“I took off to Los Angeles after a couple of years here at the community college. Did I have you for Biology? I don’t remember. I wanted to model or act. I modeled some. I waitressed. I think I was there for three years! My mother was not pleased. Then I met a guy. He was a rapper, really confident. We lived together for a while. I got pregnant. I think something similar happened to my mother, getting pregnant with ME, but I’m not going to ask her about it right now.”
“I think you were in classes before I moved here.” Edwina said. “Let’s see-- Orville and I met in 2018. I was working at the Knoxville TV station. I thought the job would turn into something, but I was only reciting stuff written by someone else. Orville was at the same publicity party, for some reason! Yes, it was the TV station wanting to help out small businesses in East Tennessee. And of course, sell advertising.”
“You are just gorgeous, so I don’t see why you didn’t catch on,” said Ji-Ji, a bit absent-mindedly. She was half-thinking of her own attempt to gain attention for her looks. Looks were everywhere. Attention-getting looks were fleeting. What lasted? Nothing, as far as she could tell. There had to be something else, and here it was, in her body. Not “something,” but “somebody” else.
“I’m not a Caucasian blonde,” said Edwina, half-joking. But she saw she’d made a point with Tajide. “It’s not always a good thing to be ‘cute,’ said Edwina. “Or ‘exotic.’ I love the students I’m assisting because they don’t care about that! It’s only about what I can do for them so they don’t fail their course! And I can do things for them, believe me!”
“Are we going to dinner or not?” Orville intruded, startling Edwina, but not Tajide, who had seen him approaching.
The pork loin was good, not spectacular. But the scallops were extraordinary. Orville wanted to say so, but he wasn’t sure how casual Edwina felt. He did not like having to weigh his statements in talking with his own wife. But he supposed he deserved it. They’d already stated the obvious: He, Orville, had had a vasectomy without telling Edwina. She, Edwina, had found the receipt in his car. Why hadn’t he told her? But by now Edwina had already commented on the music being played in the background. Was their supposed heart-to-heart being postponed in favor of small talk? Yet Orville didn't want to add his restaurant review to the mix. Edwina felt his reluctance. They’d just finished dessert.
“OK, Orrie. I had to see a therapist ONLINE because of you, I was so upset. And I’m still seeing him.”
“Is it a horrible experience?” Orville asked.
“No! I like my therapist! It’s very interesting! That’s all I’m going to say.”
“I understand that you wish you could have talked to me about it, and I’m sorry about that.”
“Oh, therapy is about more than YOUR effect on ME.”
“Do I not pay enough attention to you?”
“It’s not that. It’s the KIND of attention. It’s about the inner me, not about what I look like to you. Sometimes I think that’s all you’re interested in. If I wanted more attention, I could get it anytime. THAT kind of attention.”
“Do you still want to have a baby or not?” Orville wanted to get to the bottom of this somehow.
“No.”
“Because I’m not FATHER material?”
“Because I realize— and I’m telling you the truth here— I don’t think I could handle it. I’m happy dealing with students. And Yeshide-- she’s actually going to HAVE a baby...”
“Ben’s pretty much exposed himself as a racist.”
“WHAT?! He’s a lot of things, but I didn’t figure him for that.”
With a common “enemy,” Orville and Edwina were now shakily re-establishing their partnership. But at the expense of Orville’s other partnership?
— Macoff
“I think you were in classes before I moved here.” Edwina said. “Let’s see-- Orville and I met in 2018. I was working at the Knoxville TV station. I thought the job would turn into something, but I was only reciting stuff written by someone else. Orville was at the same publicity party, for some reason! Yes, it was the TV station wanting to help out small businesses in East Tennessee. And of course, sell advertising.”
“You are just gorgeous, so I don’t see why you didn’t catch on,” said Ji-Ji, a bit absent-mindedly. She was half-thinking of her own attempt to gain attention for her looks. Looks were everywhere. Attention-getting looks were fleeting. What lasted? Nothing, as far as she could tell. There had to be something else, and here it was, in her body. Not “something,” but “somebody” else.
“I’m not a Caucasian blonde,” said Edwina, half-joking. But she saw she’d made a point with Tajide. “It’s not always a good thing to be ‘cute,’ said Edwina. “Or ‘exotic.’ I love the students I’m assisting because they don’t care about that! It’s only about what I can do for them so they don’t fail their course! And I can do things for them, believe me!”
“Are we going to dinner or not?” Orville intruded, startling Edwina, but not Tajide, who had seen him approaching.
The pork loin was good, not spectacular. But the scallops were extraordinary. Orville wanted to say so, but he wasn’t sure how casual Edwina felt. He did not like having to weigh his statements in talking with his own wife. But he supposed he deserved it. They’d already stated the obvious: He, Orville, had had a vasectomy without telling Edwina. She, Edwina, had found the receipt in his car. Why hadn’t he told her? But by now Edwina had already commented on the music being played in the background. Was their supposed heart-to-heart being postponed in favor of small talk? Yet Orville didn't want to add his restaurant review to the mix. Edwina felt his reluctance. They’d just finished dessert.
“OK, Orrie. I had to see a therapist ONLINE because of you, I was so upset. And I’m still seeing him.”
“Is it a horrible experience?” Orville asked.
“No! I like my therapist! It’s very interesting! That’s all I’m going to say.”
“I understand that you wish you could have talked to me about it, and I’m sorry about that.”
“Oh, therapy is about more than YOUR effect on ME.”
“Do I not pay enough attention to you?”
“It’s not that. It’s the KIND of attention. It’s about the inner me, not about what I look like to you. Sometimes I think that’s all you’re interested in. If I wanted more attention, I could get it anytime. THAT kind of attention.”
“Do you still want to have a baby or not?” Orville wanted to get to the bottom of this somehow.
“No.”
“Because I’m not FATHER material?”
“Because I realize— and I’m telling you the truth here— I don’t think I could handle it. I’m happy dealing with students. And Yeshide-- she’s actually going to HAVE a baby...”
“Ben’s pretty much exposed himself as a racist.”
“WHAT?! He’s a lot of things, but I didn’t figure him for that.”
With a common “enemy,” Orville and Edwina were now shakily re-establishing their partnership. But at the expense of Orville’s other partnership?
— Macoff
Interesting development re Edwina wanting a baby. If I had their ear, though, I would suggest that Orville ask Ayana how she heard Ben's remark. I, too, heard Ben's remark as likely racist but what did Ayana hear, I wonder.
ReplyDelete“Because I’m not FATHER material?” <-- How is it immediately about him? Just wow. Dudes. Honestly. But acting that way kinda makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sheesh. But, on the other hand - - Edwina: I had to see a therapist because of you! . . . Disfunction abounds. Shrug. Also: what the heck is Edwina doing to help her students not fail their courses?I gotta go back and reread 'cause I thought she was a lab assistant.
ReplyDeleteShe helps the students in the lab. They are not "her" students. She helps them do lab work. That helps them not fail. She does not do work directly for the professors' projects. It's just a community college and the professors probably don't have research projects very often. Maybe I don't have the title of her job right. Not everyone in my story is a great person. If they were it would not be very interesting to writer or reader (in my opinion). (Macoff)
ReplyDeleteI love these exchanges as we develop our stories and listen to our characters.
ReplyDelete