Whatever Occurs: Life, Love, and Loss

American Potty Mouth

After the alarm sounds off at six AM, you get up to take a shower. Ethon is still sound asleep, as he normally sleeps like a rock.

You wash your body all over, and you shampoo your hair before realizing how soft the water is. You try to wash all of the shampoo out of your hair before applying conditioner. "Dammit," you complain when some of the soap gets in your eye.

After you step out, you wash your face and hands as well. You see a bunch of breakouts everywhere, mostly from stress. You decide to brush your teeth, floss, and swish around some mouthwash while you're still in the bathroom. The doorknob jiggles.

"Just a few moments!" You call out. You grab a towel to dry yourself off with, dabbing the towel all over. You decide not to put a hair towel on your head, but to let it air dry since your hair is already very brittle.

You open the door to see Ethon is now awake. "Hi love," you speak as you walk out the door starting for your bed. You pick up your Bible and read a few verses, because you know that will make your day a little easier.

You do that as you wait for Ethon to get out of the shower. He's in there for twenty minutes, mainly just to wash his body, since he already washed his hair the day before. He also brushes his teeth, flosses, and uses some mouthwash before using the loo.

Ethon gets out shortly before you stop reading your Bible. He then says, "if you need to use the toilet, hold your breath, because it smells in there now."

"Grand," you reply as you roll your eyes.

"Gee whiz, sorry!" Ethon apologizes.

You use the loo before you and Ethon go down to the lobby to eat breakfast with everyone else before visiting your mother. After you finish peeing, you pack everything you need in your backpack, including your purse, your water bottle, extra snacks, and an extra change of clothes. You and Ethon walk out of your hotel room, make sure the door is locked, and join everyone else in the lobby.

Scott only has a few fruits on his plate, with a side of dry cereal in a cup. You ask him why he doesn't want any protein.

"I just can't handle the smell of death when I'm near meat. I LOVED my barbecue. Now it smells revolting."

"Are you vegetarian?"

"Vegan."

"How come?"

"I happened to watch a cow get brutally tortured and killed at a slaughterhouse where I worked next-door to as a lawyer, and I decided I wanted no part of that. I don't think the cows are stunned before they're killed in that beef plant."

"That's why I buy grass fed meats. And that beef plant does deserve to get sued! It seems like they have a bad reputation of mistreating animals before slaughter."

"At the end of the day, no matter what farm they come from; every animal that is raised for food goes to the same slaughterhouses, gets the same knives dragged across their throats, and dies the same painful deaths, all for the same reason... all so we can feast on their carcasses, just for the taste."

"I was raised vegan, and I continued that lifestyle almost ten years after I met Kayla. I decided to eventually start eating meat and dairy," Ethon jumps in, "but I definitely don't consume as much of it because I still have empathy for the animals."

"Not every butcher is a heartless wench though, not like those guys," you rationalize.

"Whether someone chooses to eat meat or not, I feel that they should try to buy meat that was raised and slaughtered under humane conditions if they do eat meat," Scott speaks, "I'm just not a PETA psycho like most vegans. A REAL vegan's priority is conservation, not profit. I still believe that plant-based alternatives are best."

You grab a plate and put a few strips of bacon on it, along with some eggs, a Belgian waffle, an orange, an apple, a banana, hash browns, and some cereal. You always do your best to eat a big, healthy, and low glycemic breakfast.

You grab a seat next to Ethon after you set your plate down. Scott sits across from you, and his wife Anica is on your left. Anica constantly wrestles with her thick, freakishly red hair after finishing her breakfast. You listen as she curses under her breath.

"Need a haircut, lovey?" Scott teases.

"I love my long hair, I've been trying to grow it out for five years!" Anica replies.

You check the time, and go around to give everyone a thirty minute warning. You want to be at the nursing home by ten AM.

"Oh, motherfucker!" Beaudry yells after he spills his hot coffee on his lap and chokes on his waffle, "goddamned son of a bitch!"

All heads turn his way. Even Tommie's jaw is on the floor. Beaudry turns bright red from embarrassment. He gets up to clean the mess, changes his clothes, and keeps apologizing to everyone who had to hear his American potty mouth.

"Even I can't say what he just said, that's just so naughty!" Tommie whispers, "Us Brits will say mother and we'll say fucker, but we'll never say mother..." and mouths "fucker."

"I don't even use British profanity!" You whisper back.

"No, you're a prude," Tommie jokes.

You both chuckle.