Webb

October 17, 1989

"So, you and Michael getting along?" Charles asked me at work.
 I shrugged as I restocked a fridge in the freezer section, "I guess, I still feel bad about Kat being locked in her room for two days after her dad caught her smoking in her room."
 "Fuck her dad man," Charles said as he wiped down the counter with an old wet rag.
 I nodded as a closed the fridge door, "Yep, he can go suck a dick."
"Hey, have you heard from your friend Zac in a while?" Charles asked as he typed in the codes for a woman's Coke and a package of chips.
I nodded, "Sometimes. I mean, he's from New York so I don't hear from him much. And he's been having a hard time with him and his boyfriend."
 "Do his parents know he's gay yet?" Charles asked.
 I shook my head, "I don't think so. Plus they're like, more conservative than the Catholics that live here."
 Charles laughed as he handed the woman her items at the front counter, "You aren't wrong. I mean, have you met me? Hello, grew up Roman Catholic and is pure Native American from the Crow tribe who used to smoke weed and has a rosary tattoo on my neck that circles my left arm like a snake! My family kinda hates me but whatever."
I couldn't help but burst out laughing because I've known Charles since he smoked pot and dressed like even more of a hippie then is now. And he's nowhere near as religious as many people think.

Our shift ended sooner than I thought because, by the time I'd finished restocking shit, it was already five thirty.
 "Hey Mikey, I'm visiting my parents tonight for supper. Wanna come with me?" Charles asked as he grabbed his car keys from the small key rack that hung near the front doors.
 I shrugged, "Yeah, I'll have to call Wendy and tell her where I am once I get to your parent's place. Plus your mom can cook amazingly. Also, what did we eat the last time I went with you?" "Duck," he said as he grabbed his coat and held the door open for me as I jumped over the counter and rushed out the door to his old, 1978 Ford Fairmont which should've been red, but the back of the car was covered in corrosion, which is rusting on a sheet of metal. But in this case, it was covering the back of the car. 

I hopped in the front and sat in what would be the passenger seat, but the seats were elongated, as in the seat was just one large one that had duct tape covering a large tear. His car smelled like tobacco, whiskey, old lady perfume (because he had some weird air-freshener that was in the shape of a water lily, and the sent was half-gone because the color on that damn thing had faded), and it also smelled like dark chocolate. Mainly because I had dark chocolate bark in the car one summer after going out to get candy with Kat, Veronica, and Charles, and the package melted in the summer heat as I placed it on the dashboard to take a swig of water. And yes I drink things other than Coke, wine, and beer. But, hey, the only good-smelling thing in that car was the tobacco and dark chocolate smell. But of course, knowing my Native American friend, whose whole family is from the Crow tribe, Charles has a Crow tribe charm that hangs from the rearview mirror. And he also had a Champs sticker (that's the college's mascot, it's really just a lynx but they call him Champ, I didn't go to college, but that college asked for me, along with one in Cupertino, California, and Oregon State University) that was placed on the steering wheel.

Once Charles got into the car, he opened the small glove box and pulled out his Eagles CD, which didn't surprise me because he and his dad are like the same person. Only, one's fifty-seven and has long hair that's more grey than black like Charles'. 
"So, what's your mom cooking tonight?" I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.
 He shrugged as he turned on the CD player, "Dunno man, but hey, if you don't mind rolling down the window next to you for some fresh air, that'd be great."
 "Oh yeah, forgot your car doesn't have AC," I said as I rolled down the window with the crank below the door handle.
 Charles smiled as he felt the cool breeze rush through his neck-length hair. He also kept having to keep his yellow finch feather earring from falling out of his ear lobe because I had the window all the way down.
"Hey uh Mikey, you mind rolling it up halfway, I'm gonna lose my earring."
"Yeah sure," I said as I cranked the window up again.
He smiled as the Eagles CD played in the background, "Thanks."