The day started with me attempting to assemble a keyboard. I find it amusing that the only thing I had to attach were the legs, and I couldn’t manage that. For some reason, I just couldn’t figure out where pole G was, and how it attached to stand E. It all just blended together after a while.
I considered using the web to find simpler instructions, but I hadn’t set up my internet yet... I should probably check if there’s even proper cell service here. I sat on the floor, exasperated by the keyboard. I wasn’t even meant to have one.
My parents insisted that I take a musical instrument with me when I told them I was moving.
“Mother, I’m moving into an apartment. I can’t take my violin. I’m going to have people above me, under me, and to the side of me. I would be disturbing them.” I had just taped up the last box.
“What about a grand piano? That can be quiet.”
“Not enough room, Mother. My apartment isn’t large enough.”
Now, in my apartment, I realized that I probably could have fit a grand piano in the living room. It would have taken up most of the room, though, and probably blocked the window.
Not mention getting it up the stairs to the third floor would have been a nightmare.
Winthrop Place wasn’t the best place I lived. In fact, it was definitely the second worst.There was at least one ominous crack in each gray wall. The only window was in the living room, and it bulged out of the wall, creating a sitting area in the window… I’ll probably put the keyboard in front of that window.
The carpet was nice, I think the previous tenant replaced it.
While admiring the carpet, I realized I hadn’t eaten since I’d woken up hours earlier. My refrigerator hadn’t been set up, so I was going to have to find some local place. I sighed, starting at the mess of a keyboard I had spread out on the floor. Maybe what I needed was some food. Then I’d be able to figure out how to connect pole G to stand E.
I was kind of grateful my parents had sent me off with a keyboard, even though I’d never practiced on one before. They were right, I needed to bring an instrument with me. Maybe some nights, I’d turn the keyboard volume all the way up. It’s not like the landlord would kick me out. From what I’d seen, Winthrop Place needed whoever it could take. In the short amount of time I’d had to see the town, I figured I knew enough to get food for a quick breakfast.
My phone started ringing just as I stood up. It took me three rings to find my phone lying on the floor hidden behind some open boxes.
I answered the call.
“Michael Hayyyyy.”
I smiled a little, “Hey, Anna. How are you doing?”
“Oh, nothing about me. Are you okay? I heard there were severe thunderstorms last night.” Clearing the keyboard parts to the side of the room, I started moving towards the door.
“Anna, you live in the next state over, why were you watching my weather? I’ve lived through thunderstorms before.”
“Oh, please you’re a year younger than me.” Anna scoffed on the other side of the phone.
“You need my years of experience.”
“Right, I’m about to go get something to eat.” I pulled the door open, juggling my keys and the phone. “How’s Charles?”
Anna laughed, “Football teams are trying to recruit him.” I locked the door, holding the phone with my ear. “Right the question is are they being successful?” “Oh, gosh, Michael. You know how he is. He’s probably already drafting his refusal speech. Hates attention that kid.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just the same as ever.”
“Michael, I know you’ve gotten away from combing your hair, and you’ve got spikes now, but I think you-”
The phone cut off. I stopped walking, and stared at the screen. The signal bars in the corner had all disappeared. I stuffed the phone in my pocket and continued to the stairs. Whatever she was about to tell me about my hair, I probably wouldn't have liked anyway.
***
The light rain outside surprised me when I stepped out of the entrance of Winthrop Place. I briefly considered going back inside, but words of wisdom from Anna came back to me, ‘It’s just water.’
No one in this town even knew who I was, so... I could get drenched and no one would care. I wouldn't be ruining a set reputation. I could look like anything I wanted to. A smile spread across my face.
My phone started ringing, the second I left the barrier of the doors. Water splashed on the screen as I read the caller ID. Anna. Of course, she would call me back, after getting cut off.
I accepted the call, squinted across the road. Why were there flashing lights?
“Did you cut me off?”
“No, Anna, I guess there’s no signal in my hallway. Or it’s the thunderstorms you talked about. I don’t know.”
The color left my face when I recognized what the flashing lights were. Police in the park. A lot of them.
“Well, anyway, I think you should dye your hair. Blue, just the tips. How does that sound?” I kept far away from the park keeping to the apartment's side of the road, as I walked. The 24 hour diner was just down the road.
“Yeah,” I told Anna, pushing the police in the park out of my mind. “Yeah, I think I might do that.” Blue hair… I could look like anything I wanted. I smiled again. “That’s a really great suggestion.”
“Okay, Michael. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just like you said in high school. I need to go out of my comfort zone with my appearance.” Michael nodded to himself. “And… no, I won’t get any piercings.”
“Darn, you know me too well. Anyway, bye.”
“Bye.”
Where could I could I get blue hair dye? I glanced back at the park, as I ended the call. Maybe if I could change my appearance I would have more anonymity. It would certainly be more difficult for people to connect me to my past. My heart beat a little faster. I was overreacting.
The police in the park had nothing to do with me, I reminded myself. My name shouldn’t come up. If they asked around, I didn’t see anything. That was the truth.
Taking a deep breath, I listened to the rain. The mysterious events in the park weren't going to suddenly make it impossible for me to move on. There probably wouldn't even be any type of deep investigation. Things like that only happened in television shows. It had nothing to do with me. I could dye my hair for the sheer fun of it. I could forget about what was going on in the park.
I slipped into the diner, and realized that pole G wasn't supposed to attach to stand E. Stand
E was supposed to connect to pole G.
Huge difference apparently.
I considered using the web to find simpler instructions, but I hadn’t set up my internet yet... I should probably check if there’s even proper cell service here. I sat on the floor, exasperated by the keyboard. I wasn’t even meant to have one.
My parents insisted that I take a musical instrument with me when I told them I was moving.
“Mother, I’m moving into an apartment. I can’t take my violin. I’m going to have people above me, under me, and to the side of me. I would be disturbing them.” I had just taped up the last box.
“What about a grand piano? That can be quiet.”
“Not enough room, Mother. My apartment isn’t large enough.”
Now, in my apartment, I realized that I probably could have fit a grand piano in the living room. It would have taken up most of the room, though, and probably blocked the window.
Not mention getting it up the stairs to the third floor would have been a nightmare.
Winthrop Place wasn’t the best place I lived. In fact, it was definitely the second worst.There was at least one ominous crack in each gray wall. The only window was in the living room, and it bulged out of the wall, creating a sitting area in the window… I’ll probably put the keyboard in front of that window.
The carpet was nice, I think the previous tenant replaced it.
While admiring the carpet, I realized I hadn’t eaten since I’d woken up hours earlier. My refrigerator hadn’t been set up, so I was going to have to find some local place. I sighed, starting at the mess of a keyboard I had spread out on the floor. Maybe what I needed was some food. Then I’d be able to figure out how to connect pole G to stand E.
I was kind of grateful my parents had sent me off with a keyboard, even though I’d never practiced on one before. They were right, I needed to bring an instrument with me. Maybe some nights, I’d turn the keyboard volume all the way up. It’s not like the landlord would kick me out. From what I’d seen, Winthrop Place needed whoever it could take. In the short amount of time I’d had to see the town, I figured I knew enough to get food for a quick breakfast.
My phone started ringing just as I stood up. It took me three rings to find my phone lying on the floor hidden behind some open boxes.
I answered the call.
“Michael Hayyyyy.”
I smiled a little, “Hey, Anna. How are you doing?”
“Oh, nothing about me. Are you okay? I heard there were severe thunderstorms last night.” Clearing the keyboard parts to the side of the room, I started moving towards the door.
“Anna, you live in the next state over, why were you watching my weather? I’ve lived through thunderstorms before.”
“Oh, please you’re a year younger than me.” Anna scoffed on the other side of the phone.
“You need my years of experience.”
“Right, I’m about to go get something to eat.” I pulled the door open, juggling my keys and the phone. “How’s Charles?”
Anna laughed, “Football teams are trying to recruit him.” I locked the door, holding the phone with my ear. “Right the question is are they being successful?” “Oh, gosh, Michael. You know how he is. He’s probably already drafting his refusal speech. Hates attention that kid.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just the same as ever.”
“Michael, I know you’ve gotten away from combing your hair, and you’ve got spikes now, but I think you-”
The phone cut off. I stopped walking, and stared at the screen. The signal bars in the corner had all disappeared. I stuffed the phone in my pocket and continued to the stairs. Whatever she was about to tell me about my hair, I probably wouldn't have liked anyway.
***
The light rain outside surprised me when I stepped out of the entrance of Winthrop Place. I briefly considered going back inside, but words of wisdom from Anna came back to me, ‘It’s just water.’
No one in this town even knew who I was, so... I could get drenched and no one would care. I wouldn't be ruining a set reputation. I could look like anything I wanted to. A smile spread across my face.
My phone started ringing, the second I left the barrier of the doors. Water splashed on the screen as I read the caller ID. Anna. Of course, she would call me back, after getting cut off.
I accepted the call, squinted across the road. Why were there flashing lights?
“Did you cut me off?”
“No, Anna, I guess there’s no signal in my hallway. Or it’s the thunderstorms you talked about. I don’t know.”
The color left my face when I recognized what the flashing lights were. Police in the park. A lot of them.
“Well, anyway, I think you should dye your hair. Blue, just the tips. How does that sound?” I kept far away from the park keeping to the apartment's side of the road, as I walked. The 24 hour diner was just down the road.
“Yeah,” I told Anna, pushing the police in the park out of my mind. “Yeah, I think I might do that.” Blue hair… I could look like anything I wanted. I smiled again. “That’s a really great suggestion.”
“Okay, Michael. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just like you said in high school. I need to go out of my comfort zone with my appearance.” Michael nodded to himself. “And… no, I won’t get any piercings.”
“Darn, you know me too well. Anyway, bye.”
“Bye.”
Where could I could I get blue hair dye? I glanced back at the park, as I ended the call. Maybe if I could change my appearance I would have more anonymity. It would certainly be more difficult for people to connect me to my past. My heart beat a little faster. I was overreacting.
The police in the park had nothing to do with me, I reminded myself. My name shouldn’t come up. If they asked around, I didn’t see anything. That was the truth.
Taking a deep breath, I listened to the rain. The mysterious events in the park weren't going to suddenly make it impossible for me to move on. There probably wouldn't even be any type of deep investigation. Things like that only happened in television shows. It had nothing to do with me. I could dye my hair for the sheer fun of it. I could forget about what was going on in the park.
I slipped into the diner, and realized that pole G wasn't supposed to attach to stand E. Stand
E was supposed to connect to pole G.
Huge difference apparently.
first of all, the writing is beautiful! in your next blog post i would Love to see if he dyes his hair or not. and if so, how does it change him or affect his being? i would also like to know about michael and anna's relationship. how do they know each other? what is the relationship? oo and also i want to know more about his past and why he's so freaked out about the police! but keep part of it a mystery! i am excited to see what comes next to michael!!!
ReplyDeletefirst of all, the writing is beautiful! in your next blog post i would Love to see if he dyes his hair or not. and if so, how does it change him or affect his being? i would also like to know about michael and anna's relationship. how do they know each other? what is the relationship? oo and also i want to know more about his past and why he's so freaked out about the police! but keep part of it a mystery! i am excited to see what comes next to michael!!!
ReplyDeleteI'll post by tonight
ReplyDelete