say.
“Okay. What I said before was bitchy,” Kylie admits.
“Yeah, a little.”
“So, what’s the book?”
“ Clock Without Hands by Carson McCullers.”
“Wow, I could barely make it through that book. I thought it was really depressing.”
“I liked it. I thought it was…hopeful. In a weird way.”
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know.…I guess because it’s about coping with, you know, dark shit, stuff no one wants to talk about. The lies we tell ourselves to get by.” It’s stuff I can relate to. But I’m not going to admit that to Kylie. She doesn’t need to know my business. Instead, I just say, “Yeah. I guess it’s depressing. But, you know, we gotta deal with it. None of us are getting out alive.”
“That’s deep. Did you steal that line from Taylor Lautner?”
“Actually, Clint Eastwood. Give me a little credit. Taylor Lautner?”
Kylie laughs. “Good point. Too deep for Taylor. But I still don’t get it. What’s the hopeful part?”
“I guess just that there’s dignity in death. That if you live your life right, maybe it makes the dying part not so bad. It’s comforting, somehow. It made me less afraid of death.”
“Intense. I never figured you for a Carson McCullers fan,” Kylie says.
“Why? Because I’m a dumb jock?”
“I’m not saying you’re a dumb jock. I don’t even really know you. It’s just, you don’t say much in English. I assumed you weren’t into reading. But you obviously got more out of the book than I did. I mean, I didn’t get any of that.” Kylie grins. She’s got a sexy smile with her big, full lips. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile in school. “It’s just…not what I expected you to say. At all.”
People are rarely what they seem, babe.
“This is great. I figured I was going to have to do all the heavy lifting, but you gave me some stuff to work with. The only thing I remember about Carson McCullers is that her best friend was Truman Capote, which is the coolest thing ever. That guy had more style and wit than anyone, ever,” Kylie says.
I’ve actually read Truman Capote. I loved In Cold Blood . But I’m not going to mention it. That could take up a whole lot of time. Kylie seems a little too eager to talk about books. We don’t need to start bonding all over the place. I’m just here to get the job done.
“So, one more book,” Kylie says. “And then you never have to talk to me again.”
“Promise?” I’m just messing with her.
“Trust me, I’m as psyched about it as you.”
“ Infinite Jest ,” I say, without pausing to think.
“Okay. Why? I haven’t read it.”
“It’s about addiction, tennis, escaping life. I don’t know. I can relate.”
“Why would you want to escape life?” Kylie asks.
“No one’s life is perfect,” I say. I want to leave it at that, but Kylie looks like she’s dying to ask me more questions. “I have my stuff, like everyone else. Anyway, those are my books. That’s my deal. Are you still cool with writing both papers?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure…I’ll just do it during study. I should be able to get them both done by class today. I guess…” Kylie doesn’t seem super into it anymore, but it was her idea. I’m sure not writing the paper. I’m already in deeper than I need to be. It’s time to get back to the last day of school.
I stand up, ready to blow out of here, when I see Kylie looking up at me, all puppy dog eyes.
“Don’t you want to know what book had the biggest impact on me?” she asks.
Not really. I thought we were done. I was walking out the door, in my mind. “Uh, sure.” I sit back down, not wanting to be a total dick.
“Well, if I had to choose…” Kylie looks like she’s about to give some kind of major speech. I’m wondering what Charlie and Lily are up to. Doughnuts and coffee on the front steps? Frisbee on the lawn? “It’s a hard choice, but I guess I’d say The Stranger by Camus, because it felt so true to me. It’s
“Okay. What I said before was bitchy,” Kylie admits.
“Yeah, a little.”
“So, what’s the book?”
“ Clock Without Hands by Carson McCullers.”
“Wow, I could barely make it through that book. I thought it was really depressing.”
“I liked it. I thought it was…hopeful. In a weird way.”
“Really? Why?”
“I don’t know.…I guess because it’s about coping with, you know, dark shit, stuff no one wants to talk about. The lies we tell ourselves to get by.” It’s stuff I can relate to. But I’m not going to admit that to Kylie. She doesn’t need to know my business. Instead, I just say, “Yeah. I guess it’s depressing. But, you know, we gotta deal with it. None of us are getting out alive.”
“That’s deep. Did you steal that line from Taylor Lautner?”
“Actually, Clint Eastwood. Give me a little credit. Taylor Lautner?”
Kylie laughs. “Good point. Too deep for Taylor. But I still don’t get it. What’s the hopeful part?”
“I guess just that there’s dignity in death. That if you live your life right, maybe it makes the dying part not so bad. It’s comforting, somehow. It made me less afraid of death.”
“Intense. I never figured you for a Carson McCullers fan,” Kylie says.
“Why? Because I’m a dumb jock?”
“I’m not saying you’re a dumb jock. I don’t even really know you. It’s just, you don’t say much in English. I assumed you weren’t into reading. But you obviously got more out of the book than I did. I mean, I didn’t get any of that.” Kylie grins. She’s got a sexy smile with her big, full lips. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile in school. “It’s just…not what I expected you to say. At all.”
People are rarely what they seem, babe.
“This is great. I figured I was going to have to do all the heavy lifting, but you gave me some stuff to work with. The only thing I remember about Carson McCullers is that her best friend was Truman Capote, which is the coolest thing ever. That guy had more style and wit than anyone, ever,” Kylie says.
I’ve actually read Truman Capote. I loved In Cold Blood . But I’m not going to mention it. That could take up a whole lot of time. Kylie seems a little too eager to talk about books. We don’t need to start bonding all over the place. I’m just here to get the job done.
“So, one more book,” Kylie says. “And then you never have to talk to me again.”
“Promise?” I’m just messing with her.
“Trust me, I’m as psyched about it as you.”
“ Infinite Jest ,” I say, without pausing to think.
“Okay. Why? I haven’t read it.”
“It’s about addiction, tennis, escaping life. I don’t know. I can relate.”
“Why would you want to escape life?” Kylie asks.
“No one’s life is perfect,” I say. I want to leave it at that, but Kylie looks like she’s dying to ask me more questions. “I have my stuff, like everyone else. Anyway, those are my books. That’s my deal. Are you still cool with writing both papers?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure…I’ll just do it during study. I should be able to get them both done by class today. I guess…” Kylie doesn’t seem super into it anymore, but it was her idea. I’m sure not writing the paper. I’m already in deeper than I need to be. It’s time to get back to the last day of school.
I stand up, ready to blow out of here, when I see Kylie looking up at me, all puppy dog eyes.
“Don’t you want to know what book had the biggest impact on me?” she asks.
Not really. I thought we were done. I was walking out the door, in my mind. “Uh, sure.” I sit back down, not wanting to be a total dick.
“Well, if I had to choose…” Kylie looks like she’s about to give some kind of major speech. I’m wondering what Charlie and Lily are up to. Doughnuts and coffee on the front steps? Frisbee on the lawn? “It’s a hard choice, but I guess I’d say The Stranger by Camus, because it felt so true to me. It’s
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