Everyones Obsessed*

Chapter 2

"I wish the sound of rain pattering on an umbrella weren't so perfect

I wish the smell before, during, and after the rain wasn't so perfect

I wish the taste of rain tainted by the existence of change weren't so perfect

I wish the sight of rain were as unmemorable as it is, as the wind wasn't so perfect."
-Dylan Alkhe

Chapter 2 | The Overdue Onset

(Part A= Twenty-Four Years Ago
Part B=May 6th, Six Years Ago
Part C=Still Six Years Ago)

Part A-1
June 23

The man who drove us from Denver to Pueblo was my dad; his Japanese was literally just as terrible as my English. It was morning, around 7 o'clock, and we had three stops before we went to his home, my soon-to-be new house. Our first stop was at Castle Rock. My mother and I were hungry for food that wasn't from an airplane. My mother said there was a McDonald's we could go to before we did a little shopping at Castle Rock. When I first tried food from McDonald's, it was a random day in Japan. It would have been my last time eating at McDonald's in Japan because The first time I tried chicken nuggets, I choked on it for a good minute. It was bland, dry, tasted of cardboard, and was very gritty; I think it was just that location in general, and I think it's not there anymore. As we pulled through the drive-thru at McDonald's, my dad ordered three double cheeseburgers and three medium sodas. Then we parked in the lot of Castle Rock.

Part B-1
J.O.S.

Yeah, yeah. He talks so much and only told you about 3% of the story. Alex is a good talker... sometimes, but most of the time, he delves into topics that don't even exist or need to be mentioned or discussed. At 3:40 PM, I left my workplace and drove/arrived at JuJu café at 3:56 PM. Sitting against the railing from the stairs was a regular customer, 15M Myles, and Barista, 23M Dante; inside the 'Coffee Station' room with the 'Pay Counter' window was Barista 17F Lucy and cashier 19M Finley 'Finn,' and against the wall next to the coffee room was what looked like a 21M first timer to the café, Alex. I ordered a coffee and a doughnut for takeout as usual; I sat down in a seat & table facing away from Alex, at the time, a guy I didn't know yet. At 4:03 PM, I got my drink, returned to my car, and posted a picture of me during my coffee run. And at 4:11, I drove/arrived at Walmart, and I also noticed that Alex in the café was following me in his silver-colored Honda and was inside Walmart with me, too. Also, Alex, I still like you.

Part A-2

I didn't want to take a bite, but my mother said it tasted better than in Japan, so I reluctantly took my first bite of American fast food. My first bite of the double cheeseburger tasted sweet but salty & fatty, and oily. That day, I forever craved fast food. I ate the rest, and the first sip of my drink was so acidic and carbonated; it was Coca-Cola. It tasted fresher and different than in Japan; I was addicted. My dad turned on the CarPlay and went on Spotify; the first English song I heard was "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's. My mother had been somewhat sad, but that song made Airi (Ah-ee-ree), my mother, light up. They had sung that song together with so much passion I didn't understand what they were saying, but it amazed me. I never saw my mother sing with that kind of vigor.

Part B-2

You missed some "Unimportant" things. As Joshua approached the counter, he said, "Hey Finn, hi Lucy, can I please get my latte with cocoa powder and a strawberry doughnut? Here's my card and rewards card." Finn, taking the order, replied half-jokingly, "Ya Joshy, also I need that blue Sharpie back soon, and if not, you can just buy me a new pack of assorted Sharpies, and also a new microwave, 80-inch T.V., and a new iPhone 24 Pro Max." Getting his two cards back, Joshua responded, "That would be a waste of my money spending it all on you; you aren't my boy- GIRLfriend or even good wifey material; what can you even offer me, bop?" Finn hissed, "Oh baby, you couldn't even get with me if you were lucky enough to, but if I did want to be with you, I would do unimaginable things to you that money couldn't even afford." Joshua laughed and then turned around and sat in a seat near a corner facing away from me. Also, you're still a psychopath, 'J. OTTO S.'