss

-Jessica Wang Yean Ping