Parkside Bench

“What are you doing!? I called the apartment like 60 times today!” A raging voice blared from the speaker phone.

“…….”

“I KNOW you’re there! Answer me! I know you’re there because you picked up the phone.”

“…….”

“Seriously, I don’t even know why I bother with you…you’re a washed up, broke, lazy, alcoholic who is on the road to a very pleasant vacation to a homeless shelter where your only known source of pleasure would be to poke your head out of an orange cardboard box and look for any type of filth that might resemble something edible and not give you diarrhea.”

“….You forgot to mention that I am a really, really, good pancake flipper.”

“Lex…I can’t support you anymore, you’re gonna have to give up the dream and get a real job.”

“I’m not a 9 to 5 person.” The man’s words came out slurred, he sat on a worn black leather couch and stared up at the ceiling of his apartment. In the kitchen, the thick smell of burnt macaroni wafted through the room.

“Take your stuff and GET OUT!”

“…….but I’m a really good writer…I can make it, just give me a few more days…once I get a deal with Seven Trees Publishing House I can pay off all my debts…then I won’t be stealing so much beer from your fridge when you invite your friends over and you think it’s them.”

“Lex…you got 3 hours to get off the couch, put away the Vernaccia wine and leave my apartment. 2 able bodied adults living here, one person paying the rent, I mean I’m no expert at math but something does not add up.”

“You knew what I was drinking?” Lex’s semi closed eyes briefly widened…but only briefly, then reverted to his catatonic stare.

“You do the same thing every day…how could I not know? I bet the place reeks of burnt macaroni too doesn’t it?”

“…You got me…” A half smirk stretched across Lex’s drunken face.

“No wonder she left you man…your girl. She was the smart one….a good one.”

“I don’t care…..Aince, there’s only one thing I care about…”

“Yeah your dumb story, well one day you WILL care about something…maybe not today…maybe not tomorrow…but that day will come, and when it does, you’ll be full of regret and despair and you’ll know the reason why…because it will be too late. That moment will come upon you like a sudden rush of cold wind, and you’ll just be there wondering what happened.”

“….I’m getting out of here.” Lex picked up the phone he didn’t pay for, and smashed it against the wall. Then he unplugged the cord and held it in his hands….

‘It’s not strong enough’ he thought as he stood up and walked over to the balcony. Slowly, he pulled the sliding door open and stood outside.

“Publishing sucks!” He suddenly cried as he threw the phone cord down below.

“What the!?” A startled woman jumped as she felt something wrap around her neck. She looked down after her heart stopped beating, “A phone cord?” She looked up in the direction it came from. She heard a door quickly slide closed as a man disappeared.

“So he thinks he can do a hit and run eh? Well I’m gonna pay him a visit! I could have been injured! Here I am walking peacefully on the street, minding my business on my way to a new job and some jerk decides to throw this junk at me! I’ll just make a quick “bathroom stop” before I punch in.” Showing no less skill than a trained assassin, the woman memorized the balcony the man had been standing on before she barged into the apartment door and went inside.

“Sigh…” Lex, fumbled with the keys as he locked the door.

PING! The keys fell on the floor and Lex bent over to pick them up, vomiting in the process. He left them there and walked away, ‘Well It’s not like I’ll be coming back...’

It was 8:37 am in the morning, fairly sunny with a few clouds splashed across the sky, the apartment’s 15 floors each had glass windows that commanded a magnificent view of Vallesdale city, and it was in front one of these glass windows that Lex stopped to check his reflection. Had he just kept on walking and not stopped, he might have avoided the cruel fate that was in store for him. But then again, where was he heading anyway?

“You!” A woman’s finger pointed at Lex accusingly as she stormed out of the elevator.

“Who?” He nonchalantly continued to stare in the reflection as he saw the woman come up behind him.

“My gosh! What’s that smell? Is that…macaroni?”

“….was macaroni. It left my stomach with a different look.” Lex ignored the disgusted look on the woman’s face as he turned around and went to the elevator.

“Wait a minute!” The woman yelled, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder. “Does THIS belong to you?” She stepped in front of him, blocking his path and holding up the black telephone cord right between his eyes.

“…I’m sorry if that hit you missy…I wasn’t actually aiming for anything. I was just a little frustrated with a few circumstances in my life…Now if you’ll excuse me I have to leave before something bad happens to me.”

“It’s a little late for that…you look like hell…hey! Where are you going? I’m not finished with you!”

“I am.” Lex quickly jumped in the elevator just as it was about to close, giving him just enough time to show her his favourite ring, which happened to be situated on his middle finger. “Bitch!”

“Augh!” The woman’s shocked expression carved a small smile on Lex’s mouth as the door shut on her.

“I really need to get out of here….”