Anything Goes - A Story by USMB

[AllieBaba]

The false feeling of euphoria was brought on by the delirium caused by projectile vomiting without cessation over a period of time...

 

[Big Black Dog]

Time seems to speed by when there are family emergencies. After a period of time that allows for the healing of a broken heart and the pain of loss, before you know it, you find yourself in a completely new world and life slowly, but surely, begins anew. This was a hard concept for both Eva and Ann to accept but Father Anthony said that it was so and sure enough life did seem to go on for both of the girls. With the funeral of their father completed and the estate settled between the two girls, they had decided that a respit was needed. Together they decided to take a short vacation to get away from everything and to make decisions as to what direction they would each take in life now. Eva was laying on the beach, wearing her bikini and reading one of those romance novels that girls of her age went crazy over. Ann was splashing around in the surf having a good time playing with a young boy of about 7 years of age. He had approached Ann while she was wading in the surf and did funny things to get her attention. Finally, Ann gave in and began to play with the boy for a little while. They were at the moment splashing each other with water and the little boy was winning the battle. Soon enough, the boys mother called to him and insisted that they go inside for some lunch. Ann watched the little boy run towards his mother and wondered if she would ever get married and have children of her own. Secretly, she longed to find Mr. Right and settle down into family life. Up until now though, her search had been pretty much unyeilding. She had made the decision to move out of her parents house but just before she was to move out, her mother became ill and passed away and then she felt obligated to stay and care for her father. His sudden unexpected death freed her of those responsibilities and the freedom now allowed for her to begin the search for a husband. She had even given some thought to moving away from the city but she liked the excitement it offered and the many opportunities for meeting men were endless. She had decided once she returned home she would begin to earnestly look for a mate. Now, though, she had become hungry and it was lunch time. She wanted a meal and then would go to the bar and have a few drinks. She left the surf and approached Eva laying on the beach lost in her book.

"Come on baby girl. Let's go get some lunch.", Ann suggested.

"Ann, I swear, if you call me baby girl just one more time, I'm going to clock you!, Eva said looking over the rim of her sunglasses.

"Ok, Ok. I'll try to stop calling you that but put the book down and let's go eat. I'm starving.", Ann insisted.

Eva closed the book and the girls picked up their possessions off of the beach and headed back towards the hotel.

 

[JW Frogen]

The mini bar could solve all their problems, for a time, and the pillows were plumb and ready for good sex.

 

[midcan5]

The lobby looked like all lobbies at all times, the check ins and outs, the confusion of rooms and views and charges, the staff ready to move bags to car or room while the little ones, bored, ran around looking for something to do as mom or dad or grandparent chased and watched their movements with wonder and a just a bit of jealous reverie at the the magic that can be childhood. Having passed through so may lobbies the girls felt relieved but crowded, now they just wanted the comfort of their room, but that wasn't to be as who should appear but....

 

[Big Black Dog]

None other than Father Anthony! The two girls saw him about the same time as he saw them. It's a wonder they recoginzed him. Instead of his normal black clothes and white collar, he was wearing shorts, a very loud Hawaiian shirt, sandals and a big smile. He dropped his bags and walked towards the girls.

Eva was the first to speak. "Why Father Anthony! What a surprise. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was about to ask the same thing of you two. I'm on my vacation. I want to get in some tennis, a little time on the beach, and I have several books I have been dying to read." spoke Father Anthony.

"Have you had lunch yet, Father?" Ann asked. "If not, we were just coming in to eat. Give us a few minutes to change out of our bathing suits and we'll meet you here in the lobby." She suggested.

"That will be great. I'll finish checking in and I'll meet you in the lobby say in 30 minutes or so. Is that ok?" Father Anthony asked.

"Great. That will be just great.", Eva said in a somewhat sarcastic tone that the Father didn't pick up on but Ann did.

The girls turned and headed for their room. Father Anthony returned to the check-in desk and was given his room key. As fate would have it, his room was right beside of the girls room but he did not know that at the time. He caught the elevator up and entered his room dropping his bag and tennis gear on the spare bed. Making sure that he was behind closed doors and not in anyone's sight, Father Anthony reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. He tilted the bottle back and took a long deep slug of the real reason he had come to the island. It was his idea to go someplace where nobody would know him and once there he intended to stay drunk for 10 of his 14 day vacation. "Shit." he said outloud. "What do I do now?" Father Anthony kicked the bathroom door hard enough that he put a hole into it. "Of all the fucking luck... How could I be so unlucky. I need another drink." muttered Father Anthony. He retrieved the bottle and took another deep pull on it. Then he gargled with mouthwash and stepped out of his room to go meet the girls. Just as the elevator door opened and he was about to step inside, he saw the girls exit their room. Under his wave to them and a smile he thought, "What the fuck am I going to do now?" It came as a complete surprise to them all that they shared side-by-side rooms. The girls stepped into the elevator, the door closed and down they went. They had begun their decent into hell...

 

[Big Black Dog]

Meanwhile, back in Denver, Colorado, Jose was working at the Mobil Station. It was 11:30 am and it was a typical day. He recognized many of the customers as regulars. They all stopped by at about the same time every day. Some got gas. Others got a pack of cigarettes and a lottery ticket. Credit cards. Cash. They all were nothing more than a blur of commerce. Blank faces behind those $20.00 bills or credit cards. All of them seemed in a hurry. Nobody ever just stopped by to shoot the breeze. He needed a break. "Ralph, I'm going to lunch now, ok?", Jose hollered.

"What's that you say, Rooster?", Ralph shouted back at him from the back room.

"I said, I want to go to lunch now. Is it ok?", again Jose shouted.

"Alright. I'm coming.", Ralph said as he came out of the manager's office and headed towards the front of the store to replace his finest, but youngest employee. Ralph truly liked Jose. He was a smart kid and full of potential to do well in life. Ralph called him Rooster because he was somewhat tall and skinny, and when he got excited he bobbed his head sort of like a chicken. Also he was a good-looking boy and could most likely have his pick in the hen house.

Ralph arrived at the cash register and said, "Ok, Jose. Have a good lunch. If you go someplace good, bring me a sandwich. I'm sick of service station hot dogs." Ralph handed Jose a $20.00 bill and said, "Let me buy your lunch today. You've been hitting it pretty hard around here and it shows. Don't forget my sandwich either, Rooster."

"Wow. Thanks. I'll be back in an hour.", Jose said and out the front door he went.

For reasons completely unknown to him, Ralph began to think about his two young nieces, Eva and Ann. He hadn't seen or heard from them since the funeral and he wondered how they might be getting along. He loved them but didn't get to see them very often.

 

[JW Frogen]

These were the last thoughts Ralph had just before Jose put three bullets in the back of Ralph's head.

Jose cried out, "Sandwich, we don't need no sandwich. I don't have to buy you any stinkin' sandwich!"

 

[JW Frogen]

Jose then went off to Subway to buy himself a sandwich. With dead Ralph's money Jose knew he could afford double meat-meat ball. All 12 inches!

Jose's luck was changing.

 

[midcan5]

As Jose returned with the sandwiches, he noticed an old acquaintance filling up his decrepit little Hyundai coupe. He waved and remembered how JW's imagination was always filled with cops and robbers and murders. He wondered had he changed. 'JW, how goes it?' 'Ah, Jose the same, I'm still trying to write the great American novel, I just had you shoot Ralph.' They both laughed knowing how dreams often fill the heads of young men wondering what the future will bring.

 

[JW Frogen]

JW Frogen then said to Jose', "give me some of them meat balls".

We comitted this crime together, I wants my balls.

 

[JW Frogen]

Frogen then turned to the young men of the world and said "what are you looking at, find your own balls."

The young men sadly returned like swallows to the Juan Capistrano of their conformity, to the blue light of the the glass tit and computer game.

Balls were in short supply.

Frogen wept tears of beer.

Still, those subway meatballs were guud eaten.

 

[midcan5]

Ralph's mind traveled back in time. Business required no active thought he'd done it so long. His nieces returned to him. Images of options spent in one way not another. Why do we often act wrongly with family. Small jealousies spoil things and words can never be erased. He an excellent student managing a convenience store. Why. Shit he didn't know. Like so many things he started doing things and just continued doing them. That was it, we pretend we control our destinies but they control us. Nah, too simple we find comfort and then let go. Dreams remain out there in some future.

'Man you look lost Ralph,' muttered Jose as he returned from idle conversation outside. Ralph laughed. 'No Jose just thinking, every so often I am serious.' A joke as Jose always said Ralph just slide through life. Jose still held on to dreams. Today Jose wondered at the change in law now that America turned back a notch on freedom.

 

[JW Frogen]

Ralph's ghost then turned nasty. "Jose', look down at your Subway sandwich. You have bloody meat balls on your hands. And why did you not put Jalepenos in it?

By the way, death is a hell of a lot more interesting than what we were doing for a living.

You did me a favor Jose', so I will not let that blonde Medium chick on TV in on your little secret.

You are really Pakistani!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn't that right Jose', or shall I call you Hussein?

Got to run, it is all you can fuck night at the Paradise virgin bar."

 

[JW Frogen]

Jose' Hussein then yelled out "God is Great" and tried to blow up every meat ball but God was not interested in meat balls, or even humans, who lacked double meat.

 

[JW Frogen]

The sun rose, Ralph and Jose' woke up from their hopes and dreams, their fears and tears, to a new day.

What would they make of it?

 

[JW Frogen]

Sadly, by noon they were both at each others throats over who goes to Subway first.