RICHIE - CHAPTER TWO (Twitter Novel / Keitai Shosetsu)

gym class is like everything
else at fairview non-
competitive inclusive
student based

basically even though were
all a bunch of criminals its
supposed to be free and
freeing

compared to like fascist
barking cop-moustache gym
teacher jock heaven in
regular public school

so we can just run the track
or walk the track or lift
weights or throw a football if
we want to

theres even stalls for the
showers so we dont have to
suffer through uncomfortable
wang comparisons

its kind of wussy but it works
now i dont get balls hits
during basketball or
blitzkrieged in dodgeball

so im walking the track and
ive got the ipod on so i cant
hear anything and ive got
weights strapped on

nothing serious 10 pounds
each on ankles and wrists so
its kind of like im doing
something you know

and this kid passes me then
looks back then runs on then
looks back again and then
jogs in place until i catch up
to him pull out the earbuds

and its that richie kid and hes
wearing some super dorky
board shorts and doesnt look
nearly as cool as before

but he smiles and goes - hey -
and i say - hi - and i think
about my robert williams
shirt but im wearing my gym
one now

and his hair is really black
like almost dyed and pretty
greasy but that could just be
sweat from the running

- youre not in any of my other
classes except english with
isaacs howd that happen -

i kind of shrug and say - they
advanced me a year in
english cuz im good in it i
guess my other classes are
all tenth grade -

he looks ahead nods - good
enough - looks back at me
- im richie -

i automatically put my hand
out to shake but i totally drop
it when he doesnt - im
desmond -

richie smiles at me almost
excited for a second - like
desmond dekker the reggae
guy -

- i dont know who that is my
parents named me after that
beatles song ob la di ob la
da -

he just looks at me no
recognition at all like he
never even heard of the
beatles before

- you know - and i sing the line
- desmond and mol-ly jones -
and i feel like a pinhead the
second i sing it

and this richie kid looks at
me totally not blinking or
anything and asks me

- why does everything about
you turn out to be less cool
than it seems at first -

and i look away scowl shrug
open my hands i have no
idea how to even respond to
such a dickish thing and he
goes

- im gonna call you desmond
dekker because thats much
cooler - and he looks at me
like asking - okay -

i look back at him and just
kind of shake my head like
- whatever -

so he nods and runs off and
my first thought is - wow that
guy is an asshole -

and then my second thought
is - wow

- i never had a nickname
before -