A Walk Along Our Sidewalk Road by Jay Rae Santi

Chapter two

"I swear it was like he was having a seizure mom," I explained using hand motions to show how my hands were like on his shoulders.

"Is he okay now?" she asks

"He seems to be the same" I also shrug it off because he is going to see the doctor on monday and it is sunday.

"Guess what?" I say on my tippy toes to reach where my mom was sitting which was a large stone wall. She was charging the computer. Since they are they homeless they have to go to the park and other places to charge their electrical devices, I normally help them with carrying their stuff up the mountain where they live.

"What?" He leans in closer almost falling off the stone wall.

"I love you," I say in baby voice

"We love you too sweetie, god I wish we could get some money," She sounds stressed kinda like Ash with out cigs.

"How much do you need mom?" I ask

"About five maybe eight?" My dad butts in, I think about how I could get that in the shortest amount of time. You see I get money for them cause I love them. I wouldn't get money for my REAL parents because it's different. My adopted parents are real to me, because they mean the absolute world to me. I met them a couple years ago and slowly over those years we became a family. I've lost a lot of people, and family and friends. Why do you think I only smoke weed? I haven't even touched a meth pipe since Nash died. I won't do it cause it just reminds me of him. I start having a panic attack that's why all my friends who do meth don't do it around me cause last time I punched one of the guys out. Lucky one of the guys understood what I was going through. He was a good friend of mine before the incident with Nash. So does my mom, I told her about it when I first meet her. So does my dad, I told him when I first meet him. i tell them everything about everyone but I am not so smart about people around here. I tell them what I know. Which is not a lot.

"I'll get you eight...if you keep an eye on Ash?" I ask and we see him chugging a beer. I shrug my shoulders and head for the town.

Targets: Old lady with a shopping cart, young dude with pack of beer, homeless dude. Well I already know the homeless guy won't have shit...so that's not really debatable. So I went to the old lady.

"Hi, sorry to bother you but I need to catch a bus do you have like three dollars I can have?" I ask hoping she will buck up and give me something.

"Sure sweetheart!" and she reaches for her purse. BINGO! Not to be rude or anything I just need money. She hands me the money and I thank her and run off. I am really good at this one time I made fourteen dollars just by asking. It was pretty cool, but I never keep the money that's not me.

I go for the guy with the think of beer. He seems pretty mad even though he is drunk out of his mind.

"You don't know the government man! They will take over!" He screams at one women with a baby. I run up to him.

"Hey man I completely agree government is fucked!" I see a six pack in his and the anger in his eyes. Why is he so angry?

"Because my daughter was taken from me!"

-- Wow did I say that outloud? Yeah. Yeah. I just kinda walked away slowly but he was drunk as shit so I took a couple beers without him knowing. I ran back as fast as I could with only three dollars and a couple beers.

"Oh yes that's exactly what we were gonna get! Thanks sweetie," She opens the back to find three dollars, they seem so excited over not that much. But I guess when you're homless everything is worth something.

Feeling accomplished I walk over to Ash who is drunk out of his mind as usual.

"Hey buddy how ya doing?" I am trying to be as nice as I can be to him.

"Hey man! I am actually doing greeaaaattt..." he says his words as they slur. Man he is drunk like my father on a bad night.

"That's great bud," I try to walk away but he catches my arm.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Me?"

"Yeah,"

"I guess, yeah"

He nods and I walk away. What was that all about? I am fine, I am worrying about him. He is the one that fell in the water, the one that now has to see a doctor. Hopefully doesn't judge him on how much he drinks and does every other thing he can get his hands on.

I walk back over to my parents who are already packing up.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Home," they both say at the time. I nod grab the backpack and head the old way, they go Shane's way. Normally I'd be the other way around but I was tired and decided the walk would wake me up.

Oh shit! I completely forgot about Ash, I call up braidy who of course picks up.

"Hello?"

"Braidy?"

"Yes?"

"Can you go the park and watch Ash I have to carry things up to my parents," I say still walking.

"Okay of course see you when you come back," she giggles and the call ends. I feel a warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach. Damn Forrest stop liking her she has a boyfriend. But I can't she is just to perfect.

I walk up our large hill to our home, which is a tarp. Over a car port. Home is home I repeat to myself out of breath from walking up the hill.

"Coo coo!" I call to let them know I'm coming up.

"COO COO!" I get back. I nod and run up to see them sitting on the bed with the radio on 101.7 the beach all the modern music. I like it when it isn't annoying as shit. But it wasn't playing annoying music which I was glad for. I sit in my chair and pull out my pipe.

"Man Forrest is there ever a time you don't smoke?" my mom asked

"Nope!" my dad interrupts "And that's how we raised him!" as he also takes a hit. That's what me and my dad share and interest for, weed. That's how we bond, I guess. We will go on hikes and smoke and just relax and admire how pretty it is out. I love doing that.

I laugh and take a hit because that is my medication, it helps me. It helps Ash it helps.

"Hey mom?"

"Yes?"

"Can I go on a hike?" I ask

"Alone?"

"Yeah?"

"Okay, but have your phone on you," I agree and head up the hill. I normally hike after I smoke. It's weird, it's just something I've always done. I sit by my favorite tree and smoke a bowl and just admire nature.

I was only there a half hour, why did that happen? I sit there looking at a tree, when I hear a growl come from behind me...and I see a grizzly bear...