I/Tulpa: the Seven Year Girl

chapter 4

"Oh, you should never never doubt what no one else is sure about."

As Jon settled into his ride, he heard the song "Nobody Does it Better," and was thinking that should have been his theme song coming back into this nightmare world. But the driver turned the radio off and it went away. It occurred to him that the eyes in the rearview mirror were somehow familiar. It took a little courage to confront the image.

"Has anyone every told you..." Jon began.

"That I look Pee Wee?" the driver asked.

"Yeah," Jon said.

"All the time," the driver said. "Probably because I am. Or I was. I've been quite a few things, actually. You can call me Paul."

"No way!" Jon said.

"Way," Paul said.

"So, you're a driver now?" Jon asked.

Paul pulled the car over and turned to face Jon. "I am not a driver now. Okay, well, I am driving now, but that doesn't mean I am a driver now, it just means I am driving now. Hauling your ass around was a favor. This is not a full time gig."

"A favor for who?" Jon asked.

"Does it matter?" Paul asked.

"Maybe. A favor for the state in terms of volunteering isn't necessarily a favor. Are you on probation again?" Jon asked.

"OMG, why can't people let that go?!" Paul said.

"I'm not complaining," Jon said. "I think it is a complete travesty that you were arrested at a place where that is most likely to happen. But I do have this concern that, given my own predilection for such proclivities, that maybe you and I should not be hanging out together."

"We are not hanging out, Sir," Paul said. "Let's get this part clear. I am your driver. One of your drivers. I am not your friend. I just drive the car and deliver you safely. I can't tell you who you are..."

"I didn't ask you to tell me who I am," Jon said.

"Don't interrupt me. I am not going to be as nice as Ossie Davis," Paul said. "I can't tell you who you are or what you're about. And I am not going to tell you about clothes, though I should really seriously tell you, you need a clothes person, because, well, this is not SG 1 and that coat is so not you."

"Did Loxy tell you to say that?" Jon asked.

"No one tells me what to say," Paul said. "I write my own scripts and I improv a lot and why are we talking about clothes? Oh! I don't know who you are. I don't want to know who you are. It's taken me all my life to find out who I am and I am tired now, do you hear me?!"

"Yes, Sir," Jon said.

"That's better," Paul said. "Now sit back and let me get you to where you're supposed to be."

"You know where I am going?" Jon asked.

"I wouldn't be much of a driver if I didn't," Paul said.

"May I ask you about the play house?" Jon asked.

"No. That's my world. I already have my friends settled. I don't need another friend," Paul said.

"You're not very friendly," Jon said. "I imagined you would be a little friendlier."

"OMG, you are such a needy bitch, aren't you," Paul said. "Do you want Car-ie to massage your butt?"