Streetlife

23 - Lunch Dates

CALLIE POV

As I head to Brooklyn Heights to meet my mother for lunch, it had been months since I had been here. It had and almost felt kinda weird since I was around hookers and pimps nowadays even if I failed to realize it since Tess, Lena, Julius and Frank had become my family. They really had and I care SO much about them, but since they slept during the day and since Warbucks tore into me about singing in train stations, I had to find a new way to do my music as well as a new place. I think?

I guess Warbucks meant well when he said I don't think. I mean, I thought I was a good thinker as I was always thinking outside the box, but he said I was as stupid and spacey as they come. I mean, I was trying and even offered to write him a song and make him my special green tea. But I didn't think he wanted that since he busted my eye up for being stupid and smacked me across the face. It did hurt, big time, but it was okay because he took really good care of me. Maybe he was stressed out by Olive's latest foolishness. I was a big girl and could take it.

I knew I was different than his other girls, and he didn't sleep with me either. He never even touched me. I guess I wasn't his type or something but he told me he didn't fuck weird ass hippies like me. Whatever that meant. But I did what he told me to do, I made the money he told me to make, but I was bummed about my guitar. Super bummed.

As I get off the One Train at Clark Street Station, I head up the steps to the Bistro I was meeting my mom at. I was a little nervous since I had not seen in her a few months, and I knew she was super annoyed at me. Truth was, I had been dodging her, for she was one who always seemed to bust my chops about the way my life was going, but I'm not some puppet anymore. Doing what I want to do makes much more sense than not.

I find the table she is sitting at and smile widely as I pick up the pace to meet her. "Hey, Mama!" I smile as I lean in to give her a hug which is stiff as usual.5

"You look terrible! Have you been eating?" She is quick to say as I shrug and sit across from her, slowly removing my sunglasses.

"I do. Just been busy, you know. Working two jobs and stuff."

"What the hell happened to your eye? What kind of work do you do? Oh my god, Callie! Who punched you?" Her voice grows louder with each question, and I laugh softly as I open the menu.

"No need to make a scene. I was putting together my bookshelf, and one of the hardback books fell and hit my eye just right. No one punched me," I lie with ease as our waiter shows up and takes our order.

I sip the green tea my mom had ordered for me before I came and smile at her. "It's true. I do my singing and then I work as a waitress at this big restaurant downtown." I continue making stuff up as I go while my mother sits across from me, rather doubtful, for she always accused me of lying even if I wasn't sometimes.

"Well, you always were a clumsy one. But when are you going to finally give in and go to college at NYU? I mean, I'm sure if you call them, they'll still let you take the scholarship."

"Mom, I'm not going to NYU. Can we not do this right now? I don't want to argue with you especially since we haven't seen each other in some time," I bite into my salad that arrives as she stares hard at me.

"Your sister joined the art program," She says talking about my little sister, Nora, who was 14, as I nod and smile.

"Ya? I knew she would eventually. I kept telling her she needs to focus on what she loves."

"Well, I think she won't be as stupid as you and will take an art scholarship when she graduates." She digs again as I ignore her and continue to eat.

"So, I should be able to head out West next summer. I think that if all goes well, I'm going to try and re-apply for USC."