In the Classroom

Chapter Fourteen: Payphone

I picked up the public phone about three blocks away from my house. I dialed the phone number that I had somehow memorized, even though I knew that probably would never get the chance to use it. I had somehow proved myself wrong. The dial rang once...twice...thrice...

"Hello?" came a confused voice. I opened my mouth, ready to spill my guts.

"Sam?" I asked him. A sigh came on the other side of the line.

"Joshua...do you realize what time it is?" he asked me. I checked my watch: 9:15. I swallowed hard.

"Um...sorry?" I apologized to him weakly. Sam sighed again.

"I'm tired, Joshua. Talk to me in the morning—I've got to go to the bath house," he told me.

"But—" The line disconnected, leaving me looking stupid with a dropped jaw and a beeping phone receiver in my ear. Swearing, I hung up, furious that I had wasted a $1.75 for nothing. I thought for a second, resting my head on the dial pad of the phone. I heard the phone complain loudly by beeping, which did not help my thinking process, so I stepped away from the phone, leaning against the actual stand instead.

Well...I do distinctly remember that Sam had a bath house near his place, I thought to myself slowly. Deciding that now would be as good of a time as ever, so I started off towards Sam's house. Unable to contain myself, I started to run instead.

* * *

I walked into Hale's Bath House, trying to appear as composed as possible, even with a sweaty face, desperate disposition, and still catching my breath. I saw the man at the desk with rosy cheeks and half-drooped eyelids. I could tell he was drunk during his shift. That made me mad, but I swallowed back my anger.

"Is Samuel Nishimoto here?" I asked him breathlessly. The man barely looked up at me.

"Shove off kid...the place is closed," slurred the man at the desk. I lost my temper slightly.

"The light is on and I can hear the water is still running! Let me in!" I snapped at him. The man turned his back on me, plugging his pinky into his left nostril.

"Aw...beat it kid, won't ya?" he asked me. I glared at him and then fished into my back pocket. Only one type of thing would get this man's attention. I pulled out a twenty dollar bill and waved it in front of him. Instantly, the man's eyes became trailed on the bill like a dog becomes when you wave a juicy meat bone in its face.

"Samuel Nishimoto: is he here?" I asked sweetly. The man grabbed for the bill and I held it up out of his reach. The man's eyes bugged out.

"In the back! Tell him to get out in ten minutes or I'm leaving without him," he said, making another swipe for the bill. I put the bill back in my pocket and strode away from him, leaving without paying the bribe. The man spluttered indignantly. I bet he would have followed me back if he wasn't so drunk.

I walked down the hallway to the men's bath room. I pushed open the door, waiting to find Sam there. One thing didn't quite sink in with me thought—it was a bath house which meant people would be naked behind the closed doors. Through my recklessness, it never hit me until it was too late that Sam would be bathing in there. When the door slammed behind me, I stood there, stunned, Sam glaring at me through burning cheeks.

"Can you knock please before intruding upon someone in the bathroom?" asked Sam stiffly.