Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead
87
“Urgent! Call me. Sad news.” And then I’m like, damn, those ship-to-shore calls are so expensive. Should I wait until tomorrow and try to use one of those overseas phone cards?”
“But you had a feeling?”
“Well yeah, sure. I mean we knew she was in rehab, although people don’t usually die there. . . . Anyway, I called and he told me she was supposed to be getting out in a few days . . . but they found her in her room this morning. They think it was a heart attack.”
“Ohmygod!”
“Yeah. And get this. He also told me that Davida kicked Aaron out of the house a few months ago. Said she couldn’t handle him anymore because he was too wild.”
“Great.”
“No, no. But that wasn’t the real story. Wayne said she was the one who was too wild. She was totally strung out all the time and then she got arrested for auto theft or something. Anyway, Aaron ended up living with him and he said Davida wouldn’t let him even come back to the house to visit. . . . Can you believe that?
My kid was orphaned and homeless?”
“That poor thing!”
“Yeah, but Wayne said it wasn’t his fault. He’s a great kid.”
“And what about Wayne? Is he a good guy?”
“When he’s sober? A sweetheart. ’Course to him a balanced meal is a Bud in each hand.”
“Lovely! What else did he tell you?”
“He said he was glad when Aaron moved in because he had been working for a roofing contractor and fell on the job and was still out on disability.”
“Not a good combination. Alcohol and altitude.”
“Right. Anyway, since Aaron had his driver’s license, he could take care of the grocery shopping, the running around . . . he even worked as a part-time custodian so he could help with the 88
Saralee Rosenberg
expenses. Is this kid amazing or what?” Artie started to cry. “But he’s been through so much.”
“This is such a shock. When’s the funeral?”
“Not going to be one. She’s being cremated. Wayne said maybe they’d do a memorial thing when Aaron got back, but that most of her friends were either dead or too strung out on crystal meth to care.”
“Jeez, we’re sheltered.”
“Yeah,” he sniffed.
“Well, but at least if there’s no wake, he can wait until we get back to go home.”
“Okay, but when do I tell him?”
“Now. Today. You have to tell him today.”
“Really?”
“Yes! If you lie about this like you did the f light home and your little heart attack, then strike three and you’re out. He’ll never trust you again.”
“Fine, but do I have to tell him everything, ’cause there may be more?”
“More?” Mindy gulped. “His mother is dead. What else could go wrong?”
“Oh nothing much. Happy birthday. You might be a grandmother!”
“A what? She raced out to the balcony. “ Please tell me you’re joking!”
“Don’t you dare jump!” He followed her. “I am not joining AARP alone.”
“What does that mean? Mindy hyperventilated over the railing.
“What do you think it means? It means sonny boy shtupped a girl and lucky us, there’s gonna be a little baby in Oregon calling us grandma and grandpa.”
“No, no. You maybe, not me. I may be getting old but I’m too Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead
89
young for this. I still get my legs waxed. Ohmygod!!! What did Wayne say exactly? Does he know for sure?”
“No. All he said was after Aaron left, he got a call from this girl in a band he’d been hanging out with, she was hysterical sobbing, said she was pregnant and needed to talk to him right away.
What does that sound like to you?”
“Like an ABC after-school special.” She paced. “So he has no idea?”
“None.” Artie stared at the waves.
“Hold on . . . hold on. The day before we left, when he wanted go home, didn’t Aaron say something about his girl needing him?”
“Yeah, he did. Shit!”
“This is crazy, Artie! What are we supposed to do?”
“Hell if I know. I’m still in shock that I get to
87
“Urgent! Call me. Sad news.” And then I’m like, damn, those ship-to-shore calls are so expensive. Should I wait until tomorrow and try to use one of those overseas phone cards?”
“But you had a feeling?”
“Well yeah, sure. I mean we knew she was in rehab, although people don’t usually die there. . . . Anyway, I called and he told me she was supposed to be getting out in a few days . . . but they found her in her room this morning. They think it was a heart attack.”
“Ohmygod!”
“Yeah. And get this. He also told me that Davida kicked Aaron out of the house a few months ago. Said she couldn’t handle him anymore because he was too wild.”
“Great.”
“No, no. But that wasn’t the real story. Wayne said she was the one who was too wild. She was totally strung out all the time and then she got arrested for auto theft or something. Anyway, Aaron ended up living with him and he said Davida wouldn’t let him even come back to the house to visit. . . . Can you believe that?
My kid was orphaned and homeless?”
“That poor thing!”
“Yeah, but Wayne said it wasn’t his fault. He’s a great kid.”
“And what about Wayne? Is he a good guy?”
“When he’s sober? A sweetheart. ’Course to him a balanced meal is a Bud in each hand.”
“Lovely! What else did he tell you?”
“He said he was glad when Aaron moved in because he had been working for a roofing contractor and fell on the job and was still out on disability.”
“Not a good combination. Alcohol and altitude.”
“Right. Anyway, since Aaron had his driver’s license, he could take care of the grocery shopping, the running around . . . he even worked as a part-time custodian so he could help with the 88
Saralee Rosenberg
expenses. Is this kid amazing or what?” Artie started to cry. “But he’s been through so much.”
“This is such a shock. When’s the funeral?”
“Not going to be one. She’s being cremated. Wayne said maybe they’d do a memorial thing when Aaron got back, but that most of her friends were either dead or too strung out on crystal meth to care.”
“Jeez, we’re sheltered.”
“Yeah,” he sniffed.
“Well, but at least if there’s no wake, he can wait until we get back to go home.”
“Okay, but when do I tell him?”
“Now. Today. You have to tell him today.”
“Really?”
“Yes! If you lie about this like you did the f light home and your little heart attack, then strike three and you’re out. He’ll never trust you again.”
“Fine, but do I have to tell him everything, ’cause there may be more?”
“More?” Mindy gulped. “His mother is dead. What else could go wrong?”
“Oh nothing much. Happy birthday. You might be a grandmother!”
“A what? She raced out to the balcony. “ Please tell me you’re joking!”
“Don’t you dare jump!” He followed her. “I am not joining AARP alone.”
“What does that mean? Mindy hyperventilated over the railing.
“What do you think it means? It means sonny boy shtupped a girl and lucky us, there’s gonna be a little baby in Oregon calling us grandma and grandpa.”
“No, no. You maybe, not me. I may be getting old but I’m too Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead
89
young for this. I still get my legs waxed. Ohmygod!!! What did Wayne say exactly? Does he know for sure?”
“No. All he said was after Aaron left, he got a call from this girl in a band he’d been hanging out with, she was hysterical sobbing, said she was pregnant and needed to talk to him right away.
What does that sound like to you?”
“Like an ABC after-school special.” She paced. “So he has no idea?”
“None.” Artie stared at the waves.
“Hold on . . . hold on. The day before we left, when he wanted go home, didn’t Aaron say something about his girl needing him?”
“Yeah, he did. Shit!”
“This is crazy, Artie! What are we supposed to do?”
“Hell if I know. I’m still in shock that I get to
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