“We've decided. You’re gonna take next week off,” Birdie commanded, standing on my doorstep last night with a bottle of white wine and my paycheque. Mr. Hung stood sheepish by her side with a twelve-pack. “Chan’s exhausted; you‘re exhausted,” she continued. “Let’s celebrate the money you boys made.” Mr. Hung and I looked at each other and smiled. I invited them in.
“Call Susan,” suggested Birdie.
“And Clarke,” said Mr. Hung.
I made the calls while Mr. Hung filled our glasses. Within ten minutes Clarke and Susan had arrived. “Hey kids,” Clarke said, waving a whiskey bottle. Susan followed with more wine.
"Kids?" laughed Birdie.
They all got very drunk very quickly. I drank ‘till I felt the click, then stopped. I watched the foolishness and high spirits rise with a mostly clear head.
By midnight Susan and Birdie were dancing to an old Beatles record on my back deck. Us guys were sitting on chairs on the lawn. “This is the way to do it,” Mr. Hung muttered to himself.
“To do what?” I asked. Clarke laughed.
At four o’clock I forced everyone to drink some water and then watched them all wander home. Mr. Hung was singing ‘Oh Canada’ walking down main street. Birdie kept whooping and hollering beside him. “Oh Jesus,” said Clark, stumbling over his lawn. Only Susan remained.
“Look at you, all sober," she said, putting on her jacket. "You’re changing,”
“Only temporarily,” I promised, laughing at her slurred speech. "I’ve got a week off. I need to be sharp. I've got to figure some stuff out."
"No, yeah. You're really changing."
"Whatever you say, drunk girl," I said, and kissed her forehead.
2 comments:
I love thinking about the whole crew together.
"'Call Susan,' suggested Birdie.
'And Clark,' said Mr. Hung."
For some reason, I really like those two lines.
The whole crew, minus Mrs. Scurfield, who -I realized the next morning- I forgot to invite.
Yeah, it was really fun.
I like those lines too. Thanks.
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