didn’t have any leeway to talk about things that I might find upsetting. Instead we talked about why people didn’t carry boom boxes on their shoulders anymore.
“Even in the 80’s, they had Walkman’s and stuff,” Patrick pointed out.
“So they weren’t carrying boom boxes just to hear music. If they wanted to do that, they could’ve carried a small, portable Walkman. No, the boom box meant that they wanted everyone else to hear their music too. Why did that stop?”
“When you consider how cumbersome a boom box was to carry around, it makes even less sense,” Finn agreed thoughtfully. “And they took like 37 D batteries. Wasn’t that the subplot of a Spike Lee movie? Somebody spent the whole film trying to get batteries for his boom box.” He had half of a turkey sandwich in his hand, but I had yet to see him take a bite of it. He had just been gesturing around with it since we had sat down at the table.
“Yeah, yeah, Radio Raheem in Do The Right Thing, ” I answer quickly swatting it away. “I hate that movie. But you’re right. They were huge and expensive with the batteries. With iPods now, don’t they have like smaller, light weight iPod boom boxes?”
42
“Yeah, but I think they all double as a charging base so you have to plug them in,” Patrick shook his head. “But I mean, if there was a demand for it, I’m sure they would come up with some kind of thing like that.”
“Maybe the iPod killed everything.” Finn shook his head and leaned back in his seat, as if the idea depressed him. “Since it’s been around, nobody’s had the urge to harass their peers with their music anymore.”
“I should get a boom box,” Patrick added thoughtfully.
“You should,” Finn agreed, then tossed his uneaten sandwich onto his plate. “Anyway, I should get out of here. I gotta check on something before class.” He nodded at both of us and stood up. “I’ll see you guys later.”
After he left, Patrick smiled appreciatively at me. For lunch, I had settled on a massive pear and I took a bite out of it, waiting for Patrick to explain what he was so happy about it. He didn’t, so I quickly chewed my bite down and swallowed.
“What?” I demanded.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Patrick was practically beaming. “I mean, you talked to him. And it was good. Right?”
“What is your deal?” I shook my head, refusing to admit that I had had a decent time over lunch.
“I’m just trying to prove to you that he’s not a creep.” Patrick feigned too much innocence, making me all the more suspicious. “If you’d just admit, I’ll stop.”
“Never.
He
is a creep. Just because he understands the complexities of boom box use in the 21st century does not make him any less creepy.” I took another bite of my pear, and Patrick shook his head at me. “I’m starting to think you might have a little crush on him.”
“Now you’re just projecting,” Patrick chuckled.
“Maybe you are,” I countered.
Patrick ate the rest of his meatloaf-esque meal, then suggested we leave.
I had already finished my pear, and the lunchroom smell upset my stomach, so 43
I was happy to oblige. We still had plenty of time to kill before class started, so we meandered slowly in the direction of our lockers.
“Hey, hold up,” I paused at the women’s restroom, and Patrick halted next to me. “I’m gonna run in real quick.”
“I’ll be right here.” Patrick leaned on the wall next to the bathroom.
“Alright,” I smiled and turned to head into the bathroom.
Stupidly, I had been looking at Patrick instead of paying attention to where I was going. At the same time I went to enter the bathroom, Tegan started to come out, and we ran into each other. I don’t know if she was running or what, but it wasn’t a gentle bump. It was a total smack into each other. I cracked my skull on hers and stumbled backwards. I saw white for a minute, and when I regained my footing, Tegan
“Even in the 80’s, they had Walkman’s and stuff,” Patrick pointed out.
“So they weren’t carrying boom boxes just to hear music. If they wanted to do that, they could’ve carried a small, portable Walkman. No, the boom box meant that they wanted everyone else to hear their music too. Why did that stop?”
“When you consider how cumbersome a boom box was to carry around, it makes even less sense,” Finn agreed thoughtfully. “And they took like 37 D batteries. Wasn’t that the subplot of a Spike Lee movie? Somebody spent the whole film trying to get batteries for his boom box.” He had half of a turkey sandwich in his hand, but I had yet to see him take a bite of it. He had just been gesturing around with it since we had sat down at the table.
“Yeah, yeah, Radio Raheem in Do The Right Thing, ” I answer quickly swatting it away. “I hate that movie. But you’re right. They were huge and expensive with the batteries. With iPods now, don’t they have like smaller, light weight iPod boom boxes?”
42
“Yeah, but I think they all double as a charging base so you have to plug them in,” Patrick shook his head. “But I mean, if there was a demand for it, I’m sure they would come up with some kind of thing like that.”
“Maybe the iPod killed everything.” Finn shook his head and leaned back in his seat, as if the idea depressed him. “Since it’s been around, nobody’s had the urge to harass their peers with their music anymore.”
“I should get a boom box,” Patrick added thoughtfully.
“You should,” Finn agreed, then tossed his uneaten sandwich onto his plate. “Anyway, I should get out of here. I gotta check on something before class.” He nodded at both of us and stood up. “I’ll see you guys later.”
After he left, Patrick smiled appreciatively at me. For lunch, I had settled on a massive pear and I took a bite out of it, waiting for Patrick to explain what he was so happy about it. He didn’t, so I quickly chewed my bite down and swallowed.
“What?” I demanded.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Patrick was practically beaming. “I mean, you talked to him. And it was good. Right?”
“What is your deal?” I shook my head, refusing to admit that I had had a decent time over lunch.
“I’m just trying to prove to you that he’s not a creep.” Patrick feigned too much innocence, making me all the more suspicious. “If you’d just admit, I’ll stop.”
“Never.
He
is a creep. Just because he understands the complexities of boom box use in the 21st century does not make him any less creepy.” I took another bite of my pear, and Patrick shook his head at me. “I’m starting to think you might have a little crush on him.”
“Now you’re just projecting,” Patrick chuckled.
“Maybe you are,” I countered.
Patrick ate the rest of his meatloaf-esque meal, then suggested we leave.
I had already finished my pear, and the lunchroom smell upset my stomach, so 43
I was happy to oblige. We still had plenty of time to kill before class started, so we meandered slowly in the direction of our lockers.
“Hey, hold up,” I paused at the women’s restroom, and Patrick halted next to me. “I’m gonna run in real quick.”
“I’ll be right here.” Patrick leaned on the wall next to the bathroom.
“Alright,” I smiled and turned to head into the bathroom.
Stupidly, I had been looking at Patrick instead of paying attention to where I was going. At the same time I went to enter the bathroom, Tegan started to come out, and we ran into each other. I don’t know if she was running or what, but it wasn’t a gentle bump. It was a total smack into each other. I cracked my skull on hers and stumbled backwards. I saw white for a minute, and when I regained my footing, Tegan
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