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Show All the Variables & Other Love Stories 5 the middle with a smoke-and-alcohol-free side for minors. I told her about how Brandon was getting married because his rebound girlfriend was Mormon and pregnant. "Of course she is," Michaela sighed. "Brandon doesn't want to get married. How's your dad taking this?" "Ornery, same as with everything else. It takes some of the heat off me, though." I was graduating from high school soon and was looking forward to a lifetime of starving in the name of art, the only thing I'd ever loved or cared about. Until now this had made me Dad's biggest headache. Brandon had a rocket-launcher for a right arm and had been a three-time All-State third-baseman in high school. Now he played for Salt Lake Community College. He had a tryout in two months for a minor-league slot on the Kansas City Royals' farm system, which was fine for him, but made me the problem case. Dad had a soft spot for baseball, but not art. He wanted me to be a real man with a real job who made real money and lived in a real house, which meant he wanted me to be as miserable as he was. "I envy you," Michaela told me. "How self-absorbed you are. I wish I had that courage. It's admirable how little you care." I shrugged. "Yeah, I'm a bastard. If s just because I want to paint. That's all I want to do. I'm not following a dream or defying the establishment for what I believe in. Dad doesn't know it, but I'm not going to be any use to him anyway. My options are paint or be bored. That's why I don't care." Michaela was my age-just a few months younger-and I never understood what she wanted with Brandon. She was so individual and comfortable being herself, and he was so whatever-people-wanted-him-to-be. |