The Dragon King (A Satirical Comedy)

One

The summer he came into my life would have been be most uneventful season of that year if he had not showed up. The thought was planted into my head ever since my overbearing mom asked me what my plans were after barely making it out of my Uni exams alive. I told her my plans were to get hired to work at my Uncle Rob's book store full-time until classed started back next semester. She burst into a fit of laughter and shook her head at me. She questioned my motives as to why I wanted to spend my summer of my senior year of college working with my father's brother. Money. I needed money, and it was a job. Sure, I knew good, ol' Uncle Rob was a bit of an overcooked wet noodle when it came to personalities, but I never imagined it was going to be as bad as it had.

*****

"Good evening, Diane," says my frumpy, middle aged uncle. He's wearing the knee length, umber-colored cardigan, again. It looks like it's seen so much use that I imagine he substitutes it for a wife. In truth, It's probably the only thing in life that will always be constant and clinging to him.

"Hey, Rob."

"I've got a new joke, Diane! I really think you're going to like this one!" He walks behind the counter and places his tote bag down on a tired, old chair. "I read it in Reader's Digest- a 1987 copy! I think it's from June," he pauses to think. "Are you ready? Okay, a woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named 'Ahmal'. The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him 'Juan'. Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, 'They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal.'"

Is this Hell? What is happening? I send him an unamused look as he cackles himself silly. God, save me- The door chimes, and I look up. My breath catches in my throat when I see him, a stranger in jogging sweats, and a skin-tight tank top. His clean-shaven face is glossy with sweat. I watch as a a bead of perspiration travels down his ear and drops off onto his muscular biceps. I shiver at the sight.

"Good evening," says Rob. "Can we help you?"

"Do you have any books on Chengdu? That's in China...which is in Asia," speaks the hunky stranger. His voice is heavy on my mind, like whisky, but it is not a depressant on my heart.

"Diane, can you show this gentleman to the travel section?" It takes me a minute to register that Uncle Rob has said my name. Did he tell me to do something? Travel?...I watch the bead of sweat on the man's arm soak into his shirt... "Diane??"

"Y-yes- Yeah. Yeah, I can," the words tumble from my mouth and crash ungracefully into the silence of the air. I force my feet to move me from behind the counter. His eyes stare at me intently. My breath hitches once again, and I can feel my skin turn a rosy color. "T- this way." I lead him back through the store to the travel genre shelves. The whole time, I can feel his eyes trained on the back of my head. "You sh-should be able to find books about Hong Kong on this shelf."

"Chengdu."

"Pardon?"

"The city is Chengdu. I'm looking for books about Chengdu. Hong Kong is completely different from Chengdu. I would know... I've been, like, seven times."

"To Chengdu?"

"No, Hong Kong. Why would I need a book on Chengdu if I've been there seven times?"

The words get caught in my throat. "I- I don't know." Oh, gawd- he's staring at me again. He looks me up and down with a smirk. I glance down at my outfit. Oh- oh, no. CODE RED. MAYDAY. I WORE MY CROCS. I wore my Crocs to work today! (On a typical day, they would be my last choice of footwear, but I was running late.) Maybe, he hasn't noticed.