Chapter 14 Old School Movie Night
Old School Movie Night
It felt good to talk with Mags and catch her up on all the drama.
I told her everything. About meeting Hector and how he unexpectedly dragged me out of my closet.
I told her about my bubble tea date with PJ and how everything was going so well until I blew it.
Surprisingly, Mags didn’t have a lot to say about my boy drama.
Boys, she said. I don’t understand them.
Hector is a bit more helpful.
PJ may be feeling rejected and embarrassed after you pulled your hand away suddenly. Give him some time, mijo
But what if he doesn’t come around?
Just keep showing him that you like him without coming on too strong
I reply that I will and promise to come out to Neel next. I’m not ready to tell Mom and Carole, but coming out to Neel seems like a no-brainer.
I look at the clock: 11:15. My heart races and a familiar cold chill washes over me.
I put my head on the pillow, but I don’t take my eyes off the clock: 11:16, 11:17, 11:18, 11:19, 11:20.
The alien awakes and wants out! Scratch, scratch, scratch: 11:21.
It’s relentless! Scratch, scratch, scratch: 11:22.
I can’t breathe. I gasp for air. Scratch, scratch, scratch: 11:23.
I let out a breath and expand my lungs again.
My heart rhythm normalizes, and the alien goes dormant.
There is no doubt about it. Something is alive inside me.
I shudder at the thought, but I close my eyes and eventually fall asleep.
Ican’t believe it’s Friday already. But to be fair, my school week didn’t start until Wednesday since Monday was Labor Day and Tuesday…
School is the same old, same old. Morning classes go okay, but lunch brings something unexpected—new friends.
As I head outside to sit on my spot on the wall and eat my cold pizza alone, I notice acne-faced Paul is having lunch with a girl I don’t recognize.
We make eye contact, and he motions me over to sit with them.
“Welcome to the nerds’ table,” he says.
“Well, then I’m in the right place. Proud nerd here!” I reply.
“This is my platonic friend, Latica.”
“Hi, platonic-friend Latica, I’m Simon, Paul’s other platonic friend from drama class.”
Latica gives a small wave. She is very introverted, much more so than Paul.
“I have a neighbor named Simon,” she says with a whisper.
“Oh, really? Small world, huh?”
We stare at each other for a moment. I’m not really sure how to respond. Latica just smiles. She eventually says something else, but she speaks with such a soft voice that I strain to hear her. It doesn’t matter, though; I can tell she is sweet and has good energy. I like her immediately.
“Egg salad again? Why is it always egg salad?” Paul’s eyes roll to the back of his head, and he slides his sandwich down the table to rest in front of me. “Simon, you look like someone who eats egg salad.”
“I do? Okay. Thanks.”
I don’t want his sandwich, but I appreciate the gesture.
I regret being rude to Paul yesterday. I’m sure he is a kind person as well, even if he is a bit odd.
The three of us have an awkward but nice time, and I hope to eat lunch with them again next week.
I wasn’t looking to make new friends, but I’m glad I did.
Driving home after school, with the wind in my hair and the music blasting, I’m happy even though PJ’s behavior was a repeat of yesterday.
He rushed into class as the bell rang and ran out the door with goth-girl Suzi as soon as class was over.
No matter what I did to catch his eye, he wouldn’t look my way.
Things are not looking good on the romance front.
I call Mags for our daily check-in. She is working on college applications, so I let her go.
I consider calling Neel, but he doesn’t like to talk on the phone, and I will be seeing them both tomorrow anyway.
“Siri, play ‘Take it Easy’ by the Eagles.”
Damn, I love this song! I might be tone deaf, but I belt out every word, drawing out “easy” into at least five syllables.
Sure, PJ is ignoring me, but I’ve made three new friends.
Hector, Paul, and Latica. I’ve accepted I’m gay, and I’ve already come out to two people.
Tomorrow, I’m going to come out to Neel.
Tonight, Mom is coming home early for a change, and we’re going to make it an old school family movie night.
Movie nights are nostalgic for me and bring back such good memories from when it was just Mom and me against the world. We had no money, and we lived in a shitty apartment, but every Friday night, Mom splurged on dinner and treats for us.
The fun would start with Mom picking me up after school.
No bus ride home for me! The first stop was always the library.
We would pick out books for weekend reading and a DVD or two for movie night.
In fact, this is how Mom met Carole. Carole worked at the library circulation desk and got to know us very well as Friday afternoon regulars.
She used to hold back the new DVD arrivals for us behind the desk.
Clearly, this was a great big librarian no-no, but she never got caught, as far as I know.
I usually wandered off to the fantasy or science fiction sections while Mom and Carole flirted. Ah, good times.
After the library, Mom and I would head out to dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant, Hunan Manor. I always got my favorites: hot and sour soup, egg rolls, duck sauce, and lots of spicy mustard. Last stop was the convenience store for candy, soda, and, of course, popcorn.
One Friday evening, Mom said, “You know the nice lady from the library who always puts the new movies aside for us? Well, she’s joining us for dinner and a movie tonight.”
After dinner and the movie, Carole ended up spending the night.
To tell you the truth, I don’t remember her ever going back home.
It was as if she moved in that night. Days became weeks, then months, then years.
Eventually, they made it official and got married.
I’m smiling now, remembering those happy Friday evenings together.
I would always go to bed with a sick tummy from all the junk food I ate, but I never cared.
It was worth it. It’s been way too long since we’ve had a family movie night.
This will be the first one in our new apartment, and I can’t wait.
But first, I have a few stops to make. First up, haircut.
I locate the local Hair Cuttery in a strip mall.
It’s crammed between a Pho restaurant and a Dollar Tree.
I almost miss it. I’m sure most of the kids in my new school don’t go to Hair Cuttery, but it’s cheap and where I have always gone.
The salon is quiet except for the smooth jazz that drifts from the sound system.
Another teenager is getting his hair cut while his mom flips through an old copy of Woman’s Day in the waiting area.
The rest of the hairdressers stand around making small talk with one another.
A rough-looking lady motions me to the hair washing station where a girl, not much older than me, waits with a smile.
Sporting a halter top and a face full of makeup, she smacks her gum as she lathers my curls into a soapy crown.
When she is done washing my hair, she sends me back to the rough-looking lady. Ugh!
“Whatcha want, sweetheart?”
The rough-looking lady scares the hell out of me with a raspy voice straight from a late-night COPD commercial.
An acrid stench of cigarettes hovers in the air around her.
Thankfully, she doesn’t say much as she cuts my hair.
Her attention is focused on the other hairdressers as they quip about their favorite TV shows.
I close my eyes and daydream it’s PJ running his hands through my hair.
Being a weird, creative kid, I like to make up stories.
I pretend the hairdresser’s name is Madge and after work, she and the other hairdressers hang out at a bar called the Delta Lounge.
The Delta Lounge, with its shag carpeting and wood-paneled walls, hasn’t been updated since the seventies.
Madge sips Diet Coke while the girls drink cheap wine. I crack myself up thinking about this.
“What’s all the smiling about, honey?” croaks Madge.
Caught off guard, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.
“I’m looking forward to movie night with my family tonight.”
“Now, isn’t that refreshing?” she calls over to the other hairdressers. “Girls, we’ve got a real, live teenage boy who is happy to spend time with his mother and father. I think that’s wonderful. Just like America used to be.”
Feeling brave, I explain that my two moms and a cat are the family I will be spending the evening with.
“Two moms and a cat.” She chortles. “Isn’t that something?” She leans down and whispers in my ear, “Seems like everyone’s turning gay these days. Am I right? Heck, even my sister’s boy is a homosexual now.”
Well, there’s a word you don’t hear very often. Enjoying my newfound bravado, I say, “Guess what? I’m gay too.”
She slow claps her hands with faux enthusiasm. “Well, good for you, honey. You do you. Just remember that when the day comes, it’s only God’s judgment that matters.”
WTF! She’s cray-cray. I need to find another Hair Cuttery.
But by the end of my haircut, Madge (whose real name is Patty) has been joined by the other hairdressers, along with Tammy, the hair washer, as I recount my coming out story.
I feel like I’m on a stage with spotlights, and they are my audience.
Tammy swoons when I describe PJ’s good looks and blue eyes, but Patty purses her lips.
They offer all kinds of advice about how to win PJ back, but I doubt I will take their suggestions.
Tammy thinks I should write him a note and slip it to him during class.
But this seems very junior high to me. I need to figure this out on my own.
I tip Patty and Tammy and promise to give everyone an update when I come back for my next haircut.
I wave goodbye and head out the door. I’m beaming.
I’ve now come out to Hector, Mags, and a whole group of strangers!
After my haircut, I stop at the grocery store to stock up on goodies for movie night.
I get microwave popcorn, a couple two-liter bottles of soda, and Mom’s favorite candy—Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews.
I get Sour Patch Kids for myself and seedless grapes for Carole.
Carole doesn’t eat candy. She likes to put fresh grapes in the freezer and eat them frozen.
She claims they taste like candy. They don’t taste like candy to me, but frozen grapes are pretty good, especially on a hot summer day.
They are just not for movie night. Only junk food for Mom and me, please.
I arrive home and to my surprise Mom greets me at the door with a huge smile and a big hug. She looks hunched with dark circles under her eyes, but it’s wonderful to see her.
“First movie night in our new home. Did you get the goods?” Mom winks at me.
I show her the stash, and her eyes brighten just a bit as she notices the peanut chews. I haven’t seen her this excited for food in a long time. She tears into the bag, unwraps one of the miniature candies, and pops it in her mouth.
“Oh, that is so good. It’s been too long,” she moans.
I take this opportunity to say something that’s been on my mind, but I haven’t said to her yet.
“Mom, I miss our movie nights.”
“I know you do, Little Bug.”
I let the Little Bug comment go.
“Can we start these back up again? You know, like in the old days. We never missed a Friday night before.”
“I know, and I can promise to try. But that’s the best answer I can give you until they hire more staff at work. Simon, please be patient and try to understand the stress I’m under. I’m doing this for us. Sammy too. It won’t be forever. Just hang on a little bit longer.”
“Okay,” I say as I flop onto the couch.
Sammy runs over and jumps in my lap. I get out his special toy from the coffee table drawer.
The red dot appears, and Sammy goes crazy.
He loves to chase it. He runs in circles and jumps up and down trying to catch the elusive dot the laser pointer makes.
Mom laughs, and it’s so good to see her happy.
It’s been a while since I’ve heard her do that too. It feels like old times.
Mom and I play with Sammy for a bit while I tell her all about school. I give her a play-by-play of the past few days except for one key detail—PJ.
Carole comes in the front door carrying a brown paper bag.
“Hello, hello!” she calls. “Is this where an old-school movie night is about to go down?”
“Woot, woot,” I call out, raising my hands toward the ceiling.
Carole puts an arm around me and gives me a side hug, then walks over to Mom and gives her a lingering kiss on the lips. She perches on the edge of the couch and unpacks the bag. She hands a carton to Mom.
“Moo shu for you, my sweet.” She places a second container in front of herself. “Lo mein for me and… Oh, no! That seems to be all there is in the bag.” She gives me a wink as my smile turns into a frown. “Only kidding, Simon. Hot and sour soup and a double order of egg rolls for you.”
My smile returns, and I’m about to ask for the hot mustard, but Carole is already dangling the packets in midair. She tosses them to me along with some packets of duck sauce. Everyone is in their happy place.
“Okay, so what is on the agenda for movie night tonight? Anyone else up for a rom-com?” Carole asks.
Mom and I look up from our Chinese food.
“No!” we shout in unison.
We all laugh, and I pull up Disney+ to search for our first movie which will most certainly not be a rom-com.