by Mark Tufo
“Thanks, bud, I appreciate that and I know you’re right, but right now I have no idea how to stop this train. When I’m with her I just know she’s the right one.”
“She’s just Miss Right Now. Don’t do this to yourself.”
“I know, well no, I don’t know. Let’s go get a beer and shoot some pool, I haven’t kicked your butt in something all day. I’m starting to get the DT’s.”
“Just make sure you get some of your balls out of the way so that I’ll have clear shooting lanes!”
The afternoon blurred to late in the night, whether distracted, drunk or both, Paul beat me, fifteen games to nine.
CHAPTER 14
Wednesday, February 3rd
“Captain, the ship disappeared!” the lieutenant yelled.
“Lieutenant, I know you’ve been pulling double shifts and you must be tired, but you had better check your screens again.”
“Sir, it was right there by the nebu—dammit!”
“Lieutenant, please try to regain your military bearing and tell me where that ship is!”
“Sir,” the lieutenant whispered, his face an almost ashen gray. If the Captain hadn’t known any better he would have thought that the lieutenant was dead.
“Speak up, boy—what’s the problem?”
“Sir, the ship has shown up in orbit around Venus!” the lieutenant almost cried.
* * *
“Yes, Mr. President, the ship simply winked out of the Crab Nebula and approximately eight seconds later was in orbit around Venus.”
(Pause)
“No, Sir, we have not had any contact with the ship.”
(Pause)
“Yes, Sir, we have tried to hail them on every known frequency.”
(Pause)
“No, Sir, the ship has not changed its course in the last ten minutes. It is staying in a stationary orbit around the planet. My guess, Sir, is they are aware their ship will cause gravitational effects on our planet and are being somewhat courteous.”
(Pause)
“You’re right, Sir, hanging around two planets away and not signaling your intentions is not very courteous.”
(Pause)
“No, Sir, the press does not know about this yet, but anyone with a telescope from Sears will be able to see this, it will be in the morning papers.”
(Pause)
“Yes, Sir, I am fully aware of the repercussions this will entail.”
(Pause)
“Yes, Sir, Defcon 5 has been initiated. I have alerted the other governments around the globe. We have done all we can at this time. Sir, I believe the next move is theirs.”
“Captain, Sir,” the lieutenant broke in, “you might want to see this.”
“Lieutenant, do you know I am on the phone with the leader of the free world?” the captain muttered with a little more anger than he felt the lieutenant deserved.
“Sir, the fact remains you should still see this.” He motioned desperately toward the screen that had the live feed from the Hubble telescope, now pointed directly at Venus.
“Mr. President, could you please hold for a moment? We have some developing issues here.”
“Captain,” the President intoned, “I have three heads of state on a conference call. Could you please hurry?”
“Yes, sir, I’ll be right back.”
“Lieutenant what is it? And make it quick.”
“Sir, the ship vanished.”
“Any idea where it has gone, Lieutenant?”
“Sir, it hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s just invisible to every sensor array we possess. The only reason we know it’s still there is the gravitational effect it’s having on the planet.”
“This just gets better and better,” the captain muttered. “Mr. President, I’m sorry to have kept you on hold. Our public release problem has been solved.”
“How so Captain?”
“The ship has some sort of cloaking device, Sir. It is no longer visible to the human eye or any instrument known to mankind at this time.”
“Captain, you have an optimistic way of looking at things.”
“Sir, if I could speak freely.”
“By all means, Captain, speak.”
“Sir, this new event brings up some significant questions. We have to assume they have been studying us by our transmissions and have decided we are not yet ready for a visit from them and don’t want to panic our populace or we pose no serious threat to them technologically. My belief, Sir, is they are going to sit there for a while and contemplate our fate. If the public discovers their existence, there could be panic in the streets and if they attack, well, Sir… if they attack there won’t be much we can do.”
“Captain, I appreciate your candor, but those are your views and unless you have some more concrete evidence, I will, as your Commander in Chief, order those opinions of yours go no further than this call. I will not tolerate rioting on top of this… visit.”
“I understand completely, Sir.”
“Captain.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Go be with your family, I’ll talk to you first thing in the morning.”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”
CHAPTER 15 – Journal Entry 13
And so begins April; the second half of freshman year was proving to be much more difficult than the first half. Beth had cooled things considerably as she wrestled with the demons plaguing her. Namely, me, Penn Boy, and her guilt. My heart would alternately leap and drop at the sight of her, even if it was only for a fraction of a second halfway across campus. I made sure to drop the one class we had in common that semester. I knew I’d never get anything done in there anyway. I tried to avoid her like the plague, which was sort of difficult considering we lived in the same dorm and on the same floor. One good thing did come of all this mess, my grades soared. I went from an average 2.1 GPA to a semi-respectable 2.95. Not all-star material but great for a partier. I had actually gotten to a place within myself where I could accept the fact Beth and I were pretty much over. Do women have a sixth sense in this manner? As soon as they feel you are over them they come back and make sure to light the fire up again.
“My head hurts. What’s that smell?” I snarled as I attempted to wipe the crusties away from my eyes.
“Oh, man, I so ralphed last night,” Paul half gurgled. “But I did get the majority of it in the trash can.”
“What are the odds we had a trash bag in that thing?”
“What do you think?” Paul semi chuckled.
“Are you gonna get that thing outta here?”
“Mike, if I even look at it, I’ll heave again.”
“Aw, this sucks,” I said as I pulled myself out of bed. With the puke bucket as far outstretched as possible I headed for the door and opened it. To my surprise, Beth was standing there about to knock.
“What is that!” she cried as she shied away.
“Ginner had a technicolor yawn in this thing and I’m trying to get it out of our room.”
“How you feeling?” she asked.
I didn’t care what Paul said, she looked like she cared for me. “I’ve been better and I’ll be a whole lot better once I drop this damn thing in the dumpster.”
“I won’t keep you, I just wanted to know if you wanted to go to a concert Saturday night. I got tickets for Widespread Panic at Red Rocks.”
“Who?”
“Don’t worry about who, silly—do you want to go or not?”
“With you, I’d go to the ends of the earth.” Maybe it was the aftereffects of the alcohol, maybe I was still buzzed, but Beth gave me a strange look. Was she wondering why I would say such a thing or was she flattered? Women, they should come with some sort of instruction manual, although with my luck I’d get the book in Braille.
“So I take it that is your version of a yes?”
“Just let me know what time and I’ll be ready.”
“Just be ready by five on Saturday and we’ll head out to Red Rocks.”
“
Gotcha. Now if I could just go take care of some business, standing here with a bucket of puke is not my idea of a good time.”
“Tell Paulie I hope he’s feeling better. And I’ll see you later,” she said nonchalantly.
I guess I really wasn’t expecting a kiss under these circumstances, but I’d take a squeeze on the shoulder as opposed to the casual way she left. I really needed to get rid of this bucket or it was going to get a little heavier.
“Hey Paul, who is Widespread Panic?”
“I don’t know, bro, sounds like some sort of heavy metal band.”
“Oh.” I winced. Listening to heavy metal didn’t sound like much fun with the headache I was nursing. Oh well, I was sure I’d be back in fine shape by Saturday.
“Why, what’s up?” Paul half lifted his head from his pillow.
“Beth invited me to a concert at Red Rocks.”
“Bud, the chick doesn’t so much as say ‘hi’ to you in the past month and a half and you say yes right from the get go. You’ve still got a lot to learn, grasshopper.”
I just stood there looking for all intents and purposes stupid.
“Don’t sweat it, I’ll ask around when I get up and see if I can find out what kind of music they play. Dumbass.”
“Paul.”
“Yeah,” he said grumpily.
“Don’t you have a test today?”
“Already taken care of, my friend,” and with that he rolled over and was again enjoying the view of his eyelids.
* * *
“Beth! Beth!” Paul yelled. “Hold up!”
They were just outside the entrance to the Student Union; people flooded around them on all sides. “You got a minute?” Paul said breathlessly.
“Yeah, I was just going to get a cup of coffee before my Sociology class.”
“Excellent, I’ll buy.”
“What can I do for you, Paul?” They sat at the small café set up to the left of the student union.
“Beth, well, it’s more of what you can’t do.”
“I don’t get your meaning.”
“Beth, I have no idea of what your intentions are with Mike, but I’ll take it as a personal affront if you purposely hurt him in any way.”
“I’m just having fun, Paul. What business is it of yours?”
“First off, he’s my friend and secondly, I don’t think he’s just having a good time as you put it.” That caught her a little off balance, she really hadn’t thought about their relationship being anything more than having some comfort from a person within arm’s distance.
“I think he’s starting to—”
“Don’t finish that, Paul, I’m not ready for that and I don’t want any of it.”
“That’s my point exactly, Beth. If that’s not where you want to go I think you should give him the heave-ho and leave him be before his feelings grow any deeper.”
“Paul, tell me this isn’t some elaborate plan for me to get rid of Mike so you can give it a go.”
Paul laughed, “At one time maybe but not now. I’m honestly just looking out for my friend. Obviously, do as you wish, but I hope you’ll at least rethink your feelings and act accordingly.”
“Thanks, Paul. I’ve got to get going.”
“See ya.”
She was so deep in thought she did not even hear his goodbye.
* * *
“Hey Paul, can you get the phone? I’m just about to win this level.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t studying too hard,” Paul said sarcastically.
“You study? Are you feeling ill? Come on, man, I’ve been trying to beat Bald Bull all day.” Even to me that sounded like whining.
“Shut up already, I’ve gotta answer the phone. Hello? Hey Beth, yeah hold on, Mike’s here.”
I tore myself away from the Xbox and answered the phone. “Hey Beth, are you getting psyched for the concert?”
“Mike, I just wanted to call and tell you I don’t think we should go.”
“Why, is it supposed to rain?” I knew this was a futile attempt at humor, I could tell from the tone of her voice this conversation was not going to go well for me. A large knot began to form in my stomach.
“Mike, I’m thinking we should actually not do anything together, I’m just not ready for the kind of feelings that come with this kind of relationship.” I could tell by the quiver in her voice she was near tears. “You know I still have my boyfriend out in Pennsylvania.”
I had thought about telling her I was willing to share but that was by no means the truth; I wanted her all to myself. Like a cold Coke on a hot summer day, I wanted to drink her in, alone.
“I understand,” I said, barely audible. One more minute on the phone and I might have cried. That wouldn’t have been good for my image and it would have given Paul fodder to use against me for months. “Alright, well, I’ll see you sometime on campus, gotta go.”
“Bye, Mike, I’ll miss—”
I hung up; I had no desire to hear those words.
“Not cool!!” I yelled.
“What’s up, man?” Paul said with more than a little concern.
“Beth dumped me.”
“Oh, man, I’m sorry. But were you ever really going out?”
“No, not really, but you sort of get attached to the girl you’re dating.”
“Not me.”
“Well, you’re different.”
“Let’s go get a beer and look at some chicks.”
“The beer sounds good, the chicks can kiss my ass.”
“That’s the spirit.”
* * *
“Get up, its Saturday morning, the birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing...”
“Shut the shade,” I moaned. “I still can’t see straight.”
“Too bad. Kelly across the way just got out of the shower and forgot to shut her shade.”
Fifteen seconds ago I would have told you I couldn’t have moved that fast if someone had set my bed on fire. “Wow.” Was all I could say as I stood gaping out the window.
“Agreed,” Paul quipped.
“What are you boys looking at?” Beth said from our open doorway.
“Ah, nothing,” Paul said as he casually released his grip on our shade, plunging the room into near darkness.
“No, please don’t hit that switch,” I begged. “Hit the one below it. If you turn the strobe light on, I won’t make it halfway down the hall.”
“Hey, Paul, I know this is getting old, but could I please talk to Mike for a minute? I promise it will only take a minute.”
“Yeah, that’s about how long I’ve got to piss for anyway,” Paul said as he brushed by Beth.
“Eloquent as always,” Beth said with half a smile.
Why did she have to come here? Especially with the way I felt and how I looked. I learned you were always supposed to look your best when you ran into an ex so they could see you bounced back fine. And here I was looking like last week’s laundry. Smell included.
“I was wrong,” she blurted out.
“About what?” Hope surged, adrenaline raced. I did my best to portray an even calmness.
“About everything, I think. I’m not sure exactly what is going on here, but I know I’d rather have you around than not.”
“But what about Joe or John or whatever his name is?”
“I don’t know about him, either. I know I love him.”
Oh, that felt like a direct hit to my stomach.
“But I know I also have very strong feelings for you too. I’m greedy, I want it all.” She half-laughed.
“I’m sorry, Beth. I’m greedy and I have no desire to share. I don’t think I could stand the thought of you in his arms when you go home for holidays or summer break or whatever. That would tear me apart much worse than this. If you want him, he’s yours and you and me will stay with the status quo. If you somehow decide you would rather be with me, I’ll give you the time and space to make that decision. But I’ll tell you now I broke up with my girlfriend back home becaus
e I didn’t feel what I was doing was right; with her or with you or potentially with anyone else.” That seemed to sting her. I guess she didn’t think I could already be thinking of another girl already. What can I say? I’m a guy. We’re always thinking of another girl. Although, in all fairness, the only thing that was going to cure my thoughts about her was time, lots and lots of time and maybe lots of beer.
“Mike, I understand your concerns, but I was hoping we could push our issues to the side just for tonight. Can we at least go the concert tonight and be together?”
I really almost said no, but to look into her sea-blue eyes and say no was just something I don’t think any man was strong enough to do. And with my hesitant answer of yes I forever altered my life.
We arrived at Red Rocks around six o’clock that night. My watch told me the year was 2014 but the people around me made me feel as if I had stepped into a time warp. It appeared to be somewhere around 1968 or 1969. The girls and even some of the guys had flowers in their hair, they were tossing Frisbees around, drinking beers, smoking funny left-handed cigarettes and even the occasional trip was being taken. I thought to myself that I could really learn to like this time period. The girls for the most part had on old faded bell bottom jeans or long flowing sun dresses, most wore sandals, some just went barefoot. I had been to my share of heavy metal concerts and I knew from experience this was not a heavy metal crowd. The girls who usually attended those were the type who would beat the guy up if he did something wrong. I don’t think I had ever seen so many gorgeous women at one time, even on campus and I thought that place was beyond belief. Whether I liked the band or not, the view was sure to be entertaining. Beth must have seen the grin that had spread across my face, because suddenly and viciously I was snapped back to reality with a sharp blow to the side of my head. A lesser man might have actually gone down on his knees. I rubbed my head while mumbling my apologies.
“We’re here to see the band, not the women,” Beth said a little indignantly.
“Just exercising my rights as a single man,” I answered, hoping beyond hope that was actually a falsehood. Her face fell. “Come on, girl. Let’s go check out this band,” I said as I grabbed her by the waist. Her heavenly face looked up at me and something deep within my soul stirred.