Dear Friends,
The days are getting shorter.
One by one.
Smaller shafts of sunlit shadows
And restlessness becomes forgiveness.
Hike up a hill.
Look at the sun as it melts across the desert.
Purple fades to pink fades to blue
And your eyes drink it in.
As your head
Sits heavy on your shoulders,
Turn it twice, back and forth, and smile real slow
To let the feelings get all mixed up good.
Smile and nod, boy.
Smile and nod and remember the prayer you spoke
When the light was brighter
And the day was new.
Did it come true?
The days are getting shorter.
One bye-bye.
*****
Friday jammed a cassette tape of the Rolling Stones’ album, Between the Buttons, into her the sweet Blaupunkt player as she started her trip to get some answers. “Let’s Spend the Night Together” started to crank out of her speakers as she eased her bug onto Woodrow Wilson Drive. Mick Jagger’s “My-My-My’s” were floating around her head as she turned onto Woodstock Road and headed to Dirk’s place.
He and Melanie had been drinking for a couple of hours by the time Friday arrived and both practically pounced on their friend when she came through the door. Friday hugged each of them and headed to the refrigerator the margarite she had been promised an hour earlier.
It had been a heck of a week. She had fucked her leading man, maybe, kinda, sorta fallen in love with him, and found out she had replaced a dead girl no one will talk about. A margarita was not only called for, but it was also nature’s perfect medicine at the moment.
After she thought enough time had passed with them going on and on about how drunk they were, then giggling, then accusing each other of being drunk, then giggling, Friday thought the time was right to ask the question.
“Did you know about Jennifer Dunkirk? Either of you?”
Dirk stopped giggling and looked at Friday. He looked back at Melanie, too, but quickly took his eyes back to Friday’s.
“I told you about her…” he said.
“No. No you didn’t.” Friday replied, cutting him off.
Dirk looked at Friday intently. Was she fucking with him, he wondered. He was sure he had told her about Jennifer Dunkirk at that party where he had done his act. He had made the whole thing look like an almost random introduction.
Friday’s question almost sobered him up, but Melanie saved the day.
“He did. He told us about her,” spat Melanie.
She literally did spit, too. She’d had about five of Dirk’s margaritas and was feeling zero pain.
Friday ignored her and kept her gaze on Dirk.
“You didn’t tell me about her or her death or why the role was open. I would have remembered something like that.”
Dirk doubled down on his lie.
“I told you, Friday. We were on the balcony looking out over the ocean. You asked why the part was still available and I told you about Jenny,” he said, adding in a familiar sounding nickname he had no idea existed.
Friday knew Dirk’s bullshit face.
“No, you didn’t. I never asked you that question.”
Friday was more confused than ever. Why would Dirk bullshit her? He had no need to do that. He didn’t care if he knew or not. She just wanted to know why it seemed like a big, dark secret. Dirk’s reaction did not help that feeling at all.
Friday turned to Melanie.
“Well?”
“I didn’t know until Vinny told me,” said Melanie.
“What did he tell you?”
“I dunno.” Melanie started giggling, half-pretending to be drunk and half-drunk.
“When?” Friday insisted.
“The first time we fucked,” Melanie replied.
“When was that?” Friday asked.
“Two, no, three nights after the party. He was asking me if I would help him sign you.”
Friday noticed Dirk touched Melanie’s arm as if to signal her somehow. She stopped talking and looked at him before looking back at Friday. What the fuck, Friday thought. It was all too weird for her to handle at the moment.
“Fuck you guys,” Friday said, as she stood up.
“You just got here,” Melanie protested. She knew her friend was out the door. Melanie couldn’t help but realize she and Dirk had fucked up.
Dirk stood up and put his arms out.
“Wait,” he said. “Come here.”
Friday wanted a hug from her friend so badly, but she was also taken aback by whatever the hell was going on. She looked at Dirk and shrugged before turning for the door.
She walked slowly and deliberately.
“Friday, wait. I’ll tell you what I can,” said Dirk in a small panic.
*****
See you tomorrow.
This thing is wild. A wild Sun.
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