The Firefly Field Theory

|15| Jerónimo: Part I

PART I:

Omi being the only one of us with no hair on his head and sufficient medicinal know how stays back with the injured social worker. His face is rock solid and his eyes are fast. When we part no 'good-byes' or good-lucks' are exchanged. Bravo, Z, Wall-e and I quietly leave him in the ambulance.

We shuffle through the multitude of damp sturdy chests' of trees. I entered the outskirts ambiance with apprehension. I guess it's not a total waste then. I leave satisfied. Reality, no matter how bitter is just always the right amount to keep you satiated. Now that I think of it everybody's stern and serious. Maybe this is the proverbial calm before the proverbial storm. I wonder what I look like right now. I wonder what I feel like right now.

"Oh shit!" Out of nowhere Z curses and runs off ahead of us. For some reason Bravo dashes forward and starts running after him, immediately Wall-e breaks into a sprint too. Since I don't want to be left behind on this mission to find MY biological father I run after them.

"What?" I yell in hopes that maybe one of them would consider. I mean I know this is a possible bad situation but we don't need to be running around all frantic. Dad has devoted his life to this profession. I'm sure he knows what he's doing.

No. I'm not sure. Honestly I think...

"Oh thank God!" Z exhales deeply. I see him open the drivers' side door and get into the van. We all keep running. "What?" I ask again. No answer.

Not until I cross running Wall-e, surpass running Bravo and reach the minivan's rear does it dawn upon me that the idiot Z left the keys in the ignition. Surely, rolling off the dark green metal body of the minivan is an anticipatory hum. I rush to the passenger side. Maybe I'm like the minivan in a way, I don't know what I 'm in for but I like the van hum in anticipation for it. Not having enough strength to stand I quickly pant out, "You left the keys in?"

Not waiting for a reply to this absurdly rhetorical question, I grab hold of the side handle, swing the the door open and flop down on the seat next to Z. "Well, excuse me! But you were the one who ran off and scared us all!" Z, as usual, is utilizing the crucial seconds of our time to blame me. Apparently, he doesn't understand rhetorical questions either. Since I have no strength to explain grammar to him right now, I start searching for a water bottle. I retrieve a half empty one from the middle bench, unscrew it's cap open and take a big sip. Just as the gulp of luke-warm water gushes down my burning throat, Bravo and Wall-e jump into the van simultaneously making the floor dive down a little.

"WE'RE LUCKY THE VAN IS STILL HERE!" Bravo yells and pants fluently, "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" At this point I, as carefully as I possibly can, try to hand her the water bottle I'm holding. Z revs up the engine and drives back into the scarce traffic, "Oh shut..."

Bravo cuts him off fiercely, "NO YOU SHUT UP! SOMEBODY COULD'VE STOLEN IT, THEN WE'D BE LEFT HERE WITH NO RIDE HOME! NO MONEY! NOTHING!" I make the bottle to a little seductive belly dance, in hopes that Bravo might like what she sees. Z keeps him voice low and tries a second time to get out of this,  "Yeah but none of that happened! Nobody stole it. Appreciate the difference woman!"

The belly dancing bottle catches the wild eyes and burning red Bravo's attention. She takes it from my hand and before taking a sip chooses to add in ragged pants, "Real mature. This is the height of..." But this time it's her turn to be cut off because before she finishes out tumbles Z's reply, "I'm sorry, okay? It's my fault. I forgot. Now will you please shut up?"

The sounds of irritating human beings die down. The sounds of vibrating engines and spinning wheels dominate. Z just accepted his mistake. And that's got to be a first not just for me because when I turn to take a look at Bravo she looks like she just saw Medusa. Wall-e almost always looks shocked so I'm not sure what to make of that. Nobody says anything for the longest time. It's like the moment you see a baby take it's first steps. Minus the excitement. The interior is dead. Nobody here is excited. Bravo finally drinks form the bottle and passes it to Wall-e. She looks nonpulsed, apparently she has no clue due to her lack of experience, as to what should be done when Z takes the blame. What should be done when someone shows remorse? Even I'm not sure where the conversation is supposed to go now, what do you do when someone accepts your accusations and bends down?